The book "Only dead people don't lie" by Katarzyna Bonda fell into my hands completely by chance. I didn't know that it is part of a trilogy, and I didn't read any review regarding the author and her work. My first meeting with her criminal stories was not burdened with either positive or negative independent opinions. And it was good, because even if I try to be objective and not to take into consideration others' opinions, their attitude always stays with me. This time I can with a clear conscience say that I have formed my own opinion.

"Only dead people don't lie" is the second volume of the Hubert Meyer series about the police psychologist-profiler who when running an investigation creates a psychological picture of the murder. He is one of the main heroes in this novel. Meyer, the prosecutor Weronika Rudy and homicide policeman Waldemar Szerszeń are introduced to us at the scene of a macabre crime in Katowice center. The victim is trash baron Schmidt, murdered in the flat belonging to a well-known sex therapist in a historic townhome. The profiler has to prepare expertise leading to the murderer's capture. The first examination of the murder scene indicates the reason for the robbery, and the next traces and interrogations lead the investigators' line of thought to the world of business. It turns out that the beautiful townhome hides another crime mystery that was apparently solved more than 17 years before. Is it a coincidence that in the same place two people lost their lives? Are both crimes somehow connected?

The author masterfully leads us through a maze of plot threads and new witnesses. We think that the case's solution has emerged from a fog, that the murderer is just behind the corner, that the next answer will give us the final solution to the mystery. In the meantime it emerges that the interrogations only multiply the doubts and the uncovered mysteries deepen the investigation more and more. Is it really the case that only dead people don't lie?

The criminal intrigue takes place against the backdrop of social-historical Silesia. The details regarding the past of this region, the suggestive descriptions of Silesian houses, and the difficult lives of people with no hope for a better future enormously embellish the dark content of this book. An interesting addition, which could not be omitted from a book whose action takes place in Silesia, is the Silesian vernacular. These additions make the book more realistic and the characters more distinctive and authentic.

In my opinion, the emotional sphere of this book clearly indicates that its author is a woman. "Only dead people don't lie" is a crime story, but at the same time it is a book about emotions, trying to cope with overwhelming everyday life and demons from the past, and about hypocrisy, shame and loneliness. However, even in a crowd of people a man may feel lonely. This is a book about the different sides of love as well. We may cross our fingers for the nascent relationship between Hubert and Weronika, which has a chance to develop into something more, look at a mother's suffering or contemplate the superficial marriages of the other heroes.

On one of the last pages the author has put acknowledgements. You should read them as well. Thanks to them I realized how many people worked hard to create such a book which is polished in every detail. Interesting heroes, fascinating intrigue, dark past, criminal mystery, humor, love and a little bit of history mean that this book is like a jewelry box serving us something unique every minute.

I will for sure get hold of this author's next books.

I recommend it!