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Intrigo
For fans of Scandinavian crime, Intrigo is the gripping collection of Håkan Nesser’s best novellas and short stories, three of which have been adapted into major motion pictures.Set in the fictional city of Maardam, each story is linked by themes of secrets coming to light, lies being exposed, and pasts coming back to haunt the people who thought they had fled them – all told in Håkan Nesser’s signature style of dark, cutting prose that displays a true understanding of human nature.The collection is the basis for a trilogy of international films - Dear Agnes, Death of an Author and Samaria - directed by Daniel Alfredson and starring Ben Kingsley and Gemma Chan.
574 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 9, 2018
21 people are currently reading
263 people want to read
About the author
Håkan Nesser
142 books1,111 followersHåkan Nesser is a Swedish author and teacher who has written a number of successful crime fiction novels. He has won Best Swedish Crime Novel Award three times, and his novel Carambole won the Glass Key award in 2000. His books have been translated from Swedish into numerous languages.
Håkan Nesser was born and grew up in Kumla, and has lived most of his adult life in Uppsala. His first novel was published in 1988, but he worked as a teacher until 1998 when he became a full-time author. In August, 2006, Håkan Nesser and his wife Elke moved to Greenwich Village in New York.
Series:
* Inspector Van Veeteren
* Inspector Barbarotti
Håkan Nesser was born and grew up in Kumla, and has lived most of his adult life in Uppsala. His first novel was published in 1988, but he worked as a teacher until 1998 when he became a full-time author. In August, 2006, Håkan Nesser and his wife Elke moved to Greenwich Village in New York.
Series:
* Inspector Van Veeteren
* Inspector Barbarotti
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 53 reviews
June 15, 2019
"Who is it who decides which words have meaning and which ones don't?"
Håkan Nesser is a Swedish crime fiction writer, best known for his series featuring the delightfully quirky, toothpick chewing Inspector Van Veeteren.
"Intrigo" absolutely showcases his skill. No doubt about is, he is one hell of a writer. Håkan Nesser has the ability to write about creepy situations with exceptional subtlety, which makes them all the creepier.
This book is split into five novellas, each featuring someone living on their nerves, dealing with their secrets and obsessions. Or having to face a situation they'd prefer not to.
TOM
A phone call at 3.30 in the morning can never be good news. Especially when it's from "...a person missing for twenty-two years.?" A scary blast from the past for Judith Bendler, answering the phone to hear her long buried son Tom's voice at the other end of the line. Beyond eerie. And the plot only thickens form here. This is a brilliantly psychological story, with a terrific twist.
RIEN
"Sit and write and see more clearly what a pitiful stage play life is. There are no lines. No morals. The actors do not stick to their roles..."
David Moerk is a professional translator who has the job of translating the final work of Germund Rein, a writer who has been murdered. Are there clues as to who brought about Rien's untimely demise within these pages? Did he have an inkling of what was to unfold?
"It says in the manuscript that they intend to murder him."
Add to the mix the translators' obsession to find his estranged wife Ewa, missing for three years. David is convinced that Ewa is living in a particular city, after hearing her cough in the background of a Beethoven concerto recording he was listening to. Bizarre? You bet. But he's determined to find her. Between the translating and searching for Ewa, will he drive himself mad?
"What remained was to drink at bars and keep any thoughts in check."
DEAR AGNES
" 'Agnes', Jenny says, 'You are my blood sister. Nothing is going to separate us.'
'Nothing', I say."
I seem to be attracting books lately that tell all or part of their narrative via letters. I'm sure there's a deeper meaning in there somewhere.
Agnes & Henny meet again after many years estrangement, at the funeral of Agnes' husband Erich. Childhood friends, closer than sisters, their lives pulled them in different directions, and they lost touch. Via a series of letters, they rekindle their friendship. Then Hetty drops a bombshell and asks Agnes for help with her unfaithful husband... and we find there are many reasons that their friendship originally fell by the wayside.
THE FLOWER FROM SAMARIA
Nineteen year old Vera Kall is last seen cycling home after a graduation party. She simply vanishes. Fast forward thirty years, and two of her school buddies head back to the town where this happened.
Surprisingly, they receive a call from Vera that she'd like to meet up. But could it really be her?
"Thirty years? I thought. Was it possible that thirty years had passed since the last time I saw these narrow, pastel-coloured houses along the old shopping street?"
ALL THE INFORMATION IN THE CASE
" 'She walked the same way to school for three years.', the mother said."
