He Who Fears the Wolf

Konrad Sejer #3

by Karin Fossum

Inspector Sejer is hard at work again, investigating the brutal murder of a woman who lived alone in the middle of the woods. The chief suspect is another loner, a schizophrenic recently escaped from a mental institution. The only witness is a twelve-year-old boy, overweight, obsessed with archery, and a resident at a home for delinquents. When a demented man robs a nearby bank and accidentally takes the suspect hostage, the three misfits are drawn into an uneasy alliance.

Genres: Mystery, Crime, Fiction, Thriller, Scandinavian Literature, Nordic Noir, Mystery Thriller

402 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1997

About the author

Karin Fossum (née Mathisen) is a Norwegian author of crime fiction,often known there as the "Norwegian queen of crime". She lives in Oslo. Fossum was initially a poet, with her first collection published in 1974 when she was just 20. It won the Tarjei Vesaas' Debutant Prize. She is the author of the internationally successful Inspector Konrad Sejer series of crime novels, which have been translated into over 16 languages. She won the Glass key award for her novel "Don't Look Back", which also won the Riverton Prize, and she was shortlisted for the Crime Writers' Association Gold Dagger in 2005 for "Calling Out For You".

Series:
* Inspector Konrad Sejer
* Eddie Feber

Reviews

[Olga · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author is more interested in the life conditions and circumstances that make the characters to go astray and sometimes become criminals.
Normally, I don't like reding mysteries that focus too much on the investigator's personal life or social problems but Fossum's troubled characters' stories are both poignant and compelling.

[Brenda · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is the third in the series. I was a little disappointed with this book. Many chapters dealt with three characters: Morgan, a bank robber; Errki, a mentally ill young man; and Kannick, a 12 year old delinquent. I really didn't care for them and sighed whenever the next chapter involved them. The investigation of the crimes is barely evident. But I muddled through. I still like Inspector Sejer, and got to know a little bit more about Skarre. These two should be more prominent in the books. The ending was a MAJOR cliffhanger, and I don't have the next book on hand.

[Noella · Rating 4 out of 5]

Een oude vrouw wordt vermoord met een hak. Een man ontsnapt uit een psychiatrische inrichting. Er wordt een bankoverval gepleegd en iemand gegijzeld. Een jongen uit een Jongenstehuis is op zijn eentje op wandel in het bos met pijl en boog, om kraaien te schieten.

Dit zijn de dingen die op een warme zomerdag gebeuren, en het is aan de politie om de moord op te lossen, de bankovervaller en de gijzelaar te vinden, en uit te zoeken wat er met de jongen aan de hand is.

Al deze ingrediënten maken dit boek tot een spannende psychologische thriller, die heel vlot leest.

[Rachel (not currently receiving notifications) Hall · Rating 4 out of 5]

He Who Fears The Wolf is the third outing in Karin Fossum's intelligent and frequently profound series featuring Chief Inspector Konrad Sejer and his choirboy good looking subordinate, Jacob Skarre. The second novel to appear in English (translated by Felicity David), this tale takes three individuals who would typically fall into the category of dysfunctional misfits and occupy the outer fringes of society and contrives their meeting. Often shunned and eschewed due to their status as local harbingers of trouble, the potential for mayhem is exponentially raised as their number is increased. When twenty-four-year old Errki Johrma leaves the Beacon psychiatric hospital at 3 a.m. intending never to return, he heads into the surrounding woods. Errki knows he isn't quite made up like those in mainstream society. Marked out by his lank, greasy hair, daily uniform of black clothes and his refusal to look up from the ground, his appearance is enough for anyone to steer clear. His hostile demeanour and deep-set eyes complete the image of a dangerous schizophrenic and with his swinging gait he jolts and twists as he searches for sanctuary in the woods. His first stop is an abandoned cabin, only to then come across elderly no-nonsense widower Halldis Horn weeding the garden of the little farm she still inhabits. The next moment of action see twelve-year-old reform school resident, Kannick Snelligen rushing into the police station to report the blooded corpse of Halldis on her front step, quickly followed by his claim of sighting Errki Johrma nearby the surrounding area. Local legend has seen Errki's reputation as a deranged madman gain momentum but there are others, Konrad Sejer included, who think that the greatest danger the man presents is to himself. Afraid of people and notoriously reluctant to encounter others for fear of being mocked or ridiculed, Sejer just cannot rationalise the shock claim of murder with what he knows. However, with medication no longer at his ready disposal, Sejer finds himself seeking out the doctor who has treated Errki for four-months in the asylum for further advice.

