Book keeping

All the Colours of Darkness

2009-02-24T22:17:00.001+01:00

by Peter Robinson
----------------------
Inspector Alan Banks is in love and spends all his free time in London with Sophia. He is very reluctant to give up any of their time together.

Annie Cabbot is equally reluctant to disturb him when he is with his new girlfriend. But when an apparent suicide leads to the discovery of a murder in the residential area of the rich and influential she is ordered to call him back to Eastvale.

At first Banks is annoyed at having to give up his vacation and considers the case an open and shut, but he is soon drawn into the investigation. He suspects that there is more to the case than meets the eye and can't stop pursuing the truth. The question is what his inability to let go of the case will cost him.

----------------------
Peter Robinson's books are always well written and constructed. I am attached to Alan Banks and Annie Cabbot and am following their development with great interest.

Robinson never repeats himself when it comes to the intrigues of his books, and this too is ingeniously plotted even if it has certain elements that I personally am not so fond of.

And maybe it is his focus on these types of elements that causes this book not to end up on my Top Robinson Books-list. I recommend this book to everyone who like me is a faithful Robinson-reader, but for someone who has yet to read anything by Peter Robinson I would rather recommend for example In a Dry Season.

Oscar Wilde and the Ring of Death

2009-02-15T20:15:00.001+01:00

US title: Oscar Wilde and a Game Called Murder
by Gyles Brandreth
-----------------------
In 1892 Oscar Wilde is at the top of his fame, his play Lady Windermere's Fan is a success and he is celebrated wherever he goes. Wilde regularly gathers what he calls the Socrates' club at Cadogan Hotel in London. This the evening of May 1st the company consists of Oscar himself and six of his friends. His friend has each in turn invited one person putting the total of the company to 14 persons. Several of the celebrities of this time can be found within this group.

At this meeting Oscar initiates a game he calls Murder. Each one in the party has to anonymously write down the name of someone they would like to murder if there were no risk of getting caught on a piece of paper. The task of the group is then to find out who put which name and why. As the names from the notes are read out and the names of some of the members in the group are listed the game does not seem so much fun anymore. The party breaks up with the participants all trying to convince it other that it was - after all - only a game.

But already the next day the person whose name was first listed dies suddenly. When more people on the list die Oscar Wilde has to apply his sharp mind to finding out who has turned his game into a sinister reality.

--------------------------
I noticed this book in a bookstore in Copenhagen thanks to its beautiful cover. When I realised it was a crime novel with Oscar Wilde as the lead character it became irressistable.

And this is an amazing book that cleverly mixes real people with ficticious characters, real time events with ficticious events - everything located in Wilde's London. Many of the famous quotations of Oscar Wilde's find a natural place in the text as well as statements by other famous people from the time. The book is also written in a lovely language.

Wilde is also very well suited as a crime investigator. He was friends with Arthur Conan Doyle - who also has a role in this book - and many claims he was the model for Sherlock Holmes' brother Mycroft. He is observant, has an eye for details, imaginative but also logical and analytical.

I believe you can take a lot of pleasure from this book without knowing too much about Oscar Wilde and his friends, but some statements and passages takes on a deeper meaning and are more fun if you do. Among other things Wilde mentions regarding someone who has been buried at the Père-Lachaise cemetery how "that's not much of an achievement, they will accept anyone there". It is in Père-Lachaise you can since 1908 find Wilde's own grave.

The cast of characters is fascinating; I know a little about some and want to know more about them all;

Arthur Conan Doyle;
doctor, writer and creator of Sherlock Holmes
Willie Hornung;
writer and creator of the gentleman thief Raffles
Bram Stoker;
writer and creator of Dracula
Walter Sickert;
famous painter and among those suspected of being Jack the Ripper

This would go on far too long if I were to list all the people I became intrested in finding out more about so I will limit myself to these and instead recommend people to read the book.

Bad Things

2009-02-14T23:23:00.003+01:00

by Michael Marshall
-------------------------

Bad things don't just happen to other people...

John Henderson used to live with his wife and two sons at Murdo Pond in Black Ridge, Washington State. A beautiful summer afternoon his four year old son Scott had found his way out on the jetty and John ran as fast as he could to prevent him from falling into the lake. Despite making it out on the jetty before Scott can fall into the lake, he is still unable to save his life. Scott had looked at his father as if he couldn't recognise him and with an expression of tremendous fear he just fell down dead. The physicians were unable to explain why it had happened.

Three years later John has a different life. He has left Black Ridge and now lives alone leading a fairly anonymous existence. He has limited contact with his ex-wife and youngest son. Until he receives an e-mail from someone claiming to be able to explain what happened to Scott.

He returns to Black Ridge and finds himself caught in a chain of events that inevitably seem to lead to unhappiness for a lot of people, among others himself, his wife and son. He is desperately trying to figure out what is happening and find a way to save his family.

----------------------
Another well written and extremely scary thriller by Michael Marshall. This is the kind of book I like against my own better judgement; I am immediately drawn into it and can hardly put the book down - depsite being scared out of my wits I just have to understand what is going on and find out how it will all end.

This book to is centered around the idea of there being more between heaven and earth than what is obvious. And it is so cleverly constructed that it is hard for me not to start believing that this might very well be the case.

I wouldn't recommend this book to anyone who gets nightmares from scary stories or branches scraping against the window, but to everyone else who wants to find a thrilling book that is difficult to put down.

The Intruders

2009-02-14T22:05:00.000+01:00

by Michael Marshall
-------------------------
Jack Whalen and his wife Amy have left Los Angeles and moved north to the small town of Birch Crossing. Amy is going to keep working for an ad agency, now as a traveling problem solver reporting to the head offices in Seattle. Jack has left his work with the police and will be working from home writing a book.

One day an old school friend of Jack's, Gary Fisher, gets in touch. Fisher is working as a lawyer in Chicago but he wants Jack's help finding a person from Seattle. Bill Andersson's wife and son have been murdered and Bill is missing, suspected of the killings. Gary has his own reasons for believing Bill is innocent and wants Jack to help him prove it as well as find Bill. Jack however believes the police are right and turns Fisher down.

But then Amy fails to come home from a business trip to Seattle and Jack goes there to try to find her. What he finds out makes him wonder if it is Amy who is in danger or his marriage. This is when Fisher contacts him again with information that suggests a possible connection between Amy and Bill Andersson.

-----------------------------
It is difficult to relate the content of this book in a way that does the book justice while at the same time avoiding revealing too much. This is not a common thriller focusing on solving disappearances and murders even though that is part of the story, here you will find more complicated, not to say mystical elements. Think Harlan Coben meets Stephen King and the X-files.

The mystical elements are uncovered gradually through the connection of several different plot lines. This slow introduction makes them feel scarily credible. The book is not without violence but above all it is frighteningly exciting and you struggle understand the context and find a rational explanation.

I recommend this book to those who wishes to read a really exciting thriller and who likes or at least can tolerate supernatural segments.

Martin Misunderstood

2009-02-04T11:36:00.001+01:00

by Karin Slaughter
-----------------------
Martin Reed is at the bottom of the pecking order, even his own mother keeps pointing out his flaws and short-comings. Those who bullied him at school are now his colleagues and still bullying him.

Martin has resigned to his situation and is finding comfort in books, especially in crime fiction. Then unexpectedly one day he finds himself accused of not one, but two murders. Suddenly everyone is regarding him with a new respect and he gets to know the female detective Anther Albada who he falls hopelessly in love with.

The only question is whether Martin is guilty or just misunderstood.

-----------------------
This is a novella written by Karin Slaughter for the celebration of The Month of the Thriller in the Netherlands. It has been made into an audiobook with Wayne Knight (Newman in Seinfeld) as the reader.

It's a pretty big step away from her other writing which is often dark and visceral. This is a light and humoristic story. It is also packed with references to other crime fiction writers and their books and characters.

