First in the international bestselling, award-winning Blix & Ramm series with over 100,000 copies sold in Norway alone, two of the biggest names in Nordic Noir have teamed up to create a dark, hard-boiled and emotive serial-killer thriller with echoes of Criminal Minds … and two unforgettable protagonists
DEATH DESERVED
by Thomas Enger & Jørn Lier Horst
translated by Anne Bruce
PUBLICATION DATE: 6 FEBRUARY 2020 | PAPERBACK ORIGINAL | £8.99 | ORENDA BOOKS
Oslo, 2018. Former long-distance runner Sonja Nordstrøm never shows at the launch of her controversial autobiography, Always Number One. When celebrity blogger Emma Ramm visits Nordstrøm’s home later that day, she finds the door unlocked and signs of a struggle inside. A bib with the number ‘one’ has been pinned to the TV.
Police officer Alexander Blix is appointed to head up the missing persons investigation, but he still bears the emotional scars of a hostage situation nineteen years earlier, when he killed the father of a five-year-old girl. Traces of Nordstrøm soon show up at different locations, but the appearance of the clues appear to be carefully calculated … evidence of a bigger picture that he’s just not seeing…
Blix and Ramm soon join forces, determined to find and stop a merciless killer with a flair for the dramatic, and thirst for attention.
Trouble is, he’s just got his first taste of it…
This
is my first venture into Nordic Noir. Living in Norway, I was already
familiar with the names of the authors but I've not read anything by
either of them...until now. It's why I chose to read Death Deserved
and I'm so glad I did.
Divorced Oslo Police officer
Alexander Blix has a grown-up daughter who is appearing on a reality
television programme. Simultaneously,
former
athlete, Sonja Nordstrøm disappears. He's
given
the
responsibility
for the missing person investigation not
knowing if it's a kidnapping, suicide or murder.
Meanwhile, celebrity blogger, Emma Ramm is curious as to why Sonja
Nordstrøm didn't turn up for her television interview to promote her
book, Always
Number One.
It isn't long before Alex and Emma run
into each
other as they search for clues.
Only
for Alex, meeting the blogger triggers
a memory
of
an incident in 1999,
one
which still haunts
him to
this day.
The
narrative is seamless and I'm awed by how these authors have worked
together to produce this intriguing novel. The tight plot and pacing
keep readers engaged as Alex Blix and Emma Ramm work to find the
serial killer. It's an unlikely pairing of a police officer and a
celebrity blogger but their crossed paths add to the curiosity of why
the dynamic works so well. In addition, we're introduced to many
supporting characters including, Sofia Kovic, Alex's police partner.
Like Emma, she's someone who you wouldn't expect to see working with
someone like Alex Blix, but they somehow complement each other in a
positive way.
Thrilling and suspenseful, I enjoyed putting
together the pieces of the puzzle as the protagonists try to get
ahead of the perpetrator with their investigation. With enticing
details, I was gripped as the story came to a conclusion with an
epilogue setting the scene for the next
instalment.
On
a personal note, what I appreciated the most is
the Norwegian backdrop. I don't live in Oslo, but the familiarity of
names definitely added to the overall appeal of Death Deserved. It's
left me with a feeling of 'What took you so long to search out novels
based in your country of residence'?
Conclusion? My
introduction to Nordic Noir has whetted my appetite for more and will
definitely, be reading more from Jørn Lier Horst and Thomas Enger.
It's also inspired me to buy and read Nullpunkt,
the original Norwegian version of the novel. As it'll be a slow read,
I'm hoping in the meantime Orenda will publish a translated version
of Røykteppe,
book 2 in the Alex Blix and Emma Ramm series before I get around to
tackling it in its original form.
***arc generously
received courtesy of Orenda Books via Random Things Tours***
Jørn Lier Horst and Thomas Enger are the internationally bestselling Norwegian authors of the William Wisting and Henning Juul series respectively.
Jørn Lier Horst first rose to literary fame with his No. 1 internationally bestselling William Wisting series. A former investigator in the Norwegian police, Horst imbues all his works with an unparalleled realism and suspense.
Thomas Enger is the journalist-turned-author behind the internationally acclaimed and bestselling Henning Juul series. Enger’s trademark has become a darkly gritty voice paired with key social messages and tight plotting. Besides writing fiction for both adults and young adults, Enger also works as a music composer.
Death Deserved is Jørn Lier Horst & Thomas Enger’s first co-written thriller.
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