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mpr2000's review against another edition
3.0
Frank Frølich has a new case to investigate, but as he starts investigating he discovers that he is too involved in the case. Will he risk his job to save a young hood friendship?
Frank Frølich will be facing a big problem in this case, he wants to be loyal to the investigation, but at the same time he is too involved to be impartial with the case. Personal and work lines will be blurred as the investigation progress making the reader guessing what hides between this curious friendship.
The book just not centres in one investigation, there are more fires to extinguish and Gunnarstranda and Frølich will have to centre their forces to discover the truth before is too late...
This is the seventh book of the Oslo Detectives Series, you can read it as standalone, but there are a few links that you miss while you are reading the book. I have started the series in this book, so I don't have a strong connection with the main characters, but I am quite curious of how the next book will continue after the surprising finish of this one... I can just guess a few situations...!
This is a noir crime book, with very detailed police procedure, some very peculiar group of detectives and a killer to guess untill the end of the book!
Ready for an absorbing crime?
Frank Frølich will be facing a big problem in this case, he wants to be loyal to the investigation, but at the same time he is too involved to be impartial with the case. Personal and work lines will be blurred as the investigation progress making the reader guessing what hides between this curious friendship.
The book just not centres in one investigation, there are more fires to extinguish and Gunnarstranda and Frølich will have to centre their forces to discover the truth before is too late...
This is the seventh book of the Oslo Detectives Series, you can read it as standalone, but there are a few links that you miss while you are reading the book. I have started the series in this book, so I don't have a strong connection with the main characters, but I am quite curious of how the next book will continue after the surprising finish of this one... I can just guess a few situations...!
This is a noir crime book, with very detailed police procedure, some very peculiar group of detectives and a killer to guess untill the end of the book!
Ready for an absorbing crime?
thebooktrail88's review against another edition
4.0
Booktrail the locations of the novel here - Faithless
I do love a good slice of Nordic Noir and this was a nice meaty feast from start to finish. A good elk pie – a nice crust with a good hearty filling which the more you chewed the more flavour it revealed.
Why am I describing it like a pie? Well it looks set to be Nordic style investigation from the start but as you read, what lies beneath becomes all the more meaty and exciting.
Enough about pies though – this was a unique police procedural and thriller which was slow paced but had enough tension and mystery to keep things moving nicely. I liked getting to know Frølich. Well he’s a grumpy old thing isn’t he? Doesn’t want to go to a 40th birthday party from someone he’s lost touch with but well when he gets there, he finds out a lot more than he bargained for!
An African student in Norway has gone missing and the search is on – the visit to shady characters in the backs of cars on Oslo streets, the cold cases….well everything stacks up and the case starts to weave the various strands together very nicely indeed.
I am definitely on the case with the next Frølich and Gunnarstranda- there’s a lot to like and a lot to get your teeth in to. A bit like a meaty feast of a pie when you think about it. Satisfying. But leaves you looking forward to the next serving. Really enjoyed getting my teeth in to this one.
meloches's review against another edition
4.0
As a fairly new reader to the Nordic noir genre, I am always shocked at the atmospheric feel to these novels. This one was no exception. Dark and unsettling, Faithless, by Kjell Ola Dahl, had me hooked from the first pages.
The novel opens with Frank Frolich, a police detective arresting a woman he suspects of being involved with a drug dealer; he is shocked when she turns up dead in a dumpster. As he becomes deeper into the investigation of her death, another body is found and things take a sinister turn. Frolich is forced to look into his own past and a cold case involving the murder of a young woman to try and evade the perpetrator before they strike again.
Apparently, this novel is actually the seventh in the series, but I had no idea until I began digging around into this author’s work after my reading. You will have no problem enjoying this as a standalone. This one read like a classic police procedural style thriller; there are no bells and whistles, just a pure slow burning game of cat and mouse. In fact, for whatever reason, this one reminded me of the crime thriller films of the 90s like Basic Instinct and Se7en; all protagonists with dark pasts and eerie storylines that get too close to their investigations.