I prefer Karin Slaughter's other books but I still enjoyed this one as well. And I am a little curious to hear the audiobook - I suspect it might be very funny.

The Brass Verdict

2009-01-18T20:28:00.001+01:00

by Michael Connelly
------------------------
Mickey Haller from The Lincoln Lawyer is getting ready to start working again after not having practiced in a year. He's not going to make the same mistake as the last time he thought himself ready; this time he really will make a slow start of it. But then he is called to the offices of Los Angeles Head Judge Mary Downes Holder and everything changes.

Jerry Vincent has been found murdered in his car, shot at close range. Like Mickey Jerry was running a one-man-firm and they had both put each other down as formal back-up in the case anything would happen to one of them. Now Mickey is suddenly responsible for 31 clients and their cases. They have the right to choose another lawyer if they wish to, but Harry has the first chance to take on their case.

One of the clients is Walter Elliot. Elliot is an executive in a movie studio and accused of having killed his young wife and her lover. The kind of client that would bring fame and fortune to the lawyer assigned his case. To be allowed to keep Elliot as his client Mickey has to promise to not ask for any continuences and the pressure is high getting the defence ready in time.

At the same time he is under pressure from the detective investigating Vincent's murder, Harry Bosch to provide some clues to who might want to kill Vincent and why. Bosch points out that the killer might believe that Haller now is in possession of all the information Vincent had and therefore a target himself. Haller wants to see Vincent's murderer caught and works with Bosch as far as possible without breaking the rules of the bar. He is also willing to put himself in danger if that is what it takes.

--------------------------
There are some writers you can depend upon. At least it's that way for me; it's like their style is on my wavelength and reading their books is as easy as thinking for me. Michael Connelly is one of those writers for me. If I start reading one of his books I'm hooked until it is finished, and I miss it as soon as I put the book down.

It was the same with The Brass Verdict, I was hooked from the first page. I am always nervous when I know I'm going to get an outsider's perspective on Harry Bosch; he is one of my favourite men and no one but me is allowed to critisize him. As most of Connelly's characters Bosch has flaws, as do Mickey Haller.

And I like Haller a lot too. He has a sharp intellect, but is not suffering from arrogance but makes sure to surround himself with competent people he can trust; his ex-wife Lorna and the investigator Cisco. He keeps reminding himself that everybody lies, the police lie, the lawyers lie, the witnesses lie, even the victims lie. But he is not cynical, he can still feel compassion and is willing to offer a second chance.

Despite the inherent suspicions between defence lawyers and the police an understanding is developing between Bosch and Haller. The faithful Connelly reader will know why this might be the case, and this is also revealed later in the book.

The intrigue in the book is very cleverly constructed. And the tempo varies in a way that makes me feel involved. Connelly has a great sense for when he should share the details of the work Haller is doing preparing for the trial and when he needs to speed up the text to increase the excitement.

I've previously held Scott Turow's book Presumed Innocent as the best legal thriller; a detailed insight into a crime investigation, someone seemingly falsely accused, several other possible suspects but no obvious guilty party, lies, betrayal and tension right up until the last moment. And then the astonishing reveal of the true culprit. But I believe The Brass Verdict has now put itself on that number one position.

Also this is not a book that wallows in violence or graphic descriptions of violence. It is the analysis of information and human behaviour that is the focus of this book. And goodness and compassion win in the end.

I recommend everyone to read this book.

The Uncommon Reader

2009-01-17T23:45:00.001+01:00

by Alan Bennet
-------------------
The English court and the Prime Minister have a problem. The Queen who used to be so reliable, conscientious, punctual and predictable has a new passion that offers her a new perspective on life. She was one day led by her disobedient dogs to the book bus that regularly visits the castle. To be polite she borrowed a book and when she came to return it she found herself borrowing another.

Now she sneaks a book with her to all kinds of events. She has learned to pretend to be attentive, smile and wave at the same time as she is really reading a book carefully kept out of sight of the spectators. Many attempts are made to cause the Queen's books to be left behind but that only causes her to be more unpredictable and difficult to control. Something has to be done to end the Queen's disturbing addiction to reading.

-------------------
I had read a lot of good things about this book and the language was just as I had hoped a perfectly worded British English. And for someone who loves to read it is always lovely with books that centers around the love of books and reading. And this book is filled with references to books and authors and the Queen's opinions on the same.

But my expectations might have been too high. I think it is obvious that Bennet mostly writes drama. The great things about the book is the language, the dialogue, the sharp observations and the love of reading. But the book is short and for me it also seemed thin; no real richness in characters or storyline.

I still recommend this book to all those who love reading. Perhaps as the book equivalent of a refreshing sorbet between two heavier courses.

Fladdermusmannen

2009-01-17T22:11:00.000+01:00

(Currently no English translation)
by Jo Nesbø
------------------
Harry Hole is sent on a symbolic assignement in Sydney, Australia. A young blond Norwegian woman with a background hosting a children's TV-show back home has been murdered. Harry is expected to mostly observe the investigation of what seems to be a tragically common case; a rape assault ending in a strangulation.

But Harry is finding it difficult not to get involved. He takes a more and more active interest in the case and at the same time gets exposed to the Sydney never advertised in the travel brochures. His self-appointed guide from the police in Sydney, Andrew Kensington, is of aboriginal origin and he gives Harry an insight to his people's history and folk tales.

As the case becomes more complicated so does Harry's situation. His reasons for wanting to catch the killer has become more personal and soon he is running his own investigation on the side from the police investigation.

---------------------
This is an excellent first novel. That it is a first novel can be deducted by the somewhat jerky telling of the story. But the intrigue is nicely tied together and just complicated enough. The language has a good flow and reflects the changes in tempo and moods.

The characters are many and effectively described so that their personalities become clear and unique. Some of them you take to your heart, sometimes rightly so and sometimes not. I liked Harry Hole a lot and even though I had reason to be disappointed in him I still liked him after the book was finished.

This is a pretty horrific book, with betrayal, violence, drunkeness and cruelty but I gladly recommend it to those who can take that what is unfortunately a part of our reality also is a part of the books that are written.

Jo Nesbø has written the following novels:
Flaggermusmannen (1997)
Kakerlakkene (1998)
Rødstrupe (2000) - Redbreast (2006)
Sorgenfri (2000) - Nemesis (2008)
Marekors (2003) - The Devil's Star (2005)
Frelseren (2005) - The Redeemer (2009)
Snømannen (2007)

Nattfåk

2009-01-04T23:23:00.001+01:00

(English title: The Darkest Room)
by Johan Theorin
-----------------
In the winter of 1846 while the work of erecting the two lighthouses is still ongoing at Eel Point on Öland a storm causes a ship wreck. Nobody from the ship can be rescued but the timber it was carrying drifts ashore and is used to build a grand building for the lighthouse keepers and their families. Now one of the lighthouses is no longer in use and the other is automated and the previously impressive manor house is decaying.

Katrine and Joakim Westin move with their children Livia and Gabriel to Eel Point from Äppelviken in Bromma, outside of Stockholm. Despite the secluded location and the stories they've been told about the history of the house as well as the treacherous winterstorm they are looking forward to restoring the property and lead a quieter life than in Stockholm.

But all is not quiet on Öland. Henrik Jansson is paid a visit by two men who want his expert knowledge of the island to rob the now empty summer houses. They do not however rely only on his advice but also consult "the other side" through the help of a ouija board.

At the same time Marnäs police station is re-opened with Tilda Davidsson as newly appointed attendant. Tilda is not only looking forward to her new job, she sees this as her final chance to learn about her family history. She does so by interviewing her grandfather Ragnar's brother Gerlof Davidsson. Ragnar too is connected to Eel Point and Eel Point is where Tilda goes on her first assignment as the local police representative.

