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Honza #1
In the Heart of Prague
Honza is a new crime detective series set in the historic city of Prague.
Still recovering from his last case, former DCI Jonny Fox retreats to Prague for a much-needed break. Once he arrives there, however, he finds himself swept up in the investigation of a baffling murder in Old Town Square. His relaxing holiday quickly turns into a fast-paced and thrilling adventure as he is welcomed into the Czech police by eccentric detective Felix Mikeš, finding a city and its people that are already beginning to feel like home. Embroiled in a new case, Jonny is prompted to reassess what is truly important, and begins to piece together the broken pieces of his life, discovering something new in the process.
Can Jonny figure out what he truly wants, and catch a killer in the process?
Still recovering from his last case, former DCI Jonny Fox retreats to Prague for a much-needed break. Once he arrives there, however, he finds himself swept up in the investigation of a baffling murder in Old Town Square. His relaxing holiday quickly turns into a fast-paced and thrilling adventure as he is welcomed into the Czech police by eccentric detective Felix Mikeš, finding a city and its people that are already beginning to feel like home. Embroiled in a new case, Jonny is prompted to reassess what is truly important, and begins to piece together the broken pieces of his life, discovering something new in the process.
Can Jonny figure out what he truly wants, and catch a killer in the process?
343 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 30, 2021
6 people are currently reading
34 people want to read
About the author
Andrew Pratt
3 books8 followersAfter a career in the corporate world, mostly based in London, Andrew Pratt now lives and writes in Prague, Czech Republic.
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
July 22, 2023
The perfect book to read during a trip to Prague, but also a good detective novel in its own right. I might be biased because I love Czechia and Prague, but it was so much fun to read the accurate descriptions of Honza traversing the city and the little Czech language pointers.
Additionally, the story was also well-plotted and fast-paced.
Additionally, the story was also well-plotted and fast-paced.
January 5, 2022
A very enjoyable read. A classic crime story, good characters, well paced, interesting setting. Look forward to the next instalment in the Honda story.
November 9, 2020
Very rarely read crime thrillers but made an exception and was rewarded. Really strong characters that you can warm to. Whodunnit aspect kept you guessing until the end abut there were clues (in retrospect). One of best aspects was the clear love of Prague and knowledge of the city from the author. Made me want to visit.
Very much recommended.
Very much recommended.
March 3, 2022
Title: In the Heart of Prague
Author: Andrew Pratt
Pub: Olympia Publishers
Pages: 388
Rating: 4/5
Synopsis:
DCI Jonny is struggling to come to terms with the events of his lost case. He has retreated to Prague for a much-needed break. But his relaxing holiday is soon turned upside down when he is swept up in the investigation of a baffling murder in Old Town Square. He is welcomed in to the Czech police by Felix Mikes, and soon the city and the people begin to feel like home. Embroiled in this new case, Jonny begin to re-assess what really is important and he begins to put back the pieces of his life, discovering new things in the process. Jonny is left wondering if he can really figure out what he wants whilst trying to catch a killer in the process.
Review:
I really liked the simplicity of this front cover; it really did catch my eye and sometimes less is more! Honestly, after reading the description I was unsure as to whether I would connect with this book, but the idea of a fast faced thrilling adventure excited to me and I’m very glad I was able to read and review this read! The reviews also looked promising, but I’m thankful I also went in blind with this.
The author does a fantastic job at setting the scene, his descriptions really did create imagery in my head. I also found I instantly connected with the authors writing style, everything just clicked straight away for me. One of my favourite things the author did is use interview transcripts to tell part of the story, this changed things up and added to the excitement for me, it was something different!
I enjoy a read that I can’t predict, so I appreciate that this had be guessing right up until the home stretch, I found I was suspicious of everyone. A bonus too, is that I generally couldn’t call it at all!
As well as being a crime thriller, I found this read was also quite informative, I learnt a few new things reading this book and I also found myself transported to a new country, yet I was still sat on my sofa. So, a huge job well done!
The plot was very thought out, again enabling me to connect with this box. Sometimes, crime reads have bored me slightly, but I never felt this once with In the Heart of Prague. It was really nice to follow Jonny on his venture and see the change and development in him, the ending really was refreshing.
The author’s love of Prague really did shine through in this book, he should be very proud of writing this well written who dunnit!
