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Pieter Vos #1
The House of Dolls
By the bestselling author of The Killing, The House of Dolls is the first novel in David Hewson's gripping Detective Pieter Vos series set in Amsterdam.
Anneliese Vos, sixteen-year-old daughter of Amsterdam detective, Pieter Vos, disappeared three years ago in mysterious circumstances. Her distraught father's desperate search reveals nothing and results in his departure from the police force.
Pieter now lives in a broken down houseboat in the colourful Amsterdam neighbourhood of the Jordaan. One day, while Vos is wasting time at the Rijksmuseum staring at a doll's house that seems to be connected in some way to the case, Laura Bakker, a misfit trainee detective from the provinces, visits him. She's come to tell him that Katja Prins, daughter of an important local politician, has gone missing in circumstances similar to Anneliese.
In the company of the intriguing and awkward Bakker, Vos finds himself drawn back into the life of a detective. A life which he thought he had left behind. Hoping against hope that somewhere will lay a clue to the fate of Anneliese, the daughter he blames himself for losing . . .
Anneliese Vos, sixteen-year-old daughter of Amsterdam detective, Pieter Vos, disappeared three years ago in mysterious circumstances. Her distraught father's desperate search reveals nothing and results in his departure from the police force.
Pieter now lives in a broken down houseboat in the colourful Amsterdam neighbourhood of the Jordaan. One day, while Vos is wasting time at the Rijksmuseum staring at a doll's house that seems to be connected in some way to the case, Laura Bakker, a misfit trainee detective from the provinces, visits him. She's come to tell him that Katja Prins, daughter of an important local politician, has gone missing in circumstances similar to Anneliese.
In the company of the intriguing and awkward Bakker, Vos finds himself drawn back into the life of a detective. A life which he thought he had left behind. Hoping against hope that somewhere will lay a clue to the fate of Anneliese, the daughter he blames himself for losing . . .
429 pages, Paperback
First published April 10, 2014
77 people are currently reading
1230 people want to read
About the author
David Hewson
111 books520 followersDAVID HEWSON was born in Yorkshire in 1953. His books range from the Nic Costa series set in Italy to adaptations of The Killing in Copenhagen and the Pieter Vos series in Amsterdam.
He's adapted Shakespeare for Audible and in 2018 won the Audie for best original work for Romeo and Juliet: A Novel, narrated by Richard Armitage.
2019 sees the release of a new, full-cast Audible drama set in New York, Last Seen Wearing, and a standalone novel set in the Faroe Islands, Devil's Fjord.
Series:
Nic Costa
Pieter Vos
The Killing
He's adapted Shakespeare for Audible and in 2018 won the Audie for best original work for Romeo and Juliet: A Novel, narrated by Richard Armitage.
2019 sees the release of a new, full-cast Audible drama set in New York, Last Seen Wearing, and a standalone novel set in the Faroe Islands, Devil's Fjord.
Series:
Nic Costa
Pieter Vos
The Killing
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 160 reviews
October 25, 2024
3,5 Când lumea interlopă și cea politică se amestecă nu poate să iasă nimic bun. Un thriller reușit, dar cu un final deși interesant totuși cam siropos, ca și când autorul ar fi vrut să nu dezamăgească cu un final prea dur.
May 23, 2021
Very good indeed! So fresh into this I realized I was reading David Hewson and I am in the hunt to find his The Garden of Angels novel at a good price, and I've been hunting quite a while. Maybe after reading this price won't matter so much. This was a well done story.
Former detective Peter Vos is a former shell of himself. Despondent and basically self loathing as he could not solve his 16 year old daughter's disappearance when she was kidnapped. The trademark of the kidnapper was Vos being sent a doll with his daughter's blood on it and some of her hair. Three years later he resides on a boat in the waters of Amsterdam. He drinks a lot and smokes pot quite a bit too. His wife Liesbeth has left him and married the current mayor Wim Prins. She left due to what happened to their daughter but lightning strikes twice as Prins current daughter Kajta is abducted and the signature of the kidnapper surfaces again.
As this occurs the former drug king pin of Amsterdam who was framed by the police and the drug dealer who set him up is due for release. He is Theo Jansen and his drug adversary Jimmy Menzos is still out to get him. A drug war erupts here and this was a story in and of itself. Theo's only love, the only thing in his life that matters Rosie is dragged into it and is victimized by it. Again this could have been the whole story line but it isn't.
It soon becomes evident that Rosie, Kajta and Annaliese are all tied together into a former doll house which was a pedophile den for the rich sickos of Amsterdam. This is the other story line and together there are so many twists and turns that yes you can figure some things out but I doubt you'll figure it all out. PS note that the pedophilia happenings are implied and at a literary level they are of no real consequence. This theme is very brief and not focused on so it shouldn't bother too many people at all.
So due to the Kajta Prins abduction Vos is brought back in by the police force he abandoned. He reluctantly decides to assist and is deputized once again. He chooses the black sheep of the force a Laura Bakker to work with. She is the outcast of the force for the sole reason of being from the north of the Netherlands and does not fit in. Sad how so many countries prejudice against their own just due to the region someone is from.
Together Vos and Bakker set upon unweaving the mess the author has set up for us and as mentioned there is quite a lot of intrigue and fun along the way. I really don't want to get into much detail as I would spoil the story but the ending is just so good and brings things nicely together.
As I mentioned in the outset I am intrigued by Hewson's The Garden of Angels as it takes place in Venice under Nazi occupation. Hewson is apparently well crafted at bringing the cities he knows of to life such as Amsterdam in this novel. He provides a map of the region at the beginning of the book so you know where things are taking place. Its a nice to know for sure if you care. The names of the people involved are different but that's to be expected and it is not difficult to keep up with. Hewson is now on my radar as an author and I look forward to continuing this series, also adding the Nic Costas series as it is set in Rome. Being Italian and having visited Rome and Venice it just intrigues me.
This was a solid low 8 out of ten. Though it has a few story lines going its easy to keep up with and gives you some hanging curve balls to pounce on while the fast balls won't really let you be able to figure it all out though you may just come close.