It is musing on this situation that Sejer encounters his next problem, as it proves that an ominous feeling about a shifty character who marches into Fokus Bank comes to fruition. Firing a shot and escaping with the loot and an unwitting hostage who happens to be the prime suspect for the murder of Halldis Horn (Errki Johrma), robber Morgan subsequently makes an escape into the woods. It is this combination of two dangerous and unstable individuals with nothing to lose that so worries Sejer. It takes time to understand the territory into which Fossum is taking this third novel featuring the erudite and compassionate fifty-year-old Konrad Sejer, but once it gathers momentum this is an unstoppable collision course between two misfits. He Who Fears The Wolf is once again another instalment of crime fiction in which the procedural element plays second fiddle to the fascinating psychological underpinnings that Karin Fossum is so well known for. The touching bond forged between at first Errki and bank robber Morgan, which is then widened to include obese delinquent Kannick is a touching testament to opening hearts and minds.

Fossum chooses this novel to allow her readers to learn more about both of her lead detectives, with a chance to see Sejer contemplating romance after the sad demise of his adored wife, Elise, when he encounters the enigmatic and fiercely intelligent psychiatrist, Dr Struel. Mounting a solid defence of a patient who she has worked with for only four-months, fiery Dr Sara Struel explains to Sejer that Errki is afraid of confrontation, being judged by his peers and thus furthered ostracised by society. It is only when backed into a corner that he presents a potential risk to others. After nine years as a widower and with the reliable canine, Kollberg, his only companion Chief Inspector Sejer is a handsome man and a driven investigator with an unwavering faith in human beings. Another facet of this novel is the chance to observe enthusiastic and devout Jacob Skarre alongside Sejer. Skarre occupies the middle ground between the element of the police force which are quick to see local Errki Johrma as bad news. As Skarre takes the time to assert his belief that an act cannot be defended just the person who committed it he shows he is learning well from Sejer. That Morgan takes the time to clarify the misnomer that Errki was responsible for his mother's death and Kannick's arrow unintentionally caused injury, it shows just how much empathy is dependent and benefits from social experience.

[Kay · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'd pretty much sworn off of detective novels, but two things made me pick up a few of Karen Fossum's crime novels: the Norwegian settings and the promise of a good psychological thriller in the tradition of Ruth Rendell or Minette Walters. In a nutshell, the books were what I'd expected. He Who Fears the Wolf was the one I liked the best of the three I read (the other were Don't Look Back and When the Devil Holds the Candle).

One thing that is quite notable about Fossum is that she gets inside the heads of even fairly repugnant characters to make the reader understand them. On the downside, the police detective is rather predictable -- your usual eccentric loner. Anyone who has read Inspector Morse or P.D. James will find this type familiar. (Having said that, though, I must also say that I far prefer this type to the "spunky female detectives" that seem to have sprung up everywhere like mushrooms in crime fiction. Saints preserve us.)

[Paul · Rating 4 out of 5]

I usually have a stack of Scandinavian noir books waiting to be read. When push comes to shove and I cant think what to read ill grab one from the pile. Some from authors I've read many times before and some are first time outings. This is my first Fossum book I was intrigued by the blurb on the back. it didn't strike me as the usual murder mystery.

The author has given us an interesting set of character to observe it this tale. It strikes me that the Inspector for which this series is based about take some what of a back seat in this book. Errki the man who is suspected of committing the murder from the beginning of the book plays much more of a leading role, This is something I found to be an interesting choice. While at first I wasn't sure how to take Errki. As the book progressed I found my self becoming more immersed in his story and feeling more sympathy for him. Morgan his abductor and bank robber seems to facilitate in this proses allowing Errki to open up about his life. Throw in to the mix Kannick a boy from a home for troubled boys and his bow and arrows. She dose an amazing job of bring these characters alive before your eyes and giving them Gravity and meaning the interaction like a small chain reaction all leading us further in to the woods.

Fossum has done an insightful job of using a crime story to also deal with the subject of mental health. At no point did I feel she was using it as a crutch to explain away the action that take place. Her use of the inspector in this seems much more like a light touch. And for me it worked for the story she was trying to tell. At the end on the day there is still a mystery to be solved which she manages to do in an effective manner. The switching between the two groups allows for the story to flow to its own rhythm. At no point did I feel like the story was slowing down while she kept my interest right up until the end.

