“Norway’s Queen of Crime” but this is only the second to be published over here. Strangely there is no “feel” of Norway in this cracking psychological thriller; it’s very Ruth Rendellesque. An intriguing story of disturbed minds, dysfunctional families and reluctant robbers. There is much to unravel and despite the almost inevitable conclusion, it still came as a surprise. It’s a real page-turner.
A boy arrives - breathless and aghast - at his police station, to report the discovery of a horribly maimed body outside an isolated house in the woods. Yet there was another person in the woods that day - standing nearby, hidden within the trees, was the mysterious figure of the local misfit, Errki. The next morning a bank in the nearby town is robbed at gunpoint. The gunman takes a hostage and flees. As his plans begin to come apart he, unlike his passive hostage, rapidly loses control. Meanwhile the search for the killer has developed into a manhunt - everyone is looking for the enigmatic Errki.
Karin Fossum made her literary debut in Norway with a collection of poetry in 1974. She has since published another volume of poetry, short stories and a non-crime novel. Her crime novels featuring Inspector Konrad Sejer are published in sixteen languages.