Former detective Peter Vos is a former shell of himself. Despondent and basically self loathing as he could not solve his 16 year old daughter's disappearance when she was kidnapped. The trademark of the kidnapper was Vos being sent a doll with his daughter's blood on it and some of her hair. Three years later he resides on a boat in the waters of Amsterdam. He drinks a lot and smokes pot quite a bit too. His wife Liesbeth has left him and married the current mayor Wim Prins. She left due to what happened to their daughter but lightning strikes twice as Prins current daughter Kajta is abducted and the signature of the kidnapper surfaces again.
As this occurs the former drug king pin of Amsterdam who was framed by the police and the drug dealer who set him up is due for release. He is Theo Jansen and his drug adversary Jimmy Menzos is still out to get him. A drug war erupts here and this was a story in and of itself. Theo's only love, the only thing in his life that matters Rosie is dragged into it and is victimized by it. Again this could have been the whole story line but it isn't.
It soon becomes evident that Rosie, Kajta and Annaliese are all tied together into a former doll house which was a pedophile den for the rich sickos of Amsterdam. This is the other story line and together there are so many twists and turns that yes you can figure some things out but I doubt you'll figure it all out. PS note that the pedophilia happenings are implied and at a literary level they are of no real consequence. This theme is very brief and not focused on so it shouldn't bother too many people at all.
So due to the Kajta Prins abduction Vos is brought back in by the police force he abandoned. He reluctantly decides to assist and is deputized once again. He chooses the black sheep of the force a Laura Bakker to work with. She is the outcast of the force for the sole reason of being from the north of the Netherlands and does not fit in. Sad how so many countries prejudice against their own just due to the region someone is from.
Together Vos and Bakker set upon unweaving the mess the author has set up for us and as mentioned there is quite a lot of intrigue and fun along the way. I really don't want to get into much detail as I would spoil the story but the ending is just so good and brings things nicely together.
As I mentioned in the outset I am intrigued by Hewson's The Garden of Angels as it takes place in Venice under Nazi occupation. Hewson is apparently well crafted at bringing the cities he knows of to life such as Amsterdam in this novel. He provides a map of the region at the beginning of the book so you know where things are taking place. Its a nice to know for sure if you care. The names of the people involved are different but that's to be expected and it is not difficult to keep up with. Hewson is now on my radar as an author and I look forward to continuing this series, also adding the Nic Costas series as it is set in Rome. Being Italian and having visited Rome and Venice it just intrigues me.
This was a solid low 8 out of ten. Though it has a few story lines going its easy to keep up with and gives you some hanging curve balls to pounce on while the fast balls won't really let you be able to figure it all out though you may just come close.
October 21, 2014
Was begonnen met dit boek in de Engelse vertaling en vond het niet om door te komen. Gelukkig vond ik een vertaling in het Nederlands en toen bleek het een spannend en interessant boek. Zo zie je dat een vertaling er soms ook echt wel toe doet.
May 18, 2014
Novel set in Amsterdam (Poppen Huis)
In order to get a really authentic feel of Amsterdam, the author explored, and spent time in, Jordaan - a run down formerly working class district, where Pieter Vos (the key character of the drama) lives on a dilapidated houseboat with his fox terrier, Sam, for company. [Sam, incidentally, breaks a rule of Hewson's - never model a character on a real 'person' - Sam is modelled on his own fox terrier, Eddie... to whom the books is dedicated]. He experienced the rest of the city. Location is important to the book. In the edition I read, there is a map of Amsterdam with the key locations that feature in the book marked on it – and on Hewson’s website there is a much larger interactive map to play with. You really get the impression that he wants you to be a part of the place.
The book is an absolute cracker – combining (as did The Killing) both crime and political intrigue. It is stated to be the first in the Pieter Vos series, and the others are clearly going to be well worth waiting for. Pieter, an ex crime buster with the Amsterdam police force, ‘retired’ a few years back to live on his houseboat – shaken by the kidnapping, and apparent murder, of his own daughter… and by his frustration at being unable to solve the case. He is tracked down in the Rijksmuseum by Laura Bakker, a young trainee detective, who reports a copycat disappearance of Katja Prins – the daughter of Wim Prins, the leader of the city council… and key architect of a plan to crack down on the activities of De Wallen, the red light district. Pieter is brought back into the police (not to the joy of all…) to help solve Katja’s disappearance – a disappearance which her father believes may be a hoax to extract money from him (Katja is an addict with a history of scams). Added piquancy is brought by the fact that Wim’s current wife is also Pieter’s ex partner – and the mother of his missing daughter. The relationship between Pieter and Laura (she is a quite difficult foil…) is one of the highlights of the book. She is bright, but a little inexperienced in the ways of the big city – heading, as she does, from Friesland in the north of the Netherlands… and is thought of by many of her colleagues as a bit of a country bumpkin.
Theo Jansen completes the list of main characters. He is a gangland boss, just out of jail. His daughter (who ran the business while he was inside) has also been murdered. He takes revenge on the boss of a rival Surinamese gang - only to then have doubts. He and Pieter go way back to when they were sparring partners on the streets. The solving of their varying mysteries overlaps – and complete the personal, the political, and the gangland nature of The House of Dolls.
Ah yes, The House of Dolls. When Laura first encountered Pieter, he was – as he often was – sitting in the Rijksmuseum in front of The Dolls House by Petronella Oortman convinced that it has something to do with the disappearance of his daughter. Which it has. The House of Dolls was not a pleasant place…
All in all The House of Dolls is a quite excellent read that really brings Amsterdam to life. The atmospherics ring true, and the plot is fast moving, bizarre, and yet somehow believable. I absolutely recommend it, and look forward very much to the next tale in the series.
In order to get a really authentic feel of Amsterdam, the author explored, and spent time in, Jordaan - a run down formerly working class district, where Pieter Vos (the key character of the drama) lives on a dilapidated houseboat with his fox terrier, Sam, for company. [Sam, incidentally, breaks a rule of Hewson's - never model a character on a real 'person' - Sam is modelled on his own fox terrier, Eddie... to whom the books is dedicated]. He experienced the rest of the city. Location is important to the book. In the edition I read, there is a map of Amsterdam with the key locations that feature in the book marked on it – and on Hewson’s website there is a much larger interactive map to play with. You really get the impression that he wants you to be a part of the place.
