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Kimmo Joentaa #1
Ice Moon
Only a week after losing his wife, a distraught Detective Kimmo Joentaa returns to work to join a murder inquiry. It is the case of a woman smothered in her sleep—a curiously tranquil death, it seems, and one with no motive—and Kimmo becomes obsessed. The only clues are a half-empty bottle of red wine, two glasses, and a missing painting, a blurred landscape of no value. When a young man is found murdered in bed the next day in a hostel room with seven people asleep around him, Kimmo realizes a serial killer must be at work. As he struggles with the memory of his wife’s early death, Kimmo investigates the murders and tries to understand the mind of the perpetrator, who appears to be quiet, self-effacing, and affable—why then the urge to destroy? Set in Finland during the unnervingly long days of late summer near the top of the world, Ice Moon is an unsettling, poignant mystery.
276 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2003
7 people are currently reading
644 people want to read
About the author
Jan Costin Wagner
28 books61 followersJan Costin Wagner is a German crime fiction writer. His novels are set in Finland and feature detective Kimmo Joentaa.
Wagner studied German Literature and History at university in Frankfurt, and later worked as a journalist. His first novel, "Nachtfahrt" (Night Trip) was published to much acclaim in 2002 and won the Marlowe Prize for Best Crime Novel. His wife is a native of Finland, and they spend time both there and in Germany.His 2007 novel The Silence (German: Das Schweigen) has been adapted to a 2010 German film of the same name in English; the original name of the film in German is Das letzte Schweigen, i.e. The last Silence.
Wagner studied German Literature and History at university in Frankfurt, and later worked as a journalist. His first novel, "Nachtfahrt" (Night Trip) was published to much acclaim in 2002 and won the Marlowe Prize for Best Crime Novel. His wife is a native of Finland, and they spend time both there and in Germany.His 2007 novel The Silence (German: Das Schweigen) has been adapted to a 2010 German film of the same name in English; the original name of the film in German is Das letzte Schweigen, i.e. The last Silence.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 73 reviews
October 11, 2021
3.5 stars
(Review written in the style of the German original)
A young police officer, his wife newly deceased. Only 25, cancer.
Death surprised her in her sleep as snow fell outside in the dark of a Finnish night.
He was there, at the hospital.
He was holding her hand.
He couldn't fathom it.
The day after his wife's death, cold and unreal, another woman dies.
A pillow pressed over her face.
While she slept.
Alone. In her own bed. Her husband abroad on a business trip. When he came home and found his wife dead, he couldn't fathom it.
Two things were missing: the front door key and a painting done by a friend.
How very strange.
Outside, the snow continued to fall with the darkness.
The killer is not feeling himself today. He's being swallowed by the moon. It's so unreal, he can't fathom it.
There are two of him. One of him has done something terrible, the other of him is confused. What did he do?
Where did this painting in his flat come from?
Who is this other him who hates him so badly?
Eismond= Ice Moon. A first novel in a series, a whydunnit, cracked in two by the frost of approaching winter and the chill of loss.
Enter: a policeman shattered by grief, walking dream-like though reality, and a killer doing the same. Death, life, the inability to cope with either.
The policeman and the killer, twin spirits.
Mirrors.
Echoing wells of secrets.
It's cold now in Finland.
Freezing cold.
Snow continues to fall.
The policeman is alone.
Can anyone fathom it?
(Review written in the style of the German original)
A young police officer, his wife newly deceased. Only 25, cancer.
Death surprised her in her sleep as snow fell outside in the dark of a Finnish night.
He was there, at the hospital.
He was holding her hand.
He couldn't fathom it.
The day after his wife's death, cold and unreal, another woman dies.
A pillow pressed over her face.
While she slept.
Alone. In her own bed. Her husband abroad on a business trip. When he came home and found his wife dead, he couldn't fathom it.
Two things were missing: the front door key and a painting done by a friend.
How very strange.
Outside, the snow continued to fall with the darkness.
The killer is not feeling himself today. He's being swallowed by the moon. It's so unreal, he can't fathom it.
There are two of him. One of him has done something terrible, the other of him is confused. What did he do?
Where did this painting in his flat come from?
Who is this other him who hates him so badly?
Eismond= Ice Moon. A first novel in a series, a whydunnit, cracked in two by the frost of approaching winter and the chill of loss.
Enter: a policeman shattered by grief, walking dream-like though reality, and a killer doing the same. Death, life, the inability to cope with either.
The policeman and the killer, twin spirits.
Mirrors.
Echoing wells of secrets.
It's cold now in Finland.
Freezing cold.
Snow continues to fall.
The policeman is alone.
Can anyone fathom it?
November 13, 2017
This book has truly been lost in translation, because I rather enjoyed the German version. The translation, however, is choppy, and far too descriptive for my liking. The translator has no concept of "show, not tell", and I found myself, in many parts, extremely bored because of the copious info dump. The story, however, is very good, and is far deeper than a typical murder mystery. At its heart, it deals with issues like grief and acceptance. Kimmo's character is rather like Will Graham. I would go even as far to say that the relationship between the detective and the killer had elements of Graham's relationship with serial killers, though it fails to achieve even a fraction of the complexity and depth portrayed in Harris's novels. However, it is a very quick read (both in German and in English), and parts of it are rather captivating.
