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Louise Rick #1
The Midnight Witness
Rookie homicide detective Louise Rick makes her debut in this thrilling #1 international bestseller that launched 3 million copy bestselling writer Sara Blaedel's incredible career.
A young woman is found strangled in a park, and a male journalist has been killed in the backyard of the Royal Hotel in Copenhagen.
Detective Louise Rick is put on the case of the young girl, but very soon becomes entangled in solving the other homicide too when it turns out her best friend, journalist Camilla Lind, knew the murdered man. Louise tries to keep her friend from getting too involved, but Camilla's never been one to miss out on an interesting story. And this time, Camilla may have gone too far...
Emotionally riveting and filled with unexpected twists, THE MIDNIGHT WITNESS is a tour-de-force from international phenomenon Sara Blaedel.
A young woman is found strangled in a park, and a male journalist has been killed in the backyard of the Royal Hotel in Copenhagen.
Detective Louise Rick is put on the case of the young girl, but very soon becomes entangled in solving the other homicide too when it turns out her best friend, journalist Camilla Lind, knew the murdered man. Louise tries to keep her friend from getting too involved, but Camilla's never been one to miss out on an interesting story. And this time, Camilla may have gone too far...
Emotionally riveting and filled with unexpected twists, THE MIDNIGHT WITNESS is a tour-de-force from international phenomenon Sara Blaedel.
291 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2004
519 people are currently reading
6099 people want to read
About the author
Sara Blaedel
35 books2,026 followersSara Blaedel is the author of the #1 international bestselling series featuring Detective Louise Rick. Her books are published in thirty-seven countries. In 2014 Sara was voted Denmark’s most popular novelist for the fourth time. She is also a recipient of the Golden Laurel, Denmark’s most prestigious literary award.
In 2016 she published the first book "The Undertakers Daughter" in a new trilogy set in Racine, Wisconsin:
Already widowed by the age of forty, Ilka Nichols Jensen, a school portrait photographer, leads a modest, regimented, and uneventful life in Copenhagen. Until unexpected news rocks her quiet existence: Her father–who walked out suddenly and inexplicably on the family more than three decades ago–has died. And he’s left her something in his will: his funeral home. In Racine, Wisconsin.
In 2016 she published the first book "The Undertakers Daughter" in a new trilogy set in Racine, Wisconsin:
Already widowed by the age of forty, Ilka Nichols Jensen, a school portrait photographer, leads a modest, regimented, and uneventful life in Copenhagen. Until unexpected news rocks her quiet existence: Her father–who walked out suddenly and inexplicably on the family more than three decades ago–has died. And he’s left her something in his will: his funeral home. In Racine, Wisconsin.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 346 reviews
January 4, 2021
"Green Dust". A Danish book about a police officer who's investigating what looks to be an 'ordinary' murder, but which turns out to be tied into a drug empire. Quite an interesting read, especially since it describes the life of a Danish police officer quite thoroughly and, according to a friend of mine who works for the police, rather accurately.
Reread in 2014 and weirdly enough liked this a lot more than on my first read-through, so I've upgraded my rating from 3 to 4 stars. Quite amusing to read this after having gotten addicted to CSI and discovering how many things are much the same (like AFIS) and how many absolutely aren't (CSI are playing a bit fast and loose with how long it takes to get results from a DNA test).
I did think the friendship between Louise and Camilla was a bit more tell than show in this book unfortunately. It wasn't always entirely obvious why they were friends, but if I recall correctly, this improves in the later books.
Reread in 2014 and weirdly enough liked this a lot more than on my first read-through, so I've upgraded my rating from 3 to 4 stars. Quite amusing to read this after having gotten addicted to CSI and discovering how many things are much the same (like AFIS) and how many absolutely aren't (CSI are playing a bit fast and loose with how long it takes to get results from a DNA test).
I did think the friendship between Louise and Camilla was a bit more tell than show in this book unfortunately. It wasn't always entirely obvious why they were friends, but if I recall correctly, this improves in the later books.
April 21, 2021
2,5 ⭐️
Si tuviera que usar una sola palabra para definir “Testigo de medianoche” sería decepcionante. No sé si fue culpa de la traducción (había algunas frases que parecían traducidas con el Google translate) o que es la primera novela de la autora, pero no me ha parecido para nada memorable.
A pesar de haber dos tramas y dos investigaciones ninguna de las dos es especialmente destacable. No entiendo por qué prácticamente todo el libro se centra en la investigación de la chica asesinada para que luego la resolución sea sobre el caso del periodista muerto, y el asesino de la chica sea nombrado casi de pasada en los cinco últimos minutos.
¿Cómo no es posible que nadie en todo el Cuerpo de Policía ni una periodista que se supone muy avispada pudiesen averiguar quién estaba detrás del asesinato del periodista cuando yo me lo imaginé prácticamente desde el principio?
La historia se centró demasiado en las vidas personales de Louise y Camilla, hay escenas muy alargadas y demasiados personajes (¿en serio son necesarios 7 policías diferentes?). Al principio me costó un poco centrarme con tantos nombres, especialmente porque es un audiolibro y muchos de ellos sonaban parecidos.