I was genuinely surprised at the direction the end of this novel took; it came completely out of left field and I was seriously impressed. Talk about a way to push the plot into a new direction!
Nordic Noir fans or fans of police procedural novels will especially enjoy this novel. I gave it 4/5 stars.
The novel opens with Frank Frolich, a police detective arresting a woman he suspects of being involved with a drug dealer; he is shocked when she turns up dead in a dumpster. As he becomes deeper into the investigation of her death, another body is found and things take a sinister turn. Frolich is forced to look into his own past and a cold case involving the murder of a young woman to try and evade the perpetrator before they strike again.
Apparently, this novel is actually the seventh in the series, but I had no idea until I began digging around into this author’s work after my reading. You will have no problem enjoying this as a standalone. This one read like a classic police procedural style thriller; there are no bells and whistles, just a pure slow burning game of cat and mouse. In fact, for whatever reason, this one reminded me of the crime thriller films of the 90s like Basic Instinct and Se7en; all protagonists with dark pasts and eerie storylines that get too close to their investigations.
I was genuinely surprised at the direction the end of this novel took; it came completely out of left field and I was seriously impressed. Talk about a way to push the plot into a new direction!
Nordic Noir fans or fans of police procedural novels will especially enjoy this novel. I gave it 4/5 stars.
steph1rothwell's review against another edition
4.0
Faithless is one of a series of books that features Frølich, Gunnarstranda, Lena and their superior officer Rindal. I haven’t read any of the previous novels and whilst there was backstory missing with regards to their personal lives it didn’t impact on my enjoyment of this novel.
When a young woman is found dead after being charged with possession of cocaine Frølich feels he is in a dilemma. He was the officer who charged her and at a party the same night he discovered that she was in a relationship with an old school friend. He pleads conflict of interest but is ignored. This isn’t the only case being investigated. A young African woman has disappeared whilst on placement at the university. They have suspects but their hands are tied without any evidence.
A few years ago, I had read no Norwegian fiction. Now I wonder why there hasn’t been more translated into English. The ones I have read lately all seem to be part of a hugely successful series that has been published for several years and it is all very enjoyable.
Apart from Rindal, all the detectives feature strongly and despite not knowing anything about them I got to know them all quite well. The investigations are quite intense, the detectives are all intent on getting a result. I felt their every mood, their self-doubt, and their relationships with each other (Rindel seemed to be somebody to ridicule) and their feelings regarding the various suspects.
Lena’s investigations were the most worrying and she was the character who I liked the most. She had faults but she was in no denial about what they were. The ending was intriguing. I know the book was originally published a few years before translation and I’m eager to find out how it continues. I hope I don’t have long to wait.
With thanks to Karen Sullivan for the copy received and the chance to take part in the blog tour
When a young woman is found dead after being charged with possession of cocaine Frølich feels he is in a dilemma. He was the officer who charged her and at a party the same night he discovered that she was in a relationship with an old school friend. He pleads conflict of interest but is ignored. This isn’t the only case being investigated. A young African woman has disappeared whilst on placement at the university. They have suspects but their hands are tied without any evidence.
A few years ago, I had read no Norwegian fiction. Now I wonder why there hasn’t been more translated into English. The ones I have read lately all seem to be part of a hugely successful series that has been published for several years and it is all very enjoyable.
Apart from Rindal, all the detectives feature strongly and despite not knowing anything about them I got to know them all quite well. The investigations are quite intense, the detectives are all intent on getting a result. I felt their every mood, their self-doubt, and their relationships with each other (Rindel seemed to be somebody to ridicule) and their feelings regarding the various suspects.
Lena’s investigations were the most worrying and she was the character who I liked the most. She had faults but she was in no denial about what they were. The ending was intriguing. I know the book was originally published a few years before translation and I’m eager to find out how it continues. I hope I don’t have long to wait.
With thanks to Karen Sullivan for the copy received and the chance to take part in the blog tour
itsallaboutthebooksuk's review against another edition
5.0
As part of the Oslo detective series, Faithless is the 7th book which was originally written in Norwegian and the only one to be translated so far. I was a little bit apprehensive about reading this book as I usually like to start a series at the beginning but Faithless can easily be read as a standalone I found.
The book starts off with Frank Frølich carrying out a surveillance operation, which should be quite simple but things take a turn when a body is found and it turns out to be the girlfriend of an old pal Frølich has just reconnected with after 20 years. Not only that on a different case a young student disappears with out a trace and the hunt is on to find out what happened and where she is.
The characters are all well developed and I particularly liked Frølich, his determination and possibly loneliness drew me to him. Also Lena, she seemed like a really interesting character, quite feisty and I’d like to have found out a little bit more about her, hopefully we’ll get to read more in this series soon that can shed more light into her character.
This isn’t a fast paced book but it grabs your attention and keeps you reading, the story has many twists and turns and I really wasn’t sure where the author was taking us and how it would end but it all tied up brilliantly and actually left me so disappointed I’d finished the book. This being the first book I’ve read in the Nordic Noir genre it’s really given me the taste for it, I thoroughly enjoyed Faithless and I’ll definitely be looking out for more books in the same genre.
The book starts off with Frank Frølich carrying out a surveillance operation, which should be quite simple but things take a turn when a body is found and it turns out to be the girlfriend of an old pal Frølich has just reconnected with after 20 years. Not only that on a different case a young student disappears with out a trace and the hunt is on to find out what happened and where she is.
The characters are all well developed and I particularly liked Frølich, his determination and possibly loneliness drew me to him. Also Lena, she seemed like a really interesting character, quite feisty and I’d like to have found out a little bit more about her, hopefully we’ll get to read more in this series soon that can shed more light into her character.
This isn’t a fast paced book but it grabs your attention and keeps you reading, the story has many twists and turns and I really wasn’t sure where the author was taking us and how it would end but it all tied up brilliantly and actually left me so disappointed I’d finished the book. This being the first book I’ve read in the Nordic Noir genre it’s really given me the taste for it, I thoroughly enjoyed Faithless and I’ll definitely be looking out for more books in the same genre.
dakegra's review against another edition
3.0
Faithless is the fifth in Kjell Ola Dahl’s series of books featuring his detectives Gunnarstranda and Frølich. I’ve not read any of the others, but Faithless can (and indeed was!) easily read as a standalone. They’re quite the pair, our detectives. Inspector Frølich is investigating the murder of a woman who was engaged to a childhood friend – a friend he hasn’t seen for the past 20 years. Meanwhile Gunnarstranda is looking into the disappearance of a university student. Then there’s the cold case (is there any other sort in Norway?) which bears striking similarities…
Faithless is classic Nordic Noir. The pace of the investigation is slow and steady, with clues being turned over gradually as the story progresses. Don Bartlett has done a fine job here of translating – as he did with Gunnar Staalesen’s We Shall Inherit the Wind, and if you’re a fan of Gunnar’s work, you’ll find a lot to enjoy here. The writing is punchy and the sentences short – something which took me a little while to get into the rhythm of, but soon settled into and patience was well rewarded.
The characters are well-developed and the plot is nicely twisty, keeping you guessing up to the end. Our detectives rely on good old fashioned police work, getting out and talking to people, pounding the streets and piecing the puzzle together bit by bit. It’s a classic police procedural in that sense, with a nice psychological angle and a fantastic ending.
If I had any criticism (and I really am nitpicking here) it was the sense of place – regular readers will be well aware of my fondness for books which give you a real sense of place and identity of the country. There’s certainly some on show here, but I think I’ve been spoiled by reading so many other fantastic Nordic Noir stories over the past couple of years! It’s a tiny point and definitely a personal thing for me – it shouldn’t put you off!
Faithless is classic Nordic Noir. The pace of the investigation is slow and steady, with clues being turned over gradually as the story progresses. Don Bartlett has done a fine job here of translating – as he did with Gunnar Staalesen’s We Shall Inherit the Wind, and if you’re a fan of Gunnar’s work, you’ll find a lot to enjoy here. The writing is punchy and the sentences short – something which took me a little while to get into the rhythm of, but soon settled into and patience was well rewarded.
