Only One Life - Sara Blaedel

ONLY ONE LIFE

Sara Blaedel

A couple of weeks since I read it, but a Danish writer examines attitudes to immigration and prejudices as a strong by line in this murder investigation. It is always a question, am I complimenting the writer or the translator? In this case two, Erik J Macki and Tara F Chace. However good the original story the translators must be have contributed in making this book a pleasure to read.

It seems to me that Denmark is not that different to the UK in misunderstandings of “other” religions or to be more accurate “cultures”. I do hope, even if in fiction it does seem to be a recurring theme, that the ease with which detectives jump to conclusions is not accurate. It’s a bit like the cliché, that the boss is always wrong, usually has not come up through the ranks, and despite the evidence of book after book, or in the case of TV week after week that the “hero” is proven correct, they dismiss their views. Often ordering that lines of investigation are abandoned later being proved wrong.

I know my choice of reading is getting very narrow, but I now read for enjoyment with no thought of improving my mind. It is what it is and it is probably too late to change it.

The Girl in the Spiders Web

The Girl in the Spiders Web

Larsson/Lagercrantz

When I found out that someone, David Lagercrantz had penned a sequel to Stieg Larsson’s Millennium Trilogy that provided enough of a stimulus to do what I had been planning to do, to read the trilogy again.

Being incapacitated meant that I could read all four books in less than a week. My grandfather read The Count of Monte Cristo every week, he never owned a copy but used to renew it each week at the Library, if someone else had reserved it, he wouldn’t bother with anything else but he would just wait for it to come back in. Why I mention that is because Monte Cristo has always been seen as the quintessential “revenge” story, my belief is that the Girl in the Spiders Web trilogy is the modern equivalent.

Though I was re-reading the first three I still couldn’t put them down, rooting for Lizabeth to be victorious and for all the evil doers to get their Just Deserts. It is always difficult when someone else picks up the story from such a successful series. Especially as the original was so well written, but I think this one is a success. It was always going to be difficult as the story had reached a successful conclusion but I think this though not entirely seamless addition is compelling. A friend was disappointed, my only complaint was that I thought the ending rushed, but I thought that of Hornet’s Nest.

Anyone new to Millennium I recommend it and I recommend reading the four in order.     

Ian Rankin - EVEN DOGS IN THE WILD

Ian Rankin

EVEN DOGS IN THE WILD

Anybody into detective novels must be into Rebus, and most must have hoped for a continuance when Rebus at last retired. We knew Fox could continue but he isn’t Rebus.  The other alternative was to let Siobhan star without John, instead we have all three working together with Big Ger thrown in for good measure.

Though I enjoyed it and couldn’t stop reading, it not surprisingly is not my favourite Rankin novel. I suppose there are still people who rely on TV  and enjoy Ken Stott’s portrayal, I can only advise you to read the books as well, as usual books paint a much more in depth picture though this one leans more on action rather than detection, I do like a bit of both.