A pesar de no haberme parecido una novela especialmente destacable seguiré con la serie, porque me la han recomendando encarecidamente y aún tengo esperanzas de que mejore.
Si tuviera que usar una sola palabra para definir “Testigo de medianoche” sería decepcionante. No sé si fue culpa de la traducción (había algunas frases que parecían traducidas con el Google translate) o que es la primera novela de la autora, pero no me ha parecido para nada memorable.
A pesar de haber dos tramas y dos investigaciones ninguna de las dos es especialmente destacable. No entiendo por qué prácticamente todo el libro se centra en la investigación de la chica asesinada para que luego la resolución sea sobre el caso del periodista muerto, y el asesino de la chica sea nombrado casi de pasada en los cinco últimos minutos.
¿Cómo no es posible que nadie en todo el Cuerpo de Policía ni una periodista que se supone muy avispada pudiesen averiguar quién estaba detrás del asesinato del periodista cuando yo me lo imaginé prácticamente desde el principio?
La historia se centró demasiado en las vidas personales de Louise y Camilla, hay escenas muy alargadas y demasiados personajes (¿en serio son necesarios 7 policías diferentes?). Al principio me costó un poco centrarme con tantos nombres, especialmente porque es un audiolibro y muchos de ellos sonaban parecidos.
A pesar de no haberme parecido una novela especialmente destacable seguiré con la serie, porque me la han recomendando encarecidamente y aún tengo esperanzas de que mejore.
February 10, 2020
3.5/4
A gripping read - if a little stilted at times. Unsure if that is down to the translator or the fact that this was her first book. Possibly a bit of both? I've read the first 2 books in the Undertaker's Daughter series and found them to be much better reads (in terms of the quality of the writing). But I enjoyed this sufficiently to want to persevere with the series.
A gripping read - if a little stilted at times. Unsure if that is down to the translator or the fact that this was her first book. Possibly a bit of both? I've read the first 2 books in the Undertaker's Daughter series and found them to be much better reads (in terms of the quality of the writing). But I enjoyed this sufficiently to want to persevere with the series.
August 3, 2021
Aburrido, lentísimo, sin chispa ni acción. Ni cuando se descubre al asesino pasa nada. Personajes meh…destacándose Camilla, la amiga de la policía por insoportable. Increíble que la policía creyera todo de puntillas y no sospechara nada. No lo recomiendo.
May 10, 2017
Και ναι, ομολογώ ότι διάβασα το βιβλίο ενθουσιασμένη από τα "Ξεχασμένα κορίτσια" το πιο πρόσφατο βιβλίο με πρωταγωνίστρια την Λουίσε Ρικ-όχι ότι ήταν απαραίτητο αλλά σε περίπτωση που αναρωτιέστε
Ενώ δεν είχε το σοκαριστικό, ανατρεπτικό τέλος όπως άλλα βιβλία του ίδιου είδους-από ένα σημείο και έπειτα προοικονομούνται αρκετά στοιχεία, η συγγραφέας με μαεστρία περιγράφει τον κόσμο της αστυνομίας και τον κόσμο της εφημερίδας.
Πολύ woman power το βιβλίο, πολύ badass πρωταγωνίστριες και, για να χρησιμοποιήσω και κανέναν ελληνικό επιθετικό προσδιορισμό, δυναμικές και αποφασιστικές προσωπικότητες χωρίς να απουσιάζει και το στοιχείο της ευαισθησίας.
Έγραψα ότι αγαπώ Sara Blaedel; Αγαπώ Sara Blaedel!
Ενώ δεν είχε το σοκαριστικό, ανατρεπτικό τέλος όπως άλλα βιβλία του ίδιου είδους-από ένα σημείο και έπειτα προοικονομούνται αρκετά στοιχεία, η συγγραφέας με μαεστρία περιγράφει τον κόσμο της αστυνομίας και τον κόσμο της εφημερίδας.
Πολύ woman power το βιβλίο, πολύ badass πρωταγωνίστριες και, για να χρησιμοποιήσω και κανέναν ελληνικό επιθετικό προσδιορισμό, δυναμικές και αποφασιστικές προσωπικότητες χωρίς να απουσιάζει και το στοιχείο της ευαισθησίας.
Έγραψα ότι αγαπώ Sara Blaedel; Αγαπώ Sara Blaedel!
January 24, 2022
Generally speaking, I'm a fan of Nordic Noir, especially the works of Jo Nesbø, Jussi Adler-Olsen and the Millennium/The Girl books, which is why I decided to finally give Sara Blædel's series a try. In those other series, one of the keys to the plots is that the protagonists are all damaged in one way or another, and through their investigations they find redemption and new life. The Midnight Witness (a.k.a. Green Dust) isn't really the same, aside from being a crime novel. While the writing itself is quite solid, the story line isn't quite the dark, brooding kind, and is more police procedural. The novel is ostensibly about Louise Rick, a homicide detective whose only real "damage" is the fact that while going to deliver bad news to a victim's next of kin becomes overwhelmed with grief and gets sick, which is frowned upon by her colleagues and superiors. Moreover, nearly half the book is about her newspaper reporter friend Camilla who betrays Rick's trust by writing a story based on something she was told in confidence, and who comes across as being whiny and too quick-tempered over how she is treated at the paper and how she feels she should be treated. Though this ends up being central to the story, the effect makes the novel feel more like some NBC weekly buddy cop show - The Uneasy Detective and The Hot Tempered Journalist. Plus, there was what presumably was a major "unexpected" plot twist toward the end, which I totally saw coming about halfway through the book. I wouldn't say the novel was that bad, but I didn't like it as much as I thought I would, and am debating if I want to give more of the series a try.
April 12, 2019
"The Midnight Witness" by Sara Blaedel is a murder mystery set in Copenhagen. I hadn't realized that this is Blaedel's debut novel. It was published in Danish in 2004 under the title "Grønt Støv" (Green Dust). I read the edition published in 2018 - as "The Midnight Witness" - which is the first English translation. The sleuth is a homicide detective - Louise Rick - of the Copenhagen Police Department. As expected, it reads as a police procedural but with surprisingly little attention to actual clues. The conflicts between Louise and her friend Camille, and Louise and the other cops, drives most of the drama. Oddly, the initial murder of a young woman peters out. The murders of two reporters takes over the story but Louise doesn’t solve this case. She is there as the solution is given to her by a secondary character. As for that young woman's murder way at the beginning of the novel, Louise seems to solve that 'off-stage' from pretty minimal clues. In about two off-handed sentences tucked into the last chapter, Louise tells us who did it but by then I had more-or-less forgotten about that particular crime ten or twelve chapters back.
February 14, 2019
This is the first book I have read by this Danish author and I definitely will be reading more from Ms Blaedel. Although I know absolutely nothing about Copenhagen I really did enjoy this book. It was fun getting to know a smart female detective, Louise Rick and her best friend, reporter Camilla Lind. They are both stubborn and determined women. Rick, being a homicide detective , often has to be very careful what she tells her friend about an investigation because Camilla is a crime reporter who is always looking for an inside scoop.
May 26, 2023
2 stars - Crime/Mystery
June 20, 2019
I'm not certain if the major barrier for me here was the cultural differences in how other countries' police forces operate or something entirely different, but I just could not get on board with this and the way any of the police officer characters were presented. I don't think a single one came across as anything other than an amateurish, bumbling idiot. So many different officers with their hands in investigative pies and yet they don't really know what those other officers or investigators are doing or what they've found out?! There was no clear process of procedure of things that would automatically, routinely happen in every investigation. The whole police side of this book just felt clumsy at all levels. It is kind of terrifying to think this is the way actual police departments may work in other countries.
The two major characters, Louise and Camilla, were kind of horrible. Louise's character came across as completely flat. I never got any kind of sense of her personality other than she is rather cold and unemotional. Except we are told she broke down, so I guess that means she has emotional depth? Camilla. What do I say about Camilla? Um... she is that character in every scary movie that everyone watching is screaming at the screen, "DON'T GO IN THERE!" knowing they are actually going to be that stupid. Oh, and she is an emotional basket case, about as unstable as 100 year old dynamite.
Outside of being kind of blindsided by the lack of what I have come to expect in a typical police/crime drama (things like process, procedure, basic intellect and deduction rather than snap judgements and assumptions), I was bored. Almost exactly nothing of note happens in probably 80% of this book. The majority of that only happens in the last 10%. The plot was just really uninteresting. Probably because you spend most of it wondering where the actual, experienced police are.
The two major characters, Louise and Camilla, were kind of horrible. Louise's character came across as completely flat. I never got any kind of sense of her personality other than she is rather cold and unemotional. Except we are told she broke down, so I guess that means she has emotional depth? Camilla. What do I say about Camilla? Um... she is that character in every scary movie that everyone watching is screaming at the screen, "DON'T GO IN THERE!" knowing they are actually going to be that stupid. Oh, and she is an emotional basket case, about as unstable as 100 year old dynamite.
Outside of being kind of blindsided by the lack of what I have come to expect in a typical police/crime drama (things like process, procedure, basic intellect and deduction rather than snap judgements and assumptions), I was bored. Almost exactly nothing of note happens in probably 80% of this book. The majority of that only happens in the last 10%. The plot was just really uninteresting. Probably because you spend most of it wondering where the actual, experienced police are.
May 9, 2022
En mi blog: https://lecturasdemarichu.blogspot.co...
Una serie a la que le tenía ganas desde hace tiempo pero no estaban editados en español todos ni correlativos, ahora Jentas los ha reeditado en orden y acaba de publicar el octavo con lo que, a por ellos!! Empiezo con el primero y ya vamos viendo...
Bueno pues no está mal, es una policiaca típica nórdica aunque es light, no hay escenas escabrosas ni gores, lo típico, asesinatos que pueden estar conectados o no....asesino que pasa desapercibido...
Los personajes principales son la detective Louise Rick y su amiga la periodista Camilla Lind, ambas están metidas en la investigación de los asesinatos que les pueden pasar factura personal y laboralmente. Los personajes que los rodean a destacar son el compañero de Louise y su pareja, ambos le dan algo más de aderezo a la historia aunque sin tirar muchos cohetes.
El asesinato de un periodista y una joven ponen a trabajar al departamento de Louise y al periódico de Camilla. Rick tiene que descubrir al asesino y Camilla dar la noticia antes de que se les adelante algún otro periódico. La amistad entre ambas puede parecer una ventaja aunque en ocasiones les da problemas de ética y confianza.
La detective Rick es la única mujer de su departamento y en la trama refleja algunas pinceladas aun sobre la discriminación de la mujer en ciertos sectores laborales.
La protagonista me gusta bastante y en general la trama está bastante bien si no fuera por la lentitud y por tanto nombre ilegible que parece que estamos ante un catálogo de Ikea y que hace que te descentres de la historia.
Una serie a la que le tenía ganas desde hace tiempo pero no estaban editados en español todos ni correlativos, ahora Jentas los ha reeditado en orden y acaba de publicar el octavo con lo que, a por ellos!! Empiezo con el primero y ya vamos viendo...
Bueno pues no está mal, es una policiaca típica nórdica aunque es light, no hay escenas escabrosas ni gores, lo típico, asesinatos que pueden estar conectados o no....asesino que pasa desapercibido...
Los personajes principales son la detective Louise Rick y su amiga la periodista Camilla Lind, ambas están metidas en la investigación de los asesinatos que les pueden pasar factura personal y laboralmente. Los personajes que los rodean a destacar son el compañero de Louise y su pareja, ambos le dan algo más de aderezo a la historia aunque sin tirar muchos cohetes.
El asesinato de un periodista y una joven ponen a trabajar al departamento de Louise y al periódico de Camilla. Rick tiene que descubrir al asesino y Camilla dar la noticia antes de que se les adelante algún otro periódico. La amistad entre ambas puede parecer una ventaja aunque en ocasiones les da problemas de ética y confianza.
La detective Rick es la única mujer de su departamento y en la trama refleja algunas pinceladas aun sobre la discriminación de la mujer en ciertos sectores laborales.
La protagonista me gusta bastante y en general la trama está bastante bien si no fuera por la lentitud y por tanto nombre ilegible que parece que estamos ante un catálogo de Ikea y que hace que te descentres de la historia.
September 1, 2020
Very disappointing book with predictable ending and tons of unnecessary characters with strange names. I get that this is Danish book and that names are Danish but I just couldn't keep up with all those strange names. There was merely a plot, nothing special was happening, investigation about two murders was moving slowly, we didn't have any valuable information or evidence until somewhere near the end. Louise Rick's life got most attention which made me think that focus of the book is mainly on her and not on the criminal cases. Person responsible for all that drug troubles and homicides was obvious and there weren't any surprises. I also had problems with all those unnecessary colleagues of Louise, there were to many of them.
I wonder if maybe it is a bad translation because I read book on English that's also not my native language. So maybe the combination of both made this book a nightmare to me.
Camilla was getting on my nerves with her recklessness, for one reporter she should have been smarter and keep a low profile.
I will continue reading Louise Rick's adventures because after reading Missing Girls (book that is later in the series), in order to continue to Killing forest, I realized that I need to read the previous ones to understand context because past relationships keep coming up.
But honestly, the worst Criminal novel I have read so far!
I wonder if maybe it is a bad translation because I read book on English that's also not my native language. So maybe the combination of both made this book a nightmare to me.
Camilla was getting on my nerves with her recklessness, for one reporter she should have been smarter and keep a low profile.
I will continue reading Louise Rick's adventures because after reading Missing Girls (book that is later in the series), in order to continue to Killing forest, I realized that I need to read the previous ones to understand context because past relationships keep coming up.
But honestly, the worst Criminal novel I have read so far!
January 7, 2022
I'm on a roll...yet another book I do not care to finish. Not for me.
January 12, 2020
This book was a 3.5 star mystery for me. After agonizing over whether to round it up or down, I have rounded it down. I didn't mind about having guessed the true perp halfway through the story.
What bothered me about this book was the homicide detective Louise Rick's best friend, Camilla Lind.
I didn't like Camilla one bit. And since Camilla is apparently the protagonist's permanent sidekick in this series, I'm not sure I can continue to Book 2.
Can Camilla's portrayal be blamed on the translation?
What bothered me about this book was the homicide detective Louise Rick's best friend, Camilla Lind.
I didn't like Camilla one bit. And since Camilla is apparently the protagonist's permanent sidekick in this series, I'm not sure I can continue to Book 2.
Can Camilla's portrayal be blamed on the translation?
December 31, 2022
The Midnight Witness is the first book in Sara Blaedel’s Louise Rick series of police procedurals. This initial offering is a little slow at first but in this novel Blaedel is setting all her pieces on the board-and rest assured the pace does pick up. Something is rotten in Denmark-specifically Copenhagen. Rick finds herself investigating the murder of a young woman found in a public park as well as that of a veteran crime reporter. I think it’s a really good idea to spice up your reading journey by looking at offerings from other countries. The rhythms and language choices are just a little different from what Americans are used to and it is refreshing to experience a different slice of life. I find most Nordic crime fiction to be really accessible and enjoyable. You should check out authors like Blaedel, Asa Larsson, Jo Nesbo, and Camilla Lackberg.
July 11, 2020
The novel begins on an interesting enough premise - a young woman is found dead after a night out with friends and a well-known as well-known journalist, two seemingly unrelated deaths. The novel is heavy on characters and Louise Ricks, the primary protagonist, a hard-working police officer and her friend Cassandra, a journalist, get involved in the who and why of these murders.
I didn’t feel particularly empathic towards any of the characters as they were relatively shallow and one dimensional. They were either happy or mad and there wasn’t much more emotional dimension than that. They also seemed very focused on self,
Then the plot veered off into drug related matters and that’s where it lost me. I’ve grown bored with drug trafficking plots that seem to be a favorite for folks. There were quality aspects to the novel, enough to capture my interest and keep me reading, but I found the plot predictable and lacking in innovative subject matter.
I didn’t feel particularly empathic towards any of the characters as they were relatively shallow and one dimensional. They were either happy or mad and there wasn’t much more emotional dimension than that. They also seemed very focused on self,
Then the plot veered off into drug related matters and that’s where it lost me. I’ve grown bored with drug trafficking plots that seem to be a favorite for folks. There were quality aspects to the novel, enough to capture my interest and keep me reading, but I found the plot predictable and lacking in innovative subject matter.
December 22, 2021
I've seen people say how much they enjoy this series and it's a must read and now I know why! This one was sensational.
Detective Louise Rick is such a strong character but at the same time you see some vulnerability that allows you to connect with her. The story has Rick investigating the case of a young woman strangled in a park and quite soon after, the murder of a journalist. Her best friend Camilla Lind is introduced and woven into the tale, along with Rick's partner and colleagues.
This was a strong police procedural and there was just something special about the characters and setting that really drew me in. I went out right away and reserved the next two at the library.
Detective Louise Rick is such a strong character but at the same time you see some vulnerability that allows you to connect with her. The story has Rick investigating the case of a young woman strangled in a park and quite soon after, the murder of a journalist. Her best friend Camilla Lind is introduced and woven into the tale, along with Rick's partner and colleagues.
This was a strong police procedural and there was just something special about the characters and setting that really drew me in. I went out right away and reserved the next two at the library.
January 16, 2022
Empieza lento y de concluye en chinga pero está bueno pa pasar el rato. No lo siento adictivo como suele ser la novela escandinava pero voy a ver qué otras cosas me encuentro de la autora para conocerla más porque dicen que es LA novedad de este género actualmente.
December 27, 2018
She may be Denmark's favorite author, but the latest entry in her series of detective novels is disappointing. The Midnight Witness is a police procedural, and like so many other stories in that category, the cast is large. Other authors such as Michael Connelly, Ian Rankin, and Joseph Wambaugh manage to keep a tight focus on their protagonists. However, they don't fall into the trap of implying the principals do all the investigative work.
Sara Blaedel only confuses. Her Department A in the Copenhagen Police is full of sketchily drawn characters. And, of course, they all have Danish names that are hard for an American to keep straight. The dialog is sometimes confusing as well. It's difficult at times to tell who's talking. Unfortunately, then, Denmark's favorite novelist disappoints.
The latest in the Louise Rick series by Denmark's favorite author
Louise Rick, Blaedel's protagonist, had been in the Criminal Investigations Department of the Copenhagen Police. One especially brutal case still haunted her. "It took a year before Louise stopped worrying about literally bursting into tears when notifying family members of a death." Now she is with Department A, the special function of which appears to be homicide although the unit also handled rape cases, violent crime, and vice. The investigation Louise is working now involves her closest friend, Camilla Lind, who had "dreamed about becoming a famous war correspondent . . . But something always seemed to sidetrack Camilla, and she had yet to reach any of the world's hot spots." But when a fellow journalist is murdered, Camilla sees a chance to make a name for herself. And Louise is drawn into the murky and dangerous circumstances surrounding the murder.
About the author
Sara Blaedel is the author of the #1 international bestselling series featuring Detective Louise Rick. Her books are published in thirty-seven countries. In 2014 Sara was voted Denmark’s most popular novelist for the fourth time. She is also a recipient of the Golden Laurel, Denmark’s most prestigious literary award. She lives in New York City.
Sara Blaedel only confuses. Her Department A in the Copenhagen Police is full of sketchily drawn characters. And, of course, they all have Danish names that are hard for an American to keep straight. The dialog is sometimes confusing as well. It's difficult at times to tell who's talking. Unfortunately, then, Denmark's favorite novelist disappoints.
The latest in the Louise Rick series by Denmark's favorite author
Louise Rick, Blaedel's protagonist, had been in the Criminal Investigations Department of the Copenhagen Police. One especially brutal case still haunted her. "It took a year before Louise stopped worrying about literally bursting into tears when notifying family members of a death." Now she is with Department A, the special function of which appears to be homicide although the unit also handled rape cases, violent crime, and vice. The investigation Louise is working now involves her closest friend, Camilla Lind, who had "dreamed about becoming a famous war correspondent . . . But something always seemed to sidetrack Camilla, and she had yet to reach any of the world's hot spots." But when a fellow journalist is murdered, Camilla sees a chance to make a name for herself. And Louise is drawn into the murky and dangerous circumstances surrounding the murder.
About the author
Sara Blaedel is the author of the #1 international bestselling series featuring Detective Louise Rick. Her books are published in thirty-seven countries. In 2014 Sara was voted Denmark’s most popular novelist for the fourth time. She is also a recipient of the Golden Laurel, Denmark’s most prestigious literary award. She lives in New York City.
October 1, 2019
Lydbog.
God bog når man lige står med opvasken eller er ude på en gåtur. Vil klart forsætte serien!
God bog når man lige står med opvasken eller er ude på en gåtur. Vil klart forsætte serien!
October 2, 2020
Sara Blædel is among my favorite Nordic Noir authors. If only I spoke Danish -- finding her books might be easier. Luckily, I found this audiobook, narrated by Christine Lakin, on the National Library for the Blind and Print Disabled site!
July 31, 2020
poor translation coupled with some annoying know-it-all characters
December 28, 2018
~*Be sure to stop by my blog,The Bent Bookworm!*~
The Midnight Witness pulled me in quickly and, barring anything totally off the wall happening, has hooked me for the remainder of this series. I had never read anything in the "nordic noir" genre so I was really eager to see how this would work for me, and it did not disappoint. I felt a kinship with Louise almost immediately, one adrenaline junkie to another.
Louise lives for the rush, but it's a pleasant perk to her main goal of getting justice for the victims of crime and their families. I really liked the balance of focus on her job and the details of all the workings of the homicide unit with the time spent with her friend/family relationships. I think there was a lot of setup in this book, as in many first-in-a-series books, and we don't get to see much of Louise's back story at all so I'm hopeful that will come more in the sequels.
The story behind the murders here was less compelling than I really wanted it to be, and I was much more interested in the murder of the young woman in the park than that of the journalist. Still, about halfway through I started talking to the characters - a sure sign to myself that I'm invested in the story. I really enjoyed Louise and Camilla's friendship, even while I wonder what kind of trouble a murder detective can get into by being friends with a reporter.
Whenever I read mysteries, I try to form a theory as early in the book as possible. I take notes so that I know exactly where I was in the book when I formed my idea of who-dun-it. My theory kept changing in this one - as soon as I would settle on one suspect, something else would happen and I'd be off on a rabbit trail again. It was great fun. I didn't guess the true murderer until about 20 pages before it was revealed, so huge props to Blaedel on that.
4/5 stars. This is definitely different than most other mystery or thriller books I've read. It's not a thriller - the pace is slower, and it's less gory. There are SOME details of the murder but nothing too extreme. It's also not a cozy mystery - too analytical for that. I guess it's most similar to the Sherlock Holmes type detective novels, but it has more layers of personal relationships in it. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
The Louise Rick series and Sara Blaedel were brought to my attention by the awesome blog Crime By the Book, and I am so excited to have a new detective series to follow.
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*gasp* Look at me! I finished a book less than a month after buying it! 😱😱😱
The Midnight Witness pulled me in quickly and, barring anything totally off the wall happening, has hooked me for the remainder of this series. I had never read anything in the "nordic noir" genre so I was really eager to see how this would work for me, and it did not disappoint. I felt a kinship with Louise almost immediately, one adrenaline junkie to another.
Suddenly she felt it. All morning she'd been worried it wouldn't show up.
The rush.
The energy came like a wave, a familiar feeling that usually came on at a crime scene. It was like an injection, adrenaline shooting up her body and into her chest, ending with her scalp prickling. She was ready.
Louise lives for the rush, but it's a pleasant perk to her main goal of getting justice for the victims of crime and their families. I really liked the balance of focus on her job and the details of all the workings of the homicide unit with the time spent with her friend/family relationships. I think there was a lot of setup in this book, as in many first-in-a-series books, and we don't get to see much of Louise's back story at all so I'm hopeful that will come more in the sequels.
The story behind the murders here was less compelling than I really wanted it to be, and I was much more interested in the murder of the young woman in the park than that of the journalist. Still, about halfway through I started talking to the characters - a sure sign to myself that I'm invested in the story. I really enjoyed Louise and Camilla's friendship, even while I wonder what kind of trouble a murder detective can get into by being friends with a reporter.
Whenever I read mysteries, I try to form a theory as early in the book as possible. I take notes so that I know exactly where I was in the book when I formed my idea of who-dun-it. My theory kept changing in this one - as soon as I would settle on one suspect, something else would happen and I'd be off on a rabbit trail again. It was great fun. I didn't guess the true murderer until about 20 pages before it was revealed, so huge props to Blaedel on that.
4/5 stars. This is definitely different than most other mystery or thriller books I've read. It's not a thriller - the pace is slower, and it's less gory. There are SOME details of the murder but nothing too extreme. It's also not a cozy mystery - too analytical for that. I guess it's most similar to the Sherlock Holmes type detective novels, but it has more layers of personal relationships in it. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
The Louise Rick series and Sara Blaedel were brought to my attention by the awesome blog Crime By the Book, and I am so excited to have a new detective series to follow.
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*gasp* Look at me! I finished a book less than a month after buying it! 😱😱😱
January 31, 2022
"Grüner Schnee" ist der erste Band der Krimireihe um die dänische Ermittlerin Louise Rick.
