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From Book 1: Award winning scandinavian mystery
From an international best-selling author
It is late September, and Anna Kiehl, a student of anthropology and a single mother, does not return from her evening run in the forest. The next morning, she is found dead. She is naked, her throat is cut, and there is a bouquet of poisonous hemlock on her chest.
Police inspector Daniel Trokic is in charge of the investigation, and it leads him to the case of a prominent scientist and specialist in neurochemistry and antidepressants who disappeared eight weeks earlier. Daniel Trokic must get to the killer before he strikes again, but this turns out to be a dangerous pursuit.
Suspenseful and fast-paced. Winner of the Danish Crime Academy's Debut Award in 2006 for the most exciting debut of the year.
From an international best-selling author
It is late September, and Anna Kiehl, a student of anthropology and a single mother, does not return from her evening run in the forest. The next morning, she is found dead. She is naked, her throat is cut, and there is a bouquet of poisonous hemlock on her chest.
Police inspector Daniel Trokic is in charge of the investigation, and it leads him to the case of a prominent scientist and specialist in neurochemistry and antidepressants who disappeared eight weeks earlier. Daniel Trokic must get to the killer before he strikes again, but this turns out to be a dangerous pursuit.
Suspenseful and fast-paced. Winner of the Danish Crime Academy's Debut Award in 2006 for the most exciting debut of the year.
283 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2006
2382 people are currently reading
2751 people want to read
About the author
Inger Wolf
27 books152 followersInspired by the Darkness
Inger Wolf is an International Bestselling Danish mystery and thriller writer.
Her first mystery novel, Dark September, for which she was awarded the Danish Crime Academy's debut prize, was published in 2006. Since then, her bestselling books have been translated into several languages.
She loves to travel and get inspiration to her books from all over the world, but lives in the outskirts of the town of Aarhus, the second largest city in Denmark, close to the forest and the sea. In this beautiful place, she got a degree in English and worked as a translator for many years.
Today, Inger Wolf works as a full-time author. The household also includes a dog called Harry Hole, named after one of her favorite detectives, and a cat called Mis (Kitty).
Books to date:
On the Side (Danish)
Dark September (Danish, Norwegian, Swedish, German, Dutch, French, Spanish)
Frost and Ashes (Danish, Norwegian, German, Dutch, Spanish)
The Song Bird (Danish, Dutch)
The Wasp Nest (Danish, French)
Evil Water (Danish, French)
Under a Black Sky (Danish, English)
The Perfect Place to Die (Danish)
Burned Souls (Danish)
The Crow Man (Danish)
Inger Wolf is an International Bestselling Danish mystery and thriller writer.
Her first mystery novel, Dark September, for which she was awarded the Danish Crime Academy's debut prize, was published in 2006. Since then, her bestselling books have been translated into several languages.
She loves to travel and get inspiration to her books from all over the world, but lives in the outskirts of the town of Aarhus, the second largest city in Denmark, close to the forest and the sea. In this beautiful place, she got a degree in English and worked as a translator for many years.
Today, Inger Wolf works as a full-time author. The household also includes a dog called Harry Hole, named after one of her favorite detectives, and a cat called Mis (Kitty).
Books to date:
On the Side (Danish)
Dark September (Danish, Norwegian, Swedish, German, Dutch, French, Spanish)
Frost and Ashes (Danish, Norwegian, German, Dutch, Spanish)
The Song Bird (Danish, Dutch)
The Wasp Nest (Danish, French)
Evil Water (Danish, French)
Under a Black Sky (Danish, English)
The Perfect Place to Die (Danish)
Burned Souls (Danish)
The Crow Man (Danish)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 185 reviews
May 28, 2018
An interesting look at how crimes are solved in Denmark, but to be honest this left me a bit wanting. Looking at previous reviews I can see it is one of those novels that polarise readers - you either love it or it leaves you feeling a bit "Meh!" In my case it was simply that I didn't click with the author's writing style and that I found it to be very disjointed with no smooth flow to it, whether that was due to the translation I'm not sure. (Interestingly author Willow Rose has a similar writing style and is also a Danish native.)
It's hard to enjoy a novel when you're not invested in the main character, and although the book wasn't bad I just couldn't feel anything for most of the characters. They certainly leave a lot to be desired in their people skills and Trokic, the protagonist, is surly and antisocial. I'd also picked the murderer about a quarter of the way through, although the reason for the crime was a good twist.
As I said, it's not a bad book and some people really like it but for me this was a definite "miss".
