Thursday, September 29, 2022

The Shadow Murders - Jussi Adler-Olsen

Department Q is back! I've enjoyed each and every book in Jussi Adler-Olsen's wonderful series. The latest entry (#9) is  The Shadow Murders.

For those who haven't heard of this series...Carl Mørck is the head of Copenhagen’s Department Q - a small unit of four that investigates  cold cases. They're an eclectic bunch and do things their way - which has not endeared them to the rest of the police department. But, what no one can argue, is their success rate. Their latest case is foisted on them by Carl's superior, Marcus Jacobsen. One of Marcus's first cases has haunted him for decades. When a woman from that case dies, he wants them to have another look. I'll stop there...

Adler-Olsen has crafted a dark, disturbing and devious plot. Parts of it are not so far from some of today's newspaper headlines. We're given a insider look at the perpetrator and their mindset. Scary...

The tension grows with each page turned. There's a deadline in place. Will Carl and the crew solve the whodunit it in time to save a life? Their investigation is hampered by a number of factors, making it even more of an 'edge of your seat' read. 

Adler-Olsen has kept the lives of the four characters current and moving forward in every book. I've always enjoyed the banter amongst this eclectic four. And especially Assad and his proverbs. I find their personal lives are as much of a draw for me as the cases are. 

While there's a satisfactory ending to the case, the door has been left open for the next book. Actually it's a bit more than the door being open. Metaphorically, Carl has fallen down the basement stairs. I can't wait to see what the next book brings. See for yourself - read an excerpt of The Shadow Murders. 

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