Narrators: Lila Newman
ISBN: 9781639105953
Publisher: Crooked Lane Books
Publication Date: 12/05/2023
Format: Other
My Rating: 3 Stars (ARC)
For fans of Jo NesbØ and Lars Kepler comes the newest crime novel from Denmark's bestselling suspense giants Sara Blædel and Mads Peder Nordbo.
Everything is peaceful in Tommerup, Denmark, until a young mother disappears in the middle of an idyllic summer day. There’s no trace of the missing woman when Chief Superintendent Liam Stark and Superintendent Dea Torp are called to investigate. The small town is on edge, rumors begin to fly, and blame is cast on Charlotte’s husband, who was the last to see her. When another person goes missing and Liam and Dea find a strange note linking the second missing person to the first crime, they suspect the disappearances may be the work of a serial killer.
As the investigation continues, dark secrets about the victimsfrom the past are revealed. Is someone targeting them because of this? As more people vanish, it’s a race against time for Liam and Dea, who find themselves face-to-face with horrifying footage that reveals what is happening to the victims—and what will happen to future targets if they can’t stop the killer.
In this pulse-pounding thriller, Sara Blædel and Mads Peder Nordbo ratchet up the tension in a cat-and-mouse game where the killer is always one step ahead.
My Review
Sara Blaedel and Mads Peder Nordbo collaborate in their latest dark and twisted Scandinavian crime fiction noir, DISSOLVED.
I have been a big fan of Sara Blaedel over the years and read quite a few of her books; however, I have not read any of Mads Peder Nordbo. I enjoy her solo books more than this one. Her name was why I was attracted to the book.
A lot is happening here, and following is confusing and complicated. I am unsure if it was the translation or if I was trying to keep up with the characters, and the audio was a little hard to follow. I was not thrilled with the audio narrator, Lila Newman (very dull), and had to switch to the e-book.
Set in Tommerup, Denmark, A young mother disappears without any trace. Chief Superintendent Liam Stark and Dea Torp are called in to investigate. There is also Nassrin, who has been assisted in working in the office updating files in the Moslem community.
However, she wants to be out in the field and a lot of bickering in the office. Stark tries to keep the peace between the two. She finally gets the fieldwork to help.
The killer seems to be one step ahead. The cops try to keep the message contained so as not to stir up Muslim discrimination and hatred. Then another person goes missing and there are strange notes, and wondering if it could be a serial killer.
The mystery revolves around the Ten Commandments from the Bible. This part is fast-moving, and the detectives try to figure out where the killer will strike again and who the victims will be. What is the motive?
They think ten people will disappear within ten days. They are unsure if the person leaving the messages is Christian or Muslim. Are they linked by age, class, lifestyle, religion, etc? Have the victims broken one of the Ten Commandments and been punished?
Who will be saved, and will they find the killer before it is too late? There are clues, and the title has many meanings.
Dark, complex, and chilling! I thought DISSOLVED needed more of an ending, which felt abrupt or an epilogue. It's a great premise, but it did not work for me. While I am sure the book has an audience, I gave it my best shot. I felt there were too many characters, and I did not enjoy the audio or the book as I had with Sara's solo books.
Thanks to Dreamscape Media and Crooked Lane Books for an ALC and ARC for an honest review.
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
My Rating: 3 Stars
Pub Date: Dec 5, 2023
Praise
“The co-authors keep up the tension to the end.” —Kirkus Reviews
“[A] Scandi noir success.” —Publishers Weekly
About the Authors
Sara Blædel is a journalist and author. She has published 11 books about the detective assistant Louise Rick and the trilogy about the undertaker's daughter. Sara Blædel has been voted the Danes' favorite author five times, and in 2014 she received De Gyldne Laurbær for 'The woman they reported missing'. Sara Blædel's books have sold more than 5 million copies and are being published in 38 countries. read more
Mads Peder Nordbo has a degree in communication and literature from the University of Southern Denmark and Stockholm University. He lives in Tommerup on Funen, but has lived and worked in Nuuk in Greenland for a number of years. Here he wrote his arctic noir trilogy: 'The girl without skin', 'Cold anxiety' and 'The woman with the death mask', for which he won great international recognition. Mads Peder Nordbo's books are being published in 40 countries. WEBSITE
