#HorrorForLibraries Giveaway 73: The Lake of the Dead

This week's #HorrorForLibraries giveaway features a book that is consistently voted one of the best EVER by Norwegian readers. Details below, but first, how to enter:

1. You need to be affiliated with an American public library. My rationale behind that is that I will be encouraging you to read these books and share them with patrons. While many of them are advanced reader copies that you cannot add to your collections, if you get the chance to read them, my hope is that you will consider ordering a copy for your library and give away the ARC away as a prize or pass it on to a fellow staff member.
2. If you are interested in being included in any giveaway at any time, you must email me at zombiegrl75 [at] gmail [dot] com with the subject line "#HorrorForLibraries." In the body of the email all you have to say is that you want to be entered and the name of your library.
3. Each entry will be considered for EVERY giveaway. Meaning you enter once, and you are entered until you win. I will randomly draw a winner on Fridays sometime after 5pm central. But only entries received by 5pm each week will be considered for that week. I use Random.org and have a member of my family witness the "draw"based off your number in the Google Sheet.
4. If you win, you are ineligible to win again for 4 weeks; you will have to re-enter after that time to be considered [I have a list of who has won, when, and what title]. However, if you do not win, you carry over into the next week. There is NO NEED to reenter.

Click here to see giveaway #72.. Our winner was Holly from Kentucky. Now on to today's giveaway.

Lake of the Dead by Andre Bjerke is a Norwegian classic and it is now available for the first time in an American edition courtesy of one of my favorite small publishers for libraries-- Valancourt Books. I reviewed this title in the January issue of Library Journal. Below is my draft review with extra commentary from Goodreads:

Three Words That Describe This Book: translation, mystery-ghost story hybrid, compellingly creepy

Draft Review: Norwegians’ consistently list titles by Fossum, Nesbo, and this 1942 classic in the top three of their all time favorties. Werner, a young scholar, disappeared while investigating a sensational murder from over 100 yrs before. Now, a year later, his sister, and his friends-- a psychologist, an occult specialist, a stage actress, and our narrator, a mystery novelist and private detective-- plan a trip to the haunted lake hoping to find him. Written with an enticing first person narration, directly addressing the reader, and with chapter titles like, “ In which a madman's diary is presented,” it is as if Bjerke is daring readers to put the novel down, a herculean task once started. This forgotten classic, with an excellent, new translation, allows the creepy setting, menacing tone, and very real danger of this compelling and engaging story to shine in all its 1940s glory for a modern audience.

Verdict: While some of the views on women are a bit outdated here, they are directly addressed in the excellent introduction, leaving room for this title to appeal to a huge swath of readers from fans of Yrsa Sigurðardóttir or Anthony Horowitz, to atmospheric Horror-Mystery hybrids by Cynthia Pelayo or Simone St. James.

Extra info: Great, accesible translation of a book that in Norway is consistently in the top 3 of favorite books by Norwegians coming in only behind Nesbo and Fossum! Originally published in 1942. Never available in an American edition.

Out dated notions of women but it is 1942! The translation makes it shine in all of its glory though. Captures the voice well. 

Super creepy and atmospheric, mystery-ghost story hybrid, compelling pace. I especially loved the titles for each chapter which are a leading statement to get you to just read one more chapter. For ex.. "Chapter 5: In which a madman's diary is presented." Who could resist one more chapter with that hanging over you. 

Reads like a 1940s mystery-- ala Agatha Christie with a strong first person narration by the investigator who is a crime fiction writer. The book breaks the 4th wall often. A

I really enjoyed being immersed in the 1940s feel but the super creepy lake house and the menacing tone, and VERY REAL danger, were not outdated in anyway. 

Readers of mysteries like those by Anthony Horowitz will enjoy this and of course Nordic Noir fans. Especially fans of Yrsa Sigurðardóttir. But also light horror like Alma Katsu's THE DEEP

Order a copy for your library today and good luck!

Thanks to Valancourt for providing this ARC for the giveaway.