The shortest and for me the most poignant of the stories. This was a standout for me. A young girl is the victim of a hit and run while walking to school. Oddly, a decision is made by the school board that her final term papers should be graded. Which falls into the lap of a trainee teacher to do so. He visits the girls' family in order to read the project she was working on, the night before the tragic accident. This was a really difficult one to read. Very short and very sharp.
"The dog came onto the patio again. Observed those present with a sad expression and went back into the house.
'It's not easy for the dog', said the father. 'She doesn't understand...' " Oh-my-goodness.
In a nutshell, yes, you should read this book. It truly showcases the immense talent of this (I feel) under-rated writer. And the diversity of his writing. A solid 4 ✩✩✩✩ read.
March 11, 2020
''Intrigo'' is a collection of novellas and short stories written by the Swedish literary crime fiction writer, Håkan Nesser. There are 5 stories in total and three of them are adopted to cinema movies (''Death of an Author'', ''Samaria'', ''Dear Agnes''), directed by Daniel Alfredson. Ben Kingsley and Tuva Novotny are included in the casting of the first movie in the trilogy. All five novellas and short stories are written in the style that made Nesser famous to the wider crime fiction audiences and all the trademark qualities of his prose are present. The characterization is excellent as Nesser effectively outlines his main characters in a limited number of pages while the plot is also absorbing especially in the two stories, ''Rein'' and ''Dear Agnes''. I read ''Intrigo'' in kindle format so I had the opportunity to make a vast number of notes and highlights as I relished this wonderful text. The writing is so good that I literally didn't want to finish reading this book and that is a feeling I don't often experience.
For my full review, visit https://tapthelinemag.com/post/intrigo
For my full review, visit https://tapthelinemag.com/post/intrigo
July 7, 2021
How i didn't find this book sooner, I'll never known
May 24, 2019
Intrigo. by Håkan Nesser. iBook. 2019.
Collection of novellas and short stories, 3 of which were adapted into a film. Some set in the fictional city of Maardam, each linked by the past coming back to haunt .....Why this mystery of location!
1. Tom is the first and goodness the writer weaves this brilliantly making it seem quite calm but simmering, the lies that we tell.......all changes when a phone call comes in the middle of the night....lives are changed.
2. Rein is next.....absolutely this mystery location is Amsterdam....various streets, park, concert location, supermarket although misspelled, etc all locally recognizable as where the translator goes to work on the secret manuscript. Why not just call it so, but he uses A. A translator gets a new secret final book of a missing difficult author to translate, translation only to be published and not in the writer’s country, meanwhile the translator is trying to find his own missing wife..... These two stories mingle as David tries to work on the book, solve his mystery of his own missing wife and meanwhile suspect that things are not as they seem. This short story sure explains why it takes so **** long to get translations!! There are side trips that are quickly placed in the story without explanation, a trial, more mystery, death.... Quite a twist!
3. Dear Agnes, is the third and apparently has been made into a film. A very hard story to engage with. A woman is widowed. She sees an old friend at her husbands funeral who later contacts her with an plan to kill her own husband..... things are just never as they seem and certainly not in this story !! Death, old school friends, plots, revenge.....but whose? This again is a strange story with two very unlikeable women...I found myself unable to care.....
4. The Flower From Samaria. A man facing divorce as his wife wants to separate, travels back to his home as a young student 30 years ago. An old school friend calls asking him to edit his book for him and they can stay in his cottage back where they went to school. The case or mystery of school friend that disappeared just before graduating takes over as someone approaches claiming to be the missing Vera. The old friends try to get some answers. Nice plot and twists.
6. 6. All the details in the case .....a student dies. Administration decided she should get good grades even though she is dead. This challenges the teacher trying to grade her work. He visits her parents for her last essay. Curious how people are and this writer certainly likes to explore this....
The collection is the basis for a trilogy of international films - Dear Agnes, Death of an Author and Samaria -directed by Daniel Alfredson and starring Ben Kingsley and Gemma Chan.
Collection of novellas and short stories, 3 of which were adapted into a film. Some set in the fictional city of Maardam, each linked by the past coming back to haunt .....Why this mystery of location!
1. Tom is the first and goodness the writer weaves this brilliantly making it seem quite calm but simmering, the lies that we tell.......all changes when a phone call comes in the middle of the night....lives are changed.
2. Rein is next.....absolutely this mystery location is Amsterdam....various streets, park, concert location, supermarket although misspelled, etc all locally recognizable as where the translator goes to work on the secret manuscript. Why not just call it so, but he uses A. A translator gets a new secret final book of a missing difficult author to translate, translation only to be published and not in the writer’s country, meanwhile the translator is trying to find his own missing wife..... These two stories mingle as David tries to work on the book, solve his mystery of his own missing wife and meanwhile suspect that things are not as they seem. This short story sure explains why it takes so **** long to get translations!! There are side trips that are quickly placed in the story without explanation, a trial, more mystery, death.... Quite a twist!
