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The Caveman

(William Wisting #9)

Jørn Lier Horst (Goodreads Author),

Anne Born (Translator)

4.12 · Rating details · 3,509 ratings · 235 reviews

Only three houses away from the policeman's home, a man has been sitting dead in front of his television set for four months. There are no indications that anything criminal has taken place. Viggo Hansen was a man nobody ever noticed, even though he lived in the midst of a close-knit community. His death doesn't hit the headlines, but there is something about the case that ...more

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Paperback, 352 pages

Published September 1st 2015 by Sandstone Press (first published 2013)

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Jul 26, 2021 Maureen ( NOT RECEIVING NOTIFICATIONS) rated it really liked it · review of another edition

The caveman is the eighth crime novel in the series by former Norwegian police officer Jorn Lier Horst. The series main characters are William Wisting, his journalist daughter Line, and their assorted colleagues.

In December the body of one of Williams' neighbours Viggo Hansen is discovered by an engineer from the electricity company who has come to disconnect his electricity supply. He is found mummified sitting in an armchair watching TV. He has been dead since August. It appears to be a simple The caveman is the eighth crime novel in the series by former Norwegian police officer Jorn Lier Horst. The series main characters are William Wisting, his journalist daughter Line, and their assorted colleagues.

In December the body of one of Williams' neighbours Viggo Hansen is discovered by an engineer from the electricity company who has come to disconnect his electricity supply. He is found mummified sitting in an armchair watching TV. He has been dead since August. It appears to be a simple case of natural causes. Line reads about the case in the local paper, and is intrigued about it, as she didn't remember him, despite Viggo living in the same street as her family. She sets out to write a profile on his life, and also to address several important social issues. These issues are the growing numbers of people living and dying alone, the atomisation and fragmentation of western societies, including the Nordic countries, whereby people like Viggo living on the margins of society are ignored and neglected. I found interesting and sad, Line's exploration of Viggo's life, as everyone from former pupils and colleagues, to current neighbours, the doctor and vicar didn't remember anything about him. I found particularly poignant the fact that there were no photographs of him taken since the 1960's.

Running parallel to Viggo's poignant story, is the discovery of a second male dead body. This one has also been dead since August, and is found underneath a large tree on a Christmas tree farm. The body is discovered to be a retired Professor, Bob Crabbe, who had come to Norway in the summer on the trail of an American serial killer. It emerges that the serial killer had been living undetected in Norway for over 20 years, having taken over the identity of a similarly forgotten person. The FBI is called in, as the killer is on their wanted list. The two deaths are eventually revealed to be interlinked.
The central themes of the novel are loneliness and solitariness, and how this is exacerbated by contemporary society, where people lack the time and inclination to get to know and visit their neighbours. It is also about identity and how well we know a person, as we often only find out about a person's real personality when they die.
The setting of the novel, Larvik in south west Norway is very well evoked, and I got a real sense of the place. It reminded me in some ways of Ystad in Sweden, where Henning Mankell set his Wallander novels, with the feeling of being isolated, although Larvik is only 65 miles from Oslo. The isolation is also increased as it is the middle of winter, with heavy snow, trapping people and making the investigations harder.

I enjoyed the novel, although I did have to suspend my disbelief at the plot strand of a US serial killer operating undiscovered in Norway for over 20 years. However I found fascinating the concept of "the caveman" of the book's title, where a criminal could take over and live the life of a marginalised member of society without being detected. I also enjoyed the relationship between William and Line, and was tantalised by the glimpses of Williams' dead wife Ingrid, who appears in the earlier untranslated books. In some ways William reminds me of Kurt Wallander, especially in the relationships William has with his colleagues.
...more

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Jul 15, 2016 Magdalena aka A Bookaholic Swede rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: read-2016

The first book I read in this series was book Ordeal (book 10), so it was quite natural for me to read the previous book in the series since reading in opposite order is my thing apparently. Also, I wanted to know more about Line and her relationship with the FBI agent and more about the house that she had bought in book 10. So, reading this book felt like the right thing while I wait for book 11 to be translated into Swedish.

