The Man in the Window

Oslo Detectives #3

by K.O. Dahl

It is Friday the thirteenth, and with the Norwegian capital enveloped in freezing cold, seventy-nine-year-old Reidar Folke Jesperson passes what will be the last day of his life. In the early hours of the following morning he is found stabbed to death in his shop, his naked body exposed in the shop's window, a red string tied round his neck, and three crosses and a number - 195 - written across his chest. Police officers Gunnarstranda and Frolich - the team who were so deeply embroiled in the search for The Fourth Man - are called to the scene. Questions of love and betrayal, loyalty and guilt consume the investigation, just as they fill the private lives of the investigators. What will be uncovered is a country where victims, perpetrators and even police officers are haunted by the past, still trying to cope with the dark memories of the Nazi occupation of the country.

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

496 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2001

About the author

K. O. Dahl (born 4 February 1958) is a Norwegian writer. He has written eleven novels since 1993, mostly crime novels with a psychological interest. So far, four of his novels have been published in English, translated by Don Bartlett. They feature the Oslo detectives Frank Frølich and Inspector Gunnarstranda. These translations have been published in the reverse order to which they were written.

See also Kjell Ola Dahl

Reviews

[Olga · Rating 4 out of 5]

On a frosty night the dead naked body of a respectable elderly man is displayed in the window of his own shop in Oslo. Is the murderer one of the obvious suspects? Are the answers hidden in the present or the past?
It's a quite good Scandinavian mystery novel with an unexpected ending.

[Tessa Nadir · Rating 3 out of 5]

Titlul acestei carti ne duce desigur cu gandul la celebrul film horror "Vineri 13" cu infamul Jason si continuarile sale din ce in ce mai atroce. Romanul nu are insa nicio legatura cu filmele si face parte din seria politista avandu-i ca protagonisti pe inspectorul sef Gunnarstranda si asistentul sau Frank Frolich de la politia din Oslo.
Cartea a aparut in 2001 si ne prezinta o crima petrecuta in nefasta zi de vineri 13. Il avem in prim plan pe Reidar Folke Jespersen, un negustor de antichitati din Oslo. Acesta isi urmareste sotia si o vede intrand in apartamenul amantului ei mai tanar.
Reidar se intalneste apoi cu fratii sai si se cearta cu ei privitor la vanzarea magazinului, proprietate comuna. El se opunea catagoric ofertei de vanzare.
Dupa aceasta isi suna sotia la casa amantului ei si o ameninta ca daca nu-l paraseste pe acesta nu mai are ce cauta acasa.
Spre seara are o intalnire misterioasa cu o frumoasa tanara si goala. Fata insa e urmarita de un taximetrist extrem de gelos care ii pune gand rau lui Reidar.
Inainte sa ajunga acasa isi suna avocata si cere revocarea testamentului sau.
Ultima altercatie o are cu un fost angajat pe care il plesneste peste fata si care si acesta jura razbunare.
A doua zi dimineata Reidar este gasit expus in vitrina magazinului sau, stand pe un fotoliu, gol si injunghiat. Inspectorul sef Gunnarstranda si asistentul sau primesc cazul. Criminalul este unul dintre cei cu care a avut contact in nefasta zi de vineri 13. Cine insa, ramane sa aflati citind romanul.
In ceea ce ma priveste am considerat ca personajele sunt destul de neplacute, vremea e groaznica, atmosfera e mohorata si poate ca va intrebati de ce atunci am acordat atatea stele. Raspunsul este pentru intriga politista foarte bine sustinuta, pentru ancheta remarcabil condusa si pentru ca m-a facut sa ma simt ca si cum as face parte din echipa de investigatie a sectiei de politie din Oslo.
In incheiere va recomand acest roman si va atasez cateva citate care mi s-au parut interesante:
"... fetele tinere aleg baieti ceva mai mari decat ele pentru ca acestia au mai putine cosuri pe fata, umeri mai lati si ceva mai multa experienta decat anumiti alti baieti."
"Am fost de fata cand Reidar a vandut o casca veche de motociclist pretinzand ca e un bol pentru orez din Congo." :))
"... oricat ar fi de salbatica dorinta sexuala, ea va fi mereu insotita de un sentiment gol."
"Tine prin urmare de insasi natura erotismului sa ajungi sa te saturi, fie de partener, fie de actul sexual."
"Nu exista nimic rusinos in iubire. Cei care se indragostesc sunt nevinovati, indiferent pe cine iubesc si din ce motiv iubesc."