The book is an absolute cracker – combining (as did The Killing) both crime and political intrigue. It is stated to be the first in the Pieter Vos series, and the others are clearly going to be well worth waiting for. Pieter, an ex crime buster with the Amsterdam police force, ‘retired’ a few years back to live on his houseboat – shaken by the kidnapping, and apparent murder, of his own daughter… and by his frustration at being unable to solve the case. He is tracked down in the Rijksmuseum by Laura Bakker, a young trainee detective, who reports a copycat disappearance of Katja Prins – the daughter of Wim Prins, the leader of the city council… and key architect of a plan to crack down on the activities of De Wallen, the red light district. Pieter is brought back into the police (not to the joy of all…) to help solve Katja’s disappearance – a disappearance which her father believes may be a hoax to extract money from him (Katja is an addict with a history of scams). Added piquancy is brought by the fact that Wim’s current wife is also Pieter’s ex partner – and the mother of his missing daughter. The relationship between Pieter and Laura (she is a quite difficult foil…) is one of the highlights of the book. She is bright, but a little inexperienced in the ways of the big city – heading, as she does, from Friesland in the north of the Netherlands… and is thought of by many of her colleagues as a bit of a country bumpkin.
Theo Jansen completes the list of main characters. He is a gangland boss, just out of jail. His daughter (who ran the business while he was inside) has also been murdered. He takes revenge on the boss of a rival Surinamese gang - only to then have doubts. He and Pieter go way back to when they were sparring partners on the streets. The solving of their varying mysteries overlaps – and complete the personal, the political, and the gangland nature of The House of Dolls.
Ah yes, The House of Dolls. When Laura first encountered Pieter, he was – as he often was – sitting in the Rijksmuseum in front of The Dolls House by Petronella Oortman convinced that it has something to do with the disappearance of his daughter. Which it has. The House of Dolls was not a pleasant place…
All in all The House of Dolls is a quite excellent read that really brings Amsterdam to life. The atmospherics ring true, and the plot is fast moving, bizarre, and yet somehow believable. I absolutely recommend it, and look forward very much to the next tale in the series.
July 19, 2020
Ik had dit boek mee uit de bib voordat ik ‘Shooter in the Shadows’ van dezelfde auteur downloadde en was al bijna vergeten dat ik hem had. Dus heb ik hem toch maar snel gelezen voordat hij terug moet. Het boek speelt zich af in Amsterdam en al ben ik een Belgische, het is toch mijn achtertuin eigenlijk.
De hoofdpersoon is Pieter Vos. Hij was een onkreukbare, briljante rechercheur die 2,5 jaar geleden ontslag nam bij de politie. Zijn dochter werd toen ontvoerd en de dader liet een antieke pop achter. Ondanks alle mogelijke inspanningen van hemzelf en de rest van het korps werd er geen spoor terug gevonden. Nu slijt hij z’n dagen met bier drinken, weed roken (dat is legaal daar) en doen alsof hij zijn woonboot gaat restaureren.
Als de dochter van loco burgemeester Wim Prins verdwijnt, zijn er verschillende elementen die doen denken aan de verdwijning van Anneliese maar ook een aantal verschillen. Commissaris De Groot stuurt aspirant Laura Bakker naar Vos om hem over te halen om terug te komen. Iets aan het onhandige meisje raakt hem en na veel gezeur geeft hij toe. Hij is erg onconventioneel, houdt zich niet aan alle regeltjes, maar is bijzonder vasthoudend.
Wim Prins, de vader van de verdwenen Katja, denkt dat zijn verslaafde dochter een spelletje speelt om hem af te persen en wil eigenlijk niet met de politie praten. Hij heeft een doortastend en controversieel plan op de politieke tafel liggen om de Wallen helemaal schoon te vegen en de coffeeshops te sluiten en de hoeren op te sluiten. Vanzelfsprekend gaat niet iedereen akkoord met dit radicale plan.
Dan zijn er ook nog Theo Jansen en Jimmy Menzo die op het punt staan om een nieuwe bendeoorlog te ontketenen. Theo zou net voorwaardelijk vrij komen uit de gevangenis en Menzo wil hem laten vermoorden.
Al deze zaken hebben uiteraard iets met elkaar te maken, maar hoe en op welke manier moet je maar in het boek lezen. Het hele verhaal speelt zich af in amper 3 dagen.
Net als in ‘de killing’-reeks, zijn politiek, criminaliteit en het privéleven van de speurder hecht met elkaar verbonden. Hewson doet dit meesterlijk en je kunt absoluut niet voorspelen op welke manier al de draden elkaar kruisen, samenlopen en verward raken. Hij heeft het zich verhardende klimaat van de Nederlandse stad wel goed getroffen. Vuurwapens die vroeger zeldzaam waren, worden ook in de realiteit steeds vaker gebruikt. Hoofdzakelijk bij afrekeningen en bendeoorlogen die de laatste jaren lijken te ontsporen, maar ook bij het uitvoeren van de criminaliteit zelf duiken ze steeds vaker op. Een zeer verontrustende trend.
Het is weer een super spannend verhaal en beide hoofdpersonen, Laura Bakker en Pieter Vos zijn sympathieke doch onconventionele karakters. Ik ben dan ook blij dat dit slechts het eerste boek is uit een langere reeks (4 boeken heb ik gevonden). Ik ben echt benieuwd hoe deze twee getekende mensen zullen evolueren en welke zaken ze nog voorgeschoteld zullen krijgen.
De hoofdpersoon is Pieter Vos. Hij was een onkreukbare, briljante rechercheur die 2,5 jaar geleden ontslag nam bij de politie. Zijn dochter werd toen ontvoerd en de dader liet een antieke pop achter. Ondanks alle mogelijke inspanningen van hemzelf en de rest van het korps werd er geen spoor terug gevonden. Nu slijt hij z’n dagen met bier drinken, weed roken (dat is legaal daar) en doen alsof hij zijn woonboot gaat restaureren.
Als de dochter van loco burgemeester Wim Prins verdwijnt, zijn er verschillende elementen die doen denken aan de verdwijning van Anneliese maar ook een aantal verschillen. Commissaris De Groot stuurt aspirant Laura Bakker naar Vos om hem over te halen om terug te komen. Iets aan het onhandige meisje raakt hem en na veel gezeur geeft hij toe. Hij is erg onconventioneel, houdt zich niet aan alle regeltjes, maar is bijzonder vasthoudend.