Author: Andrew Pratt
Pub: Olympia Publishers
Pages: 388
Rating: 4/5
Synopsis:
DCI Jonny is struggling to come to terms with the events of his lost case. He has retreated to Prague for a much-needed break. But his relaxing holiday is soon turned upside down when he is swept up in the investigation of a baffling murder in Old Town Square. He is welcomed in to the Czech police by Felix Mikes, and soon the city and the people begin to feel like home. Embroiled in this new case, Jonny begin to re-assess what really is important and he begins to put back the pieces of his life, discovering new things in the process. Jonny is left wondering if he can really figure out what he wants whilst trying to catch a killer in the process.
Review:
I really liked the simplicity of this front cover; it really did catch my eye and sometimes less is more! Honestly, after reading the description I was unsure as to whether I would connect with this book, but the idea of a fast faced thrilling adventure excited to me and I’m very glad I was able to read and review this read! The reviews also looked promising, but I’m thankful I also went in blind with this.
The author does a fantastic job at setting the scene, his descriptions really did create imagery in my head. I also found I instantly connected with the authors writing style, everything just clicked straight away for me. One of my favourite things the author did is use interview transcripts to tell part of the story, this changed things up and added to the excitement for me, it was something different!
I enjoy a read that I can’t predict, so I appreciate that this had be guessing right up until the home stretch, I found I was suspicious of everyone. A bonus too, is that I generally couldn’t call it at all!
As well as being a crime thriller, I found this read was also quite informative, I learnt a few new things reading this book and I also found myself transported to a new country, yet I was still sat on my sofa. So, a huge job well done!
The plot was very thought out, again enabling me to connect with this box. Sometimes, crime reads have bored me slightly, but I never felt this once with In the Heart of Prague. It was really nice to follow Jonny on his venture and see the change and development in him, the ending really was refreshing.
The author’s love of Prague really did shine through in this book, he should be very proud of writing this well written who dunnit!
January 24, 2022
I thoroughly enjoyed this detective story of recently retired DCI Jonny Fox (Honza, as he's called by everyone) and gets involved in a murder case while vacationing in Prague, Czech Republic. He is one of the witnesses of a murder of a fellow British man, and joins with the local police department to help solve the murder.
Throughout the book, I got some general knowledge of Prague's history, some of the language, and historical buildings, which, as a culture enthusiast, really piqued my attention. The smooth style of writing and the plot flowed so well up until the end. I liked how as the reader, I followed along Jonny's journey of solving the case as there were lots of insight on behavior science, forensics, and interview tactics.
I found myself cheering for Jonny Fox, and I can't wait for the next book in the series.
Throughout the book, I got some general knowledge of Prague's history, some of the language, and historical buildings, which, as a culture enthusiast, really piqued my attention. The smooth style of writing and the plot flowed so well up until the end. I liked how as the reader, I followed along Jonny's journey of solving the case as there were lots of insight on behavior science, forensics, and interview tactics.
I found myself cheering for Jonny Fox, and I can't wait for the next book in the series.
April 2, 2022
Very nice development of characters, the plot in beautiful Prague some of the squares and places where I have been myself make this reading very pleasant and at parts thrilling. Honza is learning his way through the Czech society and of course we have the crime that has happened. I am half way through and just got this book recently so I am really looking forward to the other half!
December 11, 2021
Thoroughly enjoyed the read, good pace and fascinating descriptions of a city the author clearly knows well. A great ‘who dunnit’ - with nice sub-plots revealed along the way. Well worth a read for anyone who likes a good crime story.
January 28, 2022
This detective story would surely complement any trip to
the Czech capital, written with a comprehensive knowledge of the layout of Prague, I found
it a compelling read. Definitely recommended!
the Czech capital, written with a comprehensive knowledge of the layout of Prague, I found
it a compelling read. Definitely recommended!
December 13, 2021
Having visited Prague several times I really enjoyed it
Such a great city with lovely friendly people
Could really relate to Honza
Good character building from Andrew
Kept me guessing near till to the end
Really Looking forward to the 2nd book next year
Such a great city with lovely friendly people
Could really relate to Honza
Good character building from Andrew
Kept me guessing near till to the end
Really Looking forward to the 2nd book next year
December 20, 2021
Really enjoyed it, couldn't put it down. Highly recommend it!