If one does plan on reading this, though, I do recommend they go for the German version.
If one does plan on reading this, though, I do recommend they go for the German version.
December 1, 2011
Recently finished, ICE MOON by Jan Costin Wagner was an unexpected pleasure. It seems that Wagner has a bit of a reputation in his homeland of Germany for turning the "traditional" form of crime fiction on its head and if that's the case then he's done it again with ICE MOON.
Whilst there is murder, and an obviously very disturbed serial killer, in many ways ICE MOON is more an exploration of grief. The book opens with Finnish detective Kimmo Joentaa confronted with the death of his young wife from cancer. Returning to work straight away, he is left trying to understand and deal with her death, whilst a strange series of connected killings begin to occur involving a range of seemingly unconnected victims.
Whilst the crime investigation proceeds through the book, the focus of ICE MOON remains Kimmo's struggle with grief, the affect that the grief has on his decision making, his life and his work. Ultimately it's that overwhelming sense of his own grief which tempers and informs the entire book - it's significantly less about the crime and more an exploration of this one man's grief.
This was undoubtedly one of the most moving books I've read in a long long while - the crime was handled well, but what you come away from is the awfulness of loss, and Kimmo's tentative steps back into his life.
Whilst there is murder, and an obviously very disturbed serial killer, in many ways ICE MOON is more an exploration of grief. The book opens with Finnish detective Kimmo Joentaa confronted with the death of his young wife from cancer. Returning to work straight away, he is left trying to understand and deal with her death, whilst a strange series of connected killings begin to occur involving a range of seemingly unconnected victims.
Whilst the crime investigation proceeds through the book, the focus of ICE MOON remains Kimmo's struggle with grief, the affect that the grief has on his decision making, his life and his work. Ultimately it's that overwhelming sense of his own grief which tempers and informs the entire book - it's significantly less about the crime and more an exploration of this one man's grief.
This was undoubtedly one of the most moving books I've read in a long long while - the crime was handled well, but what you come away from is the awfulness of loss, and Kimmo's tentative steps back into his life.
November 13, 2017
Dieses Buch ist ein Kriminalromane, dass ist in Finnland spielen. Dieses Buch ist besser in Deustch als in Englisch. Das Buch hat in der Übersetzung verloren worden. Es ist über einen Detektiv, dessen Frau ist verstorben. Es ist mehr als ein Morder; es ist über Trauer und Tod. Das Ende ist ähnlich zu einem Roman von Murakami.
Jedoch, die Charakterisierung muss verbessert werden. Dieses Buch ist manchmal langsam. Aber, dieses Buch ist ertsten in eine Reihe, und ich würde noch die nächste Bücher lesen.
Jedoch, die Charakterisierung muss verbessert werden. Dieses Buch ist manchmal langsam. Aber, dieses Buch ist ertsten in eine Reihe, und ich würde noch die nächste Bücher lesen.
April 1, 2015
The main character is Detective Kimmo Joentaa. In this novel, at the very beginning of the book his wife die. Throughout the story Kimmo is dealing with his grief. You can feel his grief and feelings of disorientation and dissociation with reality throughout the book... an overwhelming sadness that he keeps inside as he questions everything around him
During his period of grief - a serial murderer is killing people in their sleep by placing a pillow over their faces while they sleep until they die. As Kimmo sees the bodies of those who have been murdered while they sleep - he has thoughts and assciations of Shanna, his wife,
The story goes back and forth between Kimmo, and the thoughts of the murderer. The murderer who also has a very deep dissociation (unreality) in his thoughts of life around him... his connections with the moon.
During his period of grief - a serial murderer is killing people in their sleep by placing a pillow over their faces while they sleep until they die. As Kimmo sees the bodies of those who have been murdered while they sleep - he has thoughts and assciations of Shanna, his wife,
The story goes back and forth between Kimmo, and the thoughts of the murderer. The murderer who also has a very deep dissociation (unreality) in his thoughts of life around him... his connections with the moon.
February 7, 2017
Объркана и безлична книга, липсваха й доста неща и най-вече страст. Стори ми се написана на две-на три, с развръзка, изсмукана от пръстите. Да не говорим, че мотивите на едното убийство изобщо не станаха ясни! Като цяло не ми хареса особено и затвърди впечатлението ми, че немските автори не са "моите".
Оценка 1,5*, но слагам 2* "за поощрение" :D
Оценка 1,5*, но слагам 2* "за поощрение" :D
June 9, 2016
Schade, mehr als eine seichte Sommerlektüre war das leider nicht. "Eismond" gehört für mich in die Kategorie von Romanen, an deren genauen Inhalt ich mich schon nach wenigen Monaten nicht mehr erinnern kann.
