the_coycaterpillar_reads's review
4.0
I was a little worried about reading Smoke Screen, not because I believed that it would be a terrible read but because I just loved Death Deserved so much and wanted Smoke Screen to have that lasting impact also. This review is the proof that this writing duo know just how to deliver time and time again. An intriguing title, a mysterious cover and a synopsis that promises to deliver a narrative balancing on a tripwire. Enger and Horst have penned another addition that will create a shadow on my soul and leave me hungering to visit the Scandinavian Isles.
Smoke Screen is book two in the Blixx & Ramm series and its New Years Eve in Oslo. The partygoers have gathered at the square at city hall. The annual fireworks display goes horrifically awry with an explosion which ups the terror threat level to extreme. One of the casualties is the mother of Patricia Smeplass, a two-year-old girl that was kidnapped around ten years ago and never found. Is this a coincidence or is it a targeted attack? Blixx and Ramm go about investigating the connection.
Smoke Screen and its narrative was like walking into the eye of the storm. Familiar sights were gone but you were completely powerless to the pulling power that the book had over you. The plot pulled you in every direction, leaving you feeling disorientated, but the narrative had the threat of a knife edge breaking you, but you can’t look away with the thrill of it all. I was rattled and I loved every minute of it.
Two incredibly flawed characters that seem to be an odd pairing but one that works because well, it just does. They feed off each other’s energies and the pressure mounts imperceptibly but it never stops them getting to the bottom of their cases. Smoke Screen surely puts this dream team of authors at the top of their game. Blixx, a police officer that is plagued by traumatic events and Ramm, a journalist and blogger that has her moral compass intact despite previous difficulties. Blixx is more a father figure to her than acquaintance.
Smoke Screen highlighted the fragility of life and I was brought to my knees with its hard hitting and bleak prose, it was genuine and often felt like a punch to the gut. I have only experienced this kind of flow with but a few authors but Enger and Horst nailed the inevitability of life and death.
Smoke Screen is laced with more than a smattering of the dark and disturbing but gives a bird’s eye view of what being human entails and the depths of depravity that some individuals will stoop to.
Smoke Screen is book two in the Blixx & Ramm series and its New Years Eve in Oslo. The partygoers have gathered at the square at city hall. The annual fireworks display goes horrifically awry with an explosion which ups the terror threat level to extreme. One of the casualties is the mother of Patricia Smeplass, a two-year-old girl that was kidnapped around ten years ago and never found. Is this a coincidence or is it a targeted attack? Blixx and Ramm go about investigating the connection.
Smoke Screen and its narrative was like walking into the eye of the storm. Familiar sights were gone but you were completely powerless to the pulling power that the book had over you. The plot pulled you in every direction, leaving you feeling disorientated, but the narrative had the threat of a knife edge breaking you, but you can’t look away with the thrill of it all. I was rattled and I loved every minute of it.
Two incredibly flawed characters that seem to be an odd pairing but one that works because well, it just does. They feed off each other’s energies and the pressure mounts imperceptibly but it never stops them getting to the bottom of their cases. Smoke Screen surely puts this dream team of authors at the top of their game. Blixx, a police officer that is plagued by traumatic events and Ramm, a journalist and blogger that has her moral compass intact despite previous difficulties. Blixx is more a father figure to her than acquaintance.
Smoke Screen highlighted the fragility of life and I was brought to my knees with its hard hitting and bleak prose, it was genuine and often felt like a punch to the gut. I have only experienced this kind of flow with but a few authors but Enger and Horst nailed the inevitability of life and death.
Smoke Screen is laced with more than a smattering of the dark and disturbing but gives a bird’s eye view of what being human entails and the depths of depravity that some individuals will stoop to.
joedza's review
challenging
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
marite's review
dark
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
Til tross for en pangstart (også i bokstavelig forstand) blir denne boka aldri spennende, og det er jo en dødssynd for en krimbok, ærlig talt.
iriswildeboer's review against another edition
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
gitruz's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
4.75
visp's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
barbarab's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
noveldeelights's review
5.0
Smoke Screen is book two in the Blix & Ramm series, which is a collaboration between two of Norway’s most popular crime fiction writers. In my review of book one, Death Deserved, I called Thomas Enger and Jørn Lier Horst a dream team of crime writers and a force to be reckoned with. Bold statement but after reading Smoke Screen, my belief in those words has only been cemented even more firmly and the Blix & Ramm series is fast becoming one of the best crime fiction series out there.
It’s New Year’s Eve in Oslo. Revellers have gathered on the square by City Hall to ring in the new year. But the annual fireworks celebrations are rocked by an explosion and the city is put on high alert. One of the survivors is the mother of Patricia Smeplass, a two year old girl who was kidnapped ten years ago and never found. This renews interest in the case and Blix and Ramm set out to investigate. What happened to Patricia?
Tensely charged opening chapters pulled me in so hard that I already knew I wouldn’t be putting this book down until I reached the final page. And what a ride it was, yet again. The pace is so extremely spot-on, it felt as if I hadn’t drawn a single breath throughout the entire thing. Smoke Screen is full of surprises and I had many jaw-dropping “wait, what?” moments. Trying to figure things out became a real challenge. One I failed at miserably, in case you wondered.
A thrill a minute, Smoke Screen is full of suspense and intrigue. With a clever and intricate plot, plenty of twists and turns and a cast of engaging characters, there is a lot to keep you glued to the pages here. The relationship between Blix and Ramm might seem a little odd and it is definitely immensely complicated but it works like a charm. Theirs isn’t the typical investigative partnership. Both come at an investigation in different ways and discover different things. Kovic gets a little shove forward as well and a chance to shine, which I truly enjoyed.
