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. 

The Harbor - Katrine Engberg

The Harbor is Katrine Engberg's third entry in her delightful Jeppe Kørner and Anette Werner series last year. I've listened to the first two books and this latest is another great listen.

Jeppe and Anette are detectives with the Copenhagen Police. Their latest case involves a missing teenager, at first assumed to be a runaway by the police. But a cryptic note left behind hints at something darker. And a discovery at a local waste facility ramps up their caseload.

Engberg's plot is well written and not easy to solve. There are a number of seemingly disparate threads will keep the listener guessing. The Harbor moves along at a good pace as clues are uncovered. The rapport between the two partners is very well written. I quite enjoy the repartee between the two.  

Alongside some great plotting are well drawn characters. Engberg has given all her characters rich personal stories that have evolved over the course of the books. The personal storylines are believable and relatable and I was eager to catch up.

And the third piece for me is the reader. The narrator is Graeme Malcolm, one of my favorites. He has an accent that works for many locales. His voice has a lovely, unique, gravelly tone to it and it's quite pleasant to listen to. He depicts the emotion and tone of both characters and plot lines easily with his voice. He also has a somewhat sardonic tone at times that perfectly suits the verbal sparring and inner thoughts of the lead characters. The speed of the reading matches what's going on in the book. He speaks clearly and is easy to understand. Hear for yourself - listen to an excerpt of The Harbor.

Tara F. Chace was the translator for this title. She's done a good job as the narrative doesn't feel or sound choppy, but flows easily instead. 

Fans of character driven police procedural mysteries such as Susan Hill's Simon Serrailler or Deborah Crombie's Duncan Kincaid and Gemma James series would enjoy this series. 

The Butterfly House - Katrine Engberg

I read (and quite enjoyed) the first book of Katrine Engberg's Jeppe Kørner and Anette Werner series last year. The second book is The Butterfly House - and I have to say I enjoyed it even more than the first.

Both leads are detectives with the Copenhagen Police. Jeppe has a new partner this time round as Annette is on maternity leave. But she can't help but work the case on her own time. 

What is the case you ask? Well, more than one body, has been been found in the same outdoor fountain, marked with strange wounds. When the connection is found between the deaths, it's even more horrific - and far reaching. And what about that hospital nurse with her own definition of 'care'.

Engberg happily takes us down the garden path, with lots of red herrings and suspects along the way. The plot is well written and not easily solved by the listener. I enjoyed having more than one mystery to follow. And I actually didn't guess the final whodunit in the main storyline! 

But what I really like about this series are the characters. Engberg gives them detailed personal lives that make them easy to connect with. Mothers, motherhood, new relationships starting anew and more. Jeppe and Anette play well off each other with very different personalities. I wasn't as keen on Anette in the first book, but quite like her in this latest. The banter between the two is entertaining. And their sleuthing skills are sharp. Esther from the first book is also included and she too has a mystery on her hands.

I chose to listen to The Butterfly House. The reader was Graeme Malcolm, one of my favorites. He has an accent that works for many locales. His voice has a lovely, unique, gravelly tone to it and it's quite pleasant to listen to. He depicts the emotion and tone of both characters and plot lines easily with his voice. He also has a somewhat sardonic tone at times that perfectly suits the verbal sparring and inner thoughts of the lead characters. The speed of the reading matches what's going on in the book. He speaks clearly and is easy to understand. Hear for yourself - listen to an audio excerpt of The Butterfly House.

I'm looking forward to the next in this series. Nordic police procedural lovers, this one's for you!

The Tenant - Katrine Engberg

Are you a Scandi mystery fan? Yes? Then you're going to want to pick up Danish author Katrine Engberg's debut novel, The Tenant, just released in the US.

A young woman is found murdered in her apartment with curious cuts on her face. Her landlady Esther, who also lives in the building, is a budding novelist. And her work in progress just happens to have a murder that is eerily similar to the tenant's death. Is she a murderer? Or is one of her numerous friends a killer? Could someone be targeting her for another reason?

On the case is the police detective duo of Anette and Jeppe. This pair are a large part of my enjoyment of The Tenant. They play well off each other with very different personalities. I found myself a bit more drawn towards Jeppe, as he fights his way back from some hard circumstances. The banter between the two is entertaining. And their sleuthing skills are sharp. I would read another book featuring these two leads.