August 15, 2018
Un día después de fallecer su esposa, luego de una terrible enfermedad, el inspector Kimmo Joentaa se presenta a trabajar como un día más. Su superior, ante la negativa de tomarse unos días, le encomienda resolver el asesinato de una mujer en su domicilio. Un caso con muchas rarezas, ya que no fue forzada la entrada, la mujer murió en su cama y sólo fue robado un cuadro sin valor comercial.
Afectado por su reciente pérdida, el inspector trata de entender la naturaleza del crimen. Mientras tanto, el asesino se cobra nuevas víctimas.
Afectado por su reciente pérdida, el inspector trata de entender la naturaleza del crimen. Mientras tanto, el asesino se cobra nuevas víctimas.
December 15, 2011
Dans une chambre d’hôpital, l’inspecteur Kimmo Joentra, âgé d’une trentaine d’années, voit mourir sa femme Sanna, vingt-cinq ans, terrassée par une maladie de Hodgkin. D’abord anesthésié par le choc, Kimmo sombre dans un chagrin terrible, à la fois mutique et furieux, traversé d’hallucinations. Dès le lendemain, il est pourtant chargé par son supérieur d’une affaire de meurtre : une jeune femme retrouvée étouffée pendant son sommeil dans sa villa, sans effraction ni vol – à l’exception d’un petit tableau sans valeur représentant une lune dans un ciel d’hiver. Cette victime rappelle à Kimmo la mort de Sanna et redouble son obsession. D’autant plus que, rapidement, de nouvelles victimes sont retrouvées mortes dans leur sommeil.
Entre le tueur et le policier va alors se nouer un lien étrange : l’un (le policier) est dépressif, l’autre (l’assassin) est schizophrène, deux pathologies qui présentent certaines ressemblances. C’est donc ce désespoir commun qui va, paradoxalement, rapprocher les deux hommes : c’est en rentrant peu à peu dans l’esprit du meurtrier que Kimmo finira par le confondre…
À mi-chemin entre le pur polar et le roman psychologique, Lune de glace est un livre tout à fait étrange, à la fois feutré et violent, réservé et explosif, touchant de finesse et de sensibilité.
March 29, 2014
The main character is struggling to come to terms with his wife's death while trying to solve murders that seem to be linked. Because his grief is so severe he is operating at a deficit yet he still manages to figure out who committed the murders and why.
The author subtly uses the murders as a device to cause both the main character and the reader to contemplate and explore the meaning of death. The writing isn't elegant--it may have suffered some in translation--but it is expressive. I really felt for the main character and although there were times when I wanted him to "get over it," I completely understood that it was a process he had to go through.
There is no happy ending to the story (is there ever in a murder mystery?), but there is hope. This is the first in a series and I look forward to seeing how the main character develops from this point on.
Interesting note: The novel is set in Finland but is written by a German whose wife is from Finland. I can hardly comment on the accuracy of his portrayal of life in Finland, since I've never lived there, but it seems consistent with novels I've read that are also set there. (Strangely enough, another series I really like that is set is Finland is also written by a non-native: the Inspector Kari Vaara series by James Thompson.)
The author subtly uses the murders as a device to cause both the main character and the reader to contemplate and explore the meaning of death. The writing isn't elegant--it may have suffered some in translation--but it is expressive. I really felt for the main character and although there were times when I wanted him to "get over it," I completely understood that it was a process he had to go through.
There is no happy ending to the story (is there ever in a murder mystery?), but there is hope. This is the first in a series and I look forward to seeing how the main character develops from this point on.
Interesting note: The novel is set in Finland but is written by a German whose wife is from Finland. I can hardly comment on the accuracy of his portrayal of life in Finland, since I've never lived there, but it seems consistent with novels I've read that are also set there. (Strangely enough, another series I really like that is set is Finland is also written by a non-native: the Inspector Kari Vaara series by James Thompson.)
June 30, 2013
I had a problem understanding or relating to this book. It is definitely a murder and police procedural mystery, but it is also a psychological mystery and those elements were very strong. It was not a cut and dried thing, and certainly not the hard-boiled detective story. I wish I could have rated it higher. The Finnish was of real interest to me. My grandfather was born in Turku and the lakes and forests sounded as I would like to hear and know. Alot would probably like this book, but I guess psychological mysteries are just not for me.Although the protagonist went back to work immediately after the crushing to him death of his wife, it did not help him to handle his grief in any way. He had hoped by immersing himself in his work, he would somehow normalize to where he could live with himself.
November 15, 2015
Jan Costin Wagner schreibt Kriminalromane, die in Finland spielen. Sein Protagonist ist der Polizist Kimmo Joentaa. In dem ersten Band der Reihe, Eismond, stirbt Kimmos Frau an Krebs. Er ist am Boden zerstört und geht dennoch, nahezu schlafwandelnd, zur Arbeit. Ein Serienmörder tötet Menschen im Schlaf. Kimmo fühlt sich dem Mörder auf seltsame Art verbunden, spürt Gemeinsamkeiten. So ist die Ermittlung eher eine emotionale Suche, ein In-sich-Hineinhorchen, eine Beschäftigung mit dem Tod und der Angst vor dem Alleinsein.