The characters are well-developed and the plot is nicely twisty, keeping you guessing up to the end. Our detectives rely on good old fashioned police work, getting out and talking to people, pounding the streets and piecing the puzzle together bit by bit. It’s a classic police procedural in that sense, with a nice psychological angle and a fantastic ending.
If I had any criticism (and I really am nitpicking here) it was the sense of place – regular readers will be well aware of my fondness for books which give you a real sense of place and identity of the country. There’s certainly some on show here, but I think I’ve been spoiled by reading so many other fantastic Nordic Noir stories over the past couple of years! It’s a tiny point and definitely a personal thing for me – it shouldn’t put you off!
rly18's review against another edition
3.0
You can find all my reviews at www.itsbooktalk.com
Faithless is the fifth book in the Oslo detectives series and yes, I've once again jumped into a series mid-way. If I didn't know it was a series though I'm not sure I would've realized it because it very much reads as a standalone. I'm sure there are character threads woven throughout but I can't say I noticed that I was missing anything.
The story begins with a stakeout and right away we meet Frank Frolich who's staking out the house of a suspected robber. When a lady (Veronika Undset) leaves the house and he's sent to follow and subsequently question her, several plot pieces are set in motion. It's not long before Frank realizes his past seems to have firmly planted itself in his present, making him somewhat uncomfortable and on guard. Then a murder is committed leaving Frank stunned and searching for answers.
Frank's comrade and fellow Oslo detective, Gunnarstranda, is investigating the disappearance of a University student so we are privy to 2 separate investigations which may or may not have connections. I found Gunnarstranda to be an interesting character as he sought to solve his case using old-fashioned detective work. His disdain for all the modern technology like CCTV's was apparent and amusing. Then there's Lena, a female colleague, who I have to say I never quite decided if I liked or not and then later in the story when she goes rogue and puts herself in a very precarious situation, I really thought that perhaps she wasn't the sharpest tool in the shed.
Faithless is classic Nordic Noir in that the pace is slow, the clues are layed out gradually, and the detectives work fairly methodically. The sentence structure was often short and choppy which did take some getting used to on my part. One thing I really appreciated, however, was the linear timeline. The story progresses in a straightforward manner...no flashbacks! Something that was missing for me in this book though was a sense of place. I never felt like I could picture the surroundings and the atmospheric details I've come to enjoy in other Nordic Noir novels weren't there for me in this one. I did find the characterization to be strong and while the resolution of one of the mysteries seemed to be pretty lackluster, the other one was a surprise. I always love to be fooled and the author managed to pull one over on me in terms of the murder.
Faithless is the fifth book in the Oslo detectives series and yes, I've once again jumped into a series mid-way. If I didn't know it was a series though I'm not sure I would've realized it because it very much reads as a standalone. I'm sure there are character threads woven throughout but I can't say I noticed that I was missing anything.
The story begins with a stakeout and right away we meet Frank Frolich who's staking out the house of a suspected robber. When a lady (Veronika Undset) leaves the house and he's sent to follow and subsequently question her, several plot pieces are set in motion. It's not long before Frank realizes his past seems to have firmly planted itself in his present, making him somewhat uncomfortable and on guard. Then a murder is committed leaving Frank stunned and searching for answers.
Frank's comrade and fellow Oslo detective, Gunnarstranda, is investigating the disappearance of a University student so we are privy to 2 separate investigations which may or may not have connections. I found Gunnarstranda to be an interesting character as he sought to solve his case using old-fashioned detective work. His disdain for all the modern technology like CCTV's was apparent and amusing. Then there's Lena, a female colleague, who I have to say I never quite decided if I liked or not and then later in the story when she goes rogue and puts herself in a very precarious situation, I really thought that perhaps she wasn't the sharpest tool in the shed.
