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Harry Kvist #2
Down for the Count
THE SECOND THRILLER IN THE STOCKHOLM TRILOGY
'Holmén has created a brutal anti-hero quite unlike any seen in crime fiction before' Express
Harry Kvist walks out of the gates of Langholmen jail into the biting Stockholm winter of 1935. He has nothing to his name but a fiercely burning hope: that he can leave behind his old existence of gutter brawls, bruised fists and broken bones.
But the city has other ideas. Nazis are spreading their poison on the freezing streets, and one of Kvist's oldest friends has been murdered. Before he can leave Stockholm's underworld for good, he must track down the killer. As Kvist uncovers a trail of blood leading to the highest echelons of Swedish society, the former boxer finds himself in a fight to the death with his most dangerous opponent yet.
What readers have to say about The Stockholm Trilogy
'This is Scandinavian noir like no other you'll read and I can't wait for the next in the series!' - Amazon reviewer
'A true noir... dark, dirty and bruised' - Goodreads reviewer
'Brilliant Scandinavian noir' - Amazon reviewer
'A Swedish noir par excellence. Bravo' - Goodreads reviewer
'Further adventures of the super macho, super smart Harry wandering the streets and prisons of a wintry, grimy pre-war Stockholm' - Goodreads reviewer
THE STOCKHOLM TRILOGY CONTINES WITH SLUGGER
'Holmén has created a brutal anti-hero quite unlike any seen in crime fiction before' Express
Harry Kvist walks out of the gates of Langholmen jail into the biting Stockholm winter of 1935. He has nothing to his name but a fiercely burning hope: that he can leave behind his old existence of gutter brawls, bruised fists and broken bones.
But the city has other ideas. Nazis are spreading their poison on the freezing streets, and one of Kvist's oldest friends has been murdered. Before he can leave Stockholm's underworld for good, he must track down the killer. As Kvist uncovers a trail of blood leading to the highest echelons of Swedish society, the former boxer finds himself in a fight to the death with his most dangerous opponent yet.
What readers have to say about The Stockholm Trilogy
'This is Scandinavian noir like no other you'll read and I can't wait for the next in the series!' - Amazon reviewer
'A true noir... dark, dirty and bruised' - Goodreads reviewer
'Brilliant Scandinavian noir' - Amazon reviewer
'A Swedish noir par excellence. Bravo' - Goodreads reviewer
'Further adventures of the super macho, super smart Harry wandering the streets and prisons of a wintry, grimy pre-war Stockholm' - Goodreads reviewer
THE STOCKHOLM TRILOGY CONTINES WITH SLUGGER
304 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 2016
10 people are currently reading
233 people want to read
About the author
Martin Holmén
17 books62 followersBasic information: Swedish writer, based in Stockholm. Born in 1974. Teaches History, Swedish and History of Culture and Ideas at an upper secondary school in Stockholm two days a week. Author of the Harry Kvist trilogy (Sweden) or the Stockholm trilogy (UK/USA) or the Metropol series (France).
The first installment CLINCH is set in 1932 when the economic depression hits Sweden. It has been described as gritty, stylish, queer noir fiction with a unique Swedish flavour. Available, or soon to be released, in Australia, France, Italy, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Sweden and the United Kingdom.
Here are three reactions to the english version - from some authorities in the field:
Lynda la Plante : "Clinch is a dark, atmospheric, powerful thriller, the best debut novel I’ve read in years"
Val McDermid: "If Chandler and Hammett had truly walked on the wild side, it would read like Clinch."
Kate Rhodes: "Martin Holmen’s debut novel is a real tour de force. His taut dialogue is reminiscent of early Hemingway and CLINCH is a fascinating race through 1930s Stockholm."
CLINCH was released in Sweden in 2015, DOWN FOR THE COUNT in 2016 and the final installment SLUGGER in 2017. Also a contributor to the anthology of short stories STOCKHOLM NOIR (Editors Nathan Larson and Carl-Michael Edenborg, USA 2016).
Influences span from pulp and film noir to classic hardboiled American fiction like Jim Thompson, to the autodidact writers of Swedens early working class movement like Jan Fridegård, to Russian realists and French naturalist authors, to vintage sleaze, action movies, video games, Frank Miller comics and great Americana like Hemingway, Faulkner or Steinbeck. I know - it's a somewhat contradictory list. Just doing my thing here. Please don't take me too seriously - I know I don't.
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
June 12, 2017
Darker and grittier.
Harry Kvist just can't catch a break. It's enough to make you believe in curses. Yes, much of his problems are self-inflicted, but there's an undercurrent that keeps tugging him down. This time we see him pushed to the edges. Kvist is not a good man, but he has a code and compassion. As bad off as he is, he never forgets those on the lower rungs.
Kvist is on the case, and it's got a body count.
Mid 1930s and Stockholm is bleak. Kvist is scrabbling harder than ever. The Nazi presence is becoming more evident and there's a definite underscore of the beleaguered being dragged down harder. Life is getting tougher, but even so there are moments of humanity that can make a person an optimist.
Only hope that he catches a break that doesn't involve his body.
~Copy provided by NetGalley~
'You can't get away from a promise', I remind myself. 'It's always honour and glory all the bloody way, but when you think about it, those are the only things the poor have.'
Harry Kvist just can't catch a break. It's enough to make you believe in curses. Yes, much of his problems are self-inflicted, but there's an undercurrent that keeps tugging him down. This time we see him pushed to the edges. Kvist is not a good man, but he has a code and compassion. As bad off as he is, he never forgets those on the lower rungs.
Kvist is on the case, and it's got a body count.
Mid 1930s and Stockholm is bleak. Kvist is scrabbling harder than ever. The Nazi presence is becoming more evident and there's a definite underscore of the beleaguered being dragged down harder. Life is getting tougher, but even so there are moments of humanity that can make a person an optimist.
Only hope that he catches a break that doesn't involve his body.
~Copy provided by NetGalley~
May 25, 2017
A true noir ....... dark, dirty and bruised
As always our Kvisten leads with his fists than sometimes follows with his brain. But like a pitbull when he locks jaws into a target he will not open them until the target is down.
A magnificent use of language to create such a noir, dirty, bruised Stockholm, I had such a feeling of pervasive foreboding whilst I was reading. Holmen's sure hand builds this up with each and every word. Sinister darkness all around and then the occasional rays of sunlight that pierce the darkness and you can see why Kvist, our so flawed hero, continues, what pushes him on.
I gave Clinch, the first book 4 stars which is an accolade for me, this one I give 5 stars because it is a star in it's genre. For making me feel the darkness and still kindle that hope which made me pitt myself along with Kvist to try for the light. I am definitely up for the count for the next one - which should be the end of the trilogy.
Read with Lenka - a partner in crime :D
An ARC gently given by author/Publisher via Netgalley
As always our Kvisten leads with his fists than sometimes follows with his brain. But like a pitbull when he locks jaws into a target he will not open them until the target is down.
A magnificent use of language to create such a noir, dirty, bruised Stockholm, I had such a feeling of pervasive foreboding whilst I was reading. Holmen's sure hand builds this up with each and every word. Sinister darkness all around and then the occasional rays of sunlight that pierce the darkness and you can see why Kvist, our so flawed hero, continues, what pushes him on.
I gave Clinch, the first book 4 stars which is an accolade for me, this one I give 5 stars because it is a star in it's genre. For making me feel the darkness and still kindle that hope which made me pitt myself along with Kvist to try for the light. I am definitely up for the count for the next one - which should be the end of the trilogy.
Read with Lenka - a partner in crime :D
An ARC gently given by author/Publisher via Netgalley
May 26, 2017
A Swedish noir par excellence. Bravo.
Martin Holmén turned this finest piece of prose into a small work of art.
Stockholm, November, 1935.
After one and half year Harry Kvist is released from prison. He has something to look forward.
He is in love. He is full of hopes and...butterflies. His Doughboy whom he got to know in the jail has just one week left. Kvist has to wait exactly seven DAYS and then he'll wait for his lover outside the gates of Langholmen jail. To start a new life. With his Doughboy. With a new suit. Because he promised.
The countdown has started.
NO ONE and even less Harry Kvist himself (yes, my friends, NOT even me!!!) COULD have expected/imagined WHAT a crazy week had awaited him. The LONGEST 7 days of his life.
And what for a GRANDIOSE finale! Even when I thought, I GOT a feeling, I KNEW it, I GUESSED it right...Martin Holmén took me by surprise.
A very BE-A-U-TI-FUL ending, marvelous writing, fascinating character, an amazing authentic historical atmosphere, great mystery.
My TINY complaint. The details. The good and the irritating things at the same moments. Martin Holmén is obsessed with details. I adore it, I hate it. Because sometimes it was just too much of details within a very thrilling moment. Suddenly the focus went away from the story line to the descriptions of the surroundings. In SOME cases it was just a bit inappropriate that braked the dynamic of the plot.
BUT.
The details, in principle, are THE BEST things in the series. And they are sooooo important! And the author knows exactly how to benefit them the best.
And do you know WHAT? I don't want to look like I'm searching for the "fly in the ointment".
This series is amazing.
Highly recommended.
I WANT THE BOOK 3 NOW!!!
**Copy provided by the Publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review**
Martin Holmén turned this finest piece of prose into a small work of art.
Stockholm, November, 1935.
After one and half year Harry Kvist is released from prison. He has something to look forward.
He is in love. He is full of hopes and...butterflies. His Doughboy whom he got to know in the jail has just one week left. Kvist has to wait exactly seven DAYS and then he'll wait for his lover outside the gates of Langholmen jail. To start a new life. With his Doughboy. With a new suit. Because he promised.
"A promise is a promise".
The countdown has started.
NO ONE and even less Harry Kvist himself (yes, my friends, NOT even me!!!) COULD have expected/imagined WHAT a crazy week had awaited him. The LONGEST 7 days of his life.
And what for a GRANDIOSE finale! Even when I thought, I GOT a feeling, I KNEW it, I GUESSED it right...Martin Holmén took me by surprise.
A very BE-A-U-TI-FUL ending, marvelous writing, fascinating character, an amazing authentic historical atmosphere, great mystery.
My TINY complaint. The details. The good and the irritating things at the same moments. Martin Holmén is obsessed with details. I adore it, I hate it. Because sometimes it was just too much of details within a very thrilling moment. Suddenly the focus went away from the story line to the descriptions of the surroundings. In SOME cases it was just a bit inappropriate that braked the dynamic of the plot.
BUT.
The details, in principle, are THE BEST things in the series. And they are sooooo important! And the author knows exactly how to benefit them the best.
And do you know WHAT? I don't want to look like I'm searching for the "fly in the ointment".
This series is amazing.
Highly recommended.
I WANT THE BOOK 3 NOW!!!