Eismond ist im Grunde nur "nebenbei" auch ein Krimi, die inneren Prozesse des Mörders und des Ermittlers gleichen bzw. ergänzen sich, womit Wagner sicher einen interessanten Weg einschlägt. Interessant ist, wie er den Charakter seines Ermittlers weiterentwickeln kann.
Eismond ist im Grunde nur "nebenbei" auch ein Krimi, die inneren Prozesse des Mörders und des Ermittlers gleichen bzw. ergänzen sich, womit Wagner sicher einen interessanten Weg einschlägt. Interessant ist, wie er den Charakter seines Ermittlers weiterentwickeln kann.
June 2, 2014
Wer die Güte eines Krimis daran bemisst, wieviel Raum der Suche nach dem Täter und der Lösung des Falles gegeben wird, wird sicherlich von diesem Buch enttäuscht sein. Eismond lebt vielmehr von der bizarren Parallele, dass sowohl der Inspektor, der seine geliebte Frau verloren hat, wie auch der Täter, den Verlust geliebter Menschen nicht akzeptieren wollen und versuchen die Grenze zwischen Leben und Tod auf ihre ganz eigene Weise zu überwinden. Mit einer ruhigen und kargen Sprache gelingt es dem Autor meisterhaft, das Innenleben, v.a. seines Hauptprotagonisten, des Ermittlers Kimmo Joentaa dem Leser hoch spannend, aber v.a. mit unglaublich emotionaler Tiefe nahe zu bringen. Wer diese Abgründe der Trauer und des Schmerzes nicht scheut, liegt mit diesem Krimi richtig.
September 14, 2014
This was an interesting book, where the protagonist police officer investigates a serial killer while trying (unsuccessfully) to deal with the death of his wife. It is really almost more a study death and loss than a true murder mystery drama. I did find it a good read, but was a bit unsatisfied with the ending, it really did not feel right to me how the case was ultimately resolved. Hopefully the next in the series will be a bit better. However, that being said, the author does instill in the reader the sense of grief the protagonist is experiencing, altho he doesn't always explain the emotions of the other ancillary characters as well.
December 28, 2011
Set in Finland this is a psychological thriller about the many different ways a person handles or hides their grief. Liked the lead detective Kimmo Joenta, who doesn't know how to handle the fact that his wife as died and finds himself back at work and involved in a murder case. Intrigued enough to read his next US release called "Silence" which came out last week.
August 16, 2014
Tämä oli mielenkiintoinen, ei-perinteinen dekkari. Jonkinlainen psykologinen trilleri tai ihmismielen tutkielma enemmänkin. Erityiseksi tämän kirjan teki tunnelman lisäksi se, että saksalaissyntyinen kirjailija sijoittaa tapahtumat Suomeen, Turkuun ja Naantaliin, poliisi on kotoisin Kiteeltä! Täytyypä tutkailla, onko mies kirjoittanut jotain muutakin.
March 6, 2016
Young policeman with no flaws! His wife dies and this book is as much about his struggle to come to terms with his grief as the murder investigation. So painful to read in parts but so beautifully written.
May 14, 2022
That evening, while he was having supper, he pondered on what he'd done.
He now knew that it had been something monstrous, and he relished the knowledge.
He had done wrong.
But he would eradicate that wrong by repeating it.
He would eradicate it by returning to the world known only to himself--the other world, where what he had done was not wrong.
He enjoyed being a commuter between the two worlds.
He enjoyed not being the person that other people thought he was.
He enjoyed the fear that slowly grew until it engulfed him altogether.
~~While not perfect, this photograph comes close to capturing my mental image of Kimmo's house at the edge of a Finnish lake. His wife saw the house and immediately wanted to make it home. Now that she's died (see first two sentences below), he can't decide whether or not he wants to remain there, but doesn't know where else he would go.
First two sentences: Kimmo Joentaa was alone with her when she went to sleep. He sat beside her bed in the darkened room, held her hand, and tried to feel her pulse.
Kimmo Joentaa is a detective police officer in and around Turku, Finland. "When friends asked him, sometimes with amusement, what underlay his choice of profession, he usually replied offhand that he didn't know himself. It was better to say nothing at all than admit what he now considered to be the embarrassing truth: that he'd chosen his profession in the vague hope of combating evil on the side of the good guys."
He's off his usual game though. His wife passes away from Hodgkin's Lymphoma in the opening pages of the book. They're a young couple--she was only 25 years old, and he isn't prepared for the all-consuming depths of his grief...nor should he have to be at his age. For a lack of better ways of coping with his grief, he quickly returns to work. There is plenty of crime to solve there. A famous politician was fired at--and while there was no serious injury, "attempts to assassinate public figures were so rare in Finland that even this scratch had become a nationwide topic of conversation."
