Benni Bodker – författare

In the wintry season, when we all delight in joyful thoughts of family, presents, and sugarplums, we mustn't forget that the night is dark and full of terrors. Thankfully, bold adventurers Benni Bodker and John Kenn Mortensen have journeyed far and wide to comb through ancient tomes, listen to folk tales, and spy upon loathsome lairs to catalogue the most frightful creatures of the netherworld that appear around Christmastime. A Christmas Bestiary is an essential guidebook to all the horrors that await us during the darkest time of the year, from common creatures such as Baba Yaga and the Krampus to the less encountered (but quite deadly) Yule Wight and Gryla. Bodker's brief text entries include the lore and background of each creature, plus handy info such as danger level that will help you survive (but no guarantees!). Mortensen's gothic, pen-and-ink renderings bring these bone-chilling beasts to life on the page. Eerie, playful, and practical, A Christmas Bestiary is the perfect collection for the ones who love - or fear - the things that go bump in the night.

Copenhaghen, Denmark, 1905. The small Jewish ghetto is living in fear as a series of murders is shaking the population to their core. A young Jewish secretary is recruited by the Police to help them with their investigation from inside what they perceive as a very closed world. She quickly discovers that the murderer is using old superstitions as his template, leaving Kabbalistic symbols on his victims. Can she take down the monster? Will she become the next victim?The realistic art created by Christian Højgaard, gives a stunning look at Copenhaghen with its steep streets and a population living in poverty. The artist does not spare on depicting bloodshed: autopsied corpses, mutilated bodies, scenes in a butcher shop... Social violence meets physical violence.By focusing on the Jewish community, the plot draws a parallel between the violence suffered by the Jewish community then and the rise of anti-Semitism, with its terrible consequences in the 20th and 21st century. Meshugge ("crazy" in Yiddish) lifts the curtain on Scandinavian Jewish Horror like never before! It draws inspiration from both Jack the Ripper and rituals associated with Jewish culture, which are cruelly twisted by the murderer. Following the tradition of "Scandinavian noir," Meschugge offers a deep dive into horror, making it an appealing read for fans of the genre.