“Smyth blends Nesbo and Mankell to create a perfect slice of Balkan Noir”After a businessman is brutally murdered in Belgrade, Inspector Marko Despotovic digs into the web of corruption that connects the police, politicians, drug dealers and spiritual healers as they battle over the lucrative Balkan heroin route. Can Marko navigate his way through an increasingly complicated and dangerous investigation as he tries desperately to keep himself and his family safe?Praise for The Balkan Route“The world-wide popularity of Nordic Noir in recent years has revealed an appetite among readers for gritty realistic European crime fiction. Balkan Noir has been touted as the ‘next big thing’ for some time and with The Balkan Route the genre has finally made good on its potential.” “As dark as Turkish coffee, with a hit of rakija and a touch of genocide” “A fascinating read, a police procedural with plenty of political intrigue…”“The author’s obvious expertise in Serbian government and culture makes this book a stand out read”