It is always exciting to find a new author and a new series to read. I have found Scandinavian crime novelists to have an interesting perspective- humane and soulful rather than the “good and bad” dichotomy that is often the perspective of US writers.  Håakan Nesser is a one of the world’s best selling crime novelist, and this is the first book in his Chief Inspector Van Veeetren series.

Van Veeteren is not sure what bothers him about Janek Mitter’s conviction for murdering his wife. After all, she was found murdered in the bathtub and Mitter, who called the police, is strangely emotionless, hungover, with no recollection of what happened. Without any evidence that anyone else had been in the house, it was a straightforward case that  ended when Mitter was convicted and sent to a mental institution. But when Mitter is found murdered in his cell, Van Veeteren decides to reinvestigate the original murder as well as Mitter’s and catch the killer before he gets away with another murder.

Van Veeteren is an interesting character- a bit grumpy, driven, divorced, and drives his long suffering partner crazy. Nesser captures the complicated interplay between these two characters deftly, but it is the skill with which he portrays Mitter, a drunk who seems unaffected by his wife’s death that is most affecting. Treading carefully between empathy and disdain, Nesser, asks us to look at this man and see his humanity, even while the judicial system does not.

Nesser is an author I will certainly be following and look forward to reading more in this series!

Brenda’s Rating: **** (4 Out Of 5 Stars)

Recommend this Book to: Marian and Sharon

Book Study worthy? yes

Read in e-book format.