Ich hatte bereits einen der späteren Bände der Reihe gelesen, der mir durchaus gefallen hatte. Daraufhin habe ich auch den ersten Band, der gleichzeitig auch der Debütroman der Autorin ist, gekauft und gelesen. Ich muss allerdings leider sagen, dass er mich nicht hundertprozentig überzeugt hat.
In diesem Buch werden wir in die Welt der Polizistin Louise Rick und ihrer besten Freundin, der Journalistin Camilla Lind, eingeführt, die in Kopenhagen in Kriminalfällen ermitteln und außerdem ihre manchmal schwierigen Privatleben managen müssen. Das ist oft interessant, aber zuweilen auch auf eine etwas irritierende Art und sprachlich m. E. manchmal etwas eigenartig beschrieben.
Außerdem fiel in dem einen der beiden Kriminalfälle in dieser Geschichte schon viel zu früh mein Verdacht auf eine bestimmte Person, der sich am Schluss auch tatsächlich bestätigte. Der andere Kriminalfall im Text hingegen versandete hingegen mehr und mehr, bis die Auflösung schließlich nur so ganz nebenbei erfolgte und sozusagen nur in einem Nebensatz erwähnt wurde.
Darüber hinaus hat mich als Feministin auch gestört, dass die beiden Protagonistinnen, die immerhin als gestandene Frauen in wichtigen Berufen dargestellt werde, an manchen Stellen dann doch arg mädchenhaft und naiv wirkten.
Daher ist der Roman für mich ein solider Durchschnittskrimi, wenn auch nicht unbedingt mehr als das. Allerdings hat sich die Autorin offenbar im Laufe der Zeit qualitativ gesteigert, so dass ich vorhabe, wenigstens auch dem nächsten Band der Reihe eine Chance zu geben.
Ich hatte bereits einen der späteren Bände der Reihe gelesen, der mir durchaus gefallen hatte. Daraufhin habe ich auch den ersten Band, der gleichzeitig auch der Debütroman der Autorin ist, gekauft und gelesen. Ich muss allerdings leider sagen, dass er mich nicht hundertprozentig überzeugt hat.
In diesem Buch werden wir in die Welt der Polizistin Louise Rick und ihrer besten Freundin, der Journalistin Camilla Lind, eingeführt, die in Kopenhagen in Kriminalfällen ermitteln und außerdem ihre manchmal schwierigen Privatleben managen müssen. Das ist oft interessant, aber zuweilen auch auf eine etwas irritierende Art und sprachlich m. E. manchmal etwas eigenartig beschrieben.
Außerdem fiel in dem einen der beiden Kriminalfälle in dieser Geschichte schon viel zu früh mein Verdacht auf eine bestimmte Person, der sich am Schluss auch tatsächlich bestätigte. Der andere Kriminalfall im Text hingegen versandete hingegen mehr und mehr, bis die Auflösung schließlich nur so ganz nebenbei erfolgte und sozusagen nur in einem Nebensatz erwähnt wurde.
Darüber hinaus hat mich als Feministin auch gestört, dass die beiden Protagonistinnen, die immerhin als gestandene Frauen in wichtigen Berufen dargestellt werde, an manchen Stellen dann doch arg mädchenhaft und naiv wirkten.
Daher ist der Roman für mich ein solider Durchschnittskrimi, wenn auch nicht unbedingt mehr als das. Allerdings hat sich die Autorin offenbar im Laufe der Zeit qualitativ gesteigert, so dass ich vorhabe, wenigstens auch dem nächsten Band der Reihe eine Chance zu geben.
February 4, 2017
Λίαν απογοητευτική η πρώτη επαφή με τη Δανή Sara Blaedel, αν και πρέπει να τονιστέι ότι η ΄΄Πράσινη σκόνη΄΄ είναι μόλις το πρώτο βιβλίο της σειράς με ηρωίδα την ντετέκτιβ Λουίσε Ρικ και την κολλητη της, δημοσιογράφο στο επάγγελμα, Καμίλα Λίντ. Ίσως λοιπόν οι απλοικοί και αφελείς διάλογοι, η σχεδόν παντελής έλλειψη σασπένς και οι μονοδιάστατοι, στα όρια του paper doll, δευτερεύοντες χαρακτήρες να οφείλονται στην απειρία της συγγραφέως. Αυτό δεν σημαίνει ότι το βιβλίο είναι για πέταμα και μπορώ να πω ότι έχει κάποιες, ομολογουμένως πολύ λίγες, καλές στιγμές αλλά ανήκει σε αυτή την κατηγορία των αναγνωσμάτων που είναι καταδικασμένα να ξεχαστούν μόλις πέντε λεπτά ύστερα από την ολοκλήρωση τους. Το μόνο πραγματυικά θετικό που μπορώ να βρώ και με κάνει να ελπίζω σε βελτίωση της ποιότητας της συγκεκριμένης σειράς είναι η δυναμική της σχέσης μεταξύ των δύο κεντρικών χαρακτήρων, της αστυνομικού και της ρεπόρτερ, η οποία χαρίζει σε κάποιες στιγμές και ορισμένες κωμικές πινελιές σε μια κατά τα άλλα κοινότυπη, υπερβολικά κλισέ crime ιστορία. Ήμουνα σίγουρος για το ποιός είναι ο ένοχος πρίν καν φτάσω στην μέση του βιβλίου, με τέτοια προβλέψιμότητα είναι αδύνατον να κρατήσεις ζωντανό το ενδιαφέρον του αναγνώστη. Μακροπρόθεσμα ίσως δοκιμάσω να διαβάσω κάποιο άλλο βιβλίο της S. Blaedel, αλλά μόνο αφου περάσει αρκετός καιρός από την εμπειρία της ''Πράσινης σκόνης΄΄.
