For Semira

As part of Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine's 75th-anniversary year, EQMM put together an All Nations issue. Inside, you'll find stories from twelve countries by award-winning and internationally celebrated authors and accomplished translators. Petra Ivanov's "For Semira" deals with the aftermath of war and the life of a refugee in a Swiss shelter. Translated by Mary Tannert.

"A cry tore Ruben out of his thoughts. It was a man's voice, a wail that swelled, bounced off the bare concrete walls, and then fell silent as suddenly as it had sounded. Wearily, Ruben got to his feet. As a security officer at the Kreuzlingen refugee facility, it was his job to ensure order.

A group of asylum-seekers had gathered in the hallway outside the reception area where he was on duty, and in their midst Ruben could see two legs jerking and twitching on the white linoleum floor…"

Read more...

“Petra Ivanov is among the elite of contemporary crime fiction novelists.

Prisma