Big Sister, by Norwegian crime novelist Gunnar Staalesen, is a fast-moving story about P.I. Varg Veum's search for a missing teenage girl; additionally we follow Veum while he meets his half-sister for the first time, as she is the godmother of the missing girl. The book, while quickly paced, and interestingly resolved, definitely had some problems which lessened my enjoyment. Mainly, it is that the plot hinges on characters known neither to the detective or the reader, and that there are far too many coincidences keeping the book from being realistic. However, I understand that Staalsen has a large following in Scandinavia, so it is possible that my irritation with some parts of the book are due to my pickiness, and not some failure of the author. In my eyes, Big Sister is a mediocre book that I won't be recommending, nor will it prompt me to find more books by Gunnar Staalsen. ( )

Grabbed this from the library display on a whim. It was enjoyable, but I'm coming in rather late to the character's development. I feel like I learned a lot of backstory presumably revealed/discovered over the last 19 books, and happened to start with one that explores a new facet that seems pretty important. I would have preferred to start much earlier in the series but don't know that I want to go back and do it now. ( )

There are things I like a lot about Varg Veum, Staalesen’s long-running PI hero. He’s somewhat modeled on the American hardboiled tradition – a tarnished hero who goes down mean streets, cracking wise – but he’s also Norwegian, so instead of being a former cop, he’s a former social worker. That said, I’ve never totally clicked with this series, and I’m not sure why. This was as enjoyable an entry as any I’ve read. Varg has a client who wants him to take on a missing persons case. But it turns out she, herself, is a bit of a missing person – a half-sister he never knew he had. The missing girl is her god-daughter, and she has vanished after moving to the big city. She had previously sought out her estranged father, who turns out to be a piece of work as Varg retraces her steps. There’s a biker gang and an act of violence to be uncovered from the past, a murder or two, and another family surprise for Varg before it’s all over.

Big Sister – Top Nordic Noir

Gunnar Staalesen is back and once again proving why he is regarded as one of the best Nordic Noir thriller on the scene. He is also is my favourite way of visiting Norway without having to put up with the cold weather and the darkness of a Norwegian winter. Big Sister is once again Staalesen at his sublime best, with all his darkness and throwing in a surprising twist when you think you have everything sorted out in your mind.

Varg Veum’s world has changed, well around him anyway, as his office has now been absorbed into a hotel, maybe even slightly improved. The rain in November provides all the gloom you need, or you think you need. When Veum’s half sister employs him to find a girl in Bergen on a case the police have refused to take seriously.

Veum’s investigation takes on a direction of all its own and turns in to a rollercoaster ride in the gloom. Once Veum has picked at a scab that would probably been better off left alone. What he discovers a world of crimes that have been covered up, some by blind faith and ignorance, and others because people did not want to take a closer look.

What ever Veum seems to do, all roads lead towards a gang of bikers and the even scarier part of the modern world, the internet. When things turn personal, it is Veum that seems to be on the end of it, however painful it seems to get.

Big Sister will have you gripped from beginning to end, shocked but still entertained. Staalesen’s Varg Veum series gets better with every outing, and it is hard to believe that this series has been going for over forty years.

The translation, by Don Bartlett, is second to none as usual and well done to Karen Sullivan in bring this series to the English reader, through Orenda Books. ( )

Bergen based investigator Varg Veum is at a stage in his life where nothing much surprises him. So when a new client introduces herself as his half sister, it’s almost enough to make a guy reach for the Aquavit.

After tracking him down, Norma Bakkevik wasted no time with small talk. She wants him to find her teenage god-daughter, Emma Haglund. She left a troubled home life & moved to Bergen several weeks ago but no one has heard from her since. Varg has many questions. About Emma….and about Norma & their mother.

His search for Emma requires dogged determination. Her circle is small & it’s not long before his questions lead to her estranged (and piece of….work) father & his new family. There’s a reason he left Emma & her mother all those years ago & it’s not very pleasant. Varg has to wonder if a decades old crime has ties to Emma’s disappearance.

What starts as a simple missing persons case soon evolves into so much more. Varg’s digging opens old wounds & brings unwanted attention from those who’d prefer he left things alone. But it’s information about his own past & a sudden shocking loss that leave Varg reeling.

This is an engrossing & intricate read that works on a couple of different levels. You have his current case which initially moves slowly as information & characters are presented. At the halfway mark, the pace picks up considerably as the investigation takes a dangerous turn. There are some surprising reveals ahead as pieces fall into place although the author saves the best twist for the final chapter.

But there is a deeper theme that runs through every thread of the story. Family…not just the one you’re born into but the one you create. Norma introduces Varg to a side of his family he never knew & it forces him to reexamine his parents in a new light. Like Emma, he has to decide how much he’ll allow the past to intrude on the present.

One of the great things about a long running series is the relationship you develop with the MC. They age with you & every time I pick up one of these, I feel like I’m catching up with an old friend. Varg is in his 60’s now & a little worn around the edges. But on a personal level, he’s in a better place. He’s less impulsive & more inclined to use brains over brawn to solve his cases. He’s even attempting a bit of a fitness regime (more stairs, less Aquavit). He’s always been the thinking man’s detective & the personal ramifications from this case ensure he’ll have plenty to ponder as he waits for the next client to walk through his door. ( )