Ordeal

Keeping up with all of one’s favorite crime writers can be a daunting task, but I was happy to find that there were two Horst novels to catch up on. And it is certainly an endorsement of Horst’s work that I was willing to order them from the UK. Horst is a Norwegian author, one of the few crime novelists who has actual, serious law enforcement experience. That experience informs his spare, no-frills stories. He writes of complex investigations in carefully plotted, engrossing storylines with credible characters. He also includes at the beginning of the book a short summary of where we are in the overarching story of Chief Inspector William Wisting—which is terrific for those of us who read a lot of Nordic crime novels.

I have show more waited too long to review these books individually well. Suffice it to say that [Ordeal] is a wonderfully complex, multi-layered mystery that involves a dead taxi driver and his taxi, an old basement safe, and the seemingly ordinary accidental death of a notorious smuggler. And [When It Grows Dark] begins with the 1983 discovery of an old car—a mystery for the young policeman William Wisting. That mystery deliciously complicates and reaches from 1983, back to the 1920s, and forward to the present. And we the reader, enjoy the cerebral ride. show less

Taking place a few months after THE CAVEMAN Jørn Lier Horst’s fifth William Wisting novel available in English was, for me at least, a return to the series’ top form. ORDEAL is a complicated but ultimately satisfying tale that juxtaposes a police investigation seeking nothing but the facts with one that is less concerned with truthfulness than closure at any price.

The police procedural is a crowded space in crime fiction these days but Horst is a real master of the art. He doesn’t simply jam his books full of the latest “in” thing but really shows how the disparate elements of an investigation – forensic evidence, witness statements, data analysis and all the rest – need to be brought together coherently in order for the show more truth to be revealed. When this book opens series hero, William Wisting, is being criticised because of his failure to solve the case of the disappearance of taxi driver Jens Hummel some six months earlier. But when new evidence appears that links Hummel’s disappearance with the high-profile murder of a young girl in a nearby jurisdiction it is Wisting who becomes a critic. The girl’s murderer was, supposedly, captured a mere 14 minutes after the crime was committed and the case is being used as an example of top policing. Accordingly, Wisting’s growing doubts cause him real professional trouble with his colleagues and superiors. I liked the way this novel explored the difficulties inherent in questioning or being critical of colleagues; a reality that is not unique to the profession of law enforcement.

As always with this series Wisting’s personal life, in particular his adult daughter Line, plays a significant part in the story. Here Line has moved back to Larvik because she is pregnant and the baby’s father, an American who has returned to the US, won’t be a strong presence in the baby’s life. She’s bought a house in the same street where her father lives (the house at the centre of THE CAVEMAN in fact) and at the start of the novel reconnects with an old school friend, Sophie. Although she’s on leave from her job as a journalist Line can’t give up her innate inquisitiveness and somewhat inadvertently brings Sophie’s family connection to local crime into play in the investigation her father is heading up.

Whereas I found THE CAVEMAN a bit didactic in its exploration of social themes I thought ORDEAL got the balance of storytelling against a backdrop of social change just right. Both books look at broadly the same issues – moral decay and relatively modern problems such as violent crime and drugs spreading their tentacles ever wider – but here there is more subtlety which I prefer.

If you are a fan of audio books I can thoroughly recommend Saul Reichlin’s narration of this series. Although he is South African not Norwegian the fact that he speaks English with a slight accent helps to remind the reader this is a story taking place somewhere more exotic than ’round the corner. And he is a terrific teller of stories, using only minor differences in tone, speed and pitch to differentiate between characters yet still making each ‘voice’ very distinct.

ORDEAL is a great read, or listen, for fans of top notch police procedurals with lots of twists, a thoughtful social backdrop and some heart-stopping moments of real suspense. Although I lament the fact that however Nordic it might be most Scandinavian crime fiction is a far cry from the noir that usually follows that particular N word, this novel’s ending does at least provide the bittersweet sensibility of a more traditional noir tale. show less

This is character-driven police procedural set in small-town Norway, along the lines of Wallander or Beck. It places realistic human characters at the core of a criminal investigation; the discovery of a dead body juxtaposed alongside everyday domestic concerns. A meticulously crafted criminal plot runs in parallel to the events in Chief Inspector William Wisting’s personal life. But Wisting is not the typical melancholic, self-destructive fictional detective, and this is not a book about the bleak extremes of the human soul. Which is why the title doesn’t quite suit it…

As the tenth book in the Wisting series, Ordeal comes with a fully developed cast and a useful ‘previously on…’ intro at the front. A relatively simple show more missing persons investigation in his district becomes much more complicated when it develops links to other police districts and parallel enquiries. The pleasingly detailed routines of Wisting’s investigation are shadowed by his rising concern that a miscarriage of justice is in process – and how he reacts to that troubling scenario, in the face of concerted opposition from his colleagues – becomes the main theme of a multi-faceted story.

