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Nina Borg #2
Invisible Murder
Scavenging hospital ruins in northern Hungary, two Roma boys stumble on something more valuable than usual black market finds. The chain of events threatens many lives. In Denmark, Red Cross nurse Nina Borg puts her life and family on the line when she treats Hungarian Gypsies living illegally in a Copenhagen garage. What are they hiding? What makes them so sick?
339 pages, Hardcover
First published February 17, 2010
223 people are currently reading
2576 people want to read
About the author
Lene Kaaberbøl
78 books775 followersJeg kom til verden på Rigshospitalet i København d. 24.3.1960. Overlægen var i kjole og hvidt - han var blevet afbrudt midt i en gallamiddag - men min søster siger, at det er da ikke noget, hendes fødselslæge var i islandsk nationaldragt. Nogen vil mene at det således allerede fra starten var klart at jeg var et ganske særligt barn. Andre vil sikkert påstå at min mor bare var god til at skabe pludselige gynækologiske kriser.
Jeg blev altså født i København, men det må nok betragtes som en fejl, for min forældre er jyske, min opvækst foregik i Jylland (mestendels i Malling ved Århus), og jeg betragter mig i dag som eksil-jyde på Frederiksberg, på det mine jyske venner omtaler som Djævleøen (Sjælland).
Jeg har skrevet altid, eller i hvert fald lige siden jeg nåede ud over »Ole så en so«-stadiet. Som hestetosset teenager skrev jeg bøgerne om Tina og hestene (de to første udkom da jeg var femten, den fjerde og sidste da jeg var sytten). Som 18-årig opdagede jeg Tolkien og Ringenes herre, og derefter Ursula K. LeGuins trilogi om Jordhavet, og lige siden har mit bog-hjerte banket for eventyr og drageblod og verdener, der ligger mindst tre skridt til højre for regnbuen eller Mælkevejen, og under alle omstændigheder et pænt stykke fra den asfalterede danske virkelighed.
I dag, cirka 30 bøger senere, er jeg stadig lige så håbløst vild med at skrive som jeg altid har været. Og selv om jeg har været en lille smuttur i krimi-land og skrevet en kriminalroman for voksne - læs mere på ninaborg.dk hvis du har lyst - så er jeg bestemt stadig børnebogsforfatter og har stadig hang til magiske momenter!
Personal
Name Lene Kaaberbøl
Born 1960, in Copenhagen, Denmark. Education: Århus University, degree (English, drama). Hobbies and other interests: Playing pentanque.
Addresses
Office—Phabel & Plott ApS, Laksegade 12, St.th, DK-1063 Copenhagen K, Denmark.
Career
Novelist. Formerly worked as a high school teacher, copy writer, publishing company editor, cleaning assistant, and riding teacher. Phabel & Plott ApS, Copenhagen, Denmark, owner and writer.
Honors Awards
Best Disney Novel Writer of the Year award, Disney Worldwide Artist Convention, 2001, for five "W.I.T.C.H." series novels.
Associated Names:
* Lene Kaaberbol (English)
Jeg blev altså født i København, men det må nok betragtes som en fejl, for min forældre er jyske, min opvækst foregik i Jylland (mestendels i Malling ved Århus), og jeg betragter mig i dag som eksil-jyde på Frederiksberg, på det mine jyske venner omtaler som Djævleøen (Sjælland).
Jeg har skrevet altid, eller i hvert fald lige siden jeg nåede ud over »Ole så en so«-stadiet. Som hestetosset teenager skrev jeg bøgerne om Tina og hestene (de to første udkom da jeg var femten, den fjerde og sidste da jeg var sytten). Som 18-årig opdagede jeg Tolkien og Ringenes herre, og derefter Ursula K. LeGuins trilogi om Jordhavet, og lige siden har mit bog-hjerte banket for eventyr og drageblod og verdener, der ligger mindst tre skridt til højre for regnbuen eller Mælkevejen, og under alle omstændigheder et pænt stykke fra den asfalterede danske virkelighed.
I dag, cirka 30 bøger senere, er jeg stadig lige så håbløst vild med at skrive som jeg altid har været. Og selv om jeg har været en lille smuttur i krimi-land og skrevet en kriminalroman for voksne - læs mere på ninaborg.dk hvis du har lyst - så er jeg bestemt stadig børnebogsforfatter og har stadig hang til magiske momenter!
Personal
Name Lene Kaaberbøl
Born 1960, in Copenhagen, Denmark. Education: Århus University, degree (English, drama). Hobbies and other interests: Playing pentanque.
Addresses
Office—Phabel & Plott ApS, Laksegade 12, St.th, DK-1063 Copenhagen K, Denmark.
Career
Novelist. Formerly worked as a high school teacher, copy writer, publishing company editor, cleaning assistant, and riding teacher. Phabel & Plott ApS, Copenhagen, Denmark, owner and writer.
Honors Awards
Best Disney Novel Writer of the Year award, Disney Worldwide Artist Convention, 2001, for five "W.I.T.C.H." series novels.
Associated Names:
* Lene Kaaberbol (English)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 412 reviews
December 12, 2020
Invisible Murder by Lene Kaaberbol and Agnete Friis
The second of four books in the Nina Borg series, the best-known of which is the first one, The Boy in the Suitcase. Although only one author is listed on GR, my copy has it co-authored with Agnete Friis. Nina is a nurse in Copenhagen and the book is translated from the Danish.
The blurb gives a good short summary: Scavenging hospital ruins in northern Hungary, two Roma boys stumble on something more valuable than usual black market finds. The chain of events threatens many lives. In Denmark. Red Cross nurse Nina Borg puts her life and family on the line when she treats Hungarian Gypsies living illegally in a Copenhagen garage. What are they hiding? What makes them so sick?
Nina is a do-gooder volunteering in a network that assists hard-up immigrants who are often reluctant to get involved with social services or with hospitals because of their immigration status. One immigrant woman she works with has just stabbed her abusive husband when he started eyeing her daughter. Now the immigrant woman will be deported back to Ukraine to serve time in prison and her daughter will end up in a Ukrainian orphanage.
