The Darkest Day buddy read discussion
This topic is about
The Root of Evil
The Root Of Evil - Chapters 33-36
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William wrote: "Troaë did nothing wrong. Erik came up with that name after she died, presumably because he was going to be brought up on multiple charges if caught. It's a ridiculous take, but something I'd expect..."Appalling. What a mess...
On a brighter note, I had to smile at Barbarotti's potential memoir being written.
"Looking Back: A Copper's Life - which was scheduled to appear in time for the Gothenburg Book Fair in 2023. Or thereabouts."
Not long to go 🤗
William wrote: "I'm actually really psyched about book 3. I might read it next if anyone wants to join in."I'm in 🤗
"moral guilt..."That really describes it perfectly, doesn't it. The holidaymakers as a group shared a collective guilt. Did they take the right action with Troaë? And then later her Grandma.
And is this what our narrator/killer couldn't live with? Was he blackmailing the others?
Back to Bill's theme about police work:
"It felt like a hundred years ago. He realized that in actual fact it was only about a fortnight."
Up to Chapter 33. Nearly there. Well, I can see the finish line in the distance :-)
I had to smile when Barbarotti was asking his ex-wife Helen how/why Ulrich (her partner) could speak Hungarian. It amused me no end.
So given that the previous book’s title was changed in translation, I decided to Google Translate this one.“En helt annan historia” = “A Completely Different Story”.
Now I’m just starting chapter 33 — but “a completely different story”? Can our murderer be an unreliable witness?
Not reading comments above - except for Bill’s first sentence - yet until I read through these 4 chapters, so maybe it is explained later.
Nat wrote: "I had to smile when Barbarotti was asking his ex-wife Helen how/why Ulrich (her partner) could speak Hungarian. It amused me no end."Me too - hahahaha!
Did Barbarotti just transfer his entire bank account to his teenage daughter even after she refused to tell him what it’s for? Can he adopt me???
But then Gunnar went and bought food, and went out to eat — so he’s either at zero, charging it on his credit card or about to get his paycheck. And if Sara is moving back as well, let’s hope she gets a job and starts paying the money back.
Hmmmm....four thousand Swedish kronor works out to roughly $680 Aussie dollars. Give or take. I had my suspicions for why Sara needed it, but seems I wrong. Not that I have any idea how much it would cost.Poor Gunnar. It's so handy his ex-wife Helene taking off to Bucharest (or is it Budapest) with Hungarian speaking Ulrich, just as things were getting very serious with Marianne. A sixth sense on Helen's part?
I love this line:
" 'Do you want a bit more wine?'
'No need,' said Marianne, 'I'm drunk on love.'" Awwwww 💗
Now. To the crime at hand. The trip to France was interesting. Were Troaë and her Grandma immigrants? Legal or no? Transients? Gypsies? In fact, as Barbarotti mused, did they in fact even exist???
I loved the description of Henri Masson (who leased his holiday home to Erik Bergmann that fateful summer) "...a moustache of such audacious proportions you could even see it when his back was turned." Only Nesser could put so many amusing observations into what is essentially a crime novel. And the winking between Masson and the lovely Inspector Morelius (who looks like a Norwegian skier. Of course!).
Up to Chapter 38. With any luck I may finish this tonight. It's just soooo busy this time of year.
I assumed it was for an abortion, but Sara denied it. Now I suspect debts related to the ex-boyfriend.
I hope they do. He can’t just leave all of us wondering.
I finished!!! Fireworks! Champagne!Admittedly it was in the wee small hours. It was so hot I couldn't sleep properly, so I'd read. Which means I've finished Book 2 of the CSI Barbarotti (ha ha).
Love and Marriage (sing the song from the TV show)
* Soooooo wanting to know how Marianne reacts to Barbarotti mentioning all three of his kids are going to live with them. It's a big jump from a three to seven family household.
* Which all had me musing on "be careful what you wish for". Barbarotti was so lonely at the beginning of his book, and now his home and life (potentially) will be bursting at the seams). I think that he and Marianne are lovely together though 💗
* I still have my suspicions that Sara fell pregnant and that's why she asked for the money. Even though she insisted that wasn't the case. Unless she owed someone money? But who and why???
The matter at hand - the case!
* How on earth did Asanunder manage to crack the case? I mean, HOW???
* I have to admit the ending stumped me, and I had to ask Bill to interpret it for me (which he kindly did, thanks amigo!). I'm not real good with books that get tooooo clever. Not helped by reading when I really should've been sleeping.
* I can't believe the narrator/killer was Henrik Malmgren??? WT??? For me, that came completely left of field. I did not see that coming at all. As the entire journal "Notes from Mousterlin" made it sound like our narrator was the "6th man" that they couldn't find. Who simply turns out to be a random hitchkiker that Erik picked up. How lucky was he that Henrik didn't have a bone to pick with him (the 6th man) either. Yikes.
* The whole made up story about Troae and her Grandma is appalling. What a sick mind Henrik had...
Question
When the narrator (who we didn't know was Henrik at the time) kept saying "I lost my wife five years ago", presumably he means that was the holiday in Brittany, when Katrin and Gunnar presumably started their affair? Or do you think he's referring to how they'd miscarried, and he'd never gotten over it? Both?
Book 3
Yes please! Very much looking forward to it. Jan 21, 2022 sounds good. We'll find out all about the mysterious Mr. Roos.
Thanks for another great buddy ready peeps. If we don't get to chat again before, Merry Xmas! 🎄🎄🎄
I believe most police work is just hard grind. I agree that Nesser is making the point that it's not all nicely tied up like an hour long episode of CSI. It's slow, hard yakka and probably boring a lot of the time.