June 12, 2023
A hugely impressive debut crime thriller! Andrew expertly handles the various strands of the story, keeping the plot moving at a pace. Interesting, colourful characters and vivid settings help bring the story to life. As a Czech resident, I especially appreciated the city of Prague being one of the main stars of the book. Andrew certainly knows the beautiful old town very well and there's great attention to detail displayed throughout. Fans of detective novels will recognise many of the usual tropes of any good thriller, but the above mentioned plot, characters and setting gives the genre a refreshing twist. And there are plenty of twists as the story races to its conclusion. Wonderful! Is this the beginning of a popular new detective series?
January 10, 2022
A very competently written police procedural murder mystery.
A newly retired English cop nicknamed Honza is on holiday in Prague and happens to be on the scene of the murder of an English tourist so he is recruited by the Czech police as a consultant.
The book is clearly laying the foundation for a series of books. This means that a certain amount of time is spent detailing those characters whom I expect will recur and describing the setting, as well as giving information about the family background of the main character. These things can slow down the pace of the story but add colour and a sense of realism; they are all exactly in line with the conventions of this genre.
An notable feature, one that differentiates this book from many others and has been recognised by other readers as a particular strength of the book, is that police interviews are rendered as transcripts (including the same explanation of why a retired English policeman is sitting in) which adds considerably to the verisimilitude.
My only criticism, and the reason for giving four rather than five stars, is that I found the dialogue rather formal. It almost read like a series of witness statements. I suspect this was necessary for the Czech characters and there was certainly less formality for the English character, who sometimes used slang, but I felt that, while it made the story clearer, I couldn't tell from the dialogue which charatcer was speaking.
The structure of the plot conforms perfectly to the four part model with major turning points at the 25%, 50% and 75% points. The revelation of the killer came a little earlier than normal but enabled the final section of the book to move into chase mode.
A well-written whodunnit with a distinctive authorial voice
A newly retired English cop nicknamed Honza is on holiday in Prague and happens to be on the scene of the murder of an English tourist so he is recruited by the Czech police as a consultant.
The book is clearly laying the foundation for a series of books. This means that a certain amount of time is spent detailing those characters whom I expect will recur and describing the setting, as well as giving information about the family background of the main character. These things can slow down the pace of the story but add colour and a sense of realism; they are all exactly in line with the conventions of this genre.
An notable feature, one that differentiates this book from many others and has been recognised by other readers as a particular strength of the book, is that police interviews are rendered as transcripts (including the same explanation of why a retired English policeman is sitting in) which adds considerably to the verisimilitude.
My only criticism, and the reason for giving four rather than five stars, is that I found the dialogue rather formal. It almost read like a series of witness statements. I suspect this was necessary for the Czech characters and there was certainly less formality for the English character, who sometimes used slang, but I felt that, while it made the story clearer, I couldn't tell from the dialogue which charatcer was speaking.
The structure of the plot conforms perfectly to the four part model with major turning points at the 25%, 50% and 75% points. The revelation of the killer came a little earlier than normal but enabled the final section of the book to move into chase mode.
A well-written whodunnit with a distinctive authorial voice
June 2, 2023
This book is excellent for foreigners visiting Prague. It must be exciting to read the story in the city you are just exploring. For a Czech person living in Prague, there are many long explanations that they don't need because they know the place and culture.
I guessed the killer right when the character appeared which was a bit disappointing because I was expecting something that will surprise me. :D
I did enjoy reading it.
I guessed the killer right when the character appeared which was a bit disappointing because I was expecting something that will surprise me. :D
I did enjoy reading it.
November 17, 2020
Jonny Fox, a former Detective Chief Inspector from the Met gets caught up in crime on a visit to Prague and becomes part of the team investigating.
I spotted this on Amazon Unlimited and thought I would try the first few chapters. I quickly got into it and finished it in a couple of days. It is an exciting page turner.
I really enjoyed the mix of different well developed and fascinating characters and the twists and turns of the plot as each developing thread throws the investigation in a different direction
I have been to Prague a couple of times and loved the author's descriptions of the amazing architecture and Czech culture.
I will look for other books by the same author.
I spotted this on Amazon Unlimited and thought I would try the first few chapters. I quickly got into it and finished it in a couple of days. It is an exciting page turner.
I really enjoyed the mix of different well developed and fascinating characters and the twists and turns of the plot as each developing thread throws the investigation in a different direction
I have been to Prague a couple of times and loved the author's descriptions of the amazing architecture and Czech culture.
