mpr2000's review
4.0
Four victims a few days before Christmas, this is the new case of the Oslo police. Hanne Wilhelmsen and her partner Billy T. don't know where to start investigating, the dead family or the stranger who was with them? All the families have their own secrets, but are they enough to kill?
First of all you have to know that this is a Norwegian crime, were slowly but surely you will untangle this difficult crime with the help of Anne Holt and her tenacious detectives.
In this case, the victims are part of the high Oslo society, rich but with a lot of dark secrets. The rest of the family could be the killers; the son, the daughter, the uncle... or there's something more Sometimes I am quite happy to not be rich! Covering secrets to just not damage the name of the family seems so crazy, don't you think?
It's not just the crime that I liked in this book, we can see a little representation of the Norwegian police and society. Making the police human, with problems, fear and happiness is not a thing we normally read in a book. Hanne is a brave policewoman, where she's not scared to show to all her co-workers that maybe are wrong, but at the same time she has feelings, fears and can love!
This is my first ever Anne Holt book, but I liked her direct style, this is the 7th book of the Hanne Wilhelmsen series, but I can assure you that you will follow the case perfectly!
Murder happens in the best families and bribes at the best police workers, Anne Holt manages a dark case cleverly and artfully, where the answers could be so easy and difficult to face at the same time, that in the end you will just want to re-read the book again to fill up all the blank spaces.
Immerse in the cold and dark Oslo streets where the lonely dogs are not the most dangerous things you can face!
Do you really know your family?
First of all you have to know that this is a Norwegian crime, were slowly but surely you will untangle this difficult crime with the help of Anne Holt and her tenacious detectives.
In this case, the victims are part of the high Oslo society, rich but with a lot of dark secrets. The rest of the family could be the killers; the son, the daughter, the uncle... or there's something more Sometimes I am quite happy to not be rich! Covering secrets to just not damage the name of the family seems so crazy, don't you think?
It's not just the crime that I liked in this book, we can see a little representation of the Norwegian police and society. Making the police human, with problems, fear and happiness is not a thing we normally read in a book. Hanne is a brave policewoman, where she's not scared to show to all her co-workers that maybe are wrong, but at the same time she has feelings, fears and can love!
This is my first ever Anne Holt book, but I liked her direct style, this is the 7th book of the Hanne Wilhelmsen series, but I can assure you that you will follow the case perfectly!
Murder happens in the best families and bribes at the best police workers, Anne Holt manages a dark case cleverly and artfully, where the answers could be so easy and difficult to face at the same time, that in the end you will just want to re-read the book again to fill up all the blank spaces.
Immerse in the cold and dark Oslo streets where the lonely dogs are not the most dangerous things you can face!
Do you really know your family?
atm2468's review against another edition
4.0
this has at least cleared up the mystery of '1222' which was translated some time ago
oblivione's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
lasbulle's review against another edition
3.0
Helt okej bra deckare som höll mig underhållen i ett dygn. Gillar Holts karaktärer ganska bra, gillar inte mönstren av likheter som jag redan efter tre lästa Holt-böcker hittar överallt. Lukten av härsken frukt, minttabletterna när karaktärerna ska dölja bakfylla osv. Återkommer lite för ofta, haha.
laurenla's review against another edition
3.0
A writer well worth reading in translation, with a truly cantankerous and difficult police detective lead, Hanne. She reminded me in some ways of the Danish lead character of The Bridge TV series...with everyone around mesmerised by her and awed by her detection skills.
As I haven't read the earlier books in this Norwegian police procedural series there was a bit too much importance placed on Hanne's long-term relationships. Holt is a strong writer, detailed and realistic, not overly gory and I would recommend this series for the unusual lead and glimpse of Norwegian life. I have read and highly recommend the next book in the series, 1222 and plan to go back and start at the beginning of Hanne's career!
As I haven't read the earlier books in this Norwegian police procedural series there was a bit too much importance placed on Hanne's long-term relationships. Holt is a strong writer, detailed and realistic, not overly gory and I would recommend this series for the unusual lead and glimpse of Norwegian life. I have read and highly recommend the next book in the series, 1222 and plan to go back and start at the beginning of Hanne's career!
charf47's review against another edition
4.0
I had not read any of the Hanne Wilhelmsen novels before, but I have certainly added them to my 'to read' list now. 'Beyond the Truth' is a story of the complexities of family life and the extent to which people can be driven to obtain what they feel is owing to them. It is a gripping story of corruption and murder. It is also the story of a woman who is somewhat of an outsider in both her personal life and professional life, but who is driven to learn the truth and see justice prevail. Anne Holt has now become one of my favourite Scandanavian noir authors. Thanks to Scribner and NetGalley for the ARC.
tonstantweader's review
4.0
In a shocking opening sequence, Beyond the Truth begins with an aged, cold, wounded, and hungry stray dog searching for food and shelter in a well-to-do neighborhood that he considers his turf. He is looking for food and shelter. He finds it.