And, as with the previous book was this book just as entertaining to ...more

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Feb 12, 2019 Jeanette rated it really liked it

This was the best Wisting novel by Jorn Lier Horst that I've read so far (I think I've read 3). It was much, much better actually than #2-despite the length. The best aspect was in the rural settings depictions- those places and in that weather- they were 5 star. I'm seeing the skeletons of trees and miles of shapes in white myself right now. The rural here in Norway and Sweden was creepy, stark, and blight filled cement slab topped wells and tanks of 20 or 30 years' disuse. Ominous and forensic This was the best Wisting novel by Jorn Lier Horst that I've read so far (I think I've read 3). It was much, much better actually than #2-despite the length. The best aspect was in the rural settings depictions- those places and in that weather- they were 5 star. I'm seeing the skeletons of trees and miles of shapes in white myself right now. The rural here in Norway and Sweden was creepy, stark, and blight filled cement slab topped wells and tanks of 20 or 30 years' disuse. Ominous and forensics glory. Both!

This one approaches the true state of policing procedures and relationships that hold in urban centers- particularly of this census size. It's quite close to what the job usually entwines. Especially within all the inquiries William could NOT answer or refused to answer because of departmental and inquiry validity regulations or secrecy to later inquiry availability. Especially with the media telephone calls of repeated pestering.

It's overlong. Almost to the point that I wanted to downgrade the rating to 3 stars. And holds so much confusion to "identity" or "physical appearances" for that or this man's description! Somehow that is very much how police and detective work for the worst offenders long years of searching DO occur. But somehow I just wanted him to write it better. Less jumpy and without the endless redundancy of Line or Wisting entry, placement hold, or bodily appearance descriptions. Often for the same places and identical individuals' names. Horst switched narrator between the two too frequently. And this increased his total word count by at least a third for all of the introductory placements for each section. Switch less, and tell more- for longer intervals of time and for "seeing" each other. It could have been a five star book within the case posits here. Like an international BTK- with a 30 year constant record.

And because it was international, there are too many characters. Especially is this true for the FBI associated group inclusion- and I believe one or two of them (including Line's love interest) were just "left hanging" without any denouement; his name itself- totally lacking. It was as if the entire action ending got hurriedly clipped on without the detail it needed. That often happens in "first" novels where writing balance isn't toned at all to beginning, middle, end. But I forgive it here. Why?

Why indeed? Because it is really like 2 distinct books in one. William's and Line's inquiries are a book each. And the ending stuck them together but in the film/ action/ widescreen mode that rarely, rarely happens in action real life serial killer police work finality.

But it was a good tale and quite similar to some real life international perps of the exact same habits. And this one of American Midwest, Norway, Sweden had such a wide berth for foul that it did need more than the average page length to portray than the typical police who-done-it or series fare.

3.5 stars rounded up for the investigative techniques intricately developed to their minutia. And for Line's story line- which was excellent. Much better than Wisting's here, actually. Although I thought her tale's ending had a tad of Wonder Woman attached. To a far more than believable degree. Matches in a blizzard?? Way would you NOT take the ax?

Difficult read. This took twice as long as a book of similar page length which didn't go round and round and round again so frequently. But that's police work.

Why do these people never seem to eat enough to keep anyone alive in such cold? Being in the third ice and blizzard storm of so many weeks myself- I know that is just not the physical case. They need some hot calories, Horst!

I won't read another of these for awhile. They are entertaining but they just don't flow well enough for me to anticipate the next. ...more

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Feb 23, 2015 Matt rated it really liked it

In his latest novel to cross the language barrier into English, Horst dazzles readers yet again. With the holiday season upon him, William Wisting is taking account of the passing year and what is to come. After man's body is found in his own home four months after he's expired, Line Wisting seeks to personalise the man and bring her father up to speed. Both Wistings recollect the man as a neighbour from years ago, saddened that his isolation may have played a role in the delayed discovery. Insp In his latest novel to cross the language barrier into English, Horst dazzles readers yet again. With the holiday season upon him, William Wisting is taking account of the passing year and what is to come. After man's body is found in his own home four months after he's expired, Line Wisting seeks to personalise the man and bring her father up to speed. Both Wistings recollect the man as a neighbour from years ago, saddened that his isolation may have played a role in the delayed discovery. Inspector Wisting is pulled into action when a man's dissicated body is found under a Christmas tree lot in a wooded area. His identity is only made with fingerprint analysis on a document inside his pocket. The man turns out to be from the FBI's Most Wanted List from decades ago, accused of multiple murders. Can Wisting and his team work with American authorities to close the case, and how does Line's story tie into the larger picture? Unravelling the mysteries of both men in their respective spheres may prove essential. Yet another stellar piece of work, which paves the way for ongoing success at Horst's hands.