I will look for other books by the same author.
August 4, 2023
Decent mystery book
The mystery is interesting and I was wrong with my guess if who the murderer was. It's not a gritty or dark mystery which is fine with me, as the mystery genre is not my usual read. I bought the book because i love Prague and I wanted to see the author's take on the city. I liked how he showed Honza discovering the beauty of Prague while solving a mystery. It's a good read and I'll look forward to learning more about the interesting characters the author has created.
The mystery is interesting and I was wrong with my guess if who the murderer was. It's not a gritty or dark mystery which is fine with me, as the mystery genre is not my usual read. I bought the book because i love Prague and I wanted to see the author's take on the city. I liked how he showed Honza discovering the beauty of Prague while solving a mystery. It's a good read and I'll look forward to learning more about the interesting characters the author has created.
December 24, 2025
This was a thoroughly enjoyable detective novel and a very strong start to a new series.
What immediately stood out was the sense of place. Prague isn’t just a backdrop here; it feels lived in and textured. From Old Town Square to the quieter corners of the city, the descriptions are vivid without being indulgent. As someone who enjoys crime fiction rooted in real locations, I appreciated how naturally the city, its history, and even touches of the Czech language were woven into the story. It genuinely feels like a book written by someone who knows and loves Prague.
The plot itself is well paced and confidently constructed. A seemingly straightforward murder investigation gradually opens out, keeping the tension steady rather than relying on cheap twists. I liked that it never felt rushed, yet never dragged. The use of investigative detail, interview techniques, and behavioral insight added credibility without turning the book into a procedural checklist.
Jonny Fox, or Honza as he’s known locally, is an engaging lead. Recently retired and clearly carrying the weight of his past, he feels grounded and human rather than overly polished. Watching him find his footing in an unfamiliar city while being drawn back into police work was one of the book’s strengths. His developing relationship with the Czech police, particularly the cultural adjustments and small frictions, was handled with warmth and subtle humor.
What also worked well was the tone. This is a crime novel, but it’s not relentlessly grim. There’s a sense of curiosity and even quiet optimism running through it, especially as Honza begins to reassess what he wants from life. The ending felt satisfying and refreshing, closing the case while leaving space for character growth going forward.
If I had one minor reservation, it’s that the book plays things relatively safe in places. The mystery is solid rather than shocking, and some readers may wish for a sharper edge. That said, for a series opener, this restraint works in its favor.
Overall, In the Heart of Prague is a well written, immersive, and engaging detective novel. It combines a strong sense of place with a likable protagonist and a carefully plotted mystery. I’m very much looking forward to continuing with this series.
What immediately stood out was the sense of place. Prague isn’t just a backdrop here; it feels lived in and textured. From Old Town Square to the quieter corners of the city, the descriptions are vivid without being indulgent. As someone who enjoys crime fiction rooted in real locations, I appreciated how naturally the city, its history, and even touches of the Czech language were woven into the story. It genuinely feels like a book written by someone who knows and loves Prague.
The plot itself is well paced and confidently constructed. A seemingly straightforward murder investigation gradually opens out, keeping the tension steady rather than relying on cheap twists. I liked that it never felt rushed, yet never dragged. The use of investigative detail, interview techniques, and behavioral insight added credibility without turning the book into a procedural checklist.
Jonny Fox, or Honza as he’s known locally, is an engaging lead. Recently retired and clearly carrying the weight of his past, he feels grounded and human rather than overly polished. Watching him find his footing in an unfamiliar city while being drawn back into police work was one of the book’s strengths. His developing relationship with the Czech police, particularly the cultural adjustments and small frictions, was handled with warmth and subtle humor.
What also worked well was the tone. This is a crime novel, but it’s not relentlessly grim. There’s a sense of curiosity and even quiet optimism running through it, especially as Honza begins to reassess what he wants from life. The ending felt satisfying and refreshing, closing the case while leaving space for character growth going forward.
If I had one minor reservation, it’s that the book plays things relatively safe in places. The mystery is solid rather than shocking, and some readers may wish for a sharper edge. That said, for a series opener, this restraint works in its favor.
Overall, In the Heart of Prague is a well written, immersive, and engaging detective novel. It combines a strong sense of place with a likable protagonist and a carefully plotted mystery. I’m very much looking forward to continuing with this series.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews