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Faroes #2
The Killing Bay: Faroes novel 2
When a group of international activists arrive on the Faroe Islands, intent on stopping the traditional whale hunts, tensions between islanders and protestors run high. And when a woman is found viciously murdered only hours after a violent confrontation, the circumstances seem purposely designed to increase animosity between the two sides.
As English DI Jan Reyna and local detective Hjalti Hentze investigate, it becomes increasingly clear that the murder has other, more sinister aspects to it, and that crucial evidence is being hidden. Neither policeman knows who to trust, or how far some people might go to defend their beliefs.
As English DI Jan Reyna and local detective Hjalti Hentze investigate, it becomes increasingly clear that the murder has other, more sinister aspects to it, and that crucial evidence is being hidden. Neither policeman knows who to trust, or how far some people might go to defend their beliefs.
352 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 21, 2017
89 people are currently reading
569 people want to read
About the author
Chris Ould
11 books79 followersChris Ould is a BAFTA award winning screenwriter who has worked on TV shows including The Bill, Soldier Soldier, Casualty and Hornblower. Chris has previously published two adult novels, and the second of his series of Young Adult crime novels, The Killing Street, was published by Usborne in June 2013.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 104 reviews
April 13, 2017
DI Jan Reyná is in limbo. He’s still on the Faroe Islands, weighing his future while recovering from a case he worked with local detective Hjalti Hentze. There’s nothing really keeping him here but he’s in no hurry to return home where a meeting with professional standards awaits.
He’s a British copper who came to the islands to meet his father. His mother Lýdia was born here & at age 18, married a much older man after getting pregnant. She soon grew restless & fled to Copenhagen with Jan in tow. When he was 5, she killed herself & he ended up being raised in the UK by her sister. He came back to get answers but after a brief & chilly meeting, his father suffered a stroke & never recovered.
So he’s hanging out in cousin Fríđa’s guesthouse pondering his next move & using the time to dig into his mother’s past.
Hjalti is also dealing with fallout from the last case. He’s a smart, quiet man with no time for office politics. Things were returning to normal until a group of activists arrived to protest whale hunting. They’re a dedicated, savvy bunch who hired Faroese photographer Erla Sivertsen to capture the bloodiest shots possible for social media & online response has been swift. International condemnation ramped up tension between islanders & activists & is putting a major strain on police resources.
When a young woman’s body is found beneath anti-activist graffiti, Hjalti & his colleagues are under pressure to solve it ASAP before there’s any more violence. The evidence points in one obvious direction but Hjalti’s not sure it’s that simple. Before he knows it, one of his family members is implicated & he finds himself removed from the investigation.
There’s much more to the plot that is slowly revealed as Hjalti quietly keeps digging. Jan spends most of his time researching his mother’s past but becomes involved in the case when Hjalti needs help. They make a good team. Despite their differences, they’ve come to trust & appreciate each other’s methods. There are some odd things happening within the police force & Hjalti values having an outsider to bounce things off of.
Location plays a huge role & the author does a great job describing the physical beauty & traditional fishing culture of the Faroes. It’s a richly atmospheric read with a subtle, rising tension as it becomes clear there’s much more going on here than one tragic death. We get a bit more info on Jan’s family to add to what we learned in book #1 but there are still unanswered questions.
I’m hoping this signals book #3 is in the works but it will be a tricky balancing act for the author. The Faroes is a quiet, peaceful place with low crime rates & there’s a danger more murders will result in it becoming a Scandi version of Cabot Cove.
Maybe it will focus more on the MC’s & that’s fine with me. I really like these interesting, complex characters & enjoy their interaction. By the end of the story, both have some decisions to make & I look forward to seeing where they end up next.
He’s a British copper who came to the islands to meet his father. His mother Lýdia was born here & at age 18, married a much older man after getting pregnant. She soon grew restless & fled to Copenhagen with Jan in tow. When he was 5, she killed herself & he ended up being raised in the UK by her sister. He came back to get answers but after a brief & chilly meeting, his father suffered a stroke & never recovered.
So he’s hanging out in cousin Fríđa’s guesthouse pondering his next move & using the time to dig into his mother’s past.
Hjalti is also dealing with fallout from the last case. He’s a smart, quiet man with no time for office politics. Things were returning to normal until a group of activists arrived to protest whale hunting. They’re a dedicated, savvy bunch who hired Faroese photographer Erla Sivertsen to capture the bloodiest shots possible for social media & online response has been swift. International condemnation ramped up tension between islanders & activists & is putting a major strain on police resources.
When a young woman’s body is found beneath anti-activist graffiti, Hjalti & his colleagues are under pressure to solve it ASAP before there’s any more violence. The evidence points in one obvious direction but Hjalti’s not sure it’s that simple. Before he knows it, one of his family members is implicated & he finds himself removed from the investigation.
There’s much more to the plot that is slowly revealed as Hjalti quietly keeps digging. Jan spends most of his time researching his mother’s past but becomes involved in the case when Hjalti needs help. They make a good team. Despite their differences, they’ve come to trust & appreciate each other’s methods. There are some odd things happening within the police force & Hjalti values having an outsider to bounce things off of.
Location plays a huge role & the author does a great job describing the physical beauty & traditional fishing culture of the Faroes. It’s a richly atmospheric read with a subtle, rising tension as it becomes clear there’s much more going on here than one tragic death. We get a bit more info on Jan’s family to add to what we learned in book #1 but there are still unanswered questions.
I’m hoping this signals book #3 is in the works but it will be a tricky balancing act for the author. The Faroes is a quiet, peaceful place with low crime rates & there’s a danger more murders will result in it becoming a Scandi version of Cabot Cove.
Maybe it will focus more on the MC’s & that’s fine with me. I really like these interesting, complex characters & enjoy their interaction. By the end of the story, both have some decisions to make & I look forward to seeing where they end up next.
