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Varg Veum #15
We Shall Inherit the Wind
Varg Veum takes on the perplexing case of a missing wind-farm inspector and gets more than he bargained for, as religious zealots, environmental terrorism and then murder take centre stage ... The gripping next instalment in the award-winning Varg Veum series, by one of the fathers of Nordic Noir. 'Not many books hook you in the first chapter – this one did, and never let go!' Mari Hannah 'Mature and captivating' Rosemary Goring, Herald Scotland 'Moving, uncompromising' Publishers Weekly _________________1998. Varg Veum sits by the hospital bedside of his long-term girlfriend Karin, whose life-threatening injuries provide a deeply painful reminder of the mistakes he's made. Investigating the seemingly innocent disappearance of a wind-farm inspector, Varg Veum is thrust into one of the most challenging cases of his career, riddled with conflicts, environmental terrorism, religious fanaticism, unsolved mysteries and dubious business ethics. Then, in one of the most heart-stopping scenes in crime fiction, the first body appears... A chilling, timeless story of love, revenge and desire, We Shall Inherit the Wind deftly weaves contemporary issues with a stunning plot that will leave you gripped to the final page. This is Staalesen at his most thrilling, thought-provoking best. _________________Praise for Gunnar Staalesen 'There is a world-weary existential sadness that hangs over his central detective. The prose is stripped back and simple ... deep emotion bubbling under the surface – the real turmoil of the characters' lives just under the surface for the reader to intuit, rather than have it spelled out for them' Doug Johnstone, The Big Issue 'Gunnar Staalesen is one of my very favourite Scandinavian authors. Operating out of Bergen in Norway, his private eye, Varg Veum, is a complex but engaging anti-hero. Varg means "wolf " in Norwegian, and this is a series with very sharp teeth' Ian Rankin 'Staalesen continually reminds us he is one of the finest of Nordic novelists' Financial Times 'Chilling and perilous results — all told in a pleasingly dry style' Sunday Times 'Staalesen does a masterful job of exposing the worst of Norwegian society in this highly disturbing entry' Publishers Weekly 'The Varg Veum series is more concerned with character and motivation than spectacle, and it's in the quieter scenes that the real drama lies' Herald Scotland 'Every inch the equal of his Nordic confreres Henning Mankell and Jo Nesbo' Independent'With an expositional style that is all but invisible, Staalesen masterfully compels us from the first pages ... If you're a fan of Varg Veum, this is not to be missed, and if you're new to the series, this is one of the best ones. You're encouraged to jump right in, even if the Norwegian names can be a bit confusing to follow' Crime Fiction Lover 'With short, smart, darkly punchy chapters
306 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2010
128 people are currently reading
438 people want to read
About the author
Gunnar Staalesen
134 books279 followersGunnar Staalesen is a Norwegian writer. Staalesen has a cand.philol degree from Universitetet i Bergen and he has worked at Den Nationale Scene, the main theater in Bergen.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 99 reviews
July 27, 2018
"We Shall Inherit the Wind" is the seventeenth instalment in Gunnar Staalesen's fantastic Varg Veum private detective series published by Orenda books. Gunnar is literally the godfather of Nordic Noir and writes books with such tremendous storytelling and emotion you can't help but be pulled into his stories from the very first chapter and not let go.
Set in Bergen, Norway it's 1998 and Varg at the age of 65 is sitting at the bedside of his long term girlfriend Karin after she has suffered life threatening injuries. Having read the next in the series "Where Roses Never Die" I was very intrigued to return to the time he was with Karin and the events leading up to her death and I did find this particular part of the story very sad. Investigating the disappearance of a wind-farm inspector, Varg is thrust into his most challenging and devastating case yet, which will leave tragic consequences he will never forget. This can be easily read as a standalone novel too, though I guarantee once you start you'll want to read more.
Razor sharp plotting and meticulous planning make this book an exceptionally entertaining read. An intelligent, environmental and contemporary theme make this story a very modern and up to date thriller that I immensely enjoyed and found to be wholly interesting and informative too. Varg is such a likeable character, complex and slightly flawed but he really engages the readers and apparently he's so popular back in his home country, there's even a life size statue of him in the centre of the city of Bergen!
Impeccably translated by Don Bartlett, this really is a fabulous read - we shall inherit the wind? Well I've definetly inherited the Varg Veum bug and long may it continue!
Set in Bergen, Norway it's 1998 and Varg at the age of 65 is sitting at the bedside of his long term girlfriend Karin after she has suffered life threatening injuries. Having read the next in the series "Where Roses Never Die" I was very intrigued to return to the time he was with Karin and the events leading up to her death and I did find this particular part of the story very sad. Investigating the disappearance of a wind-farm inspector, Varg is thrust into his most challenging and devastating case yet, which will leave tragic consequences he will never forget. This can be easily read as a standalone novel too, though I guarantee once you start you'll want to read more.
Razor sharp plotting and meticulous planning make this book an exceptionally entertaining read. An intelligent, environmental and contemporary theme make this story a very modern and up to date thriller that I immensely enjoyed and found to be wholly interesting and informative too. Varg is such a likeable character, complex and slightly flawed but he really engages the readers and apparently he's so popular back in his home country, there's even a life size statue of him in the centre of the city of Bergen!
Impeccably translated by Don Bartlett, this really is a fabulous read - we shall inherit the wind? Well I've definetly inherited the Varg Veum bug and long may it continue!
June 8, 2015
We Shall Inherit the Wind is the very definition of Nordic Noir – intense and beautifully written, a slow burner of a novel that hooks you in slowly but surely.
The settings are gorgeously drawn, giving a sense of place and time that is captivating, giving it a whole new dimension. Varg Veum is a magnificent character and his backstory is utterly compelling. A dedicated investigator,it is almost heartbreaking as we see the events leading up to where he is now, aware of the consequences of his current case but awaiting the detail avidly – a real page turner.
There is a strong social message within the narrative which is at times chilling, always gripping and with a few perfectly placed twists and turns that make it more addictive the further you get into it – the author has a great way with words and a real old school talent for storytelling – there is a reason he is known as a Father of Nordic Noir.
Full of suspense with a terrific backdrop and some unforgettable characters, this comes Highly Recommended from me.
Translated by Don Bartlett
The settings are gorgeously drawn, giving a sense of place and time that is captivating, giving it a whole new dimension. Varg Veum is a magnificent character and his backstory is utterly compelling. A dedicated investigator,it is almost heartbreaking as we see the events leading up to where he is now, aware of the consequences of his current case but awaiting the detail avidly – a real page turner.
There is a strong social message within the narrative which is at times chilling, always gripping and with a few perfectly placed twists and turns that make it more addictive the further you get into it – the author has a great way with words and a real old school talent for storytelling – there is a reason he is known as a Father of Nordic Noir.
Full of suspense with a terrific backdrop and some unforgettable characters, this comes Highly Recommended from me.
Translated by Don Bartlett
June 13, 2015
We Shall Inherit The Wind – Nordic Noir at its Best
We Shall Inherit The Wind by Gunnar Staalesen is the latest in his canon to be translated in to English and published by Orenda Books. Who? Gunnar Staalesen is one of the best writers of Nordic Noir and it is not just me that thinks that, but real experts such as Jo Nesbo and Ian Rankin.
This is not the usual run of the mill police procedural crime thriller, this is a private investigator called Varg Veum, whose name means wolf, who at 65 should really be winding down his career. Varg could cause a riot in a phone box without trying, while aiming to get to the truth, however unwelcome that is. I am no stranger to Staalesen’s Varg Veum and his style of Nordic Noir and what I like is that if you cheat and read the last chapter before you get there it will make no sense to you!
What Gunnar Staalesen is excellent at is that he, like Agatha Christie, dots enough clues throughout the plot as well as a slight of hand so you might be able to work out the villain of the piece but will you be able to predict what the sting in the tail is? There is no telegraphing the plot it is carefully worked out and you need to take each chapter as they come, the descriptions he gives to people, places and actions deepens the imagery in your mind.
Varg Veum has been given a job to find a missing person, someone who owns his own company as well as land that is mired in controversy. As bodies start to pile up, dead and alive, especially when Varg is around always makes the Police a tad weary of him.
