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Dec 08, 2011

MJ rated it:

I was happy to pick up a female detective novel (centered around Detective Irene Huss, former Swedish national judo champion, now 35 and working homicide in Stockholm while raising twin teenage girls with her chef husband) from a mystery writer who was also a woman. What seemed at first like the usual "Schwedenkrimi" (as the Germans call it) was actually something much meatier. The meat was not in the whodunit itself, however, and it also took its sweet time emerging. It was that Helen More...

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Sep 08, 2011

Chris rated it:

I think my favorite television channel is MHZ because they have international mysteries. At first, they had Wallander and Varg Veum, and some werid Italian mystery were everyone was sleeping with everyone. Not only that, but the Detective mano couldn't figure out his partner's daughter was his, even though everyone watching knew within two secs. Eventually they changed the mysteries up and started showing other ones, including Irene Huss. The Irene Huss movies aren't my favorite. They are r More...

0 comments like (3 people liked it)

Oct 22, 2011

Shireen rated it:

I've read only one foreign-language-translated-into-English mystery author before, and when I stumbled onto this book while browsing the shelves of the Toronto Public Library's virtual branch, I decided to give her a try. Good decision!

It's interesting reading a story set in a country I'm not that familiar with. All the little cultural, geographical, and wintry details bring Goteborg, Sweden to life for a foreigner like me. I'm not a reader who needs to have North American touchstones More...

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Apr 21, 2011

Sandie rated it:

I found this Swedish police procedural a little slow going at first but ended up really liking it. The setting is Goteborg, Sweden. Detective Inspector Huss and her colleagues on the Violent Crime unit are called in to investigate the apparent suicide of a wealthy financier who falls off a balcony while his wife and son are below. Shortly after that two other deaths occur. They end up investigating both his business dealings, some of which are in the Swedish underworld and his personal li More...

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Jul 27, 2011

Pam rated it:

ANOTHER new series for me to trek through...and I have - lovely library downloads to eReader while traveling!!

This series (w/ three so far + the TV series in Sweden...) is billed as the Swedish 'Prime Suspect' but Irene Huss is soooo much more likable. This is more like a Swedish Inspector Brunetti, if you want my opinion - good food, family involvment (including dog, Sammie...), completely interesting collegues, wonderful descriptions of place AND good mystery w/ really unusual twist More...

0 comments like (2 people liked it)

May 06, 2009

Eliszard rated it:

The 3 stars are the result of 4 stars for plot and some interesting ideas, and 2 stars for lame writing. Sometime I wonder if mystery writers think that their readers are completely stupid, or won't follow the character development or the plot if it is not made pedantically explicit. The protagonist of the story, Swedish police detective Irene Huss, is a nice change from middle-aged semi-alcoholic men who seem to populate so many of today's mysteries. Her life and her experiences ring true, but More...

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Feb 09, 2012

Ellie rated it:

Helen Tursten's Detective Inspector Huss is a satisfying Swedish police procedural. It is the first in a series featuring Detective Irene Huss.

The crime: a successful, famous, and wealthy businessman is pushed to his death from his balcony landing at the feet of his wife and son. There are many who had motive to kill him, including the members of his own family. The mystery is sometimes slow going but generally well-plotted.

The most enjoyable aspect of the novel, for me, More...

0 comments like (2 people liked it)

Nov 07, 2011

Martina rated it:

I love this series, which begins with this book. The Swedish title has to do with Tang Horse Figurines. The main character, a female police detective in Goteborg, is married with children, has a good marriage to a chef (!), likes her children, gets along with most everyone she works with... how refreshing! She is also extremely good at her job. A very rich man falls from a fifth floor balcony, at first thought to be suicide, and then the complications arise..... a bombing. someone foils s More...

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Sep 08, 2009

Nancy rated it:

Considering that this is the first entry in a series featuring the title character, it is amazing. I can only imagine that the others (which I have not yet read) are just as good if the debut was this well done.

As the story opens, a man falls off of his balcony to his death. It turns out to be someone of note, one Richard von Knecht, who was well known in the world of finance. Detective Irene Huss, along with her team, is called in to solve the case and discovers that all is not More...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Sep 24, 2011

Bernadette rated it:

When wealthy Swedish businessman Richard von Knecht falls to his death from his apartment balcony everyone assumes it is suicide. Naturally enough for a mystery novel there is soon evidence that leads police to believe von Knecht was actually murdered and they begin the slow process of unravelling which secrets of his life might have led to his murder.

And so we meet the members Göteburg Violent Crimes squad as they start interviewing von Knecht’s family members, neighbours and friends More...

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Oct 16, 2010

Megan added it

It is an interesting detective novel because of the glimpses into contemporary Swedish life. The heroine Irene is a detective/wife/mother and black belt in karate. The tone is quite stolid and prosaic, which is amusing because I imagine it captures a truth about living in Sweden. For example the author if careful to describe the meals Irene and her fellow detectives eat, particularly lunch. Irene is careful not to drink "dark" beer for lunch but may have two "light" ones, More...