Refreshingly free from implausible action sequences, Ordeal also doesn’t delve into particularly explicit sex or violence, nor does it aim for an atmosphere of high-tension. The plot is intriguing and intelligent, not driven by pulse-pounding suspense. It’s written in crisp, clear, no-nonsense language which eschews the bitter emotional chill and the stark significance of the landscape so often utilised by Nordic writers. Very matter of fact and understated.

In truth, I probably prefer a bit more grit and grime than Ordeal provides. But it’s an extremely well-constructed mystery with a knotty moral conundrum at its core, and it held my attention throughout. So while I’m not rushing off to read the other nine Wisting books, I’d be happy to pick up another on a quiet afternoon.
8/10

There's a more detailed version of this review, and stacks about other crime / thrillers at:
https://murdermayhemandmore.wordpress.com/2016/03/29/ordeal-substantial-scandi-c... show less

In this entry into the Norwegian William Wisting crime series, a taxi driver went missing on January 6, and it's now mid-summer. The police haven't been able to find the taxi driver, much less the taxi, and they are being berated for incompetence in the press. Then, there's a break in the case when the taxi is found out in the country in a ramshackle barn. But as the case develops, there are more questions than answers. Does the taxi driver's disappearance have anything to do with the murder of a young student on New Year's Eve? And was the death of a crime boss in a fall down his basement stairs really an accident or was there foul play?

I have come to enjoy this crime series (even though I think I am reading them wildly out of order). show more One of the things I Iike is Wisting's relationship with his adult daughter Line, an investigative reporter. In this entry, Line is 8 months pregnant and has bought a house around the corner from her dad. She has also befriended a young woman, new to town, who has inherited the crime boss's house. In each of the books, Line, though not officially part of the investigation, plays an important role.

The author of this series was a police detective for 18 years before he retired to write these novels. I think it shows in the authenticity of the details of crime solving--covering all the bases, following all the leads, the attention to minor details---rather than car chases, shoot outs, or even just wild guesses. I also like that the novels are character driven.

Recommended
3 stars show less

SWEDISH REVIEW

Blindgång är den första boken jag har läst i William Wisting serien och trots att det är bok 10 så hade jag inga problem med att hänga med i handlingen. Jag kom att gilla William Wisting och hans dotter redan från början. Jag tyckte att de hade en väldigt fin relation och jag är nyfiken på Lines situation då hon är gravid och pappan till barnet är en amerikansk polis som bor i Amerika. Jag måste verkligen läsa de tidigare böckerna för att få reda på varför han var i Norge och arbetade och hur de träffades.

Handlingen var intressant, en försvunnen taxiförare, ett mord och ett upphittat vapen som har kopplingar med varandra. Jag gillade verkligen hur både William och Line är involverade i fallet på show more olika sätt och hur slumpmässiga möten och handlingar till slut ger svar på gåtan med vad som kände med taxichauffören Jens Hummel.

Boken är oerhört välskriven och spännande att läsa och jag tyckte att slutet i rättegångssalen är otroligt bra!

Tack till Lind & Co för recensionexemplaret!

ENGLISH REVIEW

Ordeal is the first book I have read in the William Wisting series and, despite this being book, 10 didn't I have any problems getting into the story. Instead, I found myself instantly liking both William Wisting and his daughter Line. I thought that they had a very loving relationship and I was curious about Line's situation being pregnant and the dad is a cop from America who is still living there. I really need to read the previous book to find out why he was in Norway and how they met.

The story is interesting, a missing taxi driver, a murder and a found weapon that have connections with each other. I liked that both William and Line were involved in the case in different kinds of ways and thanks to random meetings and events finally the mystery with the missing taxi driver will be resolved.

The book is well written and engrossing and I think the ending in the courtroom is incredibly good! I liked this book very much and I will definitely read more books in this series.

Thanks to Lind & Co for the review copy! show less

3.5 Somehow or another I managed to blunder my way into the tenth is a series I have not previously read. Though I did read that in the USA only five have been translated and published. The author though did the reader a great service by including, in the opening pages of the book, a few pages of preview bringing us up to date on Wistings life. Greatly appreciated.

This is a meticulously, detailed police procedural. I was extremely impressed with the writing and the tightness of the plot. Will admit that the cases being investigated were not ones I am normally interested in, but found the way the cases were put together, as well as the doggedness and integrity of Wistings character, made up for it. My favorites parts included his grown show more daughter, very pregnant, and her newfound friend Sophie. Enjoyed the personal touches as Wistings tried to balance his responsibility to his daughter, with his work. So all in all an intriguing enough read for me to seek out additional books in this series.

ARC from Netgalley. show less

Even though I hadn't read any of the previous books in this series, I didn't have any problem feeling comfortable with the characters. The Norwegian detective, William Wisting, is actually a non-alcoholic, family-oriented Scandinavian policeman. He is investigating a murder which in his mind is connected to an earlier murder in another city. Even though he is being told not to meddle with a crime that has "been solved" he pursues both cases and manages to connect them.