Up on the desolate coast line and outlying islands of Norway the Environmental movement are fighting against a wind farm, that besides giving electrical power, would also give much needed work and investment to an area of scant opportunities. All sorts of people have been attracted to the campaign both for and against, with the ever present threat of terrorism it is not until the first body turns up you really do not know who the good guys are.
What Varg Veum does discover is that not everything is what it seems however hard you look, especially when this turns in to one of the hardest cases in his long career. He comes face to face with religious fundamentalism, careers riddled with many conflicts, some very dodgy business ethics that would make a banker blush.
The reason why Staalesen is considered the best Crime Writer in Norway and has a stash of International Bestsellers to his name is packed in to We Shall Inherit the Wind; a love story, revenge and desire all the things a thriller needs. He proves why he is one of the best storytellers alive with a deft touch and no wasted words he is like a sniper who carefully chooses his target before he takes aim.
If you want tough Nordic Noir then this Norway Crime Thriller will tick all the boxes, you are grabbed by the throat from the first chapter and not released until the last. This is a breathtaking wonderful crime thriller that will hook you and you will want to read more Staalesen and you will not be disappointed.
We Shall Inherit The Wind by Gunnar Staalesen is the latest in his canon to be translated in to English and published by Orenda Books. Who? Gunnar Staalesen is one of the best writers of Nordic Noir and it is not just me that thinks that, but real experts such as Jo Nesbo and Ian Rankin.
This is not the usual run of the mill police procedural crime thriller, this is a private investigator called Varg Veum, whose name means wolf, who at 65 should really be winding down his career. Varg could cause a riot in a phone box without trying, while aiming to get to the truth, however unwelcome that is. I am no stranger to Staalesen’s Varg Veum and his style of Nordic Noir and what I like is that if you cheat and read the last chapter before you get there it will make no sense to you!
What Gunnar Staalesen is excellent at is that he, like Agatha Christie, dots enough clues throughout the plot as well as a slight of hand so you might be able to work out the villain of the piece but will you be able to predict what the sting in the tail is? There is no telegraphing the plot it is carefully worked out and you need to take each chapter as they come, the descriptions he gives to people, places and actions deepens the imagery in your mind.
Varg Veum has been given a job to find a missing person, someone who owns his own company as well as land that is mired in controversy. As bodies start to pile up, dead and alive, especially when Varg is around always makes the Police a tad weary of him.
Up on the desolate coast line and outlying islands of Norway the Environmental movement are fighting against a wind farm, that besides giving electrical power, would also give much needed work and investment to an area of scant opportunities. All sorts of people have been attracted to the campaign both for and against, with the ever present threat of terrorism it is not until the first body turns up you really do not know who the good guys are.
What Varg Veum does discover is that not everything is what it seems however hard you look, especially when this turns in to one of the hardest cases in his long career. He comes face to face with religious fundamentalism, careers riddled with many conflicts, some very dodgy business ethics that would make a banker blush.
The reason why Staalesen is considered the best Crime Writer in Norway and has a stash of International Bestsellers to his name is packed in to We Shall Inherit the Wind; a love story, revenge and desire all the things a thriller needs. He proves why he is one of the best storytellers alive with a deft touch and no wasted words he is like a sniper who carefully chooses his target before he takes aim.
If you want tough Nordic Noir then this Norway Crime Thriller will tick all the boxes, you are grabbed by the throat from the first chapter and not released until the last. This is a breathtaking wonderful crime thriller that will hook you and you will want to read more Staalesen and you will not be disappointed.
September 1, 2015
An excellently written book. Every chance I had I picked this up, I did without hesitation. Varg Veum is a legend. I found this book highly unique in some respects, but highly addictive. The dialogue was outstanding with a storyline to match. Thrilling crime procedural, grabbed you from page one. Highly recommend.
July 24, 2019
This was my introduction to the Varg Veum series, all the way down the road at book 17. I picked up the 18th book first to look through it and soon found he was mourning the death of his girlfriend Karin, so I felt I had to back up to the 17th book to see what happened. This English translation was from 2015, so that gives me two more books to read.
Varg is a private investigator and he is approached to find a missing man. From the outset this job is highly questionable from my viewpoint since no one is willing to report the man's disappearance to the police. A huge man who is a former policeman accompanies the wife of the missing man for the meet up. He had been in charge of the case to find the missing wife of this same man years ago and that case was never successful in finding a body. After three years she was declared dead. In the meantime, this missing man married another woman who is now hiring Varg.
The missing man was a vital part of negotiating a contract to set up wind turbines at a remote island where he owned a prime spot for such a venture.
There are many examples of coldness or indifference from family members when he does initial interviews and then things get murkier, darker...and dangerous.
Don't know if danger always plays a role in these books since this is just my first, but let me say this is definitely not a tourist bureau propaganda kind of book! I, for one, plan to keep my distance.
Have to wait until my next visit to the library to pick up book 18 as I must limit the weight I carry.
Library Loan
Varg is a private investigator and he is approached to find a missing man. From the outset this job is highly questionable from my viewpoint since no one is willing to report the man's disappearance to the police. A huge man who is a former policeman accompanies the wife of the missing man for the meet up. He had been in charge of the case to find the missing wife of this same man years ago and that case was never successful in finding a body. After three years she was declared dead. In the meantime, this missing man married another woman who is now hiring Varg.
The missing man was a vital part of negotiating a contract to set up wind turbines at a remote island where he owned a prime spot for such a venture.
There are many examples of coldness or indifference from family members when he does initial interviews and then things get murkier, darker...and dangerous.
Don't know if danger always plays a role in these books since this is just my first, but let me say this is definitely not a tourist bureau propaganda kind of book! I, for one, plan to keep my distance.
Have to wait until my next visit to the library to pick up book 18 as I must limit the weight I carry.
Library Loan
September 18, 2015
The first chapter opens the novel with private investigator Veum at the bedside of his girlfriend and kicks the story off with a jaw-dropping moment that will leave you wanting to read the entirety of the book.
It is written and translated beautifully. The setting is stunning and breathtaking.
There is an old classic crime feel to it or rather Veum has. His manner and his speech pattern reminded me of books I used to read when I was younger. He is dedicated and stubborn.
Apparently this is part of a long-running series, but this is the first I’ve read of Varg Veum but from reading this book I would well imagine there will be many many more translated novels coming through. If you enjoy translated crime fiction, seductive settings and like a classic crime feel, then this will be a book for you.
With thanks to the author and publisher for my copy of the book.
It is written and translated beautifully. The setting is stunning and breathtaking.
There is an old classic crime feel to it or rather Veum has. His manner and his speech pattern reminded me of books I used to read when I was younger. He is dedicated and stubborn.
Apparently this is part of a long-running series, but this is the first I’ve read of Varg Veum but from reading this book I would well imagine there will be many many more translated novels coming through. If you enjoy translated crime fiction, seductive settings and like a classic crime feel, then this will be a book for you.
With thanks to the author and publisher for my copy of the book.
May 28, 2025
A new crime author for me. Hooray!
June 25, 2015
Travel the books locations here: Booktrail of We shall inherit the wind
A detective story with an environmental focus set in Norway. Wind farms are not your usual setting for a crime thriller, but these silent monsters can be deadly…
What words immediately come to mind after reading this book? Dark, chilling, troubling, gripping…? All true but here’s something that not many crime thrillers leave me with and that is the thought provoking angle of what we do to the environment and how we justify this to ourselves.
Wind farms are chilly places at the best of times. (no pun intended) Some call them elegant but I see white, ghost like figures on the remote landscape. A community which looks to exploit their natural habit, to ensure a way of life and to provide for the future is understandable, yet there are a lot of angry people in the book who object – also for environmental reasons.
Varg Veum is definitely a lone wolf in a remote and raw landscape and the way we know from the beginning of he novel , something of what is to come, adds to the overall gripping atmosphere. I found myself shouting out loud at him, like a lamb to the slaughter, having become totally immersed in his fate and investigation.
The issues within the novel are through provoking and real and the whole denouement was a surprise. The small wolf prints inside the novel were a particular nice reminded of the wild and desolate land these pages contained within.
Raw, gritty and isolated from the outside world, Gulen and the surrounding islands – Byrknesoy, Lygra – are harsh, unforgiving places. The man’s children are as equally distant but then a different wind blows in and changes the direction of everything…
This is a landscape where nothing is as it seems, where the land and the energy sources dictate how men live and even more how they behave. Added to that the religious angle which comes up given the nature in which his body is found and there are some deep dark waters in this part of Norway…
Just how much are people prisoners to their landscape and to financial gain? Is environmental terrorism ever justified?
A detective story with an environmental focus set in Norway. Wind farms are not your usual setting for a crime thriller, but these silent monsters can be deadly…
What words immediately come to mind after reading this book? Dark, chilling, troubling, gripping…? All true but here’s something that not many crime thrillers leave me with and that is the thought provoking angle of what we do to the environment and how we justify this to ourselves.
Wind farms are chilly places at the best of times. (no pun intended) Some call them elegant but I see white, ghost like figures on the remote landscape. A community which looks to exploit their natural habit, to ensure a way of life and to provide for the future is understandable, yet there are a lot of angry people in the book who object – also for environmental reasons.
Varg Veum is definitely a lone wolf in a remote and raw landscape and the way we know from the beginning of he novel , something of what is to come, adds to the overall gripping atmosphere. I found myself shouting out loud at him, like a lamb to the slaughter, having become totally immersed in his fate and investigation.
The issues within the novel are through provoking and real and the whole denouement was a surprise. The small wolf prints inside the novel were a particular nice reminded of the wild and desolate land these pages contained within.
Raw, gritty and isolated from the outside world, Gulen and the surrounding islands – Byrknesoy, Lygra – are harsh, unforgiving places. The man’s children are as equally distant but then a different wind blows in and changes the direction of everything…
This is a landscape where nothing is as it seems, where the land and the energy sources dictate how men live and even more how they behave. Added to that the religious angle which comes up given the nature in which his body is found and there are some deep dark waters in this part of Norway…
Just how much are people prisoners to their landscape and to financial gain? Is environmental terrorism ever justified?
June 1, 2015
We Shall Inherit the Wind is a detective story with an environmental focus. It's a mixture of a timeless whodunnit and the topical issues of wind farms and eco-warriers.
Mons Mæland has been reported missing by his second wife. He owns a plot of land on an isolated island on which a wind farm is planned, and there are several people who may have wanted him out of the way. When Mons Mæland's body is discovered, it appears that he was the victim of a brutal murderer, and Varg Veum is drawn into a difficult and emotional case. A parallel plot involves the disappearance of Mons Mæland's first wife several years earlier - she's believed to have drowned, but no body has ever been found.
We Shall Inherit the Wind is thought-provoking and gripping, and hooked me from the first chapter. The book has been translated so well that it's easy to forget that it wasn't originally written in English. Thanks to Gunnar Staalesen's vivid descriptions, I could picture the people and places in my mind as I read.
Norwegian private investigator Varg Veum dwells on past mistakes as he tries to solve the case. As the plot unfolds, many layers are gradually peeled back, revealing family secrets against a backdrop of wind farm politics. Twists arrive like a bolt from the blue, throwing the reader (and Varg Veum) off course. The plot is chilling, addictive and tragic, with suspense that lasts from beginning to end.
Gunnar Staalesen is known as one of the fathers of Nordic Noir - and I can see why. Yet to date only a handful of his books have been translated into English. The good news is that more Gunnar Staalesen books will be published by Orenda Books in 2016 and 2017.
I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Mons Mæland has been reported missing by his second wife. He owns a plot of land on an isolated island on which a wind farm is planned, and there are several people who may have wanted him out of the way. When Mons Mæland's body is discovered, it appears that he was the victim of a brutal murderer, and Varg Veum is drawn into a difficult and emotional case. A parallel plot involves the disappearance of Mons Mæland's first wife several years earlier - she's believed to have drowned, but no body has ever been found.
We Shall Inherit the Wind is thought-provoking and gripping, and hooked me from the first chapter. The book has been translated so well that it's easy to forget that it wasn't originally written in English. Thanks to Gunnar Staalesen's vivid descriptions, I could picture the people and places in my mind as I read.
Norwegian private investigator Varg Veum dwells on past mistakes as he tries to solve the case. As the plot unfolds, many layers are gradually peeled back, revealing family secrets against a backdrop of wind farm politics. Twists arrive like a bolt from the blue, throwing the reader (and Varg Veum) off course. The plot is chilling, addictive and tragic, with suspense that lasts from beginning to end.
Gunnar Staalesen is known as one of the fathers of Nordic Noir - and I can see why. Yet to date only a handful of his books have been translated into English. The good news is that more Gunnar Staalesen books will be published by Orenda Books in 2016 and 2017.
I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
September 7, 2024
Na het lezen van Satellieten van de dood en Koude harten heb ik onwijs veel zin om weer een nieuw deel van privédetective Varg Veum te gaan lezen. Varg Veum krijgt gedurende de delen meer diepgang en ik krijg steeds meer bewondering voor het personage. Daarbij waren de verschillende boeken die ik heb gelezen heel uiteenlopende detective zaken, dus ik ben erg benieuwd welke originele insteek Gunnar Staalesen ditmaal heeft verzonnen.
Varg Veum is een privédetective in het Noorse Bergen. Wanneer Veum een opdracht aanneemt, weet hij veelal meerdere lijken aan het licht te brengen. Dit tot groot ongenoegen van de politie. Normaal gesproken neemt Varg Veum geen privézaken aan, maar als zijn verloofde hem vraagt de vermiste echtgenoot van haar vriendin op te sporen, heeft hij het gevoel dat hij niet kan weigeren. Deze echtgenoot is directeur van een bedrijf dat een omstreden windmolenpark op het eiland Brennøy voor de Noorse westkust wil realiseren. Terwijl de echtgenoot eerst ten volle overtuigd was van dit windmolenpark, heeft hij recentelijk zijn mening bijgesteld. De dag dat de investeerders de locatie van het te bouwen windmolenpark komen bezichtigen, komen voor- en tegenstanders op de locatie bijeen. Daar treffen ze een gruwelijke gebeurtenis aan: een lichaam, vastgebonden op een kruis...
Wat een origineel, sterk en mooi deel. Gunnar Staalesen heeft een levendige, maar ook beeldende schrijfstijl, waarbij hij niet enkel de personages maar ook de natuur en omgeving van de Noorse Bergen prachtig weet te omschrijven. Hierdoor krijg je een levendig beeld van de setting waarin alle gebeurtenissen plaatsvinden.
Ook dit deel is weer geschreven vanuit privédetective Varg Veum. Naarmate ik meer delen van deze serie heb gelezen, hoe intrigerender en boeiender dit personage wordt. Het is een scherpzinnige en eigenzinnige privédetective die zijn eigen weg volgt. Daarbij krijgt Varg Veum zo door de delen heen steeds meer diepgang en leer je steeds meer kanten van hem kennen. Alle personages in het verhaal zijn realistisch en levendig uitgewerkt.
We volgen ditmaal een verdwijningszaak die in eerste instantie te maken lijkt te hebben met een politiek machtsspel waarin de directeur verwikkeld is. Al snel blijkt dat naast het politieke gebeuren er ook in het privéleven van de directeur wat merkwaardige zaken gespeeld hebben. Naarmate het verhaal vordert, hoe breder de verhaallijn en de zaak wordt en ook gebeurtenissen uit het verleden komen aan het licht. Hierdoor wordt de zaak, die al snel een moordzaak wordt, steeds complexer. Aangezien Gunnar Staalesen dit langzaam opbouwt is de zaak goed te volgen en zit de zaak goed en ijzersterk in elkaar.
We zullen wind erven is weer een erg goed verhaal. Gunnar Staalesen heeft een beeldende, levendige en vlotte schrijfstijl en weet naast de sterke personages ook het Noorse Bergen prachtig te omschrijven. We volgen opnieuw een zaak van Varg Veum, een privédetective die naarmate het verhaal vordert complexer wordt en diepgang krijgt. Hierdoor zit ook dit verhaal weer ijzersterk in elkaar. De delen zijn losstaand te lezen.
