En liten gylden ring

Oslo Detectives #2

by Kjell Ola Dahl

Liket av en ung kvinne blir funnet tidlig en morgen. Hun er blitt drept på en bestialsk måte. Kvelden før deltok hun på en fest i Vinterhagen - et kollektiv for avvenning av rusmisbrukere. En liten gyllen ring er en intrikat og drivende beretning der Kjell Ola Dahl lar flere tråder løpe sammen til en overraskende og forrykende slutt.

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

361 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2000

About the author

Born in 1958, Dahl's first novel was published in 1993. He is best known for his series about Oslo detectives Frank Frølich and Inspector Gunnarstranda.

Also publishes as K.O. Dahl

Reviews

[Celeste Corrêa · Rating 2 out of 5]

(lido em 2015)

Depois do fabuloso «Fome» de Knut Hamsun - lido em 2014 - voltei a Oslo desta vez pelas mãos de K. O. Dahl.

«Morte Numa Noite de Verão», premiado em 2000 com a distinção de melhor policial norueguês do ano, é a investigação do assassinato brutal de Katrine, uma jovem que viveu no infernal mundo da droga e da prostituição.

Dividido em três partes, capítulos pequenos, muitos diálogos é de leitura agradável muito pelo facto de o autor conjugar o romance policial com o romance social, urbano, suburbano e de costumes.

Mas, para ser sincera, policiais para mim são (ou eram) os da colecção Vampiro.


Excerto:

«A verdade é que todos os vilões são igualmente maus, mas há sem dúvida uns que ficam melhor no filme.»

Porto, Fevereiro 2015

[Sónia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Uma imensidão de páginas, em que o leitor é levado a crer num determinado sentido para, depois, se dar um final abrupto, completamente forçado e nada condizente com o rumo que a estória tomou até ali.

Três estrelas muito puxadinhas...

[Mark · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Have you never wondered who you are and where you come from?”
“It’s pretty obvious…”
“I mean, seeing yourself as a mortal and wondering what the meaning of life is, whether there is a purpose.”
Frølich smirked into his beard, but stopped the moment he felt he was being observed. He shrugged. “Not that often.” P239

The Last Fix is the second in the Norwegian ‘Oslo Detectives’ series by Kjell Dahl and I must admit I’m loving what Dahl is serving up so far. Detective duo Gunnarstranda and Frølich are an excellent duo, very human, a bit rough around the edges, humorous, a bit inappropriate and politically incorrect, but generally all round good guys. I find them thoroughly entertaining in an authentic way. They seem real to me.

This instalment of the series centres around a young woman, Katrine Bratterud, a recovering drug addict who meets her end after a rehab centre party. While this is not quite a ‘locked room’ mystery, there are elements of that genre, with each of the attendees at or connected with the small gathering very much under the microscope of potential suspects.

Dahl builds a sense of intrigue around Katrine and as the book progresses we get to know the concentric and overlapping circles around her. I love the way Dahl summarises what is happening at various junctures in the book through aspects of dialogue. Really helps with keeping track of the story which is not too convoluted but sufficiently complex.

Gunnarstranda and Frølich are self contained characters, thinkers, ponderers. Gunnarstranda is a little more on the serious side, tinkers with botany and Frølich is a bit more of a larrikin in some ways. Certainly a red blooded Norwegian man I think.

There is a great balance between place, character and plot and I absolutely love the detail that Dahl provides about Oslo, the streets, spaces and places. I kept referring to maps on my phone to get a sense of place and feel like I know Oslo so much more and cant wait to visit and walk a Nordic Noir trail.

I reckon this is a 4.5 star read for me and I’m going to round it up to 5.

[Tempo de Ler · Rating 3 out of 5]

Um bom mistério, uma resolução razoável, mas uma conclusão muito forçada.

«Morte Numa Noite de Verão» começa muito bem: Katrine, uma ex-toxicodependente, cujo atribulado passado vamos conhecendo ao longo do livro, é assassinada depois de sair de uma festa. Os suspeitos são muitos e encontrar o verdadeiro homicida é tarefa que se adivinha complicada.

Infelizmente, a intriga e curiosidade que senti ao início acabou por esmorecer, bem como, consequentemente, o meu interesse no livro. A investigação segue em compasso lento e o final - tanto a identidade do assassino como os seus motivos - acabou por ser uma desilusão; o que acontece sempre quando, curiosos, vamos criando enredos e arranjando respostas muito mais interessantes na nossa cabeça.

Gostei do livro mas já tive oportunidade de ler, dentro do mesmo género, muito melhor. Em relação à série, embora não antipatize com os investigadores Frølich e Gunnarstranda, não fiquei muito entusiasmada...

