The long awaited ‘sequel’ to the fabulous Norwegian by Night (NbN) and it doesn’t disappoint. I have always considered Sheldon Horowitz, hero of NbN, to be one of fictions great creations and certainly never thought the author would be able to match him. And of course he will not: but in the character, Irv Wylie, in this latest novel, he makes a good attempt.
A cracking read and a great story told with style, pace and humour.

Really fun crime read, contrasting Norwegian and American cultures and policing styles, although the mystery part of it was perhaps not really all that mysterious or satisfactory.

This is a follow-on to Norwegian by Night which I also loved. It follows the detective involved in the investigation and follows her all the way to the US where her father has sent her to find her brother who has stopped responding to his letters.

The tone of the book is the same as Norwegian by Night and is calm, it does not change just because they have shifted to the US which you might have expected. I particularly enjoyed the relationship between Sigrid and the US Sheriff she meets.

It's not a rushed thrill seeking read but there is something about the tone that draws you in and keeps you glued to the pages. I can't wait to read more in this style from Miller.

Back in 2013, Derek B. Millers first book, Norwegian by Night won the CWA John Creasy Award for Best First Novel. Unfortunately for me, I haven’t read Norwegian by Night but I plan to as soon as possible because its follow-up novel, American By Day is a brilliant read. Both books feature the wonderful Chief Inspector Sigrid Ødegård as the protagonist and I don’t think I suffered for not having read Norwegian by Night but it did send my OCD for reading book series’ in order twitching a little.

Sigrid is sent to the US by her father to find her brother, Marcus, who has sent unsettling and emotional letters back home to Norway. When she arrives she is unable to find him, nor can the police who are interested in talking to him about the death of a black woman, Lydia. The police have decided he is guilty of her murder and arresting him is the only outcome they want. However, Sigrid knows her brother and knows he is not capable of such a thing so she works with (and at times against) the police to find Marcus and to clear his name.

Derek B. Miller writes wonderful, three-dimensional characters and Sigrid and police Sheriff Irv Wylie are shining examples of great writing. They have a wonderful interplay with one another which veers from grudging respect to brilliant word play and one-upmanship and reading about them is positively gleeful. It takes a deft touch to write people so well, Irv and Sigrid in particular, but also Marcus and Lydia whom we only meet for the most part via recollections and stories from other people.

In its simplest form this is a book about a man hunt but really it is a character driven novel which highlights social inequalities and handles a difficult and sensitive subject matter extremely well. Set against the backdrop of the weeks leading up to Obama’s election this book mirrors the racial tensions in America, and throws a spotlight upon injustice and inequality. It is an uncomfortable read at times, and quite emotional but never schmaltzy or mawkish and the message comes through loud and clear via subtle and clever writing.

Sigrid’s arrival in America highlights the ‘oddness’ of the country, her observations and disorientation reminded me of the sense of disorder we get when reading dystopian novels – everything is the same but its all a bit different. She struggles to make sense of the political and racial tensions, finding the whole thing bizarre and completely alien to her Scandi sensibilities of equality and inclusiveness. She becomes friendly with Melinda, a police officer who finds it odd that Sigrid, a female, is so senior within the Norwegian police and relishes the opportunity to work for a woman prompting Sigrid to reply with:

‘America is in the dark ages. You are not supposed to be excited to work for me. You are not supposed to be pleased that men might someday let you do the same thing as them if you’re both obedient and twice as qualified’

It is an odd thing to read about a country that is so deeep into our consciousness due to its postioning in the media and to realise how deeply faulted it is. Derek B. Miller’s acute observations are both insightful and clever and delivered with a dollop of a dry, wry sense of humour. It is this humour which took this book from a 4 star to 5 star for me – I laughed out loud on many occasions and, although I wouldn’t say this book is a comedy, it has a wicked sense of fun running throughout its pages.