------------------
I liked Johan Theorin's first book, Skumtimmen (Echoes from the Dead) a lot and this book is even better. His rendition of the barren Öland is still there, now even more desolate and in a winter setting. So are the folk tales and the supernatural content. And Gerlof is still there, conveying his knowledge of the place and of human nature, as observant and sharp as ever even though he has moved into a housing for the elderly. Also in this book does Theorin take us back in time, both in longer and shorter perspectives.

What has been added is a broader cast of characters and a combination of several histories that all converge at Eel Point in different ways, having their conclusions or solutions come to place in the middle of the raging winter storm. For me it was impossible to put the book down until I had the explanation to how everything was connected.

I recommend this book to anyone who wants an exciting and stimulating read.

Johan Theorin has written the following novels:
Skumtimmen (2007) - Echoes from the Dead (2008)
Nattfåk (2008) - The Darkest Room (2009)

Bangkok Tattoo

2009-01-03T13:46:00.003+01:00

by John Burdett
----------
Detective Songchai Jitpleecheep was born during the Vietnam conflict, the love child of an american soldier and the Thai prostitute Nong. He has never met his father, who is now back in the US. Beside his police work Songchai runs the brothel The Old Man's Club together with Nong. His boss Colonel Vikorn is the biggest shareholder in the club.

One evening the club's most popular working girl Chanya returns after having gone away with an American. As she walks through the bar she undresses and leaves her skimpy silver dress draped over a bar stool. It is soaked in blood and the blood fresh enough to drip down onto the floor. "I have done in him", Chanya states before disappearing into her room.

The American's hotel room offers an equally bloody sight; he has been castrated and the skin is missing from his whole back. Reluctant to lose one of their major money makers Colonel Vikorn invents a story that explains how Chanya killed the American in self defence.

But the American turns out to have been a CIA agent and in his attempts to make the evidence point to Al Qaeda Songchai ends up discovering the bizarre truth despite intervening in military drug smuggling and visiting a muslim favoured village in Southern Thailand.

----------
I have never been to Thailand, so I have no personal experiences with which to compare this book. John Burdett was born in Great Britain but lived and worked as a lawyer in Hong Kong for 12 years. Now he lives in France and Thailand and writes full time.

Despite the writer's origin the book is written from a Thai perspective; the text is often directed straight at the reader by the address "Farang" which I assume to be the Thai word for foreigner. One passage explains in detail to me, farang, the translation of the capital of Thailand's name and how it goes phonetically; nowhere can Bangkok be found. Concistently through the book the point is made that we cannot understand Thailand and its customs unless we can see beyond our own values and references.

The Thailand the book describes is a world where prostitution is an easy and honourable source of income that ensures the livelyhood of whole families, even whole villages. Songchai and most of the characters are Buddhists and as such most occupied with praising the Buddha and constantly aiming at balancing their karma, not deciding on each individual action based on concept as good or bad.

Accordingly Chanya calculates how she would amass 3 120 units of negative karma if she were to prostitute herself to put her sister through medical school. It would require the same number of medium-to-high healings by her sister to balance this, which should take no longer than a year or so. After that Chanya could dedicate the rest of her life to earn positive karma.

The whole book is written in a deceptively light-hearted tone, I am astounded and indignant as I read about police corruption, prostitution, child labour and drugs trade but at the same time I have to smile. Nothing seems to eminate from anything akin to evil; it is all about survival, business or love in combination with madness.

It took me a while to read this book, it was hard for me to step out of my own frame of reference and see the world through Songchai's eyes. But once I succeded it was well worth the effort. It is a refreshing read; a completely new environment and set of characters, and an intricate storyline. I was offered quite a few eye-openers and have thought a lot about how carefully you have to tread if you wish to change the world. Even if you have the best of intentions you always have to respect the traditions and values of others.

I recommend this book to anyone who believes themselves to have an open mind and is willing to take a somewhat immoral journey.

John Burdett has written the following novels:

Featuring Songchai Jitpleecheep
Bangkok 8 (2002)
Bangkok Tattoo (2005)
Bangkok Haunts (2007)

The Bone Garden

2008-12-10T01:15:00.001+01:00

by Tess Gerritsen
----------
Julia Hamill's marriage is over and she has bought her very own house. She is determined to grow her own garden and as she is digging up the earth she uncovers a skull. The skeleton is of a woman who most probably died already before 1840.

In the end of year 1830 Rose Connolly is in Boston. She has followed her sister Aurnia here from Ireland. Now Aurnia is having her first baby, but the delivery is not progressing well and both sisters are at the hospital. The same hospital where Norris Marshall, a poor farmer's son, is studying medicine. All around them women are dying of childbed fever and after her daughter is delivered so does Aurnia.

Julia Hamill is contacted by Henry Page, a relative to the former owner of her house. He has found a letter from Oliver Wendell Holmes who studied with Norris Marshall. Henry believes that there can be clues to who the dead woman in Julia's garden was in the boxes left behind by the former owner. He wants Julia to come and help him go through all the material.

She accepts his invitation and together they uncover through the letters from Oliver Wendell Holmes the story of Norris, Rose, Aurnia and her daughter and the string of terrifying murders that started after her birth.

----------
This book was a very pleasant surprise. The text on the back of the book is brief and mentions Dr Maura Isles, a lead character from several of Gerritsen's other books. But Dr Isles is hardly in this book at all.

The biggest part of this book takes place in 1830 and that part of the book is amazingly well written. The language shifts subtly to a more old-fashioned style; it enforces the changed time setting without being more difficult to understand or stilted. The wording is clever and at times very witty.

But once one has set foot in the house of one’s host, it is the height of rudeness to immediately flee from it, screaming.

The book contains some gore, but mostly in the context of the hospital setting and medical training Norris and Oliver are attending. It also describes a life that for many is desperate, poor and dirty. But above all this is a fascinating story, with a mystery to solve and multi-dimensional characters to care about and root for.

I would recommend this book to anyone.

Tess Gerritsen has written the following novels:

The Surgeon (2001) Jane Rizzoli and Dr Maura Isle
The Apprentice (2002) Jane Rizzoli and Dr Maura Isle
The Sinner (2003) Jane Rizzoli and Dr Maura Isle
Body Double (2004) Jane Rizzoli and Dr Maura Isle
The Surgeon (2001) Jane Rizzoli and Dr Maura Isle
The Apprentice (2002) Jane Rizzoli and Dr Maura Isle
The Sinner (2003) Jane Rizzoli and Dr Maura Isle
Body Double (2004) Jane Rizzoli and Dr Maura Isle
Vanish (2005) Jane Rizzoli and Dr Maura Isle
The Mephisto Club (2006) Jane Rizzoli and Dr Maura Isle
The Keepsake (2008) Jane Rizzoli and Dr Maura Isle

Harvest (1996) Medical suspense
Life Support (1997) Medical suspense
Bloodstream (1998) Medical suspense
Gravity (1999) Medical suspense
Keeper of the Bride (2002) Medical suspense
The Bone Garden (2007) Medical suspense

Call After Midnight (1987) Romantic suspense
Under the Knife1 (1990) Romantic suspense
Whistleblower (1992) Romantic suspense
Never Say Die (1992) Romantic suspense
Presumed Guilty (1993) Romantic suspense
Peggy Sue Got Murdered (1994) Romantic suspense
In Their Footsteps1 (1995) Romantic suspense
Thief of Hearts (1995) Also published as: Stolen Romantic suspense
Keeper of the Bride (1996) Romantic suspense

Heartsick

2008-12-07T11:00:00.000+01:00

by Chelsea Cain
----------
Archie Sheridan chased a serial killer for 10 years. A serial killer that was very difficult to profile; there were no patterns to the victims, the methods of torture or killing. There was only one marking that all the victims had in common. The hunt did not end until Archie himself was captured by the beautiful Gretchen Lowell. She held him prisoner and tortured him for ten days before calling 911 when she was unable to save his life herself.