[Deb Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

I could read K.O. Dahl's writing any time. This is a man who can write a story -- and a meaty story at that! This is every bit as much of a character study as it is a police procedural with building suspense added in. A thoroughly enjoyable read.

[Guy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not exactly action-packed, and a bit more interested in the detectives than in the perpetrators, but a solid, atmospheric, old-fashioned puzzler with complicated relationships and a back-story reaching back to Occupied Norway. For me, the denouement was a little convoluted, but all-in-all a worthy contribution to the Nordic crime genre.

[Mark · Rating 5 out of 5]

“I’ve often thought that we’re all like that, that we all have a fundamental suspicion of ourselves. Do you understand? …. We may hear something said or recognise something from our childhood, a smell or a sound or an atmosphere - and we stop and realise - or can see at a deep level what we have become - the unvarnished truth - and we have to close our eyes and repress the realisation - because we can see right through the shield we hide behind…” p256/7

Frølich and Gunnarstranda - the Oslo Detectives - are a cult creation of Kjell Dahl, a Scandi Crime author hailing from Norway who has mastered the genre with precision and perfection. These two detectives embody everything I love about Nordic Noir - they are perceptive, somewhat clunky, politically quite incorrect, imperfect humans in every way, yet psychologically in tune with the heart of detective work - the human psyche and condition.

I get a little confused regarding the correct order of those series as the translation into English has not followed the Norwegian order of publication. The Man in the Window is the third to be published in the original language but the second (I think) in English publication order. It doesn’t seem to really matter although I’m a bit of a stickler for reading in order.

The Man in the Window is Reidar Folke Jesperson, brutally murdered and put on display in a shop front window for all and sundry to see with a coupe of codes written on his skin and a red string around his neck. Frølich and Gunnarstranda engage in a crime investigation that takes them back to WW2, the Nazi invasion, the Norwegian resistance, jilted lovers and exacting revenge. Classic Nordic Noir from this time period.

As I’ve mentioned many times before, I love people first, then plot and Dahl does not disappoint. This is a novel about the Oslo Detectives in many respects as opposed to a crime novel. That suits me fine and as the above quote highlights, it’s always about the unpacking of the human psyche that makes these stories breathe.

I’m going to give this page turning yet slow burn novel 5 Nordic stars and I’m already looking forward to the next instalment.

[Catherine Woodman]

I have been on a run of Scandanavian murder mysteries of late, and they are all very good--this is the second book that I have read by this author, and it is a very good mystery--with alot of plot changes, and people not who they at first appear to be. The inspector is a dour, glass-is-half-empty sort of guy who is strangely engaging.

[Sharon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kjell Ola Dahl, translated by Don Bartlett. Norway.
Gunnarstranda & Frølich
**7 of the 11 novels have been published in English, these translations have been published in the reverse order to which they were written.
The Man in the Window, Oslo Detectives #3. 2001/2009
Next, based on date released originally only! Not translation dates.
The writer has excelled with this book. Finally Good Reading!
Gunnarstranda & Frølich don’t come into this storyline until chapter 9. Until then, it’s a tight good story. Interesting format to write well about the various victims making the reader connect with them before violence befalls them!! The mystery and murders take the Oslo Detectives right back to WWII and the various characters past and present are eventually connected. Everyone has personal issues but the storyline is well built and solved. Very good reading.......

[Susan Levin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Surprisingly fun read. I am not a mystery book fan but this was so well written with characters I cared about. This was a " couldn't put down" book that I will happily recommend as a terrific read. Than you, Judith Parker, for this recommendation!

[Maddy · Rating 3 out of 5]

PROTAGONIST: DI Frølich and DCI Gunnarstranda
SETTING: Oslo, Norway
SERIES: #3 of 8
RATING: 3.0
WHY: Octogenarian Reidar Foke Jespersen is found dead posed in the front window of the antique dealing store he owns with his family. He was a disagreeable man, manipulating his wife when he confronts her over an affair and refusing approve the sale of the shop when his brothers find an appropriate buyer. V investigate. It felt like they kept going over the same ground repeatedly. I found this to be a slow and plodding read. I enjoyed the other books I've read in this series far more.

[Gina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good mystery set in Oslo, Norway. Two police detectives seek the killer of an aging antique dealer. Several good suspects provide them with a challenging investigation. They include his much younger wife, a resentful son, two jealous younger brothers, his wife's lover, and a disturbed taxi driver.

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love a Norwegian murder mystery set in Oslo during the middle of winter. It has all the elements i love, detectives with private lives and a slowly evolving partnership, murder suspects with lovers and secrets and of course, if an old bloke is involved, inevitably,WW2 also becomes a factor.

[Sharron · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my second mystery by this particular author and I enjoyed it enough that I would read the others in this series assuming they are translated into English. Happily, it was much better than his first.

[Mary Kurtz · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think what I liked most was reading a crime story in an Oslo setting and culture. The plot was interesting but I found myself wanting it to progress more precisely. I would still recommend the novel.

[Jim · Rating 4 out of 5]

i'm warming up to Frolich and Gunnarstrada... this was an exellent mystery with a lot of possible suspects... nothing cornball or 'twisty', just an intriguing story melding the sad present with a sordid past...

[Dragoş · Rating 4 out of 5]

In spite of what the others believe, I found it to be captivating after I got used with the Norvegian names and the finale was actually thrilling as I couldnt deduce the real murderer. I'm looking forward in reading more K.O.Dahl literature.

[Katherine A. goodspeed · Rating 4 out of 5]

Almost Nesbo

Not quite as dark as Nesbo, this crime procedural does evoke similar quintessential Norwegian characteristics. The protagonists are well drawn and elements of Norwegian history are tangled in the plot. I will read more in this series.

[Joe Moffa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another fine entry in the seemingly endless series of excellent mysteries with Scandinavian settings. Maybe it's those long winter nights. In any case, I plan to read more in this series.

[Luana · Rating 3 out of 5]

3,5

All'inizio ero tentata di dare quattro stelline, ma ho trovato il finale un po' troppo macchinoso e arzigogolato per i miei gusti. Peccato, perché mi stava piacendo anche più del primo volume.
Infatti "L'uomo in vetrina" è la seconda indagine che vede per protagonisti il commissario capo della polizia di Oslo Gunnarstranda e il suo assistente Frank Frølich, chiamati a intervenire quando un'addetta alla consegna a domicilio dei giornali trova esposto nella vetrina di un negozio di antiquariato un cadavere. La vittima è Reidar Folke Jespersen, uno dei proprietari del suddetto negozio, che viene ammazzato e poi messo in bella mostra nudo, con tre croci disegnate sulla fronte e una strana combinazione numerica scritta sul petto (J195). Ma chi poteva voler morto questo anziano signore, vicino agli 80 anni, che sembrava godere di una salute di ferro e che non era mai stanco di lavorare? A quanto pare i sospettati e i relativi moventi sono diversi, anche perché Jespersen non era proprio un santo, ma aveva un carattere difficile, autoritario e prevaricatore, oltre ad un passato abbastanza ingombrante legato al periodo dell'occupazione nazista della Norvegia.
E così la lista dei sospettati comprende (in ordine sparso): la seconda moglie più giovane di 30 anni, che da tre anni ha una relazione extraconiugale (di cui Reidar era a conoscenza); i due fratelli minori, decisi a vendere l'attività e il negozio per incassare soldi e passarsi la vecchiaia tranquilli; un figlio sempre vissuto all'ombra del padre e soffocato da una moglie dispotica, che in realtà vorrebbe fare lo scrittore; un ex dipendente che vorrebbe veder saldato un vecchio debito; la coppia di compratori che ha fatto l'offerta per il negozio; e un tassista ossessionato da una giovane ragazza che, una volta al mese, si presentava da Reidar per mettere in piedi una "piccola recita improvvisata" (per dirla così). Le cose si fanno ancora più interessanti quanto il duo di investigatori scopre che il giorno della sua morte, la vittima aveva annullato il suo testamento e aveva ricevuto brutte notizie riguardanti le sue condizioni di salute.
In molti avevano un motivo per farlo fuori, ma come si sono svolti veramente i fatti?
In mezzo a questo ginepraio di indizi, bugie e mezze verità, seguiamo anche le vite private dei due protagonisti, con Gunnarstranda che sembra aver trovato un po' di compagnia per riempire il vuoto lasciato dalla morte della moglie, mentre il povero Frølich è diviso tra due donne e si sente incastrato in una storia che lo annoia e lo irrita.
Non siamo ai livelli della mia personale triade scandinava (Kurt Wallander, Harry Hole e Carl Mørck), ma alla fine sono curiosa di vedere cosa ne sarà di questi due geni del male nei prossimi volumi.