Overall this is an assured, clever and well-written exploration of America and its prejudices, arrogance, institutions and its social construct. It is a brilliant read which is unlike anything I have read before and I look forward to reading more from Derek B. Miller.

Sigrid Odegard is at a crossroads in her life. She has worked hard to become a Chief of Police but at the expense of her personal life. Now, after a shooting she has been cleared from, Sigrid is questioning her vocation. Then she receives a message from her father, her brother has gone missing and Sigrid must find him. He has been working in America and Sigrid travels to upstate New York to find a country alien to her and struggling with questions of race. In the search for her brother Sigrid must confront demons from her past.

Miller is a writer who seduces the reader with narratives that are interesting yet pack a punch. Set in 2008 this story considers the questions that led up to the election of Obama in small town USA. There is a police shooting of a black teenager, issues around white supremacy and sly digs at the American lifestyle yet this is still a very readable police procedural at heart. The question of mental illness and guilt forms the central motivation and is handled with sensitivity and realism.

Following the absolutely stunning Norwegian By Night which has been a stalwart recommend of mine as a bookseller, it was with some degree of excitement that I greeted the arrival of American By Day. Instead of keeping you in suspense as to my reaction to this book, I will quickly say that it has already claimed a position in my top reads of the year so far, and here’s why…

This book reunites us with Norwegian police chief inspector Sigrid Odegard, who finds herself on a journey, both professional and personal, to track down her missing brother in upstate New York. By marrying the disparate methods of beliefs and practice of law enforcement between Odegard and her American counterpart Sheriff Irving ‘Irv’ Wylie, Miller weaves his dialogue between them with emotional punch, feisty exchanges and differences of opinion, but never losing sight of the fact that they are both are fundamentally on the same side, albeit moulded and shaped by differing social influences. The verbal sparring, but growing mutual respect, is beautifully depicted, and the frisson of tension between them never feels contrived or clichéd as is all too common in crime fiction.

Odegard’s character in particular carries with it a weight of self doubt, constant self appraisal and moments of vulnerability that really resonate with the reader, and she is without doubt one of the most roundly drawn, authentic, and empathetic female characters that I have encountered of late. As she grapples with the gaps in language, cultural differences, and her growing fearfulness as to her brother’s fate, Miller effortlessly carries the reader on her journey of discovery and epiphany, engaging us completely as the story progresses. The dialogue throughout the book is beautifully controlled, infused with wit, gaps in understanding, and envelops the reader in the definition of the characters, their relationships, their emotions and how they perceive and seek to make sense of the world around them.

By aligning these protagonists from two entirely different cultures, Miller has afforded himself the opportunity to provide a mirror to the social and racial issues that plague American society both in the timeline of 2008, with the election looming, and perhaps more pertinently how these conflicts plague American life still. One review I read of this book made a sniffy comment about Miller’s didacticism, and yes, there is a strong sense of authorial comment pervading the book, which is inevitable in the time period, and with the social, racial and political issues the narrative gives rise to. However, I think any reader with a modicum of intelligence will have the gumption to embrace the author’s more cerebral observations, be they objective or subjective, and process this information for themselves. Personally, I had no problem with Miller’s exploration of the American psyche, the ever present issues of racial division, police brutality and so on, as I don’t believe that anyone can claim ignorance as to the existence of these divisive issues. Harking back to the quote from Karin Slaughter that crime fiction is the best medium to reflect the true ills and division of society, this is the lasting impression of this book for me. I found Miller’s juxtaposition of a compelling and emotive plot, with the exploration of race, violence, mental illness and social conflict a perfect blend, and his balance between the two streams of narrative are never less that completely absorbing.

I think it’s safe to say that a significant number of people that read, aside from the pure enjoyment of reading, do so to provide themselves with an enhanced comprehension of the world around them, and to encounter and experience people, places and cultural differences, and this is what Miller achieves here. American By Day is smarter than your average thriller, but containing all the essential components of good crime fiction that keep us reading and reading. Highly recommended.