February 19, 2017
Having mostly enjoyed my first visit to the Faroes in Ould's The Blood Strand, I was eager to read this second book in his series. I found it to be better than the first, although hampered by some of the same problems. However, one of the problems is not the pronunciation of Faroese words and names. A simple pronunciation guide is right in the front of the book, and I found it to be invaluable.
The Faroe Islands are a commanding, almost otherworldly, setting, and the author certainly knows how to bring it to life by including cultural traditions like the grind (pronounced "grinned") or traditional whale hunt. The landscape is awe-inspiring. Many of the roads that connect the islands take advantage of existing volcanic tubes, although I doubt very much that I could persuade myself to travel through this particular one:
"So far all the tunnels I've been through had had two traffic lanes, and they were all lit. The Árnafjarđartunnilin took me by surprise because it had no lights and the road narrowed to a single lane. It was like driving into a mine, with no indication of how far and how deep you would have to go. It was unnerving and the roughly cut passing places carved out of the rock didn't make it any less so."
Jan Reyna is still there trying to learn more about his mother. He's much more comfortable with the people and culture than he was in the first book, and he does help Hjalti Hentze with the murder investigation from time to time. Reyna's chapters are written in the first person to separate his opinions from those of his Faroese counterpart. Hentze is by far the more interesting character in my opinion. This investigation is complex and extremely interesting-- and made more difficult by Hentze's relationships with some of the suspects.
Once again, like The Blood Strand, there is a lot to like about this book, but The Killing Bay also suffers from way too much middle that does little to advance the characters or the plot. I will continue to read this series for the simple reason that I am very intrigued by the mystery that surrounds Jan Reyna. I must know what it is!
The Faroe Islands are a commanding, almost otherworldly, setting, and the author certainly knows how to bring it to life by including cultural traditions like the grind (pronounced "grinned") or traditional whale hunt. The landscape is awe-inspiring. Many of the roads that connect the islands take advantage of existing volcanic tubes, although I doubt very much that I could persuade myself to travel through this particular one:
"So far all the tunnels I've been through had had two traffic lanes, and they were all lit. The Árnafjarđartunnilin took me by surprise because it had no lights and the road narrowed to a single lane. It was like driving into a mine, with no indication of how far and how deep you would have to go. It was unnerving and the roughly cut passing places carved out of the rock didn't make it any less so."
Jan Reyna is still there trying to learn more about his mother. He's much more comfortable with the people and culture than he was in the first book, and he does help Hjalti Hentze with the murder investigation from time to time. Reyna's chapters are written in the first person to separate his opinions from those of his Faroese counterpart. Hentze is by far the more interesting character in my opinion. This investigation is complex and extremely interesting-- and made more difficult by Hentze's relationships with some of the suspects.
Once again, like The Blood Strand, there is a lot to like about this book, but The Killing Bay also suffers from way too much middle that does little to advance the characters or the plot. I will continue to read this series for the simple reason that I am very intrigued by the mystery that surrounds Jan Reyna. I must know what it is!
June 4, 2019
I have really enjoyed the first two books in this Faroes Series. Can't wait to get to the third.
February 14, 2026
My eye was drawn by the movement, following the light as it picked out the scattered dots of houses in a place I couldn’t name; then drawn again by the distant movement of a car on the shoreline road, glinting. And then the breeze shifted and it was all done. Signar Ravnsfjall was in the ground and beside the grave the mourners were released from their stillness.
A crime/mystery trilogy, set in the Faroe Islands, politically part of Denmark, located in the North Atlantic between Scotland and Iceland, a language between that of Ancient Norse and Icelandic. I chanced upon the 3rd in the trilogy The Fire Pit - back in 2019, and was immediately taken with it: following up with the 1st book – The Blood Strand, the following year. It has taken me since then to track down the second book, reviewed here.
Essentially a police procedural with two protagonists: local detective Hjalti Hentze (written in the 3rd person) is investigating the murder of a Faroes-born photographer/ activist working with a North Atlantic environmental group there to stage disruption of “the grind” – the traditional slaughter of pilot whales – Hentze’s son-in-law a prime suspect.
The second “theme” running through the story is that of Faroes-born English detective, Jan Reyná – narrated in 1st person – raised from a young child by his aunt, there to discover / piece together the story of his father (on his death-bed) and the mother who took her own life when he was five. Both detectives, the two men bond in a semi-friendship, semi-professional capacity.
As with the others in the trilogy, the story unfolds in a slow, thoughtful style befitting a (relatively) remote part of the world. Character-driven, what sets it apart is the style of the writing by author Chris Ould, almost prose. Of the protest:
It moved, in that oddly articulated manner of helicopters, to position itself a little to one side of the lead kayak so the downdraught of the rotor blades buffeted the occupant, before tipping him sideways into the water.
Verdict: not “mass publication” reading, but recommended for those who savour a well-written mystery without the hype.
A crime/mystery trilogy, set in the Faroe Islands, politically part of Denmark, located in the North Atlantic between Scotland and Iceland, a language between that of Ancient Norse and Icelandic. I chanced upon the 3rd in the trilogy The Fire Pit - back in 2019, and was immediately taken with it: following up with the 1st book – The Blood Strand, the following year. It has taken me since then to track down the second book, reviewed here.
Essentially a police procedural with two protagonists: local detective Hjalti Hentze (written in the 3rd person) is investigating the murder of a Faroes-born photographer/ activist working with a North Atlantic environmental group there to stage disruption of “the grind” – the traditional slaughter of pilot whales – Hentze’s son-in-law a prime suspect.
The second “theme” running through the story is that of Faroes-born English detective, Jan Reyná – narrated in 1st person – raised from a young child by his aunt, there to discover / piece together the story of his father (on his death-bed) and the mother who took her own life when he was five. Both detectives, the two men bond in a semi-friendship, semi-professional capacity.