Faithless is classic Nordic Noir in that the pace is slow, the clues are layed out gradually, and the detectives work fairly methodically. The sentence structure was often short and choppy which did take some getting used to on my part. One thing I really appreciated, however, was the linear timeline. The story progresses in a straightforward manner...no flashbacks! Something that was missing for me in this book though was a sense of place. I never felt like I could picture the surroundings and the atmospheric details I've come to enjoy in other Nordic Noir novels weren't there for me in this one. I did find the characterization to be strong and while the resolution of one of the mysteries seemed to be pretty lackluster, the other one was a surprise. I always love to be fooled and the author managed to pull one over on me in terms of the murder.
clair_82's review against another edition
4.0
Faithless is part of the Oslo Detectives series featuring Gunnarstranda and Frølich, as this series was originally written in Norwegian, not all of the series have made it (yet, hopefully!) into English however this works wonderfully as a standalone. There is enough recap to bring new readers up to date.
What starts as a simple surveillance operation ends up far more complicated for Frank Frølich when a woman's body is found scaled and wrapped in plastic in a dumpster....who Frølich happens to be vaguely acquainted to. This is an interesting take on a police procedural as, alongside the investigation itself, Frølich is also fighting with his conscience and moral code considering his clear conflict of interest.
Alongside this murder enquiry, there is also an investigation into the disappearance of a young student with eerie similarities to a cold case.
I'm not going to go into the story too much so as not to ruin the well-plotted unravelling of links and the past crashing into the present but suffice to say there is a lot more than meets the eye.
As I am beginning to realise with Nordic Noir, the pace is of a slower nature but still builds tension beautifully. I really liked Dahl's writing style which is edgy, realistic and atmospheric. Faithless is brilliantly translated by Don Barlett, the narrative is seamless with little hint that this was first written in Norwegian.
I really enjoyed Faithless and fans of translated fiction and crime will not be disappointed. I will be looking out for more from Dahl and his protagonists Frølich and Gunnarstranda.
What starts as a simple surveillance operation ends up far more complicated for Frank Frølich when a woman's body is found scaled and wrapped in plastic in a dumpster....who Frølich happens to be vaguely acquainted to. This is an interesting take on a police procedural as, alongside the investigation itself, Frølich is also fighting with his conscience and moral code considering his clear conflict of interest.
Alongside this murder enquiry, there is also an investigation into the disappearance of a young student with eerie similarities to a cold case.
I'm not going to go into the story too much so as not to ruin the well-plotted unravelling of links and the past crashing into the present but suffice to say there is a lot more than meets the eye.
As I am beginning to realise with Nordic Noir, the pace is of a slower nature but still builds tension beautifully. I really liked Dahl's writing style which is edgy, realistic and atmospheric. Faithless is brilliantly translated by Don Barlett, the narrative is seamless with little hint that this was first written in Norwegian.
I really enjoyed Faithless and fans of translated fiction and crime will not be disappointed. I will be looking out for more from Dahl and his protagonists Frølich and Gunnarstranda.
itsbooktalk's review against another edition
3.0
You can find all my reviews at www.itsbooktalk.com
Faithless is the fifth book in the Oslo detectives series and yes, I've once again jumped into a series mid-way. If I didn't know it was a series though I'm not sure I would've realized it because it very much reads as a standalone. I'm sure there are character threads woven throughout but I can't say I noticed that I was missing anything.
The story begins with a stakeout and right away we meet Frank Frolich who's staking out the house of a suspected robber. When a lady (Veronika Undset) leaves the house and he's sent to follow and subsequently question her, several plot pieces are set in motion. It's not long before Frank realizes his past seems to have firmly planted itself in his present, making him somewhat uncomfortable and on guard. Then a murder is committed leaving Frank stunned and searching for answers.
Frank's comrade and fellow Oslo detective, Gunnarstranda, is investigating the disappearance of a University student so we are privy to 2 separate investigations which may or may not have connections. I found Gunnarstranda to be an interesting character as he sought to solve his case using old-fashioned detective work. His disdain for all the modern technology like CCTV's was apparent and amusing. Then there's Lena, a female colleague, who I have to say I never quite decided if I liked or not and then later in the story when she goes rogue and puts herself in a very precarious situation, I really thought that perhaps she wasn't the sharpest tool in the shed.
