Sara BlædelCritiques

Well it was ok, not very heavy on the mystery, but maybe I was distracted by this description of Racine as a rundown small town on the prairie.

A pretty good police procedural. I also thought it felt very authentic to how the Copenhagen police department might go about solving multiple crimes. If I have a complaint it’s that one of the murders wrapped up a little too easy but then again....I am sure that actually happens.

Danmark, ca 2015
Louise Rick har orlov i et halvt år og efter fire måneder er hun, plejesønnen Jonas, Eik og Stephanie, nået til Thailand, da hun får et opkald fra Danmark om at hendes lillebror Mikkel har forsøgt selvmord. Mikkel var fortvivlet over at hans kone, Trine, igen har forladt ham og deres to små børn, Kirstine og Malte, på fire og seks. Mikkel var der for Louise, da hendes kæreste Klaus døde.

???½

I received a copy of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley.

This did not start off well for me: junior detective Nassrin's first task in the book is updating intelligence about hundreds of people of 'Arab roots' in the area. It wasn't clear to me if this was because they were Arab, or because they also happened to be criminals, or if it was the position of the Danish police that all Arabs were likely to be criminals. Next Nassrin witnesses a woman being sexually assaulted, and steps in (so far, so good) only to take the perpetrator home to sober up, telling him he has been making a nuisance of himself.

I also struggled with the translation - presumably there is more work to be done before publication, since surely even spellcheck would have caught 'shined' for 'shone', but what on earth does 'a hippie pastor with spaghetti in her pockets' even mean? Also, the term 'residential school' has a specific meaning here in Canada. If the translator just meant boarding school, they should have said that.

As for the plot itself, I thought it was pretty good. The peril of the situation of the people who disappeared was well-described, and things moved along at a good pace. However, the female detectives spent the entire book squabbling with each other in a very immature fashion, which was tiresome, and I was left with a few unanswered questions at the end. Also, it was pretty obvious who the baddie was - apart from anything else there was no one else left to suspect after a certain point in the story.½

Terzo libro (per noi ma in effetti il nono della serie) e terza vicenda che squarcia finalmente il velo che nasconde il passato di Eik, il collega e attuale compagno dell’ispettrice Louise Rick. Avvincente e intrigante un’altra storia piena di mistero che ho letto con piacere.

Secondo libro per noi, ma in effetti ottavo di questa serie che mi sta pian piano conquistando. Una storia piuttosto intrigante che ci porta alla scoperta di riti pagani legati alla mitologia norrena e che ci aprirà anche uno squarcio nel passato dell’investigatrice Louise Rick.
Una storia intrigante e avvincente che spiega anche qualcosa in più rispetto al precedente libro sulla vita della protagonista e di quanto alcuni eventi abbiano influito sulla sua vita.

Sinceramente non ho capito il senso di cominciare a tradurre in italiano una serie partendo dal settimo libro pur considerato che da qui inizia la parte che vede la protagonista, Louise Rick, a capo della nuova sezione investigativa “Persone scomparse”. Anche tenendo conto del fatto che si tratta di un lavoro nuovo, in un posto nuovo, con colleghi nuovi si perde tutto il passato della protagonista e non si riesce a capire bene quali eventi, chi e cosa del passato l’abbiano influenzata se non addirittura condizionata. In sostanza viene data per scontata una conoscenza approfondita del personaggio di cui, invece, non sappiamo nulla e tutto risulta piuttosto superficiale se non quasi incomprensibile e, ovviamente, oggetto di voli pindarici che chissà se hanno a che fare con la realtà del personaggio. Per il resto la storia si presenta intrigante e avvincente ma sconta questa partenza “ritardata” rispetto a una serie che all’estero è invece ben collaudata.

I enjoyed this latest entry in the Louise Rick series. Even though Louise is on leave from her police job, she becomes involved in a case involving her sister-in-law who is missing from her home. The case is extremely personal because Louise's brother is a suspect, and Louise can't be officially involved. Other personal issues complicate solving the case, but Louise and her journalist friend, Camilla, cooperate to locate two missing women and discover the connection to a historical case in the area.
Both women deal with the work/home conflict and family relationships and struggle with feelings of doubt about their parental decision-making.½

Second book I've read by Blaedel. I don't know. She writes a good story leading up to the discovery, then it's just too easy. This one, the woman keeps her trap shut then just lets it all out short of drawing a diagram for Louise.

The sexual assault of Louise just didn't need to happen. Come on, please? There are much better ways to include that twist in Louise's past. Or at least do the character the honor of not poorly writing the reason for it into one big ol' cliche of dialog.

Louise and Eik... I liked Eik, but he's a drunk. If any woman with a lick of sense first met a man by dragging him out of a bar, she wouldn't want to sleep with him. Maybe if this happened in a later book with build up and development, it would have less meh. But you know what? An alcoholic can easily be written out by either screwing up or bowing out for rehab. So, I'm wondering if Blaedel will continue with this character or give him a "where is he now" bit in chapter 2.