Nina’s has two children of her own: a 14 years-old girl going through a stage where she hates her mother, and a younger boy. Her husband works two weeks on and two weeks off on oil rigs. Because of her past exploits he has made Nina absolutely promise that she will not get involved in any of her sometimes-dangerous volunteer work while he is away. But Nina can’t say no to those in need. What will her husband think when he finds out that her latest episode has resulted in their home invaded, Nina hospitalized and their daughter kidnapped?
The plot jumps back and forth between Denmark and Hungary as police in both countries are tracking hoodlums by their cell phones and computers looking for the dangerous substance. We get glimpses of far-right crazies in both countries protesting against the Roma (formerly Gypsies) and Moslems. Some Hungarians feel that the Roma are taking their work and that “at least under communism we had jobs.” A major part of the story In Denmark is connected to the fact that a well-off neighborhood is offended by the building of a mosque nearby.
A good story that kept my interest. A surprising, although improbable ending – but that ok, it’s fiction!
Lene Kaaberbøl (b. 1960) writes children's fantasy series and crime fiction for adults. Agnete Friis (b. 1974) also writes children’s stories and YA novels.
Photos of Copenhagen: top from thesavvybackpacker.com; middle from tscnet.eu
Photo of the authors (Kaaberbol left; Friis right) from ytimg.com
The second of four books in the Nina Borg series, the best-known of which is the first one, The Boy in the Suitcase. Although only one author is listed on GR, my copy has it co-authored with Agnete Friis. Nina is a nurse in Copenhagen and the book is translated from the Danish.
The blurb gives a good short summary: Scavenging hospital ruins in northern Hungary, two Roma boys stumble on something more valuable than usual black market finds. The chain of events threatens many lives. In Denmark. Red Cross nurse Nina Borg puts her life and family on the line when she treats Hungarian Gypsies living illegally in a Copenhagen garage. What are they hiding? What makes them so sick?
Nina is a do-gooder volunteering in a network that assists hard-up immigrants who are often reluctant to get involved with social services or with hospitals because of their immigration status. One immigrant woman she works with has just stabbed her abusive husband when he started eyeing her daughter. Now the immigrant woman will be deported back to Ukraine to serve time in prison and her daughter will end up in a Ukrainian orphanage.
Nina’s has two children of her own: a 14 years-old girl going through a stage where she hates her mother, and a younger boy. Her husband works two weeks on and two weeks off on oil rigs. Because of her past exploits he has made Nina absolutely promise that she will not get involved in any of her sometimes-dangerous volunteer work while he is away. But Nina can’t say no to those in need. What will her husband think when he finds out that her latest episode has resulted in their home invaded, Nina hospitalized and their daughter kidnapped?
The plot jumps back and forth between Denmark and Hungary as police in both countries are tracking hoodlums by their cell phones and computers looking for the dangerous substance. We get glimpses of far-right crazies in both countries protesting against the Roma (formerly Gypsies) and Moslems. Some Hungarians feel that the Roma are taking their work and that “at least under communism we had jobs.” A major part of the story In Denmark is connected to the fact that a well-off neighborhood is offended by the building of a mosque nearby.
A good story that kept my interest. A surprising, although improbable ending – but that ok, it’s fiction!
Lene Kaaberbøl (b. 1960) writes children's fantasy series and crime fiction for adults. Agnete Friis (b. 1974) also writes children’s stories and YA novels.
Photos of Copenhagen: top from thesavvybackpacker.com; middle from tscnet.eu
Photo of the authors (Kaaberbol left; Friis right) from ytimg.com
September 3, 2012
Caution: This book with infect you with the need for more Nina Borg!
Invisible Murder is an intense look into the treatment of illegal immigrants, mainly Hungarian gypsies, and PET's counter-terrorism officials struggle to keep black market weapon traders from successfully selling items that threaten the Danish national security. Of course, large-hearted nurse Nina Borg is back, getting herself involved in life-threatening situations while treating the illegals denied medical access elsewhere. Kaaberbol and Friis introduce the reader to a very empathetic victim-of-circumstance, Sandor Horvath, a law-student discriminated against because of his gypsy heritage and association with his renegade half-brother Tamas. When Tamas discovers a valuable weapon that can be sold on the back market, he initiates a strings of events that leave all of the characters at risk of imminent danger. To read through Invisible murder is to be transported to the challenges of a nation divided by racism and nationalism.
I was not an immediate fan of the Nina Borg series, but after reading Invisible Murder, I will now recommend it whole-heartedly. The tension was almost unbearable, and it ran like an electric (or radio-active) current throughout the book. It continued seamlessly from the problematic scenario presented at the end of this first in this series, drawing readers back into the troubled lives of refugees Natasha and her daughter Rina. There wasn't a "getting-to-know you" period in this book; it took off like a bullet from the very beginning and didn't stop until the reader was hit with the entirety of the disturbing plot.
No spoilers here. Mark the calender with the date of release for Invisible Murder: October 12, 2012. In the meantime, if you haven't read The Boy in the Suitcase, grab it up now and read it before you dive into Invisible Murder. The back-story isn't necessarily essential but it will certainly provide a more psychologically-full reading of the characters in this book. I would recommend starting with The Boy in the Suitcase, but most certainly follow up your reading with Invisible Murder - as I thought this sequel was better than the first.
Thank you again to authors Lene Kaaberbol and Agnes Friis as well as Soho Crime publishers for this GoodRead First Reads win. I am thankful that I was introduced to Nina Borg, and I'll be certain to follow up on her exploits in the future.
August 9, 2012
Love this book even more than the first book by the authors (THE BOY IN THE SUITCASE).
I think it's a really, really special thing these authors do in creating thrillers that aren't about crooks or bad guys--they're about real people coming into conflict because of real-world pressures, need, and desperation. The realism makes the edge-of-the-seat action feel that much closer to home.
I think it's a really, really special thing these authors do in creating thrillers that aren't about crooks or bad guys--they're about real people coming into conflict because of real-world pressures, need, and desperation. The realism makes the edge-of-the-seat action feel that much closer to home.
August 26, 2025
This was on my TBR, but I've realized that I read it, and according to Audible, it's only a 2 star book for me. Can't say I remember it ...
August 25, 2016
4 stars.
This book is an amazing feat for the authors: four wildly disparate plotlines all converge on do-gooder Red Cross nurse, Nina Borg. The plotlines each take a while to develop, so slowly that I wondered how it would all play out, until the exciting, explosive finish.
