I wasn't a fan of the series, and that made it hard to read this. However I did enjoy it but I'd say stick withe book.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️☆ (4/5)
Witty, irreverent, and delightfully dark. This satirical crime novel flips the self-help genre on its head with a protagonist who uses mindfulness to justify murder. Karsten Dusse walks the line between clever concept and well-paced plot with skill. A smart, original twist on the crime genre.

What a brilliant and different way of entering into the, sometimes over-saturated, genre of crime and thriller novels. Using mindfulness as a way to act out murder - bloody brilliant! I absolutely loved this book and cannot wait to see what Karsten writes next as I am sure they will be just as good.

I almost put Murder Mindfully down after the first couple of chapters, but I’m glad I didn’t. Karsten Dusse weaves a clever and unconventional plot that blends self-improvement with crime in a way that’s both darkly comedic and oddly satisfying.

Björn, the lead character, starts off as incredibly frustrating—his rigid, almost passive approach to life makes him difficult to root for at first. But as he embraces mindfulness (in the most unconventional way possible), he becomes surprisingly engaging. His journey from overworked lawyer to… well, mindful murderer, is absurd yet strangely logical within the book’s world.

The plot unfolds in a fairly predictable manner, but that doesn’t take away from the enjoyment. The way mindfulness principles are twisted into justifications for cold-blooded efficiency is both unsettling and amusing. The humor is sharp, at times edgy, and adds to the book’s unique tone.

Overall, Murder Mindfully is an entertaining, offbeat read that offers an amusingly twisted take on both personal growth and crime fiction. If you enjoy dark humor and don’t mind a protagonist whose moral compass is… flexible, this book is worth the read.

Karsten Dusse's "Murder Mindfully" is a darkly comic crime thriller that blends self-help with suspense. The book follows Björn, a lawyer who attempts to apply mindfulness techniques to his chaotic life, with humorous and often brutal results.

This is a decent summer read - silly but fun, and apparently being made into a TV show for those who prefer the screen to the word!

An entertaining darkly humorous murder story which shows the value of living one’s life mindfully! I enjoyed it immensely. Highly recommended

I read a lot of crime fiction and its rare to find something completely new, but this nailed it- a crime thriller gangland romp interspersed with some amazing mindfulness tips. I've used one or two of them already, they are excellent.
The story itself is a nonstop parade of gangsters, dodgy lawyers and all round nefarious characters with a surprising understanding of the difficulty of finding quality affordable childcare.

Björn is a lawyer, and he was 42 before he killed someone. He reluctantly starts a mindfulness class and to his surprise, it's a revelation. He becomes calmer, more focused, and he's starting to understand what's really important in life. Overall an enjoyable read

If I didn't know it was happening already, I'd probably say this book feels like a one of those witty, mildly absurd hit netflix series.

A darkly funny, bold and utterly ridiculous story about a high strung lawyer who finds himself leaving a trail of bodies but using mindfulness to allow himself to live peacefully with the many parts of his life. It's irreverent, fast paced and wacky with a bloody edge.

At times it could be a little repetitive but I absolutely loved the bastardisation of common mindfulness techniques to apply them to chopping up bodies, strained marriages and gang violence.

"Murder Mindfully" by Karsten Dusse offers an intriguing fusion of mindfulness practices and a murder mystery that is sure to captivate readers looking for something different. Dusse's clever incorporation of mindfulness into the protagonist's life as he navigates a tangled web of crime is both unique and thought-provoking.

The narrative is engaging, though the pacing can feel uneven at times. Some readers might find the blend of self-help and thriller a bit jarring, but it's a refreshing twist on the genre. The mindfulness elements, while central to the story, can occasionally feel overemphasized, potentially diverting focus from the plot.

Overall, "Murder Mindfully" is an interesting read that delivers a mix of suspense and introspection. It may not be for everyone, but for those open to a crossover between mindfulness and mystery, it's worth the read.

