Helene Tursten's latest Irene Huss mystery is even leaner and meaner than previous novels. While changes continue to occur in the lives of empty nesters Irene and Krister, Irene is under a very real-- and very creepy-- threat. When no connections are found between the victims, it is steady, dogged police work that wins the day. Never give up. Keep knocking on doors. Keep asking questions. Keep going over and over the evidence for that one tiny clue that will break things wide open. There's something to be said for police officers in crime fiction who are lavishly endowed with intuition, but I also admire a never-say-die attitude and plenty of hard work.
Tursten does an excellent job of ratcheting up the suspense in this very enjoyable police procedural, and Irene Huss continues to be one of my favorite characters. The author also addresses a couple of points that drive me crazy not only in crime fiction and film but in real life. Whether in a vehicle or on foot, you should always have good knowledge of your surroundings. Know the neighborhood in which you live. Don't travel the streets wearing earbuds or with your face buried in a cell phone. And for crying out loud, close your curtains when it gets dark! Don't provide any- and everyone with something they can't resist watching. I learned the hard way: no matter how uninteresting you may feel yourself to be, there is always someone who finds you fascinating. Tursten is well aware of these things, and she's used them to write an exciting tale that can make your skin crawl.
Tursten does an excellent job of ratcheting up the suspense in this very enjoyable police procedural, and Irene Huss continues to be one of my favorite characters. The author also addresses a couple of points that drive me crazy not only in crime fiction and film but in real life. Whether in a vehicle or on foot, you should always have good knowledge of your surroundings. Know the neighborhood in which you live. Don't travel the streets wearing earbuds or with your face buried in a cell phone. And for crying out loud, close your curtains when it gets dark! Don't provide any- and everyone with something they can't resist watching. I learned the hard way: no matter how uninteresting you may feel yourself to be, there is always someone who finds you fascinating. Tursten is well aware of these things, and she's used them to write an exciting tale that can make your skin crawl.
