Fred Vargas - The Chalk Circle Man

This was published in 1991 and is the first Jean-Baptiste Adamberg crime novel. The writer's name is actually Frederique Audoin-Rouzeau, archaeologist and author, writing in French. I'd call it whimsical but highly readable and often very funny. Dry? Yes. Detective Adamberg  reminds me somewhat of Adrian Monk with his strange attitude towards detection. The blurb above is a good guide. I'll be looking for more books from this author - there are plenty available. Give this one a try.  

Red Flags

RED FLAGS - Juris Jurjevics

I picked this up while racing through the library, assuming from the name of the author that it was yet another Scandinavian crime story. The words 'a novel of the Vietnam War' didn't register. My knowledge of that war is limited to news coverage and I've never read anything about it prior to this book.
I'd recommend it to anyone. It's very well written and as attention-grabbing as any Scandinavian crime thriller. The writer's afterword advises that there is little fiction in the story and that being the case this comes off as an expose of just what a waste of time the whole war was in view of the endemic corruption by the South Vietnamese and their collaboration with the VC and anyone else who could line their pockets.
It would be easy to give the plot away so I won't, but its worth a read. Educational and exciting. A great combination.