Wim Prins, de vader van de verdwenen Katja, denkt dat zijn verslaafde dochter een spelletje speelt om hem af te persen en wil eigenlijk niet met de politie praten. Hij heeft een doortastend en controversieel plan op de politieke tafel liggen om de Wallen helemaal schoon te vegen en de coffeeshops te sluiten en de hoeren op te sluiten. Vanzelfsprekend gaat niet iedereen akkoord met dit radicale plan.
Dan zijn er ook nog Theo Jansen en Jimmy Menzo die op het punt staan om een nieuwe bendeoorlog te ontketenen. Theo zou net voorwaardelijk vrij komen uit de gevangenis en Menzo wil hem laten vermoorden.
Al deze zaken hebben uiteraard iets met elkaar te maken, maar hoe en op welke manier moet je maar in het boek lezen. Het hele verhaal speelt zich af in amper 3 dagen.
Net als in ‘de killing’-reeks, zijn politiek, criminaliteit en het privéleven van de speurder hecht met elkaar verbonden. Hewson doet dit meesterlijk en je kunt absoluut niet voorspelen op welke manier al de draden elkaar kruisen, samenlopen en verward raken. Hij heeft het zich verhardende klimaat van de Nederlandse stad wel goed getroffen. Vuurwapens die vroeger zeldzaam waren, worden ook in de realiteit steeds vaker gebruikt. Hoofdzakelijk bij afrekeningen en bendeoorlogen die de laatste jaren lijken te ontsporen, maar ook bij het uitvoeren van de criminaliteit zelf duiken ze steeds vaker op. Een zeer verontrustende trend.
Het is weer een super spannend verhaal en beide hoofdpersonen, Laura Bakker en Pieter Vos zijn sympathieke doch onconventionele karakters. Ik ben dan ook blij dat dit slechts het eerste boek is uit een langere reeks (4 boeken heb ik gevonden). Ik ben echt benieuwd hoe deze twee getekende mensen zullen evolueren en welke zaken ze nog voorgeschoteld zullen krijgen.
October 14, 2014
Well I gave up reading this book after reading about a third of book. I felt the book lacked characters that I cared about. I have been many times to Amsterdam where this book is set so I had thought I would enjoy this novel, instead I found it an endurance to read, the short chapters somehow did not help. In the end it was a relief to abandon the book. I feel book was written solely as basis for a TV series.
February 18, 2016
This thriller is quite good. Some parts are boring, other parts have really high suspence. Sometimes the storyline was a bit confusingwith all the names, and I think the plot is unnecessary complicated.
January 27, 2019
This copy is an uncorrected proof - not for resale or Quotation. (guess what I bought it nonetheless as 2nd hand book)
I did read One of the Nic Costa novels and are set to start reading the 3 Killing novels based upon the Danish TV series. And then I found that Hewson had written a series of books about an Amsterdam detective Pieter Vos. Which is a premise that was too interesting to ignore .
Pieter Vos had taken a leave of absence from the Dutch constabulary after his daughter has disappeared and was considered dead. The detective never found a single trace and lost faith and left the force and a doomed marriage to fix up his houseboat and life a quiet life.
After three years his ex-wife's stepdaughter and daughter of a prominent city official has disappeared as well, and even if some people consider her substance abuse the source for her disappearance it soon becomes clear that it is far more serious than that. Especially when the unexplained paraphernalia that was found that mirrored his missing daughters. The commissaris personally request Pieters return to solve this "crime".
Pieter Vos gets coupled with an intern from the provinces (anyplace outside of Amsterdam is considered the provinces and any place outside of the Randstad, the province North and South Holland and Utrecht with all the major cities, is considered rural) by the name of Laura Bakker who is expected to get kicked out of the force. Both start and interesting relationship in which Bakker gets to learn a lot about this strange policeman and he gets a very driven partner who actually fits his style very well.
Every time Vos doubts if he really wants to quit the game there is another clue that seems to point to his missing daughter, he never stopped hoping she would be alive at least getting closure. Is somebody playing a game and wants to keep Vos in the game.
Then there are the political games that get played about the power in our main Dutch city. And then there is the unavoidable possible police corruption and a criminal who used to be the kingpin of the underworld in Amsterdam but seems to framed by the police and is about to get his release. This criminal does have some sort of relationship with Vos that plays a major part in the story and the death of his daughter makes him an angel of revenge.
A very well written crime novel with plenty of insight in Amsterdam and its police, not really a big insight in the Dutch society, which gets mainly painted with a tourist brushstroke and lacks any in-depth insight. The story could be situated in any major European city without any problem. That would be my main criticism of this book. That said it is a very enjoyable read with plenty of plot twists that makes it interesting. Normally a 3 star review but due to its geographic location a four star review, the next book does not get the extra star for that reason, so it better be good.
I did read One of the Nic Costa novels and are set to start reading the 3 Killing novels based upon the Danish TV series. And then I found that Hewson had written a series of books about an Amsterdam detective Pieter Vos. Which is a premise that was too interesting to ignore .
Pieter Vos had taken a leave of absence from the Dutch constabulary after his daughter has disappeared and was considered dead. The detective never found a single trace and lost faith and left the force and a doomed marriage to fix up his houseboat and life a quiet life.
After three years his ex-wife's stepdaughter and daughter of a prominent city official has disappeared as well, and even if some people consider her substance abuse the source for her disappearance it soon becomes clear that it is far more serious than that. Especially when the unexplained paraphernalia that was found that mirrored his missing daughters. The commissaris personally request Pieters return to solve this "crime".
Pieter Vos gets coupled with an intern from the provinces (anyplace outside of Amsterdam is considered the provinces and any place outside of the Randstad, the province North and South Holland and Utrecht with all the major cities, is considered rural) by the name of Laura Bakker who is expected to get kicked out of the force. Both start and interesting relationship in which Bakker gets to learn a lot about this strange policeman and he gets a very driven partner who actually fits his style very well.
Every time Vos doubts if he really wants to quit the game there is another clue that seems to point to his missing daughter, he never stopped hoping she would be alive at least getting closure. Is somebody playing a game and wants to keep Vos in the game.
