Reviews with content warning for Animal death - De dødes tjern

If you are in search of an atmospheric read set in the isolated forests of Norway, then look no further than André Bjerke’s The Lake of the Dead. Translated from its original Norwegian, this book is a national favorite within Norway. According to the book’s introduction (written by the translator), Norway’s horror genre does not go as deep as that of the U.S. and other countries, but this is as close to a Norwegian horror narrative as it gets. I would classify this as a hybrid between thriller and detective fiction. It mixes that feeling of always being watched with a band of amateur detectives, each with their own way of finding the solution.

After buying a cabin deep in the forest, one that the locals call “Dead Man’s Cabin,” Bjorn Werner goes missing within two weeks of arriving at the property. Legend says that over a century ago, a man killed his sister and her lover, throwing their bodies into Blue Lake, and then committed suicide after going mad with guilt. According to local authorities, Bjorn’s footprints led to the lake’s edge, leaving them to assume suicide. His family and friends think differently. Whether it was foul play or supernatural events, they are determined to come to the truth. Hopefully before more of them perish.

There is so much to enjoy about this book. I felt the tension and fear experienced by the narrator. Reading Bjorn’s last few diary entries was particularly unnerving. I am not an expert in horror, so I do not know what horror buffs would think of this narrative, but I do think it is a great title for those who enjoy elements of the thriller genre. Interestingly, there are also many classic mystery tropes and themes! The self-referential nods to detective fiction tropes – just the way I like it – reminded me of John Dickson Carr and Vincent Starrett. Bjerke features a variety of detectives, too: Gran, the classic deductive sleuth; Bugge, the psychoanalyst; Mork, believer in the occult; and Borge, our Hastings-inspired narrator.

The only let down for me was the solution. I understand that some thriller and mystery readers find the entire book a waste of time if they did not enjoy or appreciate the wrap-up, but I don’t think my feelings about the solution dictate how much fun I had reading the rest of the narrative. I must admit that my current graduate coursework may be to blame for my distaste for the ending. Before picking up The Lake of the Dead, my brain had been fully immersed in Freudian theories, to the point where I never want to discuss Sigmund Freud ever again! Unfortunately, the ending gives the reader a very Freudian solution. And so, my feelings about the ending are likely biased. Be sure to give this book a try if the atmosphere and mystery have intrigued you!

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