As with the others in the trilogy, the story unfolds in a slow, thoughtful style befitting a (relatively) remote part of the world. Character-driven, what sets it apart is the style of the writing by author Chris Ould, almost prose. Of the protest:
It moved, in that oddly articulated manner of helicopters, to position itself a little to one side of the lead kayak so the downdraught of the rotor blades buffeted the occupant, before tipping him sideways into the water.
Verdict: not “mass publication” reading, but recommended for those who savour a well-written mystery without the hype.
July 5, 2017
The first book in this series, The Blood Strand was excellent. I loved the Faroes setting & enjoyed getting to know DI Jan Reyna, a very likeable detective from London but who was born in the Faroes and returned to the islands of his birth after he was suspended from active duty for doing something he shouldn't have (according to his boss).
When Jan was a child, his mother brought him to her sister's home in the UK & left him there to be raised by her. His mother returned to the Faroes & committed suicide shortly after.
In this second book in the series (please do NOT read this book first-this series needs to be read in order), Jan is still in the Faroes islands trying to find out more about why his mother abandoned him & her mysterious death, while the local police are trying to solve the murder of a young woman who was working with the 'Alliance', an international protest group who were on the islands to draw attention to & hopefully stop the whale hunts.
In the first book Jan began helping the local police as a consultant early on but in this one he doesn't get involved with the murder until page 290 - almost at the end.
Because of the setting and the protest theme, activists vs whalers, I had high hopes for this second book and unfortunately it fell a little short for me. I was really looking forward to learning more about the whale hunt, but not enough was written about it. Perhaps the author did not want to get overly political. There was also too much filler, this book could easily have been pared down by 100 pages.
And even though it's supposed to be Jan Reyna's series, this book focuses more on Hjalti Hentze, an investigator for the local police, searching for the murderer while Jan looks into his mother's past. I was intrigued by the secrets of his mother's past.........and you are left hanging with regards to his mother, so I will definitely read the next book in this series which is due to be published in Feb 2018.
When Jan was a child, his mother brought him to her sister's home in the UK & left him there to be raised by her. His mother returned to the Faroes & committed suicide shortly after.
In this second book in the series (please do NOT read this book first-this series needs to be read in order), Jan is still in the Faroes islands trying to find out more about why his mother abandoned him & her mysterious death, while the local police are trying to solve the murder of a young woman who was working with the 'Alliance', an international protest group who were on the islands to draw attention to & hopefully stop the whale hunts.
In the first book Jan began helping the local police as a consultant early on but in this one he doesn't get involved with the murder until page 290 - almost at the end.
Because of the setting and the protest theme, activists vs whalers, I had high hopes for this second book and unfortunately it fell a little short for me. I was really looking forward to learning more about the whale hunt, but not enough was written about it. Perhaps the author did not want to get overly political. There was also too much filler, this book could easily have been pared down by 100 pages.
And even though it's supposed to be Jan Reyna's series, this book focuses more on Hjalti Hentze, an investigator for the local police, searching for the murderer while Jan looks into his mother's past. I was intrigued by the secrets of his mother's past.........and you are left hanging with regards to his mother, so I will definitely read the next book in this series which is due to be published in Feb 2018.
March 22, 2020
What I love about some of the Scandi crime fiction is the capacity of the author to transport me to this land through their descriptions. Chris Ould does exactly this in his second book in the Faroes series. The Killing Bay took me on a journey through the Faroes yet again, across multiple islands, giving me a taste of the culture, the landscape, ways of being and customs. Revolving around the whale killings known as ‘grind’, Ould gives us a glimpse of this practice that is still in practice today and some of the conflict that sits around it. The Faroes are a little known place for much of the world and I have truly loved getting this insight into this land. It’s now on my bucket list well and truly.
The story is good but not amazing. Faroese police officer, Hjalti Hentze gets a front row seat in this book, and Jan Reyna takes the back seat - this is the reverse of the first book to a degree. I find Jan a little more intriguing than Hjati so this was less interesting for me. There is some intrigue around the intersection of a whaling protest group, the local Faroese police and the Danish security force that comes together in the end.
Overall the story was a three star read for me however the atmospheric and intrigue of the Faroes landscape and life push it to four stars. One book to go in the series and I’m keen.
The story is good but not amazing. Faroese police officer, Hjalti Hentze gets a front row seat in this book, and Jan Reyna takes the back seat - this is the reverse of the first book to a degree. I find Jan a little more intriguing than Hjati so this was less interesting for me. There is some intrigue around the intersection of a whaling protest group, the local Faroese police and the Danish security force that comes together in the end.
Overall the story was a three star read for me however the atmospheric and intrigue of the Faroes landscape and life push it to four stars. One book to go in the series and I’m keen.
May 9, 2017
The Faroes is a collection of islands set between Iceland and Norway, the weather is cold and the days short. The islands depend on traditional whale hunts as a means of food and it's embedded in the culture, spanning back hundreds of years. In The Killing Bay, author Chris Ould uses this traditional grind to stage the second Faroes crime novel. Shortly after the grind ends, a young female activist opposed to the whale slaughter is found murdered. Local law enforcement, led by detective Hjalti Hentze with assistance from visiting English detective Jan Reyna dig deep into the events during and after the grind for clues to catch the killer.
This is a classic whodunit with an ever changing list of prime suspects. Borrowing heavily from the formulaic popular police procedural, The Killing Bay sets itself apart by virtue of providing a unique atmosphere and side story that doesn't add to the murder investigation but does bring an added layer of depth to the characters; the earlier suicide of Reyna's mother on the islands some years back. Reyna's investigation tiptoes along the line of the murder but never fully crosses it, the plot device is a clever way to explore the outer reaches of the island contributing to the geography and making places read familiar when the two separate investigations cross paths location-wise.
As a second book in a series The Killing Bay reads ok as a standalone. I hadn't read The Blood Strand beforehand but wish I did as there are a number of events from that book which have a direct impact on the characters and their behavior in the follow-up. That said, the author provides enough back-story to make it all work, however I will be reading The Blood Strand sooner rather than later. The series, as far as I was able to gleam has a community feel to it with each police officer playing an active role, making this reader wanting to know more about them.