Then there are the political games that get played about the power in our main Dutch city. And then there is the unavoidable possible police corruption and a criminal who used to be the kingpin of the underworld in Amsterdam but seems to framed by the police and is about to get his release. This criminal does have some sort of relationship with Vos that plays a major part in the story and the death of his daughter makes him an angel of revenge.
A very well written crime novel with plenty of insight in Amsterdam and its police, not really a big insight in the Dutch society, which gets mainly painted with a tourist brushstroke and lacks any in-depth insight. The story could be situated in any major European city without any problem. That would be my main criticism of this book. That said it is a very enjoyable read with plenty of plot twists that makes it interesting. Normally a 3 star review but due to its geographic location a four star review, the next book does not get the extra star for that reason, so it better be good.
October 27, 2014
The House of Dolls – Fast Paced Thriller
David Hewson has used all his experience to write an excellent crime thriller, The House of Dolls will take your breath away. It ticks all the boxes with a clever defective detective and his even more defective side kick cycling around Amsterdam. It is yet another clever euro-crime novel that is set at a breathless pace that touches on darkness and some places we would rather not tread but need to see the light.
Hewson’s transitition from screenwriter to crime thriller reader means that he can spend more time developing the characters so that they are strong and clear, so that you get deeper characters with conviction. The plot is both imaginative and breathtaking while being original and fast paced, everything you want from a thriller.
A prominant politician’s daughter goes missing and a doll with blood on it is delivered to her parents, similar to a case three years earlier when the daughter of a police officer goes missing. Since that case the police officer Pieter Vos has quit the police and living in a wreck of a barge on a canal and his ex-partner is now married to Wim Prins. The police send for Pieter to help the investigation as he has plenty of insight.
Vos has an Amsterdam outsider Laura Bakker as his assistant, a complete misfit who is expecting to be sacked the following week. My small part star of the book is Sam Vos’ dog who seems to mirror the oddness of Vos with all his querks. Vos and Bakker are two different but identical people who work well together when nobody else seems to trust her.
As Vos and Bakker investigate the disappearence of Wim Prins daughter they step in to a gangland war, corruption in politics and the police and a long bike ride around Amsterdam. The further Vos gets in to the investigation the bigger the web that he has to investigate. It is when the daughter of one of the gangland bosses in a dingy by his barge that the pace and danger pick up in the search for the truth. Every where Vos looks the web seems to get bigger plenty of people are avoiding telling him and Bakker the truth.
It is only through the dogged determination of Vos and Bakker that the Police are able to crack the case with some surprising twists and turns. The bond develops between the pair the further in the investigation they get and there is a grudging respect for Vos from the other police officers who are hoping he is able to crack the web of lies.
A great book, short chapters that are quick and punchy, well worth reading and easy to understand why Hewson is a fantastic novelist.
David Hewson has used all his experience to write an excellent crime thriller, The House of Dolls will take your breath away. It ticks all the boxes with a clever defective detective and his even more defective side kick cycling around Amsterdam. It is yet another clever euro-crime novel that is set at a breathless pace that touches on darkness and some places we would rather not tread but need to see the light.
Hewson’s transitition from screenwriter to crime thriller reader means that he can spend more time developing the characters so that they are strong and clear, so that you get deeper characters with conviction. The plot is both imaginative and breathtaking while being original and fast paced, everything you want from a thriller.
A prominant politician’s daughter goes missing and a doll with blood on it is delivered to her parents, similar to a case three years earlier when the daughter of a police officer goes missing. Since that case the police officer Pieter Vos has quit the police and living in a wreck of a barge on a canal and his ex-partner is now married to Wim Prins. The police send for Pieter to help the investigation as he has plenty of insight.
Vos has an Amsterdam outsider Laura Bakker as his assistant, a complete misfit who is expecting to be sacked the following week. My small part star of the book is Sam Vos’ dog who seems to mirror the oddness of Vos with all his querks. Vos and Bakker are two different but identical people who work well together when nobody else seems to trust her.
As Vos and Bakker investigate the disappearence of Wim Prins daughter they step in to a gangland war, corruption in politics and the police and a long bike ride around Amsterdam. The further Vos gets in to the investigation the bigger the web that he has to investigate. It is when the daughter of one of the gangland bosses in a dingy by his barge that the pace and danger pick up in the search for the truth. Every where Vos looks the web seems to get bigger plenty of people are avoiding telling him and Bakker the truth.
It is only through the dogged determination of Vos and Bakker that the Police are able to crack the case with some surprising twists and turns. The bond develops between the pair the further in the investigation they get and there is a grudging respect for Vos from the other police officers who are hoping he is able to crack the web of lies.
A great book, short chapters that are quick and punchy, well worth reading and easy to understand why Hewson is a fantastic novelist.
April 20, 2014
It’s not often that I can stay up late reading a book, my body / mind can’t cope and I fall asleep, however over the last week I’ve been staying up, turning the pages of David Hewson‘s new book. The House of Dolls is set in the Dutch city of Amsterdam, where it’s main character Pieter Vos lives on a houseboat. Vos is a former police detective, who left the job following the kidnapping of his daughter Anneliese. He’s dragged back to his former life by another kidnapping that has similarities to the kidnapping of his daughter.
Why has this book kept me away from slumber? Well the simple answer is that I had to know what was going to happen next. The book is one of short chapters, and this keeps the story moving between characters and actions at a tireless pace, breaking the story up just enough to keep the suspense tight and the reader wanting to know what’s happening.
The characters are varied, many with their own flaws and weaknesses, but some you will like and others come to detest. There’s “old-school” gangsters mixed with new generation cops, politicians and journalists in the mould of the ladder-climbing kind and backgrounds of tourists and café owners.
The story is very believable, it sits in the present and although as far as I could tell doesn’t actually draw on a current or recent situation, it could quite easily. You could imagine that any of the crimes or motivations of the characters are being drawn from real-life and that marks the success of this author. His characters, locations and situations are all true to life. They could easily be where, when and how; today, this week or next, and you’d not be able to tell fact from fiction.
If you’ve read any of David’s books before, particularly if you’re familiar with his Nic Costa series, then you’re really going to enjoy The House of Dolls.
