by Jørn Lier Horst and Thomas Enger (Translated by: Megan Turney)
SYNOPSIS
His colleague is dead. His daughter may be next. It’s time to do things his way…
When police investigator Sofia Kovic uncovers a startling connection between several Oslo murder cases, she attempts to contact her closest superior, Alexander Blix before involving anyone else in the department. But before Blix has time to return her call, Kovic is shot and killed in her own home – execution style. And in the apartment below, Blix’s daughter Iselin narrowly escapes becoming the killer’s next victim.
Four days later, Blix and online crime journalist Emma Ramm are locked inside an interrogation room, facing the National Criminal Investigation Service. Blix has shot and killed a man, and Ramm saw it all happen.
As Iselin’s life hangs in the balance, under-fire Blix no longer knows who he can trust … and he’s not even certain that he’s killed the right man…
REVIEW
Police investigator Alexander Blix is giving a lecture when he misses a call from his close colleague Kovic. As alerts begin to come in, Blix realises that something terrible must have happened, and he races to the apartment that Kovic shares with his daughter Iselin - Kovic has been shot dead and Iselin has narrowly escaped the attack. As the shock subsides, Blix and his fellow officers are determined to catch the killer, but before they can make much progress, the case escalates in a devastating and unforgettable turn of events.
Unhinged is the third nail-biting instalment of the Blix & Ramm series, and is a story of two halves. The first half of the book is quintessential Nordic Noir meets '24', as Blix and journalist Emma Ramm are questioned about their involvement in a shooting which leaves a man dead. The dual interrogation switches back and forth between the two friends as they recount what happened in the 32 hours leading up to the shooting.
This format was the perfect way to build up the tension, as it was obvious from the pair's emotional state that things hadn't gone to plan. As a reader, you are given a rough idea of how things end up, and are then taken back to the beginning to work through the events in the same way that an official investigation would, which gives you a chance to play detective.
The second half of the book is set four days later. This section focuses more on the emotional impact and case developments in the aftermath of the shooting. There are some particularly poignant scenes and we are shown a different side to Blix as he tries to deal with the enormity of everything that has happened, and what this might mean for his future.
Unhinged is another compulsive hit from the Dream Team - Jørn Lier Horst and Thomas Enger. They write what they know and this translates perfectly in the Blix & Ramm series. I was so caught up in the drama that I ended up reading late into the night, holding my breath, desperate to hear the conclusion. This is one of those strange occasions where I was completely torn between thinking that the idea was exceptional and also being devastated by the storyline and wishing it had ended differently. Either way, I am very hopeful that this is not the last we'll hear from Blix!
P.S. Loved the acknowledgements as usual!
GIVEAWAY! Thanks to the lovely Orenda Books I have 1 paperback copy of Unhinged to give to one of my readers. If you would like to win a copy, send me a message through my blog with the subject Unhinged. UK Only
Closes on 13th February
You must be happy for me to pass on your address details to the publisher
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
Jørn Lier Horst and Thomas Enger are the internationally bestselling Norwegian authors of the William Wisting and Henning Juul series respectively. A former investigator in the Norwegian police, Horst imbues all his works with an unparalleled realism and suspense. Thomas Enger is a journalist-turned-author whose trademark has become a darkly gritty voice paired with key social messages and tight plotting. Besides writing fiction for both adults and young adults, Enger also works as a music composer. Death Deserved was Jørn Lier Horst & Thomas Enger’s first co-written thriller, closely followed by Smoke Screen, and the series has sold more than two million copies worldwide, outselling Jo Nesbo in their native Norway, Sweden and Germany. @LierHorst @EngerThomas.
Thanks to Anne Cater - @RandomTTours and Orenda Books - @OrendaBooks for the opportunity to read and review.
Genre: Crime / Nordic Noir / Police Procedural
Publisher: Orenda Books
ISBN: 978-1914585005
Pages: 276pp
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