The Woman With A Bullet In Her Leg : Cal Smyth

In the aftermath of the Balkan wars Belgrade is a dangerous place.

In a city numbed by the horrors of war, soldiers turned gangsters rule the criminal underworld through fear and unrelenting violence. For those living between the cracks, navigating everyday life is a complex business where just surviving for another day is sometimes the most they can hope for.

Neda Panić is a survivor. 

Set against the backdrop of the bars and nightclubs of Serbia’s capital city, Neda finds herself caught in a maelstrom of sex, drugs and violence that seems to have its own chaotic momentum

As her life spirals impossibly out of control Neda determines to do whatever it takes to ensure that when the dust settles she’ll be the last woman standing.

Praise for Cal Smyth

“Smyth blends Nesbo and Mankell to create a perfect slice of Balkan Noir”

“This book draws you in. Without realising it you become sympathetic to to situations and actions that should be shocking. The characters are complicated; not just 'good' or 'bad'. It is a complex world that they live in. Violent history and survival has altered how people behave, and their understanding of loyalties, family, Justice and Injustice.”

“Smyth leaves you suspended between sympathy and despair”

“The world-wide popularity of Nordic Noir in recent years has revealed an appetite among readers for gritty realistic European crime fiction. Balkan Noir has been touted as the ‘next big thing’ for some time and with The Balkan Route the genre has finally made good on its potential.”

“The author’s obvious expertise in Serbian culture makes this book a stand-out read”

“This book is fantastic - a gripping page turner but with depth and characters you care about. The vivid and atmospheric conjuring of places and historical context is an added dimension bringing the story even more to life and heightening the drama and suspense. Brilliant - more please!”