Varg Veum is een privédetective in het Noorse Bergen. Wanneer Veum een opdracht aanneemt, weet hij veelal meerdere lijken aan het licht te brengen. Dit tot groot ongenoegen van de politie. Normaal gesproken neemt Varg Veum geen privézaken aan, maar als zijn verloofde hem vraagt de vermiste echtgenoot van haar vriendin op te sporen, heeft hij het gevoel dat hij niet kan weigeren. Deze echtgenoot is directeur van een bedrijf dat een omstreden windmolenpark op het eiland Brennøy voor de Noorse westkust wil realiseren. Terwijl de echtgenoot eerst ten volle overtuigd was van dit windmolenpark, heeft hij recentelijk zijn mening bijgesteld. De dag dat de investeerders de locatie van het te bouwen windmolenpark komen bezichtigen, komen voor- en tegenstanders op de locatie bijeen. Daar treffen ze een gruwelijke gebeurtenis aan: een lichaam, vastgebonden op een kruis...
Wat een origineel, sterk en mooi deel. Gunnar Staalesen heeft een levendige, maar ook beeldende schrijfstijl, waarbij hij niet enkel de personages maar ook de natuur en omgeving van de Noorse Bergen prachtig weet te omschrijven. Hierdoor krijg je een levendig beeld van de setting waarin alle gebeurtenissen plaatsvinden.
Ook dit deel is weer geschreven vanuit privédetective Varg Veum. Naarmate ik meer delen van deze serie heb gelezen, hoe intrigerender en boeiender dit personage wordt. Het is een scherpzinnige en eigenzinnige privédetective die zijn eigen weg volgt. Daarbij krijgt Varg Veum zo door de delen heen steeds meer diepgang en leer je steeds meer kanten van hem kennen. Alle personages in het verhaal zijn realistisch en levendig uitgewerkt.
We volgen ditmaal een verdwijningszaak die in eerste instantie te maken lijkt te hebben met een politiek machtsspel waarin de directeur verwikkeld is. Al snel blijkt dat naast het politieke gebeuren er ook in het privéleven van de directeur wat merkwaardige zaken gespeeld hebben. Naarmate het verhaal vordert, hoe breder de verhaallijn en de zaak wordt en ook gebeurtenissen uit het verleden komen aan het licht. Hierdoor wordt de zaak, die al snel een moordzaak wordt, steeds complexer. Aangezien Gunnar Staalesen dit langzaam opbouwt is de zaak goed te volgen en zit de zaak goed en ijzersterk in elkaar.
We zullen wind erven is weer een erg goed verhaal. Gunnar Staalesen heeft een beeldende, levendige en vlotte schrijfstijl en weet naast de sterke personages ook het Noorse Bergen prachtig te omschrijven. We volgen opnieuw een zaak van Varg Veum, een privédetective die naarmate het verhaal vordert complexer wordt en diepgang krijgt. Hierdoor zit ook dit verhaal weer ijzersterk in elkaar. De delen zijn losstaand te lezen.
June 6, 2015
We Shall Inherit the Wind, by Gunnar Staalesen (translated by Don Bartlett) is a dark and brooding crime thriller which transports the reader to the wind swept islands of western Norway. The voice of the protagonist is distinctly male and Scandinavian but the female characters are no mere adornments. This is a story populated with a strong and often hostile cast as befits the environment in which they play their parts.
The opening chapter sees Varg Veum, a fifty-five year old private investigator, sitting by the hospital bedside of his girlfriend Karin who is in a coma with life threatening injuries. Varg blames himself for her condition and what follows is the story of how they ended up in this place.
Varg reminds me of the investigators from television series of old yet this story is contemporary in nature. At its heart is a controversial wind farm development on a remote island and the clash between business interests, religious fundamentalists, the economic prospects for locals and a variety of environmental concerns. It is rarely made clear who the good or the bad guys are. The reader is not unduly led to take sides in the various arguments, a nebulosity which adds to the strength of the tale.
Travelling around the fjords and islands the bleakly beautiful landscape dominates the narrative. As the various characters fight for their corners the reader is shown the transience of individuals when placed against a backdrop of unforgiving weather and mighty sea.
There are detailed descriptions of the people Varg meets, their physical appearance and the clothes they wear. Houses are also fully presented: surroundings, building style, colour schemes, furniture, ornaments, the pictures on the walls.
I enjoyed some of the similes used:
An unknown face in an out of the way place “like a flower arrangement in a garage workshop”
A female character “like a perfumed glacier”
I will ever after think of the old library at Trinity College, Dublin as “the place where all books went when they died”
The plot is compelling with new intrigues unfolding as each page is turned. I had not anticipated the denouement. Although somewhat shocking in nature it was a satisfying conclusion.
This book is already an international bestseller and it is easy to see why. A distinctive and welcome addition to the crime fiction genre, I look forward to reading more of Varg Vaum’s adventures which the publisher has promised will be released over the next couple of years.
My copy of this book was provided gratis by the publisher, Orenda Books.
The opening chapter sees Varg Veum, a fifty-five year old private investigator, sitting by the hospital bedside of his girlfriend Karin who is in a coma with life threatening injuries. Varg blames himself for her condition and what follows is the story of how they ended up in this place.
Varg reminds me of the investigators from television series of old yet this story is contemporary in nature. At its heart is a controversial wind farm development on a remote island and the clash between business interests, religious fundamentalists, the economic prospects for locals and a variety of environmental concerns. It is rarely made clear who the good or the bad guys are. The reader is not unduly led to take sides in the various arguments, a nebulosity which adds to the strength of the tale.
Travelling around the fjords and islands the bleakly beautiful landscape dominates the narrative. As the various characters fight for their corners the reader is shown the transience of individuals when placed against a backdrop of unforgiving weather and mighty sea.
There are detailed descriptions of the people Varg meets, their physical appearance and the clothes they wear. Houses are also fully presented: surroundings, building style, colour schemes, furniture, ornaments, the pictures on the walls.
I enjoyed some of the similes used:
An unknown face in an out of the way place “like a flower arrangement in a garage workshop”
A female character “like a perfumed glacier”
I will ever after think of the old library at Trinity College, Dublin as “the place where all books went when they died”
The plot is compelling with new intrigues unfolding as each page is turned. I had not anticipated the denouement. Although somewhat shocking in nature it was a satisfying conclusion.
This book is already an international bestseller and it is easy to see why. A distinctive and welcome addition to the crime fiction genre, I look forward to reading more of Varg Vaum’s adventures which the publisher has promised will be released over the next couple of years.
My copy of this book was provided gratis by the publisher, Orenda Books.
January 11, 2016
Nordic Crime but not convinced by plot
I am a great lover of Scandinavian dramas, I loved The Bridge, Borgen, The Killing etc. and this fuelled my interest in reading Nordic books. I have read most of Jo Nesbo’s books and when I saw a recommendation by him on the cover of this book I was quite excited.
However, although the plot on paper looked interesting I found it quite difficult to follow. Obviously when you read a translated book you have to deal with strange place names and characters. I usually write them down on a separate piece of paper so I can cross reference throughout the book but it doesn’t help when there are two characters, one called Stine Sagvog and another called Stein Svensen, I was constantly checking who was who!
The main character is a private investigator called Varg Veum who is originally hired to discover the whereabouts of a seemingly innocent disappearance of a wind-farm inspector called Mons Maeland. Wind-farms are topical subjects and the various characters take sides and in some cases swap sides throughout the book. The plot thickens when Mons is discovered hung from a cross on the remote island where the wind farms are due to be placed. However, Varg then gets involved in the complicated family surrounding the victim, his first wife who had drowned many years ago, his two children who resent the hasty re-marriage to his second wife, Ranveig and dubious business ethics surrounding the original purchase of the land where the wind farms are to be situated.
Varg and his girlfriend Karin both become involved in solving all the unanswered questions with tragic consequences but, for me, the ending was unsatisfactory and not conclusive.
This book has had amazing reviews from both well-known authors and well-respected newspapers but I always try to give a totally honest opinion of how I find a book. This is a well-established series of books featuring Varg Veum but it is the first one that I have read, maybe this is why I didn’t relate to him but I will not be rushing to read any of the previous books by this particular author.