3. Dear Agnes, is the third and apparently has been made into a film. A very hard story to engage with. A woman is widowed. She sees an old friend at her husbands funeral who later contacts her with an plan to kill her own husband..... things are just never as they seem and certainly not in this story !! Death, old school friends, plots, revenge.....but whose? This again is a strange story with two very unlikeable women...I found myself unable to care.....
4. The Flower From Samaria. A man facing divorce as his wife wants to separate, travels back to his home as a young student 30 years ago. An old school friend calls asking him to edit his book for him and they can stay in his cottage back where they went to school. The case or mystery of school friend that disappeared just before graduating takes over as someone approaches claiming to be the missing Vera. The old friends try to get some answers. Nice plot and twists.
6. 6. All the details in the case .....a student dies. Administration decided she should get good grades even though she is dead. This challenges the teacher trying to grade her work. He visits her parents for her last essay. Curious how people are and this writer certainly likes to explore this....
The collection is the basis for a trilogy of international films - Dear Agnes, Death of an Author and Samaria -directed by Daniel Alfredson and starring Ben Kingsley and Gemma Chan.
February 3, 2020
I gave this book only 3 stars bc I've read the first story only, loved it. Will probably give it a go in the future but I didn't liked the beginning of the second story. Probably will watch the movie. But the first story is creepy and on point. Very karma served.
March 7, 2021
Five short stories, two were good, a couple ok, and the last one a waste of time.
September 13, 2021
Painfully slow book to get through with long-winded descriptions and tedious sentences. Glad I’m finally done with it.
August 23, 2024
Stars based on percentage stories I liked. Some were very slow. Dear agnes was so good tho.
January 17, 2025
Håkan Nesser's Intrigo proved to be a delightful surprise, particularly as it wove unexpected New Zealand references into its collection of noir tales. Each of the five interconnected stories peels back layers of deception and human nature with the precision you'd expect from Nordic crime / thriller fiction.
Four of the stories absolutely nailed it, crafting an intense build-up that I caught myself speed-reading rather than skipping ahead – the author really did well to create genuine suspense. Only the "Rein" story fell a bit flat for me, failing to capture the same magnetic pull as its companions.
What set the stories apart is how they dance between psychological thriller and classic mystery. Each one offered a fresh take on deception while maintaining subtle connections throughout the story collection.
Four of the stories absolutely nailed it, crafting an intense build-up that I caught myself speed-reading rather than skipping ahead – the author really did well to create genuine suspense. Only the "Rein" story fell a bit flat for me, failing to capture the same magnetic pull as its companions.
What set the stories apart is how they dance between psychological thriller and classic mystery. Each one offered a fresh take on deception while maintaining subtle connections throughout the story collection.
May 6, 2021
Finurliga noveller med hans oförlikniga humor.
April 23, 2019
Intrigo is a collection of four novellas and a short story, with three of the novellas and the story being the basis for a series of three movies by Daniel Alfredson.
In his (very brief) introduction, Nesser notes that Intrigo is a café in Maardam, the fictional setting of the Van Veeteren series. So I began the book thinking that this café will be a center-point of each story. And I was wrong.
Café Intrigo appears only in the first piece in the collection, Tom. This is the first publication of Tom and it is the only story in the book that is not used in the movies. It is a most engaging story (this is Nesser, after all). In storytelling and atmosphere - and the ironic twist at the end - Tom reminded me very much of an episode of the old Alfred Hitchcock TV series.
The second novella, Death of an Author, is the longest and deepest of the works. There is a it of irony that it follows Tom, as the story revolves around a translator working on a book whose author does not want it published in his native language. There is a lot of plot and I am giving away none. I had slight problems with one part of the story, but all in all, an engaging, thought-provoking story. And again, an ironic ending.
Novella three, Dear Agnes, bounces between narrative and epistolary. The characters are solid, well-formed and the story grips you. Well done all around and - wait for it - an ironic ending.
Novella four, The Flower from Samaria, is Nesser at his best. Tight plot, well developed characters, and story that you do not want to put down. There is no irony to this ending. It is sad but right and proper and true to the work. There were parts of this story put in the mind more of A Summer with Kim Novak than Nesser's mystery writings - but there is still plenty of mystery here.
