- Paperback: 352 pages
- Publisher: Soho Crime (April 1 2007)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 1569474532
- ISBN-13: 978-1569474532
- Product Dimensions: 12.7 x 2.3 x 19.1 cm
- Shipping Weight: 227 g
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Amazon Bestsellers Rank:
#31,790 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #63 in Books > Mystery & Thrillers > Mystery > Hard-Boiled
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Product Details |
Product Description
From Publishers Weekly
Starred Review. In Swedish author Tursten's outstanding second police procedural to feature Irene Huss of the Göteborg Violent Crimes Unit (after 2003's Detective Inspector Huss), the discovery of a dismembered corpse initiates a frustrating chase for a wily serial killer. The trail leads to Copenhagen, where Huss realizes the same murderer committed a similar horrific crime. After several more deaths, the complex investigation reaches a frightening climax and stunning conclusion. Smart and intuitive, Huss is a fully realized character, whose demanding job often collides with obligations to her chef husband, twin teenage daughters and wandering terrier. While the locales and sensibilities resemble those of such other Scandinavian writers as Henning Mankell and Karin Fossum, the private lives, work habits and personal quirks of Huss's colleagues are as individual as those of the cops in Ed McBain's 87th Precinct. Some readers may be put off by the gruesome crime scene descriptions, but all will relish the vivid writing, strong sense of place, distinctive characters and steady pace. (Apr.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
From Booklist
Tursten's second Detective Inspector Irene Huss novel will send your gore barometer well into the red zone with its occasionally stomach--turning tale of necrosadism (that's murder combined with mutilation and dismemberment of the victim's parts and organs, all for the sexual satisfaction of the perpetrator). No, this isn't a gentle read, but it isn't an exploitive splatterfest, either. Tursten's heroine, a 40-year-old, hardworking cop in Goteborg, Sweden, attempts to juggle the horrors of modern life, which she faces on the job, with the challenges of a demanding family, which includes twin teenage daughters, a chef husband, and a persnickety terrier. In juxtaposing dismemberment and domesticity, Tursten brings into high relief the toll police work takes on the psyche and the difficulty of moving between dramatically different worlds on a daily basis. The case itself, jumping between Goteborg and Copenhagen, unfolds in classic procedural style, leading to an oddly unsatisfying ending that, nevertheless, has the uncertain feel of real life. Make sure Tursten is on your short list of Henning Mankell read-alikes. Bill Ott
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
4.1 out of 5 stars (16 customer reviews)
22 of 22 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Tursten takes psychological approach to Scandinavian serial killer, April 3 2006
By Lynn Harnett - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: The Torso (Hardcover)
Swedish cop Irene Huss makes her second appearance (after "Detective Inspector Huss") with the other members of the Goteborg Violent Crimes Unit when an eviscerated torso turns up on the beach. DNA evidence determines the deceased was male but the only clue to his identity is an expertly crafted tattoo. A similar unsolved crime in Copenhagen, Denmark, takes Irene there where she finds the tattoo's source on a sign for a gay sex shop.Then a young girl she has been looking for is similarly murdered in Copenhagen and Irene is shaken, feeling responsible. This fear deepens as more murders occur in Irene's wake. Could the killer be a cop? Someone with inside information? Is her family at risk?
The killings themselves are beyond grisly, featuring necrosadism - murder for sexual enjoyment of the mutilation of a dead body - but the focus is more on people and setting than gore.
With elements of Ed McBain's 87th precinct series in the friction, co-operation and competition between the differing personalities of the cop team, and a fascinating glimpse of cultural dynamics in Scandinavia, this is an absorbing, character-driven series. At 40, Irene has a busy, satisfying family life with her chef husband, twin teenage daughters and energetic dog, and a focused dedication, which doesn't mind bending the rules when it suits.
The writing is spare, vivid and atmospheric. This is a series for readers who like procedurals with a strong psychological component.
--Portsmouth Herald
13 of 13 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Discover a new mystery master!, Dec 20 2006
By Seeker - Published on Amazon.com
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: The Torso (Hardcover)
Helene Tursten writes tightly woven, hang-on-the-edge-of-your-seat mysteries, police procedurals at their finest. "The Torso" is her best yet, a blazingly good story set in Sweden that'll keep you glued. If you have grown weary with the cutesy cozy stories that pass for American mysteries today, you will be delighted to discover Ms. Tursten's books. She never lets her readers down. Her protagonist, the very competent Inspector Huss, is more than equal to any challenge that comes her way. Huss is a master at judo, which makes her capable of taking care of herself magnificently in tough spots. Inspector Huss does not go cute, naive, or fragile when things get tough, unlike the formula that our American mystery writers frequently follow for their female sleuths. No, the savvy Huss gets in there and takes care of business, no matter how dirty it might be. Get the book! Enjoy a great read! Helene Tursten can't write fast enough for me.
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent view of Swedish life and police procedure, Aug 16 2006
By Regina Kiser "Gina: british books, other book... - Published on Amazon.com
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: The Torso (Hardcover)
Thoughtful mystery full of twists and turns. Strong female detective. Excellent view of Swedish life including tantalizing description of Swedish food at various stops along the way. Intriging view of Danish sex trade. I can hardly wait for the next book!
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