For a book I chose at random from my stack I was pleasantly surprised by this. It might not have been what I though gong in to it. But It supplied a shift in gear that I found enjoyable. It managed to escape the trap of book series of not becoming a formulaic tale. Instead giving us a mussing on what its like to be the outsiders in there world. So If this is anything to go by I look for to my next foray in to the authors series.

[Steve Payne · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

A boy suspected of violently murdering a woman in the the forests of Norway's Finnemarka, is later kidnapped during a bank robbery in a nearby town.

This third Inspector Sejer novel has its moments, but I found it one of the weaker works in the series. It plateau’s at times and I was urging for acceleration in the narrative – not usually an issue for me with Fossum, as the fascination of being in the mind of some odd character (a familiar trademark of the author) usually grabs and holds the attention; but that’s not the case here. I also had issues with some of the dialogue (possibly down to the translation?) which I felt was inconsistent at times and didn’t feel like that of a young and disparate group. I also felt a lack of distinction between these various character voices.

I’m perhaps being harder on this than I should - but Karin Fossum is one of my favourite writers. At her best there are few in crime fiction who get into the minds of characters so successfully – to the point where I often read with a smile on my face at the acuteness of her observations, and the display of a writer who has wholeheartedly gotten into the thought processes of her characters. Cold hearted old me, I just didn’t much care for the band of delinquents on offer here. I wanted the bitter, twisted, and tormented souls that populate her best novels.

There is, absolutely, enjoyment to be had here. It’s just, in comparison with her other works, on a lesser scale. If you’ve not read Karin Fossum before, some very good novels to read are – ‘I Can See In The Dark,’ ‘Black Seconds,’ and ‘The Whisperer.’

[Deb Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am truly stuck at a 4.5-star rating, so am rounding this one up due to the subject matter of mental health and the author's method of addressing it in this, the third of the Konrad Sejer series of books.

Set in Norway, the characters could be of any nationality and reflect the underlying truths of humans the world over. The reader is treated to insights into the protagonist's thoughts and emotions, but even more so of those under suspicion of breaking the law

Although this is a series of 14 books in total (as of July 2019), the books could be read as stand-alones. The most fun and entertainment is in reading the series from the beginning, to watch as the main characters develop and evolve over time.

[Naomi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I plan on giving all of my Karin Fossum reviews the same statement because I don't even want the hint of a spoiler on this woman's fantastic work. Fossum's writing gave me my love of Scandanavian mystery writers and I seek those writings out. Hands down,though, Fossum's work is the best I have come across so far.

[A. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Un thriller un tanto disfuncional con tres "sospechosos" disfuncionales. La reunión final de los tres tendría algo de hilarante si no fuera porque situaciones como el abandono infantil o las patologías psiquiátricas están de por medio. La profundización sobre éstas últimas (en particular de la esquizofrenia) merece una mención aparte porque va más allá de lo que estamos acostumbrados a leer en este tipo de literatura.
Una historia multifacética. Dura por las temáticas. Profundamente psicológica. No habría que entrar al bosque si se le teme al lobo.

[Rubi · Rating 3 out of 5]

La historia me ha llevado a reflexionar de lo poco que sé sobre las enfermedades mentales, que quienes la padecen viven en un mundo paralelo lleno de una simplicidad y compresión que escapa a la nuestra.
History has led me to reflect on how little I know about mental illness, that those who suffer from it live in a parallel world full of simplicity and understanding that escapes our own.

[Nessrina Hazem · Rating 3 out of 5]

الخائف من الذئب
ثالث قراءة لكارين فوسم و محققي المفضل كونراد سيير. المختلف المرة دي ان الجريمة علي هامش الرواية. بتبدأ الرواية بمقتل سيدة عجوز في منزلها في المزرعة و شهادة المراهق كانيك برؤية إيريكي و هو شخص مجنون معروف في القرية بأنه منحوس و متواجد في أكتر من مسرح جريمة و قد يكون قاتل و بسبب انه مجنون مختل تم ايداعه مصحة نفسية. بالتوازي مع الجريمة تحدث جريمة اقتحام و سرقة لبنك في نفس المدينة و يختطف السارق مورجان إيريكي. يبدأ المحقق سيير التحقيق و التعرف علي سمات شخصية إيريكي و كانيك خصوصا ان إيريكي يعيش في دار رعاية فمشكوك في شهادته ايضا.