Why has this book kept me away from slumber? Well the simple answer is that I had to know what was going to happen next. The book is one of short chapters, and this keeps the story moving between characters and actions at a tireless pace, breaking the story up just enough to keep the suspense tight and the reader wanting to know what’s happening.
The characters are varied, many with their own flaws and weaknesses, but some you will like and others come to detest. There’s “old-school” gangsters mixed with new generation cops, politicians and journalists in the mould of the ladder-climbing kind and backgrounds of tourists and café owners.
The story is very believable, it sits in the present and although as far as I could tell doesn’t actually draw on a current or recent situation, it could quite easily. You could imagine that any of the crimes or motivations of the characters are being drawn from real-life and that marks the success of this author. His characters, locations and situations are all true to life. They could easily be where, when and how; today, this week or next, and you’d not be able to tell fact from fiction.
If you’ve read any of David’s books before, particularly if you’re familiar with his Nic Costa series, then you’re really going to enjoy The House of Dolls.
July 17, 2015
This was a very satisfying crime novel set in Amsterdam. Thus adding the Netherlands to the growing list of European countries in which I've read crime novels (including Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Germany, Finland, Ireland, England and Scotland). The reason that I read crime novels from European cities is to experience these foreign places (albeit from the point of view of the cops and criminals). I felt that the story here was a mystery that had to take place in Amsterdam and am interested in reading more set in the city.
The main character, Pieter, was interesting and his rookie detective partner, from outside the city, was an excellent foil to his past and character. The supporting characters are either fun or despicable but there's a good balance between the two.
The only problem might be that there a lot of crimes under investigation at the same time. It just keeps adding up. The eventual connections might seem too 'neat' for some readers.
The main character, Pieter, was interesting and his rookie detective partner, from outside the city, was an excellent foil to his past and character. The supporting characters are either fun or despicable but there's a good balance between the two.
The only problem might be that there a lot of crimes under investigation at the same time. It just keeps adding up. The eventual connections might seem too 'neat' for some readers.
August 27, 2025
Setting: Amsterdam, Holland; modern day.
This is the first book in a crime series featuring police detective Pieter Vos.
Having failed to solve the disappearance of his own daughter a few years before, Pieter gave up his police career and now lives on a dilapidated narrowboat in the centre of Amsterdam, spending his time in his local bar and in the Rijksmuseum, staring at an exhibit of a doll's house - because he was left a blood-stained doll when his daughter, Anneliese, disappeared.
Now, the daughter of the deputy mayor has been taken under very similar circumstances and the police want Pieter's expertise and experience to try to solve this latest crime - a role he is initially reluctant to take on....
This was a great first book in a crime series and I loved the characters and the Amsterdam setting - very reminiscent of the latest TV adaptation of Van der Valk, which I was continually picturing as I was reading. The storyline was complex and convincing and I would never have guessed the outcome. Better known for having written The Killing, this was a well-written tale at the start of a series which I am probably going to pursue, with several others in the series in my local library - 9/10.
This is the first book in a crime series featuring police detective Pieter Vos.
Having failed to solve the disappearance of his own daughter a few years before, Pieter gave up his police career and now lives on a dilapidated narrowboat in the centre of Amsterdam, spending his time in his local bar and in the Rijksmuseum, staring at an exhibit of a doll's house - because he was left a blood-stained doll when his daughter, Anneliese, disappeared.
Now, the daughter of the deputy mayor has been taken under very similar circumstances and the police want Pieter's expertise and experience to try to solve this latest crime - a role he is initially reluctant to take on....
This was a great first book in a crime series and I loved the characters and the Amsterdam setting - very reminiscent of the latest TV adaptation of Van der Valk, which I was continually picturing as I was reading. The storyline was complex and convincing and I would never have guessed the outcome. Better known for having written The Killing, this was a well-written tale at the start of a series which I am probably going to pursue, with several others in the series in my local library - 9/10.
April 24, 2019
Een interessante thriller, met een goed uitgewerkt plot. Het einde was ook erg verrassend. Het boek heeft korte hoofdstukken, waar ik van hou omdat ik dan sneller doorlees. Heel spannend vond ik het boek niet. Al was het spannend genoeg om door te blijven lezen. Ik vond het dan ook geregeld moeilijk om het boek weg te leggen. De cover vind ik erg mooi. Ik vind het ook wel bijzonder dat een Engelse schrijver zo’n goed boek kan schrijven dat in Nederland afspeelt. Een aanrader en deel 2 ga ik ook zeker een keer lezen.
May 27, 2023
Excellent mystery with a very strong sense of Amsterdam. Looking forward to reading the next installment.
July 12, 2014
Vanaf de eerste bladzijde zat ik vastgeklonken aan Pieter Vos. Ik kon het boek ook moeilijk wegleggen. Het verhaal over de onvoltooide zoektocht naar zijn tienerdochter Anneliese en de nieuwe zoektocht naar Katja is verdeeld in vijf delen. Ieder deel beschrijft één dag.
Er komen behoorlijk wat karakters in voor, en het is een lijvig verhaal maar ze zijn zo duidelijk beschreven dat ze meteen mensen voor me werden. Ik las op dat moment niet slechts het boek, maar ik keek naar hen, de mensen in het verhaal.
De diverse verhaallijnen lopen goed in elkaar over. Tot het laatst blijf je als lezer geboeid het verhaal volgen, je weet niet hoe het af zal gaan lopen. Op het eind werd ik verrast.
Het is duidelijk dat deze auteur veel onderzoek heeft gedaan naar Amsterdam, de Nederlandse gebruiken en gewoonten. Ook de verbintenis van Nederland en Suriname is onderdeel van het verhaal. De personages delen hun gedachten met de lezer, waardoor je als toeschouwer nog meer in het verhaal getrokken wordt.
Een verhaal van deze tijd, uit dit land, met óns als lezers. Met échte mensen als personages.
Je hebt er terwijl je leest geen idee van dat dit boek niet door een Nederlands auteur is geschreven.
Ik heb er van genoten.
Ik kijk uit naar het vervolg van 'Poppenhuis', waar David Hewson momenteel aan werkt.
Dit boek waardeer ik met 5/5 sterren *****
Er komen behoorlijk wat karakters in voor, en het is een lijvig verhaal maar ze zijn zo duidelijk beschreven dat ze meteen mensen voor me werden. Ik las op dat moment niet slechts het boek, maar ik keek naar hen, de mensen in het verhaal.