It's hard to enjoy a novel when you're not invested in the main character, and although the book wasn't bad I just couldn't feel anything for most of the characters. They certainly leave a lot to be desired in their people skills and Trokic, the protagonist, is surly and antisocial. I'd also picked the murderer about a quarter of the way through, although the reason for the crime was a good twist.
As I said, it's not a bad book and some people really like it but for me this was a definite "miss".
November 29, 2022
Es una novela entretenida, con buen ritmo que es fácil de leer y bastante cortita. A mi parecer es algo predecible en algunas cosas y poco novedosa pero me ha tenido inmersa en su lectura, así que no le doy demasiada importancia.
En cuanto a sus personajes tenemos un abanico de personajes muy variopintos sobre todo en el equipo de investigación. Me ha gustado mucho Trokic es un personaje solitario, con un triste pasado, mitad danés y mitad croata y tiene problemas para establecer relaciones personales, solo 2 de sus compañeros se podria decir que son sus amigos, Jacob y Jasper.
En definitiva, una novela entretenida con un ritmo agil y buenos personajes.
En cuanto a sus personajes tenemos un abanico de personajes muy variopintos sobre todo en el equipo de investigación. Me ha gustado mucho Trokic es un personaje solitario, con un triste pasado, mitad danés y mitad croata y tiene problemas para establecer relaciones personales, solo 2 de sus compañeros se podria decir que son sus amigos, Jacob y Jasper.
En definitiva, una novela entretenida con un ritmo agil y buenos personajes.
June 13, 2019
Lo que más me ha gustado de este libro, es que me lo he leído casi sin darme cuenta, el estilo narrativo de la autora es fresco y fácil y a pesar de las cosas que pudiera criticar del libro o del estilo de la autora, lo cierto es que casi se lee solo.
Los personajes me encantan, el equipo de investigación de Homicidios manejado por Trokic es de lo más variopinto y eso le da un color muy peculiar a la historia, este es el primer libro de una serie, por lo tanto sus personajes principales y protagonistas, tienen y deben tener un peso importante en la historia, siempre es importante que los que vamos a ver en uno y otro y otro libro sean personajes fuertes, atrayentes y fáciles de recordar, así pues, la primera premisa se ha cumplido a cabalidad, si bien Trokic es un solitario empedernido tampoco es el típico protagonista que acostumbramos a ver en este tipo de libros, no es alcohólico, no es drogadicto, no es depresivo, ni nada de eso, lo cual se agradece.
La historia, por otro lado me ha gustado, si bien está planteada a la perfección y tiene el encanto perfecto de tener su dosis de complejidad donde interviene el sector salud, una secta religiosa y otras cosas, lo cierto es que la autora ha dejado ver al lector quién es el culpable, a ver, en mi caso fue mi principal sospechoso desde el principio, pero no tuve la certeza sino hasta el 75% del libro, eso no quiere decir que sea malo o que se trate de una crítica, saber o no quien es el asesino no la ha quitado en absoluto el disfrute que me ha dado esta lectura.
A pesar de que he dicho que me lo he leído casi sin darme cuenta, cosa que es verdad, también tengo que reconocer que en ocasiones el ritmo de la narración me desesperaba, mientras que en ocasiones iba a toda mecha, en otras se detenía y se pausaba, sobre todo en situaciones que realmente no son irrelevantes, un pequeño pero al libro pero bastante salvable, por lo demás, me ha gustado el estilo, la historia y los personajes
Los personajes me encantan, el equipo de investigación de Homicidios manejado por Trokic es de lo más variopinto y eso le da un color muy peculiar a la historia, este es el primer libro de una serie, por lo tanto sus personajes principales y protagonistas, tienen y deben tener un peso importante en la historia, siempre es importante que los que vamos a ver en uno y otro y otro libro sean personajes fuertes, atrayentes y fáciles de recordar, así pues, la primera premisa se ha cumplido a cabalidad, si bien Trokic es un solitario empedernido tampoco es el típico protagonista que acostumbramos a ver en este tipo de libros, no es alcohólico, no es drogadicto, no es depresivo, ni nada de eso, lo cual se agradece.
La historia, por otro lado me ha gustado, si bien está planteada a la perfección y tiene el encanto perfecto de tener su dosis de complejidad donde interviene el sector salud, una secta religiosa y otras cosas, lo cierto es que la autora ha dejado ver al lector quién es el culpable, a ver, en mi caso fue mi principal sospechoso desde el principio, pero no tuve la certeza sino hasta el 75% del libro, eso no quiere decir que sea malo o que se trate de una crítica, saber o no quien es el asesino no la ha quitado en absoluto el disfrute que me ha dado esta lectura.
