Two years ago, Alexander Blix was the lead investigator in a missing person’s case where a young mother, Elisabeth Eie, had been kidnapped. The case came to a standstill when Blix’s own daughter was killed and he was arrested for avenging her. Blix is a now free man again, but Elisabeth’s kidnapper has found him, leaving evidence of her murder in Blix’s mailbox.
The police are unwilling to accept Blix’s help: Even if he was acquitted of his crime, his career in law enforcement is over. But Elisabeth’s murderer continues to pursue him, leading Blix to his new victims, while making it clear that he knows details from Blix’s private life that the former investigator has never shared with anyone…
Meanwhile, Emma Ramm has been contacted by a teenage girl, Carmen, whose stepfather has been arrested on suspicion of killing a childhood friend. But there is no body. Nor are there any other suspects…
Blix and Ramm can rely only on each other. And when Blix’s fingerprints are found on a child’s drawing at a crime scene, the present comes uncomfortably close to the past. A past where a victim has found their very own form of therapy. And it is clear that someone is watching…
Shocking, relentless and unbearably tense, Victim marks the return of the international bestselling, blockbuster Blix & Ramm series from two of Norway’s finest crime writers.
I am absolutely thrilled to be sharing my review of Victim by Jørn Lier Horst and Thomas Enger today. Many thanks to Orenda Books for sending me an advance digital copy of the book.
There is so much to admire in Victim, the fifth book in the excellent Blix and Ramm series – the multilayered plot is complemented by the superbly paced, rising sense of tension and the nuanced, thoughtful characterisation. Although it can be enjoyed as a standalone, I would seriously recommend reading the previous novels first to truly appreciate the emotional heft of this outstanding crime thriller. Alexander Blix and Emma Ramm have both experienced the worst that life can throw at a person, particularly Blix in recent years. He is a diminished man at the start of Victim; he might have been released from prison and exonerated of the crime which saw him incarcerated in Stigma but grief and guilt still bear heavily on him. He has also lost his job and perhaps worse, the respect of some of his former colleagues. Meanwhile, Emma is also questioning what lies ahead for her now she has made the decision to quit journalism. Their lives have been irrevocably intertwined since Emma's childhood but beyond that, they share an innate need to seek out the truth.
Although they are investigating two separate cases, the similarities are unavoidable. While missing and murdered women is an all-too familiar crime, Victim is given a fresh twist as Jørn Lier Horst and Thomas Enger explore a harrowing and often overlooked issue. As it becomes clear that Blix himself is irrevocably intertwined with the investigation into young mother, Elisabeth's murder, he is forced to re-examine his own past, in scenes which are deeply moving, He is, of course, still grieving for his daughter, Iselin and the compassionate portrayal of such a poignant subject is exemplary. From the moments where he is blindsided by the pain of his loss, to the gradual re-awakening of hope, Victim isn't just a compulsive mystery, it is also a masterclass in empathy.
The murderer seems intent on grabbing Blix's attention, with disturbing phone calls, grisly photos and perhaps most chillingly, by leaving a child's drawing at places where it can't be explained or ignored – particularly when it bears Blix's fingerprints. While he desperately tries to figure out what the clues he is being sent are pointing to, Emma has been asked to look into a case where it seems the police believe they have already arrested the killer, despite not yet having found Maria Norman's body. Although it seems as though almost everyone is convinced that Oliver Krogh is guilty, including his wife, Emma's journalistic instincts mean she continues investigating and uncovers some startling revelations. The complexity of Victim is impressive; both cases are intricately plotted, suspenseful mysteries but Jørn Lier Horst and Thomas Enger keep the pace flowing effortlessly throughout.
The relationship between Blix and Emma has always been an integral part of this series but becomes particularly fascinating here. Where once, Blix assumed a fatherly role in her life, now she had become his mainstay and there are some beautifully affecting scenes between them. Blix also has two new significant relationships introduced during the course of Victim; I have no doubt that everybody will fall in love with Terry, while the gentle patience shown by Tomine, means I hope to see more of her character in the future.
As the novel builds towards its shocking, dramatic conclusion, Blix and Ramm have to rely on one another more than ever and the tension becomes almost unbearable – I read with my heart pounding, almost too nervous to turn the page. Megan Turney's translation shouldn't go unmentioned either; she ensures none of the suspense or emotion of the original is lost.
Jørn Lier Horst and Thomas Enger's electrifying narrative is irresistible and Victim is another exceptional instalment in a series which consistently offers the very best in crime fiction. The piercingly honest exploration of some distressing, tragic topics is heartrending and yet ultimately it is a novel imbued with the promise of hope. Thrilling, emotive and completely unmissable, I cannot recommend it highly enough.
Victim will be published by Orenda Books on 7th November 2024, it can be pre-ordered from their website, further purchasing links can be found here.
About the Authors
Jørn Lier Horst
Thomas Enger
About the Translator
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