[Joje · Rating 3 out of 5]

I always like the scenes where some official (or not) tries to hold off some disaster, as does Gunnarstranda at the end, otherwise there is little suspense in the book, except to see if the possible lovers go somewhere with it, as often as not.
The irony that follows the repeated citation is one subtlety I appreciate, since it ties in something that is a mystery before that, and tying something in is rare enough in this understated world of understated characters. Even the final explanation fits that description. In that it excels.
The citation: "Quand l'essentiel se reduit à quelques souvenirs, ce sont toujours des fragments des bons côtés des choses. C'est le bon côté qui survit et qui fait de la memoire la qualite la plus importante que tu puisses posseder. La capacité de se souvenir, non seulement pour revenir au passe, mais aussi pour conserver qui tu es, et ton âme." If the man's words, then it fits, but it could be the woman's in this relationship misused by both. Interesting question at the end, if that phrase is remembered at all.
This matches well enough with one of several conversations with the same tone or spirit, e.g.,
--C'est la vie...
--C'est incomprehensible.
--Mozart est mort dans la misère. Il y a beaucoup de choses incomprehensibles...
--Mais certaines choses doivent aussi avoir une explication.
--Comme quoi?
They sure do have polite cops and robbers in Norway.

[Martina · Rating 3 out of 5]

The man in the window was a mediocre read. It's visible from my rating that the novel didn't provoke much emotion in me. The plot and the idea behind it is interesting, but the main problem for me was the slow pace. The plot unfolded so slowly that it didn't motivate me to keep on reading the book. Not even the underlying motive of WW2 and potential Nazism provided an impetus for reading. With all that said, I felt as if the plot could have been developed better and made more engaging, like in - you know I'm gonna say it - The redbreast.

Not knowing that The man in the window was just one in the series of novels devoted to the investigations of inspector Gunnarstranda and Frank Frolich, I formed my opinions of the detective duo based on the information provided in this book. Frolich came across as rather sleazy. On top of that, he didn't floor me with his detective skills. In comparison with him, the snarky, middle-aged Gunnarstranda was more likeable. His curt answers and snippy attitude made him interesting as a character, and that's not taking into account that he is the Sherlock Holmes of the pair.

All in all, I wouldn't mind reading another novel of K.O. Dahl, but I won't go out of my way to procure it.

[Marilyn Shea · Rating 4 out of 5]

As the author was tying up all the many strands of the story at the end, I felt overwhelmed and confused. So much of the story went by before substantial back stories were added, so it seemed that the last half of the book was weighty with detail. Still, I found the story intriguing, especially the dissection of the personality of Reidar Jespersen. I have known men of his generation (in the story, he is seventy-nine years old) who seem to enjoy an unemotional strength that we might label today as patriarchical, or, less generously and more accurately, bullying. The antecedents of these behaviors are different for each person, but in Jespersen's case, are tangled up with his role in the Second World War. The family that deals with a person like him find themselves hiding so much of themselves because calm and fair discussion of issues is never an option. Once a person like Jespersen adopts the strong man persona, he may feel he, too, must keep his motivations secret. So a label like "bully" doesn't begin to describe what is actually behind the behaviors and most people like Jespersen die without anything of themselves being revealed. It is only when outsiders, such as police detectives, are drawn in by a violent event that the whole saga becomes known. I read this book rapidly and liked it.

[Gloria.RainyRose · Rating 3 out of 5]

I actually had high expectation when I picked up this book because I've been into Norwergian murder mysteries lately. Unfortunately this didn't meet them. It was a slow read, I wasn't expecting it to be action-packed but the amount of dialogue and descriptions were too much for me. The way he characters talked to each other, outside of the interrogations, felt forced, flat and not real at times. And this happened to characters that knew each other for quite a while as well. The characters in themselves didn't do much for me as I could not bring myself to care for almost any of them and, although there were moments were 2 or 3 characters have caught my attentions this moments were short and I stopped caring for them almost immediately.
Another thing that made the book feel slow were the filler chapters and half chapters in which the emphasis was on the love life of the two inspectors, which again I could not bring myself to be interested in.
What irked me the most about the book was the portrayal of women. One of them was so badly done that it got me screaming and wanting to throw the book against a wall. Because of this I initially intended to give this book 2 stars but the conclusion of the murder, the motives because of which the crime was committed and one of the female characters [ her portrayal redeemed the rest, yesss ] made me give it a 3 star.

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

I used to think that Germany was the main place tortured by its Nazi past. But I'm beginning to think Norway runs a close second.

