Saturday, December 3, 2011

The Keeper of Lost Causes, by Jussi Adler-Olsen

A pretty interesting book, told from two perspectives.  Some chapters are told from the viewpoint of Danish Deputy Detective Superintendent Carl Mørck, who has been made the head of Department Q to deal with high profile cold cases and to keep him out of trouble.  He is given a basement office and a Syrian assistant, who magically makes things happen.  Mørck is tormented and has difficulty with authority, and his parts of the book have humor, sorrow, and brilliant police work.  The remaining chapters are told from the perspective of Merete Lynggard, who is kidnapped and tortured, physically and psychologically, for five years.  These chapters are gruesome and difficult to read.  I'll keep an eye out for translations of Olsen-Adler.  Also published under the title Mercy.

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