First we had "Norwegian by Night" which was an exceptional debut. Clever, well plotted and beautifully written. Now we have Derek Miller's new novel, "American by Day" to enjoy and luxuriate over.

This is a follow-up to the first book but can also be read as a standalone literary thriller featuring a character we have met before in Oslo Police Lt Sigrid Odegard who visit America to look for her older brother, Marcus who is a suspect in a murder enquiry and is in hiding.

The book is serious, well thought through and highly entertaining.

Totally recommended.

This novel is an impressive blend of Nordic Noir and American Noir. It’s not a justice story but a story of a broken justice system.

Police Chief Inspector Sigrid Odegard of Oslo, Norway has only recently been exonerated in a tough case where deadly force was used. When she is summoned to her father’s residence. Her father, Morten is 69yrs old and lonely. He is estranged from his son; Marcus and we learn that this is surrounding past issues when their mother Astrid died. Marcus has never truly gotten over the death of his mother, he has blamed his father and fled to the US. Marcus seeks a better life, a fresh start, but will he find it?

Over the course of the conversation between Sigrid and Morten, we learn that father and son had been in contact via letter recently. That the written communication began seven months ago and ended abruptly a week ago. Morten is concerned and urges Sigrid to investigate. When I say ‘urges’, I mean he already has her flight booked.

On the journey we learn that Marcus had acquired a position at a university and had recently found love. Sigrid is an unusual character she applies rational thought and almost immediately begins compiling the ‘data’ she has surrounded her own brother. She is apprehensive about entering the USA, regarding it as a weird place. The contrast between the society and way of life in Norway and America is intriguing throughout the novel.

When Sigrid arrives at Marcus’s apartment she is greeted by a hooker named Juliet. She tells Sigrid that not only is Marcus missing but that local Sheriff Irving Wylie has been asking questions regarding the death of Marcus’s girlfriend Lydia. Did Marcus commit murder? What kind of mess has Sigrid walked into? Can she find Marcus before the police?

Alone and in a foreign country, Sigrid know she has to confront the situation with the Sheriff head on. But what she uncovers just leads to more mystery and suspicion. Sigrid often clashes with Irv about police tactics and attitudes. Especially when the case leads to the past police shooting of an unarmed African American boy named Jeffrey, who was just 12 years old.

‘In Jefferson County alone there had been almost two dozen police shootings that had left someone dead. Eighty percent of those dead were black despite fewer than ten percent of the population being black. Everyone knew something was off, but event by event, every shooting sounded right and reasonable. But how could that be?’

When Sigrid gains access to Marcus’s computer files, she learns this case is so much deeper than she originally believed. The novel deals with the issue of institutionalised racism within the police force and the aftermath of trauma for the community of the murdered victim. When I read the scene of Jeffrey’s death, I became as angry as Sigrid, at the injustice of it all.
But can Sigrid take on the American justice system and find her brother?

The novel is set in the 2008 election season and the potential of Obama as president plays out in the background. It is impossible to ignore the political, social and race themes within the novel. This is a detailed crime fiction novel, that I can see being very popular amongst readers of the genre. 4*