I've read only two Norwegian mysteries so far (the other was Nesbro's Readbreast) and both had the Nazi occupation as an underlying theme. This story recounts the bizarre murder of an antiques dealer who had been a resistance member during the war. Reidar Folke Jespersen's naked body is found propped in his store window with a strange inscription carved into it, stabbed to death by a bayonet that had been in the shop.

The lead investigator, Gunnarstranda, is the usual satisfying dour Nordic murder specialist. He is widowed, he has a new relationship he is unsure of, everything is covered in frost and snow and he smokes wherever and whenever he wants. His partner Frolich is also going through relationship issues.

With these side plots spinning away, they set out to figure out why Jespersen was killed not long after he upended a deal with his two brothers to sell the store to an outside couple. That becomes one important clue, but it is only part of the solution, much of which is buried in the past.

The pacing, the characters, the scenes, all kept me moving at a satisfying clip through the story. Recommended.

[Ron · Rating 2 out of 5]

Well, this is certainly evidence that not everyone writing police procedurals that take place in Oslo are excellent crime writers. One of the dullest murder mysteries I have encountered in a long time, with uninteresting characters (both cops and suspects), a hugely tedious middle section in which the two faceless and characterless cops drive around and interview various persons of interest, and get pretty much nowhere, and a connection to the past, to the Nazi occupation of Norway, which pretty much fizzles as a motive for the crime. And poorly translated, to boot – plodding, full of ridiculous Norwegian street names and no sense of pace or suspense.
Somehow, the situation of the murder was interesting enough in its initial formulation, and in its potential, to keep me reading, but it all came to pretty much nothing in the end, including a very poorly written hostage scene with the "bad guy" taken out by a swat team sharpshooter.
I will remember to keep away from any more novels by this Dahl guy in the future.

[Doug]

Another Nowwegian story taking place in Oslo in the winter. Not many warm fuzzy chapters but the story is good. An aging antique dealer is found stabbed to death and sitting in a chair in the window of his store. AS Frolich and Gunnarstranda investigate they encounter a family that has many secrets and conflicts. But as the story develops WWII and the conflicts between Germany and Norway and the people of both countries becomes a factor in solving the crime.

One thing I find interesting when reading fiction by authors from Sweden, Norway, and Iceland is the recurring there of WWII even though the authors were born in the 50's, 60's and 70's.

[Michael Springer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I first heard of K.O. Dahl at the London Book Fair last March, and this was the first one of his translated books I was able to find. He is an outstanding writer in the fine Norwegian Noir tradition. In this story, a World War II hero, now in his elder years, is found murdered, stripped and branded in the window of his antiques store. Was it his son, who stands to inherit the business? His much-younger wife, who was having a tryst that afternoon when the husband followed her? Or was it someone who knows something about his war time actions that was buried until now? Excellent writing. I look forward to more.

[Heidy · Rating 1 out of 5]

When you're reading a crime thriller where every single character is extremely dislikeable, including the murder victim himself, it's difficult to summon the energy to carry on reading as you really don't care which one of these unpleasant people has actually killed the antipathetical old man and why (when they all had reasons *not* to like him, lol)

I had never thought about this before, but I think, in every book you read you want at least a couple of characters who are at least "remotely" nice?

On p. 150: It does not get any better, but I persevere...

A few pages later: Life is too short to force yourself to read books you don't like...

[Linda Branham · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great mystery. I do admit I had a difficult getting into the story at first because I hsd a difficult time with the names :) But then I became comfortable with the names and really enjoyed the actual story.
There was history of WWII as seen from a european perspective - I really enjoyed that. And there was a mystery of who killed "the man in the window" - and why
The police detectives were interesting in how they questioned the facts and how they proceeded with the investigation. All in all a good mystery with interesting and believable characters

[David C Ward · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very baroque and complicated murder mystery whose cause goes all the way back to the War. There are a lot of suspects and a subsidiary murder just to confuse things even more. It also contains more than enough dialogues on love/sex and marriage and guilt/ innocence. Also the police don’t make enough of the public, almost ceremonial display, of the corpse of the murdered antique dealer/resistance hero/patriarch. Something else - revenge, humiliation etc - is obviously going on. And finally, it relies on an unreliable narrator and withheld evidence which is never satisfactory.

[Alison S ☯️ · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Scandi Crime so I'm really happy to have discovered a new author and series in this genre. This was a well written (and translated) story with plenty of incident, sardonic wry humour and quirky original characters, that kept me turning the pages with interest and enjoyment. An excellent start to a new year of reading.