In Norway’s far north, something unspeakable is surfacing…
When a mutilated body rises from the icy waters off the jetty in Kjerringøy, it shocks the quiet coastal village – and stirs something darker beneath. Not long after, a young woman is found dead in a drab Bodø apartment. Suicide, perhaps. Or something far more sinister.
Detective Jakob Weber and former national investigator Noora Yun Sande are drawn into both cases. Then a hiker reports a terrifying encounter in the nearby wilderness: a solitary cabin … and a man without a face.
As the investigation deepens, the clues grow more disturbing – and the wild, wintry landscape closes in. Jakob is certain of one thing: if they don’t find the killer soon, he’ll strike again.
SECOND in the dark, addictive Nordic Noir series set in Norway’s unforgiving Arctic north.
I'm delighted to be hosting the blog tour for Into the Dark by Ørjan Karlsson today. Many thanks to Orenda Books for my advance copy of the book and Anne Cater from Random Things Tours for inviting me.
Into The Dark is the second book in Ørjan Karlsson's Arctic Mysteries series and although it can be enjoyed as a standalone, I would strongly recommend reading Into Thin Air first. As well as containing some spoilers to events in the previous novel, the ongoing consequences of that investigation are examined here. Set in the far north of Norway, Into The Dark is Nordic Noir at its most chillingly atmospheric. The isolated location lends itself perfectly to a tense, claustrophobic tale where nothing is perhaps as it seems and yet our instincts may be proven right after all...
Ørjan Karlsson's adept rendering of a nerve-shatteringly suspenseful scene is immediately apparent in the sinister prologue which warns readers of the creepy darkness which will ensue here and this is a nail-biting read from start to finish. Before long, the local police in this remote part of Norway have two bodies to deal with – but are they both murder victims and if so, are they somehow connected? Former national investigator Noora Yun Sande is still bearing the physical and emotional scars of her ordeal in Into Thin Air, while Detective Jakob Weber has to deal with his dissatisfaction about the unfinished conclusion to this last case, his concerns about some of his colleagues and his doubts about what his own future may hold for him. As he reflects upon the loneliness of his retired former partner, he needs to make decisions about his personal life but trust issues, grief and guilt threatens his potential happiness.
Ørjan Karlsson's insightful writing ensures I have become fully invested in the lives of the main characters, while being fascinated – sometimes unnervingly so – by the actions and motivations of those they investigate. There are some repugnant characters here but just what they are guilty of is never fully revealed until late in proceedings. Meanwhile, the rising body count, shocking revelations and eerie encounters means Into The Dark is a compulsively twisty read. The sense of place is excellent throughout too, and praise should also go to Ian Giles whose seamless translation captures all of the dramatic tension, as well as the natural flow of the language. This intense, dark thriller keeps the shocks coming but it is also a perceptive exploration of trauma and the conclusion is never obvious. The riveting climax is charged with emotion but although some mysteries are solved here, Ørjan Karlsson cleverly leaves us with some deliciously frustrating cliffhangers.
With its bleak, gritty portrayal of the darker recesses of society and its thoughtful consideration of the repercussions of loss and trauma, Into The Dark is a superb example of why I love Nordic Noir. I can't wait to read what lies in store for Jakob and Noora next but in the meantime, I highly recommend this first-rate thriller.
Into The Dark is published by Orenda Books and can be ordered from their website, further purchasing links can be found here.
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