When It Grows Dark

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

Snow, snow and more snow. William Wisting, the protagonist/police officer of this mystery, must shovel out his driveway at least fifteen times during the short course of the book; a roof laden with heavy snow collapses on hime and traps him beneath it for at least an hour; tire tracks and footprints in the snow are clues to solve the mystery. It made me cold in 76 degree FL weather -- the reason why this western NY, snow belter is happily ensconsed in FL.

That said, I have mixed reactions to this prequel of a popular mystery series featuring Detective Wisting. I found the writing in the first third of the book really plodding and slow-going. I wasn't sure anything of interest was developing, but I was cozy in bed, so I kept reading. The show more plot about a 60 year old COLD-case caught the attention of then young Officer Wisting, and he began to investigate the clues of a murder and robbery of a large amount of cash being transferred from one bank to another by a private hauling service.

Suffice it to say, this is the case that offered Wisting an opportunity to become an investigative Detective. I've not read any other books by Horst, but since I have one still on my TBR, I shall get to it soon show less

This is an ok small easy to read book.
Set in the Norwegian Countryside. This is the story of Detective William Wisting who is now a big high ranking Police officer.

This is him remembering one of his first major cases from the early 1980s it also has links to an even older case from the 1920s
The cases are cleverly woven together.

It all starts when Wistling discovers a very old car hidden in a garage with bullet holes in it. Wistling does his homework and cracks the case.

I will look out for other books in the series.

God historie, men den var litt kort.

God historie, men den var litt kort.

Yksi tätä sarjaa riittää.