A pesar de que he dicho que me lo he leído casi sin darme cuenta, cosa que es verdad, también tengo que reconocer que en ocasiones el ritmo de la narración me desesperaba, mientras que en ocasiones iba a toda mecha, en otras se detenía y se pausaba, sobre todo en situaciones que realmente no son irrelevantes, un pequeño pero al libro pero bastante salvable, por lo demás, me ha gustado el estilo, la historia y los personajes
June 6, 2019
Ich bin froh, das Buch auf englisch gelesen zu haben, das scheint laut Bewertungen viel besser zu sein als die deutsche Übersetzung.
Auf jeden Fall eine Reihe, die ich verfolgen möchte.
Eine junge Frau, ermordet und im Wald in Szene gesetzt. Schnell wird klar, dass es kein zufälliger Mord ist. Der Fall scheint irgendwie mit ihrem Freund, einem erfolgreichen Chemiker zusammenzuhängen, der verschwunden ist und seinen Forschungen zu Antidepressiva. Aber auch mit einer Sekte...
Es beginnt direkt spannend aber ich habe etwas gebraucht um rein zu kommen weil die Geschichte, wegen der ständig wechselnden Perspektive, nicht so flüssig läuft. Da habe ich noch gedacht: Interessanter Fall aber nur durchschnittlicher Skandi-Thriller.
Aber wenn man sich daran gewöhnt hat und die dichte, düstere Atmosphäre übernimmt wird es richtig gut.
Dann lernt man die Figuren kennen, bekommt Einblicke in das Privatleben der Ermittler und kann kurz runterkommen, bevor der nächste Twist kommt und der nächste Verdächtige.
Alle Figuren sind alle super gezeichnet, die Ermittler interessant gezeichnet, so dass man Lust bekommt auf den nächsten Teil der Reihe.
Lisa und ihr Computer-Wissen sind sympathisch und Trokic ist charakterstark und eigen, und gerade weil er geheimnisvoll bleibt, so interessant.
Und die Verdächtigen so, dass sie alle etwas zu verbergen scheinen und sich auf verschiedene Arten suspekt benehmen und verdächtig machen, so dass man den Mord jedem zutraut.
Die ganze Geschichte und der Fall sind gut konstruiert. Auch die Auflösung und der Twist, wie der Mörder sich selbst rechtfertigt und man nochmal einen ganz anderen Aspekt kennen lernt. Nur die Verfolgungsjagd danach fand ich nicht so passend.
Auf jeden Fall eine Reihe, die ich verfolgen möchte.
Eine junge Frau, ermordet und im Wald in Szene gesetzt. Schnell wird klar, dass es kein zufälliger Mord ist. Der Fall scheint irgendwie mit ihrem Freund, einem erfolgreichen Chemiker zusammenzuhängen, der verschwunden ist und seinen Forschungen zu Antidepressiva. Aber auch mit einer Sekte...
Es beginnt direkt spannend aber ich habe etwas gebraucht um rein zu kommen weil die Geschichte, wegen der ständig wechselnden Perspektive, nicht so flüssig läuft. Da habe ich noch gedacht: Interessanter Fall aber nur durchschnittlicher Skandi-Thriller.
Aber wenn man sich daran gewöhnt hat und die dichte, düstere Atmosphäre übernimmt wird es richtig gut.
Dann lernt man die Figuren kennen, bekommt Einblicke in das Privatleben der Ermittler und kann kurz runterkommen, bevor der nächste Twist kommt und der nächste Verdächtige.
Alle Figuren sind alle super gezeichnet, die Ermittler interessant gezeichnet, so dass man Lust bekommt auf den nächsten Teil der Reihe.
Lisa und ihr Computer-Wissen sind sympathisch und Trokic ist charakterstark und eigen, und gerade weil er geheimnisvoll bleibt, so interessant.
Und die Verdächtigen so, dass sie alle etwas zu verbergen scheinen und sich auf verschiedene Arten suspekt benehmen und verdächtig machen, so dass man den Mord jedem zutraut.
Die ganze Geschichte und der Fall sind gut konstruiert. Auch die Auflösung und der Twist, wie der Mörder sich selbst rechtfertigt und man nochmal einen ganz anderen Aspekt kennen lernt. Nur die Verfolgungsjagd danach fand ich nicht so passend.
