I've not had much luck with Scandinavian crime novels in the past year or so. I read the first Wallander mystery and found it to be little more than average, I was disappointed by Arnaldur Indriðason's Voices having loved his first two books, then I read the worst crime novel it has ever been my misfortune to open up...
...and now I have a distinct sense of anticlimax having finished The Winter of the Lions by Jan Costin Wagner.
To be completely fair I should point out that a) the first half of the book is very good and b) Wagner is technically German but I am counting this as Scandi crime seeing as it is set in Finland and features a Finnish detective.
Like I say, it starts out promisingly enough. Sure, Detective Kimmo Joentaa conveniently ticks many of the boxes on the Crime Bingo sheet - bit of a loner, fond of a drink, dead spouse, prone to crazy ideas that might just lead to a conviction etc. - but he is an intriguing figure and the crime is set up nicely. The host of a popular TV show and two of his guests are brutally stabbed, the latter pair both dying. Joentaa needs to work out what it was about this short interview which triggered a killing spree.
The problem is that he comes up with a theory about half way through the book, a theory which turns out to be correct, and the road from theory to arrest is a pretty straight one. At least it is apart from the ridiculous semi-twist Wagner throws in involving a plot hole so big you could drive a snowplough through it and not touch the sides.
Essentially, you know what is going to happen from about page 100 and whilst that is not necessarily a problem Wagner fails to throw in sufficient additional interest, mood, tone or points of difference to make it worth the lack of excitement, tension or any real thrill of the chase.
Also, slightly pointless gripe but the tagline on the cover CARELESS TALK COSTS LIVES doesn't really bear any relation to the story whatsoever.
All of which is a shame really, as I quite liked Kimmo Joentaa as a character and his new-found love interest with a prostitute was shaping up to be rather entertaining. Not sure I'll bother reading any others in the series though.
Maybe try Johan Theorin?
Echoes from the Dead is the first and the best.
Posted by: Macon | December 29, 2012 at 10:44 PM
Very good. Somewhat sad book about grieving and grief as a motive for murder. Joentaa is a great character and I look forward to reading more by this author.
Posted by: Salmon Fishing Alaska | January 06, 2013 at 06:38 AM
This was the third book in this series, although I had not read the first one, this I felt was more enjoyable than the second book- Silence. It seemed to flow more easily and although the main character's wife was mentioned, it did not seem to slow the story down with his reminisces about her.
Posted by: Caribou Hunts in Alaska | April 29, 2013 at 04:12 PM