Then, a woman is found dead in her house--apparently smothered to death in her sleep. This shocking murder is shortly followed by the death of a young man, also smothered in his sleep in the middle of a crowded hostel. Detective Kimmo Joentaa is tasked with solving these murders. As he digs into the facts surrounding the killings, he can't help but feel and odd connection to the perpetrator. They both seem caught between worlds, and neither feel sure of their way forward. Kimmo is crippled by grief. Can he puzzle out what is motivating the killer before more people die? Read this atmospheric mystery, translated from German, to find out.
My two cents: I agree with other reviewers that Wagner's novel likely suffered in translation. As my opening quote shows, the prose is somewhat clunky/choppy. The story itself was captivating, and I enjoyed being transported to the Scandinavian winter landscape. If you are looking for a page-turner of a mystery, then this isn't the book for you. The antagonist is revealed fairly early in the novel, and the rest of the book explores the psychological underpinnings of the murders. The first person POV switches back and forth between Kimmo and the killer, highlighting the similarities and contrasts between the two men as they each cope with their own demons. Given a rating of 3.5 stars or "Very Good". Recommended as a library check-out for all, or a book-store find if you like slower, psychological mysteries...especially if you enjoy foreign authors.
Other quotes: The following two quotes are some of the best I've read at capturing grief.
~~It had been a fine day. Sanna had talked a lot, and he'd nodded without listening. He had nodded and failed to listen far too often when she was talking. He had never dreamed how precious her every word would become.
~~He didn't know whether he wanted solitude or company, because neither seemed to achieve anything. When alone he was at least spared the sensation that other people were staring at his back with sympathy or concern, or sometimes only with curiosity.
The feeling that his life was at a standstill had grown even stronger than it had been in the week after Sanna's death.
He was alive, but nothing moved.
Further reading: I feel compelled to call out the fact that Sanna, Kimmo's wife, died of Lymphoma. I specialize in Hematological Oncology--primarily Leukemia, Lymphoma, and Multiple Myeloma. While blood cancers are not nearly as prominent as the more widely talked about breast, colon, and lung cancers, they can strike at any age--birth to the elderly, and seemingly from nowhere. This website has excellent information and resources for anyone who wants a worthy cause to contribute to, or knows someone fighting a blood cancer. Beating cancer is in our blood. https://www.lls.org/
He now knew that it had been something monstrous, and he relished the knowledge.
He had done wrong.
But he would eradicate that wrong by repeating it.
He would eradicate it by returning to the world known only to himself--the other world, where what he had done was not wrong.
He enjoyed being a commuter between the two worlds.
He enjoyed not being the person that other people thought he was.
He enjoyed the fear that slowly grew until it engulfed him altogether.
~~While not perfect, this photograph comes close to capturing my mental image of Kimmo's house at the edge of a Finnish lake. His wife saw the house and immediately wanted to make it home. Now that she's died (see first two sentences below), he can't decide whether or not he wants to remain there, but doesn't know where else he would go.
First two sentences: Kimmo Joentaa was alone with her when she went to sleep. He sat beside her bed in the darkened room, held her hand, and tried to feel her pulse.
Kimmo Joentaa is a detective police officer in and around Turku, Finland. "When friends asked him, sometimes with amusement, what underlay his choice of profession, he usually replied offhand that he didn't know himself. It was better to say nothing at all than admit what he now considered to be the embarrassing truth: that he'd chosen his profession in the vague hope of combating evil on the side of the good guys."
He's off his usual game though. His wife passes away from Hodgkin's Lymphoma in the opening pages of the book. They're a young couple--she was only 25 years old, and he isn't prepared for the all-consuming depths of his grief...nor should he have to be at his age. For a lack of better ways of coping with his grief, he quickly returns to work. There is plenty of crime to solve there. A famous politician was fired at--and while there was no serious injury, "attempts to assassinate public figures were so rare in Finland that even this scratch had become a nationwide topic of conversation."
Then, a woman is found dead in her house--apparently smothered to death in her sleep. This shocking murder is shortly followed by the death of a young man, also smothered in his sleep in the middle of a crowded hostel. Detective Kimmo Joentaa is tasked with solving these murders. As he digs into the facts surrounding the killings, he can't help but feel and odd connection to the perpetrator. They both seem caught between worlds, and neither feel sure of their way forward. Kimmo is crippled by grief. Can he puzzle out what is motivating the killer before more people die? Read this atmospheric mystery, translated from German, to find out.
My two cents: I agree with other reviewers that Wagner's novel likely suffered in translation. As my opening quote shows, the prose is somewhat clunky/choppy. The story itself was captivating, and I enjoyed being transported to the Scandinavian winter landscape. If you are looking for a page-turner of a mystery, then this isn't the book for you. The antagonist is revealed fairly early in the novel, and the rest of the book explores the psychological underpinnings of the murders. The first person POV switches back and forth between Kimmo and the killer, highlighting the similarities and contrasts between the two men as they each cope with their own demons. Given a rating of 3.5 stars or "Very Good". Recommended as a library check-out for all, or a book-store find if you like slower, psychological mysteries...especially if you enjoy foreign authors.