ركزت كارين فوسم علي الشخصيات التلاتة ايريكي و مورجان و كانيك اكتر من الجريمة و التحقيقات. الجانب النفسي للشخصيات و تطور علاقتهم هو محور الرواية و خصوصا شخصية ايريكي و اللي اتعاطفت معاها جدا. لكن فريق التحقيق المتعارف عليه و ثنائية سيير و سكاري كانت علي الهامش فبالنسبالي كنت أفضل لو تصنيف الرواية psychological thriller اكتر من crime series. لكن في المجمل هي مشوقة و الترجمة موفقة جدا.

[Iblena · Rating 4 out of 5]

En un caluroso día de verano, una anciana es asesinada de forma brutal y tres individuos considerados como inadaptados sociales se cruzan por casualidad cada uno en el camino del otro:
*Morgan: Delincuente que huye de la ciudad después de atracar un banco.
*Errki Johrma: Esquizofrénico que acaba de escaparse del hospital psiquiátrico de la localidad, desde su infancia se ha encargado de alimentar su propia leyenda negra.
*Kannick Snellingen: Adolescente repudiado por su madre, al cuidado de una institución tutelada por servicios sociales.
¿Quién es realmente el más peligroso de los tres?
Salvo en contadas excepciones, no tengo por costumbre leer novelas negro criminal de escritores nórdicos. No me gustan y recelo de todo autor que año tras año, desde hace más de una década es proclamado como el nuevo rey o reina de este subgénero.
Entre las excepciones, se encuentra Karin Fossum; su estilo me agrada, pues la escritora noruega no escribe novelas policiacas al uso, y el enfoque que suele darle a sus historias es muy interesante. Fossum otorga a la trama psicológica un mayor peso dramático que a la policíaca, criminal o de misterio. Y la forma en que penetra en la mente de sus protagonistas es muy convincente, sobre todo si estos presentan algún trastorno de salud mental.
¿En Quien teme al lobo? la autora muestra una gran sensibilidad a la hora de caracterizar a sus personajes y el resultado es un profundo y complejo retrato psicológico; no solamente de los tres personalidades al límite, sino también de Konrad Sejer, un individuo prudente, intuitivo y reservado que experimenta sentimientos de culpa ante la posibilidad de volverse a enamorar, después de nueve años de viudez.
La novela tiene buen ritmo y la lectura no se hace pesada. Las historias de Morgan, Errki y Kannick son narradas con agudeza y hasta con cierto humor negro:
“—Lo tenía a mano en el banco y lo necesitaba para escapar. ¿Sabes una cosa? —Morgan se rio de nuevo—. Atracar un banco y coger a un rehén es como comprar un huevo Kinder sorpresa. Algunos tienen suerte y les toca una figura entera. A mí solo me ha tocado un montón de piezas sueltas para componer.”
También está presente la crítica social, al reflejar los prejuicios que existen en las pequeñas comunidades hacia las personas que padecen algún tipo de enfermedad mental, quienes por la ignorancia y el miedo de sus convecinos se convierten en el chivo expiatorio de la localidad y tal cual le sucede al personaje de Errki Johrma terminan por ser vistos como monstruos, cuando en la realidad se tratan de personas enfermas y vulnerables que necesitan ayuda.
Me encanta la interacción entre Morgan y Errki; que pasan de tratarse con recelo y hostilidad a convertirse en “colegas”. Karin Fossum me recuerda un poco a Ruth Rendell, por su manera de retratar sin excesos ni histrionismos la personalidad de un individuo con TPA: Un hurto por aquí, otro por allá, algo de manipulación, pequeños actos de maldad sin arrepentimiento.
Próximamente La luz del diablo.

[Patricia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ein leider recht seichter Skandinavien Krimi.