Faithless is classic Nordic Noir in that the pace is slow, the clues are layed out gradually, and the detectives work fairly methodically. The sentence structure was often short and choppy which did take some getting used to on my part. One thing I really appreciated, however, was the linear timeline. The story progresses in a straightforward manner...no flashbacks! Something that was missing for me in this book though was a sense of place. I never felt like I could picture the surroundings and the atmospheric details I've come to enjoy in other Nordic Noir novels weren't there for me in this one. I did find the characterization to be strong and while the resolution of one of the mysteries seemed to be pretty lackluster, the other one was a surprise. I always love to be fooled and the author managed to pull one over on me in terms of the murder.
Faithless is the fifth book in the Oslo detectives series and yes, I've once again jumped into a series mid-way. If I didn't know it was a series though I'm not sure I would've realized it because it very much reads as a standalone. I'm sure there are character threads woven throughout but I can't say I noticed that I was missing anything.
The story begins with a stakeout and right away we meet Frank Frolich who's staking out the house of a suspected robber. When a lady (Veronika Undset) leaves the house and he's sent to follow and subsequently question her, several plot pieces are set in motion. It's not long before Frank realizes his past seems to have firmly planted itself in his present, making him somewhat uncomfortable and on guard. Then a murder is committed leaving Frank stunned and searching for answers.
Frank's comrade and fellow Oslo detective, Gunnarstranda, is investigating the disappearance of a University student so we are privy to 2 separate investigations which may or may not have connections. I found Gunnarstranda to be an interesting character as he sought to solve his case using old-fashioned detective work. His disdain for all the modern technology like CCTV's was apparent and amusing. Then there's Lena, a female colleague, who I have to say I never quite decided if I liked or not and then later in the story when she goes rogue and puts herself in a very precarious situation, I really thought that perhaps she wasn't the sharpest tool in the shed.
Faithless is classic Nordic Noir in that the pace is slow, the clues are layed out gradually, and the detectives work fairly methodically. The sentence structure was often short and choppy which did take some getting used to on my part. One thing I really appreciated, however, was the linear timeline. The story progresses in a straightforward manner...no flashbacks! Something that was missing for me in this book though was a sense of place. I never felt like I could picture the surroundings and the atmospheric details I've come to enjoy in other Nordic Noir novels weren't there for me in this one. I did find the characterization to be strong and while the resolution of one of the mysteries seemed to be pretty lackluster, the other one was a surprise. I always love to be fooled and the author managed to pull one over on me in terms of the murder.
bibliophilebookclub's review against another edition
4.0
Faithless is the first book I’ve read by Kjell Ola Dahl, and while not the first in this particular series, it can still most definitely be read as a standalone. The author has enough backstory between the pages that the reader won’t feel like they’ve missed any big events in the characters respective pasts.
Scandinavian crime fiction is quite honestly my favourite locational crime genre. The colder the climate and the harsher the environment, the more my interest is piqued so needless to say I was thrilled to be taking part in the blog tour for Faithless.
If you’re looking for a fast-paced read, you won’t get that here. What you will find with Faithless is a slow-burning and subtle story, with hidden depths and some excellent characterisation. I loved the way that Kjell Old Dahl unravelled the threads of the story, making the reader work alongside him as he wove it back together to create a thoroughly unexpected ending.
Faithless is a suspenseful story, with superb characters and an utterly engaging plot. I really enjoyed reading it, and I look forward to reading more from Kjell Ola Dahl in the future.
Highly recommended!
Scandinavian crime fiction is quite honestly my favourite locational crime genre. The colder the climate and the harsher the environment, the more my interest is piqued so needless to say I was thrilled to be taking part in the blog tour for Faithless.
If you’re looking for a fast-paced read, you won’t get that here. What you will find with Faithless is a slow-burning and subtle story, with hidden depths and some excellent characterisation. I loved the way that Kjell Old Dahl unravelled the threads of the story, making the reader work alongside him as he wove it back together to create a thoroughly unexpected ending.
Faithless is a suspenseful story, with superb characters and an utterly engaging plot. I really enjoyed reading it, and I look forward to reading more from Kjell Ola Dahl in the future.
Highly recommended!