October 11, 2017
Me ha encantado. Para ser su primera novela, Inger Wolf se ha lucido. Me encantan los thrillers y éste tiene todos los elementos que nos gustan a los lectores de esta temática.
Todo empieza con el hallazgo del cuerpo de una mujer joven en un bosque. Daniel Trokic y su compañera Anna Kiehl irán rescontruyendo las piezas que constituyen el puzzle de un suceso en el cual no todo es lo que parece.
Lo recomiendo mucho si eres un@ apasionad@ del thriller y la novela negra.
Todo empieza con el hallazgo del cuerpo de una mujer joven en un bosque. Daniel Trokic y su compañera Anna Kiehl irán rescontruyendo las piezas que constituyen el puzzle de un suceso en el cual no todo es lo que parece.
Lo recomiendo mucho si eres un@ apasionad@ del thriller y la novela negra.
August 31, 2021
Se lleva 2 y casi que mejor 1⭐. Es una primera novela y por ahí paso y lo entiendo, no es la primera ni será la última que lea, pero he tenido problemas con este librito, me ha costado entender algunas cosas. No sé si también puede achacarse a la traducción, creo que influye bastante.
Los 'protas' son interesantes, pero de momento sólo son un bosquejo difuminado. Quizá siga, pero ahora mismo no tengo mucha ilusión.
Los 'protas' son interesantes, pero de momento sólo son un bosquejo difuminado. Quizá siga, pero ahora mismo no tengo mucha ilusión.
June 30, 2019
Una buena novela negra, entretenida, con algunos tópicos, todo hay que decirlo, pero ha estado bien. No es una novela que se me quedará grabada pero cumple su función de hacerte pasar el rato.
April 14, 2019
Denoument is a bit rushed.Not as good as the second in the series.
August 9, 2019
I thought Inger Wolf did an excellent job on her first book in the Daniel Trokics and because she did a good job I will read the other books. She won the Danish Crime Academy's debut prize for this book which was published in 2006. I thought Lisa was more of a main character in the series than Daniel but we'll see what the other books bring.
July 18, 2018
Follow Police Lieutenant Inspector Daniel Trokic and his team in Denmark for this crime thriller which starts off when a young woman is found dead and naked within a forest.
I enjoyed reading Dark September which I found to be a regular police procedural crime thriller. It follows the usual format expected in this genre of novel. Although this novel is set in Denmark, the locations made no difference whatsoever to my enjoyment of this book. The culture did not even feel Danish and this novel could have been set in any country within the Western world.
Inger’s writing is of high quality and although I did not find Dark September to be outstanding, it was a satisfying read that fulfilled my desire to have a good book on-the-go. I got the same pleasure from reading Dark September as I do from having a carvery meal at a pub. The chef carves some meat for you and you help yourself to a range of vegetables. You get a good solid plate of dinner with quality and nutritious ingredients that provide goodness and none of the nasty things associated with junk food. Dark September is a regular good read like so many other popular police crime procedurals.
I liked the range of suspects that the police interviewed and the many leads that were followed up. Each suspect had something to hide and could so easily have motive and opportunity to murder this young woman. I thought the plot was good although the chase at the end was a let down, playing catch is not really detective work and more like cross country running!
I loved the strong characterization of all the characters, whether they were suspects or working with the police team. Although the lead character is Police Lieutenant Inspector Daniel Trokic, my favourite character was Detective Lisa Kornelius. She has great attitude and I loved her involvement with computers and the explanations she gave about the software and technology. Lisa is also an ordinary girl and not some glamourous bimbo - one of my pet hates!
Dark September gave me my daily fix of having a book on-the-go and I would be very interested to continue with the other books in this series. I think Dark September is a GOOD read, so it gets 4 stars from me.
I enjoyed reading Dark September which I found to be a regular police procedural crime thriller. It follows the usual format expected in this genre of novel. Although this novel is set in Denmark, the locations made no difference whatsoever to my enjoyment of this book. The culture did not even feel Danish and this novel could have been set in any country within the Western world.
Inger’s writing is of high quality and although I did not find Dark September to be outstanding, it was a satisfying read that fulfilled my desire to have a good book on-the-go. I got the same pleasure from reading Dark September as I do from having a carvery meal at a pub. The chef carves some meat for you and you help yourself to a range of vegetables. You get a good solid plate of dinner with quality and nutritious ingredients that provide goodness and none of the nasty things associated with junk food. Dark September is a regular good read like so many other popular police crime procedurals.