De diverse verhaallijnen lopen goed in elkaar over. Tot het laatst blijf je als lezer geboeid het verhaal volgen, je weet niet hoe het af zal gaan lopen. Op het eind werd ik verrast.
Het is duidelijk dat deze auteur veel onderzoek heeft gedaan naar Amsterdam, de Nederlandse gebruiken en gewoonten. Ook de verbintenis van Nederland en Suriname is onderdeel van het verhaal. De personages delen hun gedachten met de lezer, waardoor je als toeschouwer nog meer in het verhaal getrokken wordt.
Een verhaal van deze tijd, uit dit land, met óns als lezers. Met échte mensen als personages.
Je hebt er terwijl je leest geen idee van dat dit boek niet door een Nederlands auteur is geschreven.
Ik heb er van genoten.
Ik kijk uit naar het vervolg van 'Poppenhuis', waar David Hewson momenteel aan werkt.
Dit boek waardeer ik met 5/5 sterren *****
January 18, 2020
un prim volum foarte, foarte bun, plin de suspans si de rasturnari de situatie.
am cumparat cartea acum vreo trei ani si am incercat de vreo doua ori sa o citesc si abia acum am reusit sa o si termin. nici nu stiu de ce nu reuseam sa o citesc pentru ca este un roman politist/thriller de foarte buna calitate, verosimil si adaptat la o realitate crunta.
am cumparat cartea acum vreo trei ani si am incercat de vreo doua ori sa o citesc si abia acum am reusit sa o si termin. nici nu stiu de ce nu reuseam sa o citesc pentru ca este un roman politist/thriller de foarte buna calitate, verosimil si adaptat la o realitate crunta.
May 7, 2025
Was an ok story line but found it hard to follow with all the different characters and the ending was alright
June 17, 2014
First time I've read this author & I noticed his other books have received very mixed reviews but I really enjoyed this, mostly due to the main character.
The MC is Pieter Vos, a 39 year old former police detective in Amsterdam who left the job after he was unable to solve the abduction of his own daughter. It's 2 years later & Vos is living on a decrepit houseboat. It's shabby & broken, much like him. He spends his days with his dog, staring at a doll's house at the nearby Rijksmuseum, convinced it's linked with her disappearance.
His solitude is interrupted one day by Laura Bakker, a newby cop who brings a summons from his former boss Frank De Groot. The vice mayor's daughter is missing. A ransom was delivered along with a doll, much like the one Vos received when his daughter was snatched. Would he come back & help with the investigation?
It's a tricky situation. Besides the fact Vos is still recovering from a nervous breakdown, the vice mayor's second wife is Liesbeth, Vos' former partner. He's not sure he wants to deal with her but can't resist the chance to find new information that may lead to news of their daughter.
Meanwhile, in alternating chapters, we follow 2 drug lords fighting for control of the city. One is due to be released from prison & it's only a matter of time before the bodies start to pile up. What begins as 2 separate stories is eventually interwoven as past secrets & alliances are slowly revealed & Vos is drawn into their bloody battle.
It's a complex, layered story with many sub plots. The author does a good job of gradually bringing it all together with a large, diverse cast of characters, all with personal agendas. Lies, secrets, machiavellian plans, affairs, back stabbing...and that's just the politicians. At least the gangsters are more straight forward when it comes to revenge.
You can't help but feel strongly about some of the characters. Vos is a sympathetic & likeable "hero". He's a smart, honest guy whose life was ripped apart, leaving him with a tenuous grip on his sanity. And though he still harbours some feelings for Liesbeth, she comes across as a self absorbed & ambitious harpy that he should be grateful to be rid of. Her husband epitomizes the word "sleazy" & I desperately wanted to see him get what he deserved. The only character that didn't ring true (and was just down right annoying) was Laura. Yes, she's a misfit but the way the author writes her dialogue makes her sound like a spoiled, petulant child rather than an adult in a professional career.
The last third of the book has twists & surprises on almost every page as the horrible truths emerge. And if you thought you knew the good guys from the bad, think again. Sometimes gangsters can be more honourable than supposed law abiding citizens.
All in all, a fast paced & intricate thriller that did just what a good book should...kept me eagerly turning the pages to see how it all shook out & who was left standing at the end.
The MC is Pieter Vos, a 39 year old former police detective in Amsterdam who left the job after he was unable to solve the abduction of his own daughter. It's 2 years later & Vos is living on a decrepit houseboat. It's shabby & broken, much like him. He spends his days with his dog, staring at a doll's house at the nearby Rijksmuseum, convinced it's linked with her disappearance.
His solitude is interrupted one day by Laura Bakker, a newby cop who brings a summons from his former boss Frank De Groot. The vice mayor's daughter is missing. A ransom was delivered along with a doll, much like the one Vos received when his daughter was snatched. Would he come back & help with the investigation?
It's a tricky situation. Besides the fact Vos is still recovering from a nervous breakdown, the vice mayor's second wife is Liesbeth, Vos' former partner. He's not sure he wants to deal with her but can't resist the chance to find new information that may lead to news of their daughter.
Meanwhile, in alternating chapters, we follow 2 drug lords fighting for control of the city. One is due to be released from prison & it's only a matter of time before the bodies start to pile up. What begins as 2 separate stories is eventually interwoven as past secrets & alliances are slowly revealed & Vos is drawn into their bloody battle.
It's a complex, layered story with many sub plots. The author does a good job of gradually bringing it all together with a large, diverse cast of characters, all with personal agendas. Lies, secrets, machiavellian plans, affairs, back stabbing...and that's just the politicians. At least the gangsters are more straight forward when it comes to revenge.
You can't help but feel strongly about some of the characters. Vos is a sympathetic & likeable "hero". He's a smart, honest guy whose life was ripped apart, leaving him with a tenuous grip on his sanity. And though he still harbours some feelings for Liesbeth, she comes across as a self absorbed & ambitious harpy that he should be grateful to be rid of. Her husband epitomizes the word "sleazy" & I desperately wanted to see him get what he deserved. The only character that didn't ring true (and was just down right annoying) was Laura. Yes, she's a misfit but the way the author writes her dialogue makes her sound like a spoiled, petulant child rather than an adult in a professional career.
