When the weather turns cold and the days dark, is there anything more satisfying than cozying up with a dark crime thriller? I think not.
A serial killer is loose on the streets of Copenhagen. In addition to the brutally mutilated victims, the killer also leaves behind his calling card, a little figurine made of chestnuts and matchsticks. Even more baffling, a clue from each scene seems to point to another unrelated and already solved crime. The police must stop the killer before he claims any more victims. But how do you stop someone that's always one step ahead?
This story contains all the hallmarks of a terrific Scandinavian noir. The crimes are gruesome, the detectives are all flawed, and the setting is dark and gloomy. It could not be more quintessential of the genre.
Diving in, I did find the beginning a little bit slow. A good number of characters are introduced initially, and I had some trouble remembering them all. But once I got over that hump and everything started to come together, I couldn't put it down. It's one of those substantial stories you can just sink your teeth into and not surface for hours.
If there's one small annoyance, it's that most of the detectives in here are awfully whinny about having to do their jobs. Any time facts had to be rechecked or previously unsolved items had to be revisited, there would inevitably be a chorus of whys and whatever for's. And since that didn't add anything to the story, I'm not sure why it was even included (unless it's a part of the heretofore mentioned hallmarks of a Scandinavian noir I'm not aware of).
Still, minor quibbles aside, I found this to be thoroughly entertaining. I had great fun following along with the twists and turns, and the big reveal was worth the buildup. Even though this story is on the longer side, I found it riveting once I got into it. It was the perfect book to get lost in on a dreary day, wrapped up in a cozy blanket with a hot cup of tea.
0 comments:
Post a Comment