I borrowed this book from the library.
Publisher: Orenda Books
Published: June 1, 2021 (first published 2019)
Summary:
When the mother of a missing two-year-old girl is seriously injured in a suspected terrorist attack in Oslo, crime-fighting duo Blix and Ramm join forces to investigate the case, and things aren’t adding up … The second instalment in the addictive, atmospheric, award-winning Blix & Ramm series.
Oslo, New Year’s Eve. The annual firework celebration is rocked by an explosion, and the city is put on terrorist alert.
Police officer Alexander Blix and blogger Emma Ramm are on the scene, and when a severely injured survivor is pulled from the icy harbour, Blix instantly recognises her as the mother of two-year-old Patricia Semplass, who was kidnapped on her way home from kindergarten ten years earlier … and never found.
Blix and Ramm join forces to investigate the unsolved case, as public interest heightens, the terror threat is raised, and it becomes clear that Patricia’s disappearance is not all that it seems…
My thoughts:
This is the second book in the Alexander Blix and Emma Ramm series by this writing duo and I’m so glad to have finally gotten around to reading this installment! I had really liked the first book in this series, Death Deserved, and thanks to a buddy read, we decided to read this one together, too.
This book opens with such a tense few chapters that I knew it was going to be a highly emotional, thrilling read and I was right! This one proved to be even better than the first book and I liked that one quite a lot…I have a sneaking feeling this is going to be one of those series where each book gets better and better!!! My heart was beating overtime as I read this one between the twists and the surprises that are thrown at us and as much as I tried to work things out myself, I just couldn’t. This one really kept me on my toes!
This is such a complicated story, one that is quite personal for Emma, and that made it all the more emotional at times. I also loved the added dynamic of the cold case – that is one of my favorite tropes and I loved how it played out here. My only complaint, if there is one, is that we don’t see Emma and Blix working together all that often. It’s as if they are working independently until the time arises when they need to combine forces.
Between the short chapters, the pitch-perfect pace and the dark, atmospheric setting, this really is a perfect combination of crime fiction and NordicNoir. I am always amazed when two authors pair up to co-write a book, let alone a series – this is as seamless as if it was written by one person. These authors have solidified a place in my must-read list…this series is a must-read and once I am done with it, I will be checking out what they have written individually.
Books in the Alexander Blix & Emma Ramm series:
- Death Deserved
- Smoke Screen
- Unhinged