3.5 stars, rounded to 4 – a unique, if occasionally uneven, journey into mindful crime-solving.

What a joy!

I wasn’t sure if this was my type of book but I was so wrong.
Not only was it clever, witty and well paced but I felt I was learning some great mindfulness techniques too!

It seems so obscure to come away from this book having learnt some new techniques but I genuinely have.
A brilliant book, highly recommend.

Murder Mindfully is a fun and exciting read!

We follow Bjorn, a lawyer, who somewhat by accident kills his mafia client. This was truly fun and interesting and I look forward to more

Gleeful self-help/crime mash-up

You know exactly what you’re getting with this book. Equally mindfulness cheerleader (full of mantras and advice) and murderer’s POV, this twists both genres on their heads and makes a deliciously high concept mash-up that entertains, with Type A lead Björn taking mindulness to a whole other level.

Enjoyable and suitably episodic (there’s a Netflix adaptation—hang on, let me just binge it… right, I’m back), this doesn’t go where you think it will and then of course it does. Crime, folks, does not pay.*

* Unless you’re a crime writer.

Three and a half stars, gleefully rounded up to four.

As soon as I read the blurb for Murder Mindfully, I knew I had to read it. The premise sounded like nothing I had ever read before I was intrigued.

This book was every bit as good as the blurb promised it would be.

The dichotomy between murder and mindfulness was expertly laid out on the page, to the point of almost, but not quite, being humerous.

This German novel was such a clever mix of crime, humor and mindfulness!
Our MC Björn Diemel is a lawyer whose life is turned upside down by a series of unfortunate events. When his personal and professional life begins to crumble, he turns to a mindfulness coach for guidance, only to find himself accidentally entangled in a murder case.

I loved the dark humor mixed with the mindfulness practices that the MC follows in tense situations. Björn's journey of personal growth through mindfulness techniques adds a refreshing layer to the typical crime novel, as he tries to stay calm and focused while dealing with the increasingly absurd situations that arise around him. His dry wit and often self-deprecating humor make him an interesting and relatable character, even in the face of murder and mayhem.

Final Thoughts-
For readers who enjoy a mix of suspense with humor and mindfulness, this book is definitely worth picking up.

Ok, Bjorn is a lawyer, working mostly for a client involved in organised crime .As the book starts, his personal life is problematic and he also has to sort out the problem of his client killing someone and the proof of that is online in a film. Stressed out by his work, he sees a practioner of mindfullness and this becomes his way of dealing with most problems in his life.
I liked the satirical aspect of the book, though was skimming over most of the mindfullness mantras towards the end of the book. The humour is, given the involvement with the criminal underworld, dark and the descriptions often fairly graphic. I am not sure whether someone could fence his mind off to such an extent, but that is by the way. Not a bad read, it became a little repetitive, so did not need to be any longer. A change of genre for me, thanks to Net Galley for the ARC. I`d read more from the author, but not yet.

Whilst the novel took a little while to get going, by the end it was an enthralling joyride through the German underworld. The characters felt fully realised and like they had real agency in the world. An incredibly strong debut novel for Dusse - I look forward to reading more in the future!

Slow to start I wasn’t sure where this book was going or if I was going to enjoy it. But it suddenly took off and is actually a clever story with plenty of humour. I loved the mindfulness quotes at the start of each chapter and how the main character made them work for him and the situations he found himself in.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC in return for my honest and unbiased opinion.

This one was such a slow burn but once I got into it, I really enjoyed it. Murder blended with mindfulness provided an interesting story filled with dark humour. I got some great mindfulness tips while I followed Bjorn's story as her evolved from scummy lawyer to assertive mob boss. Utterly bonkers, darkly funny and completely compelling to read!

This book was really surprising - I found it quite a slow burn and it took a little time to get into it but I persisted and finished it in one sitting - it’s well thought out and has such an original plot