And, finally, the short story: All the Information in the Case. The notes say this story is used as part of the basis for the movie Intrigo: Samaria. I kind of get how you could work this in to a movie version of The Flower from Samaria, but it is very out of place in this collection. Don't get me wrong. It is an interesting story and well-written, but the tone does not fit with the rest of this collection.
In his (very brief) introduction, Nesser notes that Intrigo is a café in Maardam, the fictional setting of the Van Veeteren series. So I began the book thinking that this café will be a center-point of each story. And I was wrong.
Café Intrigo appears only in the first piece in the collection, Tom. This is the first publication of Tom and it is the only story in the book that is not used in the movies. It is a most engaging story (this is Nesser, after all). In storytelling and atmosphere - and the ironic twist at the end - Tom reminded me very much of an episode of the old Alfred Hitchcock TV series.
The second novella, Death of an Author, is the longest and deepest of the works. There is a it of irony that it follows Tom, as the story revolves around a translator working on a book whose author does not want it published in his native language. There is a lot of plot and I am giving away none. I had slight problems with one part of the story, but all in all, an engaging, thought-provoking story. And again, an ironic ending.
Novella three, Dear Agnes, bounces between narrative and epistolary. The characters are solid, well-formed and the story grips you. Well done all around and - wait for it - an ironic ending.
Novella four, The Flower from Samaria, is Nesser at his best. Tight plot, well developed characters, and story that you do not want to put down. There is no irony to this ending. It is sad but right and proper and true to the work. There were parts of this story put in the mind more of A Summer with Kim Novak than Nesser's mystery writings - but there is still plenty of mystery here.
And, finally, the short story: All the Information in the Case. The notes say this story is used as part of the basis for the movie Intrigo: Samaria. I kind of get how you could work this in to a movie version of The Flower from Samaria, but it is very out of place in this collection. Don't get me wrong. It is an interesting story and well-written, but the tone does not fit with the rest of this collection.
October 15, 2021
I have read three of the author's novels which I found to be readable if a bit depressing but I found this collection of stories to be hard going. This book consists of four novellas and a short story. I did not like the first story "Tom" much but I really struggled with the second story "Rein" as I found it so boring that I could not be bothered to finish it. The book has been sitting on my table for a week now and I now realise that I do not want to try to read the other three stories.
May 12, 2019
The book is a number of short stories. The first story Tom was very good and in my opinion the best story in the book. The next story Rein has been made into a movie, I found this story very slow and very boring. The rest of the stories were only marginally better than Rein. I found them very hard and slow to read. Tom was the highlight of the book for me
January 27, 2020
Not for me. The plot of the first story was too obvious.
November 14, 2023
This book is a collection of 5 stories, some of them better than others. I didn't know this writer and although it seems that there are tv adaptations of some of them, I have not seen any of them. So my review refers totally to the book.
I usually do not enjoy short stories, but this was really an exception. They are not exactly mysteries, but more thrillers. There is always a twist, or a dark point in the story. The author has an incredible talent in making the reader hold his breath or be shocked in the end.
TOM (4 stars)
A phone call at 3.30 in the morning changes the life of Judith Bendler and her husband. Somebody who they thought dead has given signs. Judith answers the phone and the person on the other end of the line will bring old, very deeply buried secrets to the surface. The story is a brilliant thriller, with an incredible twist at the end.
RIEN (3 stars)
David Moerk receives a manuscript for translation from Germund Rein, with whom he has worked in the past. The manuscript is not yet published in the original language and Rein does not want it to be published but translated. Moerk does the translation and while reading the manuscript figures out what happened to the writer himself.
DEAR AGNES (2 stars)
Agnes and Henny were best friends in school, but have lost contact in the recent years. They meet again at the funeral of Agnes' husband and they scheme together to help Henny with her unfaithful husband. The whole story is a series of letters. Interesting, but somehow the strangest of the stories I read.
THE FLOWER FROM SAMARIA (4 stars)
Vera Kall disappeared on her way home after a graduation party. Thirty years later two of her school mates meet again at the town where everything happened and they are contacted by somebody, who clames to be Vera. Is Vera alive? What happened to her?
ALL THE INFORMATION IN THE CASE (5 stars)
A young girl is killed by a car on her way home from school at the end of year. The school board decides, that her final term paper should nevertheless be graded. A trainee teacher gets the task and in order to do the task well, contacts her family. This was the least of a thriller story, but the strongest of them all.
I usually do not enjoy short stories, but this was really an exception. They are not exactly mysteries, but more thrillers. There is always a twist, or a dark point in the story. The author has an incredible talent in making the reader hold his breath or be shocked in the end.
