The Philosophy & Murders Series
The university of Uppsala is notorious for its ancient history; its halls echo of decadence and hedonism, yet rumors of hazing and secret societies have been whispered among the students for centuries. Young administrator Liam Lode, who works at the university’s department of philosophy, is one of those fascinated by the legends. He spends his evenings pouring over endless pages of research about the university’s secret Philosophical Society, eager to uncover its mysteries. When Liam’s long-time girlfriend breaks up with him, it only spurs his obsession and serves as a soothing distraction from his own hardships: his love life is in shambles, his career is stagnant, and his father’s early death still casts a heavy shadow over him.
One quiet evening in the library, surrounded by the scent of dusty and decaying books, Liam stumbles upon the name Greta Sparre – an eccentric journalist with a fondness for the luxuries of life and with a surprising expertise on the mythical Philosophical Society. Intrigued, Liam persuades Greta to join him for a glass of wine. Greta, who is equally as interested in both the secret society and philosophy as Liam is, welcomes the diversion, eager to distract herself after her forced retirement. Amid the warm, quivering lights in a smoky bar, Liam and Greta decide to revive the society; renaming it the Philosophical Club, with weekly meetings filled with intellectual discussions and endless bottles of red wine.
It soon turns out that Liam and Greta have a knack for ending up in the wrong place at the wrong time, finding themselves drawn into several murder mysteries. In the first book, Liam and Greta attend a party at the botanical gardens, where the guest of honor is found murdered. To free themselves of suspicion, they start their own investigation where every clue seems to lead back to the very same secret society they sought to revive. The second book of the series is centered around a dinner party at a grand villa, which both Liam and Greta happen to attend. When the host, a renowned conductor, is found dead, the pair are certain that the killer is seated among them. While the investigation twists and turns at a rapid pace, gentle tones of classical music linger throughout the pages, immersing the reader into the world of the great composers. With the help of Greta’s son Jacob, a warm and steadfast police officer, and librarian Ophelia, Liam’s love interest, these amateur sleuths work to uncover the mysteries of Uppsala while trying to crack the cases they stumble upon.
The Philosophy & Murders series is set in the charming university town Uppsala, traversing narrow cobblestone streets and winding aisles in historic buildings. Karolina Schützer’s cozy crime series blends the decadence and ambience of secret societies with the refined arts, while serving closed room mysteries in true Agatha Christie spirit. Following amateur sleuths Liam Lode and Greta Sparre, two vastly different but equally charming characters, Eden of Death and A Killer’s Symphony are the perfect books to lose oneself in while surrounded by flickering candlelight on a rugged fall evening.