[Xana · Rating 2 out of 5]

Um policial fraquinbo, que até se lê rápido, mas que não convence.

[Mysterytribune · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fans of Scandinavian Crime Fiction, without a doubt, are familiar with the work of K. O. Dahl and Detective Frølich series (We recently reviewed The Fourth Man from the same author here). The Last Fix, an intricate psychological thriller from this master of Norwegian crimewriting— the latest in the Oslo Detective’s series is also an intriguing and captivating read.

In this new novel, a recovering drug addict, Katrine Bratterud, is almost finished with her time in rehab. One evening, contemplating her success at the shore of a lake, she senses that she is not alone. The discovery of Katrine’s corpse the following day brings detectives Frølich and Gunnarstranda onto the case and into a web of secrets and lies that stretches back generations. K.O. Dahl weaves an intricate plot, juxtaposing the selfdelusion of drug addicts with the more complex self-delusions of the well-respected middle-class people treating them.

Similar to other Frølich novels, Dahl has added a poetic and emotional flavor to an essentially police procedural through protraying the complex relationships in which the characters in the book are dealing and the challenges in their lives. As a matter of fact, this aspect of Dahl novels are more interesting than the mystery side of his plots. The result is a crime fiction, enriched with a broader treatment of a culture and the changes in which the modern Norwegian society is going through. After reading many crime stories, I have eveloped the instinct to guess the story-lines and the endings but what makes this book a notable work is a different voice. I found the writing elegant, the storyline solid and the conclusion satisfactory. Overall, it was a great read in the genre of police procedural.

I recommend this book to the fans of Scandinavian crime fiction and give it 5 out of 5 stars. More at http://www.mysterytribune.com or @mysterytribune

[Paula Strange · Rating 3 out of 5]

Finalizada. Edición en audiolibro. Novela negra noruega de los policías Gunnarstranda y Frølich (he tenido que mirar cómo se escribían xD). La historia es entretenida y ya, nada brutal. Creo que el problema ha sido que fue versión en audiolibro y, con tanto nombre noruego, me resultó un poco complicado seguir el hilo de los interrogatorios e investigaciones. Al final me guiaba por la profesión o relación con la víctima. Creo que si hubiese elegido ebook, llevaría mejor nota. No me atrevo a recomendarlo pero tampoco a no recomendarlo. FIN.

[Luana · Rating 3 out of 5]

3,5

Katrine Bratterud è pronta a lasciarsi il proprio passato tormentato – fatto di tossicodipendenza e prostituzione – alle spalle: ha appena scoperto qualcosa che potrebbe cambiare la sua vita per sempre e che potrebbe aiutarla a trovare le risposte che tanto desidera sui suoi genitori biologici. Ma il sogno va in frantumi quando il suo cadavere viene ritrovato abbandonato in un fossato, strangolata e probabilmente violentata. Ad indagare sull'omicidio vengono chiamati l'ispettore capo Gunnarstranda e il suo collega Frank Frølich. Il primo vive ormai solo per il lavoro dopo la morte della moglie, mentre il secondo, più giovane e posato, cerca di trovare un equilibrio tra un mestiere ingombrante e una vita privata a volte non troppo stabile. Entrambi amano giocare a carte scoperte, intenti non solo ad analizzare le prove fisiche, ma anche, e soprattutto, la psicologia dei sospettati.
Visto che questo è un bel giallo nordico (ambientato in Norvegia), come da tradizione, i cadaveri alla fine saranno più di uno e la soluzione non sarà poi così scontato: come capiranno fin da subito i due poliziotti, il passato di Katrine giocherà un ruolo importante nell'omicidio della ragazza, ma in maniera diversa da quanto previsto inizialmente. E la povera Katrine finirà per essere più una vittima collaterale.
Vediamo quale caso dovrà risolvere il nostro duo norvegese nel prossimo volume (tanto una serie crime scandinava in più o in meno, che differenza fa?).

[Grada (BoekenTrol) · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was not the wow-book I expected it to be, according to the praise on the backside of the cover.
It was a nice read, but it was a very slow one. Somehow the different storylines were not separated enough in my head to nake it a very pleasant read.
I often needed to think back, or regroup to get on in the story. When that happens every now and then it's not a problem, but for me the frequency got to much. It stood in the way of really enjoying this book.

[Sam · Rating 3 out of 5]

spoko ksiazka, ale nic specjalnego

[Maria · Rating 4 out of 5]

Morte numa Noite de Verão é o segundo livro da série Detectives Oslo, constituída pelo inspector Frølich, embora este seja o primeiro livro editado em Portugal.

Katrine Bratterud está prestes a ser livre. Livre das drogas, livre da clínica de reabilitação, livre para fazer o que quer. Mas na noite da despedida acontece o pior. Quando sai do carro para se refrescar num lago, morre misteriosamente.

É aqui que entra os inspectores Frølich e Gunnarstranda que vão investigar o que se passou nessa noite em casa dos directores da clínica e depressa constatam que esta foi uma noite atípica, com Katrine a sentir-se mal ao ponto de vomitar e de os convidados se dispersarem entre o ficar em casa e sair para um bar.

Opinião completa: http://marcadordelivros.blogspot.pt/2...

[Marilyn Shea · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of those mysteries in which some of the characters, while not the actual killer, are hideously evil and guilty of so many things besides the actual murder. I found myself certain of one character's guilt because of his past deeds, but no. I was not at all expecting the outcome and felt a little cheated by the author who mentioned this particular character very little. Sort of like Agatha Christie novels, where I never felt I had been given all the clues. But I did like the atmosphere, the whole world of the story.

[Lynn · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a pretty good crime novel. It's Norwegian! It's not as good as the other Scandinavian crime novels that I've read, but overall it was pretty good. The plot moved quickly and the story itself was good. I figured it out about 3/4 of the way through. There was maybe a little too much of the victim's back story, but it didn't destroy the overall positive effect of the book.

[Jennifer Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Centered on the murder of a woman who is recovering from drug addiction & a traumatic childhood. Her last hours are documented in the narrative run up to what will turn out to be her violent death. The end is somewhat satisfying but the person responsible for the crime had little character workup before the final pages...there is a bit of a stretch to provide believable motive.

[Veruska · Rating 3 out of 5]

Gostei, mas não me encheu as medidas....
Quando do Norte da Europa só vem policiais/thrillers, a fasquia fica muito mais alta e, para mim, a história tem de me cativar ainda mais e a resolução do assassino algo quase impensável ou recair em alguém que nunca me passaria pela cabeça.
Acho que neste livro isso não acontece...

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have read a lot of Scandinavian mysteries, but this was not one of the best. Sometimes I feel translations are a bit awkward.

[Vera Brandão · Rating 4 out of 5]

http://verovsky-meninadospoliciais.bl...

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Last Fix takes readers through the past of murder victim Katrine Bratterud in a bid to uncover who should wish to kill her and why. She is a woman with a chequered past, a history of prostitution and substance abuse, but to all appearances she had turned her life around and was making a fresh start so who could possibly want to kill her?

The story is split into clear parts - the hours leading up to her murder, where we meet a variety of characters who are soon to become suspects too, and the days afterward in which Frølich and Gunnarstranda attempt to uncover the motive for and, ultimately, the perpetrator of her murder. We are very much with Katrine right up to the point of her murder and I will admit that , to that point, I was uncertain as to how much affinity I had towards her as a character. She clearly had some kind of difficult past, the scenes in the travel agency that she worked at indicative of the fact she had something to hide. She also had a very changeable nature when it came to the men in her life, from indifference towards her boyfriend, to almost fear of another guest at a part she attended, through to a clear affection for a third man who comes to her aid just before she is ultimately killed. But the more I read, the further we moved into the investigation, the more I felt for her and understood how she came to be in the position she was. It also gave me more respect for the way she had tried to better herself and the life she was trying to carve when someone finally took her options away from her. In the end she was a very sympathetic victim and Kjell Ola Dahl did an excellent job of establishing this over. the course of the novel.

There are a number of different threads to this story, different paths down which the two Detectives travel in order to find out what really happened. There are a number of red herrings thrown their way, clues left which muddy the water and force them to change the focus of their investigation. As is typical with this series, we are present for all of the interviews, allowing us to start to build our own picture of what happened, but also allowing us to build on the knowledge we have of the victims final hours, something which is not yet available to the Detectives, By gathering what the suspects reveal, and what they omit, I started to form opinions on guilt or innocence, whilst still. be kept in the dark over some of the most vital clues in the story.

In many ways this book is a story of family and the various familial links between characters play a very large part in what comes to pass, both in the past and the present. I love that the author has slowly built that picture from the ground up, retaining the tension and also building my understanding of the two Detectives and what drives them. With each book, a little more is revealed and the more I understand, the more I like them. There is a sadness in Gunnarstranda which manifests itself in the way he approaches the case, and a kind of transient spirit in Frølich, unable to settle, which does likewise. But they are both determined to do right by the victim and I am happy to go on this journey with them.

