American by Day

De: Derek B. Miller

Narrado por: Sean Mangan

A gripping and timely novel that follows Sigrid - the dry-witted detective from Derek B. Miller's best-selling debut Norwegian by Night - from Oslo to the United States on a quest to find her missing brother.

She knew it was a weird place.

She'd heard the stories, seen the movies, read the books. But now police Chief Inspector Sigrid Ødegård has to leave her native Norway and actually go there - to that land across the Atlantic where her missing brother is implicated in the mysterious death of a prominent African-American academic. America. Sigrid is plunged into a United States where race and identity, politics and promise, reverberate in every aspect of daily life. Working with - or, if necessary, against - the police, she must negotiate the local political minefields and navigate the backwoods of the Adirondacks to uncover the truth before events escalate further.

Refreshingly funny, slyly perceptive, American by Day secures Derek B. Miller's place as one of our most imaginative and entertaining novelists.

©2018 Derek B. Miller (P)2018 Audible, Inc.

Not just a crime drama, it’s a manifesto

This book is a terrific crime drama with some continuation from Norwegian by Night, also excellent. You don’t have to read (or listen to) that book first, but I recommend it. It will help you understand the complexity of Sigrid’s state of mind. But, beyond the excellent drama, the exquisite writing, the wonderful biting sarcasm heard in almost every line, this book is a manifesto about the problems of gun usage in the US, concepts of “freedom” in the US, racism in the US, and even the American diet. Every point was brilliantly made. The narrator is excellent, though sometimes the dramatic tone he used was overdone for certain lines. Not every sentence needed to be read like it was part of the unfolding drama. I forgive him that, though, because overall he did a find job. Derek, please keep writing more books in this series! Maybe there is an excuse for Sigrid to go to some other countries, say France, and we can get her critique of that location (but it is less likely that she’d speak French, right?)

Not quite as good as...

....Norwegian by night which has a high “quirk value”. This follows on but is a little too preachy about us culture and bad behaviors versus Norway. Still it’s worth it. Good ending.

Thoroughly Enjoyable

I loved both this and the previous book. The author artfully weaves humor, philosophy, and discussion of sensitive topics into well told storylines. This is not a genre a normally read, but I would definitely come back for more.

Good follow on to Norwegian by Night

But not quite the same caliber. I found this narration a bit jarring and no one can be as mesmerizing as Sheldon. Nevertheless this is a great follow up novel that tracks the lead police investigation from Sheldons story across the Atlantic to solve a family mystery.

It should only hurt your feelings, if it's true...

...or so said my mother. I read other reviews of this book, that range from calling it preachy and portraying Americans as not so smart to very funny. The result was I approached the book with trepidation. Then, I listened to it. Well, the very funny review got it right.

Derek B. Miller captured the essence of Scandinavians in Sigrid Ødegård - somewhat terse, seemingly humorless, rather literal (having lived in Denmark I feel qualified to say so). And, he also captured the essence of being an American correctly - we do tend to talk a lot! But, this book is a completely different spin on a police procedural/mystery book. A story told with lots of humor and one that makes the point that, just because something looks one way, it does not necessarily mean it is so.

And I agree with the reviewer who said, "I will be really interested in seeing where Miller takes the story in future books and to see more of Sigrid and Irv..."