Now Gretchen is in prison and after two years of sick leave Archie wants to be reinstated into active duty. Another serial killer is active in Portland, Oregon. Three teenage girls have disappeared on their way home from school, later to be found strangled. A fourth girl has just disappeared under similar circumstances.

Archie also wants the young reporter Susan Ward to be allowed to shadow him during the investigation to write an article about him. Susan is thrilled to be the first to tell the story about what really happened to Archie during his time being held by Gretchen.

----------
I've had this book in my "to read pile" for a while now, but after I read Stephen King's list of Best Books 2008 I couldn't resist picking it up. And was almost unable to put it down until I had finished it.

As a reader you are thrown straight into a situation you just have to find out the outcome of. And then you keep wondering what Archie is really up to, how healthy is he really and why is he revealing so much to Susan -- why is he prepared to tell his story suddenly and why to her?

I recommend this book to anyone wanting a book full of suspense, and unexpected turns of events, and who can put up with quite a bit of graphic details.

Chelsea Cain has written the following novels:

Featuring Archie Sheridan and Gretchen Lowell:
Heartsick (2007)
Sweetheart (2008)

Non series:
Confessions of a Teen Sleuth: A Parody (2005)

Say Goodbye

2008-11-22T17:09:00.001+01:00

by Lisa Gardner
----------
FBI-agent Kimberly Quincy is pregnant. And even though her husband who also works in law enforcement, in the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, understands what drives her to do the work she does he would prefer for her to back down a bit now. But when his colleague Sal Martignetti calls in the middle of the night, asking that Kimberly come and interview a prostitute who claims to be one of Kimberly's contacts and refuses to talk to anyone else he still hands the phone over. Despite not recognising the name Delilah Rose she goes to the police station to meet her.

Delilah Rose too is pregnant. She tells a story of a man who calls himself Dinchara, an anagram for arachnid, a man obsessed with spiders who pays prostitutes to let him watch spiders moving over their naked bodies. She tells about prostitutes disappearing without anyone paying attention or caring. That she is afraid that Dinchara is behind these disappearances. She can't or is too afraid to reveal where Dinchara can be found. So there isn't much more Kimberly can do but give Delilah her card and her mobile phone number.

Soon Kimberly starts receiving disturbing phone calls. Someone is begging her for help and plays recordings of women being tortured and killed. Together with Sal she starts an investigation to find Dinchara and the missing prostitutes.

----------
It is interesting that there are so many female writers writing really horrific books, like for example Val McDermid and Karin Slaughter. They write books about what scares us the most, about crimes that it is difficult to protect yourself against and they don't shy away from describing in detail the most awful acts. Lisa Gardner is such a writer. This book deals with the abduction and abuse of children, children who are victimized and end up being abusers themselves.

Lisa Gardner is also what I would call a suspense writer. The book gives an insight into the perpetrator's thinking and it is soon apparent for the reader that the story is more complicated than the disappearance of some prostitutes and that Kimberly herself is in danger. So you read ahead as quickly as you can to find out how it is all going to end.

It is this drive forward that in some respects distracts a bit from other parts of the book worth exploring; Kimberly's dilemma around combining being a wife and mother with her strong identification as a law enforcement professional, the vulnerability of children and the complicated mechanisms that form or personalities, how we can become that which we hate the most.

I have read all of Lisa Gardner's books but was not so taken by this one. Perhaps it is a matter of timing or perhaps I am losing my taste for books of this kind. I would only recommend this book to someone who expressed a wish for a suspenseful horrific book with a female lead character.

Lisa Gardner has written the following novels:

Featuring the Quincy family
The Perfect Husband (1998) - Pierce Quincy
The Third Victim (2001) - Pierce Quincy, Rainie Conner
The Next Accident (2001) - Pierce Quincy, Rainie Conner
The Killing Hour (2003) - Kimberly Quincy
Gone (2006) - Pierce Quincy, Rainie Conner
Say Goodbye (2008) - Kimberly Quincy

Featuring Bobby Dodge and D.D. Warren in Boston Massachusetts
Alone (2005)
Hide (2007)

Non-series:
The Other Daughter (1999)
The Survivors Club (2002)

The Thirteenth Tale

2008-11-16T21:29:00.002+01:00

by Diane Setterfield
----------
Margaret Lea works in her fathers antiquarian bookshop. Here she takes care of the books and reads her favourite 19th century literature; novels, diaries, letters and biographies. She has herself written a few author biographies in essay form, one of which about the brothers Jules and Edmond Landier was published in an anthology. Outside of this Margaret leads a reclusive life in her small apartment above the shop, socializing almost exclusively with her father and her books.

Then one day Margaret receives a letter from the writer Vida Winter. In her letter the writer confesses to considering the truth a poor supplier of succor or consolation compared to a story. Everything told about her life in interviews have therefore been lies, but now she feels the time has come to tell the truth. And she wants Margaret to document the true story about her life.

Margaret herself does not read contemporary writers, but she is familiar with Vida Winter. Vida has written 26 novels in as many years and her books has been translated into several other languages. Margaret has watched her father becoming all consumed when reading one of Vida's books but it is not until now that she picks one of them up for herself. Vidas writing fascinates Margaret and she goes to Yorkshire where she accepts the assignment under the condition that what she will be told really is the truth.

Vida's story is the story of the Angelfield family and its beginning takes place long before Vida is born. As the fantastic family saga is told circumstances of the now are also revealed, as is Margaret's story. Margaret's story is as Vida has suspected and what makes her most suited to relate to and understand Vida's story. Vida's story is what releases Margaret and increases her ability and wish to relate to other people.

----------
This book was recommended to me by one of my friends and I am really thankful to her for doing that. I really liked this book. It is a "proper" novel with a beginning, a middle and an end. Literally; the book is divided into three sections; Beginnings, Middles and Endings. It is also what I would call a rich book; the language is rich and varied, it is rich in settings, ambiences, character and events. It is filled with mysteries that have to be explained and keep you captive.

I like that this is a book that takes me to another world. A world that can seem unreal, dark and at times ghostly, but that isn't political or filled with social criticism but focuses on human beings and their relationships and destinies. I recommend this book to anyone looking for some escapism.

Dying Light

2008-11-10T21:08:00.004+01:00

by Stuart MacBride
----------
Detective Sergeant Logan McRae who has up until now been Aberdeen's police hero is in big trouble. A colleague has been seriously injured in a raid planned and conducted by McRae. He is moved to another unit, one infamously known as the "F**k up"-squad.

Despite it being summer and sunny Aberdeen is showing itself from its darkest side. Someone screws the doors and windows of a building shut before setting it on fire. Five young people and an infant are trapped inside and burned to death. In another part of town a prostitute, Rosie Williams, is found naked and beaten to death.

Worrying about his future and under the guidance of a new superior he doesn't trust McRae has to prove his competence and solve the murder of Rosie Williams. Despite his best efforts it's not long before another prostitute is found dead. And at the same time his old boss is involving him in the investigation of the arson.

----------
This book is most of all a procedural. It depicts how police work is conducted by teams and how procedures must be followed to allow all members of the team to convey and receive information on progress made. But it is also about the lives of police officers who mostly socialise with other police officers and who are forced to have frequent contact with Aberdeen's criminals and beaten. About lives where work has to be given priority, often at the expence of a functional personal life. It is grey, it is brutal, and at times it is infuriatingly slow.

What makes this book good, in my opinion, are the same things that sometimes annoy me. Logan McRae is emotional and impulsive. It is easy to identify with his thoughts and worries. But McRae often allows these worries to consume him and loses his focus. As a reader it irritates me when he misses information that would have lead him closer to solving the case. He will also jump to conclusions and launch into actions that only put him deeper into trouble. But these characteristics are also what makes him believable and his basic nature of compassion and dedication to justice is what makes me like him and root for him.