I liked the range of suspects that the police interviewed and the many leads that were followed up. Each suspect had something to hide and could so easily have motive and opportunity to murder this young woman. I thought the plot was good although the chase at the end was a let down, playing catch is not really detective work and more like cross country running!
I loved the strong characterization of all the characters, whether they were suspects or working with the police team. Although the lead character is Police Lieutenant Inspector Daniel Trokic, my favourite character was Detective Lisa Kornelius. She has great attitude and I loved her involvement with computers and the explanations she gave about the software and technology. Lisa is also an ordinary girl and not some glamourous bimbo - one of my pet hates!
Dark September gave me my daily fix of having a book on-the-go and I would be very interested to continue with the other books in this series. I think Dark September is a GOOD read, so it gets 4 stars from me.
February 21, 2015
Decepcionante, esa es la palabra. No transmite nada, no te implicas con los personajes y a mitad del libro ya sabes quién es el asesino.
La autora salta de un personaje a otro sin llegar a ninguna parte. Te empieza a mostrar el pasado traumático del protagonista y de repente se olvida del tema y pasa a la relación-obsesión de su compañera con el nuevo de la comisaría.
La autora salta de un personaje a otro sin llegar a ninguna parte. Te empieza a mostrar el pasado traumático del protagonista y de repente se olvida del tema y pasa a la relación-obsesión de su compañera con el nuevo de la comisaría.
July 22, 2019
This is the first book in the series having as a protagonist the half-Danish, half-Croatian detective Daniel Trokic, a really compelling protagonist among the vast number of Scandinavian fictional police investigators. I've also read the sixth book in the series, titled "Under a Dark Sky", an engaging crime novel set in the frozen Alaskan landscape.
"Dark September" begins with Trokic being in a crime scene where a young woman, Anna Kiehl, has been brutally murdered and defiled by a really careful and meticulous perpetrator who left no clue for the police to find. This homicide will be proved to be connected with the murder of a well-known Danish neuroscientist who made his research on the effects of the use of anti-depressants. Trokic, along with his sidekick IT specialist Lisa Cornelius, will have to knock on a lot of doors and check out all of the two victims past and present acquaintances in order to find the culprit.
This is a tight-plotted, typical police procedural novel, with no redundant descriptive or dialogue parts and it makes for a fast as well as an enjoyable read. There is a strong whodunit element which keeps the suspense alive throughout the book and the ending is far from disappointing. Honestly, I didn't see it coming. There is also a discussion on the use of psychiatric medication, more specifically anti-depressant SSRI meds, and the author in a short epilogue writes that she suffered from major depression while writing her debut crime novel, thus making the theme all the more relevant.
Overall, I cannot find something negative to mention regarding "Black September" and I can sincerely say that it is a more than decent Scandinavian crime fiction novel that will satisfy the majority of the genre's fanatics and motivate them to read more of Inger Wolf's work. My precise rating is closer to 3,5/5.
"Dark September" begins with Trokic being in a crime scene where a young woman, Anna Kiehl, has been brutally murdered and defiled by a really careful and meticulous perpetrator who left no clue for the police to find. This homicide will be proved to be connected with the murder of a well-known Danish neuroscientist who made his research on the effects of the use of anti-depressants. Trokic, along with his sidekick IT specialist Lisa Cornelius, will have to knock on a lot of doors and check out all of the two victims past and present acquaintances in order to find the culprit.
This is a tight-plotted, typical police procedural novel, with no redundant descriptive or dialogue parts and it makes for a fast as well as an enjoyable read. There is a strong whodunit element which keeps the suspense alive throughout the book and the ending is far from disappointing. Honestly, I didn't see it coming. There is also a discussion on the use of psychiatric medication, more specifically anti-depressant SSRI meds, and the author in a short epilogue writes that she suffered from major depression while writing her debut crime novel, thus making the theme all the more relevant.
Overall, I cannot find something negative to mention regarding "Black September" and I can sincerely say that it is a more than decent Scandinavian crime fiction novel that will satisfy the majority of the genre's fanatics and motivate them to read more of Inger Wolf's work. My precise rating is closer to 3,5/5.
September 30, 2019
Great start to series
Wow this was wild story. It kept me entertained throughout the book. I wasn't sure what I was going to think of this book since there were mixed reviews but this was an enjoyable read.
Wow this was wild story. It kept me entertained throughout the book. I wasn't sure what I was going to think of this book since there were mixed reviews but this was an enjoyable read.