I listened to this book on Audible, and I must say, the production was terrible. The narrator read the book very well, but the post-production editing was not completed. I lost track of the number of times sentences were repeated, often two or three times, and in one instance, the narrator was obviously very frustrated as she tried to read a character’s lines with a Hungarian accent and couldn’t get it right, rereading the line six times, groaning and moaning with each mistake. Makes me realize how difficult it really is to record an entire book, but the end-user shouldn’t hear things like this, especially considering how much audiobooks cost. Audible definitely needs to review their post-production procedures.
This book is an amazing feat for the authors: four wildly disparate plotlines all converge on do-gooder Red Cross nurse, Nina Borg. The plotlines each take a while to develop, so slowly that I wondered how it would all play out, until the exciting, explosive finish.
I listened to this book on Audible, and I must say, the production was terrible. The narrator read the book very well, but the post-production editing was not completed. I lost track of the number of times sentences were repeated, often two or three times, and in one instance, the narrator was obviously very frustrated as she tried to read a character’s lines with a Hungarian accent and couldn’t get it right, rereading the line six times, groaning and moaning with each mistake. Makes me realize how difficult it really is to record an entire book, but the end-user shouldn’t hear things like this, especially considering how much audiobooks cost. Audible definitely needs to review their post-production procedures.
November 30, 2012
"Invisible Murder" by Lene Kaaberbol and Agnete Friis is a good thriller. I actually liked it more than the well-known "The Boy in the Suitcase" by the same pair of Danish authors because it reaches deeper into the layer of acute social issues. Without spoiling the plot, let's just say it involves Hungarian Roma (Gypsy) refugees in Denmark. Nina Borg is one of the main characters as is her teenage daughter Ida (a very well drawn portrait of a mixture of natural teenage stupidity and strength of character). The characterizations of Danish security people are not as deep and rich, but then they serve mainly as plot-moving devices.
The plot is quite slow, but it delivers towards the end. All the threads of the plot come together at the end in a gloriously absurd yet believable denouement.
The misery of Eastern European refugees in Denmark is shown quite dramatically. It is definitely not a book for people with right-wing leanings.
The writing is high quality, and the credit must be given not only to the writers but also to the translator.
Four stars.
The plot is quite slow, but it delivers towards the end. All the threads of the plot come together at the end in a gloriously absurd yet believable denouement.
The misery of Eastern European refugees in Denmark is shown quite dramatically. It is definitely not a book for people with right-wing leanings.
The writing is high quality, and the credit must be given not only to the writers but also to the translator.
Four stars.
March 27, 2017
This is the second book following The Boy in the Suitcase featuring Danish nurse, Nina Borg. She works at a Red Cross facility that offers medical care to immigrants living in Denmark. She also occasionally works for a secret group, called the Network that helps illegal immigrants. She has promised her husband that she will not work for the Network while he's doing his two weeks of work on an ocean oil drilling platform and will take care not to put their two children at risk. Of course she is unable to do that and is talked into treating some sick Hungarian Roma refugees for what appears to be a stomach virus. Before long, one visit leads to another and Nina finds herself jeopardizing everything and everyone she loves.
Along with Nina, Sandor Horvath, a young Hungarian student, becomes involved. His brother Tamas came to his university dorm, asked to used his computer, and then left after stealing Sandor's passport. Sandor now has to travel to Copenhagen and try to find his brother before it's too late. They both are unaware that they are being tracked by the police as potential terrorists. It's clear from the beginning what's causing the sickness but the story plays out in a completely unexpected way.
While I enjoyed The Boy in the Suitcase, I really liked this book much more. Nina is not a sympathetic character in many ways, but I found her reactions to be very realistic. The book is fairly graphic but I didn't find it overwhelming. It deals with a subject that is uncomfortable to many readers from every nation. I'll leave it to each reader to do an examination of their own individual and social consciences and say that I though it was a very suspenseful and thought provoking book. I look forward to picking up the next book in the series, Death of a Nightingale.
Along with Nina, Sandor Horvath, a young Hungarian student, becomes involved. His brother Tamas came to his university dorm, asked to used his computer, and then left after stealing Sandor's passport. Sandor now has to travel to Copenhagen and try to find his brother before it's too late. They both are unaware that they are being tracked by the police as potential terrorists. It's clear from the beginning what's causing the sickness but the story plays out in a completely unexpected way.
While I enjoyed The Boy in the Suitcase, I really liked this book much more. Nina is not a sympathetic character in many ways, but I found her reactions to be very realistic. The book is fairly graphic but I didn't find it overwhelming. It deals with a subject that is uncomfortable to many readers from every nation. I'll leave it to each reader to do an examination of their own individual and social consciences and say that I though it was a very suspenseful and thought provoking book. I look forward to picking up the next book in the series, Death of a Nightingale.
November 3, 2012
If you're a fan of Stieg Larsson, or if you enjoyed The Killing, I think this book would appeal to you. It has that same dark, realistic, and gritty feel to it. Along with the murder, there is a lot of human drama surrounding the characters, and it was one of those books that I just didn't want to put down. More complete review to come.
Full review:
The description of this book made me a bit wary, because I'm not a big fan of spy novels or big books about terrorism. I'm more interested in novels that explore the psyche of crime, and I was glad to find that this was ultimately what I got out of this novel. I haven't read The Boy in the Suitcase--yet--so this was my first experience with these authors, and it just left me eager to read more of their work. Minor spoilers to follow.
The blurb makes this book sound like it's about Nina Borg and it is, but she's only one of a cast of very intriguing and compelling characters. The action of the story unfolds in the telling of the stories of various characters, and culminates when their stories intersect. I thought that all of the characters were compelling, but for very different reasons, and so I enjoyed the multiple narrative threads. Each character has a distinctive voice, and all of them are very well done, so I was invested in what happened to them.
I think my favorite character was Sandor, and I thought his story was probably the most tragic--though, let's be clear, this book is not short on tragedy. Sandor is forced to straddle two worlds and, as a consequence, he never really belongs to either of them. Though I found him a moral character, there's no real reward for his morality, and it was pretty devastating to watch the world for which he fought so hard slowly begin to crumble beneath his feet. Sandor is the very definition of a victim of circumstances, and it was a frustrating, authentic point to the novel.