TOM (4 stars)
A phone call at 3.30 in the morning changes the life of Judith Bendler and her husband. Somebody who they thought dead has given signs. Judith answers the phone and the person on the other end of the line will bring old, very deeply buried secrets to the surface. The story is a brilliant thriller, with an incredible twist at the end.
RIEN (3 stars)
David Moerk receives a manuscript for translation from Germund Rein, with whom he has worked in the past. The manuscript is not yet published in the original language and Rein does not want it to be published but translated. Moerk does the translation and while reading the manuscript figures out what happened to the writer himself.
DEAR AGNES (2 stars)
Agnes and Henny were best friends in school, but have lost contact in the recent years. They meet again at the funeral of Agnes' husband and they scheme together to help Henny with her unfaithful husband. The whole story is a series of letters. Interesting, but somehow the strangest of the stories I read.
THE FLOWER FROM SAMARIA (4 stars)
Vera Kall disappeared on her way home after a graduation party. Thirty years later two of her school mates meet again at the town where everything happened and they are contacted by somebody, who clames to be Vera. Is Vera alive? What happened to her?
ALL THE INFORMATION IN THE CASE (5 stars)
A young girl is killed by a car on her way home from school at the end of year. The school board decides, that her final term paper should nevertheless be graded. A trainee teacher gets the task and in order to do the task well, contacts her family. This was the least of a thriller story, but the strongest of them all.
July 3, 2023
「這本短篇小說集有三個故事拍成電影。」蝴蝶頁的作者介紹中這樣寫著。才看完第一個故事，馬上上圖書館找其他作品，不但沒有其他中文譯本小說，居然連英文版的其他故事都沒有。
深深扼腕。感到巨大痛苦。
這作家的書就是棒到即使是英文版都願意借回來看的地步。
《湯姆》。大半夜接到繼子湯姆的來電，不可置信的茱蒂絲驚嚇地掛掉電話。22年前那個使得湯姆「失蹤」的暴雨夜晚，是個性侵未遂、殺人棄屍的大秘密。然而隨著電話再度出現，揭露出更多的隱情——丈夫罹患重病不久人世；湯姆並非丈夫的血脈；那夜湯姆不但沒有被埋屍荒野，康復後還遠走澳洲。茱蒂絲不知道的還有，這個和真湯姆長相神似的冒牌貨，其實是澳洲的亡命之徒；她即將離世的丈夫決心帶走「湯姆」還她一個永久的安寧人生；改邪歸正的真湯姆，就要打電話來了。
《瑞恩》。未發現屍體但據信已身亡的知名作家瑞恩在遺作中暗藏玄機，合作多時的英文翻譯家在翻譯的過程中解開謎團，成功將殺害瑞恩的出軌妻子及其情人送進牢房。也曾設計殺害坦白外遇妻子的英文翻譯作家，費盡心力尋獲不知如何逃過死劫且改名換姓的妻子後，也發現改換新身分的瑞恩如何利用自己成為殺妻的工具。
《親愛的艾格妮絲》。艾格妮絲丈夫的葬禮上出現多年不見的密友赫妮，沒機會交談的兩人之後以信件重拾往日情誼。除了敘舊外，赫妮拜託艾格妮絲幫忙解決困境——謀殺不忠的丈夫大衛。執行殺人計畫的艾格妮絲卻在最後才知道，一直以為將赫妮玩弄於股掌間的自己，其實才是被玩弄的對象。
《撒馬利亞之花》。中學時女神級女同學薇拉在畢業晚會的當晚失蹤後便下落不明。三十年後，揣著祕密—畢業舞會當晚曾和薇拉共度一夜春宵—的「我」竟接到自稱是薇拉的女子的電話。最後「我」和假扮薇拉的薇拉表姊分享資訊，終於揭開生活在遵守嚴格基督教教義的農場，撒馬利亞，的薇拉父母，如何在宗教的鐵律下，葬送自己珍愛女兒的人生。
《本案所有資訊》。正直有為的年輕人以短期代課來測試自己對教師職業的赤忱。勤勉的女學生在學期結束前因車禍喪生，年輕老師拜訪家長並要求閱讀最後一份報告，好能公正評分給過世女學生最後的成績單。但在得知女學生熬夜寫出優於平日表現的報告隔天，疑似因疲累精神恍惚被車撞死。年輕男子的人生規劃便此改變。
第一篇的《湯姆》實在驚豔，像站在一個有好多門的大房間裡，作者帶著進入每扇門後意想不到的驚奇擺設，然而卻只有一個房間不是密室，得撥開重重華麗裝置，找到另扇暗門，才能走出去享受宜人花園的景致。
《瑞恩》以兩名男子分別設計謀殺出軌妻子的事件相重疊，失敗的男子不知道哪裡出錯才使得妻子和情人死裡逃生；成功的那名男子也沒得意多久，因為被借刀殺人的工具人決定替天行道。
《親愛的艾格妮絲》在描繪女孩子間既親密又競爭的矛盾關係上，拿捏得十分道地。那樣婉轉又邪惡的「好朋友」關係，經歷過的人絕對心有戚戚焉。
《撒馬利亞之花》因為扣上「極端基督教教義」家庭的背景，就不是那麼難猜出到底是怎麼一回事了。
曾當過老師應該多少都會有《本案所有資訊》裡年輕男老師遭遇的心情—發現自己堅持的原則，雖然不是本意，但或許造成了某個學生的不幸。只是發覺這樣神秘的力量後，並不是每個人都像男主角就此終結教書的熱忱，而是成為繼續修正使用或大肆濫用這股神力的老師。
在教書第三年遇到念了幾個月國二就此休學的女孩後，20多歲的我差點和故事中男主角作了相同的選擇。
深深扼腕。感到巨大痛苦。
這作家的書就是棒到即使是英文版都願意借回來看的地步。
《湯姆》。大半夜接到繼子湯姆的來電，不可置信的茱蒂絲驚嚇地掛掉電話。22年前那個使得湯姆「失蹤」的暴雨夜晚，是個性侵未遂、殺人棄屍的大秘密。然而隨著電話再度出現，揭露出更多的隱情——丈夫罹患重病不久人世；湯姆並非丈夫的血脈；那夜湯姆不但沒有被埋屍荒野，康復後還遠走澳洲。茱蒂絲不知道的還有，這個和真湯姆長相神似的冒牌貨，其實是澳洲的亡命之徒；她即將離世的丈夫決心帶走「湯姆」還她一個永久的安寧人生；改邪歸正的真湯姆，就要打電話來了。
《瑞恩》。未發現屍體但據信已身亡的知名作家瑞恩在遺作中暗藏玄機，合作多時的英文翻譯家在翻譯的過程中解開謎團，成功將殺害瑞恩的出軌妻子及其情人送進牢房。也曾設計殺害坦白外遇妻子的英文翻譯作家，費盡心力尋獲不知如何逃過死劫且改名換姓的妻子後，也發現改換新身分的瑞恩如何利用自己成為殺妻的工具。
《親愛的艾格妮絲》。艾格妮絲丈夫的葬禮上出現多年不見的密友赫妮，沒機會交談的兩人之後以信件重拾往日情誼。除了敘舊外，赫妮拜託艾格妮絲幫忙解決困境——謀殺不忠的丈夫大衛。執行殺人計畫的艾格妮絲卻在最後才知道，一直以為將赫妮玩弄於股掌間的自己，其實才是被玩弄的對象。
《撒馬利亞之花》。中學時女神級女同學薇拉在畢業晚會的當晚失蹤後便下落不明。三十年後，揣著祕密—畢業舞會當晚曾和薇拉共度一夜春宵—的「我」竟接到自稱是薇拉的女子的電話。最後「我」和假扮薇拉的薇拉表姊分享資訊，終於揭開生活在遵守嚴格基督教教義的農場，撒馬利亞，的薇拉父母，如何在宗教的鐵律下，葬送自己珍愛女兒的人生。
《本案所有資訊》。正直有為的年輕人以短期代課來測試自己對教師職業的赤忱。勤勉的女學生在學期結束前因車禍喪生，年輕老師拜訪家長並要求閱讀最後一份報告，好能公正評分給過世女學生最後的成績單。但在得知女學生熬夜寫出優於平日表現的報告隔天，疑似因疲累精神恍惚被車撞死。年輕男子的人生規劃便此改變。
第一篇的《湯姆》實在驚豔，像站在一個有好多門的大房間裡，作者帶著進入每扇門後意想不到的驚奇擺設，然而卻只有一個房間不是密室，得撥開重重華麗裝置，找到另扇暗門，才能走出去享受宜人花園的景致。
《瑞恩》以兩名男子分別設計謀殺出軌妻子的事件相重疊，失敗的男子不知道哪裡出錯才使得妻子和情人死裡逃生；成功的那名男子也沒得意多久，因為被借刀殺人的工具人決定替天行道。
《親愛的艾格妮絲》在描繪女孩子間既親密又競爭的矛盾關係上，拿捏得十分道地。那樣婉轉又邪惡的「好朋友」關係，經歷過的人絕對心有戚戚焉。
《撒馬利亞之花》因為扣上「極端基督教教義」家庭的背景，就不是那麼難猜出到底是怎麼一回事了。
曾當過老師應該多少都會有《本案所有資訊》裡年輕男老師遭遇的心情—發現自己堅持的原則，雖然不是本意，但或許造成了某個學生的不幸。只是發覺這樣神秘的力量後，並不是每個人都像男主角就此終結教書的熱忱，而是成為繼續修正使用或大肆濫用這股神力的老師。
在教書第三年遇到念了幾個月國二就此休學的女孩後，20多歲的我差點和故事中男主角作了相同的選擇。
August 8, 2020
Intrigo by Hakan Nesser belongs to one of my favourite genres, the Nordic Noir. Covering 5 stories that range from novellas to short stories, this 600+ pages book has quite a range of suspense, murder mystery, torture and psychological plotting in them.
