The Last Good Man (original 2010; edition 2012)

The Last Good Man is a mystery/thriller about Neils and his new friend Hanna, who is a physicist, and Tommaso, an Italian policeman. Neils is an interesting character as he is afraid of flying and leaving his area of comfort and is somewhat burned out on police business and develops a relationship with Hanna when he cares about another very independent woman.
The story line follows the Jewish belief that there are 36 good but not especially religious people who can save the world. As the book progresses, Neils investigates death after death while trying to stop the murders. He is trying to save the world by saving the 36 good people as they are the only ones standing in the way of evil taking control. It is a fast moving and enjoyable thriller. I give it a 3.5 star rating. ( )

"The correct interpretation of numbers determines whether we live or die. it's life or death That's something that every scientist understands. That was why Tycho Brahe got his nose sliced off in a duel."

"Because of numbers?"

"Because he claimed that so-called complex numbers existed. And his adversary claimed that they didn't."

"Who was right?"

"Tycho Brahe. But he lost his nose."

Venetian policeman Tommaso di Barbara has discovered a trend in killings around the world - every Friday at sunset, a good person is murdered. Humanitarian, lawyer, volunteer - they all die with a strange burn-like mark on their back. Niels Bentzon picks up the Interpol report - but can't bear the thought of travel and doesn't speak di Barbara's language. Only once he teams up with Hannah Lund, astrophysicist extraordinaire mourning the premature death of her son, is he able to impose a pattern and find out when the next murders will be. The question is, can he stop them?

Parts of this were really well written - as a police procedural, with all of the distractions from the climate conference and the terrorist threat, it succeeded. I kept reading, engrossed, all the way to the end with no trouble.

Niels and Hannah are both interesting characters - neither is perfect and each is dealing with their own romantic issues - but as a partnership they work very well. In particular, their weaknesses are key - Hannah's inability to deal with normal interpersonal situations, Niels' travel phobia; both are worked slyly into the story but are completely obvious as obstacles when we happen on to them.

Kazinski writes Venice and Copenhagen well - the floods, the abandoned madhouse/hospital, the cold, the ridiculous media interactions with the police at the conference, the conflicts between cyclists and cars in Copenhagen and most of all, the pervasive, penetrating, personal cold that a north European winter brings (I'm writing this with the heating on, socks and slippers, and a blanket over my knees).

However, this gets big negative marks for resorting to a fate-imposed, generational mysticism. I bought it until Niels tried to run away and whatever he did, events conspired to send him back to Copenhagen; similarly the suggested passing of the burden to a new soul at the climax dragged this novel down into Dan Brown land. Except worse because at least there, none of it is magical and spiritual and fate, it's all just bad guys. ( )

A bit hard to follow initially but got better as it went along - possibly a result of being a translation. ( )

The Last Good Man by A. J. Kazinski (really Anders Klarland and Jacob Weinreich - why use a pseudonym if you plan to put your real names on the book jacket anyway???)

Four stars because although it was a bit difficult to get into to swing of reading (normal for me with translations), once I was in tune with the authors, I found this to be an exciting, well-written mystery with much action and plot points to figure out. I enjoyed it very much - the side plots made it more than another DaVinci Code knock off religious/conspiracy mystery and I found the characters to be truly engaging. Only four stars because I would have liked a little more information about how the math worked with the solution of places and dates they came up with and a little more clarity in the end. At times, the novel was exciting and intriguing but a little light in how the mystery was being solved. ( )

The Last Good Man by A. J. Kazinski – a pseudonym for two Danish writers – revolves around the mystery of "good people" dying worldwide, with strange tattoo-like markings on their backs. Niels is a police negotiator in Copenhagen. Through the efforts of Tommaso, a Venetian police officer, he gets involved with this mystery. By chance, Niels runs into Hannah, a brilliant astrophysicist with a failed marriage and broken heart due to her son’s suicide. The three join forces to solve the puzzle. The action is mostly but not exclusively set in Denmark; significant scenes take place in Venice.
There is a lot going for the novel. It’s fast paced and well written. The chapters are short and further split into small sections, so it’s easy to read the book in small snippets if needs be. The English translation is excellent. The main characters, especially Niels and Hannah, are well drawn and very human with all of their faults. Copenhagen, Venice, and other international locations are vibrantly described. Hannah’s methodical, scientific way of thinking is fascinating to follow, and her theory ingenious.
However, if you expect a traditional thriller, you might be disappointed. A side plot involving a potential terrorist is a bit jarring. Furthermore, some issues are left hanging or completely unanswered. For instance, Tommaso was the first person to believe there was a pattern to all of the good people deaths, but we never hear how he came up with his theory. Moreover, even though the book discusses metaphysical questions, the story line with near-death experiences does not seamlessly fit into the story. Still, a fast and fascinating read. Recommended for people interested in experimental, genre-defying works in modern settings.
EJ 05/2012