Nina is also a very well-done character, and I couldn't help but think of the excellent show The Killing as I read. Both of stories involve women who are drawn into an obsession to right a wrong. Both of them are incapable of noticing that their world is imploding around them as they sink deeper and deeper into their obsessions. Really, the worst thing about this is that Nina is doing the right thing, but in doing the right thing, she risks her own happiness and peace of mind.
This is really the striking thing about this novel, the way it explores the gritty reality of how, in trying to do what's right, people can ultimately end up with shattered lives. It's a very gritty reality that makes for a read that's compelling but not always very uplifting. I enjoy this kind of writing, though, because it shows just how wide-reaching and devastating the effects of a crime can be, in some of the most unexpected ways.
The only downside to the book is that I figured out pretty early one what was going on with the mysterious retrieval from the former Soviet hospital. Because it was pretty obvious, I didn't think it was really necessary for the authors to obfuscate what was going on. In some ways, it was a little detrimental to the narrative flow to try to maintain this cloak of secrecy over something that seemed pretty obvious to me.
Another possible downside is the way the story is structured. Because it's obvious how all but one of the characters is tied to the story, it's obvious that there must be a way that character will ultimately tie into the story. I didn't mind this all that much, as it did add an extra layer to the mystery and it was a twist that ultimately surprised me.
Ultimately, I found this an excellent page-turner, but one that had compelling characters, which is exactly what I look for when I'm in the mood for a good crime novel.
Full review:
The description of this book made me a bit wary, because I'm not a big fan of spy novels or big books about terrorism. I'm more interested in novels that explore the psyche of crime, and I was glad to find that this was ultimately what I got out of this novel. I haven't read The Boy in the Suitcase--yet--so this was my first experience with these authors, and it just left me eager to read more of their work. Minor spoilers to follow.
The blurb makes this book sound like it's about Nina Borg and it is, but she's only one of a cast of very intriguing and compelling characters. The action of the story unfolds in the telling of the stories of various characters, and culminates when their stories intersect. I thought that all of the characters were compelling, but for very different reasons, and so I enjoyed the multiple narrative threads. Each character has a distinctive voice, and all of them are very well done, so I was invested in what happened to them.
I think my favorite character was Sandor, and I thought his story was probably the most tragic--though, let's be clear, this book is not short on tragedy. Sandor is forced to straddle two worlds and, as a consequence, he never really belongs to either of them. Though I found him a moral character, there's no real reward for his morality, and it was pretty devastating to watch the world for which he fought so hard slowly begin to crumble beneath his feet. Sandor is the very definition of a victim of circumstances, and it was a frustrating, authentic point to the novel.
Nina is also a very well-done character, and I couldn't help but think of the excellent show The Killing as I read. Both of stories involve women who are drawn into an obsession to right a wrong. Both of them are incapable of noticing that their world is imploding around them as they sink deeper and deeper into their obsessions. Really, the worst thing about this is that Nina is doing the right thing, but in doing the right thing, she risks her own happiness and peace of mind.
This is really the striking thing about this novel, the way it explores the gritty reality of how, in trying to do what's right, people can ultimately end up with shattered lives. It's a very gritty reality that makes for a read that's compelling but not always very uplifting. I enjoy this kind of writing, though, because it shows just how wide-reaching and devastating the effects of a crime can be, in some of the most unexpected ways.
The only downside to the book is that I figured out pretty early one what was going on with the mysterious retrieval from the former Soviet hospital. Because it was pretty obvious, I didn't think it was really necessary for the authors to obfuscate what was going on. In some ways, it was a little detrimental to the narrative flow to try to maintain this cloak of secrecy over something that seemed pretty obvious to me.
Another possible downside is the way the story is structured. Because it's obvious how all but one of the characters is tied to the story, it's obvious that there must be a way that character will ultimately tie into the story. I didn't mind this all that much, as it did add an extra layer to the mystery and it was a twist that ultimately surprised me.
Ultimately, I found this an excellent page-turner, but one that had compelling characters, which is exactly what I look for when I'm in the mood for a good crime novel.
August 21, 2012
This book starts out a bit slowly, many different threads to follow. Once they come together though the book really takes off and doesn't let up until the end. What I like most about this book is that it features, for the most part, regular people who get caught up in not so good things. Nina herself, is a character who tries to do the right things and ends up involved in situations that are life changing. Can't wait to find out what the author has in store for Nina next time.
ARC from NetGalley.
ARC from NetGalley.
June 17, 2015
I just couldn't get into this story. I don't know if it was the terrorist angle or just too many darn characters/plots that I couldn't keep straight. Just like the first one, the action speeds up towards the end and forces you to continue but it's a long, hard journey getting to this point. Of course, everything is tied together but this becomes clear too late and I found myself not caring one way or the other.
February 11, 2013
I really like the Boy in the Suitcase, so I was looking forward to this second book, but unfortunately this book is more like a cliche of the first book. the bad guys have no element to explain them, Nina has gone further away from believable.
plus- I have trouble with the notion of the book, that Nina is the good guy.
what's the point of trying to save the world if you sacrifice your own family?
I did like the "surprise" ending, although I saw it coming in some form.
plus- I have trouble with the notion of the book, that Nina is the good guy.
what's the point of trying to save the world if you sacrifice your own family?
I did like the "surprise" ending, although I saw it coming in some form.
August 29, 2019
Ao princípio não me estava a cativar muito, mas com o desenvolvimento da história foi ficando mais interessante.
August 13, 2014
This Danish mystery series featuring Red Cross nurse Nina Borg in modern-day Copenhagen follows a long line of deliciously cosmopolitan and yet delightfully local novels translated and published by Soho Crime. Reading a few of the mysteries by these illustrious authors will give the reader an indication of the quality associated with Soho Crime: James Benn, Cara Black, Jassy Mackenzie, Leighton Gage, Timothy Hallinan, Martin Limon, Peter Lovesay, Qiu Xiaolong, Helene Tursten, Akimitsu Takagi, Matt Benyon Rees. Lene Kaaberbol and Agnete Friis are in good company. Crime and intrigue is all the more complicated in a Danish society famously known for its liberality.