I love books that bring more to the story than a plot and characters and The Killing Bay offers that by using a unique place-setting and providing insight into a deeply rooted culture. I found the book thoroughly enjoyable.
http://justaguythatlikes2read.blogspo...
This is a classic whodunit with an ever changing list of prime suspects. Borrowing heavily from the formulaic popular police procedural, The Killing Bay sets itself apart by virtue of providing a unique atmosphere and side story that doesn't add to the murder investigation but does bring an added layer of depth to the characters; the earlier suicide of Reyna's mother on the islands some years back. Reyna's investigation tiptoes along the line of the murder but never fully crosses it, the plot device is a clever way to explore the outer reaches of the island contributing to the geography and making places read familiar when the two separate investigations cross paths location-wise.
As a second book in a series The Killing Bay reads ok as a standalone. I hadn't read The Blood Strand beforehand but wish I did as there are a number of events from that book which have a direct impact on the characters and their behavior in the follow-up. That said, the author provides enough back-story to make it all work, however I will be reading The Blood Strand sooner rather than later. The series, as far as I was able to gleam has a community feel to it with each police officer playing an active role, making this reader wanting to know more about them.
I love books that bring more to the story than a plot and characters and The Killing Bay offers that by using a unique place-setting and providing insight into a deeply rooted culture. I found the book thoroughly enjoyable.
http://justaguythatlikes2read.blogspo...
October 5, 2017
I normally don't write negative reviews. However, this author didn't do his necessary research which really irritated me. The victim is found and the officer is working the crime scene where he puts PLASTIC bags on the hands to preserve the evidence. I have no forensic training so I goggled this to confirm that PAPER bags should be used with this type of evidence. I would have thought that a crime writer would confirm basic crime scene procedure so this discouraged me from reading this book and likely any others.
July 7, 2018
Another one I have enjoyed a lot. On a good run at present! This book follows very closely on the events of the first. Literally only a week or so after the ending of the first with Jan Reyna still in the Faroes and his father having died following the stroke in the first book. This story involves whaling protesters, a murder of course and Danish secret services. A great mix and very well told story. Don't think anyone could guess the ending. I certainly didn't and it was very well resolved.
November 8, 2024
I really enjoyed the second instalment of the Faroes series (: the books is, like some said, extremely slow-paced and unlike other thriller or suspense books out there. but the atmosphere of the story is exactly like that of the islands, and you can feel the heavy, rainy, dark quality of Faroe Islands in every word. and that's the biggest plus of "The Killing Bay" for me.
May 27, 2017
So far, this series reminds me a bit of the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo books, as far as there being a larger story going on in the background. I will definitely be reading the next!
November 2, 2024
The follow on from Faroes #1. The islands context remains fascinating, the story again jogs along well. There remains some unanswered questions regarding Jan’s life. So I guess I have to read 3rd of trilogy to see what happens next.
December 12, 2019
Well written mystery set in the Faroes Islands, a place I knew nothing about. I will definitely read more in the series. The setting is interesting and very remote. The detectives are believable characters.
December 15, 2018
Probably not a book I would have read in conventional format but I enjoyed the narration. I was listening in the car on 30 minute journeys but found myself staying in the parked car to listen to the end of chapters. I like Jan Reyna and will no doubt read book 3 to see what happens to him.
September 10, 2017
I agree with Cathy's review: "way too much in the middle that doesn't move the plot along!" The writing at times seems stilted, laborious! However the characters, setting and events are interesting enough to keep me reading!
December 21, 2021
Zastavte se, uprostřed svátečního šílenství a nákupů, a také si dopřejte něco pro sebe. Detektivku Zátoka smutku, která vás podruhé pohltí a odmění skvělým příběhem v netradičním prostředí. Tak, jak to umí jen spisovatel Chris Ould.
Na Faerské ostrovy přijíždí skupina aktivistů brojících proti lovu velryb a napětí mezi zdejšími obyvateli a protestujícími by se dalo krájet. Jen pár hodin po jedné zvlášť ostré potyčce je navíc objeveno ženské tělo a okolnosti vraždy nasvědčují tomu, že se někdo snaží propast mezi oběma tábory ještě více prohloubit. Policista Hjalti Hentze se pouští do vyšetřování, ale situace se vzápětí výrazně zkomplikuje, protože podezření padne na jeho zetě. Vypadá to, že se za vraždou ukrývají další, zlověstnější motivy, a navíc schází klíčový důkaz. Britský inspektor Jan Reyna se mezitím snaží zjistit víc o minulosti své matky, jenže podobně jako Hentze naráží na jednu překážku za druhou. Ani jeden z nich neví, komu může věřit ani jak daleko jsou někteří lidé schopni ve jménu svého přesvědčení zajít… To je příběh, na který se můžete těšit v druhém dílu série Jana Reyny.
A je to také příběh, který vás bude bavit. Na český trh Jana Reynu již podruhé vyprovází vydavatelství Mystery Press a chvála knižním bohům za něj! Dokazuje totiž, jak dobré je mít taková menší vydavatelství na trhu. S tituly, které přinášejí na pulty knihkupectví, si dávají záležet, a tak je v jejich nabídce obtížné najít špatnou knihu. Ty od Chrise Oulda patří k odměnám pro čtenáře, kteří chtějí hltat příběhy napínavé a originální. Autor našel dokonalou souhru v líčení místa děje, které má opět významnou roli, a mezi atmosférou postupně nabývajícího napětí. Za stránkami knihy je pak víc než jen zločin.
Policista Hjalti Hentze i inspektor Jan Reyna jsou velmi kvalitně propracované postavy, které čtenář touží poznávat a rád si je pustí k tělu, aby s nimi prožíval profesní i osobní roviny příběhu. Stejně tak tempo titulu sluší. Pozitivní vliv na knihu má jistě překlad Alžběty Lexové, jejíž práci oceňují tisíce fanoušků spisovatele Tima Weavera. Díky ní ožívá svět vzdálených Faerských ostrovů, jako by ležely někde na dohled. Místo je samozřejmě pro nečekané zvraty, překvapení, a hlavně chuť dozvídat se čím dál více. Odhalit pravdu stejně jako kulisy, v nichž se vše odehrává. Plánovaná trilogie skončí příští rok 21. února, kdy vyjde v Česku závěrečný díl Ohně na skalách. Do té doby tak máte šanci účastníky této detektivky poznat a oblíbit si je, stojí za to. A jistě mohou být i skvělým dárkem na poslední chvíli (nebo dodatečným v podobě celé trilogie).
Hodnocení: 95 %
Na Faerské ostrovy přijíždí skupina aktivistů brojících proti lovu velryb a napětí mezi zdejšími obyvateli a protestujícími by se dalo krájet. Jen pár hodin po jedné zvlášť ostré potyčce je navíc objeveno ženské tělo a okolnosti vraždy nasvědčují tomu, že se někdo snaží propast mezi oběma tábory ještě více prohloubit. Policista Hjalti Hentze se pouští do vyšetřování, ale situace se vzápětí výrazně zkomplikuje, protože podezření padne na jeho zetě. Vypadá to, že se za vraždou ukrývají další, zlověstnější motivy, a navíc schází klíčový důkaz. Britský inspektor Jan Reyna se mezitím snaží zjistit víc o minulosti své matky, jenže podobně jako Hentze naráží na jednu překážku za druhou. Ani jeden z nich neví, komu může věřit ani jak daleko jsou někteří lidé schopni ve jménu svého přesvědčení zajít… To je příběh, na který se můžete těšit v druhém dílu série Jana Reyny.
A je to také příběh, který vás bude bavit. Na český trh Jana Reynu již podruhé vyprovází vydavatelství Mystery Press a chvála knižním bohům za něj! Dokazuje totiž, jak dobré je mít taková menší vydavatelství na trhu. S tituly, které přinášejí na pulty knihkupectví, si dávají záležet, a tak je v jejich nabídce obtížné najít špatnou knihu. Ty od Chrise Oulda patří k odměnám pro čtenáře, kteří chtějí hltat příběhy napínavé a originální. Autor našel dokonalou souhru v líčení místa děje, které má opět významnou roli, a mezi atmosférou postupně nabývajícího napětí. Za stránkami knihy je pak víc než jen zločin.
Policista Hjalti Hentze i inspektor Jan Reyna jsou velmi kvalitně propracované postavy, které čtenář touží poznávat a rád si je pustí k tělu, aby s nimi prožíval profesní i osobní roviny příběhu. Stejně tak tempo titulu sluší. Pozitivní vliv na knihu má jistě překlad Alžběty Lexové, jejíž práci oceňují tisíce fanoušků spisovatele Tima Weavera. Díky ní ožívá svět vzdálených Faerských ostrovů, jako by ležely někde na dohled. Místo je samozřejmě pro nečekané zvraty, překvapení, a hlavně chuť dozvídat se čím dál více. Odhalit pravdu stejně jako kulisy, v nichž se vše odehrává. Plánovaná trilogie skončí příští rok 21. února, kdy vyjde v Česku závěrečný díl Ohně na skalách. Do té doby tak máte šanci účastníky této detektivky poznat a oblíbit si je, stojí za to. A jistě mohou být i skvělým dárkem na poslední chvíli (nebo dodatečným v podobě celé trilogie).
Hodnocení: 95 %
February 19, 2018
The second in a trilogy set in the Faroes, just as good as the first if not better!
Jan Reyna is back in the Faroes as his estranged father has died and he feels that he should at least attend the funeral. We still do not know the real reasons why he came back at the age of 17, where he ended up attacking his father, nor do we yet know the full details regarding his mother’s suicide.
The actual plot this time is as intriguing as in the first book and revolves around a group of activists who have come to the Faroes to protest against the traditional whale hunts. Reyna encounters Erla Sivertsen, an attractive woman in her thirties, who is the official photographer for the group and also a Faroese. The very next day her body is discovered next to an old building with a slogan daubed intimating that her death was as a result of her beliefs regarding the whale hunt.
The reason for her death becomes more obscured when it is discovered that she had had sex just before her death and Hjalti Hentze, who is investigating the murder, finds out that it is his son-in-law, Finn, who has been having an affair with Erla despite being married to Hentze’s daughter Martha, with whom he has two young children. Hentze feels that he has no option but to withdraw from this case. However, the friendship between himself and Jan is rekindled and they work together, albeit outside of official channels.
Yet again the plot is clever and makes you keep turning the pages, as you want to know how everything will end, but the beauty of these books for me is the other strands brought over from the first book. We still do not know why Jan is suspended from his job as a detective in England, nor do we know why his mother committed suicide. The author is very adept at just telling you small teasers and leaves us wanting more. Hopefully, all will be revealed in the final book.
This is a beautifully crafted story. The writing just flows and I am going to be very upset when I have finished the third book as, presumably, there will be no more Jan Reyna or Hjalti Hentze.
I hope that the author may consider carrying on with these characters, however, as I think they make a brilliant team and it is also a great compliment to Chris Ould and his writing as it has made me want to visit the Faroes just because of his descriptive abilities. I’m sure the third book will be just as good, if not better, than the other two.
Dexter
Breakaway Reviewers received a copy of the book to review
Jan Reyna is back in the Faroes as his estranged father has died and he feels that he should at least attend the funeral. We still do not know the real reasons why he came back at the age of 17, where he ended up attacking his father, nor do we yet know the full details regarding his mother’s suicide.
The actual plot this time is as intriguing as in the first book and revolves around a group of activists who have come to the Faroes to protest against the traditional whale hunts. Reyna encounters Erla Sivertsen, an attractive woman in her thirties, who is the official photographer for the group and also a Faroese. The very next day her body is discovered next to an old building with a slogan daubed intimating that her death was as a result of her beliefs regarding the whale hunt.
The reason for her death becomes more obscured when it is discovered that she had had sex just before her death and Hjalti Hentze, who is investigating the murder, finds out that it is his son-in-law, Finn, who has been having an affair with Erla despite being married to Hentze’s daughter Martha, with whom he has two young children. Hentze feels that he has no option but to withdraw from this case. However, the friendship between himself and Jan is rekindled and they work together, albeit outside of official channels.
Yet again the plot is clever and makes you keep turning the pages, as you want to know how everything will end, but the beauty of these books for me is the other strands brought over from the first book. We still do not know why Jan is suspended from his job as a detective in England, nor do we know why his mother committed suicide. The author is very adept at just telling you small teasers and leaves us wanting more. Hopefully, all will be revealed in the final book.
This is a beautifully crafted story. The writing just flows and I am going to be very upset when I have finished the third book as, presumably, there will be no more Jan Reyna or Hjalti Hentze.
I hope that the author may consider carrying on with these characters, however, as I think they make a brilliant team and it is also a great compliment to Chris Ould and his writing as it has made me want to visit the Faroes just because of his descriptive abilities. I’m sure the third book will be just as good, if not better, than the other two.
Dexter
Breakaway Reviewers received a copy of the book to review
February 16, 2022
I was introduced to “the grind” (with a soft “i”) in Devil’s Fjord by David Hewson. It is a Faroe Island tradition, a killing of pods of whales that was crucial to the survival of the remote islands for centuries. I was surprised to come across it again so soon in The Killing Bay by Chris Ould but it was good to already have some knowledge of the islands and culture. The Killing Bay is the second book in Ould’s Faroe Island trilogy. I read it as a stand-alone, which was fine but, in this case it would have helped to have read The Blood Strand first. It probably would have explained things that distracted me while reading this book.
Activists supporting the Atlantic Wildlife Conservation Alliance have come from many countries intent on stopping ‘the grind’. They are well equipped and organized and it’s not long before tensions between islanders and protestors run high. When a local woman working for the protesters as their official photographer is found murdered only hours after a tense confrontation, it’s clear the investigation is going to be very sensitive, receive international scrutiny and unwelcome interference from Copenhagen.
DI Jan Reyna is an English detective born on the islands but taken to Denmark and then to England as a young boy. He’s on the islands on leave from his job back in England. (This is an area where The Blood Strand might have been helpful.) He’s there primarily to look into long lost family connections and get answers to questions about his parents and his history. He makes friends with a local detective, Hjalti Hentze, who is charged with investigating the murder and soon finds himself helping in an unofficial capacity.
The two officers are very different but their personalities complement each other nicely, perhaps because they’re together by choice rather than as team assignments. It’s clear to them that the murder is more sinister than it appears to be on the surface. It’s also obvious that there is evidence not yet discovered and also being withheld. Neither knows who to trust or how far some people might go to defend their interests. Their enquiries range more widely than is appreciated by people in power and they are thwarted at every turn. Hentze is also uncomfortable because he has family ties to the murder, which may be seen as a conflict of interest in the investigation. He wonders if he is being set up for a fall.
The reader gets a great sense of place in the narrative and that’s thanks to deft handling of the thoughts and interactions between the two men, one an insider and one an outsider. It is handled with a deft touch and a perceptive outlook that give insight into the motives and reactions of the characters. This is a complex and nuanced story that builds quite slowly at first and becomes quite exciting by the end. The characters are enjoyable and the atmosphere of the islands is very good. Overall, it’s a subtle and satisfying read weaving multiple storylines, which occasionally misdirect intentionally but don’t overly contrived. Technically it may be Nordic Noir but it’s less bleak and much better as far as I’m concerned.
Activists supporting the Atlantic Wildlife Conservation Alliance have come from many countries intent on stopping ‘the grind’. They are well equipped and organized and it’s not long before tensions between islanders and protestors run high. When a local woman working for the protesters as their official photographer is found murdered only hours after a tense confrontation, it’s clear the investigation is going to be very sensitive, receive international scrutiny and unwelcome interference from Copenhagen.
DI Jan Reyna is an English detective born on the islands but taken to Denmark and then to England as a young boy. He’s on the islands on leave from his job back in England. (This is an area where The Blood Strand might have been helpful.) He’s there primarily to look into long lost family connections and get answers to questions about his parents and his history. He makes friends with a local detective, Hjalti Hentze, who is charged with investigating the murder and soon finds himself helping in an unofficial capacity.
The two officers are very different but their personalities complement each other nicely, perhaps because they’re together by choice rather than as team assignments. It’s clear to them that the murder is more sinister than it appears to be on the surface. It’s also obvious that there is evidence not yet discovered and also being withheld. Neither knows who to trust or how far some people might go to defend their interests. Their enquiries range more widely than is appreciated by people in power and they are thwarted at every turn. Hentze is also uncomfortable because he has family ties to the murder, which may be seen as a conflict of interest in the investigation. He wonders if he is being set up for a fall.
The reader gets a great sense of place in the narrative and that’s thanks to deft handling of the thoughts and interactions between the two men, one an insider and one an outsider. It is handled with a deft touch and a perceptive outlook that give insight into the motives and reactions of the characters. This is a complex and nuanced story that builds quite slowly at first and becomes quite exciting by the end. The characters are enjoyable and the atmosphere of the islands is very good. Overall, it’s a subtle and satisfying read weaving multiple storylines, which occasionally misdirect intentionally but don’t overly contrived. Technically it may be Nordic Noir but it’s less bleak and much better as far as I’m concerned.