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fossum has an interesting style. Not quite thriller for me, but suspense with loose procedurals and with very interesting characters and histories for the bad guys. I haven't found another author whose style would be quite like this.
Part of Inspector Sejer series; can be read separately and out of order. 3.5 stars. Very good characters and histories, but a bit too easy an ending, and could have had a bit more action.
An old woman living alone in the woods is found murdered, and it falls to Sejer to investigate the case. The only witness was a 12 y old fat, obsessed kid living in a home for delinquents, and the prime suspect is a recent escapee from a mental institution. Add a bank robbery by a loose cannon, and a set of coincidences that bind the bad guys together...
The histories and the characters of the bad guys are fascinating. The only thing I could complain is the name of the schizophrenic guy; he's supposed to be a Finn. In which case both his first and last names are impossible. Errki Johrma - that's how the name sounds and how it's spelled here, but believe me, the Finns are not creative with allowing cr8tif spellings of their names. Errki would not be allowable for a Finn as a name; it would have to be Erkki. The same goes for Johrma; it would have to be Jorma (and that would be like Jorge, usually used just as a first name).

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book had me hooked as much as the first two did for the first half, but then dipped a bit before it wrapped up in another surprising Fossum ending. I enjoyed the unfolding of Errki’s personality. The description of his thoughts that the book opened with set him up to be an unrelatable lunatic, but that did not turn out to be the case. I was really hoping for Sejer and him to meet, as Sejer had an open minded and sympathetic view toward Errki, as is his nature, throughout the book. I liked the situation potentially developing for Sejer and Dr. Struel. The translation did not seem as smooth as in the other two, with oddly placed exclamation points in some cases, and odd-sounding conversation. Some parts seemed repetitive and there were some clumsy interactions between characters. I still enjoyed it a great deal, and am looking forward to the next one.

[Vesela · Rating 2 out of 5]

За огромно съжаление трябва да напиша, че този роман на любимката ми Карин Фосум не ми хареса особено. В повече ми дойдоха страниците с диалозите, разиграващи се в шизофреничния мозък на един от героите. Ако не беше толкова обстойно наблегнато на тази част, романът нямаше да ме натовари толкова и може би щеше да ми хареса много повече.
Разбира се, не съжалявам, че го прочетох.
Между другото, беше ми интересно да науча, че Карин Фосум е работила като медицинска сестра в психиатрична клиника, откъдето са явно познанията й върху материята.

[Sandi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Though this is the second book translated into English featuring Norwegian Detective Inspector Sejer this was really more of a psychological suspense tale than a police procedural. The actual plot is a bit weak but the book really shines with its insights and descriptions of characters with mental illnesses.

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

The writing and creative force behind this book deserves more stars, but for me I don't want to go there anymore. This lady knows sick minds, and I must admit to not liking to spend my sleepless night reading improbable pairings of .... ugh, how to start? Let's try the beginning. Sejer is walking to work when he sees a dude with a strange scarf wrapped around his neck and a certain look and his alarm bells go off. He turns around and follows this young man into a bank and then decides everything looked normal so he heads back in the original direction toward work. But then I am making this sound straightforward, and nothing is. "Deep inside his private universe there was a weak spot. He had never recovered from his grief at the loss of Elise; it had grown bigger and then imploded to form a black hole that sucked him in every once in a while. He refocused on the swarm of people..." This intuition of his turned out to be spot on with regard to the young man who robbed the bank and took a hostage. The hostage turned out to be a schizophrenic young man who had escaped from the local asylum. OK, now I have to admit to being really entertained by the interplay of robber and hostage. However...there was enough sad/bad/twisted in this tale including a 12 year old boy who kills and gets away with lying about it that I am going to have to put Fossum on the back burner for now. Bumping up stars to 4, well deserved. But will I be able to get any sleep now?

[Lukasz Pruski · Rating 2 out of 5]

"He wasn't made like other people, though this wasn't plain to see. [...] He had always moved in a different space, seeing the world through a murky veil that took the sting out of the light and the sounds coming from outside. He held the veil in place by concentrating hard."

It comes to me as a shock that I have just read a Karin Fossum's novel that I am a little hesitant to recommend. She is one of my absolutely favorite authors and I have rated two of her novels ( Black Seconds and The Murder of Harriet Krohn ) with rare five stars. Yet now comes He Who Fears the Wolf (2003, English translation), a psychological thriller that I do not believe is strong on psychology.

I have to offer a disclaimer though: readers who enjoy Ms. Fossum's books because of the characters of Chief Inspector Sejer and officer Skarre may like the novel a lot. But since I am not in the least interested in Sejer/Skarre but instead look for Ms. Fossum's trademark acute observations of human behavior, I am a bit disappointed.

