Very entertaining. A satire poking fun at all the modern obsessions with wellbeing, allergies and being seen to be doing the right thing. Bjorn is introduced reluctantly to Mindfulness but realises that he can embrace this way of thinking to help himself become free of many of his troublesome clients in his work as a criminal lawyer. It is easy to feel for Bjorn trying to keep his marriage from falling apart and trying to reduce work pressure that is destroying the marriage. I felt the writing had just the right amount of wackiness in it , so the book still works as an easy reading thriller.
Thanks to NetGalley and Faber and Faber for the ARC

Its a great book with a great dark, sense of humour. The main character is forced to take a mindfulness class by his long suffering wife and somehow applies it to killing people, yet the author writes it in a way that you find yourself agreeing with his logic.
Its definitely worth a read.

Björn Diemel is a criminal defence lawyer with only one client, Dragan Sergowicz, leader of one of the two big gangs that run all the rackets in the city. The partners in his Law Firm are happy with his billings but look down on the practices he has to employ. His wife is close to leaving him, which would mean separating him from the only real source of joy in his life – his two year old daughter, Emily. To bring harmony to his world he enrols with a Mindfulness Therapist and begins to live and operate mindfully. Which is immediately tested because Dragan is suddenly on the run from a murder charge, and needs his genius lawyer to save him. However, applying mindfulness techniques leads Björn to conclude that disposing of Dragan and acting in loco will end all his problems.
This is the best book I have read in the last three years. It is a tour de force of comedic writing imbued with mafioso criminality, or a story of gang warfare imbued with hilarious antics. A comedy noir. The plot is apparently linear, in that everything happens over the space of a week or so, but it is intricately constructed. Björn is constantly having to solve problems, domestic, legal and organised criminal, but he treats every problem mindfully, sees the path to tranquillity and steers everyone – police, mobsters, lawyers, wife – along it. There are lovely touches at every turn, and wonderful set piece events, reminiscent of Tom Sharpe’s concatenations. The author is a German lawyer and the book was originally published in German. I have reviewed many books in English translation, and found this one to be excellent, flawless, in its grasp of contemporary English idiom. So I would like to praise not only Karsten Dusse, for his brilliant plotting skills, but also Florian Duijsens for his brilliant translation. I enjoyed this book so much that I would happily give it 6 stars if that were allowed.
I would like to thank NetGalley, the publishers and the author for providing me with a draft proof copy for the purpose of this review.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book.

What a great book, a pleasure to read from start to finish. Bjorn is a great character, I love his narrative voice, there is a good supporting cast, a lot of humour and a great ending. And of course there are all the mindfulness tips a lot of which seem to work. I loved the way this cynical career lawyer embraced mindfulness so thoroughly in his attempt to deal with all his work stresses and gangland clients and I particularly liked how, at times of stress, he would hurry off to the bathroom with his book to check the advice in it!

No plot spoilers, suffice to say that I found it all quite believable. I would just say that having each chapter headed with the tips which would prove relevant to the action spoiled the surprise a tiny bit, but that is just a minor niggle.

The whole thing is a joy from start to finish and I thoroughly recommend it.

A definite and hesitation-free 5 stars for this gem. Funny, witty and surprisingly also a successful advocate for mindfulness despite the protagonist's bonkers take on the practice. Chapters, each with a thoughtful preface, were devoured in quick succession and I've already recommended it to friends who enjoy tales of normal humans in abnormal situations. Really enjoyable read. Thank you for my Kuch appreciated ARC.

This book is an unexpected gem! Cleverly written and very funny, it tells how mindfulness can be used (and abused!) to change a life. I can't wait for his next novel, and I'm wondering if the protagonist will again be featured.

Murder Mindfully is already an international bestseller and a German series on Netflix, so I was excited to read the English translation out this year from Faber & Faber.

Björn, a criminal defence lawyer has been given an ultimatum by his wife to achieve a better work/life balance. He enrols in a class for mindfulness and soon finds himself employing those techniques as his world takes a sharp turn into murdering people.

This book is full of dark humour, and I think this I something a British audience can really get behind, so I imagine this translation will be a popular one in the UK. The juxtaposition of using mindfulness techniques in a murder and gang hierarchy situation is a great one and it’s such a fun premise. There’s a lot of strands and stakes running throughout and the read really gripped me as I raced through the pages, hoping that our anti-hero Björn would get away with murder.

