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Roland Benito og Anne Larsen #2
Drab efter begæring
Roland Benito sættes på en vanskelig sag, da et femogtyve år gammelt mord skal opklares. To drenge finder liget af en kvinde i en mose ved Mundelstrup. Sporene fører til Afrika, og Rolands bekymringer om den nye globale verden med åbne grænser sættes på en prøve. Journalisten, Anne Larsen, fra Dagens Nyheder får en anonym opringning, og da der dukker flere lig op, begynder det at haste for kriminalassistenten og hans team at finde frem til morderen.
348 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2009
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39 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
February 10, 2023
This is the first Danish author I've read. Denmark is presented as quite a dangerous country, with a lot of petty crime going on and not enough police resources to deal with all that. I'm not convinced it's true, especially after visiting this country. The book presents some moral issues connected with euthanasia but the mystery itself turned out to be more than that. In most cases presented euthanasia was someone else's choice than the patient's so it was murder. I got curious about the other parts of the book but for now I have no access to that.
June 12, 2023
This review is for an ARC copy received from the publisher through NetGalley.
Death on Demand is the second book in the Roland Benito series, as it's called. A body turns up in a Danish bog that turns out to be a 25-year old murder victim. Soon, current murders take place that may be connected. Detective Inspector Benito and his team are in a race to track down a possible serial killer as they attempt to solve murders both modern day and decades old. Like the first book, the police investigation is paralleled by local reporter Anne Larsen, who does and doesn't cooperate with the police, and also finds herself trying to tie everything together. Fortunately, her role is a little less pronounced than in the previous novel, as it took away from the Benito side of things. And again there's a side story with the news photographer Kamilla, that, while it builds up some story for her, feels extraneous, as it has nothing to do with the main plot of the book. There's also a couple of other story lines that keep popping up and distracting from the main plot, though eventually they do tie into the main narrative, though they are also more a distraction until they do. While the identity of the killer isn't that hard to figure out as details are revealed early on, the full motivation and connection of everything has a few surprises in store, and the book concludes unexpected directions. For a Nordic thriller it was solid enough and I likely will look for future entries in the series. 3..5 rounded to 4 stars.
Death on Demand is the second book in the Roland Benito series, as it's called. A body turns up in a Danish bog that turns out to be a 25-year old murder victim. Soon, current murders take place that may be connected. Detective Inspector Benito and his team are in a race to track down a possible serial killer as they attempt to solve murders both modern day and decades old. Like the first book, the police investigation is paralleled by local reporter Anne Larsen, who does and doesn't cooperate with the police, and also finds herself trying to tie everything together. Fortunately, her role is a little less pronounced than in the previous novel, as it took away from the Benito side of things. And again there's a side story with the news photographer Kamilla, that, while it builds up some story for her, feels extraneous, as it has nothing to do with the main plot of the book. There's also a couple of other story lines that keep popping up and distracting from the main plot, though eventually they do tie into the main narrative, though they are also more a distraction until they do. While the identity of the killer isn't that hard to figure out as details are revealed early on, the full motivation and connection of everything has a few surprises in store, and the book concludes unexpected directions. For a Nordic thriller it was solid enough and I likely will look for future entries in the series. 3..5 rounded to 4 stars.
June 16, 2023
Inger Gammelgaard Madsen uses her knowledge of Doctor Without Borders to get involved with Africa and it's treasures which were involved in the murders of a woman twenty years prior and also a Doctor in the present. It bends your mind somewhat but you come out of it with a little bit of a head ache. Knowing Swahili is something that is also a good thing to know. It is interesting to know that they have Italians mixed in with the Danes. I just spent a month in Italy and Roland Benito is Inger's go to guy. He has mixed feeling that they got the right man in custody. And we have many episodes with relations to make you head swirl. She uses a lot of noir in her story so you feel at home.
November 6, 2023
The audio version of this book is something like 13 hours long, and I definitely had my reservations about whether I could push through, but I did. And am glad I did.
The book begins with a lot of different storylines, and it’s not clear how they all are going to fit together at first. The two most important ones are, 1. Sebastian, the son of the woman who went missing in 1983, whose body just turned up. And 2. Sabrina, whose grandmother has just died, whose mother also died in 1983.
It was all well-written and that is why I pushed through. I do want to offer some clue, however, as to where these stories converge — there is the issue of , and also the issue of
My impression of this authors writing, based on this one book are —
The writing is nuanced and sophisticated. Characters are not divided into good and bad, but rather they are complicated. No one in the novel is perfect, and everyone can be difficult to understand in their complexities and contradictions.
The ending was not tidy, where all the loose ends get resolved. One of the characters in this book has a shaky marriage, and we never find out in the end whether the marriage falls apart or not, just to name one example.
The outcomes are not like in a scooby doo mystery either, where everyone who did bad stuff dies or goes to jail. Please know that it doesnt seem to be her style to give that kind of fairytale outcome.