After a "teaser" with hints of supernatural the story begins with an elderly, widowed woman found brutally murdered on her farm in a remote rural area of Norway. Kannick, a 12-year-old boy from a "boys' home" who has found the body saw Erkki near the woman's farm. Erkki is a convenient suspect: not only is he a Finn but also he has escaped from a psychiatric institution.

Inspector Sejer who is investigating the case notices a suspiciously looking man walking towards a bank in a nearby town. He follows him but nothing happens for quite some time. When the inspector leaves the bank he hears shots and screams. Witnesses say that the bank robber has kidnapped a woman. The two cases become intertwined in a rather unexpected way.

The book is not a police procedural, though. The major part of the novel focuses on Kannick, Erkki, and another young man. Their behaviors and the dynamics of relationships between them are observed in minute detail, which would normally be the strongest aspect of a novel by Ms. Fossum's. Alas, I am unable to find the portraits of the characters psychologically plausible. They feel custom-made by the author to illustrate her theses about people unable to adjust to life in society. The author also seems to be inattentive to detail: for instance, the bottle of whisky from which the three main characters partake for quite some time would have to be really huge.

On the positive side, I like the somewhat ambiguous ending, and I love one of the most oddball sentences I have ever seen in prose, which may be the author's joke or the translator's clumsiness:

"[he] was not a hamster. He was a father!"

And, of course, the sarcastic take on American police is worth noting:

"It's better in the U.S. The police just shoot them dead, and show a lot more consideration for the community."

Despite the good bits I am rounding my low rating down.

Two and a half stars

[Dave Riley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm a Fossum junkie. She can do no wrong and this small story suggests that I may indeed be right in my estimates.

Herein is the usual Fossum ethical challenge as presumptions are pealed back. Tragic of course -- there has to be tragedy in Fossum's crime stories; anguish and angst.

But this one is served up almost as a homage to Harold Pinter. Outside the door is society which is both our mother and our tormentor.'Tis very dramatic in the story telling sense. Containment in one room. Characters forced to come to terms with one another. How we explore each other by talking our way through it.

Karin Fossum, in her way, is Henrik Ibsen's godchild. Both are Norwegian...and both deal with perception mediated by social mores and that complication maybe the actuality of the individual's actions aren't as they may seem.

If there are secrets and lies, then we are the primary agents of the mistelling.

The irony is that the investigation into a brutal murder and bank robbery is almost aside show. Its' not so much about tracking down the crims but that the purported crims may also have something to tell us about who we are...because of the way we see them.

[Estibaliz · Rating 3 out of 5]

2 1/2
La verdad es que ha sido la novela de Fossum que menos me ha gustado hasta la fecha. El planteamiento del atracador y el 'loco' fugado tomado como rehén resulta interesante, pero le falta cierta tensión narrativa al asunto. El final y la resolución del misterio le da ese toque que la hace acreedora de tres estrellas en el global, pero no me ha impresionado especialmente. Karin lo sabe hacer mucho mejor.

[Tenli · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this book impossible to put down. I highly recommend all of Fossum's mysteries. I've read four and they were all creepy, unpredictable, absorbing. She excels in the creation of psychologically twisted characters.

[Choco Con Churros · Rating 5 out of 5]

Me gustó muchísimo. Aunque, como suele pasar con esta saga, la resolución de los casos, o llega demasiado tarde, o no sirve para nada a efectos prácticos. Siempre hay una deprimente sensación de impotencia al final.

[Avid Series Reader · Rating 1 out of 5]

He Who Fears the Wolf by Karin Fossum is the third book of the Inspector Konrad Sejer mystery series set in contemporary Norway. The story begins with and is primarily focused on Errki, a resident of The Beacon (mental asylum). There is a related murder mystery, the death of Halldis Horn, an older woman living alone in a deserted forested area. Her death is reported by an extremely obese young juvenile delinquent, Kannick, who also lives in an institution (Guttebakken).

Inspector Sejer is walking along the city streets when he sees a suspicious character go into a bank. Sejer follows into the bank, sees nothing amiss, and departs. But the suspicious character was in fact a bank robber, and he took a hostage on his departure. Sejer’s examination of the bank’s videotape reveals the hostage was Errki.

