Brief review of American by Day by Derek B. Miller

This is a terrific book. I only wish I had read the first in the series (so far there are only two), Norwegian by Night, but this one manages to be funny and profound in the context of a suspenseful story. The interplay between Sigrid, the Detective Superintendent from  and Irv, the upstate New York sheriff and her American (sort-of) law enforcement counterpart provides lots of humor and warmth but also pointed commentary on American culture. The commentary ranges from the general–how Americans talk and talk, compelled to fill silences–to the specifics of law enforcement and training. It’s all extremely well-done and credible, but also manages to be exceptionally entertaining. The story succeeds beautifully on many levels, including social commentary, suspense, romance, humor and uplift.

In the book, Sigrid’s brother flees from his demons to America and, for a time, seems to find peace and fulfillment only to become entangled in American racism and lose it.  The author is a local boy–Boston born, Wellesley bred–who now lives in Oslo, making parallels unmistakable. He appears to use his distance to observe and illuminate our own culture and its assumptions, and he manages to pass on his numerous insights without being ponderous or polemic, which is quite a feat. I can’t recommend this book highly enough.