How do you find books? I chose this one because I saw a reference to it made by Thomas Enger, who says of Miller “Derek has one of the sharpest, funniest and most important pens out there.” So I could not resist. I had no idea what to expect, but I was genuinely delighted by what I got.
American by Day is at once witty, sharp and on point. It is also refreshing, lacks stereotypes and made me think a lot. Set in the midst of the 2008 Obama election, it is a thoughtful and provocative piece which both delights and captivates, whilst bringing home some serious thought provoking arguments.
Norwegian Chief Inspector Sigrid Ødegård is troubled. An internal inquiry into her shooting and killing a Kosovan has found that she acted at all times within the law and that she is exonerated from blame. Yet, that conclusion just troubles her more and she decides to accept her father’s invitation to come home to the family farm and spend time with him.
But when she gets there she finds that her brother Marcus has gone missing in upstate New York. Her father is worried for his safety and has already made arrangements for Sigrid to fly out and track him down.
Sigrid finally arrives in Watertown in the Adirondacks, where she checks in with the local Sherriff, Irving Wiley. It is the relationship between these two protagonists and their exchanges and banter that make for a terrifically good read. Sigrid finds much to bemuse her about this bit of America, though she is a fan of their throwaway pricing culture, particularly on the liquor front.
Irving Wiley, meanwhile, is no stereotypical hick Sherriff. He is well read, sharp and smart and the perfect foil for Sigrid. His deputy Melanie is also a very human character. The background to Marcus’ disappearance is that a black child has recently been shot and killed by a white policeman, and the shooting has been ruled clean. Tensions are high in the community and then Marcus’s girlfriend Lydia, the child’s aunt, is found dead at the base of a deserted construction site and Marcus has vanished.
Sigrid and Irv must pair up to find Marcus and bring him back to Watertown without harm. Their conversations and arguments make for brilliant reading. The two cultures, Norway and America are very different and Sigrid and Irv discuss the many ways in which they are different from gun ownership, portion control and politics. Their exchanges are sheer magic on the page.
Derek B Miller has pulled off a massive challenge. He has created a novel with warm, authentic characters that are at one and the same time both very funny and deadly serious.
Behind the story is a reflective look at love and loss and the ways in which we all interpret events according to our own outlook on life. There is lots of action, some real laugh out loud moments, yet what stands out is that this is a book that looks at what it is like to be a middle-American and why America stands where it does today. It does not flinch from looking at the divides between rich and poor, black and white, and from wide ranging philosophical discussions about gun control and other fundamental issues. And yet it does so with a light touch and a sharpness that is refreshing.
A book that can achieve all these things is a wonder, and Derek B Miller pulls it off with wit and finesse. I was thrilled by the action, captivated by the exchanges and drawn in by the arguments.
In my view American By Day is a towering piece of work that goes straight onto the must read list of 2018.

Derek B. Miller uses the crime/thriller format to deliver a smart literary state of the nation perspective on the US and compares it with Norway, on issues of policing, race, women, power, politics, society and the individual. He makes astute and incisive observations on burning contemporary issues in the US with wry humour and comic wit. Sigrid Odegard, arrives in Upstate New York and Jefferson County in her search for her brother, Marcus, at the urging of her father who feels something is wrong. She brings her Norwegian outsider's eye in her thoughts and opinions on the weird US. She finds Marcus has disappeared and is wanted after his presence at the scene of the death of the black Professor Lydia Jones with whom he had been in relationship with. Was it suicide or murder? Lydia's nephew, young Jeffrey Simmons had recently been shot dead by the police, traumatising the entire family and the black community, particularly after justice had been denied with the officer concerned judged to have no case to answer regarding the black child killing.

Sigrid finds herself working with and against the elected eccentric Sheriff Irving Wylie, a trained theologian, who finds himself challenged by Sigrid who identifies their differing approaches to cases. She sees an investigation as an iterative process of hypothetic-deductive reasoning, seeing facts not as evidence, facts become evidence when they are mobilised in support of an argument. This exploratory approach requires a degree of comfort with ambiguity. There is a look at the state of mental health, depression and suicide in the US, the figures for women in policing and Deputy Melinda Powell sees Sigrid as a powerful female police role model. Sigrid and Irv's relationship flowers with both being strong, intelligent characters, it has Irv going the extra mile to ensure that Marcus is not shot dead by a trigger happy law enforcement community and protecting Sigrid when her actions veer towards the outrageous. This story takes in white supremacist bikers, heightened community tensions, the grief of Lydia's family and the problematic relations between the police and the black community, and a hunt for Marcus in the Adirondacks that results in the use of Molotov cocktails.

