DP54Cover - Deadly Pleasures

6
Deadly Pleasures
reader is aware of what happened, and also of the link to
the killing of a baby earlier in the day, and the main focus
of the book is on the unravelling of the consequences of the
crimes.
This book is reminiscent of Ruth Rendell’s sinister
psychological thrillers, especially in the way Fossum delves
into the minds of her characters and toys with the roles of
victim and killer. The casualness of some of the crimes is
chilling and the internal monologues of her characters are
used to good effect. The Norwegian locations and social
issues are interesting and the book moves at a moderate
pace, although there is little action.
Readers expecting a police procedural will probably
be disappointed, as there is no real detection or
mystery, although Fossum does deliver a couple of good
surprises towards the end.
� CALLING OUT FOR YOU! (U.S. title: THE
INDIAN BRIDE) (Harcourt, $23.00, 2007; Harvill,
£10.99, 2005). Rating: A [Reviewed by Larry Gandle]
Gunder Jomann, a simple salesman living in a small rural
community in Norway, decides he wants to go to India to
get a wife. To the amazement of his family and friends, he
succeeds. His new wife, Poona, is due to arrive and he
eagerly anticipates this happy event. Unfortunately, just as
he is to set off for the airport to pick her up, he is called
to the hospital because his sister was in an auto accident
and lies in a coma. Poona disappears from the airport. The
next day a body is found in a field. It is the body of an Indian
woman. Could it be Poona? Inspector Konrad Sejer must
investigate the horrific crime, which will prove to impact
the entire community.
There is a certain stark simplicity in both the
translation of this novel and the story itself. To me, nothing
is more of a chore to read than a very long, complex, slow
moving detective story filled with dozens of characters. This
is definitely not that kind of book. In fact, the story is simple,
the characters charming and the author plays fair with the
solution- maybe!
� BLACK SECONDS (Harcourt, $24.00, June,
2008; HarvillSecker, £11.99, 2007). Rating: B [Reviewed
by George Easter] Ida Joner is a sweet girl, adored
by her mother Helga.One day she rides out on her yellow
bike to buy some sweets. When she fails to return 35
minutes after she should have, Helga starts to worry. She
phones around, but there is no word, and eventually she
calls the police. Still no news the following day, a local
search is organized, with hundreds of local volunteers.
However, nothing comes of it. Ida Joner and her yellow
bicycle seem to have vanished into thin air. Helga’s worst
nightmare seems to have come true. Inspector Sejer
carefully and sensitively chips away at this case that seems
to encompass only victims.
Karin Fossum is a master storyteller with a
wordsmith’s command of language and nuance. But
BLACK SECONDS left me a bit flat with its resolution
(well telegraphed) and sad at the lasting pain of its victims.
There was no sense of the world being set right again by
punishing the malfeasants that one gets in a typical police
procedural Latest or Stand-alone detective story. Novel: But TOKYO there is plenty (2004) of other
issues raised by the story line to think about. And that is the
key word here: “think.” Jeremiah Karin Healy Fossum’s fiction causes the
reader Series: to Boston think of PI John the world Francis in a Cuddy; different as way. Terry Devane
Stand-alone Karin Fossum’s Novel: THE next STALKING translated OF novel, SHEILAH BROKEN
(Harvill QUINN Secker, (1998) £12.99, June, 2008) is a stand-alone.
Anne Holt
Tony Hillerman
Series Series: Characters: Navaho policemen Former FBI Jim profiler Chee and Johanne Joe Leaphorn Vik &
Detective Stand-alone Inspector Novel: FINDING Adam MOON Stubo(1995)
� WHAT IS MINE (in U.K., PUNISHMENT)
(Warner Books, $24.99, Faye Kellerman 2006; Little, Brown, £10.99,
2006). Series: Rating: LAPD A Peter [Reviewed Decker & his by wife George RinaEaster]
Someone is kidnapping children in Norway. Police Inspector
Adam Stubo joins forces with researcher Johanne Vik
to try to track down the abductor. Each has strengths and
together they become a powerful investigative team. And
each comes to the case with lots of baggage, which make
them real and interesting. At the same time, Johanne is
investigating a very old case of injustice at the request of
a dying woman.
The plot of this novel (children in danger) breaks
no new ground although it is satisfyingly puzzling and
complex. But the author really distinguishes herself with
the depth of each of her characters and the fluidity of her
prose (the translator is also to be credited here). I would
have rated it A+ but for a very slight disappointment with
the denouement
� WHAT NEVER HAPPENS (in U.K., THE FI-
NAL MURDER) (Grand Central, $24, February, 2008;
Sphere, £18.99,2007). Rating: A . [Reviewed by
George Easter] In Oslo, celebrities are turning up dead
in the most macabre of situations: a talk show host with her
tongue cut out, a politician crucified with a copy of the
Koran stuffed where the sun doesn’t shine, and a literary
critic stabbed in the eye. It’s not clear if the deaths are all
the work of one person, even though logic sends the police
in that direction. What is very clear is that the killer or killers
aren’t leaving any clues behind.” Adam Stubo is stumped
by this case and his wife Johanna Vik, mother of a little
baby, is reluctant to help because of her exhaustion. As
Stubo’s inquiry seems to be going nowhere, Johanna is
haunted by a pattern she discovers from a time long ago
when she was in the FBI, a time she has tried to forget .