The last third of the book has twists & surprises on almost every page as the horrible truths emerge. And if you thought you knew the good guys from the bad, think again. Sometimes gangsters can be more honourable than supposed law abiding citizens.
All in all, a fast paced & intricate thriller that did just what a good book should...kept me eagerly turning the pages to see how it all shook out & who was left standing at the end.
August 29, 2016
House of Dolls takes place in Amsterdam and the author describes the city quite beautifully and accurately. One of his characters live on a houseboat close to my neighborhood and his descriptions were extremely familiar – well done! I also loved the very Dutch attributes he’s given some of his characters (calling while biking, constant presence of small, nippy dogs). The plot line about missing and abused children disturbed me somewhat, making it difficult to finish. However David Hewson is a fantastic writer and I would definitely read another book by him.
***** Also wanted to let my Goodreads travel group friends know that I found this book through TripFiction's list of books set in Amsterdam. Highly recommend TripFiction's website for their great, and often very specific, lists and recommendations!
***** Also wanted to let my Goodreads travel group friends know that I found this book through TripFiction's list of books set in Amsterdam. Highly recommend TripFiction's website for their great, and often very specific, lists and recommendations!
February 9, 2015
I absolutely enjoyed this book. The book takes place in Amsterdam when a former police detective in brought back into the force. His daughter disappeared 3 years earlier, and now there is a case with a lot of similarities. Great story with bad cops and crooked government officials.
February 7, 2022
I have to admit to a certain amount of trepidation when I hit play on the audio version of this book. I knew it was set in Amsterdam, so expected many Dutch names and such to pop up. My experience with English-language audio narrations utterly mangling anything Dutch has until now always resulted in me virtually bleeding from the ears, so you can probably understand my apprehension.
Luckily, it wasn't a factor. The narrator was either born in south Africa, or spent an extended amount of time there, and while Afrikaans isn't the same as Dutch, it's in the neighbourhood, and the pronunciation is usually close enough. The only word he didn't quite get was Leidseplein, but I am more than happy to let him get away with that!
The story itself is an average crime thriller, nothing earth shattering, but perfectly ok to while away a couple of hours with. I'll be up for more in the series, provided they don't change narrator!
Luckily, it wasn't a factor. The narrator was either born in south Africa, or spent an extended amount of time there, and while Afrikaans isn't the same as Dutch, it's in the neighbourhood, and the pronunciation is usually close enough. The only word he didn't quite get was Leidseplein, but I am more than happy to let him get away with that!
The story itself is an average crime thriller, nothing earth shattering, but perfectly ok to while away a couple of hours with. I'll be up for more in the series, provided they don't change narrator!
November 10, 2024
This is a new author to me although I have many of his works to follow in my TBR pile (I amaze myself what I picked up in my travels) so reading this was a true voyage of discovery. That said I really enjoyed it.
I know that almost every genre has its tropes and formulas or least can be accused of them - this book really threw me as rather than try and avoid them - Hewson played with them to the point I was thoroughly confused and didn't see where the story was going and certainly who the culprit was.
I will be the first to admit that I am not as well read in crime and mystery as I am in some other genres but this was a breath of fresh air and I am really pleased to see there are other titles in this series so will be certainly looking for the others the first opportunity i get
I know that almost every genre has its tropes and formulas or least can be accused of them - this book really threw me as rather than try and avoid them - Hewson played with them to the point I was thoroughly confused and didn't see where the story was going and certainly who the culprit was.
I will be the first to admit that I am not as well read in crime and mystery as I am in some other genres but this was a breath of fresh air and I am really pleased to see there are other titles in this series so will be certainly looking for the others the first opportunity i get
February 1, 2019
I absolutely loved this book. The first one I have read by Hewson. He gets straight to the point, short sharp sentences, good descriptions of characters which makes them easy to identify and to identify with even though there are quite a number of them.
The main character, Vos, after leaving the police force under a cloud, is called back to help locate a politicians daughter who has gone missing under the same circumstances as Vos' daughter 2 years previously. The two main characters, Vos and Bakker have a working relationship whereby they only just tolerate each other but realise, eventually, they are both outsiders in this case.
I will definitely be reading more by Hewson as he doesn't beat around the bush like some authors.
This makes it easy to grasp the story line and not loose it in banal descriptive prose.
The main character, Vos, after leaving the police force under a cloud, is called back to help locate a politicians daughter who has gone missing under the same circumstances as Vos' daughter 2 years previously. The two main characters, Vos and Bakker have a working relationship whereby they only just tolerate each other but realise, eventually, they are both outsiders in this case.
I will definitely be reading more by Hewson as he doesn't beat around the bush like some authors.
This makes it easy to grasp the story line and not loose it in banal descriptive prose.
January 21, 2020
An interesting thriller by a Dutch writer. I find Northern Europe thriller writers write with a unique gate; maybe it’s the writing in a second language or the translation.
I enjoyed the local references to bicycles, the bike culture, canals, legal hookers and magic mushrooms; it brought back memories.
I enjoyed the local references to bicycles, the bike culture, canals, legal hookers and magic mushrooms; it brought back memories.
February 8, 2018
A gripping book set in Amsterdam as Pietre Vos sets to find her missing sixteen year old daughter. With the reassignment to the case via De Grott, the team tackle gangs and politics in this case. Love the way the short chapters are set in different areas, plenty of conversation and a story that fits well. Great job.
October 29, 2017
Onnodig ingewikkeld boek wat veel inspiratie heeft gehaald uit het Holleeder gebeuren.
December 2, 2020
Proprio un bel libro .. scritto molto bene e con una bella trama. Suspence assicurata fino all’ultima pagina. 4 stellette meritate
September 24, 2024
Decent detective novel. Set in the famous De Wallen district of Amsterdam. Easy reading
February 23, 2023
Definitely something HAHA
I loved the plot twists and the drama, the end was great and busy want I wanted. No disappointments with this book!
I loved the plot twists and the drama, the end was great and busy want I wanted. No disappointments with this book!
April 8, 2024
It took me a little while to get into this book, but once past the first couple of chapters, the story was gripping.
Well written crime novel.
Well written crime novel.
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