Invisible Murder is the story of a young gypsy Hungarian boy seeking to gain some control over the fates of his family by looting an old hospital left to rot by departing Russian occupiers. He intends to sell leftover X-ray equipment to the highest bidders in Europe, leaving himself and his family exposed to the most rabid and calculating bottom-dwellers in the criminal syndicate.
We meet Nina Borg, a Red Cross nurse volunteering outside work with illegal immigrants to Denmark, and members of the Danish Counterterrorism Units who are chasing whomever accessed known terrorist sites on the internet while in their jurisdiction. We get a fascinating peek at the concerns of Danish society today, and the impetus for crime from the most underserved and exploited communities in the EU.
This novel is the second in a series, and as such the authors may have missed an opportunity to present Nina Borg in the depth first-time readers need to accept her leading role. The book was long and complicated—perhaps more complicated than it needed to be. Some judicious editing or more time spend reducing the work to its essentials would have aided our understanding and interest starting out, but the action picked up in the last third and it stands as a solid entry in this crime series.
Invisible Murder is the story of a young gypsy Hungarian boy seeking to gain some control over the fates of his family by looting an old hospital left to rot by departing Russian occupiers. He intends to sell leftover X-ray equipment to the highest bidders in Europe, leaving himself and his family exposed to the most rabid and calculating bottom-dwellers in the criminal syndicate.
We meet Nina Borg, a Red Cross nurse volunteering outside work with illegal immigrants to Denmark, and members of the Danish Counterterrorism Units who are chasing whomever accessed known terrorist sites on the internet while in their jurisdiction. We get a fascinating peek at the concerns of Danish society today, and the impetus for crime from the most underserved and exploited communities in the EU.
This novel is the second in a series, and as such the authors may have missed an opportunity to present Nina Borg in the depth first-time readers need to accept her leading role. The book was long and complicated—perhaps more complicated than it needed to be. Some judicious editing or more time spend reducing the work to its essentials would have aided our understanding and interest starting out, but the action picked up in the last third and it stands as a solid entry in this crime series.
May 14, 2016
I don't get it. These Scandinavians, plain and simple, have a flair for the psychological thriller mystery.
For this series, with our heroine Nina Borg, I hate to admit that I was disappointed. "Nina Borg, a Red Cross nurse, wife, and mother of two, is a compulsive do-gooder who can't say no when someone asks for help. Even when she knows better." Sorry, but she doesn't seem very appealing. Her "need to do good" may have some psychological roots, but ultimately it feels like an annoying, not-quite-believable easy way to explain away her actions. Which doesn't really work.
It was certainly suspenseful, most of the time. I liked "The Boy in the Suitcase" and "The Invisible Murder" for their unique crimes and outcomes- not the typical motives of greed or lust. Not sure which I would choose as better. The former was a more suspenseful page-turner, but the latter, although slower, had a more rewarding conclusion.
(Spoiler: The boy in the suitcase was being sold for his kidney, because he was the only match for the man's dying son. The boy in the suitcase is the brother of his adopted son. The invisible murder is the female villain's scheme to poison the drinking water from a newly built shrine with radiation. These Muslims with their towels, producing than twice the number of babies as Danish a year, she has read. She has agreed to pay for the respective paint can with half a million kronor. Detectives are relieved to find out she was not using it to blow up a million people. Or are they? A slow, silent, "preventative" or "presumptuous" murder, eliminating the possibility of successful pregnancies for anyone who drinks the water enough? For years or decades to become. who knows when it would be discovered as a source?)
Would be interested in reading more of these, but with Nina Borg's character leaving something to be desired, probably more of a "beach read", as opposed to the more fulfilling stories in other Scandinavian series.
For this series, with our heroine Nina Borg, I hate to admit that I was disappointed. "Nina Borg, a Red Cross nurse, wife, and mother of two, is a compulsive do-gooder who can't say no when someone asks for help. Even when she knows better." Sorry, but she doesn't seem very appealing. Her "need to do good" may have some psychological roots, but ultimately it feels like an annoying, not-quite-believable easy way to explain away her actions. Which doesn't really work.
It was certainly suspenseful, most of the time. I liked "The Boy in the Suitcase" and "The Invisible Murder" for their unique crimes and outcomes- not the typical motives of greed or lust. Not sure which I would choose as better. The former was a more suspenseful page-turner, but the latter, although slower, had a more rewarding conclusion.
(Spoiler: The boy in the suitcase was being sold for his kidney, because he was the only match for the man's dying son. The boy in the suitcase is the brother of his adopted son. The invisible murder is the female villain's scheme to poison the drinking water from a newly built shrine with radiation. These Muslims with their towels, producing than twice the number of babies as Danish a year, she has read. She has agreed to pay for the respective paint can with half a million kronor. Detectives are relieved to find out she was not using it to blow up a million people. Or are they? A slow, silent, "preventative" or "presumptuous" murder, eliminating the possibility of successful pregnancies for anyone who drinks the water enough? For years or decades to become. who knows when it would be discovered as a source?)
Would be interested in reading more of these, but with Nina Borg's character leaving something to be desired, probably more of a "beach read", as opposed to the more fulfilling stories in other Scandinavian series.
December 15, 2013
This follow up to The Boy in the Suitcase presents an even wider scope of crime and an almost entirely new cast of characters. Nina Borg still plays a large role in the events, but the real shining star is a new, Hungarian Roma character, Sandor. He becomes heartbreakingly entrenched in the plot, through no real fault of his own. Like in their first book, the conclusion doesn’t feel quite complete with most of the main characters’ personal storylines left open to interpretation (or perhaps open for more detail in a future volume in the series). Despite this slightly unfinished feel, the various strands of the plot itself do wind together in an interesting, and definitely suspenseful, way.
Similar to other Scandinavian thrillers, the authors present a racially divided portrait of Denmark. This troubled society adds a certain political element to the plot, but definitely not enough of a thread to call this a political thriller. The scenes outside of Denmark are quite interesting, as well, and the sections revolving around the treatment of the Roma in particular is not a topic frequently found within the mystery genre. The translation into English is also very well done, with only a few minimally distracting errors. I really am looking forward to the third book in the series!! I can’t wait!