Dexter
Breakaway Reviewers were given a copy of the book to review
I am a great lover of Scandinavian dramas, I loved The Bridge, Borgen, The Killing etc. and this fuelled my interest in reading Nordic books. I have read most of Jo Nesbo’s books and when I saw a recommendation by him on the cover of this book I was quite excited.
However, although the plot on paper looked interesting I found it quite difficult to follow. Obviously when you read a translated book you have to deal with strange place names and characters. I usually write them down on a separate piece of paper so I can cross reference throughout the book but it doesn’t help when there are two characters, one called Stine Sagvog and another called Stein Svensen, I was constantly checking who was who!
The main character is a private investigator called Varg Veum who is originally hired to discover the whereabouts of a seemingly innocent disappearance of a wind-farm inspector called Mons Maeland. Wind-farms are topical subjects and the various characters take sides and in some cases swap sides throughout the book. The plot thickens when Mons is discovered hung from a cross on the remote island where the wind farms are due to be placed. However, Varg then gets involved in the complicated family surrounding the victim, his first wife who had drowned many years ago, his two children who resent the hasty re-marriage to his second wife, Ranveig and dubious business ethics surrounding the original purchase of the land where the wind farms are to be situated.
Varg and his girlfriend Karin both become involved in solving all the unanswered questions with tragic consequences but, for me, the ending was unsatisfactory and not conclusive.
This book has had amazing reviews from both well-known authors and well-respected newspapers but I always try to give a totally honest opinion of how I find a book. This is a well-established series of books featuring Varg Veum but it is the first one that I have read, maybe this is why I didn’t relate to him but I will not be rushing to read any of the previous books by this particular author.
Dexter
Breakaway Reviewers were given a copy of the book to review
January 27, 2016
I like Mr Staalesen's writing (and Mr Bartlett's translations) which is both spare and descriptive at the same time. We Shall Inherit The Wind is no different. It opens with Private Investigator, Varg Veum, keeping vigil at his comatose girlfriend's bedside and then flashes back over the past week to how this came about. It starts with Veum being asked to look into the disappearance of Mons Maeland by his wife, Ranveig, who is worried but doesn't want to contact the police in case he is only lying low, thinking things through and making decisions. Mons owns a piece of land on a fairly remote island which his company wants to develop as a wind farm but recently he has been having second thoughts and this is causing conflict with his wife and son who are pro development. When his body turns up in the most spectacular way the scene is set for a good read with plenty of family secrets, eco terrorism, Protestant fundamentalism, the politics of big business, all of which are overshadowed by the death of Mons's first wife 16 years previously.
It feels to me that We Shall Inherit The Wind has more action and a brisker pace than the previous novels in the series. It certainly has plenty of twists and turns as Veum uncovers long and not so long suppressed secrets and gossip, putting more people under suspicion. I like the way the characters are portrayed - nobody is stereotyped as totally good or bad and there is always an explanation for their behaviour, but, as in real life, some are more pleasant and appealing than others. Lastly, I have to say that the final chapter is a real surprise in more ways than one.
If you want an absorbing read with a sidebar into Eco politics then I really recommend We Shall Inherit The Wind.
It feels to me that We Shall Inherit The Wind has more action and a brisker pace than the previous novels in the series. It certainly has plenty of twists and turns as Veum uncovers long and not so long suppressed secrets and gossip, putting more people under suspicion. I like the way the characters are portrayed - nobody is stereotyped as totally good or bad and there is always an explanation for their behaviour, but, as in real life, some are more pleasant and appealing than others. Lastly, I have to say that the final chapter is a real surprise in more ways than one.
If you want an absorbing read with a sidebar into Eco politics then I really recommend We Shall Inherit The Wind.
June 7, 2015
Varg. in Norwegian means Wolf.... and this book has bite.
From the first chapter, it is riveting. Karin is lying in hospital. Her sister is missing and her family are beside themselves.
Lea is also missing, presumed drowned. With bouts of depression and post-natal-depression it is thought that she committed suicide. Then a body turns up in the most horrific way, it really makes your head spin.
Missing people, wind farms and murder make We Shall Inherit the Wind a spectacular read. It is a marvelous Norwegian translation and is vividly descriptive.
We Shall Inherit the Wind has suspense, tragedy and the plot is one that I have not come across before. Eco-warriors, conflict and religion is the order of the day and the story goes at an accelerating pace, This magnetic, stimulating and completely immersive read makes it hard to put down.
From the first chapter, it is riveting. Karin is lying in hospital. Her sister is missing and her family are beside themselves.
Lea is also missing, presumed drowned. With bouts of depression and post-natal-depression it is thought that she committed suicide. Then a body turns up in the most horrific way, it really makes your head spin.
Missing people, wind farms and murder make We Shall Inherit the Wind a spectacular read. It is a marvelous Norwegian translation and is vividly descriptive.
We Shall Inherit the Wind has suspense, tragedy and the plot is one that I have not come across before. Eco-warriors, conflict and religion is the order of the day and the story goes at an accelerating pace, This magnetic, stimulating and completely immersive read makes it hard to put down.
February 29, 2016
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The narrative is refreshing Eco-Warriors, wind turbine farms, religion, family tension, secrets, questionable business practices, disappearances and murder The pace is incredibly quick and interesting making it difficult to put down.
The translation is excellent, wonderfully descriptive writing. Varg Veum is an enigma of sorts, the fact he’s mature was different within itself and a welcomed change. He possesses enough charisma fascinating the reader, professional with a strong sensitive side without being overly dramatized.
A slight edginess makes this a standout, between plot, characters and presentation more than satisfying read.
The narrative is refreshing Eco-Warriors, wind turbine farms, religion, family tension, secrets, questionable business practices, disappearances and murder The pace is incredibly quick and interesting making it difficult to put down.
The translation is excellent, wonderfully descriptive writing. Varg Veum is an enigma of sorts, the fact he’s mature was different within itself and a welcomed change. He possesses enough charisma fascinating the reader, professional with a strong sensitive side without being overly dramatized.
A slight edginess makes this a standout, between plot, characters and presentation more than satisfying read.
February 3, 2017
I have enjoyed the series because Varg Veum is an ex social worker and so am I. I can relate to some of his past experiences
Varg is now a Private Investigator who is always getting himself in trouble. This is the 17th book in the series and Varg is getting older. I won;t destroy the story for you, but VArg is on a "case" and as usual ends up in the middle of a police crime. The settings in Norway are great to read - makes me want to visit Norway. Tghe characters are well developed - even if VArg is a little over the top - as usual
Varg is now a Private Investigator who is always getting himself in trouble. This is the 17th book in the series and Varg is getting older. I won;t destroy the story for you, but VArg is on a "case" and as usual ends up in the middle of a police crime. The settings in Norway are great to read - makes me want to visit Norway. Tghe characters are well developed - even if VArg is a little over the top - as usual
September 30, 2015
Who would have thought that wind farms could lead to such high feelings and murderous intentions? A slightly world-weary and cynical detective, who should by rights be reaching retirement age, but still behaves in a very sprightly way (both mentally and physically). An intricate plot, revealed bit by bit, a handful of strange and colourful characters and of course plenty of wild Norwegian landscape. What's not to like?
June 6, 2015
If you have never read Nordic crime, or any translated fiction, then there are few better places to start. We Shall Inherit The Wind is a story that needs to be read.
An entertaining thriller set in the late 1990's with a backdrop of environmental progress and eco terrorism.
A full review appears at www.grabthisbook.net
An entertaining thriller set in the late 1990's with a backdrop of environmental progress and eco terrorism.
A full review appears at www.grabthisbook.net
September 23, 2020
Would I have liked this book as much if it had been set in Australia? or Belgium? To be honest I don’t think I would have.
A standard crime/detective novel which offers nothing new or even interesting but it is well written and holds itself all the way through. I found some of it predictable and thought it was too formulaic and that held it back in lots of ways.
A standard crime/detective novel which offers nothing new or even interesting but it is well written and holds itself all the way through. I found some of it predictable and thought it was too formulaic and that held it back in lots of ways.