Also, I would say that the authors style is to do a whole lot of character development. We learn a whole lot about Kamila, the photographer at the newspaper, which strictly speaking, wasn’t necessary at all. It’s a style choice — you might like that kind of thing, or you might not — but it is how this author writes.
The book begins with a lot of different storylines, and it’s not clear how they all are going to fit together at first. The two most important ones are, 1. Sebastian, the son of the woman who went missing in 1983, whose body just turned up. And 2. Sabrina, whose grandmother has just died, whose mother also died in 1983.
It was all well-written and that is why I pushed through. I do want to offer some clue, however, as to where these stories converge — there is the issue of , and also the issue of
My impression of this authors writing, based on this one book are —
The writing is nuanced and sophisticated. Characters are not divided into good and bad, but rather they are complicated. No one in the novel is perfect, and everyone can be difficult to understand in their complexities and contradictions.
The ending was not tidy, where all the loose ends get resolved. One of the characters in this book has a shaky marriage, and we never find out in the end whether the marriage falls apart or not, just to name one example.
The outcomes are not like in a scooby doo mystery either, where everyone who did bad stuff dies or goes to jail. Please know that it doesnt seem to be her style to give that kind of fairytale outcome.
Also, I would say that the authors style is to do a whole lot of character development. We learn a whole lot about Kamila, the photographer at the newspaper, which strictly speaking, wasn’t necessary at all. It’s a style choice — you might like that kind of thing, or you might not — but it is how this author writes.
June 23, 2023
I would like to thank Netgalley and Saga Egmont for an advance copy of Death on Demand, the second novel to feature Detective Roland Benito and journalist Anne Larsen, set in the Danish town of Aarhus.
A body is recovered from a local bog and it doesn’t take the pathologist long to establish that she has been there for twenty-five years and that she was murdered. Roland and the team are determined to bring her justice, but that’s before journalist Anne Larsen gets an anonymous call foretelling more deaths.
I enjoyed Death on Demand to a point as it is a very readable police procedural and that’s my favourite genre, but it’s not without its faults.
I am taken with the way there are two separate narratives and investigations. Roland does his thing the police way and Anne does hers the journalistic way and very rarely do the twain meet as there is no spirit of cooperation in this novel. It gives the reader a broader view of events and more information as the investigations do not overlap too often. Anne often seems ahead of Roland, but he catches up with his more methodical approach.
The plot is interesting and quite complex with its roots in the past and a strong African link. This latter allows the author to expound on some of the continent’s social problems, although it feels too generalised and a bit colonial to lump a whole continent with the same issues. It builds slowly with plenty of discoveries where the problem lies in fitting them together into a cohesive whole. Needless to say it’s painstaking and none of it stretches credibility too far. I must confess that I was deeply disappointed by the solution the police accept. The reader learns the truth, but the lack of accountability is unsatisfying for the reader, well this reader at least, even if it smacks of realism.
There are a lot of characters in this novel and it is initially difficult to see where they fit in. They all have stories to tell that have little to do with the case in hand and are thus a bit redundant. It’s not a short novel so perhaps a bit of pruning would have been judicious to keep it more on point and punchier.
Death on Demand is a solid read. 3.5*
A body is recovered from a local bog and it doesn’t take the pathologist long to establish that she has been there for twenty-five years and that she was murdered. Roland and the team are determined to bring her justice, but that’s before journalist Anne Larsen gets an anonymous call foretelling more deaths.
I enjoyed Death on Demand to a point as it is a very readable police procedural and that’s my favourite genre, but it’s not without its faults.
I am taken with the way there are two separate narratives and investigations. Roland does his thing the police way and Anne does hers the journalistic way and very rarely do the twain meet as there is no spirit of cooperation in this novel. It gives the reader a broader view of events and more information as the investigations do not overlap too often. Anne often seems ahead of Roland, but he catches up with his more methodical approach.
The plot is interesting and quite complex with its roots in the past and a strong African link. This latter allows the author to expound on some of the continent’s social problems, although it feels too generalised and a bit colonial to lump a whole continent with the same issues. It builds slowly with plenty of discoveries where the problem lies in fitting them together into a cohesive whole. Needless to say it’s painstaking and none of it stretches credibility too far. I must confess that I was deeply disappointed by the solution the police accept. The reader learns the truth, but the lack of accountability is unsatisfying for the reader, well this reader at least, even if it smacks of realism.
There are a lot of characters in this novel and it is initially difficult to see where they fit in. They all have stories to tell that have little to do with the case in hand and are thus a bit redundant. It’s not a short novel so perhaps a bit of pruning would have been judicious to keep it more on point and punchier.
Death on Demand is a solid read. 3.5*
July 9, 2023
First and foremost this can be read as a standalone, I will definitely be reading book one too though having read this. Right up my street, alongside the 'Bones' series by Dr Kathy Reichs. There is a clear focus on accuracy and truth with a healthy dose of 'laymens' terms so that all can understand.
A must read for anyone that enjoys procedural murder mysteries.
An absolutely FANTASTIC read. Truly AMAZING literary techniques and style. The different character perspectives run in parallel beautifully down to which details the characters elect to describe in each environment (paint, coffee, fumes etc). I wish a book like this had been on the syllabus while I was studying literature.
I'm not normally in the habit of highlighting quotes, even on kindle, but the quotes in this book are truly beautiful and meaningful in the most surprising moments. Anne Larsen is a funny and witty character that is clearly written with care. Over the course of the book she made me laugh as well as sympathise and her perspective works in tandem with that of DI Roland Benito. "When you also had to stare dreamily out the window and click a ballpoint pen, it was a bit difficult to get it all done."
The author has a true understanding of how the characters would think and feel as real, fully formed characters. Children, disillusioned public servants and newspaper reporters are written so realistically that you could meet them on the street.
A must read for anyone that enjoys procedural murder mysteries.
An absolutely FANTASTIC read. Truly AMAZING literary techniques and style. The different character perspectives run in parallel beautifully down to which details the characters elect to describe in each environment (paint, coffee, fumes etc). I wish a book like this had been on the syllabus while I was studying literature.
I'm not normally in the habit of highlighting quotes, even on kindle, but the quotes in this book are truly beautiful and meaningful in the most surprising moments. Anne Larsen is a funny and witty character that is clearly written with care. Over the course of the book she made me laugh as well as sympathise and her perspective works in tandem with that of DI Roland Benito. "When you also had to stare dreamily out the window and click a ballpoint pen, it was a bit difficult to get it all done."
The author has a true understanding of how the characters would think and feel as real, fully formed characters. Children, disillusioned public servants and newspaper reporters are written so realistically that you could meet them on the street.
August 9, 2023
This was a well-written and entertaining book. I would recommend it for anyone who enjoys police procedurals with a bit extra. The story begins with two young boys finding a body floating in a nearby bog (where they weren't supposed to be).
The interaction between Detective Inspector Roland Benito and the reporter, Anne Larsen, moves the story along at a quick pace. Part of the action takes place in Africa, which adds another layer to the book. All in all, a great way to spend some time if you enjoy this genre.
I received a free copy of this book via Podium Team and am voluntarily leaving a review.
The interaction between Detective Inspector Roland Benito and the reporter, Anne Larsen, moves the story along at a quick pace. Part of the action takes place in Africa, which adds another layer to the book. All in all, a great way to spend some time if you enjoy this genre.
I received a free copy of this book via Podium Team and am voluntarily leaving a review.
July 12, 2023
This was an interesting read. The story was pretty good and intriguing. It was engaging enough to hold my attention. Although, I thought that there were a lot of things happening particularly with the side characters, stirring away a bit from the MC. Also, there were things left hanging or unresolved.
Overall, it is still an interesting read. I would still be interested to read the next installment.
Overall, it is still an interesting read. I would still be interested to read the next installment.
July 28, 2023
This is the first book that I've read by this author and I was positively surprised. Her descriptions of Denmark and the weather are beautiful and the story has a good plot based mostly on revenge and jealousy. I'll be looking forward to reading other titles by Ms. Madsen. Very entertaining!
I received a free copy of this book via Podium Team and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Podium Team and am voluntarily leaving a review.
July 7, 2024
Måtte hoppe fra efter 1/3. Simpelthen en stor suppe af begivenheder uden hoved og hale. Synes heller ikke plottet og det videre forløb giver mening. Et 25 år gammelt mord er sker og liget dumpet i en mose. Efterfølgender ringer en ukendt ind og siger at nu sker der flere mord. Det giver ikke mening.
June 2, 2022
Den er ikke på højde med de senere i serien, men ok. Har hørt den som lydbog og har det ret stramt med en oplæser, der gentagne gange ikke kan udtale “eutanasi”.
May 19, 2023
Too many characters are involved in telling the story; too many for me to care about. Otherwise a good mystery,
June 23, 2023
Danish crime thriller. A body found, murdered in the past, leads to a search for the murderer in the present. Can they be found and stopped. Read and find out. Thank you to Saga Egmot and NetGalley for the ARC. The views expressed are all mine, freely given.
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July 20, 2024Hooked on this series. So atmospheric.
October 16, 2015
Altså den er ikke dårlig, men bestemt heller ikke med i toppen af spændende krimier. Hovedpersonerne er stadig lidt "flyvske", man ved ikke lige hvor man har dem, virker sådan lidt tilfældigt hvordan man kommer til at lære dem at kende. Plottet var ok, men igen som i bog 1, forfatterens lemfældige måde at beskrive dødsårsag og efterfølgende opklaring på, er mangelfuld og mangler empati.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews