DEATH DESERVED by Jørn Lier Horst & Thomas Enger
Orenda Books; 1/15/20 (e-book) & 2/20/20 (paperback)
CBTB Rating: 4.5/5
The Verdict: a page-turning Nordic serial killer thriller
What do you get when you combine the writing talents of two popular Norwegian crime writers? The answer, as it turns out, is a delightfully devious serial killer thriller called DEATH DESERVED, the first joint offering from Jørn Lier Horst (author of the William Wisting series) and Thomas Enger (author of the Henning Juul series). In this new series launch, Horst and Enger team up to deliver a story that draws on both of their strengths, blending Horst’s knowledge of and eye for police procedure with Enger’s skill at crafting engaging, endearing characters. DEATH DESERVED is a race-against-the-clock thriller, a story following an unlikely pair of protagonists - a police officer and a celebrity blogger - who find themselves embroiled in the shocking disappearance of a star athlete in Oslo. As bizarre and dramatic clues begin to pop up across the city, it becomes apparent to those involved that they are dealing with a devious and increasingly emboldened killer, one who will stop at nothing to achieve his twisted goals—and make his work known to the public at the same time. Cleverly plotted and seriously entertaining, DEATH DESERVED is an excellent new serial killer thriller and strong series launch from two acclaimed Norwegian crime writers.
Plot Details:
Police officer Alexander Blix and celebrity blogger Emma Ramm join forces to track down a serial killer with a thirst for attention and high-profile murders, in the first episode of a gripping new Nordic Noir series…
Oslo, 2018. Former long-distance runner Sonja Nordstrøm never shows at the launch of her controversial autobiography, Always Number One. When celebrity blogger Emma Ramm visits Nordstrøm’s home later that day, she finds the door unlocked and signs of a struggle inside. A bib with the number ‘one’ has been pinned to the TV.
Police officer Alexander Blix is appointed to head up the missing-persons investigation, but he still bears the emotional scars of a hostage situation nineteen years earlier, when he killed the father of a five-year-old girl. Traces of Nordstrøm soon show up at different locations, but the appearance of the clues appear to be carefully calculated … evidence of a bigger picture that he’s just not seeing…
Blix and Ramm soon join forces, determined to find and stop a merciless killer with a flare for the dramatic, and thirst for attention.
Trouble is, he’s just got his first taste of it…
Writing duos are a never-ending source of fascination for me as a reader. How on earth do two authors, both with their own unique styles, join forces to create one cohesive, consistent story? I’m absolutely confident that there’s no single way that writing duos make this magic happen, and in the case of Horst and Enger, I hope they keep doing whatever it is they’re doing for many books to come. DEATH DESERVED highlights the best of both Horst and Enger’s individual work, drawing on the strengths of its two authors to craft a remarkably seamless crime novel. It is absolutely not necessary to have read either of these authors before diving into DEATH DESERVED; this is an entirely new series, and a perfect way to dip into their work. However, for those readers who have read Horst or Enger (or both!), a few trademark qualities of these authors’ books will become immediately apparent. DEATH DESERVED has a strong police procedural thread to it: the details and processes that make up a police investigation are integral to this story’s plot. Fans of Jørn Lier Horst’s William Wisting books will recognize Horst’s trademark commitment to realistic portrayals of police-work here. DEATH DESERVED is also a gripping human drama, and it’s here that fans of Thomas Enger’s work will recognize his knack for writing engaging, complex, sympathetic characters. These authors’ unique strengths are wholly complementary, and DEATH DESERVED is proof of exactly that. Bonus: for fans of the William Wisting and/or Henning Juul series, secondary characters from both will make cameo appearances in this novel!