August 9, 2017
I can clearly see why this book was the winner of the Danish Crime Academy's Debut Award in 2006 for the most exciting debut of the year. WOW! What a thrill ride this was! Thanks Willow Rose for the "must read" recommendation. I was hooked right from the beginning of the novel. This story has all of the elements that make for a great, thriller read: Suspense that kept me on the edge of my seat, danger, shocking and heinous acts that boggled my mind, gory details that made me cringe but I just couldn't stop reading, and an artful air of mystery that kept me guessing as to who did the dirty deed. This was my first Wolf novel and, now, I can't wait to go read the other novel, Under A Black Sky, that I one-clicked at the same time as this one!
May 21, 2018
A woman is found naked murdered in the forest. She is Anna Kiehl, an anthropology student and single mother. The police inspector David Troikic, will lead the investigation to discover who killed her. This novel won the Danish Crime Academy Award. If this was the best novel, I am not interested in learning about the runners-up. The book is very slow, boring, and absolutely predictable. Halfway through the book, I was tempted to throw it away, but with a lot of effort I continued simply to confirm if my suspicions were true, and of course they were. I got fooled by the reviews. Not worth your time.
Read
March 4, 2019Not a great detective, rather an excellent in writing a thriller with standard ingredients. The characters weren’t too well worked out and there was little surprise in, but I liked thd writing stle. Decent, but nothing remarkable.
January 27, 2015
Some might say that if you have read a couple of crime novels, then you've read them all. And in many ways I agree. They are often very similar, the characters seem identical and the plot is predictable.
So a really good crime novel in my opinion has to stand out in some ways. And this just didn't!
I understand that it might be difficult to create completely new plots and ideas that has never been read before, but then the author could at least create some intriguing and interesting charactes. The main characters in this book was bland and I just couldn't relate to them. Their personal story didn't capture me, and I'm not left with a feeling of wanting to know more about them. At the same time I'm wondering, who is the main character? It felt like the first half of the book focused on Daniel Trokic and then the focused changed to Lisa Kornelius. I don't mind if there are two main characters, but I would personally prefer if focus switched between them throughout the entire book.
The chapters are all really short, and that makes the book a quite easy and fast read. I don't mind that, but I sometimes felt the booked skipped to fast from one scene to another. At the beginning of many chapters I wasn't entirely sure who we were following and where we were.
I might give the second book about Trokic and Kornelius a change, but I don't have high expectations!
So a really good crime novel in my opinion has to stand out in some ways. And this just didn't!
I understand that it might be difficult to create completely new plots and ideas that has never been read before, but then the author could at least create some intriguing and interesting charactes. The main characters in this book was bland and I just couldn't relate to them. Their personal story didn't capture me, and I'm not left with a feeling of wanting to know more about them. At the same time I'm wondering, who is the main character? It felt like the first half of the book focused on Daniel Trokic and then the focused changed to Lisa Kornelius. I don't mind if there are two main characters, but I would personally prefer if focus switched between them throughout the entire book.
The chapters are all really short, and that makes the book a quite easy and fast read. I don't mind that, but I sometimes felt the booked skipped to fast from one scene to another. At the beginning of many chapters I wasn't entirely sure who we were following and where we were.
I might give the second book about Trokic and Kornelius a change, but I don't have high expectations!
December 14, 2017
I love Scandinavian mysteries, and it was fun meeting a new detective, Daniel Trokic, of the Aarhus (Denmark) Homicide Bureau. Trokic likes to be a bit of a lone wolf, and sometimes gets into trouble because he doesn't stay in touch with his colleagues.
A young woman has been killed near the edge of a forest, her throat slashed and dried hemlock blossoms left on her chest. Trokic is assigned the case, and he is assisted by Lisa and Jacob, two young detectives. Lots of mysterious possibilities as the case progresses, though about two-thirds of the way through I guessed the killer.
As Lisa and Jacob close in on the killer, Trokic is incommunicado, his cell phone out of charge. Will they all sync up in time to save Trokic from running into an ambush?
A fun read!
A young woman has been killed near the edge of a forest, her throat slashed and dried hemlock blossoms left on her chest. Trokic is assigned the case, and he is assisted by Lisa and Jacob, two young detectives. Lots of mysterious possibilities as the case progresses, though about two-thirds of the way through I guessed the killer.
As Lisa and Jacob close in on the killer, Trokic is incommunicado, his cell phone out of charge. Will they all sync up in time to save Trokic from running into an ambush?