My favourite among the novellas is Dear Agnes where two best friends who have always competed to win what the other most desired, unravels into a dangerous power play between two equally manipulative women. The ending of Dear Agnes is amazing where one forces the other to read a letter, seconds before killing her. Imagine the thrill.
The most obtuse among the 5, is probably Rein where an author manipulates his translator to get him out of a loveless relationship. The translator has his own ghosts to chase, in the form of a missing wife whom he had plotted to get killed.
This is the first time I have read Nesser and yes he has some mastery in the genre. Unlike Stieg Larsson, Nesser is more calm, controlled and deals with small twists of hands and psychological manipulation than lifelong vendetta. His prose is measured, evokes minimal empathy for anyone and perpetually keeps you in a moral grey zone, which I like.
My favourite among the novellas is Dear Agnes where two best friends who have always competed to win what the other most desired, unravels into a dangerous power play between two equally manipulative women. The ending of Dear Agnes is amazing where one forces the other to read a letter, seconds before killing her. Imagine the thrill.
The most obtuse among the 5, is probably Rein where an author manipulates his translator to get him out of a loveless relationship. The translator has his own ghosts to chase, in the form of a missing wife whom he had plotted to get killed.
This is the first time I have read Nesser and yes he has some mastery in the genre. Unlike Stieg Larsson, Nesser is more calm, controlled and deals with small twists of hands and psychological manipulation than lifelong vendetta. His prose is measured, evokes minimal empathy for anyone and perpetually keeps you in a moral grey zone, which I like.
July 12, 2020
I have not been too lucky lately in reading novellas and short stories, even by authors who I like as far as their novels go. They were just not as satisfying as their "normal" works. But this one was different. I have enjoyed Nesser in the past, primarily due to his Inspector Van Veeteren and Inspector Gunnar Barbarotti books. I also enjoyed several of his stand alone novels, The Living and the Dead in Winsford and A Summer With Kim Novak. In the case of Intrigo, Nesser presents us with four novellas and one short story. For me, they were all very enjoyable. The writing was good and several of the stories had surprising but credible endings. All of the stories deal with murder or missing persons. But even more importantly, Nesser, to great effect, explores the psychology and motives of the people involved in causing those situations. That is the common theme, even though the stories themselves are all quite different from one another. This was a different side of Nesser than I have been used to and I thought that he handled this approach very well.
December 12, 2024
A collection of novellas from Nesser. The opening story, Tom, concerns a long lost son, or does it. Rein, was filmed as Death o an Author, a better title, and also gives an account of a disappearance, and reappearance, parallel to a translator’s discovery of things lost in translation. Agnes is more live action event, with one ornate double cross hurtling towards another. Samaria returns to the cold case format, intriguingly peeling back the layers of time as two old school buddies hook up in their old school town. Nesser's placid style allows subtle undercurrents to pull the reader this way and that. The sense of place is cinematic while always quiet; the back stories are convincingly deep, while the author keeps them on a concise path. These are all a good example of how a story need not necessarily be a doorstep in order to engage. We get five books for the price, and weight of one.
October 23, 2018
Jag läste inte novellerna i den ordning de är presenterade i boken, så jag var ganska positivt inställd till boken större delen av tiden. Oväntat bra språk för genren, spännande och noveller som faktiskt har den där twisten som gör noveller roliga att läsa. MEN sedan läste jag den sista och längsta novellen "Rein" och nu har jag inga positiva känslor kvar. Snacka om tråkigt och halvdant skrivet sömnpiller. Så boken i övrigt tycker jag är värd en 3:a, medan "Rein" är värd mindre än 1, eftersom "Rein" tog nästan en tredjedel av boken i anspråk avrundar jag till 2. Det reflekterar nog ett medel över mina känslor under läsandets gång.
May 27, 2019
Vaadittiin sitkeyttä kuunnella tämä äänikirjana. Håkan Nesser on taitava ja hyvä kirjailija, Barbarotti -kirjat sen todistavat. Cafe Intrigossa on neljä pitkää ja yksi lyhyt tarina, joissa teemoina on katoaminen / murha / palkkamurha / identiteetti ... lukijaa ja päähenkilöitä huijataan moneen otteeseen.
Kovin tekemällä tehtyjä kuvioita kirjassa on. Yhtäkään miellyttävää tai samastuttavaa henkilöä ei ollut. Monet henkilöhahmot ovat vastenmielisiä tai ihan vaan ärsyttäviä.
Pisteet ihan vaan Nesserille sinänsä sekä niille muutamille kohdille, joissa minua huijattiin onnistuneesti.
Kovin tekemällä tehtyjä kuvioita kirjassa on. Yhtäkään miellyttävää tai samastuttavaa henkilöä ei ollut. Monet henkilöhahmot ovat vastenmielisiä tai ihan vaan ärsyttäviä.
Pisteet ihan vaan Nesserille sinänsä sekä niille muutamille kohdille, joissa minua huijattiin onnistuneesti.
September 5, 2022
my husband suggested I read this and to be honest I'm not sure how I feel about the book having finished it.
I must start off by saying that the writing is excellent - the quality of this book is really up to the normal standard one has come to expect from Mr Messer.
however, the book is made up of 5 "short" stories, all of which are really different. I have to say though, that a few of them ended in a way that I didn't enjoy and others sort of just faded out.
I'm not sure that I would recommend this to someone (like me) who doesn't really enjoy short stories.
I must start off by saying that the writing is excellent - the quality of this book is really up to the normal standard one has come to expect from Mr Messer.
however, the book is made up of 5 "short" stories, all of which are really different. I have to say though, that a few of them ended in a way that I didn't enjoy and others sort of just faded out.
I'm not sure that I would recommend this to someone (like me) who doesn't really enjoy short stories.
August 5, 2019
Vier verhalen en een korte 'toegift', die als overeenkomst hebben dat gebeurtenissen uit het verleden het leven van de hoofdpersonen overhoop halen, telkens met een verrassende ontknoping. Nesser heeft een prettige, wat 'kabbelende' schrijfstijl. Toch zijn de verhalen best spannend, al zat ik niet op het puntje van mijn stoel.
'De zomer van Kim Novak', ook van Nesser, heeft veel meer indruk op me gemaakt.
'De zomer van Kim Novak', ook van Nesser, heeft veel meer indruk op me gemaakt.
June 30, 2018
"Kui inimesel on mingi probleem ja ta ei suuda sellega oma koeraga pikka jalutuskäiku tehes toime tulla, siis on kõige parem see lahendamata jätta."
Ma panin 5 punkti mitte et see oleks olnud ülihea raamat, aga mind pole anmu suutnud mingi raamat üllatada.
Mõõdukalt kulgevad krimkad, millel on täiesti out of box püänt.
Esimese loo puhul üllatud. Teiste puhul juba ootad ja mõistad :)
Ma panin 5 punkti mitte et see oleks olnud ülihea raamat, aga mind pole anmu suutnud mingi raamat üllatada.
Mõõdukalt kulgevad krimkad, millel on täiesti out of box püänt.
Esimese loo puhul üllatud. Teiste puhul juba ootad ja mõistad :)
May 17, 2019
Het eerste verhaal gelezen; met het tweede begonnen. Doordat het verschillende verhalen zijn, vind ik het niet prettig om te lezen - je moet erg schakelen ....
Daarom: niet uitgelezen en ik wacht tot er weer een roman van zijn hand verschijnt.
Daarom: niet uitgelezen en ik wacht tot er weer een roman van zijn hand verschijnt.
June 8, 2019
This is an impressive array of how to build suspense and keep you wanting more. Every page is filled with interesting and intriguing characters some stories are so clever it’s not till the end that you realise you haven been wrong which is what I feel the author intended. Brilliant.
May 10, 2018
5 noveller, 4 tidigare utgivna samt en ny, en härlig lite oväntad knorr på berättelserna gör att läsningen blir njutbar
November 5, 2018
Bardzo meh. Liczyłam na więcej.
April 1, 2019
Voorspelbare plottwists.
April 6, 2019
Hyvää ja taattua Nesseriä!
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