September 30, 2015
Fantasic stuff. Full review up on my blog:
https://espressococo.wordpress.com/20...
https://espressococo.wordpress.com/20...
May 27, 2025
I've read Gunnar Staalesen before but I really wonder how Varg Veum stays alive he says that he really didn't do anything and other people actually found the person dead and not alive. In the second deal he had to deal with the property and then the person blew up a bridge and died ending his second deal which he claims he did nothing. He must of sent decently large bills for both claims. The third and final deal he worked out when he went to the cabin and confronted the old sheriff who said that he killed the first person as self defense, where he kidnapped Karin who was Varg's soon to be wife and
he left in his boat to go to the island and hung her up. Needless to say she didn't make it out alive. Then Varg goes to find the woman that was supose to drowned herself, in Sweden. Varg said that he wouldn't tell anyone about her. It has a lot of interesting things to think about.
he left in his boat to go to the island and hung her up. Needless to say she didn't make it out alive. Then Varg goes to find the woman that was supose to drowned herself, in Sweden. Varg said that he wouldn't tell anyone about her. It has a lot of interesting things to think about.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 29, 2022
This book is a great combination of two genres I really enjoy for light reading: Noir and Scandinavian Detective Stories. Henning Mankell, one of my favorite writers, recommended it and he wasn’t wrong.
The thing about these writers is that they lure in the reader with an everyday level of detail that makes us feel the humanity of all their characters as they go through their plodding step-by-step unraveling of the plot. Once they have you sucked in they hit you with plot twists you never expected.
In We Shall Inherit the Wind, Staalesen uses a weird tale of alternate energy and greed leading to murders and Family discord. By the end you’re not sure how you got there but you’ve enjoyed the calm, slow, steady but interesting ride. Four Stars ****.
The thing about these writers is that they lure in the reader with an everyday level of detail that makes us feel the humanity of all their characters as they go through their plodding step-by-step unraveling of the plot. Once they have you sucked in they hit you with plot twists you never expected.
In We Shall Inherit the Wind, Staalesen uses a weird tale of alternate energy and greed leading to murders and Family discord. By the end you’re not sure how you got there but you’ve enjoyed the calm, slow, steady but interesting ride. Four Stars ****.
July 15, 2015
First published in 2010 in Norway, We Shall Inherit The Wind is the 18th novel in the Varg Veum series and now published in English by Orenda Books with translation by Don Bartlett.
We Shall Inherit the Wind BF AW.inddSet in 1998, Staalesen’s private investigator Varg Veum sits at the hospital bedside of his long-term girlfriend Karin as she battles life-threatening injuries bought about by the events surrounding Varg’s latest investigation.
From here Staalesen takes us back – by “barely a week” – to re-trace those events (when I re-read that line for this review I had to read it twice as so much is packed into just a few days). Given how we know where they lead, the edge of the seat is pretty much all you’ll occupy from here on in.
This ominous start leads us into a missing-persons case, with Veum pretty certain that the missing man – Mons Mæland – is already dead. Veum’s initial digging into Mæland’s affairs opens up a Pandora’s Box of questions with no clear answers. Every clue seems to point toward a more complex mystery which becomes all the more thrilling when Mæland is found dead – in a most dramatic fashion – and the plot thickens.
Location is key. While Veum operates out of Staalesen’s own Bergen, most of the action takes place on the fictitious Brennøy and nearby islands. We’re a little outside of the comfort-zone here, you got the sense that you’re out in the wilds on each occasion that Veum leaves Bergen behind, with civilisation just a little too far over the horizon – indeed, law and order needs to arrive via helicopter.
From experience I know how stunning Norway can be but this isn’t a summer holiday; this is autumn and Staalesen uses the isolation afforded by the setting to up the chill-factor. From the off, almost, the remote locations hang heavy with foreboding:
"…the trees stood like dark monuments to a time when not only the mountains had to be clad but every tiny scrap of island skirted by the fjord. Accordingly spruces lined long stretches of the Vestland cost. No one had thinned the striplings, and no one had cut down the trees except the cabin owners who had desperately tried to clear themselves a place in the sun. It looked as if they had given up here ages ago."
So much to love in that paragraph alone… “dark monuments”…. “desperately tried”… “given up here ages ago”… you almost have the “abandon all hope” sign nailed to the start of the chapter.
Far from being a run-of-the-mill who-dunnit, We Shall Inherit The Wind is an intense read, pulling in eco-terrorism, religious fanaticism, corruption both at corporate and local-government level, plot twist after plot twist and a cast of characters with plenty of secrets and hidden connections. Two, three, four times I thought I’d sussed out who was behind Mæland’s murder only to be left utterly open-mouthed by the final reveal with Veum keeping his cards close to his chest right until the bitter end. I’ll admit I also felt like I’d been emotionally sucker-punched come the end, having been so caught up in the mystery as to be left open for the impact of the human consequences.
Varg means “wolf” in Norwegian and the novel approaches the plot just as a wolf its prey; elements come together piece-by-piece, as the wolf slowly and assuredly stalks it prey Varg is a wise hunter, patiently letting events unfold with delicate pacing. Rather than rushing in and barrelling along at a frantic pace there’s long drives and ferry rides (the novel is set in the fjords of Norway, not down-town LA afterall), a stealthy gathering of every shred of evidence (and a lot of people’s cages rattled) before going in for the violent and bloody climax.
Gunnar Staalesen is clearly a master-at-work by now, having first introduced the world to Varg Veum back in 1977. The prose is richly detailed, the plot enthused with social and environmental commentary while while never diminishing in interest or pace, the dialogue natural and convincing and the supporting characters all bristle with life.
A multi-layered, engrossing and skilfully written novel, there’s not an excess word in We Shall Inherit The Wind. It’s a slow-building exercise in suspense that’s 100% addictive, one that gets you in the wolf’s jaws with the first few lines, sinks its teeth in and won’t let go until long after the finale.
After my first dip into the world of Varg Veum I’m left wanting more. With We Shall Inherit The Wind I’ve been afforded a snap-shot into the life of a very complex but nonetheless endearing and relatable character and anxiously await the next two instalments from my favourite publisher. Though I may search out the earlier two novels to have made it into English.
We Shall Inherit the Wind BF AW.inddSet in 1998, Staalesen’s private investigator Varg Veum sits at the hospital bedside of his long-term girlfriend Karin as she battles life-threatening injuries bought about by the events surrounding Varg’s latest investigation.
From here Staalesen takes us back – by “barely a week” – to re-trace those events (when I re-read that line for this review I had to read it twice as so much is packed into just a few days). Given how we know where they lead, the edge of the seat is pretty much all you’ll occupy from here on in.
This ominous start leads us into a missing-persons case, with Veum pretty certain that the missing man – Mons Mæland – is already dead. Veum’s initial digging into Mæland’s affairs opens up a Pandora’s Box of questions with no clear answers. Every clue seems to point toward a more complex mystery which becomes all the more thrilling when Mæland is found dead – in a most dramatic fashion – and the plot thickens.
Location is key. While Veum operates out of Staalesen’s own Bergen, most of the action takes place on the fictitious Brennøy and nearby islands. We’re a little outside of the comfort-zone here, you got the sense that you’re out in the wilds on each occasion that Veum leaves Bergen behind, with civilisation just a little too far over the horizon – indeed, law and order needs to arrive via helicopter.
From experience I know how stunning Norway can be but this isn’t a summer holiday; this is autumn and Staalesen uses the isolation afforded by the setting to up the chill-factor. From the off, almost, the remote locations hang heavy with foreboding:
"…the trees stood like dark monuments to a time when not only the mountains had to be clad but every tiny scrap of island skirted by the fjord. Accordingly spruces lined long stretches of the Vestland cost. No one had thinned the striplings, and no one had cut down the trees except the cabin owners who had desperately tried to clear themselves a place in the sun. It looked as if they had given up here ages ago."
So much to love in that paragraph alone… “dark monuments”…. “desperately tried”… “given up here ages ago”… you almost have the “abandon all hope” sign nailed to the start of the chapter.