Other quotes: The following two quotes are some of the best I've read at capturing grief.
~~It had been a fine day. Sanna had talked a lot, and he'd nodded without listening. He had nodded and failed to listen far too often when she was talking. He had never dreamed how precious her every word would become.
~~He didn't know whether he wanted solitude or company, because neither seemed to achieve anything. When alone he was at least spared the sensation that other people were staring at his back with sympathy or concern, or sometimes only with curiosity.
The feeling that his life was at a standstill had grown even stronger than it had been in the week after Sanna's death.
He was alive, but nothing moved.
Further reading: I feel compelled to call out the fact that Sanna, Kimmo's wife, died of Lymphoma. I specialize in Hematological Oncology--primarily Leukemia, Lymphoma, and Multiple Myeloma. While blood cancers are not nearly as prominent as the more widely talked about breast, colon, and lung cancers, they can strike at any age--birth to the elderly, and seemingly from nowhere. This website has excellent information and resources for anyone who wants a worthy cause to contribute to, or knows someone fighting a blood cancer. Beating cancer is in our blood. https://www.lls.org/
April 25, 2020
A Finnish police detective goes back to work the day after his wife's death, hoping to distract himself from his grief. Instead, he becomes obsessed with solving the muder of another young wife.
June 1, 2018
Buono, ma pesante, accorato, funereo in alcune parti.Introspezione psicologica,credo si dica, ma intristisce.
May 19, 2010
Police detectives who inhabit Scandinavian police procedurals tend to be an introspective and often morose group. Detective Kimmo Joentaa of the Criminal Investigation Department based in Torku, Finland amplifies this image tenfold as he struggles to survive an emotional tsunami created by the death of his wife, Sanna, in the opening chapter of Jan Costin Wagner’s Ice Moon. So the murder of Mrs. Ojaranta while her husband claims to have been away on business provides some escape from the void that has suddenly formed in Kimmo’s life. There are only a few puzzling clues at the crime scene: a wine glass and half a bottle of white wine in the kitchen, another wine glass and half a bottle of red wine in the living room, and a missing painting of no monetary value. There are no signs of a break-in, no fingerprints, no apparent motive for Mrs. Ojaranta’s murder. For reasons he doesn’t quite understand, the grief-stricken Kimmo experiences an emotional connection to this woman’s death; he is determined to solve this crime. But, as Kimmo plods through the investigation, he must determine if this crime is related to or separate from the other murders that soon follow. He desperately wants to understand the motives behind these seemingly unrelated and random deaths. And why was Ketola, the chief of the CID and Kimmo’s boss, exhibiting such violent mood swings? And, Kimmo wonders, what is the point of living without Sanna?
With it’s Finland setting and well-drawn characters, Ice Moon is a worthy addition to the Scandinavian titles in this genre. I highly recommend it to fans of Scandinavian mysteries.
With it’s Finland setting and well-drawn characters, Ice Moon is a worthy addition to the Scandinavian titles in this genre. I highly recommend it to fans of Scandinavian mysteries.
December 28, 2011
Dans une chambre d’hôpital, l’inspecteur Kimmo Joentra, âgé d’une trentaine d’années, voit mourir sa femme Sanna, vingt-cinq ans, terrassée par une maladie de Hodgkin. D’abord anesthésié par le choc, Kimmo sombre dans un chagrin terrible, à la fois mutique et furieux, traversé d’hallucinations. Dès le lendemain, il est pourtant chargé par son supérieur d’une affaire de meurtre : une jeune femme retrouvée étouffée pendant son sommeil dans sa villa, sans effraction ni vol – à l’exception d’un petit tableau sans valeur représentant une lune dans un ciel d’hiver. Cette victime rappelle à Kimmo la mort de Sanna et redouble son obsession. D’autant plus que, rapidement, de nouvelles victimes sont retrouvées mortes dans leur sommeil.
Entre le tueur et le policier va alors se nouer un lien étrange : l’un (le policier) est dépressif, l’autre (l’assassin) est schizophrène, deux pathologies qui présentent certaines ressemblances. C’est donc ce désespoir commun qui va, paradoxalement, rapprocher les deux hommes : c’est en rentrant peu à peu dans l’esprit du meurtrier que Kimmo finira par le confondre…
À mi-chemin entre le pur polar et le roman psychologique, Lune de glace est un livre tout à fait étrange, à la fois feutré et violent, réservé et explosif, touchant de finesse et de sensibilité.
Entre le tueur et le policier va alors se nouer un lien étrange : l’un (le policier) est dépressif, l’autre (l’assassin) est schizophrène, deux pathologies qui présentent certaines ressemblances. C’est donc ce désespoir commun qui va, paradoxalement, rapprocher les deux hommes : c’est en rentrant peu à peu dans l’esprit du meurtrier que Kimmo finira par le confondre…
À mi-chemin entre le pur polar et le roman psychologique, Lune de glace est un livre tout à fait étrange, à la fois feutré et violent, réservé et explosif, touchant de finesse et de sensibilité.