A fun read!
December 28, 2017
Exciting
Was worthy of five stars until the ending. Didn't care for the protagonist, found him completely unlikable unlike his subordinates. As the story is drawing to a close, the protagonist suffers a serious head wound. But doesn't have to stay at least overnight in the hospital. When confronted by the antagonist, he gets shot yet is able to have a car chase with the killer. Yet the antagonist is shot by a subordinate in the thigh and succumb she to blood loss. And a different subordinate was shot in the chest but would make a complete recovery. Ending completely unrealistic. Not sure if I will continue with series as I have plenty of books in the to be read.
Was worthy of five stars until the ending. Didn't care for the protagonist, found him completely unlikable unlike his subordinates. As the story is drawing to a close, the protagonist suffers a serious head wound. But doesn't have to stay at least overnight in the hospital. When confronted by the antagonist, he gets shot yet is able to have a car chase with the killer. Yet the antagonist is shot by a subordinate in the thigh and succumb she to blood loss. And a different subordinate was shot in the chest but would make a complete recovery. Ending completely unrealistic. Not sure if I will continue with series as I have plenty of books in the to be read.
November 28, 2017
Detective Daniel Trorick is a gifted Detective, he's also, stubborn and has a difficult upbringing. But he's reasonable although he can be bullheaded. Lisa getting moved to his department wasn't ideal at first, but they grow on each other. With the help from Jacob and Jasper they bring the case of the gruesome murder of Anna and the disappearance of her boyfriend Christoffer to a close. So many suspects and so much digging is required.
Very suspenseful.
Very suspenseful.
May 28, 2018
I really enjoyed this book; it won the Danish Crime Writer's Academy's Debut award, and i see why.
It kept me hooked and you do not see who committed the murders until well into the book. Very atmospheric and well written. I liked the characters and want to read the next 2 books in the series to read more about them. Enjoy. This is the first Inger Wolf book i have read and will definitely be reading more.
It kept me hooked and you do not see who committed the murders until well into the book. Very atmospheric and well written. I liked the characters and want to read the next 2 books in the series to read more about them. Enjoy. This is the first Inger Wolf book i have read and will definitely be reading more.
September 23, 2017
Is it the weather, do you think, that leads to so many grizzly murders in fiction set in Northern Europe? This was the winner of the Danish Crime Academy's Debut Award in 2006. Frankly, it's hard to believe this was a debut novel; it's that good.
Wolf presents a refreshing take on the serial killer--yes, I know that's sort of an oxymoron--in that this is not about sexual depravity or the torture of women. I'm so tired of and over that nonsense. No, this one actually makes sense, in a mad sort of way. The characters are all terrific. Really. They are believable, interesting people.
Oh, and as for that mystery--yeah, great plot! And that's all I'll tell you about it.
Wolf also thoughtfully raises issues of the ethics and consequences for society of the over-prescription and overuse of antidepressants. I wouldn't have expected that in a thriller (and don't worry, it's handled lightly/briefly), but there it is and that pushed the book up to 5 stars for me (my criteria for going beyond 4 being social issue relevance).
Wolf presents a refreshing take on the serial killer--yes, I know that's sort of an oxymoron--in that this is not about sexual depravity or the torture of women. I'm so tired of and over that nonsense. No, this one actually makes sense, in a mad sort of way. The characters are all terrific. Really. They are believable, interesting people.
Oh, and as for that mystery--yeah, great plot! And that's all I'll tell you about it.
Wolf also thoughtfully raises issues of the ethics and consequences for society of the over-prescription and overuse of antidepressants. I wouldn't have expected that in a thriller (and don't worry, it's handled lightly/briefly), but there it is and that pushed the book up to 5 stars for me (my criteria for going beyond 4 being social issue relevance).
September 16, 2017
This book is a little outside my usual reading box, but it was offered free and I decided to take a chance. I believe this is the first book I’ve read that takes place in Denmark. The English translation is very well done. Police inspector Daniel Trokic is an intriguing character with a dark past. Detectives Lisa Kornelius and Jasper Taurup are also well-layered. The author holds nothing back as we follow them through this police procedural as they doggedly search for clues in the murder or a young woman who had been out for a jog in the forest. There is some sexual content, most of which is left to the reader’s imagination; as well as graphic descriptions of dead bodies. I’d recommend this to anyone who likes a gritty, gripping, fast-paced European murder mystery.
