This is the most complex of the Hanne Wilhelmsen books, displaying a conspiracy of the most spectacular kind. It begins with a brutal murder in the home of the Chief Attorney which leads Wilhelmsen to a paedophiliac ring. It also shows Hanne Wilhelmsen at a turning point in her life, when her life-long partner Cecilie falls terminally ill: is the truth worth chasing at all costs?
Dead Joker is the fifth installment in the Hanne Wilhelmsen series.
Nuanced characters and a strong sense of place make for an immersive tale that packs an emotional punch and offers incisive commentary on the failings of the criminal justice system.
The pacing is leisurely, especially for a Scandinavian thriller, but the character development is the main appeal here. This latest in Holt’s long-running series remains an ideal read-alike for fans of Jo Nesbø’s Harry Hole and Karin Fossum’s Inspector Sejer.
As usual, Anne Holt treats us to a hair-raising and cleverly constructed plot, so rich with exciting moments that she completely defends her reputation as the first of crime in Scandinavia.
Anne Holt
Anne Holt (b. 1958) is one of Scandinavia’s most successful crime writers with 7 million copies sold around the world. Holt is a former Minister of Justice, Police Attorney, lawyer running her own firm, journalist, and TV news editor and anchor. Her novels are intelligent, accessible and suspenseful, with engaging and intriguing protagonists. Tight-knit crime plots are paired with a focus on relational drama. Anne Holt is the author of two extremely successful crime series: the Inger Johanne Vik series (five installments) and the Hanne Wilhelmsen series (nine installments to date).
In Dust and Ashes
Offline
1222
Beyond The Truth
No Echo
The Lion’s Mouth
Death of the Demon
Blessed Are Those Who Thirst
Blind Goddess
Sudden Death
Arrhythmia
What Dark Clouds Hide
Fear Not
Madam President
What Never Happens
What Is Mine
May-Britt, March-Britt and the Peachy Pug
May-Britt & March-Britt
Foreign rights
Salomonsson Agency
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[email protected] +46 8 22 32 11
Awards
The Great Calibre Award of Honor, Poland, 2012
The Cappelen Prize, Norway, 2001
The Norwegian Booksellers’ Prize, Norway, 1995
The Riverton Prize (Best Norwegian Crime Novel of the Year), Norway, 1994