June 15, 2011
In Eismond geht es um Verlust, um Abschiednehmen und nur ganz nebenbei um Mord.
Die Stimmung in diesem Kriminalroman sehr drückend und schwer. Dominiert wird das Buch durch den Verlust der Frau des Protagonisten. Die Stimmung ist die richtige für ein Drama, die pure Melancholie, aber für einen Kriminalroman ist diese in diesem Umfang falsch am Platz.
Dem Leser wird bis zum Ende nicht eröffnet warum der Täter drei Personen tötet, obwohl man es sich mit etwas sozialer Kompetenz schon vorstellen kann. Leider bleibt der Täter im Dunkeln und kann angesichts der Probleme des Protagonisten mit diesem nicht mithalten und verliert mit jeder Seite an Format. Auch scheint mir, dass der Autor 300 Seiten vollbekommen musste. Gerade zum Ende werden hier noch Personen eingeführt die offensichtlich nur dazu dienen noch zwanzig Seiten mehr herauszuholen.
Allerdings ist dieses Buch auch sehr einfühlsam, und es gelingt dem Autor gut die Stimmung der Melancholie des Protagonisten anzupassen. Für einen richtigen Kriminalroman fehlt aber etwas. Vielleicht fügt sich der Nachfolger besser ins Bild und ergibt zusammen mit Eismond eine runde Sache.
Die Stimmung in diesem Kriminalroman sehr drückend und schwer. Dominiert wird das Buch durch den Verlust der Frau des Protagonisten. Die Stimmung ist die richtige für ein Drama, die pure Melancholie, aber für einen Kriminalroman ist diese in diesem Umfang falsch am Platz.
Dem Leser wird bis zum Ende nicht eröffnet warum der Täter drei Personen tötet, obwohl man es sich mit etwas sozialer Kompetenz schon vorstellen kann. Leider bleibt der Täter im Dunkeln und kann angesichts der Probleme des Protagonisten mit diesem nicht mithalten und verliert mit jeder Seite an Format. Auch scheint mir, dass der Autor 300 Seiten vollbekommen musste. Gerade zum Ende werden hier noch Personen eingeführt die offensichtlich nur dazu dienen noch zwanzig Seiten mehr herauszuholen.
Allerdings ist dieses Buch auch sehr einfühlsam, und es gelingt dem Autor gut die Stimmung der Melancholie des Protagonisten anzupassen. Für einen richtigen Kriminalroman fehlt aber etwas. Vielleicht fügt sich der Nachfolger besser ins Bild und ergibt zusammen mit Eismond eine runde Sache.
March 1, 2012
I finished this book last night. Very atmospheric. But part of that book lingers, and I suspect it will stay with me for some time.
The book opens with the death of the main character's wife. As she's lying in her hospital bed, she says, "I'm riding a red horse. Do you see me?" The doctors assure him this is normal; powerful medications often cause hallucinations.
The book ends with his vision of his wife riding along the beach on a red horse. My eyes filled with tears, because in so many ways, this is the essence of accepting the death of someone who is very close: instead of focusing on your final image of them, the one you've been clinging to so fiercely, you can finally view the amazing, amazing images in your imagination: of this person laughing, living, loving. Whether they are true is irrelevant; the important part is that the vitality has returned, and you're able to keep your memory of that person alive rather than trying to preserve a single static image or recall a precise incident.
I know this isn't really a review. But I wanted to remind myself how I felt when I finished reading this book.
The book opens with the death of the main character's wife. As she's lying in her hospital bed, she says, "I'm riding a red horse. Do you see me?" The doctors assure him this is normal; powerful medications often cause hallucinations.
The book ends with his vision of his wife riding along the beach on a red horse. My eyes filled with tears, because in so many ways, this is the essence of accepting the death of someone who is very close: instead of focusing on your final image of them, the one you've been clinging to so fiercely, you can finally view the amazing, amazing images in your imagination: of this person laughing, living, loving. Whether they are true is irrelevant; the important part is that the vitality has returned, and you're able to keep your memory of that person alive rather than trying to preserve a single static image or recall a precise incident.
I know this isn't really a review. But I wanted to remind myself how I felt when I finished reading this book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 10, 2014
This is an incredibly sad, beautifully written book. It's almost as much about the atmosphere as it is the mystery. This is our introduction to Kimmo, a detective who's lost his young wife a week earlier. He takes on a personal interest in this case as he tries to move on with his life.
This is a great introduction to these characters, most of whom are easy to relate to. The mystery part is a little vague, and it took me a while to figure out the shifting perspectives he was writing in (though I liked that technique once I caught on). At the ending, I don't think anyone is happier than they were to begin with, but most of the characters are on their way to changing their perspective on the sadness in their lives.
I did wish he was a little more specific about Ketola's son's problem; why Sanna died; and if Vesa was disabled somehow (I got the impression he wasn't all there mentally, though at other times he was very articulate). Jaana's interest in him seemed a little forced, too. This is a strong series and a good, atmospheric read, but don't touch it if you're depressed.