January 31, 2023
ATY 2023 #23: a book with a body of water in the title
Read Round the World 2023: Arctic or Antarctic
The Arctic definition is a little shaky but the Faroe Islands considers itself to be in the West Nordic region of the Arctic so I'm going by that.
This is the second in what is probably a trilogy. The plot threads didn't come together as naturally here as they did in the first book.
You may know that the Faroe Islands has a whale killing tradition. This has naturally drawn the attention of animal rights groups and that's how this book begins- it is not graphic if you are concerned about that, as I was. A reporter covering the event ends up dead. Who did it and why are what the Faroese detective is concerned with.
Meanwhile, Jan Reyna, the protagonist of the first book who is searching for the truth of his origin in the Faroe Islands (his mother removed him from the Islands when he was young and he has only recently returned) asks around about his mother to people who knew her when she was a young woman. His mother committed suicide when he was very young and he was raised by an aunt. He slowly gathers the impression of her as a wild and headstrong young woman who might have been involved in a commune that existed in the islands years ago.
Reyna ends up helping out with the main case a bit, but these two plot threads really don't have anything in common. I figured out the motive and perpetrator of the murder pretty early. I wasn't enjoying this book as much as the previous one so I skimmed to the end and found that I was correct. This book didn't quite have the feel of the Islands in the way that the first one did for me. I did recognize some things, like the "grotto" of one of the tunnels that connect the isle's car traffic.
Read Round the World 2023: Arctic or Antarctic
The Arctic definition is a little shaky but the Faroe Islands considers itself to be in the West Nordic region of the Arctic so I'm going by that.
This is the second in what is probably a trilogy. The plot threads didn't come together as naturally here as they did in the first book.
You may know that the Faroe Islands has a whale killing tradition. This has naturally drawn the attention of animal rights groups and that's how this book begins- it is not graphic if you are concerned about that, as I was. A reporter covering the event ends up dead. Who did it and why are what the Faroese detective is concerned with.
Meanwhile, Jan Reyna, the protagonist of the first book who is searching for the truth of his origin in the Faroe Islands (his mother removed him from the Islands when he was young and he has only recently returned) asks around about his mother to people who knew her when she was a young woman. His mother committed suicide when he was very young and he was raised by an aunt. He slowly gathers the impression of her as a wild and headstrong young woman who might have been involved in a commune that existed in the islands years ago.
Reyna ends up helping out with the main case a bit, but these two plot threads really don't have anything in common. I figured out the motive and perpetrator of the murder pretty early. I wasn't enjoying this book as much as the previous one so I skimmed to the end and found that I was correct. This book didn't quite have the feel of the Islands in the way that the first one did for me. I did recognize some things, like the "grotto" of one of the tunnels that connect the isle's car traffic.
December 13, 2023
I am enjoying this series (this is book #2) though it is hard to fit into any standard genre. It's not really a police procedural, and has some elements of a thriller (which I can't write about because of spoiler prohibitions). It's seen by some readers as Scandinavian noir, but the author is British and story is not very "noir" to me. It's just too short on angst. I see no parallels to Henning Mankell. And while Arnaldur Indridason's Iceland seems a very similar setting, that series, too, is more noir and bleak than Ould's.
All the characters from the first book are present (the ones which did not die, of course). Jan Reyna is still investigating his mother's life, and still dealing with his police supervisor back in England). As others have mentioned, the strong point here is the unusual location. I am grateful for the map (too few mysteries offer them), and while there are similarities to series set in Scottish islands (Peter May Ann Cleeve, for instance), the Faeroes are clearly different. The Scottish series describe a more sophisticated culture, and people who seem to connect with each other more openly. And while those islands are pretty bleak, the Faeroes feel even more so and somehow more isolated, culturally conservative, laconic and steeped in tradition.
So, hat's off to Ould for carving out his own literary space. This book is basically enjoyable, albeit overlong, and I would have liked it more without the parts of the plot which connect to Denmark.
All the characters from the first book are present (the ones which did not die, of course). Jan Reyna is still investigating his mother's life, and still dealing with his police supervisor back in England). As others have mentioned, the strong point here is the unusual location. I am grateful for the map (too few mysteries offer them), and while there are similarities to series set in Scottish islands (Peter May Ann Cleeve, for instance), the Faeroes are clearly different. The Scottish series describe a more sophisticated culture, and people who seem to connect with each other more openly. And while those islands are pretty bleak, the Faeroes feel even more so and somehow more isolated, culturally conservative, laconic and steeped in tradition.
So, hat's off to Ould for carving out his own literary space. This book is basically enjoyable, albeit overlong, and I would have liked it more without the parts of the plot which connect to Denmark.
December 31, 2020
The Killing Bay is the second book in the Faroes series featuring British police officer, Jan Reyna, and local detective Hjalti Hentze. This outing is set just a few days after the first, with Reyna still on the island, taking a break to try to find out more details about his mother’s life on the islands. One thread of the story follows Reyna’s family investigation, told in the first person. The other, told in the third person, follows the investigation into the death of an activist photographer, who had been a member of anti-whaling protest group. The chief suspect is Hentze’s son-in-law, who had met his former girlfriend on a number of occasions over the previous weeks and whose alibi does not stand up to scrutiny. Hentze absents himself from the case, but the way it is being managed and interference from outside authorities spurs him to take covert interest. While Hentze and a couple of colleagues do most of the running, they occasionally turn to Reyna for help. Ould creates a decent sense of place and both threads are intriguing, though the family inquiry is a little threadbare, and the murder a little drawn-out. There was no great surprise in the denouement, but that was fine as there’s nice character development and both threads were interesting journeys.
April 14, 2023
This book was amazing!! I wanted to read a book set in Faroes and found this one at my library. I was not disappointed! The setting was fantastic. We get a feel for the islands and what life is like there. I really appreciated the pronunciation guide in the front. It helped me pronounce them closer to correctly as I was reading. That also helped me feel like I was on the Faroe Islands as I was reading.