Horst uses key ideas and pushes the story forward in an exciting and succinct fashion. That his novels are penned in a language other than English and yet prove to be so powerful baffles me. By saying that, I mean not that English is the only language in which the reader ought to read, but that they flow so well in English, even if they were not originally intended for such an audience. While the translator is due some praise, it is also on Horst that his stories run so smoothly that their translation does not dampen the level of thrill for readers. I can only wonder if Norwegians who read some English-penned thrillers wonder how we can consume such drivel. Horst's novels keep getting better and this only feeds the fodder that the original five novels in the series really need English rights to show their wonderful foundation-creating depiction of Wisting and the rest of the gang.

Kudos, Mr. Horst for another wonderful addition to the William Wisting collection. I am eager to see how you will top this with another wonderful adventure!

Like/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
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Apr 06, 2020 Cristal Punnett rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Another fantastic book in this series. The storyline ties together with a case in America and involves the FBI.

Exciting action and bad atmospheric weather with lots of red herrings, will definitely be continuing with this series.

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Aug 25, 2018 Jaksen rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: mystery-series

Excellently-translated (from Norwegian!) mystery by a writer with several in this series.

This is No. 5 in the William Wisting series, many of which have yet to be translated into English. I had a hard time finding a copy, finally locating this one in a large library system to which I belong. AND I had to WAIT for it. I did, was worth it.

William Wisting, police detective in a small Norwegian, semi-rural town, must deal with the death of a man found sitting in front of his TV set for about four mo ...more

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Feb 22, 2015 Mystereity Reviews rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Jørn Lier Horst should write a book on how to write a great mystery series. He gets it right in so many ways; straightforward writing, emphasis on investigating the crime, not on-going character relationships. Riveting plots, likeable characters, beautiful scenery and thrilling conclusions. Secondary characters aren't developed much, which means you don't have to sit through a rehash of each character's history in each book. . On the other hand, the lack of development sometimes leads to plot po ...more

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Aug 23, 2019 Persephone rated it it was amazing

Shelves: scandinavian-literature, 2019

I just love reading Nordic thrillers. Every time I get into reading slump they are right there to save me. Today I read this book in one sitting only making breaks for food and bathroom.
Captivating book from start to finish and probably my favourite from this author. Loved that there were two sides of the story intertwing and the ending was mind blowing. Now off to buy the next book in the series.

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Jan 28, 2021 Wanda rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: ibooks, 2021

28 JAN 2021 - another terrific read. The pages just turn themselves.

Taken from the text of The Caveman:

“Wisting leaned back in his chair. A caveman, he thought. Someone who has crept inside the life of another person. That was what they were searching for. A demon who had taken up residence in another person’s life.”

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Apr 16, 2022 Helene Barmen rated it really liked it · review of another edition

As a true Norwegian reader I had to have a crime novel to read during Easter and I picked up another William Wisting book. I read the previous one in the series earlier this year and I had forgotten how much I like these books. They are exciting, thrilling and smart but they are not bloody or too violent (even though I can enjoy a good Jo Nesbø or Lars Kepler book as well).
The book centers around the police man William Wisiting who lives in Stavern, an idyllic town on the coast of Norway. He is ...more

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Mar 30, 2020 Mike Sumner rated it it was amazing

This is one of two of the William Wisting series that was adapted for television and broadcast on BBC4. For once, the scriptwriters and producers followed the books with remarkable accuracy. Seeing the TV programme first in no way reduced my enjoyment of The Caveman, another intriguing thriller from the pen of Jorn Lier Horst. The two key protagonists are, as always, CI William Wisting and his journalist daughter, Line.

For four months a body sat undiscovered just a few doors from the Wisting hom ...more

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Jan 01, 2020 Cris Cuthbertson rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

I bought this book from a second hand seller because it caught my eye. A slow start, but I love snowy crime so I kept with it.

In the end, I ended up reading the last 1/3 of the book in one go and finished at 2am. Then I couldn’t sleep because I was so freaked out by the idea of a killer blending in perfectly to his society so as to be unrecognisable.