This is a great introduction to these characters, most of whom are easy to relate to. The mystery part is a little vague, and it took me a while to figure out the shifting perspectives he was writing in (though I liked that technique once I caught on). At the ending, I don't think anyone is happier than they were to begin with, but most of the characters are on their way to changing their perspective on the sadness in their lives.
I did wish he was a little more specific about Ketola's son's problem; why Sanna died; and if Vesa was disabled somehow (I got the impression he wasn't all there mentally, though at other times he was very articulate). Jaana's interest in him seemed a little forced, too. This is a strong series and a good, atmospheric read, but don't touch it if you're depressed.
August 26, 2011
Loss and the human ways we attempt to come to terms with it is the focus of this absorbing psychological mystery, Wagner's third novel and the first available in English translation, set in the Finnish town of Turku. A week after his wife dies of Hodgkin's disease, Det. Kimmo Joentaa feels compelled to return to work to investigate the murder of a young woman smothered in her own bed while her husband was away. Only a valueless painting appears to have been stolen. A second murder, just as puzzling, occurs in a youth hostel where a young man is killed while others slept all around him. Joentaa is sure the murders are connected and even feels inexplicably close to the killer. Though Wagner sometimes shifts awkwardly to the troubled killer's point of view, the despairing Kimmo Joentaa and the large cast of supporting characters are well drawn.
I was drawn in but it lacked depth of characters. Wagner is an author to watch but I hesitantly recommend. I wish I had access to the German copy of this book.
I was drawn in but it lacked depth of characters. Wagner is an author to watch but I hesitantly recommend. I wish I had access to the German copy of this book.
July 31, 2012
This book is classified as a psychological thriller but, without meaning to insult the book at all, "thriller" is stretching a point a bit. To be a thriller there should be some suspense, tension or excitement, but that isn't what this book is about at all. Things in this uncomplicated story just happen, there is no mystery and no brilliant detective work.
However, although not thrilling, it is gripping. And it is certainly psychological, exploring the tortured minds of both the villain and the policeman. In fact most of the book is concerned with describing the protagonists' thoughts and feelings. Which it does very well. Nevertheless, it was perhaps a bit too morbid for my taste.
However, although not thrilling, it is gripping. And it is certainly psychological, exploring the tortured minds of both the villain and the policeman. In fact most of the book is concerned with describing the protagonists' thoughts and feelings. Which it does very well. Nevertheless, it was perhaps a bit too morbid for my taste.
July 17, 2024
Zum Glück hab ich JCW noch eine zweite Chance gegeben und nach dem Ben-Neven-Auftakt (der mich überhaupt nicht angesprochen hat) auch noch den Eismond gelesen.
Die Erzählung ist deutlich klarer (auch wenn hier ähnliche „Gedankenmotive“ auftauchen).
Die Motive und Erzählstränge fand ich um Längen plausibler und nachvollziehbarer als im ersten BN-Buch, das Setting war ebenfalls gut nachvollziehbar.
Eine Sache war mir aber tatsächlich nicht ganz klar:
(Spoiler)
Warum wird nicht versucht, auch bei dem missglückten Mord das Ganze „rückgängig“ zu machen? Hab ich überlesen, dass der Täter mitbekommen hat, dass der Mordversuch nicht erfolgreich war?
Die Erzählung ist deutlich klarer (auch wenn hier ähnliche „Gedankenmotive“ auftauchen).
Die Motive und Erzählstränge fand ich um Längen plausibler und nachvollziehbarer als im ersten BN-Buch, das Setting war ebenfalls gut nachvollziehbar.
Eine Sache war mir aber tatsächlich nicht ganz klar:
(Spoiler)
Warum wird nicht versucht, auch bei dem missglückten Mord das Ganze „rückgängig“ zu machen? Hab ich überlesen, dass der Täter mitbekommen hat, dass der Mordversuch nicht erfolgreich war?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 21, 2007
Many of the detective and mystery books our of Scandinavia - at least both Norwegian and Swedish - tend to be too dark for me. The protagonists are just too depressed. Oddly enough Jan Wagner's protagonist in this Finnish novel should be similar since he has just lost his wife to cancer. He certainly is depressed, but he's not completely cynical. It's a very, very good book even though you know from the very early pages who the killer is. The writing is excellent and the characters are drawn very well.
April 8, 2012
The death of a young detective's wife is the main basis behind this book...even though it's also about murder. After his wife dies, Detective Kimmo Joentaa is immediately plunged into solving the murder of a young woman who has been suffocated in her bed. Kimmo, vulnerable after losing his wife, has difficulty focusing on this murder and spends a lot of time dealing with his own grief in relation to things that come up in the investigation.
I consider this book to be more a psychological drama than a murder mystery. I enjoyed it enough to continue with the series.
I consider this book to be more a psychological drama than a murder mystery. I enjoyed it enough to continue with the series.
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