Καλη χρονιά και τις θερμότερες ευχές σε όλα τα μέλη του Goodreads!
Καλη χρονιά και τις θερμότερες ευχές σε όλα τα μέλη του Goodreads!
September 13, 2018
This story was very perplexing because Louise Rick and Camilla Lind both had some interest in the same cases. Louise Rick as a police officer and Camilla Lind as a journalist. Being friends they had an interest in what each other did. Two reporters were killed and one young girl who was pregnant. They both had different leads on each case and shared their leads with each other. Louise felt that Camilla was to involved in the two reporters because she knew them. What it came down to was drugs, and being Louise or Camilla they worked separately on the cases. I won't give spoilers but you should read this account because it is a will give you chills. I gave it 4 stars out of 5.
June 13, 2024
3.5 stars
Louise Rick is investigating the death of a young girl who was murdered and found near a hotel. Couple of months earlier her brother had passed way on an accident. Louise a very empathetic person dreads in breaking the news to the girls parents
On the same day another dead body later identified as a reporter is found. Camilla who is not only Louise’s best friend but also a reporter gets too involved in the case that could jeopardize her life.
A slow burn standard police procedural with an ambitious detective protagonist and an overtly ambitious friend reporter who can be annoying at times
It was an average read
Louise Rick is investigating the death of a young girl who was murdered and found near a hotel. Couple of months earlier her brother had passed way on an accident. Louise a very empathetic person dreads in breaking the news to the girls parents
On the same day another dead body later identified as a reporter is found. Camilla who is not only Louise’s best friend but also a reporter gets too involved in the case that could jeopardize her life.
A slow burn standard police procedural with an ambitious detective protagonist and an overtly ambitious friend reporter who can be annoying at times
It was an average read
December 29, 2018
This book has made me feel complicated.
I can tell that the author put hours upon hours of research and work into making the details perfect.
But I felt the characters were weak, making the story not seem separate or important. I didn't think switching POVs between Louise and Camilla was necessary and the conflict with Peter was distracting.
When you have several different conflicts going on in a story like this, sometimes readers forget who was who and how are they connected to the main protagonist.
I can tell that the author put hours upon hours of research and work into making the details perfect.
But I felt the characters were weak, making the story not seem separate or important. I didn't think switching POVs between Louise and Camilla was necessary and the conflict with Peter was distracting.
When you have several different conflicts going on in a story like this, sometimes readers forget who was who and how are they connected to the main protagonist.
February 15, 2023
Story 3.5 stars rounded up,Narration 5 stars
Good female detective series beginner from Denmark so it’s been translated. Narration was really well done and her male voices never took me out of the story.
The reason for 3.5 and not a true 4 was it got a bit confusing at times for me. There’s two crimes with murders that happen around the same time. Both crimes are being investigated but the murder of a journalist is getting more publicity and therefore more of the police’s time. Then one case took over pretty much the whole book. And the other is easily solved. I wasn’t expecting that. I liked the female detective but her best friend was a piece of work that you just want to shake. Many different times. It wasn’t the best detective book I’ve read/listened to but it also wasn’t near the worse.
Good female detective series beginner from Denmark so it’s been translated. Narration was really well done and her male voices never took me out of the story.
The reason for 3.5 and not a true 4 was it got a bit confusing at times for me. There’s two crimes with murders that happen around the same time. Both crimes are being investigated but the murder of a journalist is getting more publicity and therefore more of the police’s time. Then one case took over pretty much the whole book. And the other is easily solved. I wasn’t expecting that. I liked the female detective but her best friend was a piece of work that you just want to shake. Many different times. It wasn’t the best detective book I’ve read/listened to but it also wasn’t near the worse.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 7, 2023
Prior to selecting this title for our library branch's mystery book club, I had not read anything by this Danish author. We often choose first books in a series, so that's how this one came onto my list.
The story is okay. The narrative style is third-person with a focus only on the two leads - Louise and Camilla. It has a heavy focus on the police procedural side of things. The clues are there to support the resolution of the murders. The execution of those resolutions, though, are delivered in through "tells" rather than "shows" (breaking the cardinal rule of writing "show, don't tell").
There are foundational elements of the two main characters that I would assume will be built upon further as the series continued. Even for a debut novel, I would have hoped for a bit more. Some of that might have gotten lost in the translation as well.
The story is okay. The narrative style is third-person with a focus only on the two leads - Louise and Camilla. It has a heavy focus on the police procedural side of things. The clues are there to support the resolution of the murders. The execution of those resolutions, though, are delivered in through "tells" rather than "shows" (breaking the cardinal rule of writing "show, don't tell").
There are foundational elements of the two main characters that I would assume will be built upon further as the series continued. Even for a debut novel, I would have hoped for a bit more. Some of that might have gotten lost in the translation as well.
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