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Noir set in SOUTH SHIELDS, ROMANIA, LONDON

28th January 2025

Resilience by Bogdan Hrib – noir set in South Shields, Romania, London

Translated by Marina Sofia

Noir set in SOUTH SHIELDS, ROMANIA, LONDON

Resilience by Bogdan Hrib is a great read which is described as Romanian noir, but which in truth defies the usual categorisations. Yes, it is a crime novel, but the protagonist is neither a police officer nor a private detective. Instead Stelian Munteanu is a Romanian journalist whose investigative skills are called upon in a way that he can hardly refuse; a wealthy businessman, Pavel Coman, pays him to investigate the death of his daughter in England. Immediately the job is compromised when it turns out that his employer has recruited more than one investigator, and Stelian isn’t sure he likes the look of Mr King. For that matter, the business affairs of Coman himself appear shady, and Stelian isn’t sure whether the daughter was in fact a spy…

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The book is set in 2019 and the 30th anniversary of the revolution in Romania is looming. The consequence of this is that political factions in the country are questioning its longer-term future, especially in relation to the EU. There is mischief-making afoot, possibly involving external forces and espionage too. For much of the book, Stelian is carried along by the currents of intrigue and is on the periphery of the action. While that might sound as though it would make for a boring story, there is plenty of geopolitical intrigue, there are relationship issues and even a generous portion of European history is thrown in to keep the reader engaged. Then there are some very modern topics, such as disinformation or “fake news” and the manipulation of the internet to persuade and deceive. I was absolutely absorbed. I liked the characters, whose personalities are vividly brought to life, and felt I was learning so much while being entertained by the plot.

Stelian’s wife describes him as “a lightning rod attracting all sorts of trouble all the time”, and duly his investigations broaden to include further violent crimes, which are not obviously related, except that he feels there must be a connection. He is joined in his investigations by contacts in the Romanian police, a genuine spy, British police and others. As the mystery of who is behind the various actions deepens, many of the characters find themselves in danger. Meanwhile, attempts at provoking political unrest in Romania distract the authorities from the more minor crimes.

Author Bogdan Hrib describes the contrasting settings of a desolate beach in South Shields in northern England and the oppressively hot city of Bucharest in the summer with equal dexterity. Traditional fish and chips is replaced by copious amounts of espresso, depending on where the action is taking place. Various famous landmarks in both countries are mentioned, as well as the more mundane features of the localities in which Stelian and the other characters find themselves in. Like the character of the British police officer in the story, I had little idea of the geography of Romania and still less knowledge of its political situation with regard to its neighbours. The author deftly enlightened me on both counts, without making reading about these things any kind of chore. I am grateful to publisher Corylus and the talented translator, Marina Sofia, for bringing this novel to an English readership.

Sue for the TripFiction team

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Catch our reviewer Sue: TwitterX @SueKelsoRyan / IG @SueKelosRyan / BlueSky @suekelsoryan.bsky.social

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