I had a few issues with the writing, although it’s hard to know if this is down to the original author or the translation. At the beginning of the book, I found it a little hard to get into because of the amount of odd verbiage used. There are a lot of unnecessary words, and it felt like someone had relied a little too heavily on their thesaurus. For example, when describing an office: ‘it looked like it had just won an award in the antediluvian 70s’, the use of antediluvian here is an odd choice and jarred with the style of the rest of the writing. This did fade out as I got more into the story though.

I really loved the chapter headings which included a paragraph from the Mindfulness book which would directly relate to what the chapter was about. It was quite good advice, but it also made for a fun mini-spoiler for how the events were going to unfold or what might happen next. However, I didn’t like the fact that when this quote became relevant in the story, the same paragraph was then copy and pasted directly into the prose. I think if it had been paraphrased as a reminder this would have worked better than just a copy paste.

I really enjoyed the plot; it escalates nicely and in some places you really felt empathy to this murderer of a main character. However, sometimes his character came across as a bit too unlikeable – especially with how he speaks about his wife, and some of the dialogue choices shocked me as they seemed contrasting with how Björn had been portrayed up until that point. You really want a book like this to be centred around someone you can route for in bad circumstances, rather than just an awful person killing awful people. The balance of this seemed a little off kilter in places.

Overall, Murder Mindfully is a really fun read and a brilliant premise - next time you turn to murder, makes sure to centre yourself and practice mindfulness! Thank you to NetGalley and Faber & Faber for the chance to read the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I really loved this book, but gosh darn did I also find it maddening. It was SO STRESSFUL, and also filled with mindfulness techniques that felt almost mocking in contrast. I'm a big fan of mindfulness, and it was a great juxtaposition with some incredibly high stakes. The characters were quite lovable, and there were bits that were absolutely laugh-out-loud hilarious. A really fun, tense-but-not-scary, witty story - I'd definitely recommend this!

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

This book actually inspired me to be more mindful as well as being an entertaining read!

From the first page of "Murder Mindfully" by Karsten Dusse, I was drawn into the hilariously grotesque yet strangely enlightening world of Björn Diemel. The premise is both absurd and brilliant: a criminal lawyer turns to murder to restore balance in his life, all while embarking on a mindfulness journey. Who would have thought that achieving inner peace could lead to violent escapades?
The narrative begins with Björn, a man on the brink of losing his wife, Katharina, and their daughter due to his workaholic tendencies. His reluctant decision to attend a mindfulness class is both relatable and laughable. I didn’t expect to find myself chuckling at the absurdity of a mindfulness session turning into a catalyst for murder. Yet, Dusse seamlessly weaves humour into the dark subject matter, making it an enjoyable ride.
One of the standout aspects of this book is the character development—especially for Björn. He starts as a typical overworked professional, but his journey of self-discovery amidst chaos is entertaining and thought-provoking. His newfound ability to stay calm in the most dangerous situations, juxtaposed with his violent tendencies, showcases Dusse’s unique storytelling. The mindfulness techniques, even if comically misplaced, are surprisingly enlightening; I even found myself taking a deep breath alongside Björn during some of his more tense moments.
However, I did feel that Björn’s wife, Katharina, could have been given a bit more depth. She often seems more like an obstacle than a fully realised character, which detracted from the emotional stakes of their relationship. It felt like she played the role of the nagging spouse rather than a partner with her own complexities. Nonetheless, the colourful cast of gangsters surrounding Björn brought a refreshing vibrancy to the plot. Each character was exaggerated yet memorable, making them delightful to read about.
The pacing of the plot may very well be its strongest suit. Dusse expertly balances the dark comedy with the tension of Björn’s decisions, creating a rhythm that kept me turning pages. And the ending? Let’s just say it’s not something I anticipated, and that’s precisely what made it perfect. Who knew a book about murder could leave you with a satisfied grin on your face?
One aspect that did grate on me a bit was the repetition of the mindfulness quotes at the beginning of the chapters. It quickly became formulaic and detracted slightly from the flow of the narrative. I understood the intention behind it, but it could have benefited from a more subtle approach.
Overall, "Murder Mindfully" is a deliciously dark romp through the mind of a man struggling with priorities and sanity, while exploring the absurd intersections of mindfulness and mayhem. Karsten Dusse has crafted a novel that is as thought-provoking as it is entertaining. If you're looking for a read that offers a unique blend of humour, crime, and a twist on self-help, then grab a copy of this one. Just remember: calm your mind, be here now, and maybe—just maybe—don’t take things too seriously.

I loved the idea for the book and enjoyed the characters as I read further. I especially liked how it was in the first person.

This book had a great plot with intriguing characters. I’ll definitely be looking out for more from this author.