Similar to other Scandinavian thrillers, the authors present a racially divided portrait of Denmark. This troubled society adds a certain political element to the plot, but definitely not enough of a thread to call this a political thriller. The scenes outside of Denmark are quite interesting, as well, and the sections revolving around the treatment of the Roma in particular is not a topic frequently found within the mystery genre. The translation into English is also very well done, with only a few minimally distracting errors. I really am looking forward to the third book in the series!! I can’t wait!
September 24, 2015
I had previously read and enjoyed the author's first book in this series, The Boy in the Suitcase. I was looking forward to this book but I almost threw in the towel at page 75. The book has so many different plot threads and characters running through dIfferent countries. With so many nationalities and names I was unfamiliar with, it was quite difficult to keep everything straight. I am glad I stuck it out though because once the threads started converging together it made for quite the thriller.
The story starts out with two Roma teenagers finding something abandoned that they think they can sell for a lot of money, unfortunately for them it is radioactive. The action shifts to Denmark with nurse Nina Borg tending to a large group pf Roma's hiding out in a garage. Bad guys are after the radioactive substance and Nina gets tangled up in the plot to sell it.
This book was very topical and explored many issues such as terrorism, immigration, and sex trafficking. It was interesting to read about how the people from Hungary were received in Denmark when everyday in the news you see how Hungary is treating the people fleeing from Syria. This book should be read if for no other reason than to broaden your world view. On top of that it is a taut thriller, at least when you get to the end.
The story starts out with two Roma teenagers finding something abandoned that they think they can sell for a lot of money, unfortunately for them it is radioactive. The action shifts to Denmark with nurse Nina Borg tending to a large group pf Roma's hiding out in a garage. Bad guys are after the radioactive substance and Nina gets tangled up in the plot to sell it.
This book was very topical and explored many issues such as terrorism, immigration, and sex trafficking. It was interesting to read about how the people from Hungary were received in Denmark when everyday in the news you see how Hungary is treating the people fleeing from Syria. This book should be read if for no other reason than to broaden your world view. On top of that it is a taut thriller, at least when you get to the end.
August 29, 2012
This was my first exposure to "Nordic Noir" and it was a fantastically written tale of deceit and family manipulation. The story was written in a style that is sort of Tarantino-like in that several separate story-lines converge bringing relatively normal people into extraordinary circumstances. The character development was top notch, and although it was a little slow to start, it reached a frenetic pace early and kept you on the edge of your seat till the great twist at the end. Perhaps the slow start was just me getting used to reading a new style, written in another language and adapted to English. Either way, I am hooked and will be reading the first book in the series, The Boy in the Suitcase, and dabbling in some other works in this wonderful new genre.
March 16, 2024
I’m really enjoying the Nina Borg series. There are several characters seemingly unconnected, but as the plot thickens the light shines on their links.
These books are not translated as well as Fredrik Backman. They are closer to The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo translations. A few spelling and word choice errors.
The characters are great. I feel for Nina working as a health care worker and having a family … the choices are difficult and I don’t feel her husband was fair in this story.
These books are not translated as well as Fredrik Backman. They are closer to The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo translations. A few spelling and word choice errors.
The characters are great. I feel for Nina working as a health care worker and having a family … the choices are difficult and I don’t feel her husband was fair in this story.
October 30, 2012
Lene Kaaberol and Agnete Friss's first Nina Borg book - The Boy in the Suitcase - was a New York Times bestseller. I've been eagerly waiting for the second book - Invisible Murder - from this Danish writing duo.
Nina Borg is a Red Cross nurse living and working in Denmark. She works with the marginalized, the desperate and those who can't help themselves. Her official home base is the Red Cross's Coal House Camp. But Nina also works under the radar, helping out those who have no official status - and her heart is with the children in these situations. When her cohort tells her of sick Roma children living in an old garage, she hesitates. She has promised her husband she wouldn't put herself in danger after her last outing. But her compassion wins out - she finds the group - and much more than she bargained for....
Inspector Soren of the Danish Security and Intelligence Service is also looking for this group of Roma - there are whispers of terrorism and more.....
Kaaberol and Friis have created a wonderfully different protagonist in Nina. I like that she's not a law enforcement officer, but follows her own sense of justice, working within but bending the rules as need be. She's a caring individual with an iron will, but her need to go forward with her ideals is costing her her marriage and children. The exploration of her relationship with her daughter especially has the ring of truth.
The supporting characters are just as interesting. Soren is the walking wounded, dedicated cop in the series - I like him and hope to see him again. I'm not 100% sure how I felt about Sandor - the half Gypsy law student who becomes embroiled in a nightmare he had no part in starting. Did he redeem himself or not? His ending was left with some unanswered possiblities.
The plot of Invisible Murder is just as compelling and socially relevant as the first book. Although a work of fiction, I can see reading of something like it in the headlines.
"The hatred that flowed in wide, black rivers across the Internet venting itself at Danes, Muslims Gypsies, gays, Jews, liberals, conservatives, women - at every conceivable and inconceivable minority in Denmark and the rest of the world....it was more than just stupidity. It was evil."
The story moves along quickly, with lots of action and bite your nails moments.The ending is tied up but leaves the door open for the next in the series - one I will be picking up for sure.
Some English translations of books feel awkward or wooden - not so in this case - Tara Chace did an excellent job. Definitely recommended.
Nina Borg is a Red Cross nurse living and working in Denmark. She works with the marginalized, the desperate and those who can't help themselves. Her official home base is the Red Cross's Coal House Camp. But Nina also works under the radar, helping out those who have no official status - and her heart is with the children in these situations. When her cohort tells her of sick Roma children living in an old garage, she hesitates. She has promised her husband she wouldn't put herself in danger after her last outing. But her compassion wins out - she finds the group - and much more than she bargained for....
Inspector Soren of the Danish Security and Intelligence Service is also looking for this group of Roma - there are whispers of terrorism and more.....
Kaaberol and Friis have created a wonderfully different protagonist in Nina. I like that she's not a law enforcement officer, but follows her own sense of justice, working within but bending the rules as need be. She's a caring individual with an iron will, but her need to go forward with her ideals is costing her her marriage and children. The exploration of her relationship with her daughter especially has the ring of truth.