On the basis of this, and because of the humour hidden among all the darkness I would recommend this book. However, it is truly brutal and contains some really horrific descriptions and scenes that you have to able to tolerate.

Stuart MacBride has written the following novels:

Featuring DS Logan McRae in Aberdeen, Scotland:
Cold Granite (2005)
Dying Light (2006)
Broken Skin (2007)
also published as Bloodshot
Flesh House (2008)

Non-series:
Sawbones (2008)

Red Cat

2008-11-02T19:42:00.005+01:00

by Peter Spiegelman
----------
John March is a private investigator in New York. Events in his past has turned him into somewhat of a loner and he has promised himself never to allow the dangers associated with his work to get mixed up with his private life.

But then one of his brothers asks him for help. David March has had a short affair with a young woman he knows only as Wren. Wren is now stalking him, threatening to make their affair public unless he agrees to see her again. David wants John to find out who Wren really is and warn her off.

John is already making progress in his investigation when a woman's body is fished out of East River. The police has yet to identify the woman and publishes a photo of a distinguishing mark; a tattoo of a red cat. Realising that the dead woman most likely is Wren and that David now risks being a murder suspect John has to find the real killer before the police finds David.

----------
This is a really good PI-story. But I think you have to really like this genre to like this book. The characters and their motivations are not ignored, but the focus is the life and work of the private investigator and his interpretations of people, events and behaviours. The book plays it straight with the reader all the way; everything John March discovers is revealed to us, but nothing more. He doesn't realise at the very beginning who the murderer is, and there is no hidden clue that the reader should have noticed to come to the same conclusion. We follow March from clue to clue until all the pieces fall into place as the case is finally solved.

John March is in many ways a classic private investigator; he is the black sheep of the family, he has a background with the police, he has a past that has scarred him, he no longer drinks alcohol but tries to maintain a healthy lifestyle but tends to keep other people at somewhat of a distance. He is not depicted as a tough guy, one that hits first and asks questions later, but an intelligent and compassionate, modern person who works in a structured way, uses the internet for fact finding and keeps detailed notes of his cases and their progress.

I really liked John March and this book, and I wish I had started with the first book in the series. I recommend this book to anyone who likes PI-stories.

Peter Spiegelman has written the following novels:

Featuring John March, private investigator in New York:
Black Maps (2003)
Death's Little Helpers (2005)
Also published as: No Way Home
Red Cat (2007)

In the Dark

2008-10-28T15:26:00.005+01:00

by Mark Billingham
----------
A Deadly Crash

A rainy night in south London. A gun is fired into a car which swerves on to the pavement and ploughs into a bus stop. It seems that a chilling gang initiation has cost an innocent victim their life. But the reality is far more sinister…

A Dangerous Quest

One life is wiped out and three more are changed forever: the young man whose finger was on the trigger; an ageing gangster planning a deadly revenge, and the pregnant woman who struggles desperately to uncover the truth. Two weeks away from giving birth, how will she deal with a world where death is an occupational hazard?

A Shocking Twist

In a city where violence can be random or meticulously planned, where teenage gangs clash with career criminals and where loyalty is paid for in blood, anything is possible. Secrets are uncovered as fast as bodies, and the story’s final twist is as breathtakingly surprising as they come.

----------
I have stolen the description above from the back of the book because I want the next reader of this book to be as unprepared for the plot of and characters in this book as I was. I consider it close to genious how Mark Billingham builds up my knowledge while still keeping me in suspense. As I read about what is happening and the lives of the characters, I still wonder what is actually happening, what will happen next and what the true motivations of the characters are.

Nothing is simple about this book, except reading it. The language and the composition of the story carries the reader forward in a quest to understand. And we do understand; we understand how life can force people into contexts they feel unable to escape. We understand that all kinds of relationships between human beings are complicated and sometimes demand behaviours not in agreement with your own wishes or conscience. We understand how everybody carries their own sorrow, guilt or fear that explain their behaviour, even though not excusing it. It is difficult to pick a side in this book. And this is why I am still pondering the how, what if and why of the events in this book.

I am sure I will re-read this book one day, and I recommend everybody to read this book. Actually I recommend every book that Mark Billingham has written and I am happy to say that my favourite character makes an appearance in this book too.

Mark Billingham has written the following novels:

Featuring Tom Thorne, detective inspector in London:
Sleepyhead (2001)
Scaredy Cat (2002)
Lazybones (2003)
The Burning Girl (2004)
Lifeless (2005)
Buried (2006)
The Death Message (2007)

Non-series:
In the Dark (2008)

The Case of the Imaginary Detective

2008-10-20T15:59:00.005+02:00

by Karen Joy Fowler
----------

Rima Lanisell's father has died and she moves from Ohio to her Godmother Addison Early in California. Addison is a successful mystery writer, but her fictitious detective Maxwell Lane is even more famous than she is. Addison's books always start with a murder, and before even starting to write she creates the murder scene in a doll house. Her beach house in Santa Cruz is filled with these doll houses.

Rima herself is all consumed with the question "Why?". Most importantly; "Why must she lose everything?". She has lost her entire family and is constantly misplacing things; keys, gloves, shoes... Now she is trying to figure out why Addison made her father not only into a character in one of her books but a murderer.

----------
I chose this book because I wanted to read something that would be different from what I normally read. And it was different allright, but not in a refreshing way. This book is much too frivolous for me. It doesn't convey any strong emotions, no clear plotline, no beginning and no ending. Sometimes I'd smile thanks to a particular wording or some reference made, but on the whole I have to say that this book has felt like a waste of my time.

I cannot recommend this book.

Karen Joy Fowler has written the following novels:

Sarah Canary (1991)
The War of the Roses (1991)
The Sweetheart Season (1996)
Sister Noon (2001)
The Jane Austen Book club (2003)
The Case of the Imaginary Detective (2008)
(Also published as Wit's End)

The Carnival Master

2008-09-28T19:46:00.004+02:00

by Craig Russell
----------
Maria Klee is still on sick leave. She cannot see herself going back to her job as a police detective in Hamburg. She hates herself and her life. She gives up on her therapy and goes to Cologne, hunting for the one person she hates more than herself; Ukrainian crime-boss Vasyl Vitrenko.

Her former boss, Chief Commissar Jan Fabel, is also marked by the cases that broke down Maria. He has decided to leave the police. He turns down an offer to be part of starting up a federal unit to support police forces all over Germany on complicated and multiple murder cases. As long as he is still attached to the police he cannot however refuse to read through the files Commissar Scholz from Cologne has sent in. For each of the yearly Carnival the past two years a woman has been murdered and a piece of flesh has been removed from the victims' bottoms.

The case in itself isn't at first enough to entise Fabel to go to Cologne, but when he realises this is where Maria Klee has disappeared to he decides to kill two birds with one stone. In the middle of what is the madness of the Carnival in Köln he has to attempt to protect the innocent and make sure the guilty are forced to pay.
----------
This is the fourth book about Jan Fabel by Craig Russell. I have read the previous three books and I like this series. The fact that it is set in Germany adds a new dimension; new places, new procedures and a new culture to get to know. Some things seem familiar though; Jan Fabel is a middle-aged, divorced man, finding it difficult to get his relationships to co-exist with his job. He is no cliché though, no alcohol problems or affliction for a certain type of music so really a new and interesting character to get to know and follow.

I recommend this series, but I do recommend starting at the beginning.