Blaedel knows how to move a plot in pieces and bring it all together. I enjoyed most of this book, but the points above just killed it for me.

El departamento de Homicidios de la jefatura de Policía de Copenhague se ve sumido en una frenética actividad cuando en un mismo fin de semana tiene que enfrentarse a dos asesinatos. Una joven es estrangulada en el parque de Ostre Anlaeg y un periodista es asesinado en el patio trasero del Royal Hotel. La detective Louise Rick es asignada al caso de la joven, aunque pronto se ve también involucrada en la investigación del segundo asesinato cuando resulta que su mejor amiga, Camilla Lind, reportera de sucesos en el Morgenavisen, conoce a la víctima y está decidida a investigar el asunto. Louise intenta persuadir a su amiga para que se mantenga al margen de algo que, tal vez, tenga unas repercusiones mayores de las que ella puede abarcar. Sin embargo, Camilla no es una persona que preste oídos a los buenos consejos cuando huele una buena historia y, cuando gente importante del mundo de la droga se pone en contacto con ella, el caso adquiere tintes dramáticos.

Well, I borrowed this because I didn't have anything on hand I wanted to read. It was a mistake. The plot seemed to be a jumble of various peoples' secrets and lies, with the protagonist simply wandering around asking questions and stirring up trouble, getting no answers whatsoever. Doesn't help my attitude to be faced on the last page with "to be continued." Not by me, it won't be.

A woman's body is found in the forest, but no one seems to know who she is. Louise Rick then discovers that the woman is already dead, or rather that she was a patient in a state mental institution and was declared dead 30 years ago. Now Louise and her colleague Eik must find out how a woman can be declared dead and then end up dead for real decades later.

Have you ever read something good, but at the same time revolting to read? You know the kind of engrossing book, but with a really really sick ending? This book is that kind of book. I started to read it yesterday, read it this night when my cat didn't want to sleep and kept me up and I finished it today. And, it was such a good book, a real page-turner.

Louise Rick is the new commander for the Missing Persons Department and I sometimes found her to have a bit of an attitude problem, but slowly pieces from her past reveled and that made it easier to understand her. Eik her new colleague annoyed Louise quite a lot in the beginning and I can understand that since she had to pick him up from a pub in the morning and he was a bit hungover not the best first impression, but they worked well together when she realized what a great cop he is. The case itself was interesting and as I mentioned quite disturbing. Besides the fact that they have the dead women mystery to figure out, a rapist is also attacking women in the woods where they found her. Louise also has to deal with memories from the past and her best friends problems with her upcoming wedding.

The book was really good and I want to read the previous six books in this series.

4.5 stars

Thanks to Grand Central Publishing and NetGalley for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

I have with this one read the last three books in this series, which means that six unread books to read. And, that's a comforting thought because I really like this series. So far, has not a single book disappointed me and the thing with The Lost Woman that I really enjoyed was that an old case could finally be closed. A very personal case for Eik, Louise Rick lover, and police colleague. Several years ago did Eik's girlfriend disappear and now she has been found. Well, the English police found out her real identity first after she had been murdered...

I liked the case, I like how it turned upside down Louise life, well that sounds cruel. However, in a way, this is what Eik needed to close to something that's been on his mind for almost twenty years. The question is will their relationship survive this? And, who and why killed Sofie Parker? There are a lot of twist and turns, especially problematic is it for Louise who has to deal with a lover that doesn't tell her about the murder instead gets a call from England that Eik is there, and he's been arrested because he is drunk and has caused some trouble. Now she has to travel to England and confront him about not telling her about Sofie. This would be hard enough if he was just her colleague, but as they are lovers is this cause turning out to be very personal.

The Lost Woman is an interesting book, there are flashbacks back to Sofie's life in Denmark, which makes one understand why she ended up in England. The murder of Sofie is also just the start, soon more people will fall victim to a killer, and Louise has to work out to find out what the connection is to Sofie. The book is thrilling and engaging to read and I'm looking forward to reading the ones I have not yet read!

I want to thank the publisher for providing me with a free copy through NetGalley for an honest review!

The Undertaker's Daughter is definitely something completely different from what I had expected when it comes to a Sara Blaedel book. For one thing, it did not feel like a thriller, more a mystery book. And, despite the serious subject did the book feel a lot more humorous than I had expected. You know the sad kind of humor when everything goes wrong, but in a funny kind of way. Like in this book when Ilka is out shopping for a coffin when the coffin that ass ordered wouldn't be delivered because of debts.

The book is, despite the lack of suspense still good. I breezed through the book and I found the book fascinating to read when it came to the difference between funerals in the United States and in Scandinavia. This is a book that does not answer all the questions, there is a cliffhanger in the end and I will definitely read the next book to know what will happen to the funeral home, and to find out more about Sister Eileen who seems very mysterious.

As for the unsolved murder, this is actually the books weakest point in my opinion. It's not like Ilka does much to solve the cold case, it's more that everything happens around the dead body that is found. Ilka is more a bystander than an active solver of the murder.