DEATH DESERVED delivers a compelling blend of Nordic atmosphere and ticking-clock serial killer thriller. What begins as a seemingly straightforward case - a woman’s disappearance - soon develops into something far more interesting, as police encounter a criminal who appears determined to shine a very public light on his crimes. It all begins with a disappearance. It’s publication day for the memoir of a famous athlete—but she never shows up to her press commitments. The media begin to catch wind that something is amiss, and celebrity blogger Emma Ramm visits the athlete’s home to see what she can learn. What she finds when she arrives leads her to believe a crime has been committed. The situation grows increasingly bizarre as some of that very same athlete’s belongings are found scattered across Oslo, leading the police on a wild goose chase for an elusive criminal who seems to love putting his crimes in the spotlight. (The book cover describes the killer as “flamboyant” - an apt description for a killer who is truly as dedicated to showing off his crimes as he is to actually committing them.) Police officer Alexander Blix is tasked with heading up the investigation—an investigation which becomes increasingly bizarre as bodies turn up that seem to be connected, but the missing athlete remains nowhere to be found. How are these crimes connected? And why does the killer appear to be fixated on targeting individuals in the public eye? As always, I won’t spoil anything, but this case soon takes on a “ticking clock” structure that makes it compulsively readable.
For a crime fiction series to keep me coming back for more, it doesn’t just take compelling mysteries—it also, and perhaps most importantly, takes compelling characters. Horst and Enger deliver exactly that in Emma Ramm and Alexander Blix. This unlikely duo forms an endearing friendship over the course of DEATH DESERVED, with Ramm and Blix working together, utilizing their contacts and leads (her as a member of the media, him as a police officer) to piece together the larger picture of a killer’s wild scheme. Blix and Ramm are both individuals shouldering heavy burdens and personal baggage. Years ago, Blix was involved in a case that went terribly wrong, and he is still processing the emotional trauma from that day. For Ramm, personal challenges have prevented her from truly opening up to those around her. This pair, both equally committed to their jobs, both equally burdened by their pasts, make for an unexpectedly fantastic crime solving duo. Though Ramm is technically a celebrity blogger, she quickly takes on the role of crime journalist when her professional assignment collides with this story’s central crime. She doggedly pursues the truth about the missing athlete, and quickly catches on to the intricate web of mystery and murder surrounding this disappearance. Blix isn’t supposed to speak with the media, but he and Ramm begin sharing information, and he finds in her an invaluable resource and confidante as the case progresses. Their partnership is both a compelling vehicle for the story’s central investigation and an engaging, authentic human drama.
DEATH DESERVED is a strong series launch from two of Norway’s beloved crime writers. Part serial killer thriller, part Nordic Noir, and all entertainment value, this book will reward readers with a gripping, ever more complex mystery, and with two protagonists whose distinct personalities play off one another as well as do the strengths of the authors who created them. I have been highly anticipating the English translation of DEATH DESERVED for quite some time now, and it delivered exactly what I’d hoped: a clever, gripping crime novel with personality, flair, and heart.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. All opinions my own.
Book Details:
Note: DEATH DESERVED will be published in the UK before it comes to the US. If you’re an American reader, the book will be available as an e-book on 1/15, and as a paperback in the UK on 2/20, at which point you can always order it from across the pond! Its paperback edition will come to the US at some point as well, and as soon as I know that date, I’ll share it here.
Paperback: 276 pages
Publisher: Orenda Books (20 Feb. 2020)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1913193004
ISBN-13: 978-1913193003
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Nordic Noir fans, listen up: if you’re not already reading the Blix and Ramm series, add it to your to-read pile immediately. Co-written by powerhouse Norwegian crime writers Thomas Enger and Jørn Lier Horst, the Blix and Ramm series merges the best of its authors’ crime writing strengths to deliver a gripping blend of realistic procedural elements and character-driven, emotional suspense. Out last month in e-book and coming soon in paperback, the latest installment, UNHINGED, takes this already-excellent series to the next level. In UNHINGED, protagonists Alexander Blix and Emma Ramm face their most personal case yet when one of their colleagues is targeted in an execution-style killing. UNHINGED pushes this series’ endearing characters to their breaking points in a thrilling plot that is both gripping and deeply heartfelt. I do recommend reading at least this series’ first installment (Death Deserved) before diving into UNHINGED; while the case itself here is stand-alone, much of this story’s impact relies on our connection to its characters, and having a bit of background exposure to them will make readers all the more invested in their fates. Fans of Lars Kepler, Stefan Ahnhem, and Søren Sveistrup won’t want to miss this top-notch Nordic thriller series.