The series about Jan Fabel by Craig Russell consists of the following books:

Blood Eagle (2005)
Brother Grimm (2006)
Eternal (2007)
The Carnival Master (2008)

Edward Finnegans Upprättelse

2008-09-23T19:26:00.004+02:00

(English title: Redemption)
by Roslund & Hellström
----------

Edward Finnegan in Marcusville, Ohio is consumed by hatred, hatred for the person he believes murdered his 16 year old daughter.

On board a cruise ship between Finland and Sweden John Schwarz loses his patience with a drunken passenger's physical advances on several women. When he is placed in police custody for assault it starts becoming clear that he isn't who he claims to be.

Police detective Ewert Grens and his colleagues starts to unravel the complicated story behind John Schwarz. On both sides of the Atlantic Ocean lives are turned upside down and political schemes put into play.

----------
I have conflicting feelings about this book. In the beginning I found it fragmented; the story switched between the US and Stockholm, between yesterday and today, and I thought the dialogue lacked flow. But then I seemed to pass a critical point and was sucked into the plot; I needed to find out what had happened and would happen to John, to Ewert Grens and his colleagues, and couldn't stop reading. But then the ending left a bad taste in my mouth.

I still think I will read more books by Anders Roslund and Börge Hellström. But this particular book I would only recommend with caveats.

Roslund & Hellström has also written:

Odjuret (2004)
English title: The Beast

Box 21 (2005)
English title: The Vault

Edward Finnegans upprättelse (2007)
English title: Redemption

Flickan under gatan (2008)
English title: The Girl Beneath the Street

The Soul Collector

2008-09-22T20:51:00.004+02:00

by Paul Johnston
----------

After taking on a serial killer crime writer Matt Wells has resumed his life. The book he wrote about his tangle with "The White Devil" became a worldwide bestseller and he has used the money to create a safety net around himself, his family and friends as well as tracking the follower of "The White Devil" who got away.

But despite all sophisticated alarm systems and careful precautions one of Matt's best friends is murdered. Around the same time on of Matt's fellow crime writers is found dead; the body mutilated and the words "The devil did it" in latin written in a pentagram. Soon cryptic e-mails start taunting Matt to attempt to stop the killings. He realises he has to find whoever is responsible for threatening him and loved ones and killing his colleagues. But is it who he thinks it is?

----------
I am a great fan of Paul Johnston's writings so I had to read this book even though I normally resent writers re-cycling evil villains. The back blurbs even suggested a re-cycling of the plot. In reality it was not as easy as that and I would recommend this book to anyone looking for an intelligent, action filled, page turner with challenging cryptic clues. Too challenging for me at any rate.

This is the second book featuring Matt Wells and I would recommend starting with the first; "The Death List".

Paul Johnston has also written:

Featuring Quintillian "Quint" Dalrymple in a futuristic (2020-2028) Edinburgh:

Body Politic (1997)
The Bone Yard (1998)
Water of Death (1999)
The Blood Tree (2000)
House of Dust (2001)

Featuring Alex Mavros, half Scottish, half Greek, private detective in Greece:

A Deeper Shade of Blue (2002)
The Red Death (2003)
The Golden Silence (2004)

Featuring Matt Wells, in London:

The Death List (2007)
The Soul Collector (2008)

Long Tail

2008-09-14T20:14:00.001+02:00

by Chris Anderson
----------
"Why the future of business is selling less of more"

Chris Anderson coined the expression "The Long Tail" in a article in Wired 2004. The book is expanding on the subject and provides a thorough account of how the technology of today has diminished the dependence of the big hits. The internet has made it possible for an increasing number of businesses to find profitability in selling many unique items to few buyers, a profitability previously only found in the big hits.

Anderson illustrates this with examples from the book, music and entertainment businesses, but also from further back in time. Sears, Roebuck and Co found their opportunity of doing business in the long tail in the end of the 1800s by starting up a mail order service.

This is the power of the Long Tail. The companies at the vanguard of it are showing the way with three big lessons. Call them the new rules for the new entertainment economy.

Make everything available
Cut the price in half. Now lower it.
Help me find it

-----------

I am pleased that I've read this book. It has been a while since I studied economics and statistical distributions. Now I got a refresher course as well as an update in new principles to apply. I am left with the feeling that it is possible to find business opportunities with a starting point in myself. If you can find a way to use channels and filters to enable the correct audience to find your business chances are that audience will be big enough to provide profitability. Perhaps as a large corporation you still need the big hits, but as a small business or individual you have a better opportunity to succeed in a niche business today.

Wikipedia has an extensive article on the concept of "The Long Tail".

The Last Breath

2008-08-31T19:32:00.005+02:00

by Denise Mina

----------

Paddy Meehan finally has all that she wanted; her own apartment in Glasgow and a job as a columnist at one of Scotland's leading newspapers. Then the police show up announcing that her former lover Terry has been found dead, naked in a ditch, shot through the head.

Despite it having been months since Paddy and Terry last saw each other he has put her as his next of kin, and left her all his belongings - including a house.

Paddy doens't agree with the police's interpretation of the circumstances of Terry's death and starts looking into the facts. Soon her snooping, and the fact that she has Terry's things, she too becomes a target.
----------

This is the third book about Paddy Meehan. Perhaps I would have taken to this book easier had I read the previous two. A substantial part of the book is a continuation of what obviously was a major storyline in one of those books.

Denise Mina's writing receives a lot of praise and to a large extent I understand and agree. The language is fantastic and the characters multi-dimensional and interesting. But right now this was not the book for me. The plot seemed too random and my emotional connection to the characters was too weak to make me interested in their thoughts and actions.

This doesn't mean I will stop reading Denise Mina's books; I've read several of her other books and enjoyed them a lot.

Denise Mina has written:

Featuring Paddy Meehan
Field of Blood (2005)
The Dead Hour (2006)
The Last Breath (2007)
(Also published as: Slip of the Knife)

Featuring Maureen O'Donnell - The Garnethill Trilogy
Garnetthill (1998)
Exile (2000)
Resolution (2001)

Other
Sanctum (2002)
(Also published as: Deception)

Spring and summer reads 2008

2008-08-07T00:33:00.002+02:00

I adore the application on Facebook that allows me to keep track of the books I've read. Even if it won't let me include the Swedish books.

So in addition to the books above I've also read:

Skumtimmen by Johan Theorin (English title: Echoes from the dead)
En helt annan historia by Håkan Nesser (Not available in English)
Tyskungen by Camilla Läckberg (Not available in English)
Pojke Försvunnen by Anna Jansson (Not available in English)

Tijuana Straits

2005-07-20T17:29:00.000+02:00

by Kem Nunn
----------

This story centres on the inevitable converging of three different characters. They have all, each in their separate way, been dealt a raw deal in the card game of life. Sam Fahey lives on the American side of the Tijuana River, but is familiar with the Mexican side as well. He was once a great surfer, but is now an ex-con who is now keeping to himself, trying to make a living of what little life has left him with. He turns to alcohol and occasionally drugs to help him endure and escape.

Magdalena was born and orphaned on the Mexican side, then raised by nuns and schooled on the American side. She is determined to vindicate her mother's death by fighting that what is now claiming lives in Tijuana; the maquilladoras - foreign-owned factories polluting the air and rivers on the Mexican-American border.

Armando Santoya is a Mexican damaged by the same maquilladoras, poisoned by the work conditions he and his family suffers a tragedy. He sinks deeper into drug use and eventually his perverted mind finds Magdalena guilty of his suffering and marks her for death.

It is Santoya's first attempt at her life that throws Magdalena battered and bruised in front of Fahey. Despite his better judgement he takes her into her home, hoping he isn't bringing home trouble at the same time. As Magdalena tries to get closer to explaining the events that brought her to Fahey, they get closer and Fahey seems to start opening up to life. But Santoya is getting closer too, bringing along two other killers, and soon all their destinies will converge in a battle of life and death.