I don't know quite what it was about this book, perhaps the victim and the gradual unravelling of her past, but I found myself flying through this book in spite of the fact that the pace of the. narrative is not that intense. Just something drew me into Katrine's world and I wanted to know more about her. The more I did, the more anxious I was that the Detectives uncovered her killer, because this book, more than a number of the others, really engaged me emotionally. Katrine's was not the only murder in the book, but it was the one that resonated the most. I think that ultimate sympathy for her as a victim left me requiring justice and that ending which left me completely satisfied.

[Rita Terlizzi · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Un piccolo anello d'oro" di Kjell Ola Dahl

Editore Marsilio, 2014
361 pagine
📚 Genere: Giallo, Thriller, Narrativa contemporanea
⭐⭐⭐⭐

"Sorrise e bisbigliò dolcemente.
«Il mio unico pensiero, là fuori, era che niente è predeterminato. Non esiste nessun sistema. Tu racconti delle belle storie, Henning, ma questa cosa dei sistemi predeterminati sono tutte stronzate. La mia vita è rinata tra me e il mare. Io credo in me stessa e nella realtà. That's it.»" 🥺

Kjell Ola Dahl è uno scrittore e sceneggiatore norvegese. "Un piccolo anello d'oro" è il suo romanzo di esordio, pubblicato in Norvegia nel 2000 con il titolo "En liten gyllen ring" e in Italia pubblicato da Marsilio nel 2006. Questo libro segna l'inizio della sua fortunata serie di gialli con i personaggi del commissario capo Gunnarstranda e il suo assistente Frølich.
Una coppia di detective un po' insolita, formata da Gunnarstranda, un vedovo con il riporto, il brutto vizio per le sigarette e un'insolita abitudine di parlare con il suo pesce rosso 😊 e Frank Frølich, un uomo che vive solo ma ancora succube della madre, ha una fidanzata e si dedica anima e corpo al lavoro!
Però funzionano 🧐 e adesso stanno indagando sull'omicidio di Katrine Bratterud, una ragazza ritrovata morta in un fossato vicino a una spiaggia di Oslo.
La vittima aveva partecipato a una festa organizzata dalla responsabile di una comunità di recupero per tossicodipendenti, dove Katrine aveva trascorso un lungo periodo della sua vita.
Mentre gli investigatori scavano nel passato della ragazza, scoprono un mondo fatto di droga, sesso, violenza e menzogne, e una ricerca personale che Katrine stava conducendo per scoprire la verità sulla sua madre biologica...
Riusciranno Gunnarstranda e Frølich a districare la complessa trama del caso e a inchiodare il colpevole??

Bello! In wish-list da tempo ho trovato un buon thriller avvincente, pieno di interessanti colpi di scena e dal finale davvero sorprendente! 🧐
I protagonisti, Gunnarstranda e Frølich, sono una coppia di detective davvero interessanti, totalmente diversi tra loro ma insieme sono una squadra valida ed efficiente.
Se ami il genere giallo-poliziesco, non puoi perderti l'occasione di scoprire questo autore scandinavo che ti terrà sulle spine fino all'ultima pagina!
Buona lettura 👍🏻

[Mike Cuthbert · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Last Fix takes a long time to occur, but it is inevitable, I suppose. The plot follows a Rosencrans and Guildenstern direction with Frank Frølich and PI Gunnarstranda following more than enough clues to a dead end, apparently, but luck smiles down upon them and the novel moves to conclusion that comes as a relief. That it is a relief is due to the fact that the plot involves numerous suspects, all as good as the other, many highly attractive and available women, some serious villains—all the elements for a ripsnorter of a mystery, but somehow the length of the novel takes away some of the energy it occasionally demonstrates. Gunnarstranda, in addition to struggling with his last name with suspects and friends, has a severe bronchial condition, undiagnosed, caused by an almost eternal habit of smoking. He normally rolls his own but is not above cadging a factory-made smoke if he runs short of supplies. The victim is herself very interesting and complex. Katrine is a former hooker, drug addict and party girl who attends her last party in a bad mood that nobody seems to understand. She eventually leaves the party and that is the last that any of her friends or relatives see of her. She is found, naked and sprawled out at the bottom of a gully over a roadside crash protector, her clothes some meters away. Old boyfriends, current boyfriends, hangers-on and even some women come under the scrutiny of the hapless duo of Frølich and Gunnarstranda but it is, unfortunately for the fans of stylistic novels, an accidental discovery that turns things around and leads to the solution to the case. This is very much a police procedural with most of the dialogue consisting of interviews that the two cops conduct among the many suspects. This is my first reading of Dahl and I shall try him again soon, I am sure, not without a certain sense of trepidation since this one leaves me a bit tired from turning pages in which nothing much happens. See if he’s to your taste.