**Copy provided by the Publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review**
Want to read
June 12, 2017omg I AM SO EXCITED
I just put the release date in my planner
I just put the release date in my planner
November 29, 2017
Down for the Count is the second book in the Harry Kvist trilogy by Swedish author and teacher, Martin Holmen. It is flawlessly translated from Swedish by Henning Koch. It’s 1935, and the National Socialists are making their presence felt in Sweden. When Harry Kvist walks out of Langholmen after an 18-month sentence, he has plans. Life is going to turn around for him.
But metres from the prison’s gates, he learns that a good friend and neighbour has been murdered. Laundress Beda Johansson was apparently beaten to death by her deaf-mute son, Petrus. Kvist is immediately sceptical: he knew them both well, and suspects foul play. He promised Beda he would look after Petrus if anything happened to her, and he intends to keep that promise.
At the same time, he has a debt to work off for his landlord, Lundin, who kept his flat and dog while he was inside, so he’s driving Lundin’s hearse and picking up bodies. He might just make a fighting comeback, maybe even do a bit of training? And then he learns of a business opportunity that sounds like a perfect fit for him: things are looking up. His old navy chaplain even has him writing a long-overdue letter.
However, his investigations into the Johansson murder bring him to the attention of certain black-coated gentlemen whom it would be better to avoid, and his methods (Harry is still quick to resort to the use of force and fists) attract the ire of a fiery red-head named Elin. Elin turns out to be as gutsy as Harry, but she demonstrates to him that smarts can sometimes win out over violence when facts need to be ascertained.
In this second instalment of the trilogy, many of the characters will be familiar, although this is a slightly different side of Harry Kvist: he’s in love (with a big dose of lust) and, with the object of his affection still inside, he’s practising a lot of sexual restraint. But is he headed for heartbreak?
Again, the setting is 1930’s Stockholm, in winter, so there’s plenty of cold and rain, plenty of cigar smoking and schnapps drinking, and it’s Harry Kvist, so quite a bit of violence: “If I was to go around asking myself why one bloke harms another every time it happened, I’d go raving mad. Sometimes there are no reasons. It’s just how it is. It’s hard to resist the call of violence.”
Holmen evokes the mid-1930s with consummate ease: gas lights, fleabites, men in hats and suits, the scarcity of telephones, the mix of horse-drawn and petrol-driven vehicles. His descriptive prose is often exquisite: “Above the little wind-tormented wooden hovels on Kungsklippan, the tall chimney of the Separator, the turrets of City Hall and the church spires, the sky is suspended like a wet woollen blanket hung up to dry.” And nothing says gritty like the backyard abortion doctor who charges by the stitch to sew up a knife-wound on the quiet.
Holmen gives the reader a plot that keeps the pages turning right up to a nail-biting finish. It will be interesting to see where Harry goes next, and English-speaking fans will be hoping that a translation of the third instalment, Slugger, is not too long in coming. Brilliant Scandinavian noir.
With thanks to Bonnier Publishing for this copy to read and review
But metres from the prison’s gates, he learns that a good friend and neighbour has been murdered. Laundress Beda Johansson was apparently beaten to death by her deaf-mute son, Petrus. Kvist is immediately sceptical: he knew them both well, and suspects foul play. He promised Beda he would look after Petrus if anything happened to her, and he intends to keep that promise.
At the same time, he has a debt to work off for his landlord, Lundin, who kept his flat and dog while he was inside, so he’s driving Lundin’s hearse and picking up bodies. He might just make a fighting comeback, maybe even do a bit of training? And then he learns of a business opportunity that sounds like a perfect fit for him: things are looking up. His old navy chaplain even has him writing a long-overdue letter.
However, his investigations into the Johansson murder bring him to the attention of certain black-coated gentlemen whom it would be better to avoid, and his methods (Harry is still quick to resort to the use of force and fists) attract the ire of a fiery red-head named Elin. Elin turns out to be as gutsy as Harry, but she demonstrates to him that smarts can sometimes win out over violence when facts need to be ascertained.
In this second instalment of the trilogy, many of the characters will be familiar, although this is a slightly different side of Harry Kvist: he’s in love (with a big dose of lust) and, with the object of his affection still inside, he’s practising a lot of sexual restraint. But is he headed for heartbreak?
Again, the setting is 1930’s Stockholm, in winter, so there’s plenty of cold and rain, plenty of cigar smoking and schnapps drinking, and it’s Harry Kvist, so quite a bit of violence: “If I was to go around asking myself why one bloke harms another every time it happened, I’d go raving mad. Sometimes there are no reasons. It’s just how it is. It’s hard to resist the call of violence.”
Holmen evokes the mid-1930s with consummate ease: gas lights, fleabites, men in hats and suits, the scarcity of telephones, the mix of horse-drawn and petrol-driven vehicles. His descriptive prose is often exquisite: “Above the little wind-tormented wooden hovels on Kungsklippan, the tall chimney of the Separator, the turrets of City Hall and the church spires, the sky is suspended like a wet woollen blanket hung up to dry.” And nothing says gritty like the backyard abortion doctor who charges by the stitch to sew up a knife-wound on the quiet.
Holmen gives the reader a plot that keeps the pages turning right up to a nail-biting finish. It will be interesting to see where Harry goes next, and English-speaking fans will be hoping that a translation of the third instalment, Slugger, is not too long in coming. Brilliant Scandinavian noir.
With thanks to Bonnier Publishing for this copy to read and review
May 22, 2017
" Harry Kvist in a magnificent comeback "
This is one of those books that don't make me think of how much research the author has done to describe the 1930s well.
No- it feels like it was actually written back then. No out of place phrases, vivid descriptions of the setting and character traits. In some moments I even felt I could smell the streets and its inhabitants.
Martin Holmén and his translator Henning Koch have done a great job.
They say every cynic was once a disappointed idealist.
Harry Kvist is the type of character who'll make you question your morals. Inevitably reminds me of Bret Easton Ellis' characters. Every time I tried to dissect him, I was challenged by his being unpredictable.
Would I ask him for a boxing advice- Of course!
Would I want him to be my friend- Yes/ Maybe
Would I dare ask him for a cigarette- No
Would I think of starting a fight with him- Hell no!
You never know what's in his head and that makes him intimidating, even scary. The only thing you know for sure- he'll keep his word. All all cost. Because as he himself says : you can't get away from a promise, " it's always honor and glory all the bloody way, but when you think about it, those are the only things the poor have". A man of his word, even of he's the only one who believes in it.
This was my first encounter with the author and his magnificent character, and I can't wait to see more them!
**Book provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review **
This is one of those books that don't make me think of how much research the author has done to describe the 1930s well.
No- it feels like it was actually written back then. No out of place phrases, vivid descriptions of the setting and character traits. In some moments I even felt I could smell the streets and its inhabitants.
Martin Holmén and his translator Henning Koch have done a great job.
They say every cynic was once a disappointed idealist.
Harry Kvist is the type of character who'll make you question your morals. Inevitably reminds me of Bret Easton Ellis' characters. Every time I tried to dissect him, I was challenged by his being unpredictable.
Would I ask him for a boxing advice- Of course!
Would I want him to be my friend- Yes/ Maybe
Would I dare ask him for a cigarette- No
Would I think of starting a fight with him- Hell no!
You never know what's in his head and that makes him intimidating, even scary. The only thing you know for sure- he'll keep his word. All all cost. Because as he himself says : you can't get away from a promise, " it's always honor and glory all the bloody way, but when you think about it, those are the only things the poor have". A man of his word, even of he's the only one who believes in it.
This was my first encounter with the author and his magnificent character, and I can't wait to see more them!
**Book provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review **
August 17, 2019
Harry Kvist... what can I say? This is 5 amazing stars for me. I loved 'Down for the count' even more than I loved the first book in this trilogy, 'Clinch' because I felt like I really got to know Harry more deeply, his grit, honour, conflict, heartache, loneliness, longing, determination and strength. I'm actually quite taken with him. I love it when an author can do that for me - give enough of a character that I can identify and connect with, without giving me everything and still letting me fill in the gaps.
'Down for the count' commences with Harry's release from Langholmen prison and immediately he is thrust into a need to avenge one of his most faithful friend's killers. I love the way he's got a steely determination to do what's needed to keep his promise to her, to take care of her son who is deaf. There's a tenderness to Harry that doesn't surface easily but is clearly seen here with his love for Beda and her son Petrus. I don't know if Harry would call it love but there's a depth here that is evident.
What I love about this book is glimpsing Harry's feelings for Doughboy. Doughboy keeps him going, motivates his every move and I could feel the warmth of Harry's love for him and was shattered for him on the last two pages of the book...
I also love how there is more of a glimpse of Harry's conflict over the years, his marriage to Emma, his love for his daughter Ida, and at the same time his deep dilemma over who and what he is in an era where this is illegal and completely immoral. I can only imagine the pain that he feels, has gone through and continues to experience. Fills me with an empathy and some sense of identification. 'There are some things one can't do anything about'... p228.
This was a compelling read for me... I'm looking forward to Harry Kvist 3 however, I don't want to read it immediately because I want to savour this one and hold onto anticipation for more. Thanks Martin Holmen for bringing an amazing character in one helluva story.
'Down for the count' commences with Harry's release from Langholmen prison and immediately he is thrust into a need to avenge one of his most faithful friend's killers. I love the way he's got a steely determination to do what's needed to keep his promise to her, to take care of her son who is deaf. There's a tenderness to Harry that doesn't surface easily but is clearly seen here with his love for Beda and her son Petrus. I don't know if Harry would call it love but there's a depth here that is evident.
What I love about this book is glimpsing Harry's feelings for Doughboy. Doughboy keeps him going, motivates his every move and I could feel the warmth of Harry's love for him and was shattered for him on the last two pages of the book...
I also love how there is more of a glimpse of Harry's conflict over the years, his marriage to Emma, his love for his daughter Ida, and at the same time his deep dilemma over who and what he is in an era where this is illegal and completely immoral. I can only imagine the pain that he feels, has gone through and continues to experience. Fills me with an empathy and some sense of identification. 'There are some things one can't do anything about'... p228.
This was a compelling read for me... I'm looking forward to Harry Kvist 3 however, I don't want to read it immediately because I want to savour this one and hold onto anticipation for more. Thanks Martin Holmen for bringing an amazing character in one helluva story.
September 6, 2017
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my book blog.
This book is a second in a trilogy called the Harry Kvist Trilogy and what attracted me to this book is that it has a bisexual main character. I usually see a lot of straight main characters in mystery/thriller genres so this is what immediately intrigued me and made me request it. I haven’t read the first one in the trilogy called Clinch but that didn’t ruin my experience with it and I appreciate that because I had some concerns. It’s safe to say that this book can be read as a standalone.
This noir trilogy is set in Stockholm in the 1930s and the second installment Down for the Count is set in 1935. It follows our protagonist Harry ‘Kvisten’ Kvist who has just gotten out of prison [he has spent a year and a half there] and is planning on starting a new life with the lover [Doughboy] he met during his prison stay. From the beginning the reader can already tell that Kvist is someone who can’t stay away from trouble and so this time he receives devastating news that his friend Beda was murdered by her deaf son called Petrus. He finds this hard to believe because Petrus wouldn’t do such a thing and he also made a promise to Beda to take care of Petrus when she’s gone. During his investigation he stumbles upon shocking discoveries: what he suspected was true and the police are covering up the crime but why? This is what Kvist has to find out. Will Kvist be able to avenge Beda’s death and find out the truth behind the cover-up?
I really didn’t expect to enjoy this as much as I did. I read this book fairly quickly – the first day I read 15% and the second day I finished it completely. There’s no doubt that this book is fast-paced and keeps you at the edge of your seat. I have to salute Martin Holmén because he made his main character bisexual and it’s not often that I see that in mystery/thriller genre! I loved seeing that! What wasn’t a very great thing for me is that he wasn’t treated very well. I don’t want to spoil anything so I won’t get into details but I wish Harry Kvist expressed his sexuality more. I haven’t read the first one so I might be wrong because this installment didn’t have much of that. The people who’ve read the book might get what I mean. I also found a few things which were moved too fast for my taste. Overall this didn’t affect my experience of enjoying the book that much and I would definitely recommend reading it. I seriously couldn’t look away while reading because I had to know what would happen!
Again this book can be read as a standalone so there’s no worrying about that. It will definitely thrill you and make you want to read on and find out what happens at the very end. Will I be reading the third installment of this book? Hell yeah, I will!
If you’re looking for a historical mystery/thriller to read then look no further because this book is for you.
I would like to thank NetGalley and the publisher (Pushkin Press) for allowing me to read and review this book in exchange for an honest review.
This book is a second in a trilogy called the Harry Kvist Trilogy and what attracted me to this book is that it has a bisexual main character. I usually see a lot of straight main characters in mystery/thriller genres so this is what immediately intrigued me and made me request it. I haven’t read the first one in the trilogy called Clinch but that didn’t ruin my experience with it and I appreciate that because I had some concerns. It’s safe to say that this book can be read as a standalone.
This noir trilogy is set in Stockholm in the 1930s and the second installment Down for the Count is set in 1935. It follows our protagonist Harry ‘Kvisten’ Kvist who has just gotten out of prison [he has spent a year and a half there] and is planning on starting a new life with the lover [Doughboy] he met during his prison stay. From the beginning the reader can already tell that Kvist is someone who can’t stay away from trouble and so this time he receives devastating news that his friend Beda was murdered by her deaf son called Petrus. He finds this hard to believe because Petrus wouldn’t do such a thing and he also made a promise to Beda to take care of Petrus when she’s gone. During his investigation he stumbles upon shocking discoveries: what he suspected was true and the police are covering up the crime but why? This is what Kvist has to find out. Will Kvist be able to avenge Beda’s death and find out the truth behind the cover-up?
I really didn’t expect to enjoy this as much as I did. I read this book fairly quickly – the first day I read 15% and the second day I finished it completely. There’s no doubt that this book is fast-paced and keeps you at the edge of your seat. I have to salute Martin Holmén because he made his main character bisexual and it’s not often that I see that in mystery/thriller genre! I loved seeing that! What wasn’t a very great thing for me is that he wasn’t treated very well. I don’t want to spoil anything so I won’t get into details but I wish Harry Kvist expressed his sexuality more. I haven’t read the first one so I might be wrong because this installment didn’t have much of that. The people who’ve read the book might get what I mean. I also found a few things which were moved too fast for my taste. Overall this didn’t affect my experience of enjoying the book that much and I would definitely recommend reading it. I seriously couldn’t look away while reading because I had to know what would happen!
Again this book can be read as a standalone so there’s no worrying about that. It will definitely thrill you and make you want to read on and find out what happens at the very end. Will I be reading the third installment of this book? Hell yeah, I will!
If you’re looking for a historical mystery/thriller to read then look no further because this book is for you.
I would like to thank NetGalley and the publisher (Pushkin Press) for allowing me to read and review this book in exchange for an honest review.
August 30, 2016
By far the best second novel I've ever written!
July 8, 2019
The second in the Harry Kvist series, DOWN FOR THE COUNT follows CLINCH, with the third book, SLUGGER, now available in Australia as well. Think deepest darkest dirtiest noir, of the hardest possible bitten variety, and this series fits the definition perfectly. Add longing for love, and a touching sense of loyalty as well. Harry Kvist is an unlikely hard man, although his initial description would seem to fit the bill. He's a boxer, a brawler, a heavy and a hard man. In DOWN FOR THE COUNT he's leaving behind his latest prison sentence to return to his small flat, above the funeral directors, with his beloved dog, and hopefully his latest love. Doughboy as he refers to him, is due to be released from the same prison not long after Kvist and he's obsessed, excited, full of longing for his young lover, full of hope for their future together.
The Stockholm of 1935 that he returns to is familiar in many ways - most of the same people are still working where they were when he went into prison, many of them happy to see him return home. One of his oldest friends, however, has been murdered and Kvist thinks all is not right with the investigation into that death. At the same time the scourge of Nazism is starting to make itself felt on the streets of his hometown which makes it a dangerous place for a hard man like him, a known homosexual, an enforcer, somebody determined to get to the bottom of the death that has offended his sense of right and wrong, and sets him up against the highest echelons of Swedish society.
Whilst it's not absolutely necessary to have read the first novel - CLINCH, it will certainly help, and if you're a fan of dark, twisting and difficult tales, then it will be well worth your time. Having been absolutely blown away by that first book I was really pleased to find SLUGGER, the third, in my incoming mail a little while ago, although annoyed with myself when I discovered DOWN FOR THE COUNT had come and gone without my noticing. Harry Kvist is a fabulous character, despite the toughness and the unrelenting drive of the man, he's touching and whilst not exactly sympathetic, understandable. His world is dark, and it always feels like it's about to get a lot darker, and yet he remains loyal, in his way. Faithful, in his way. Straight up and down, in his way. Hopeful, in his own, beaten down, complicated and complex, dark and darker way.
https://www.austcrimefiction.org/revi...
The Stockholm of 1935 that he returns to is familiar in many ways - most of the same people are still working where they were when he went into prison, many of them happy to see him return home. One of his oldest friends, however, has been murdered and Kvist thinks all is not right with the investigation into that death. At the same time the scourge of Nazism is starting to make itself felt on the streets of his hometown which makes it a dangerous place for a hard man like him, a known homosexual, an enforcer, somebody determined to get to the bottom of the death that has offended his sense of right and wrong, and sets him up against the highest echelons of Swedish society.
Whilst it's not absolutely necessary to have read the first novel - CLINCH, it will certainly help, and if you're a fan of dark, twisting and difficult tales, then it will be well worth your time. Having been absolutely blown away by that first book I was really pleased to find SLUGGER, the third, in my incoming mail a little while ago, although annoyed with myself when I discovered DOWN FOR THE COUNT had come and gone without my noticing. Harry Kvist is a fabulous character, despite the toughness and the unrelenting drive of the man, he's touching and whilst not exactly sympathetic, understandable. His world is dark, and it always feels like it's about to get a lot darker, and yet he remains loyal, in his way. Faithful, in his way. Straight up and down, in his way. Hopeful, in his own, beaten down, complicated and complex, dark and darker way.
https://www.austcrimefiction.org/revi...
October 3, 2016
Stockholm noir. Andra delen om Harry "Kvisten" Kvist. Lite svartare och lite obehagligare än första delen. Ser fram emot 3:an!
November 20, 2017
Det är otroligt att svenska förlag ger ut så mycket dynga när det finns böcker som den här som visar att man faktiskt kan skriva riktigt riktigt bra på svenska. Noir är egentligen inte min favoritgenre, men jag skulle läsa vad som helst om det är Martin Holmen som skrivit det!
July 13, 2017
http://www.leslecturesdemylene.com/20...
16/20 - Un plaisir assez intense et violent dans ces retrouvailles avec Harry !
16/20 - Un plaisir assez intense et violent dans ces retrouvailles avec Harry !
August 8, 2017
Harry Kvist is not a nice man. So you know. But he is complex. We meet him in the last hour of his eighteen-month imprisonment--one of many--with his lover, Doughboy, a youth who shares a cell with fleas and a wood louse. And with whom Kvist is in love.
Within a few hours, Kvist learns one of his good friends has died and it makes no sense. Over the next week, he gets to work, digging up the real, yet a highly improbable story. And each time he is about to do something unwise--or to recover from having done something unwise--he sees Doughboy, an image that brings him back over and over again.
The sense of him eludes me, especially his code on morality. On the one hand, he takes in abandoned dogs, cuddles up to kittens, befriends children and youths who want to become boxers. This, along with his obsession with his imprisoned lover, raises his esteem as a worthy person, as someone who might make the world a better place. On the other, he can't seem to help his tendency toward violence toward innocent people--leaving witnesses limping, bleeding, or worse when sharing a cup of coffee would have sufficed. He witnesses domestic violence and instead of coming to the woman's aid, he simply muses on whether he should inform the bloke of the 'right' way to hit a woman. Which doesn't negate the good he does, because each act stands on its own, but does make him a vile character.
Also interesting to see this from a queer perspective. Oft times a character is merely good or merely wicked. I've seen so many reviews, requests, tweets with laments there are no characters with this element of depth in the sense that someone who happens to be queer can be so good and so vile and transcend the simplicity of being either/or.
Kvist is a man that by sheer will of not wanting to waste vodka will refrain from vomiting when a mere mortal would have long ago spewed. He's haunted by the past, by his poor upbringing to the boxing career that eluded him (or perhaps he simply aged out of) to his daughter, now fifteen, living in America.
Down for the Count features an intriguing anti-hero and the writing is phenomenal. Add to this a world-building, second to none, in a gray, brown and wet Sweden whose interest in Nazism is waxing. In a true noir style, there is no justice, only the sense of the little villain against the big one. And even when the little one achieved a hard-earned victory, what that victory entailed was the knowledge gained on what happened and the ability to escape with his life.
Trigger warnings: violence and lots of it.
Within a few hours, Kvist learns one of his good friends has died and it makes no sense. Over the next week, he gets to work, digging up the real, yet a highly improbable story. And each time he is about to do something unwise--or to recover from having done something unwise--he sees Doughboy, an image that brings him back over and over again.
The sense of him eludes me, especially his code on morality. On the one hand, he takes in abandoned dogs, cuddles up to kittens, befriends children and youths who want to become boxers. This, along with his obsession with his imprisoned lover, raises his esteem as a worthy person, as someone who might make the world a better place. On the other, he can't seem to help his tendency toward violence toward innocent people--leaving witnesses limping, bleeding, or worse when sharing a cup of coffee would have sufficed. He witnesses domestic violence and instead of coming to the woman's aid, he simply muses on whether he should inform the bloke of the 'right' way to hit a woman. Which doesn't negate the good he does, because each act stands on its own, but does make him a vile character.
Also interesting to see this from a queer perspective. Oft times a character is merely good or merely wicked. I've seen so many reviews, requests, tweets with laments there are no characters with this element of depth in the sense that someone who happens to be queer can be so good and so vile and transcend the simplicity of being either/or.
Kvist is a man that by sheer will of not wanting to waste vodka will refrain from vomiting when a mere mortal would have long ago spewed. He's haunted by the past, by his poor upbringing to the boxing career that eluded him (or perhaps he simply aged out of) to his daughter, now fifteen, living in America.
Down for the Count features an intriguing anti-hero and the writing is phenomenal. Add to this a world-building, second to none, in a gray, brown and wet Sweden whose interest in Nazism is waxing. In a true noir style, there is no justice, only the sense of the little villain against the big one. And even when the little one achieved a hard-earned victory, what that victory entailed was the knowledge gained on what happened and the ability to escape with his life.
Trigger warnings: violence and lots of it.
September 2, 2017
I don't appear to have liked this book as much as the other reviewers on here. I can't fault the writing or the story but somehow I could not engage that much with it. When I won it as a 'giveaway' I became aware that it followed on from the author's earlier book 'The Clinch', and I made a note to get hold of this to read after I finished 'Down for the count'. However, whilst reading 'Down for the count' I became less bothered about wanting to read the earlier novel. I guess it was because Kvist is not really a likable character - granted he has some redeeming features, merits and occasional moral values (mixed with some that leave something to be desired). To be honest I just wanted to get on with it so I could finish and move on to something I would like better. For me, a good book is one you can't wait to pick up and get back to all the time you are reading it, and I have to say that I didn't get that from this book.
August 6, 2020
Jag älskar den hårdföre Harry Kvist. Att få kliva in i hans värld, hans tankar och hans förmåga att se detaljer som målar upp en levande om än karg bild av Stockholm 1935.
Det är en brutal historia som berättas i meningar som glider fram som över sammet. Varje mening sitter som en smäck. Dialogen känns autentisk.
De sista 30 sidorna av boken är snudd på ett perfekt slut.
Gillade du del 1 måste du läsa denna, del 2.
Det är en brutal historia som berättas i meningar som glider fram som över sammet. Varje mening sitter som en smäck. Dialogen känns autentisk.
De sista 30 sidorna av boken är snudd på ett perfekt slut.
Gillade du del 1 måste du läsa denna, del 2.
August 18, 2017
This is the second in the proposed trilogy of Harry Kvist novels by Marten Holman and proves that the first novel 'Clinch' was not a flash in the pan. This novel is every bit as good, if not better than the first.
Harry has been released from prison after serving a sentence for intimidation and he has a week to get his life back in order before his prison lover is released. Harry returns to his old flat above Lundin's the undertakers, which Lundin has kept for him along with the amount Harry is still due him. In order to clear some of his debt Harry agrees to work for the undertaker while putting out feelers for some other strong arm debt recovery work.
However on his return Harry finds out that his neighbour Beda, who runs the local laundry and had terminal cancer, has been murdered apparently by her deaf mute son. Beda left Harry a letter before she died and Harry feels duty bound to investigate the crime further, pushed on by Beda's illegitimate daughter Elin.
As with 'Clinch' Holmen captures the sounds, sights and smells of 1930's Stockholm and paints a very vivid picture of life at that time. As well as being an excellent noir novel, with a great protagonist, the novel is also partly historical and explains in depth the living conditions of Stockholm's citizens at that time. At times it feels as though the plot is secondary to the other things that are going on in Harry's life !
Like, are waistcoats with a suit still in fashion ???
This is Scandinavian noir like no other you'll read and I can't wait for the next in the series apparently entitled 'Slugger' !
Harry has been released from prison after serving a sentence for intimidation and he has a week to get his life back in order before his prison lover is released. Harry returns to his old flat above Lundin's the undertakers, which Lundin has kept for him along with the amount Harry is still due him. In order to clear some of his debt Harry agrees to work for the undertaker while putting out feelers for some other strong arm debt recovery work.
However on his return Harry finds out that his neighbour Beda, who runs the local laundry and had terminal cancer, has been murdered apparently by her deaf mute son. Beda left Harry a letter before she died and Harry feels duty bound to investigate the crime further, pushed on by Beda's illegitimate daughter Elin.
As with 'Clinch' Holmen captures the sounds, sights and smells of 1930's Stockholm and paints a very vivid picture of life at that time. As well as being an excellent noir novel, with a great protagonist, the novel is also partly historical and explains in depth the living conditions of Stockholm's citizens at that time. At times it feels as though the plot is secondary to the other things that are going on in Harry's life !
Like, are waistcoats with a suit still in fashion ???
This is Scandinavian noir like no other you'll read and I can't wait for the next in the series apparently entitled 'Slugger' !
August 13, 2017
It’s winter 1935, Stockholm. Former boxer, Harry Kvist, leaves prison. All he wants to do is begin a new life with the lover he met in jail. But his past dogs him. It is a time seeing the rise of Nazi ideals, which is beginning to make life uncomfortable for many people, even in Sweden.
Before Kvist can leave Stockholm and his underworld life behind he must first find a killer. One who is linked to the very highest levels of society. Life it seems is not going to be far from easy for Kvist.
Harry Kvist is one of the most extraordinary, absorbing and offbeat detectives I have ever read. His personality grabs you from the first line. The first-person perspective certainly contributes to the immediacy of Kvist’s travails. But it is the way in which his story is told which really has you forgetting to breathe, because you’re drawn so deeply into his world, your own becomes irrelevant.