Miller's novel is a joy to read, and his thinking on the state of the US delivered through Sigrid and Irving is both erudite and compelling. I particularly liked how perceptions, how things look matters more and politically self interested decisionmaking trumps any judicious investigations. In a conflicted US, and the differences between Sigrid and Irv, these resolved on an individual basis with their connection with each other on a personal level. It is this micro level focus on individuals relating to and connecting with each other, providing some possible answers towards solving what would otherwise be insurmountable global, national, political, cultural, racial divisions and more, that results in dividing people, groups and nations. This is an exciting and engaging read, written by an author who transcends the crime genre to give us a brilliant thought provoking novel that I recommend highly. I absolutely adored the offbeat characters he creates and his thoughtful and witty approach to story telling. Many thanks to Random House Transworld for an ARC.

3.5 stars

It pains me - really, pains me - to have to give the marvellous Miller less than the full 5-star treatment, but this book and I just, somehow, didn't gel. There's so much potential here structured via a Norwegian 'outsider's' view of America, plus an urgent attention to race and, specifically, the shooting of black citizens by white police officers (a particularly emotive example of which is in this story)... yet, it never quite felt like the book took off.

Miller's trademark gimlet wit and absurdist humour are still here in places, and he makes some fine points via Sigrid on America's discussion-stopping rhetoric of 'freedom', and Lydia's thesis on the connection between the American valorisation of individualism and debates about race. There are also moments of LOL sniggering caused by Melinda, and some of the interactions between Sheriff Irv Wylie, Melinda and Sigrid.

Yet, for all this, I felt the story lacked incision. Too much of the substance has already happened (Lydia's death, Marcus' misunderstandings, the police shooting of a 12-year old boy) and the present story is mopping up the aftermath so that the plot seems to ramble around too much trying to find a direction.

Most of all, I missed the brilliant characterisation that I would consider a trademark of Miller: Irv Wylie is no Sheldon Horowitz (Norwegian By Night) or Arwood Hobbes (The Girl In Green), and his act of self-knowledge, confession and reparation at the end seems to come out of nowhere. Sigrid, too, is fine as a minor character but can't, for me, carry the book.

Set against the run-up to Obama's first election, I felt more could have been made of this to offer a more integrated story. And some of Sigrid's amazed reflections on America - 24-hour diners! massive food portions!- are tired and surely ill-fitting coming from a 40-something professional woman who has visited the US before and, in any case, lives in Oslo where, surely, US TV/films are ubiquitous?

For all my issues, Miller is still one of the best, funniest, clear-sighted and politically-astute writers today - this just isn't his best work: 3.5 stars.

I thought American By Day was very good in the end. It is very well written, witty, engaging and thoughtful.

Be warned that this is the sequel to Norwegian By Night and the first 50 pages or so form a very extensive spoiler, so I'd recommend reading Norwegian By Night first. In fact, I found the opening rather a struggle, with a lot of slightly unconvincing recapping and scene-setting. However, when the protagonist Sigrid arrives in the USA from Norway to find out what has happened to her brother, things really begin to take off. This is largely because of Sheriff Irv Wylie, who is an absolutely brilliant character; a Divinity scholar turned policeman he is wise, erudite and very funny. Sigrid's very Norwegian, down-to-earth analytical approach makes a great contrast, and the result is a delight.

A good, engaging crime story evolves, but the real meat of this book is a thoughtful, humane but unsparing look at aspects of US society. Set in the run-up to the 2008 Presidential elections, there is some really fine analysis of race relations especially, but some shrewd observations on all sorts of other aspects of American life, too; food, gun control, the meaning of "freedom" and so on. There are some very familiar tropes of political interference, media misrepresentation causing serious community problems, and others, but they are handled with such insight and lack of cliché that it all felt very fresh.

American By Day developed into a very good book indeed and despite an unpromising beginning, it deserves five stars. Warmly recommended.