[Tony da Napoli · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 1/2 Stars 🎇🎇🎇+ This is the fifth of the series I have read. Not sure of the order as there are differing opinions. It made no difference.
I liked this 'very much' as it is what I expected after reading the others. IMO good twisty plot with shifting suspects. But I lower my rating as I think it became too long-winded and went over 525 pages unnecessarily.
I enjoy the chapter titles and figuring out what some of them refer to. Most are obvious, but I like the technique.
A problem I have had since the first is that I cannot shake the image of David Suchet (Poirot) as inspector Gunnarstranda. And the translations of his speaking fit the image perfectly. I hope this not ruin it for you--- it works for me :-)
Another good thing, IMO, is these Oslo police seem more serious than most and do not do really stupid things that some others do (yikes ! forgot to charge my phone!! or Oh, no, I forgot to tell the DCI !). And they tend not to suffer fools (or foolishness)... I can recommend if if you are into the genre.

[Jennifer Miller · Rating 2 out of 5]

Dissapointing

I like foreign novels, getting to know the people and land, but this was a disappointment on both counts, the story could have happened anywhere if the place names were changed. I also like having one likable character, but there weren't any. But the worst crime in this crime novel was the complete lack of respect the author has for women, not a reflection of the times, all but one of the male characters views women as only sex objects or there to serve their needs. It seems like this was written for a men's magazine audience in the 80s.

[Aamna Khan · Rating 3 out of 5]

overall fun read, keeps you engaged. i think it gets a little bogged down at the end. like the author was trying too hard to make an insane twist with a murderer no one expected, but it falls a little flat as it doesn’t really make a whole lot of sense. rather i should say it makes sense well enough, but all the explanation happens in the last pages of the book. there’s nothing in between to help create a truly satisfying conclusion. the details as to the murderer and their motive are all just thrown at you as the book wraps up, which then causes it to feel a bit anticlimactic.

[Bud Mallar · Rating 3 out of 5]

yes and no.

Had to wait a while to get going on this series again.

This is a great whodunit, if you can keep up with all the players and possibilities.

The 'heros' are a bit out there, as I mentioned on the first book. One very straight forward and demanding, to pick a word. The other, a sexist pig, but gets the job done.

Well written and had no problem keeping up with the story line. Assuming, having read #2, #3 will be easier since I'll be more familiar with the main characters. I go by production date, not translate date.....

[Katikka · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was my first book from this author.
I found the plot interesting and it had a good twist in it (just like I like my Nordic noir). I'm afraid that I didn't like the main characters too much tho, they were too shallow and I didn't connect with either of them. This was a big minus for me, as I found myself wanting to skip all the paragraphs that were not about "the case".
Obiviously I didn't (coz that would be cheating), but I wanted to.
Will give this author another go tho.

[David C Ward · Rating 4 out of 5]

Most mysteries are about family secrets. And it’s amazing how many adopted children there are. A particularly vicious murder throws up a slew of suspects and connects back to the adoption. There are some good character studies here as well as the always interesting interactions of the two detectives. The conclusion is a bit too melodramatic/convenient; could have used a better title too.

[Alessandra · Rating 3 out of 5]

La storia è “così-così”: ci sono inesattezze, incongruenze e insignificanze; l’aspetto però interessante e accattivante di questo giallo è la sua impostazione. È come seguire un’indagine dal vivo, passo dopo passo, domanda dopo domanda, supposizione dopo supposizione da parte di questa coppia un po’ buffa di poliziotti.

[Rogue Reader · Rating 3 out of 5]

Clever and well matched police inspectors, Gunnarstranda and Frolich are compassionate, humane and persistent. Didn't see any tells to this police procedural that outs an old harm that festers and corruption among those who are pledged to protect. A bit plodding mid-read but I kept turning the pages

[Connie53 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hoofdinspecteur Gunnarstranda en zijn assistent Frank Frølich onderzoeken de dood van de jonge Katrine die gruwelijk verminkt is gevonden na een personeelsfeest in een afkickcentrum. Hun speurtocht brengen hen in contact met veel mogelijke daders. De onderzoekslijnen komen mooi bij elkaar maar het is nergens superspannend. Een 7, hier een 6.

[Clare O'Beara · Rating 2 out of 5]

Norway and drug crime - the cover with syringes is so unpleasant that I put off reading this for a long time. A young woman is killed gruesomely. There is jewellery stolen and a body is thrown out of a car. This is bleak. The police procedural is interesting for early 2000s, feels a bit dated now.