June 29, 2025
Excellent Mystery
This is a seat-of-your-pants, hold your breath, type of excellent mystery. I was captured by it immediately and this held throughout the entire book.
I thought I figured out who the villain was so many times, and had to revise my conclusion equally as many times. Excellent writing, loveable main characters, and an incredible mystery is such a treasure to read. Give this one a try!
This is a seat-of-your-pants, hold your breath, type of excellent mystery. I was captured by it immediately and this held throughout the entire book.
I thought I figured out who the villain was so many times, and had to revise my conclusion equally as many times. Excellent writing, loveable main characters, and an incredible mystery is such a treasure to read. Give this one a try!
May 6, 2025
I had the right crime… but the wrong person lol. Until towards the end as they were putting it together. Had the right everything … just guessed wrong at first. This was so good. I'm getting the next books so I can read them and see what happens next. I love these characters. And the storylines. I really couldn't put this down. I'm super excited about the next ones!
April 26, 2021
You can tell, that it’s the author’s first crime book. It’s good, but has different mistakes, in the story and the details. The language is well used, and not boring though. Looking forward to see what’s next.
October 13, 2017
I FOUND READING THIS WAS A LITTLE CONFUSING AT TIMES THE LANGUAGE MADE NO SENSE. IT DIDN’T FLOW SMOOTHLY NOT A BAD READ BUT IT WAS JUST OK FOR ME. ;-]
June 21, 2019
For a first novel in a series, I actually connected nicely with the characters and the various threads of plot. A young woman is found murdered to the side of a running path. Her death becomes linked to a religious cult, jealous friends, and research into antidepressants through the work of the police. The novel is set in Denmark, and the key police officer is Daniel Trokic, a withdrawn but fascinating person.
November 2, 2017
This reminded me of the girl with the dragon tattoo series - something about Scandinavian climate creating a brooding darkness perhaps. There is much that is also fairly reminiscent of other procedurals and the cast of investigators are interesting and original, although there wasn't enough time spent with the main detective, Trokics, to generate a strong connection I felt. And while the plot unfolded nicely, leaving final twists to the end, I struggled to retain a clear picture of the suspects and the technicalities of their professional world (pharmaceuticals/psychiatry).
As always a comparison with Rankin is necessary for me. Like some of the early Rebus stories, I think this first Trokics book has a few bugs, but enough coherence to work and a base that will probably build into something stronger with time. Trokics seems to have some similarity to other detectives (rebus and Bosch) - single, cantankerous, moody and a complex past - which is a shame in a way. Makes me wonder if there's a place in this genre for a male lead (or female?) with a more 'regular' life (e.g. Stable marriage and family). The pharma plot was a different place than I've seen in Rankin's stories, but too rushed.
As always a comparison with Rankin is necessary for me. Like some of the early Rebus stories, I think this first Trokics book has a few bugs, but enough coherence to work and a base that will probably build into something stronger with time. Trokics seems to have some similarity to other detectives (rebus and Bosch) - single, cantankerous, moody and a complex past - which is a shame in a way. Makes me wonder if there's a place in this genre for a male lead (or female?) with a more 'regular' life (e.g. Stable marriage and family). The pharma plot was a different place than I've seen in Rankin's stories, but too rushed.
March 12, 2010
This book is a cliché of pretty much every best-selling crime novel in the past few years. We have everything from the brooding, mysterious investigator to the purple-haired young woman who specializes in computers. Throw in a good old-fashioned secret order: "The Golden Order", a cellphone which doesn't work at all the wrong times and someone who goes to meet the murderer when someone else has already figured out - too late - who it is, and you have a classic. Right?
Yawn. I had guessed who the murderer was halfway through and was really just waiting for the police to mess up, get in danger and figure it out for themselves. The author's extremely pour attempt at making this some sort of "socio-realistic" novel as well by adding discussions about what happiness is and how modern society drives us to depression just made for passages you had to skim and skip. Some random, incredibly handsome young police officer brings up a simplified version of Sartre after visiting a junkie. Oh really?
At least it made for excellent parodies whenever mentioned to my friends or family.
Yawn. I had guessed who the murderer was halfway through and was really just waiting for the police to mess up, get in danger and figure it out for themselves. The author's extremely pour attempt at making this some sort of "socio-realistic" novel as well by adding discussions about what happiness is and how modern society drives us to depression just made for passages you had to skim and skip. Some random, incredibly handsome young police officer brings up a simplified version of Sartre after visiting a junkie. Oh really?
At least it made for excellent parodies whenever mentioned to my friends or family.
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