Far from being a run-of-the-mill who-dunnit, We Shall Inherit The Wind is an intense read, pulling in eco-terrorism, religious fanaticism, corruption both at corporate and local-government level, plot twist after plot twist and a cast of characters with plenty of secrets and hidden connections. Two, three, four times I thought I’d sussed out who was behind Mæland’s murder only to be left utterly open-mouthed by the final reveal with Veum keeping his cards close to his chest right until the bitter end. I’ll admit I also felt like I’d been emotionally sucker-punched come the end, having been so caught up in the mystery as to be left open for the impact of the human consequences.
Varg means “wolf” in Norwegian and the novel approaches the plot just as a wolf its prey; elements come together piece-by-piece, as the wolf slowly and assuredly stalks it prey Varg is a wise hunter, patiently letting events unfold with delicate pacing. Rather than rushing in and barrelling along at a frantic pace there’s long drives and ferry rides (the novel is set in the fjords of Norway, not down-town LA afterall), a stealthy gathering of every shred of evidence (and a lot of people’s cages rattled) before going in for the violent and bloody climax.
Gunnar Staalesen is clearly a master-at-work by now, having first introduced the world to Varg Veum back in 1977. The prose is richly detailed, the plot enthused with social and environmental commentary while while never diminishing in interest or pace, the dialogue natural and convincing and the supporting characters all bristle with life.
A multi-layered, engrossing and skilfully written novel, there’s not an excess word in We Shall Inherit The Wind. It’s a slow-building exercise in suspense that’s 100% addictive, one that gets you in the wolf’s jaws with the first few lines, sinks its teeth in and won’t let go until long after the finale.
After my first dip into the world of Varg Veum I’m left wanting more. With We Shall Inherit The Wind I’ve been afforded a snap-shot into the life of a very complex but nonetheless endearing and relatable character and anxiously await the next two instalments from my favourite publisher. Though I may search out the earlier two novels to have made it into English.
July 14, 2018
My first story from Staalesen, but not my last. A good mystery with excellent descriptions of characters and surroundings, I look forward to many more.
June 16, 2015
Reviewed on Crime Fiction Lover
Little known fact: there is a statue of Gunnar Staalesen’s private detective character Varg Veum in the author’s home town of Bergen, Norway. We can begin to appreciate why with the translation of the 14th instalment of the series into English. It’s the sixth one to come out in English, but the books have been hugely popular in Norwegian, German and Swedish and there are 16 of them in total.
Varg (Norwegian for wolf) is a private detective, which is rather unusual in Scandinavian crime fiction. His cases aren’t so procedural, either. Instead we experience the travails of a dedicated in-your-face gumshoe who just doesn’t know when to quit. Varg is a hardboiled protagonist but with a decidedly sensitive side, who tells his story in the first person a little bit like Chandler’s Philip Marlowe. We Shall Inherit the Wind opens with an achingly poignant scene where he is tending his fiancée Karin at her hospital bedside. She is near death and he blames himself. Alongside Varg, we go back and find out why…
Varg is asked by Karin to help her friend Ranveig. Successful businessman Mons Maeland, Ranveig’s husband, has disappeared. When they rendezvous for the interview, Varg finds her in a charming summer house by the sea with a family friend, Brekkhus, who is a former cop. Coincidentally, Brekkhus previously investigated the disappearance of Maeland’s first wife Lea, who vanished 17 years earlier at the very same site and was never found. Varg agrees to take the case, but senses he’s not getting the whole story from Ranveig and Brekkhus, whose role is unclear. As he investigates further and talks to Lea’s children he learns they have no love for Ranveig, who hooked up with their father a little too soon after their mother’s disappearance, which was unofficially written off as a suicide by sea.
Mon’s disappearance coincides with his sudden change of heart on his company’s plans to develop wind turbines on a pristine coastal island. The wind farm is at the center of a war between environmental activists and big business, and Maeland’s son and daughter are on opposing sides. When Varg follows this line of inquiry it leads him to Ole Rørdal, the local eco-warrior who publicly condemns the plan at every opportunity. As the company prepares to survey the site, the sleepy island becomes the centre of a standoff between the activists and the suits. It turns out their are factions within the environmentalists who disagree on the best way to oppose the wind farm. On the island, Varg meets all the players, including the proprietor of the local hotel, who is Ole’s mother, and her Christian fundamentalist husband. Varg is most curious, however, about a giant, ham-fisted goon who has been hanging around.
One of the more radical activists, Svenson, disappears and is eventually found beaten and tied up nearby. But that’s nothing compared to the graphic tableau that follows: Mons, the indecisive figure on the fence between the warring factions around the proposed wind farm, is found crucified on the building site. When Svenson himself is killed in a botched act of terrorism, the story’s pace really kicks off. In Staalesen’s deft yet unhurried style, numerous plot threads are interwoven around the kernel of suspense established in the beginning: how Varg’s fiancée came to be harmed.
No longer charged with finding Mons, Varg continues to probe. Personal betrayals, shady deals and the true motives of the vying parties are laid bare in the suspenseful final confrontation we’ve been waiting for, with Veum in the thick of it. This masterful first-person narrative is very much character-driven, as Varg’s tenacious personality drives his destiny and the events that lead up to the surprise-laden finale. We look forward to more translations of this series.
Little known fact: there is a statue of Gunnar Staalesen’s private detective character Varg Veum in the author’s home town of Bergen, Norway. We can begin to appreciate why with the translation of the 14th instalment of the series into English. It’s the sixth one to come out in English, but the books have been hugely popular in Norwegian, German and Swedish and there are 16 of them in total.
Varg (Norwegian for wolf) is a private detective, which is rather unusual in Scandinavian crime fiction. His cases aren’t so procedural, either. Instead we experience the travails of a dedicated in-your-face gumshoe who just doesn’t know when to quit. Varg is a hardboiled protagonist but with a decidedly sensitive side, who tells his story in the first person a little bit like Chandler’s Philip Marlowe. We Shall Inherit the Wind opens with an achingly poignant scene where he is tending his fiancée Karin at her hospital bedside. She is near death and he blames himself. Alongside Varg, we go back and find out why…
Varg is asked by Karin to help her friend Ranveig. Successful businessman Mons Maeland, Ranveig’s husband, has disappeared. When they rendezvous for the interview, Varg finds her in a charming summer house by the sea with a family friend, Brekkhus, who is a former cop. Coincidentally, Brekkhus previously investigated the disappearance of Maeland’s first wife Lea, who vanished 17 years earlier at the very same site and was never found. Varg agrees to take the case, but senses he’s not getting the whole story from Ranveig and Brekkhus, whose role is unclear. As he investigates further and talks to Lea’s children he learns they have no love for Ranveig, who hooked up with their father a little too soon after their mother’s disappearance, which was unofficially written off as a suicide by sea.
Mon’s disappearance coincides with his sudden change of heart on his company’s plans to develop wind turbines on a pristine coastal island. The wind farm is at the center of a war between environmental activists and big business, and Maeland’s son and daughter are on opposing sides. When Varg follows this line of inquiry it leads him to Ole Rørdal, the local eco-warrior who publicly condemns the plan at every opportunity. As the company prepares to survey the site, the sleepy island becomes the centre of a standoff between the activists and the suits. It turns out their are factions within the environmentalists who disagree on the best way to oppose the wind farm. On the island, Varg meets all the players, including the proprietor of the local hotel, who is Ole’s mother, and her Christian fundamentalist husband. Varg is most curious, however, about a giant, ham-fisted goon who has been hanging around.
One of the more radical activists, Svenson, disappears and is eventually found beaten and tied up nearby. But that’s nothing compared to the graphic tableau that follows: Mons, the indecisive figure on the fence between the warring factions around the proposed wind farm, is found crucified on the building site. When Svenson himself is killed in a botched act of terrorism, the story’s pace really kicks off. In Staalesen’s deft yet unhurried style, numerous plot threads are interwoven around the kernel of suspense established in the beginning: how Varg’s fiancée came to be harmed.
No longer charged with finding Mons, Varg continues to probe. Personal betrayals, shady deals and the true motives of the vying parties are laid bare in the suspenseful final confrontation we’ve been waiting for, with Veum in the thick of it. This masterful first-person narrative is very much character-driven, as Varg’s tenacious personality drives his destiny and the events that lead up to the surprise-laden finale. We look forward to more translations of this series.