This is an absolutely stunning book. The voice of the book is in third person, which allows for a beautiful and sophisticated prose. Nunn drops you in the middle of the story, moving the time line ahead at the same time as backtracking to build up an understanding of why these destinies must be and must converge. You hold your breath and wish it wasn't so, but you understand that it is inevitable and that the final outcome is anyone's guess.

Kem Nunn has also written, in chronological order:
Tapping the Source (1984)
Unassigned Territory (1986)
Pomona Queen (1992)
The Dogs of Winter (1997)
Tijuana Straits (2004)

Men From Boys

2005-07-18T17:25:00.001+02:00

a collection of short stories edited by John Harvey
----------

For obvious reasons I can't really relate the plot of this book, I can just quote John Harvey from his introduction to the book:

"Just men.
Men writing, for the most part, about what it is to be a man.
To succeed; to fail. To open one's eyes."

Now I'm no die hard short story fan. I believe that short stories can be infinitely more difficult to write than a full-length novel, that they demand more stylistically from the writer. There are writers who write wonderful novels who still can't put together a short story that works. But also there are writers whose style seems to be honed to a perfection not found in their full-length novels when they're forced to restrict themselves to the short story format. And then, of course, writers who excel at both.

Still, what I appreciate most about reading short story collections is the opportunity to sample writers I've not read before. In all I'd say that this collection offered both an enjoyable read, and that goes for most of the stories included, as well as introduced me to a few new writers whose work I'll be checking out.

The writers included in this book are:

Mark Billingham
As he is included in my 'Dependable' link list you might know how highly I think of this writer. Check out his website or try one of his books and find out for yourself.

Lawrence Block
For a long time, after having read one of his Matt Scudder books, I thought him too macho for me. But then someone gave me "Hit Man" and I now have a great appreciation for his writing.

Andrew Coburn
A new acquaintance for me, and one I'll certainly be looking into reading more from.

Michael Connelly
What can I say - he never lets you down.

Jeffery Deaver
A great writer of full-length novels, a master at short stories.

John Harvey
I haven't read as much of John Harvey as I would have liked, but what I have read I've enjoyed thoroughly. Try "In a True Light" or "Flesh&Blood".

Reginald Hill
Unfortunately I have a problem with both jumping in at the ninth or so book of a series, as well as starting to read a series after having already seen a TV version of the same. Unfortunately because every time I encounter Hill's writing I find it to be very good. Perhaps I should try to fight my hang-ups?

Bill James
I hadn't read anything by him before. What was included in this book was cut out of a full-length novel and I'm sorry to say it didn't entice me to look it up.

Dennis Lehane
A fantastic writer, his best-known book is probably the film (sic!) Mystic River. Personally I'm a huge fan of his Patrick Kenzie and Angela Gennaro books.

Bill Moody
Another new find to be looked into.

George Pelecanos
I can't tell you how many insightful people have sung this writer's praise to me, but again someone whose work has come across too macho for me. The short story here really impressed me though, so I'll definitely give Pelecanos a new try.

Peter Robinson
Contrary to my normal habits I got into his Alan Banks series quite late on, but now I'm on the look out for every new release.

James Sallis
New to me, and I'm afraid I had trouble keeping focused on his contribution to this book.

John Straley
Another previously unknown. Very well written story, but the ending left me kind of clueless. My bad I'm sure.

Brian Thompson
I haven't read anything by him before, but enjoyed his story.

Don Winslow
I have been trying to find something by him, on recommendation from normally well-informed sources, but haven't managed to lay my hands on anything yet. Will certainly put in more of an effort now.

Daniel Woodrell
I have only read one of his books, "The Death of Sweet Mister", which was a wonderful book, as was his story in this collection.

The Black Angel

2005-07-17T17:23:00.000+02:00

by John Connolly
----------

All is not well in the Parker household. Rachel struggles with memories of the past and forebodings of the future. She worries that Charlie’s vocation will keep bringing trouble to her and their daughter, Samantha. Charlie shares her forebodings, haunted by what happened to his late wife and child, haunted by their ghosts and the fear of it happening all over again. He tries to restrict his work to cases without potential complications, but it pains him to turn down those who might need his help the most. To him his work is not only a profession but also a calling.

Angel and Louis are in Maine, having stood up as Sam’s godfathers at her christening, when Louis’ aunt arrives. She has been in New York looking for her daughter, Louis’ cousin, Alice. Alice has distanced herself from her family, abusing drugs and selling herself on the streets. Many would argue that it was only a matter of time until her habits would have claimed her life, but she is blood to Louis and nothing is going to stop him from finding out what has happened to her. And nothing is going to stop Charlie from helping him, not even the risk of losing his family.

Their investigation will not only put them in touch with people who benefit from other’s misery but with something with its roots in the beginning of time. They learn of the Book of Enoch, the modern Santa Muerte cult, a Czech ossuary and people dealing in human remains as art. As Charlie has to face “The Believers” he is forced to face the question not only of whether they are what they believe to be but also that of what he believes himself to be.

It has been over a day since I finished this book, and I still find it hard to write about it. Partly this is because I worry about not being able to do it justice, partly because I can’t seem to get it to come to rest in my mind. This is a book filled with facts from various time periods and that takes you on a long journey through time and space. It awakens in you interests you never thought you’d have and forces you to ask yourself some very difficult questions.

John Connolly’s writing is immaculate; he describes even the most fantastic scenarios with such presence you feel it just has to have happened – just like that. He makes you feel fully informed, yet yearning to know more, to understand more. Reading his books you will feel fear, compassion, hate and love.

When you buy this book, if you’re lucky, you will also get a CD with music labelled Voices from the Dark. This is music selected by John Connolly as music that would be a fitting sound track to his Charlie Parker books. The songs selected are all painfully beautiful and reflects, at least for me, perfectly the moods conveyed by the books.

This series contains, in chronological order:
Every Dead Thing
Dark Hollow
The Killing Kind
The White Road
The Black Angel

Other books by John Connolly:
Bad Men
Nocturnes

Den vidunderliga kärlekens historia

2005-07-15T17:16:00.002+02:00

by Carl-Johan Vallgren
----------

"The Horrific Sufferings of the Mind Reading Monster Hercules Barefoot: His Wonderful Love and His Terrible Hatred"

The English title of this book is not only a mouthful, but also it pretty much sums up the book. The Swedish title is shorter and manages to say that this is the story of a fantastic, enormous, but yet in some respects monstrous love. ('Vidunderlig' means fantastic, but 'vidunder' means monster.)

This is a book that spans a century and most of Europe. It will take you to, among other places, bordellos, monasteries, a travelling freak show and the Vatican. Eventually it will also take you to the USA.

It is difficult to imagine Hercule Barefoot, and especially difficult to see him as a monster since we to a large extent are allowed inside his mind. Again we are reminded of the importance of not judging a book by its cover or a person by his or her appearance.

In Swedish the prose of this book is exhilarating. Vallgren is generous with the words, but still he doesn't drown you in them. Instead they bring you along the story like a frisky brook in springtime, painting vivid pictures of the people and surroundings the book puts you in contact with. Both the writing style and the story brings to mind books like "Forest of Hours" by Kerstin Ekman or "The Perfume" by Patrick Süskind and writers like Gabriel Garcia Marques and Robertson Davies.

I enjoyed this book immensely.

Theodor Kallifatides

2005-07-14T17:14:00.000+02:00

One of the most beautiful books I can remember reading, back in the early 80's, was written by Theodor Kallifatides. Kallifatides was born in Greece in 1938, but came to Sweden in 1964. So it's all the more impressive that he ranks among the very best writers in Sweden. When I realised that he had published three crime novels I knew I had to read them.

Kallifatides has chosen a female lead character. Kristina Vendel is 33 years old and has a background as a philosophy student. Her team consists of one other female, Maria Valetieri, and two male officers, Thomas Roth and Östen Nilsson. These four characters compliment each other beautifully - both in their professional roles but also with their ages and background stories. These characters are all complex and interesting, as are their lives. They also develop and show new sides of themselves through the three books I have read.