This novel has two parallel stories that mesh nicely. A few clunky scenes, particularly toward the climax, but completely forgivable in the contex ...more

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Jul 10, 2018 Judi rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: mystery

Chief Inspector Wisting is called in to investigate when a body is found decomposing under a tree in a Christmas Tree lot. His daughter Line is writing a story about a neighbor whose decomposing dead body was undiscovered for 4 mos. Both deaths connect to a serial killer wanted in America who has been on the run for the last 24 years. As Wisting and Line investigate their respective stories-and as the body count rises-he realizes that the two seemingly disparate deaths are connected and that his ...more

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Dec 13, 2018 Ron Samul rated it really liked it · review of another edition

A really good police thriller. The story is based on an international mystery based around a seasoned detective and his journalist daughter. When a body is discovered at a Christmas tree farm, it is clear that it has been there for months. As the mystery unfolds it is clear that something dark and sinister is happening around people who are solitary and alone. This a great read and really captures the feel, the intimacy, and the vision of the culture. I can't wait until more of the Wisting serie ...more

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Jun 25, 2020 Grada (BoekenTrol) rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: literature_and_fiction, crime-thrillers-espionage, audio, dutch_language

A very interesting book. A complicated story.
A man is found dead, he's nearly a hermit. Another man is found dead, 4 months after he really died. Nobody remembers him or seems to have known him.
The story that Line writes about this second death for her newspaper, crosses the investigation her father conducts for this and the other dead person.

The case grows and grows and finally gets an international character. I liked the scenery: snow, cold, loneliness, remote sheds, houses, typical Norse c ...more

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Oct 07, 2017 Sean Kennedy rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

The best of the William Wisting books published in English so far. This is a meticulously plotted thriller with genuinely chilling moments.

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Jun 21, 2016 Andrew rated it really liked it

I tend to be a bit compulsive about crime novel series liking to want to read from book 1 in chronological order and whilst generally this allows the reader to learn about the characters and develop a relationship it can also mean the earlier novels sometimes are not as strong as the later ones, persistence is needed, and also important threads are missed and motives for characters actions unclear.
It's therefore enjoyable to pick up a book mid series for the first time and enjoy it as a stand a ...more

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Apr 05, 2015 ???!!! rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2015

Finally the familiar setting and writing of the Scandinavian country. Also, finally, a novel without a time stamper the character's name on every chapter. This novel changed the scene and the perspective perfectly without using that ploy.

It's been a while since the last time I was able to immerse myself into that cold, desolate, open wilderness portrayal of the Scandinavia. As it turns out, yes, I agree with the author that Minnesota does resemble Norway. Maybe that's why I enjoyed Fargo and rea ...more

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Mar 12, 2015 Andy Weston rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: translated, crime, norway

I'm butting in to the middle of a series again. Horst's fourth novel with his detective William Witling is perfectly readable. He spends a couple of pages at the start updating people like me on the domestic past of his key characters. Certainly that works well. As ever in these Nordic crime thrillers the setting plays a huge role. I don't see the urban settings working as well as the rural ones. For me Scandinavia needs to be bleak, cold and almost deserted.

The setting here is the south west o ...more

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Aug 07, 2015 Sally rated it it was amazing

Although parts of the book were predictable, I thought is was a fast paced, engaging crime novel. I liked the interface of Wisting with the other police agencies in solving the international murders. Line adds another interesting dimension.

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Jan 04, 2016 Bruce Hatton rated it it was amazing

Shelves: norwegian-crime

The author's career as a police chief adds extra credibility to this highly original and tightly-plotted novel. There are also evocative descriptions of the wintry Norwegian landscape and William Wistig and his journalist daughter Line are engaging central characters. ...more

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Jul 18, 2016 Linda Boa rated it it was amazing

Shelves: read-for-blog

Utterly creepy, totally wonderful. One you'll struggle to put down. ...more

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Oct 11, 2017 Emily rated it it was amazing

Shelves: library-borrows

THIS BOOK IS FREAKING AWESOME.

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Aug 23, 2021 Elizabeth Sulzby rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: mystery-scand-noir, mystery-thriller

Two separate investigations fill this book, seemingly very different and unrelated. But we come to learn how they are related. Journalist Line (Leen'uh) Wisting is studying the death of an old man, Viggo Hansen,who lived just a few houses from her policeman father, William Wisting. He died 4 months before he was discovered, sitting in a comfortable chair in front of his television which was still on. He had a marked television guide in front of him which led the pathologist and police to use the Two separate investigations fill this book, seemingly very different and unrelated. But we come to learn how they are related. Journalist Line (Leen'uh) Wisting is studying the death of an old man, Viggo Hansen,who lived just a few houses from her policeman father, William Wisting. He died 4 months before he was discovered, sitting in a comfortable chair in front of his television which was still on. He had a marked television guide in front of him which led the pathologist and police to use the date of the guide as his death date. His death was ruled to be a "natural" death, not a crime.

Line decided to get permission to write a lengthy magazine article about this situation, focusing at first on how people seem to no longer look out for their neighbors. As her investigation goes on, she interviews the little bit she can find about his life history and interviews old men who went to school with him.