I thought things were headed one way, but Engberg keeps the reader guessing with additional bodies and further revelations. There was no way to predict the last 'ta-da'. I did find it a wee bit of a stretch by the final pages.

Engberg fleshes out her characters well, not just the leads, but the other players as well, making them more believable and this allows them bring more to the story. The pacing is measured in The Tenant, taking a more circuitous route to the final whodunit. I enjoyed the journey!

I chose to listen to The Tenant, based on who the narrator was - Graeme Malcolm - one of my all time favorites. He has such a rich, sonorous voice that is a real pleasure to listen to. It grabs and holds the listener's attention. It has a nice gravelly undertone as well. His inflection and tone capture and interpret both characters and plot extremely well. Listen for yourself - here's an audio excerpt of The Tenant.

The Killing Forest - Sara Blaedel - Review AND Giveaway

The Killing Forest is the latest (8th) book in Sara Blaedel's Louise Rick series.

Rick is an investigator with the Special Search Agency, a unit of the National Police Department in Denmark.

The Killing Forest opens with fifteen year old Sune preparing for his 'coming of age' ceremony, to be held in the forest by an ancient sacrificial oak tree. Sune's family practices an ancient religion, drawing direction and inspiration from the ancient Norse Gods.....with their own interpretations. Sune is horrified as the ritual progresses and runs into the forest to escape his father and the group. Louise Rick is called in a week later - the boy is still missing. This case brings the past into the present for Louise - her boyfriend was killed in this same town years ago.

Ancient beliefs, an old crone who knows the secrets of the past, an insular group determined to thwart any attempt to undermine them with any means necessary and a young boy on the run, combine to make a great plot.

The setting is different, both the town and forest are ominous and full of secrets, the plot is inventive, drawing on unfamiliar territory that had me quite curious and the main character is one I really like for her tenacity and drive. I enjoy a continuing storyline and am pleased with the direction Louise's personal life in present day is taking. I'm even warming up to her best friend, Camilla, who has annoyed me in the past. The tie in to the past with this case offers up answers to unanswered question from previous books. The danger builds slowly and even though the reader is aware of 'whodunit', my interest never flagged.

The Killing Forest is another great entry is a series I will continue to follow. Read an excerpt of The Killing Forest.

Mark Kline has done a great job with the translation - the reading is smooth, without any 'wooden', clunky text.

"Sara Blaedel is the author of the #1 international bestselling series featuring Detective Louise Rick. Her books are published in thirty-three countries. She lives in Copenhagen, and was voted Denmark's most popular novelist for the fourth time in 2014. She is also a recipient of the Golden Laurel, Denmark's most prestigious literary award." You can connect with Sara on her website and find her on Twitter.


And if you'd like to read The Killing Forest, I have two copies to giveaway to two lucky readers, thanks to Grand Central Publishing. Open to US and Canada, no po boxes please. Enter using the Rafflecopter form below. Ends April 2/16.

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Giveaway - The Forgotten Girls - Sara Blaedel

Calling all mystery fans - I've got an amazing giveaway for you today! The Forgotten Girls by Sara Blaedel (Denmark’s “Queen of Crime”) is releasing in paperback  - and I have three (!) copies to giveaway.

From Grand Central Publishing:

"In a forest in Denmark, a ranger discovers the fresh corpse of an unidentified woman. A large scar on one side of her face should make the identification easy, but nobody has reported her missing. After four days, Louise Rick--the new commander of the Missing Persons Department--releases a photo to the media. An older woman phones to say that she recognizes the woman as Lisemette, a child she once cared for in the state mental institution. But Louise soon discovers something more disturbing: Lisemette had a twin, and both girls were issued death certificates over 30 years ago. As the investigation brings Louise closer to her childhood home, she uncovers more crimes that were committed--and hidden--in the forest, and finds a terrible link to her own past that has been carefully concealed."

It's a great read - and you can sample an extended e-preview of the first five chapters here.