The supporting characters are just as interesting. Soren is the walking wounded, dedicated cop in the series - I like him and hope to see him again. I'm not 100% sure how I felt about Sandor - the half Gypsy law student who becomes embroiled in a nightmare he had no part in starting. Did he redeem himself or not? His ending was left with some unanswered possiblities.
The plot of Invisible Murder is just as compelling and socially relevant as the first book. Although a work of fiction, I can see reading of something like it in the headlines.
"The hatred that flowed in wide, black rivers across the Internet venting itself at Danes, Muslims Gypsies, gays, Jews, liberals, conservatives, women - at every conceivable and inconceivable minority in Denmark and the rest of the world....it was more than just stupidity. It was evil."
The story moves along quickly, with lots of action and bite your nails moments.The ending is tied up but leaves the door open for the next in the series - one I will be picking up for sure.
Some English translations of books feel awkward or wooden - not so in this case - Tara Chace did an excellent job. Definitely recommended.
May 19, 2017
1.5/5
I picked up this book because it was on sale at Chapters for a ridiculously low price and the premise seemed promising. I love a good mystery/thriller so a story of a nurse "treating Hungarian Gypsies living illegally in a Copenhagen garage. What are they hiding? What makes them so sick?" was appealing.
I was disappointed. The "mystery" of what is making people sick seemed relatively obvious so that thrill was gone for me. I also found this book to be incredibly violent. There were scenes with detailed torture and abuse, including a fairly graphic human-trafficking sexual abuse scene which I felt added nothing to the book and was completely unnecessary. Sooo many characters died, and for no reason other than the sake of violence/proving a point.
I also really struggled with our hero, Nina, the nurse who uncovered it all. She was so pathetic! I couldn't stand her - pathetic and selfish. I was thrilled when . I felt that she deserved that.
I cannot imagine continuing this as a series - I hadn't realised I picked up #2 but there was really no need to have read #1, this worked as a stand-alone. I cannot imagine continuing on with a lead character/hero that annoying and inconsiderate.
One thing I did enjoy: I enjoyed the discussion/portrayal of the racism that exists in Hungary/Denmark. I didn't know much about this topic going into the novel and found the discussion very interesting.
I picked up this book because it was on sale at Chapters for a ridiculously low price and the premise seemed promising. I love a good mystery/thriller so a story of a nurse "treating Hungarian Gypsies living illegally in a Copenhagen garage. What are they hiding? What makes them so sick?" was appealing.
I was disappointed. The "mystery" of what is making people sick seemed relatively obvious so that thrill was gone for me. I also found this book to be incredibly violent. There were scenes with detailed torture and abuse, including a fairly graphic human-trafficking sexual abuse scene which I felt added nothing to the book and was completely unnecessary. Sooo many characters died, and for no reason other than the sake of violence/proving a point.
I also really struggled with our hero, Nina, the nurse who uncovered it all. She was so pathetic! I couldn't stand her - pathetic and selfish. I was thrilled when . I felt that she deserved that.
I cannot imagine continuing this as a series - I hadn't realised I picked up #2 but there was really no need to have read #1, this worked as a stand-alone. I cannot imagine continuing on with a lead character/hero that annoying and inconsiderate.
One thing I did enjoy: I enjoyed the discussion/portrayal of the racism that exists in Hungary/Denmark. I didn't know much about this topic going into the novel and found the discussion very interesting.
October 23, 2013
There is a mystery in this book, but not exactly a murder mystery. There is crime, but this isn't primarily about crime. What it is has a lot more to do with issues like immigration, prejudice, and the debt we owe to society to try to make things better. At least this is what the main character, Nina Borg, struggles with throughout the story.
This book isn't mainly about Nina, however. Intertwined in her story is that of a half-Roma young man and his Roma family and background. I found that as interesting as Nina's story--I even wish that more of the book had been about him, or that a whole book could be written around that character. (That reminds me of a good book I read about Roma life that I recommend: The Invisible Ones.)
The authors (there are actually two) also paint an interesting and revealing portrait of life in modern-day Denmark, a country I know little about, even though I've read many Scandinavian novels. I recently read a book that contained a chapter on Copenhagen (Straphanger: Saving Our Cities and Ourselves from the Automobile) that made me want to know more about this country.
Does anyone have any more recommendations of books by Danes or about Denmark?
This book isn't mainly about Nina, however. Intertwined in her story is that of a half-Roma young man and his Roma family and background. I found that as interesting as Nina's story--I even wish that more of the book had been about him, or that a whole book could be written around that character. (That reminds me of a good book I read about Roma life that I recommend: The Invisible Ones.)
The authors (there are actually two) also paint an interesting and revealing portrait of life in modern-day Denmark, a country I know little about, even though I've read many Scandinavian novels. I recently read a book that contained a chapter on Copenhagen (Straphanger: Saving Our Cities and Ourselves from the Automobile) that made me want to know more about this country.
Does anyone have any more recommendations of books by Danes or about Denmark?
October 16, 2012
Nurse Nina Borg’s compassion and her difficulties making her family understand and accept what she feels she must do are at the heart of this novel which is about ordinary people caught up in situations over which they have little personal control.
The story begins in Hungary where two young gypsies scavenging an abandoned Soviet hospital facility stumble on an object promising to lift them and their families from poverty. Unfortunately, their efforts to find a buyer for this object put the life and hopes of college student Sandor Horvath, the one boy’s brother, in jeopardy.
Nina Borg becomes involved when she’s asked to treat a group of sick Hungarian gypsies hiding out in a Copenhagen garage. This is where she crosses paths with Sandor, who has come to Denmark in search of his brother.
Things spiral from bad to worse as we witness elements of the case from the viewpoints of Nina, Sandor, an elderly retired building inspector worried about his irresponsible wife, and several counterterrorism investigators.
It wasn’t difficult to guess the object being exchanged in hope of fortune. But the manner in which all the various pieces of the puzzle finally come together is a believable surprise. Good characterization, solid plotting and pacing. A rewarding read that makes me want to get to “The Boy In The Suitcase,” which is still on the TBR list.
The story begins in Hungary where two young gypsies scavenging an abandoned Soviet hospital facility stumble on an object promising to lift them and their families from poverty. Unfortunately, their efforts to find a buyer for this object put the life and hopes of college student Sandor Horvath, the one boy’s brother, in jeopardy.