William Wisting and his colleagues, along with members of the US FBI, are studying the deaths of many young women in Norway and Sweden that started up after a serial killer disappeared from the USA and evidently moved to Norway--but not registered legally. Eventually we learn that he is hidden as a "caveman," a criminal that claimed the identity of a person who almost no one knows. A "caveman"
person like Viggo Hansen and some of the other old men that the police and FBI study to try to find the serial killer.

Another death, this time of another man from the USA, is discovered on a Christmas tree farm, curled up beneath one of the trees. Eventually we learn that it is an old colleague of the serial killer. The two had taught as professors at a US college and the "good man" came to Norway to try to find his old colleague. He would have been a danger to the serial killer because he could have revealed his identity.

I will avoid spoilers about how Line got in bodily danger once again. What I want to dwell on is how she studied loneliness. She that Viggo Hansen was a quiet child whose classmates did not keep up with and about whom they have few memories. In other words, he had been lonely all his life. Line began to question whether Viggo might have been murdered and discussed that with the pathologist who gets into a philosophical discussion with Line about "dying of loneliness." See pages 230-231. The pathologist argues that people can indeed die of loneliness, neglect that leads to not having anyone to check up on you, notice that you haven't been seen recently, or not having anybody to call if you were having a stroke or heart attack. It is a beautiful discussion, deeply moving.

Note that in the serial killer's abduction and killing of young women in three countries over decades there are also young women that just "disappear." Another kind of being alone. In these cases, there were relatives who reported them missing but the way the killer operated he made the girls each become alone--to their deaths. ...more

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Jan 16, 2020 Tina Tamman rated it it was ok · review of another edition

I like variety. Having just read a publishing memoir and a non-fiction book about Hitler's Germany, I wanted something different and chose 'The Caveman'. I am quite pleased I have read it but I don't think it's a good book. The beginning is excellent and made me, like the journalist Line at the heart of the novel, think about loneliness and how we treat it in society. I happen to know somebody who is elderly, lives on his own, no relatives, and I've wondered how I'll hear at all if he needs help ...more

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Apr 08, 2021 Zeb Kantrowitz rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: library-book

A body is found in a house near to where Inspector Wisting lives. He has been dead for over four months, but because he had no family or friends, no one knew he was dead. Wisting's daughter Line new the man from when she grew up on that street, but he had always been an enigma to the children of the neighborhood. Among Police, his type of life is referred to as a 'caveman' because it's like he lived in a cave away from all society.

Line, who is a journalist at one of the most important newspaper ...more

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Oct 16, 2018 Ryan rated it liked it · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Nov 12, 2018 FoxRox rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Buff I don’t really know… The book is good, yes. It’s a story about loneliness and a serial killer, interesting and intriguing. At the same time it is, as acclaimed, similar to Jo Nesbo writing which in fact I don’t like. Too much thriller/action and third part of the novel I have to be worried about the main character that is constantly in danger. If you like this kind of feeling, then go for it. Just not my style maybe. And not to mention that the series is getting worse and worse. Again the s ...more

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Feb 10, 2020 brianna rated it really liked it · review of another edition

I really appreciated how an international investigation was depicted in this. Unlike the movies where it's all drama and ulterior motives, and the FBI are uniformly dicks, this actually showed the way various organizations will work together effectively to solve murders that occur in different countries. I also like that Horst didn't do the thing I hate where they catch the murderer and he diabolically reveals all the intricacies of his crimes, in fact they didn't waste a single sentence on what ...more

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Nov 16, 2020 Olivia rated it really liked it · review of another edition

I power my way though these books and that’s ironic given that these are lovely, slow burning police procedural with a delightfully unique Scandinavian essence.

I will have to return to them and read them more slowly but at the moment I need to devour them.

I enjoyed how Wisting, in his usual quiet but powerful nature, did not allow the Americans to bowl him over. This was his case.

I also enjoyed how the author gently pointed out some of Wisting and Lena’s humanity - they aren’t perfect.

They myste ...more

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About Jørn Lier Horst

Jørn Lier Horst

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Jorn Lier Horst (born in Bamble, Telemark 1970) is a former Senior Investigating Officer at the Norwegian police force. He made his literary debut as a crime writer in 2004 and is considered one of the foremost Nordic crime writers.

His series of mystery novels starring chief inspector William Wisting provides a detailed and authentic insight into how criminal cases are investigated and how it affe ...more