Who else likes Sara Blaedel? (Two of my favourite crime authors)

"One of the best I've come across.” —Michael Connelly "

"Sara Blaedel is a force to be reckoned with. Everyone keeps talking about the 'trend' in crime writers--Scandinavian, German, Russian. Blaedel is no trend. She's a remarkable crime writer who time and again delivers a solid, engaging story that any reader in the world can enjoy.” —Karin Slaughter

Sara Blaedel is the author of the #1 international bestselling series featuring Detective Louise Rick. Her books are published in 23 countries. She lives in Copenhagen, and was voted Denmark's most popular novelist for the fourth time in 2014. You can connect with Sara Blaedel on her website, as well as on Twitter and like her on Facebook.

If the Forgotten Girls sounds like a great read to you, enter to win one of three copies using the Rafflecopter form below. Open to US and Canada. Ends October 17. Good luck!

  a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Alphabet House - Jussi Adler-Olsen

I'm a huge fan of Jussi Adler-Olsen's Department Q mysteries featuring Detective Carl Morck.

I thought it was the next entry in the series, but it's actually an older stand alone book from Adler-Olsen making a North America debut.

Two British pilots, James Teasdale and Bryan Young are doing flyover photo reconnaissance of a German town during WW2 when their plane is shot down. In an attempt to avoid capture, they jump on a train of wounded German soldiers. And finally in desperation, they throw two Germans off the train and take their places. Unbeknownst the them until later, the train is full of shell shocked SS officers bound for a mental hospital.

Teasdale and Young are too good at their subterfuge - they end up admitted to the hospital and subjected to treatment. Much time passes - until one of them escapes. And one is left.

I thought this was a great idea for a book. Indeed, it has its basis in reality. Adler-Olsen's father worked in a psychiatric facility and Jussi wondered about malingerers or those living out their lives in such a facility.

Once the two Brits land in The Alphabet House, the pacing of the novel slows down. Adler-Olsen draws out the time, echoing what the two servicemen would be feeling. There are many cringe worthy moments that can only make the reader appreciate that much of this is based in reality.

The second half is from 1975 when the the first goes back looking for his comrade. In this second half the pace picks up as we discover what happened in the last thirty years to both men. And how the past has a long reach....

The Alphabet House explores war, friendship and the innate desire to live, all couched in a tense, atmospheric narrative. Read an excerpt of The Alphabet House.

The audio version has Graeme Malcolm as a reader. He's one of my favourite narrators - his rich, sonorous voice easily conveys emotions and ambiance. And I love his accent! Listen to an excerpt of The Alphabet House.

And the next Department Q novel? The Hanging Girl is due out in September 2015. Definitely on my must read list!

The Marco Effect - Jussi Adler-Olsen

I stumbled upon the first book in the Department Q series back in 2011 and immediately became a devoted fan of Jussi Adler-Olsen. The fourth in this series is The Marco Effect, newly released in North America.

Detective Carl Morck heads up Department Q in the Copenhagen Police Dept. It's a rather small department with only three employees - Carl, Rose and Assad (who started off as the cleaner).

Although Dept. Q usually tackles cold cases,  Rose and Assad decide the team should tackle a missing persons case. And that investigation leads them to start looking for a young man named Marco. Marco is on the run - not just from the cops, but from his Uncle Zola - the leader of a gypsy gang. Marco knows about that missing person.

I love this series! Carl is wonderfully cantankerous, but is incredibly tenacious, determined to find answers. Rose is mercurial and combative, but brilliant. Assad. Well, Assad is a mystery. Over the last three books, hints have been dropped and sly references made about Assad's past. In The Marco Effect, even more is revealed. But the man is still a mystery. The three combine to make an effective if eclectic team. Although the upstairs bosses have decided that Carl's team could use another member.The bickering between Carl and Assad is humourous and Assad's camel analogies were priceless.

The secondary storyline of Carl's personal life at home is just as addicting. He shares a home with his stepson, his paraplegic ex-partner, the ex-partner's physiotherapist and the physiotherapist's partner. And Carl is hoping that his relationship with his therapist can step outside the office. This rich secondary plotline absolutely rounds out Carl's character.

And let's not forget the case! Adler-Olsen is wonderfully inventive when it comes to crime. This one is far flung, reaching from Africa to Denmark.  Marco is also given a voice in this book. We are privy to his thoughts as he's on the run, desperate and afraid.