The writer has also chosen the perfect setting for his police department. Huddinge is a suburb of Stockholm that encompasses a variety of living standards and life styles. A shopping centre, a university hospital, a commuter train to and from Stockholm, council estates, terraced houses, bungalows and even posh villas - you can find it all here. And it follows that you can find all kinds of people here as well.

The plot lines in these three books are quite varied and allows for destinies from different stations in life to be intertwined. The first book touches both on the import of prostitutes from Eastern Europe and members of high society. The second book starts off with the crash of a small propeller plane, works through finding the common denominator between the five passengers and identifying the sixth passenger to organ theft. The third book features a professional killer and takes the reader to both the horse race track and the Nobel Prize Award ceremony.

There is nothing obviously off kilter with these plot lines or the crimes depicted in these books. But the crimes do seem to be there more to allow the writer to express the moral dilemmas that can be facing us as humans today. These books are more about love, lost and found, and lust. What we are willing to do or overlook for the sake of love or lust. They are about the fine line between love and hate, or how the same person can be capable of both utter coldness and complete love depending on the situation or people involved.

I would not hesitate to recommend anyone to read these books, especially in Swedish, but I would not recommend them as good crime novels. Rather to people interested in exploring other people's minds and hearts and experiencing different view points on right and wrong, love and hate.

This series contains, in chronological order:

Ett enkelt brott - A Simple Crime (Harvell Press)

Den sjätte passageraren - The Sixth Passenger (Harvell Press)

I hennes blick - Not yet published in English

The Twelfth Card

2005-07-14T17:11:00.000+02:00

by Jeffery Deaver

----------

Sixteen-year-old Geneva Settle is an all-A-student from Harlem. As she is researching a term paper at the African-American Museum someone attempts to kill her. Through a combination of acute awareness, cleverness and perhaps a bit of luck Geneva gets away, but so does the assailant.

As Lincoln Rhyme and Amelia Sachs starts to investigate the scene both it and the way the perpetrator made his escape suggests that he is a professional killer and not what the left behind clues would suggest. Because the left behind clues are deliberately left behind and offers no leads to the man they are seeking.

So contrary to normal procedure Lincoln, Amelia and their team have to start looking at possible motives as well as following the meagre trace evidence. Could the motive be connected to the term paper Geneva is writing about her ancestor, Charles Singleton? Charles was a former slave who was active in the early civil rights movement.

Jeffery Deaver's books are cleverly written, there's no arguing with that. You keep turning the pages, trying to keep up with all the twists and turns of the plot and as much as you try to expect the unexpected you will still be surprised. Of course, after having read quite a few of his books you will start noticing some of the set ups and almost get annoyed with some of them.

Lincoln Rhyme is (obviously) still quadriplegic and in his wheelchair and part of the book is about his continuing struggles with coping with his situation. It is clear that he is an impressive person with a brilliant mind, but it is still a bit difficult to see what attracts Amelia so to this all too often moody and cantankerous man. At least from the insights we as readers are given of their life together they are either exchanging sarcastic remarks or meaningful looks.

Still, Jeffery Deaver can write and his books are well worth reading. This one especially, and what makes it so is the story about Charles Singleton. Here all obvious writer's tricks are left out and instead a story full of interesting and intriguing details is told.

This series contains, in chronological order:
The Bone Collector
The Coffin Dancer
The Empty Chair
Stone Monkey
The Vanished Man
The Twelfth Card

The Closers

2005-07-13T17:08:00.000+02:00

by Michael Connelly
----------

Harry Bosch is back on the police force, and he knows now that this is where he needs to be.

Kiz Rider has been working on the sixth, that is to say with the top brass, but is now moving to work cold cases and has brought Harry on board as her partner.

The new chief of police changed the name of the department to Open-Unsolved because, as he tells Harry; "Those aren't cold cases, Detective. They never go cold. Not for some people." Harry feels that although the chief clearly warned him about his return not being guaranteed, he actually connected on some level with the man on top. They both could hear the chorus of forgotten voices and felt the need to respond in some way.

Each team in the Open-Unsolved department is assigned four or five blocks of years. Kiz and Harry have four blocks and a cold hit has just come in for a case from one of their years. In 1988 a sixteen-year-old girl was found shot several days after disappearing from her home. The gun was lying in the leafs by her left ankle and it is DNA taken from this gun that has now come up with a match.

Even before starting to re-examine the case Harry has a run-in with his former boss, Deputy Chief Irvin Irving, who has been pushed aside by the new chief. As they get deeper into the investigation Harry has to confront him again despite his warning that Harry's inevitable failure will be his ticket back in.

Harry can feel in his gut that there is more to this case than finding answers for those involved and closing the case. But that is still what he is working towards, because that is what he is; a closer.

As always, reading a Michael Connelly book is pure delight. He has this amazing ability to write with a language that flows so naturally you can ride on it effortlessly, concentrating on understanding and figuring out the complexities of the characters and the case at hand. He also plays fair with the reader, giving you all the information you need to keep pace with Harry and Kiz and their deductions. And I don't know if he does this on purpose, but he also allows you to make some connections ahead of Harry, but these are not so obvious you feel like pounding Harry on the head for not making them himself.

Michael Connelly stays on my "must read" list.

This series contains, in chronological order:
The Black Echo
The Black Ice
The Concrete Blonde
The Last Coyote
Trunk Music
Angels Flight
A Darkness More Than Night
City of Bones
Lost Light
The Narrows
The Closers

Other books by Michael Connelly:
The Poet (followed up in The Narrows)
Blood Work (losely connected to The Poet, and followed up in A Darkness...)
Void Moon
Chasing the Dime

Driving Big Davie

2005-07-03T16:37:00.001+02:00

by Colin Bateman
----------

This is my first encounter with Dan Starkey and my first book by Colin Bateman. The back cover blurb promised a combination of Irish wit and a Florida setting – how could I resist?

Dan Starkey has clearly been through a lot, and perhaps all his past adventures are described in earlier books. In this one however, he finds himself pretending to cope and moving on with his life. He has been reduced from being a journalist to working on a PR-project for the city of Belfast. He is attending court appointed counselling sessions. But he is reunited with his wife Patricia, which is all well enough, except that having a child together proves not to be as easy as one might hope.

And then Joe Strummer of The Clash dies and Dan’s best mate from the punk era; Big Davie, calls up. When Dan and Big Davie gets plastered together in their old home town Dan finds himself agreeing to go along on a two week vacation to Florida. Big Davie has, Dan is being told, been dumped and is left standing with already paid for tickets to the honeymoon.

Already on the flight Dan starts noticing inconsistencies in Davie’s story and once in Florida the trip turns into something completely different from a relaxing two weeks in the sun.

Through the first few chapters I couldn’t have been more pleased with myself for having picked up this book. The narrative was quick and funny, the types of word play and association digressions I really like, as well as references that I could relate to. But then further in the book Dan started to jump to conclusions and taking actions that really irked me, and I felt that there wasn’t really any storyline to hold the on their own funny episodes together. I also felt that some issues brought up in the book where far to tragic to be dealt with so flippantly.

But then the book sort of turned around again on me and I got back into it as a whacky ride. Also what had been dismissed a bit glibly was exposed to have more depth and importance, giving the book a bit more of the same.

As I put the book down I was quite happy having spent time reading it. I’ll probably be reading another Colin Bateman. I will not go looking for the earlier Dan Starkey novels though, at least not for a while. This is mostly because I feel in some ways that this book is more like a chapter in the life o Dan Starkey than a stand alone book. So much was revealed about his past life and adventures that I feel I will know how the earlier books ends even before reading them.