As a former boxer Kvist is essentially little more than a thug, called in when people don't oblige those they owe money or other favours. Yet he is a man of high morals, protecting the weak unable to defend themselves, even though his own body is a wreck and he lives hand-to-mouth and by his wits.
The plot is excellent, the filth and every punch palpable. This is life in the raw, pulsating with energy. I am going to hunt out Martin Holmén’s other Kvist novels.
Down For the Count was courtesy of Pushkin Vertigo via NetGalley.
Before Kvist can leave Stockholm and his underworld life behind he must first find a killer. One who is linked to the very highest levels of society. Life it seems is not going to be far from easy for Kvist.
Harry Kvist is one of the most extraordinary, absorbing and offbeat detectives I have ever read. His personality grabs you from the first line. The first-person perspective certainly contributes to the immediacy of Kvist’s travails. But it is the way in which his story is told which really has you forgetting to breathe, because you’re drawn so deeply into his world, your own becomes irrelevant.
As a former boxer Kvist is essentially little more than a thug, called in when people don't oblige those they owe money or other favours. Yet he is a man of high morals, protecting the weak unable to defend themselves, even though his own body is a wreck and he lives hand-to-mouth and by his wits.
The plot is excellent, the filth and every punch palpable. This is life in the raw, pulsating with energy. I am going to hunt out Martin Holmén’s other Kvist novels.
Down For the Count was courtesy of Pushkin Vertigo via NetGalley.
May 18, 2024
DNF
I dunno, I just didn’t care about any of the characters or the story. The main character didn’t really do anything, expect put a cigar in his mouth, then take a cigar out of his mouth. He occasionally also scratched the dog behind the ear. The author falls into the historical fiction trap of trying to fit details and names in the give it a sense of the time, but we don’t get a ‘feel’ for the time. I seldom don’t finish books. In fact this is only the second in many years. I usually want to know what happens, but I really had no reason to keep reading. There’s no real hook and while the writing is fine, it’s very functional. Shrug.
I dunno, I just didn’t care about any of the characters or the story. The main character didn’t really do anything, expect put a cigar in his mouth, then take a cigar out of his mouth. He occasionally also scratched the dog behind the ear. The author falls into the historical fiction trap of trying to fit details and names in the give it a sense of the time, but we don’t get a ‘feel’ for the time. I seldom don’t finish books. In fact this is only the second in many years. I usually want to know what happens, but I really had no reason to keep reading. There’s no real hook and while the writing is fine, it’s very functional. Shrug.
February 12, 2020
The sequel is wonderfully dark and morbid, with a plot that swirls and feints before concluding brilliantly. All the characters (new and old) are wonderfully realised and come together to make a fantastic story.
April 5, 2020
What's not to love? Gay, ex-boxer, hard-boiled detective story set in Stockholm in the 1930s. Though this is the middle book of a trilogy and the title sort of reminds you that middle books in trilogies often don't end well. Can't wait to read the next one to see how Kvist gets out of this mess.
November 17, 2017
Further adventures of the super macho, super smart Harry wandering the streets and prisons of a wintry, grimy pre-war Stockholm.
November 5, 2017
3.5
I am a Harry Kvist fan. He's a great noir protagonist-can't help but help people but nevertheless always disappointed by people and disappointing other people-with the added grit of being gay. And he reads an authentic gay man in such a closeted age in such a rundown Stockholm. The mystery is full of actual detecting and also full of stupid decisions-it's good.
I am a Harry Kvist fan. He's a great noir protagonist-can't help but help people but nevertheless always disappointed by people and disappointing other people-with the added grit of being gay. And he reads an authentic gay man in such a closeted age in such a rundown Stockholm. The mystery is full of actual detecting and also full of stupid decisions-it's good.
February 18, 2018
Despite a lack of geographical knowledge, this is a thriller of some consequence.
An excon returns home to discover an old woman murdered and her son not only blamed but institutionalised. None of which makes any sense to Harry Kvist.
So harry, in need of employment, goes to work for the local undertaker whilst trying to solve the murder and open a cigar shop whilst awaiting the release of his lover from prison.
The story ebbs and flows - shadow-boxing - ducking and weaving as the boxer does, as Harry does. And this old boxer doesn't know the meaning of going down with the count.
The story reveals itself at the end - you certainly never guess where its leading you - this is storytelling par excellence.
An excon returns home to discover an old woman murdered and her son not only blamed but institutionalised. None of which makes any sense to Harry Kvist.
So harry, in need of employment, goes to work for the local undertaker whilst trying to solve the murder and open a cigar shop whilst awaiting the release of his lover from prison.
The story ebbs and flows - shadow-boxing - ducking and weaving as the boxer does, as Harry does. And this old boxer doesn't know the meaning of going down with the count.
The story reveals itself at the end - you certainly never guess where its leading you - this is storytelling par excellence.
October 14, 2019
Læs min fulde anmeldelse af bogen på bloggen her - https://titlen.dk/boganmeldelse-nede-...
March 9, 2019
Kvist on the ropes!
Didn't quite reach the heights of the first in the series but still an entertaining and enjoyable read. Kvist was definitely on the ropes, both physically and emotionally and it will be interesting to see if he can beat the count and come out fighting for the next round.
Didn't quite reach the heights of the first in the series but still an entertaining and enjoyable read. Kvist was definitely on the ropes, both physically and emotionally and it will be interesting to see if he can beat the count and come out fighting for the next round.
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