The Marco Effect was another great read from Adler-Olsen. Read an excerpt of The Marco Effect. I can't wait for the next in the series. But Adler-Olsen has a stand alone due out in North America in February 2015 - The Alphabet House - that's on my must read list.

The Absent One - Jussi Adler-Olsen

I read the first book of Jussi Adler-Olsen's Department Q series (Keeper of Lost Causes - my review) and just knew I would be in a for another fantastic read with the second book - The Absent One.

Department Q is the division of the Copenhagen P.D. dedicated to the resolution of cold cases. The staff is not large - it is only Detective Carl Morck and his assistant Assad. The characters and their interplay are a big reason I am so enamoured of this series. 

Carl is struggling with some demons, but he is a brilliant detective. He has trouble tolerating other staff and really other people in general.  Except Assad. We don't know much about the enigmatic Assad - although in this book Adler-Olsen lets us see a little more behind the ever smiling, tea bearing façade Assad wears. A new member is added to Dept. Q in this book - Rose - just as much as a (brilliant) misfit as the other two. And just as prickly as Carl.

In The Absent One, it is a closed case that lands on Carl's desk. If the case is closed, why is the file here? Who left it? And that's enough to spark the interest of Carl - especially when he's told to leave it be.

The case is the murder of a brother and a sister twenty years ago. A student at a wealthy boarding school confessed to the murders and is still in jail. As Carl digs deeper, he finds that the other students in the student's circle of friends have gone on to positions of wealth and power. But, there are whispers of violence around them. And the one female in the group is living on the streets, hiding from the police and her past.

Enough to whet your appetite? Good - because this is another excellent tale from the Department Q files. Adler-Olsen has imagined a frighteningly creepy plot - gentle readers be warned, there is a fair amount of violence. My interest was grabbed from the first page and held to the last.

Adler-Olsen has just released the fifth book in the Department Q series in Denmark. This reader will be eagerly awaiting the release of number three - A Conspiracy of Faith - to North American markets - due out in May 2013. Carl's life is taking some unexpected turns and I really want to know more about the mysterious Assad. An excellent series and definitely recommended. Read an excerpt of The Absent One.

Invisible Murder - Lene Kaaberbol and Agnete Friis

Lene Kaaberol and Agnete Friss's first Nina Borg book - The Boy in the Suitcase -  was a New York Times bestseller. I've been eagerly waiting for the second book - Invisible Murder - from this Danish writing duo.

Nina Borg is a Red Cross nurse living and working in Denmark. She works with the marginalized, the desperate and those who can't help themselves. Her official home base is the Red Cross's Coal House Camp. But Nina also works under the radar, helping out those who have no official status - and her heart is with the children in these situations. When her cohort tells her of sick Roma children living in an old garage, she hesitates. She has promised her husband she wouldn't put herself in danger after her last outing. But her compassion wins out - she finds the group - and much more than she bargained for....

Inspector Soren of the Danish Security and Intelligence Service is  also looking for this group of Roma - there are whispers of terrorism and more.....

Kaaberol and Friis have created a wonderfully different protagonist in Nina. I like that she's not a law enforcement officer, but follows her own sense of justice, working within but bending the rules as need be. She's a caring individual with an iron will, but her need to go forward with her ideals is costing her her marriage and children. The exploration of her relationship with her daughter especially has the ring of truth.

The supporting characters are just as interesting. Soren is the walking wounded, dedicated cop in the series - I like him and hope to see him again. I'm not 100% sure how I felt about Sandor - the half Gypsy law student who becomes embroiled in a nightmare he had no part in starting. Did he redeem himself or not? His ending was left with some unanswered possiblities.

The plot of Invisible Murder is just as compelling and socially relevant as the first book. Although a work of fiction, I can see reading of something like it in the headlines.

"The hatred that flowed in wide, black rivers across the Internet venting itself at Danes, Muslims Gypsies, gays, Jews, liberals, conservatives, women - at every conceivable and inconceivable minority in Denmark and the rest of the world....it was more than just stupidity. It was evil."

The story moves along quickly, with lots of action and bite your nails moments.The ending is tied up but leaves the door open for the next in the series - one I will be picking up for sure.

Some English translations of books feel awkward or wooden - not so in this case - Tara Chace did an excellent job. Definitely recommended.  Read an excerpt of Invisible Murder.