This book just was not for me personally. I didn’t really find it funny, captivating or interesting? I thought I would enjoy it because I generally do love books like this but this one just didn’t do it for me. Very thankful for the opportunity to read this through net galley!

I really enjoyed this book! Mindfulness and gangsters shouldn't work but it really does! I thought this was a really funny dark comedy and some of the mindfulness bits were actually quite good.

I do think the only main female ancillary character (Bjorn's wife Katharina) could have been a bit more fleshed out as she just came across as a cow, but all of the gangsters were great. The plot was good and very well paced. The ending made me laugh. What more could you want?

The only thing that drove me mad (after I realised it would happen A LOT) was the repetition in the book of the mindfulness book that opened the chapters.

Really liked the idea behind this book. It's quirky, fun and the author has quite a dark sense of humour.

Thanks Netgalley for this excellent find!

Who would have thought that a person needed to practice mindfulness in order to kill? But that is exactly what helped Björn Diemel, do what he did. Bjorn is 42, and a criminal lawyer, He is involved with the wrong people and he decides on muder to keep his wife...

I loved this novel.. it is deliciously dark, with a little tongue in cheek humour and a fabulous plot.

Recommended read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Faber and Faber Ltd for this ARC.

Björn Diemel, 42, is a criminal lawyer with a wife, Katharina, and a daughter, Emily who is 2 1/2 but talks like a 12 year old. He's a stressed workaholic who never sees his family until his wife forces him to see mindfulness coach and author of "Slowing Down in the Fast Lane: Mindfulness for Managers" Joschka Breitner, in order to save their marriage.

So when his client, crime boss Dragan Sergowicz interferes with his new found family time, he has no choice but to kill and dismember him. Mindfully of course. Dragan has a lot of people who work for him and Björn has to keep the illusion that Dragan is alive and giving instructions through him. However, the solution that Björn has mindfully come to is that it's easier to kill most of them. So begins Björn's journey into mindfulness and murder, while at the same time trying to get a preschool place for Emily, in his own surprising but mindful way.

This is a book by a German author that has been a success in German speaking countries since 2019. "Achtsam Morden" has finally been translated into English and is the first of a series of five books so far, which we will hopefully all be able to read in due course.

You get two books in one - a crime thriller and a mindfulness guide. There is a lot of talk about breathing exercises, time islands and mindful action. Mindfulness is all Björn ever talks about now, and he uses it more and more to justify his murderous actions. The advice from the mindfulness guide at the beginning of each chapter is repeated within the chapter, which made me skip the chapter introductions after a while due to overkill (pun not intended).

It's a darkly funny story about what happens when a stressed lawyer finds a new way of thinking and addressing his problems. It ends rather abruptly, but we're not done with Björn yet, and in the meantime, if I ever need to murder someone I know how to do it mindfully now.

This is an unconventional approach to crime narrated in first person by a smart but rarely likeable lawyer who tries to do what's best for his family in a rather violent but original way. There are plenty of twists in this very engaging read. Recommended for lovers of dark humour who don't mind the occasional torture or dismemberment taking place.

"Mindfulness was just autogenic training without lying down. Yoga without contorting yourself. Meditation without sitting crosslegged. Or, as the article in Manager magazine my wife once demonstratively placed on the breakfast table put it: ‘Mindfulness means taking in each moment with love and without judgement."

mindfulness and crime. Björn, a stressed lawyer, finds himself facing an ultimatum from his wife, Katharina: restore his work-life balance, or risk losing her and their daughter. Reluctantly, he joins a mindfulness class, only to discover that it has a profound impact on his life, helping him become calmer and more focused as he begins to grasp what truly matters.

However, when his volatile client, crime boss Dragan Sergowicz, encroaches on his newfound family time, Björn’s journey takes a dark turn. In a shocking twist, he resorts to violence, killing Dragan in a bid to protect his serenity. This leads him down a path where he can deepen his mindfulness practice in a rather unconventional and violent way.

The book is narrated in the first person by Björn, an intelligent and determined protagonist who creatively applies the principles from "Slowing Down in the Overtaking Lane: Mindfulness for Executives," a self-help manual provided by his coach. The blend of humour and suspense creates a fast-paced narrative that keeps readers engaged.

This light yet original read is filled with an agile rhythm and intriguing twists, making it a compelling start to what I hope will be a continued series. The mix of mindfulness concepts with a thriller backdrop offers a refreshing perspective, ensuring that Murder Mindfully stands out in the genre.

Read more at The Secret Bookreview.

3.5/5.