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Jun 25, 2007

Larissa rated it:

Tursten's 2nd novel with Inspector Huss--The Torso--is one of those buzzed-up novels that people who care about these sorts of things really went nuts for awhile back. So I figured it couldn't hurt to start at the beginning. D.I. Huss has a lot going for it: Swedish female detective who moonlights as a Judo master (no, really), familial tension as a microcosm of greater societal tension (one of her daughters becomes a skinhead midway), Hell's Angels, BDSM photos as evidence, and general police s More...

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Apr 21, 2009

Jody rated it:

i started this at my mom's house and left it there to pick back up over the holidays. good so far.

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Ok, catching up on an actual review. I liked the story, though towards the end I started to get a little worried that things wouldn't be summed up. In the end it all worked but I wasn't as invested by that point because I felt like it happened all too quickly or perhaps it's that I couldn't see the wrap-up happening soon enough. I don't read books as closely as I sh More...

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Jul 03, 2011

Kt rated it:

Detective Inspector Huss is billed as Sweden's version of "Prime Suspect." If so, she is a watered down version of Jane Tennison, lacking the rough edges and insecurities that make Tennison (played to perfection by Helen Mirren) such a great character to watch. But at least we now know it is possible to read a Swedish mystery in which the main detective is not an isolated, middle-aged man who has issues with alcohol and listens to opera.

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May 05, 2011

Lindisfarne53 rated it:

It started very slow, but picked up about a third in. I couldn't put it down - my heart was racing for the end. The characters are well drawn, even if a bit of caricaturization takes place. But Huss' life was well drawn and her experiences felt 'true'. It was possible to reach the correct conclusion, as well, from the clues that were provided. Good read.

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Jun 22, 2010

CarolineFromConcord rated it:

Interesting one about a female police detective in Sweden. She tries to balance family life with career: career seems to win, at least in terms of time commitment. The plot is complicated, revolving around the murder of a wealthy man. A subplot has to do with a rebellious teenage daughter. Takes place in Gothenburg, which is south of Stockholm.

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Dec 30, 2009

Vivian rated it:

The first in a series, this is a well written, complex Scandinavian police procedural. With complex characters, intriguing setting, I thought that the book was just a little too long. It did not detract from my enjoyment though, and I look forward to reading her latest book with anticipation.

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Feb 18, 2012

Helen rated it:

Wow, a new nordic detective writer, with an interesting female detective, who seems reasonably normal. And she's married to a chef, which adds interesting culinary snippets. I really enjoyed this one, and will look for others by Tursten.

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Aug 06, 2011

Salli rated it:

Just okay Swedish murder mysery. Either choppily written or badly translated. full of exclamation marks in weird places!!! and four unrelated peopewith the same last name -- Larsson -- and no one mentions it. !!!

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Jan 08, 2010

Writerlibrarian rated it:

First novel introducing the Violent Crime unit of Goteborg and Detective Inspector Irene Huss. Almost four stars. The plot is a little confusing and takes the long, long, long way to resolve itself but Tursten introduces all of the member of the unit in due time and it's integrated into the plot. The pace is a little clunky, a little "brouillon" but she sets the bases for an intriguing case and quite a few more to come.

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Oct 02, 2011

Sandi rated it:

An excellent police procedural set in Sweden featuring a very realistic female inspector. I really enjoyed the interplay between the different members of the police force and the plot was entirely engrossing.

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Jun 14, 2010

Rivka added it

This is a surprisingly good book. I was looking for something to slake my thirst for Scandanavian stuff after devouring the Dragon Tattoo books.

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Apr 22, 2011

Mel rated it:

Neither the writing nor the characters were strong enough for me to continue with this series. The story was entertaining enough to finish.

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Apr 16, 2009

Judith rated it:

This received rave reviews but I was a little disappointed - thought there were too many extraneous details which bogged down the case.

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Oct 21, 2009

Trish rated it:

Tursten has created a wonderfully rich work and family environment for her strong female lead, Detective Inspector Irene Huss of Violent Crimes, Gotenborg, Sweden. Despite the brutally difficult work she does each day investigating the evils of men, she seems remarkably (unbelievably?) centered and grounded and empathetic to victims. She has emotions we recognize. We like to follow her to crime scenes, and stakeouts, despite the grim business we often find there. This is a very strong lead-in to More...

7 comments like (1 person liked it)

Jan 24, 2012

Helaine rated it:

I didn't feel quite as strongly about this book as the rave reviewers, but would like to see others as this was her first.

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Jan 21, 2011

Linda rated it:

According to the book jacket Detective Inspector Huss is Sweden's Prime Suspect detective. She is investigating a suspicious murder of a wealthy financier. It is a well crafted mystery.

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May 05, 2011

Cindi rated it:

There was a lot going on in this book. The plot was very complex and it was sometimes hard to keep track of everything. Also, because it's a first in series book the author was trying to build character portraits. This didn't always come off smoothly, probably due to the translation. It seemed like there were odd, awkward, unnecessary bits here and there. I hope they fit in better in the Swedish version. Overall I liked Detective Inspector Huss (see, even the title is a bit "off" More...

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May 15, 2011

Helen rated it:

Tried this writer - not bad. Some twists and turns but overall not the greates crime novel I've read.

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Jan 13, 2011

Susanna rated it:

I loved all three of her books and keep googling her to see if she has written any more but can't find any.

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