“Klevisová proves that she belongs among the top Czech crime authors. Her ability to dig deeply into the human soul and her growing top notch writing style have taken on a dimension on par with the classic psychological thriller novel, in which seeking the murderer is no longer all that the story is about. She also writes about cynical destruction of the environment, an irreconcilable battle between environmentalists and promoters of modern lifestyles, always with business success, as well as manipulation of others, against whom a person often seeks in vain to find defence.” – František Cinger, Právo
“Besides cats, the static impulse and central theme of this and prior fiction novels is the moment when protagonists decide to make a change, along with optimism about better tomorrows stemming from fundamental decision making. It is interesting that this theme is applied in an inconspicuous way also among characters in the author’s detective novels. She catches moments when assumptions are turned inside out as well as spontaneous courage, which the characters pick up like blades of grass as they try to move forward. Klevisová tells it sincerely, with a dose of life experience. Beyond the clippings from life, which she describes, she contemplates sensitively and gives her characters a liberal dose of sympathy. Kindness radiates from their stories, along with the omnipresent sense of the victory of good over evil. Lightness and fluidity always have been and still remain in her stories.” – Lucie Zelinková, Právo
“Each person conceals their own story; no one is simply flung onto the scene like a mere chess piece. Therein lies the author’s greatest strength and exceptional skill, which allows her to write a true crime novel that is not solely about revealing the murderer. This is what distinguishes her from her Czech colleagues, who faithfully offer individual detective stories. Klevisová has the ability to deliver a wide spectrum of fates.” – František Cinger, Právo
“This book is full of mysteries as well as clues that could help you unravel all of its plot twists. I daresay, however, that you most likely will not be able to do it. And you probably will even be hard pressed to figure out what is or is not a clue. The author emphasises the characters’ psychological states, likening her to such authors as English writer P. D. James. Indeed, The Island of Grey Monks seems to evoke the novel, The Lighthouse, and Josef Bergman has a few things in common with Adam Dalgliesh. If you are partial to comparisons, it would not be off base to mention this book in the context of the queen of northern crime, Camilla Läckberg, or the crime novel, Echoes from the Dead by Johan Theorin.” – Veronika Černucká, www.severskedetektivky.cz
“She is not interested in the bloodied slaughter that some authors from abroad unfurl on the pages of their books. She is interested in the reactions of people who find themselves in the immediate vicinity of an evil crime and are linked with it in one way or another; she is interested in the mysteries of the human soul. This is exactly how she was able to distinguish herself from the company of other Czech crime authors several years ago, with her debut novel Steps of the Murderer. It is no wonder that she received the prestigious Jiří Marek award—awarded by the Czech division of the International Association of Crime Writers (IACW/AIEP) for the best detective novel of the year—for her very first book.” – Ivan Matějka, Literární noviny
“Klevisová shows an affection for human souls of different generations; all of them, after all, long for a little bit of attention. She can go as far as to step into the brain of a cat having to grapple with the cynicism of visitors on board of a ship, who dislike most especially the cat’s black colour, to them a sign that the cat brings bad luck. They are kind stories, replete with very human views.” – František Cinger, Právo
“There is a moving quality to Klevisová’s stories; instilling them with congenial points, a single mundane circumstance or image is all she needs to build a narrative. On the other hand, she won’t stop short of going the extra mile it takes to elaborate a broader context, providing a breeding ground for a potentially bigger story. And she is quite witty, too.” – Klára Kubíčková, MF Dnes
“In many ways, Klevisová proceeds from Agatha Christie; fortunately, though, she absolutely avoids any over-speculated premeditated murders. …what we have here in Michaela Klevisová might be a budding author of creditable crime stories which will fare well in confrontation with foreign production – maybe not the top of it but definitely its above-average bracket.” – Pavel Mandys, iliteratura.cz
“The novels by Michaela Klevisová show that both the society and the author have matured and are ready to embark on a literary journey into the depth of the Czech crime. The examination of dead bodies goes hand in hand with the examination of the neuroses of the only just crystallised Czech middle class at the threshold of the 21st century, a shared feature present in all of the three novels. Without giving away more than necessary about the background of the crimes investigated, they can all be generally said to stem from an unrest prevailing in a society which, unlike in the past, does now have things to lose, but stands unsure of whether its visions of happiness guaranteed have really materialised in its achievements.” – Tomáš Kafka, Lidové noviny
“After the three books she has written, it can be said that another distinctive author of crime fiction has emerged in our country. It goes to Klevisová’s credit that her novels narrate gripping stories from various settings and environments and the present life, in which the relations, the nature and the ambitions of the individual characters become gradually exposed.” – František Cinger, Právo
“The exposure of the crime is properly surprising and, in addition to that, plausible. Even seemingly innocuous little mysteries – such as a couple of mouse corpses found floating in the swimming pool of a guest house every morning – eventually bring up a good point.” – Magdalena Čechlovská, Hospodářské noviny