Another good Inspector Sejer mystery from Fossum, but it's not a straightforward police procedural. Instead the author attempts to get to grips with what makes a criminal mind and, in particular, at what point does someone cross a line and become a killer?
Zipp and his friend, Andreas, are aimless 18 year olds on the edge of the of the criminal world who are beginning to dabble with such crimes as handbag theft. When their actions bring them into contact with lonely old lady, Irma Funder, things take a darker and more sinister turn.
Although, it's not immediately clear to Sejer and his colleague Skarre what the crime is, they must unravel the truth before it's too late.
This is a neatly told, fast-moving thriller with several side stories which keep the reader entertained. Widowed Sejer has a budding romance with psychologist Sara and is also investigating why a student, Robert, has shot his girlfriend in the face. Schoolboy Matteus, Sejer's adopted African grandson, also has a crucial role to play in this gripping crime drama.
If you like other Nordic crime writers, you'll enjoy Fossum's take on this genre. Her plots are never trite, Sejer is an interesting detective and the reader is left with a sense that things are never quite what they seem on the outside.