The best part of this book is definitely everything concerning the funeral home, Ilka trying to get to grips with her father's legacy and it will be interesting to read the next book to see what happens next.

I want to thank Grand Central Publishing for providing me with a free copy through NetGalley for an honest review!

I read the previous book in this series last year and it was great to return to this series and to finally find out what really happened to Louise boyfriend Klaus 20 years ago when he allegedly killed himself. Louise Rick is an interesting character whose personal life has been affected deeply by Klaus suicide and in this case, with a missing boy must she confront old acquaintances of her and Klaus. In so will both she and those that she love risk danger because there are some secrets are people ready to kill to protect!

It's the case that really makes this book so intriguing because the missing boy is a member of an Asatru cult, people that worship Odin, Thor and the rest of the Nordic Gods. It was quite interesting, especially since I have always had an interest in Nordic mythology and to read about people that have returned to the old ways with blot (sacrificial feast) was fascinating. Well, it would have been even better if they didn't seem to use the cult to do bad things.

I enjoyed this book, just as much as I enjoyed the previous book. I do want to read the previous six book so that I can get to know Louise more and to learn more about her and Camilla and the rest of the characters in the book. And, I want to read the next book in the series now that she has finally put the past to rest and moved on. What's next for her and family?

A woman's body is found in the forest, but no one seems to know who she is. Louise Rick then discovers that the woman is already dead, or rather that she was a patient in a state mental institution and was declared dead 30 years ago. Now Louise and her colleague Eik must find out how a woman can be declared dead and then end up dead for real decades later.

Have you ever read something good, but at the same time revolting to read? You know the kind of engrossing book, but with a really really sick ending? This book is that kind of book. I started to read it yesterday, read it this night when my cat didn't want to sleep and kept me up and I finished it today. And, it was such a good book, a real page-turner.

Louise Rick is the new commander for the Missing Persons Department and I sometimes found her to have a bit of an attitude problem, but slowly pieces from her past reveled and that made it easier to understand her. Eik her new colleague annoyed Louise quite a lot in the beginning and I can understand that since she had to pick him up from a pub in the morning and he was a bit hungover not the best first impression, but they worked well together when she realized what a great cop he is. The case itself was interesting and as I mentioned quite disturbing. Besides the fact that they have the dead women mystery to figure out, a rapist is also attacking women in the woods where they found her. Louise also has to deal with memories from the past and her best friends problems with her upcoming wedding.

The book was really good and I want to read the previous six books in this series.

4.5 stars

Thanks to Grand Central Publishing and NetGalley for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

A captivating story from Denmark's most popular novelist, Sara Blaedel. Translated by Mark Kline.
Features Detective Louise Rick while she's on leave between her police positions. She is alone on a beach in Thailand when she gets an emergency call from home. Her brother has attempted suicide and his wife is missing. An involved story line reaching back to a school trip in the past. Spellbinding!½

DNF. Got bored and lost interest.

I found this book very interesting. It's set in Denmark and reflects the culture there. It also focuses on their "immigrant problem," in this case with a Jordanian family. Either the translation or the author's English is poor, so the rioting sometimes was flat or ungrammatical, but I still plan to read her other books.

Only One Life is the third book in author Sara Blaedel’s Louise Rick Police Procedural series but the second one to be translated from Danish to English. In this outing Louise is involved in the investigation into the death of a Jordanian immigrant teen in a small Danish town. Because the victim was a young emigrant Muslim, the police immediately suspect that she was a victim of a family honor killing and turned their attention on the family.

Although the story was interesting, I found it was moving too slowly and I was beginning to lose interest when a second death occurred which propelled the case forward and finally focused the investigation in the right direction. Unfortunately many believed in the theory of an honor killing and there were anti-immigrant slurs and the hint of violence that had to be dealt with.

Overall I found the book lacked suspense, but the tension between the two different cultures was handled well. The author kept a good balance between Louise’s work life and her private life, and I will be reading on in the series.½

It has been a while since I read the other books in this series. The writing is great. Not too much information, but enough so that you feel like you are there. Great ending

The newest installment of the Detective Louise Rick series from Sara Blaedel. Not sure if she's using a new translater or that I have gotten used to the translation! Anyway, my primary issue was always some startling expressions that I figured had to do with the translation. Very good mystery and additional information on Louise Rick and her decisions regarding her personal life and work life.

This gets a whole-hearted "no" from me. A flat combination of unconvincing and unlikable characters, lumpen prose, and implausible plot. And hey, I've ploughed through a bunch of so-so crime novels before now just for the escapism they offered, but the off-putting attitudes towards people with intellectual disabilities and the weird strain of internalised misogyny meant I couldn't even turn my brain off while reading The Forgotten Girls.½

jag gillar Sara Blaedel. Alltid välskrivet och spännande så även denna bok även om den kändes väl överdriven emellanåt. Inte en av hennes bättre men helt ok.½

Serien om Louise Rick är riktigt bra. Och denna bok är den bästa hittills. Spännande med bra karaktärer och en bra intrig.