The bank robber spends the day with Errki, while police are trying to identify and track them. Police are also looking for clues into Halldis Horn’s murder. By following up on every clue, and refusing to make obvious assumptions, Sejer eventually arrives at the truth, which ties all plot threads together. Along the way, he also meets a woman who stirs him from a decade of mourning his late wife.

I could not relate to any character in the story, and did not enjoy the detailed excursion into the wandering thoughts of a madman. I did enjoy the previous book in the series, Don’t Look Back, so now that the series’ first book, Eva’s Eye, has been translated, I will give it a try.

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the third Inspector Sejer book and I am beginning to see why writers whose books I have enjoyed (Ruth Rendell, Jo Nesbo) have sung her praises.

This story takes us to two crimes that are related, linked by a lunatic escaped from the asylum. What makes it interesting is the way the author has written this - it's more about the characters, what led them to where they are in life, and how things unfold unexpectedly when their lives intersect.

What really pleased me in this story, however, is what is happening to Sejer in this novel. We know by now that he has been a widower for almost a decade, still missing his wife and not able to move on. In this novel, he meets Sara, a doctor at the asylum, and he begins to fall in love. He is terrified! Fossum's description of this process of falling is, to me, quite exquisite. Here's an excerpt that stayed with me:

"Another wave surged inside him. When it retreated he looked inside his own heart, which had long been a deserted shore. For the first time in years, there was a woman standing there."

I just love her writing. I find myself thinking about the characters long after I've closed the book. The relationship developing between Sejer and his junior Skarre is quite humourous in this novel.

[Jean · Rating 3 out of 5]

A friend and I have been reading lots of Scandinavian mysteries since we finished the Stieg Larson books. We read all of Henning Mankell, who is probably the best mystery writer around today, along with Ruth Rendell, but both of them are getting away from what I would consider "pure" mystery.
He Who Fears the Wolf is the first Karin Fossum I've read and I enjoyed it. The premise is interesting: A bank robber kidnaps a schizophrenic boy who is being hunted as a suspect in the brutal murder of an old woman. Inspector Sejer has to find the pair and figure out who killed the woman.

There are lots of interesting characters in this story, but most interesting is Inspector Sejer. He's very introspective but not in the morose way of Kurt Wallander (Henning Mankell's detective). The mystery is solved in the end in a satisfactory manner. Now I'm reading the next in the Sejer series, to see what happens to him next.

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

“ A person can’t see much when the Devil is holding the candle.”

Here’s the situation: We have a murdered woman, found at her home in the deep woods. Back in town, we have an early morning bank robbery, with a hostage taken. We have an escaped mental patient, last seen roaming the same woods and for good measure, throw in a fat juvenile delinquent, armed with a bow and arrow. How do all these things come together? Well, you’ll have to read this highly enjoyable mystery, set in Norway, to find out.
This is the 2nd book in a series, featuring Inspector Sejer. He is a likable character, despite his taciturn manner and the reader will find much pleasure in tagging along with him, as he attempts to piece together this thorny puzzle. Yes, the subject matter is very dark, but Fossum brings a fresh, sometimes playful, air to the proceedings. I can’t wait to continue this terrific series.

[Linda Branham · Rating 5 out of 5]

At first I had a hard time getting "into" the book - then I couldn't put it down :)
It opens with Errki - who is a mental patient. Then the story jumps to Dr. Sejer almost witnessing a bank robbery - and becoming part of the robbery investigation. The story again jumps to a boys home where one of the boys witnessed Errki at the scene where an older lady was killed
Then it all starts coming together....The intersecting worlds of Errki, the robber (known as Morgan), Kannick Snellingen, and Inspector Sejer and his assistant, Jacob Scarre, create an absolutely amazing combination of psychological portraits and interactions. Morgan and Errki, hiding out together in an abandoned cabin, try to avoid the police and stay alive, remaining wary of each other but starting to communicate about the voices Errki hears in his head. A wonderful psychological rendition of everyone :)

[Carmen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing book, even better than the first one. This book is the second book in the Inspector Sejer mystery series. This book spends more time peering into insanity, and what insanity really is, and how insanity can present itself in different ways in different individuals. A stunning book, with great character development, and wonderful dialogue. Translated into English from it's original Norwegian. An old woman who lives in an isolated forest cottage is brutally murdered. Who could have done it? Very surprising and gripping. I highly recommend this book. The title is taken from the saying "He who fears the wolf shouldn't go into the forest."