Nina Borg becomes involved when she’s asked to treat a group of sick Hungarian gypsies hiding out in a Copenhagen garage. This is where she crosses paths with Sandor, who has come to Denmark in search of his brother.
Things spiral from bad to worse as we witness elements of the case from the viewpoints of Nina, Sandor, an elderly retired building inspector worried about his irresponsible wife, and several counterterrorism investigators.
It wasn’t difficult to guess the object being exchanged in hope of fortune. But the manner in which all the various pieces of the puzzle finally come together is a believable surprise. Good characterization, solid plotting and pacing. A rewarding read that makes me want to get to “The Boy In The Suitcase,” which is still on the TBR list.
February 28, 2013
Invisible Murder is the second installment in the Nina Borg series and I enjoyed it quite a bit more than the first.
In this installment, Nina isn't as "bleeding heart" or annoying (I was a little tired of her by the end of the first book - so many irritatingly irresponsible decisions)! She definitely felt more "real" this time and not as over-the-top with her actions and she garnered more sympathy from me as the reader.
This story, like its predecessor, had many characters and the chapters bounced between different sets' of characters point of view. The authors tell the story well this way - keeping the reader on his/her feet, never giving away quite enough until the very end!
One of the aspects I like about this genre, Nordic Noir, is that it is often based on crimes against humanity and how easily it is to fall into the trappings of that dark world - it isn't always the most obvious of suspects.
I also enjoy the foreign aspect of the story and the setting. The authors do a good job of bringing the world to eyes that may have never seen it personally.
After the first book, I wasn't sure that I would continue very far into this series; however, after this book, I plan to follow these authors through for more!
In this installment, Nina isn't as "bleeding heart" or annoying (I was a little tired of her by the end of the first book - so many irritatingly irresponsible decisions)! She definitely felt more "real" this time and not as over-the-top with her actions and she garnered more sympathy from me as the reader.
This story, like its predecessor, had many characters and the chapters bounced between different sets' of characters point of view. The authors tell the story well this way - keeping the reader on his/her feet, never giving away quite enough until the very end!
One of the aspects I like about this genre, Nordic Noir, is that it is often based on crimes against humanity and how easily it is to fall into the trappings of that dark world - it isn't always the most obvious of suspects.
I also enjoy the foreign aspect of the story and the setting. The authors do a good job of bringing the world to eyes that may have never seen it personally.
After the first book, I wasn't sure that I would continue very far into this series; however, after this book, I plan to follow these authors through for more!
September 2, 2013
When a protagonist is a Red Cross nurse and not police, there are some narrative risks and compromises. Detective thinking is obviously reduced, and the credible heroism of the nurse must be unfortunately stretched, as it is in the concluding pages here. So is the ultimate revelation of the crazed criminal, again in the last pages. The real strength of the novel lies in its empathy with the Roma of Eastern Europe, and the integrity of one young man who is tangled up in an attempt to pass into the non-Gypsy world. Those elements move the book above three stars. There is another strong element here: dysfunction in Danish society, reflected in a police force that is underpopulated, and the need for an underground medical system to care for those outside the limits of a narrow-minded, fearful, xenophobic culture. There may even be a stronger story in that social gap, without the need to introduce radiation disease as a danger. While this sickness is presented with some logic and credibility, it also may have the illuminating power of a metaphor. But so would any other sickness that destroys human strength invisibly from within.
December 23, 2015
The book begins in Northern Hungary. Two teenage Roma boys break into a long abandoned military camp and stumble into discovering a substance of value. Little do they know the toxicity of their find. When nurse Nina Borg answers the call to tend to some sick immigrant Roma children, she neglects her promise to her husband, and rushes to their aid. But what is making them so ill? Where is the young man who seems to be the source of the illness? When Nina herself becomes violently ill, she does not realize her daughter, Ida, is home alone. Who are the men who break into her apartment, terrifying her daughter. Nina will stop at nothing to protect her family. When all of the pieces of the story come together, prepare for a thrilling conclusion.
Although it took me a while to connect all the characters in the book, once I did the story really flows. I love that the heroine is a strong, determined female.
Although it took me a while to connect all the characters in the book, once I did the story really flows. I love that the heroine is a strong, determined female.
July 27, 2021
3.5 stars. It took me forever to get into this book. Lots of names and people are thrown at the reader in the beginning and it took some time to sort through this and interlock each piece, for me. I do think the character of Nina Borg is interesting and complex, which I do remember from the first book. She is a nurse and helps immigrants that have come to her community, and has a save the world sort of heart, but often at the expense of her own family. Suffice to say that it all comes together eventually, and became rather exciting. I will read the next book.
January 12, 2016
Un thriller intenso, con un componente de denuncia social muy fuerte. Te muestra el lado oscura de una Europa llena de diferencias sociales y culturales, una Europa en decadencia que quedó expuesta con la caída del régimen sovietico.
Muy interesante, con un ritmo continuo. Una historia por lo más interesante.
Muy interesante, con un ritmo continuo. Una historia por lo más interesante.
February 16, 2020
Gostei muito da história - é mais do que uma investigação policial; é uma reflexão sobre uma uma realidade que estamos a viver na Europa, com a questão do fluxo migratório e dos refugiados, e sobre o modo como nos posicionamos diante dessa situação, que está a mexer com os nossos padrões tradicionais e com a estrutura da nossa sociedade. Recomendo.
October 18, 2016
It was kind of boring
September 15, 2021
Just as good, if not better, than the first book in the series: The Boy in the Suitcase. Some of Nina's drama is carried over from the last book, and it makes more sense for the storytelling in this book. I still don't really care for her or her decisions. I get it, but her job is really sort of pulling dangerous people into her life which puts her children at risk. I hope the next book explores this a bit more.
The author does a great job slowly unravelling the story through different point of views so you don't have a really clear picture until the very end when everything clicks into place. It's really very sneaky because stuff that should be glaringly obvious is told to us sort of casually and unimportantly. I need to pay more attention with the next book.
What happens:
The author does a great job slowly unravelling the story through different point of views so you don't have a really clear picture until the very end when everything clicks into place. It's really very sneaky because stuff that should be glaringly obvious is told to us sort of casually and unimportantly. I need to pay more attention with the next book.
What happens:
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