Into Thin Air

This is the first of a new series known as Arctic Mysteries set in northern Norway.

A young woman, Iselin Hanssen, disappears during a run in Bodø, a town located just north of the Arctic Circle. Jakob Weber, Chief Investigator of the Nordland Police, leads the investigation. Before long, Marte Moi, a social media influencer, goes missing in similar circumstances, though this time on the small island of Røst, about 100 kms further north. Are these cases connected? And could there even be a connection to a woman’s disappearance 30 years earlier?

Jakob is assisted by three others. He has worked with Armann Femris and Josefine Skog in the past but Noora Yun Sande, who has transferred from Oslo, is a new addition to the team. Their boss show more is Konrad Råkstad, whose nickname is The Crow. I liked how each member of the team emerges as a distinct individual, sometimes with personal struggles. Josefine, for instance, has to balance work and motherhood when her young daughter falls ill. Noora is fleeing some traumatic experience in Oslo. Armann strikes me as a bit unruly, whereas The Crow is the least sympathetic character because of his autocratic manner.

Since this is the first of a series, character development is very important; readers must find the protagonist someone they want to follow. Still grieving the death of his wife, Jakob is trying to figure out how to move on. The unexpected arrival of a young man at his door will obviously challenge him. Professionally, Jakob is experienced and dedicated and exudes a calm, composed demeanor under pressure, signaling reliability and skill. His strong leadership skills mean he is highly regarded. His compassion also stands out.

The novel is narrated from multiple points of view. Besides Jakob, Armann, and Noora’s perspectives, those of Iselin and other people (Peder and Stein-Jarle) connected to the events are included. Even a killer’s point of view is provided in several chapters, though what clouds the picture is that the time period of the perpetrator’s actions is not always clear.

The pace is slow at the beginning, but there is a gradual increase in pace. As readers realize the dangers faced by victims and Noora, tension increases. Several shady, suspicious characters emerge so readers have a number of suspects from which to choose.

Violence against women is a major theme. Virtually every woman introduced is a victim of violence in some form: invasion of privacy, an abusive relationship, rape and torture, death. Some scenes are described in rather graphic detail. The book also touches on social media. Jakob, for instance, thinks about how people can make themselves vulnerable by sharing their lives on social media. And sometimes comments and speculation online can interfere with an ongoing investigation.

There are some issues that bothered me. Discoveries are made because of witnesses that come forward at convenient times. And there’s the information about a vehicle’s registration number that, even Jakob admits, could have been learned sooner. I’m also unconvinced that Peder’s call to the police is credible; his motivation is clear but, given all the factors, would he risk drawing attention as he does? The truth about one character I guessed early on because it’s become a trope in psychological suspense thrillers. On the other hand, the fate of one character was totally unexpected and left me wishing he could have continued in retirement mode.
By chance, my husband and I have started planning a trip to Norway. The author’s descriptions of the landscape of northern Norway are wonderful. I am now thinking we should travel further north than we had first considered.

There are unanswered questions at the end so readers are being directed to the next book in the series. I’m especially anxious to learn more about Stein-Jarle’s discovery. Since this was a satisfying read, I will definitely be moving on to Into the Dark.

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