The investigation was the primary narrative in the book and I really enjoyed it. We see the interviews and talk to the specialists that are dealing with the other information. The step by step look at the investigation also made it easier to get a glimpse into the personal lives of the the investigators. So we get to know them and see a little bit of what they are going through without getting too much excess drama.
While the investigation is going on, we see Shan Reyna searching for some of his own family history. I liked seeing his outsider perspective of the Faores because it made it easier to get to know the Faroes in a realistic way.
The ending made me want to pick up book 3 immediately. It is a great set up and I can’t wait to see what happens.
The investigation was the primary narrative in the book and I really enjoyed it. We see the interviews and talk to the specialists that are dealing with the other information. The step by step look at the investigation also made it easier to get a glimpse into the personal lives of the the investigators. So we get to know them and see a little bit of what they are going through without getting too much excess drama.
While the investigation is going on, we see Shan Reyna searching for some of his own family history. I liked seeing his outsider perspective of the Faores because it made it easier to get to know the Faroes in a realistic way.
The ending made me want to pick up book 3 immediately. It is a great set up and I can’t wait to see what happens.
March 31, 2018
Wish I could have given this book five stars because I’m enjoying these Faroe Island novels. I like the characters, setting, writing and definitely the plot, but who is the protagonist of The Killing Bay? Hjalti Hentze is investigating an activist’s murder. Jan Reyná is still hanging out in the Faroes after his father’s death and looking into his own mother’s past on the islands. The author dedicates a chapter to each man and it’s not until chapter 33 that Reyná gets involved in the murder. However, Ould insists on giving Reyná a first person voice while giving Hentze, who is more present, a third person voice, so the chapters begin with “I” or “he.” I found this POV switching disconcerting. I also wish he’d give us a bit more physical description of the characters.
SPOILER ALERT
Unsatisfying ending as yet another body is discovered and...it ends. I get this is a trilogy but felt cheated.
SPOILER ALERT
Unsatisfying ending as yet another body is discovered and...it ends. I get this is a trilogy but felt cheated.
February 19, 2019
This series is growing on me, probably because I really like the Faroese setting and details (despite feeling that Jan's situation is a little bit contrived). The events take place immediately after those of the first book, so reading them close together is a good idea. The author switches POV between characters but uses 1st person for Jan, which once you have got used to it is a useful marker but I sometimes found I was having to stop and work out who was the focus. The story largely revolves around whaling and protests, but with a dark side involving rather more than environmental/animal rights activists. It ends with the discovery of another body, which was hinted at at the very beginning of the novel and then lost sight of - so, no resolution here, presumably all will be revealed in the third book - although Jan now has a definite, imminent date for leaving the islands and facing his interview with Professional Standards in England.
July 27, 2019
I've now read the first two books in this series, and I'm planning to read the third. The best part of this series is the sense of place and culture. Having just visited the Faroe Islands, I can attest to the wild, unspoiled beauty of the fjords, cliffs, and islands. Learning a bit about the daily life and culture of a place is an added bonus for me in a mystery novel. The characters are distinctive and play their roles in the drama convincingly. The only reason these books have only rated 4 stars is that I find the action a bit tedious and slow. The police work is sound, and the story of Jan Rena's past are the things that keep me engaged. I hope the third book will tie up some loose ends and flesh out Jan's story more fully. While there are separate crimes to solve in each book, the overall story is being told as a trilogy, so I'm looking forward to reading the conclusion.
July 6, 2022
In this episode Jan Reyna and Hjalti Hentze return to investigate the vicious murder on a anti whaling activist. At first it seems a clear-cut crime by someone who is pro whaling against an activist but soon it turns out that it is far more complicated than that.
In the meantime Jan traces his long deceased mothers history to a commune on the Faroe islands in Muli. Slowly both man discover new facts which lead them towards the truth.
Personally I found the previous book better, mainly because Jan Reyna had a smaller role in the solution of the murder. That's not to say that I didn't enjoy it so I am looking forward to the next book, which I understand will be the last one off the trilogy and hopefully will shed more light on Jan's family history.
In the meantime Jan traces his long deceased mothers history to a commune on the Faroe islands in Muli. Slowly both man discover new facts which lead them towards the truth.
Personally I found the previous book better, mainly because Jan Reyna had a smaller role in the solution of the murder. That's not to say that I didn't enjoy it so I am looking forward to the next book, which I understand will be the last one off the trilogy and hopefully will shed more light on Jan's family history.
October 12, 2017
It takes a while, but the investigation into the murder of the photographer for a group of anti-whaling activists gets there in the end. The setting, the Faeroes (an island group belonging to Denmark located northwest of the Shetlands) is interesting, the investigators (including an English CID inspector born in the Faeroes who is on the trail of his mother's past) are mostly competent and willing, and the transitions in points of view between one of the investigators (Hjalte) and the English inspector are effective. The third volume, which should take Jan Reyna (the Englishman born in the Faeroes) closer to the truth about his past, should appear early next year.
November 1, 2018
As most of the Nordic mysteries tend to be, this has a dark side. A group of protestors has arrived on the Faroes Island to demonstrate and stop the killing of whales that is a tradition on the island. One of the members of the Alliance is found murdered and the police find themselves hampered at every part of the investigation. Also, part of the story, focuses on policeman Jan Reyna who has returned to the island and wants to find out what happened to his mother who disappeared and died while he was a young child. This is a very good and compelling mystery that has many twists and turns before the answer is known. The mystery is as complex as the language itself. A very good read.
February 28, 2019
Back to the Faroe Islands with Jan Reyna, a few weeks after the end of The Blood Strand. Jan is still on the islands, just after his father’s funeral, and reluctant to return to face his suspension from the British police. He continues his search for clues as to his mother’s suicide, and gets involved in the murder of a woman who was the photographer for a group of activists protesting about the whale drives. The characters develop nicely in this book, friendships grow, and although one of the whale drives is described, it wasn’t that graphic a description. Will now get the third in the series.
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