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3.55 AVERAGE
3.55 AVERAGE
‘He who fears the wolf shouldn’t go into the forest.’
Chief Inspector Konrad Sejer and his team are called into investigate the murder of Halldis Horn, an elderly woman who lives alone in the woods near a small village. It seems that the chief suspect is Errki Johrma, a loner who is probably psychotic and has recently escaped from a mental institution. Many people fear Errki because bad things seem to happen around him, including the death of his mother. The only witness is Kannick Snelligen, a twelve year old boy with problems of his own and who lives at a nearby home for delinquents.
While police are seeking Errki for questioning, a nearby bank is robbed and a hostage is taken. The police need to track down the robber and his hostage. The two cases become linked as it becomes clear that Errki is the hostage. Errki and his kidnapper, Morten Garpe (Morgan), form a temporary but meaningful bond. This bond which is tested when Kannick Snellingen joins them, but by then Errki’s story has been slowly revealed and it is hard not to feel sorry for him rather than afraid of him.
This story is more about Errki than Sejer, but Sejer’s painstaking information-gathering is critical to solving the case and also in understanding how prejudice and disadvantage can play their own role. The ending is tragic, but probably inevitable. In this case, at least, the disadvantaged do not triumph.
Although ‘He Who Fears the Wolf’ is the third book in the Inspector Konrad Sejer series, it is first one I’ve read. It was recommended to me by a friend, and I’ll certainly be looking to read some more. As far as I can find out, the first book in the series has not yet been translated into English.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
Chief Inspector Konrad Sejer and his team are called into investigate the murder of Halldis Horn, an elderly woman who lives alone in the woods near a small village. It seems that the chief suspect is Errki Johrma, a loner who is probably psychotic and has recently escaped from a mental institution. Many people fear Errki because bad things seem to happen around him, including the death of his mother. The only witness is Kannick Snelligen, a twelve year old boy with problems of his own and who lives at a nearby home for delinquents.
While police are seeking Errki for questioning, a nearby bank is robbed and a hostage is taken. The police need to track down the robber and his hostage. The two cases become linked as it becomes clear that Errki is the hostage. Errki and his kidnapper, Morten Garpe (Morgan), form a temporary but meaningful bond. This bond which is tested when Kannick Snellingen joins them, but by then Errki’s story has been slowly revealed and it is hard not to feel sorry for him rather than afraid of him.
This story is more about Errki than Sejer, but Sejer’s painstaking information-gathering is critical to solving the case and also in understanding how prejudice and disadvantage can play their own role. The ending is tragic, but probably inevitable. In this case, at least, the disadvantaged do not triumph.
Although ‘He Who Fears the Wolf’ is the third book in the Inspector Konrad Sejer series, it is first one I’ve read. It was recommended to me by a friend, and I’ll certainly be looking to read some more. As far as I can find out, the first book in the series has not yet been translated into English.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
dark
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Inspector Sejer is at his best here pulling the pieces of two investigations together and the plot draws the reader in. The characters are not as cold as they are in some of Karin's other work, which is not a criticism , but an observation. Karin's treatment of the Errki characters condition and development was a refreshing change from other authors who lump all mental health issues under " psychotic nutter" tag - Karin is not overly sympathetic to the character and allows the reader to form there own understanding of this his condition and actions.
A great read with a good twist in the tail
A great read with a good twist in the tail
I have read the first three books in this series and I appreciate that they do not all follow the same structure. This was my least favorite of the three. Not much procedural here and a lot inside the heads of the suspects. I wish we had learned more about Erkki, the most interesting character.
One thing that was strange, and I don't know if this had to do with the translation or the fact that I was reading on a Kindle, but the point of view/scene, etc. changes without even a space.
One thing that was strange, and I don't know if this had to do with the translation or the fact that I was reading on a Kindle, but the point of view/scene, etc. changes without even a space.
Karin Fossum skriver krim litt utenom det vanlige. Historiene hennes gir et innblikk i menneskesinnet og handler ofte om dem som står på utsiden av det etablerte samfunn. Denne boken handler ikke hovedsaklig om å finne ut hvem som har gjort hva, det dreier seg heller om å finne ut hvorfor de enkelte menneskene har gjort det de har gjort. Boken er skrevet med stor psykologisk innsikt.
First and foremost, I hate this translator. She makes everything so confusing! Learn how to use pronouns with antecedents! That is actually important when it comes to writing and reading. She also has no respect for appropriate punctuation. This is a work of serious adult fiction; crimes have been committed, people have died, psychosis are being analyzed. Please control you use of exclamation marks outside of dialogue. (Actually, I'm not sure that any of the at least 7 exclamation points were used IN the dialogue, but in the narrative. It makes the narrative voice sound silly and juvenile.) And never use "?!" at the end of a sentence ever again, please. I can't wait to move on from her--thankfully there's only one more book to go that was translated by David.
I thought that this book had a bit of a "second book syndrome." I liked all the new information we got about Sejer and Skarre, but the story itself was a bit dull compared to the first two.
I thought that this book had a bit of a "second book syndrome." I liked all the new information we got about Sejer and Skarre, but the story itself was a bit dull compared to the first two.
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Maybe it was the translation but I found the writing here really stiff and awkward. Many of the word choices were so general as to be confusing and often the book read like an sub-par kids' book. I didn't really buy the relationship at the center of the story and thought I found the Inspector intriguing there didn't seem to be enough of him to get involved with him. The opening sequence is rivetting, the solution itself is satisfying and there are a few interesting twists, but all in all not that interesting.