January 13, 2016
Posted on Library cat
Not so long time ago, I watched tv series that I really liked with the main character, Varg Veum. I had no idea that those series were made after book series. I recently bought a book from the Nordic noir section, and I was pleasantly surprised to find out that the main character was a private investigator named Varg Veum.I am a great fan of Scandinavian crime noir and shame on me, I haven't read anything from Gunnar Staalensen before. This is my first book from this author, but certainly won't be the last.
On a small island in Norway, Mons Mæland has been reported missing. His second wife is an old friend of Veum's long-term girlfriend and she asks her for a favor. Veum is a private investigator who can do some investigation and find out what might have happened to the old man who spends a lot of time away from home and might not be missing at all. The life of Mons Mæland is surrounded with mystery. His first wife also is missing. She disappeared many years ago, she was claimed dead after a while, even if the body was never found. In the present, there is a fight for the windmills on the island between the father and the son in the Mæland family. Mons wanted them away while the son thought that windmills were the future of the island. Could his disappearance has something to do with the wind?
There are not many people who live on the island. A small village full of ordinary people with ordinary problems. Gossips are definitely not lacking. Some people are too conservative, some are trying to escape from their ordinary life and live their dreams. Everything seems normal for a village full of fishermen, but under the surface, things are far from normal.
Varg Veum is true crime noir character. His name means „lone wolf“, it definitely suits him. He starts the story while sitting in the hospital next to the woman he loves who's dying. Then he transfers the reader back to the time when it all started. He retells the things from his own point of view, to end the story back in the present, next to the bed of his loved one who is dying. He never uses weapon or violence, just his mind, a mind that never settles down even when things seem over. Because the detective inside knows when it's over. He hardly shows his feelings, he looks solid as a rock, but he suffers from inside. His sense for justice is stronger than anything else, he is unstoppable until he collects all the pieces in the puzzle.
Gunnar Staalesen is a real storyteller and I'll be in search of his other books in the future. His storytelling is slow but contagious and very, very unpredictable. Once you start, you can not put the book down. Perfect read for fans of old-fashioned whodunit!
Not so long time ago, I watched tv series that I really liked with the main character, Varg Veum. I had no idea that those series were made after book series. I recently bought a book from the Nordic noir section, and I was pleasantly surprised to find out that the main character was a private investigator named Varg Veum.I am a great fan of Scandinavian crime noir and shame on me, I haven't read anything from Gunnar Staalensen before. This is my first book from this author, but certainly won't be the last.
On a small island in Norway, Mons Mæland has been reported missing. His second wife is an old friend of Veum's long-term girlfriend and she asks her for a favor. Veum is a private investigator who can do some investigation and find out what might have happened to the old man who spends a lot of time away from home and might not be missing at all. The life of Mons Mæland is surrounded with mystery. His first wife also is missing. She disappeared many years ago, she was claimed dead after a while, even if the body was never found. In the present, there is a fight for the windmills on the island between the father and the son in the Mæland family. Mons wanted them away while the son thought that windmills were the future of the island. Could his disappearance has something to do with the wind?
There are not many people who live on the island. A small village full of ordinary people with ordinary problems. Gossips are definitely not lacking. Some people are too conservative, some are trying to escape from their ordinary life and live their dreams. Everything seems normal for a village full of fishermen, but under the surface, things are far from normal.
Varg Veum is true crime noir character. His name means „lone wolf“, it definitely suits him. He starts the story while sitting in the hospital next to the woman he loves who's dying. Then he transfers the reader back to the time when it all started. He retells the things from his own point of view, to end the story back in the present, next to the bed of his loved one who is dying. He never uses weapon or violence, just his mind, a mind that never settles down even when things seem over. Because the detective inside knows when it's over. He hardly shows his feelings, he looks solid as a rock, but he suffers from inside. His sense for justice is stronger than anything else, he is unstoppable until he collects all the pieces in the puzzle.
Gunnar Staalesen is a real storyteller and I'll be in search of his other books in the future. His storytelling is slow but contagious and very, very unpredictable. Once you start, you can not put the book down. Perfect read for fans of old-fashioned whodunit!
May 16, 2016
Stallesen is really the only writer that creates a male detective that's held my interest the way Harry Hole has. Veum is totally different than Hole, but due to his background he's very compelling.
This was an interesting book that held back some twists until the very end. It also raised some interesting environmental questions, and while it moved quickly and had a lot of action, the narrative was easy to follow and once you got going, the book was very hard to put down. Also, because the book opens on the final scenes of the narrative, you're very eager to find out how the characters got to where you know they are.
My main issue with these books is that they're translated out of order. This is the first, and we see a completely different side of Veum than we do in the later books. Like, I hadn't realized his age, or known about his previous relationships, because the previous book I read was #11 in the series. So this introduction and background was great, but I wish these were released chronologically. Also, there is a definite noire element (his name translates to 'Lone Wolf', which is a little over the top), even though this novel takes place outside, in the light.
This is a compelling series, with very strong characters and writing. Definitely worth checking out if you're a mystery fan - I think that two more books are being translated this year and early next year.
This was an interesting book that held back some twists until the very end. It also raised some interesting environmental questions, and while it moved quickly and had a lot of action, the narrative was easy to follow and once you got going, the book was very hard to put down. Also, because the book opens on the final scenes of the narrative, you're very eager to find out how the characters got to where you know they are.
My main issue with these books is that they're translated out of order. This is the first, and we see a completely different side of Veum than we do in the later books. Like, I hadn't realized his age, or known about his previous relationships, because the previous book I read was #11 in the series. So this introduction and background was great, but I wish these were released chronologically. Also, there is a definite noire element (his name translates to 'Lone Wolf', which is a little over the top), even though this novel takes place outside, in the light.
This is a compelling series, with very strong characters and writing. Definitely worth checking out if you're a mystery fan - I think that two more books are being translated this year and early next year.
August 24, 2017
Top notch Scandi crime / Nordic noir, written and translated with real emotional intensity.
Hard to do it justice in a short review – if you’re new to the Varg Veum series then definitely start with this book, 'Wind', which opens a new chapter in the long-running series and in perhaps the most monstrous way imaginable.
Set in Bergen in Norway; evokes a genuine sense of place, and of the local tensions evoked by conflicting commercial development and environmental concerns. Smart storytelling, a tight plot, plenty of social conscience and commentary, and some killers one-liners.
First class prose and an intriguing storyline. Engaging and intelligent crime fiction.
9/10
There's a much longer discussion about this series over at https://murdermayhemandmore.wordpress...
Hard to do it justice in a short review – if you’re new to the Varg Veum series then definitely start with this book, 'Wind', which opens a new chapter in the long-running series and in perhaps the most monstrous way imaginable.
Set in Bergen in Norway; evokes a genuine sense of place, and of the local tensions evoked by conflicting commercial development and environmental concerns. Smart storytelling, a tight plot, plenty of social conscience and commentary, and some killers one-liners.
First class prose and an intriguing storyline. Engaging and intelligent crime fiction.
9/10
There's a much longer discussion about this series over at https://murdermayhemandmore.wordpress...
March 5, 2018
Somewhere I read that Gunnar Staalesen is the father of Nordic noir, so i thought I would read one of his books. He is a master. The detective, Varg Veum (whose name means "wolf") is in the Dashiell Hammett- Raymond Chandler vein: serious, principled, not well liked by cops and always following his own moral code.
This story is about a disappeared man whose wife wants him located. Veum travels back and forth amongst various Norwegian cities and islands, uncovering various reasons for the disappearance and eventually the man himself shows up. But Veum refuses to let the case stop there and continues looking into the reasons for the disappearance, which makes him extremely unpopular with both the man's family and his enemies. The end is extremely dark.
Highly recommended book and author.
This story is about a disappeared man whose wife wants him located. Veum travels back and forth amongst various Norwegian cities and islands, uncovering various reasons for the disappearance and eventually the man himself shows up. But Veum refuses to let the case stop there and continues looking into the reasons for the disappearance, which makes him extremely unpopular with both the man's family and his enemies. The end is extremely dark.
Highly recommended book and author.
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