All Red

Joanna Chmielewska is the real «queen» of ironic detective fiction: this genre became popular in Russia largely thanks to her and influenced an entire generation of contemporary writers. Readers loved her books for their humor, lightness, and the uplifting atmosphere they draw you into—there’s a desire to be friends with Ms. Joanna and her characters. However, her smart, subtle novels stand far above mere «comic literature». They are full of love and interest in life, of zest and curiosity, and they never fail to lift the mood even on the grayest day. «All Red» is perhaps Chmielewska’s best-known detective story. The story of a mysterious murder in a Danish village that occurred during a friendly party—and the subsequent chain of puzzling attempted killings—grabs the reader from the very beginning. It’s almost a closed-circle detective tale, featuring both a gradually narrowing circle of suspects and unexpected twists, as well as secrets from the past—and most importantly, endlessly lively and charming characters and Ms. Joanna’s brilliant humor.