The writing is just crazy good, you guys. It’s seamless, it flows, it draws you in and I’m completely unable to spot where Enger ends and Horst begins or the other way around. Which is at it should be. On top of that, I can see entire scenes play out right in front of my eyes. This series should be on tv. Netflix, take note!
Death Deserved blew me away. Smoke Screen blew me away even more. There are a lot of crime fiction series out there and it takes something special to stand out from the crowd. I firmly believe Enger and Horst are that something special, even though I can’t put my finger on what that actually is. Like I said, dream team.
It’s New Year’s Eve in Oslo. Revellers have gathered on the square by City Hall to ring in the new year. But the annual fireworks celebrations are rocked by an explosion and the city is put on high alert. One of the survivors is the mother of Patricia Smeplass, a two year old girl who was kidnapped ten years ago and never found. This renews interest in the case and Blix and Ramm set out to investigate. What happened to Patricia?
Tensely charged opening chapters pulled me in so hard that I already knew I wouldn’t be putting this book down until I reached the final page. And what a ride it was, yet again. The pace is so extremely spot-on, it felt as if I hadn’t drawn a single breath throughout the entire thing. Smoke Screen is full of surprises and I had many jaw-dropping “wait, what?” moments. Trying to figure things out became a real challenge. One I failed at miserably, in case you wondered.
A thrill a minute, Smoke Screen is full of suspense and intrigue. With a clever and intricate plot, plenty of twists and turns and a cast of engaging characters, there is a lot to keep you glued to the pages here. The relationship between Blix and Ramm might seem a little odd and it is definitely immensely complicated but it works like a charm. Theirs isn’t the typical investigative partnership. Both come at an investigation in different ways and discover different things. Kovic gets a little shove forward as well and a chance to shine, which I truly enjoyed.
The writing is just crazy good, you guys. It’s seamless, it flows, it draws you in and I’m completely unable to spot where Enger ends and Horst begins or the other way around. Which is at it should be. On top of that, I can see entire scenes play out right in front of my eyes. This series should be on tv. Netflix, take note!
Death Deserved blew me away. Smoke Screen blew me away even more. There are a lot of crime fiction series out there and it takes something special to stand out from the crowd. I firmly believe Enger and Horst are that something special, even though I can’t put my finger on what that actually is. Like I said, dream team.
yvo_about_books's review
5.0
Finished reading: January 30th 2021
"Just as the winter darkness began to set in, the darkness within welled to the surface."
*** A copy of this book was kindly provided to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Thank you! ***
Spoiler
I've become a big Nordic Noir fan over the years, and last year I added the author duo Jørn Lier Horst and Thomas Enger to my must-read list after a fantastic first experience with their writing. It is no exaggeration when I say that I was once again hooked from the very first page until those hilarious final acknowledgements, and I literally finished Smoke Screen in one sitting. Exhilarating, thrilling and lightning-fast; just how I like my crime thrillers and Nordic Noir reads! This is definitely one of those books and series that won't let you go until you reach that final page... A true rollercoaster ride and highly addictive.
I knew that I was hooked as soon as I read the first chapter of Smoke Screen. Talk about an explosive start! There were a lot of elements to love in this second Alexander Blix & Emma Ramm installment, and it's basically another perfect Nordic Noir cocktail with both a bombing investigation and a cold case kidnapping. I can highly recommend both books to anyone who enjoys the genre! I would recommend reading these in order, as minor references to the first book are made... And both books are excellent in the first place. The descriptions of the setting really make that Nordic Noir feel come alive, and they definitely give the story a little something extra. The writing itself in general is once again brilliant; extremely engaging and it will manage to draw you in straight away. And of course a big round of applause for translator Megan Turney for giving us the opportunity to meet up with Alexander Blix and Emma Ramm in the first place!
The plot is once again more than solid and offers us a variety of different themes and storylines along the way. We have the initial bombing and the investigation, we have the cold case kidnapping, we have (especially) Emma's personal life in the spotlight, we have flashbacks to the past, we have multiple POVs... A lot of different elements and storylines to create a multi-layered story that will keep you on your toes as well as entertained along the way. It was intriguing to slowly discover more about the past and how the different characters and events are linked in the end... The plot twists are also brilliantly done, and I most definitely didn't see those final twists coming. And what a way to not only begin the story with a bang, but end it on the same high note as well! The suspense and tension was always present, making it very hard to stop reading as you cannot help wanting to know how it all ends.
As for the characters... Both Alexander Blix and Emma Ramm already managed to win me over in the first book, and I still really like the dynamics between the two characters. The combination of a police officer who has his own ideas about how a crime should be investigated and a crime journalist who never shies away from danger once she starts investigating a story really strikes gold, and the two having an interesting past only adds to their relationship. It is an unorthodox team, but one I cannot get enough of! Smoke Screen has quite some development in Emma's personal life, but as the events are connected to the plot itself the two complemented each other flawlessly. It was likewise great to see Blix and Kovic again.
In short, Smoke Screen is a fantastic Nordic Noir sequel and part of a series that is quickly turning into a new favorite. I can highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys the genre... This is an author duo to look out for! And yes, I totally wish I could understand Norwegian just so I could read the third book which hasn’t been translated yet… But that is just me being greedy.
bookishnatalia's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0