Beyond the Truth is the seventh book in the Hanne Wilhemsen police procedural series by Norwegian author Anne Holt. It takes place between December 19th and December 28th during those post-solstice holiday days with five hours of weak sunlight during the long Nordic nights. It is Christmas in Oslo and four people were murdered. The time of year, the gloomy days with a febrile sun are as much a character in the the book as the people. Place is just everything, and you will shiver more than once.
Three of the victims belong to a well-known family whose internecine legal battles point to some obvious suspects. The other takes a while longer to identify. He a writer and who knows why he was there. The team of investigators that Hanne works with are pleased with their rapid progress in putting together a case against the very guilty looking son who was suing his father.
Meanwhile on the homefront, Hanne’s father has just died, her partner wants to have a baby, and Hanne is thinking of retiring and opening up a detective agency. The real issue, though, is Hanne is not convinced. The case seems almost too linear, too clear. Ignoring the fourth victim offends her sense of fairness, but also it is an affront to reason. They do not know he was an accidental victim.
I’ve been a fan of Scandinavian mysteries ever since I started borrowing Per Wahlöö and Maj Sjöwall from the public library to my 7th grade math teacher’s consternation. It’s not just the chauvinism of the Scandinavian American attachment to an “old country” that exists only in family stories. Scandinavian mysteries approach murder and justice from a worldview that could not be more different from our own, one that sees crime solving more as healing tears in the fabric of community than tough guy warrior exploits. It is a worldview that appeals to me.
I did not realize that this was my first Hanne Wilhemsen mystery, so I was concerned that starting with book seven, I would either be confused or would be inundated with backstory. Happily, I need not have worried. The story was very much in the present. There are some hard feelings and jagged edges in the relationships, but we don’t have to know the play by play to understand the situation and Holt trusts us to not need everything explained.
The solution is slightly surprising, but it is also not completely fair and that is my one quibble with the story. Critical evidence is read, but not shared with readers. A few clues were dropped that alerted readers to the right place to look for a suspect, but there was nothing to lead us to someone specific. So even though, if an alert reader is considering the right universe of suspects, narrowing down to the right one requires revelation. That is only half-fair, but the rest of the book is so good that I don’t care.
Beyond the Truth will be released on December 5th. I received an electronic galley from the publisher through Edelweiss.
★★★★
http://tonstantweaderreviews.wordpress.com/2016/11/06/beyond-the-truth-by-anne-holt/
Beyond the Truth is the seventh book in the Hanne Wilhemsen police procedural series by Norwegian author Anne Holt. It takes place between December 19th and December 28th during those post-solstice holiday days with five hours of weak sunlight during the long Nordic nights. It is Christmas in Oslo and four people were murdered. The time of year, the gloomy days with a febrile sun are as much a character in the the book as the people. Place is just everything, and you will shiver more than once.
Three of the victims belong to a well-known family whose internecine legal battles point to some obvious suspects. The other takes a while longer to identify. He a writer and who knows why he was there. The team of investigators that Hanne works with are pleased with their rapid progress in putting together a case against the very guilty looking son who was suing his father.
Meanwhile on the homefront, Hanne’s father has just died, her partner wants to have a baby, and Hanne is thinking of retiring and opening up a detective agency. The real issue, though, is Hanne is not convinced. The case seems almost too linear, too clear. Ignoring the fourth victim offends her sense of fairness, but also it is an affront to reason. They do not know he was an accidental victim.
I’ve been a fan of Scandinavian mysteries ever since I started borrowing Per Wahlöö and Maj Sjöwall from the public library to my 7th grade math teacher’s consternation. It’s not just the chauvinism of the Scandinavian American attachment to an “old country” that exists only in family stories. Scandinavian mysteries approach murder and justice from a worldview that could not be more different from our own, one that sees crime solving more as healing tears in the fabric of community than tough guy warrior exploits. It is a worldview that appeals to me.
I did not realize that this was my first Hanne Wilhemsen mystery, so I was concerned that starting with book seven, I would either be confused or would be inundated with backstory. Happily, I need not have worried. The story was very much in the present. There are some hard feelings and jagged edges in the relationships, but we don’t have to know the play by play to understand the situation and Holt trusts us to not need everything explained.
The solution is slightly surprising, but it is also not completely fair and that is my one quibble with the story. Critical evidence is read, but not shared with readers. A few clues were dropped that alerted readers to the right place to look for a suspect, but there was nothing to lead us to someone specific. So even though, if an alert reader is considering the right universe of suspects, narrowing down to the right one requires revelation. That is only half-fair, but the rest of the book is so good that I don’t care.
Beyond the Truth will be released on December 5th. I received an electronic galley from the publisher through Edelweiss.
★★★★
http://tonstantweaderreviews.wordpress.com/2016/11/06/beyond-the-truth-by-anne-holt/
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