The Courier

by Kjell Ola Dahl, Don Bartlett (Translator)

The international bestselling godfather of Nordic Noir takes on one of the most horrific periods of modern history, in a stunning standalone thriller…

‘A masterclass in plotting, atmosphere and character that finely balances shocking twists’ The Times 

In 1942, Jewish courier Ester is betrayed, narrowly avoiding arrest by the Gestapo. In a great haste, she escapes to Sweden, saving herself. Her family in Oslo, however, is deported to Auschwitz. In Stockholm, Ester meets the resistance hero, Gerhard Falkum, who has left his little daughter and fled both the Germans and allegations that he murdered his wife, Åse, who helped Ester get to Sweden. Their burgeoning relationship ends abruptly when Falkum dies in a fire.
And yet, twenty-five years later, Falkum shows up in Oslo. He wants to reconnect with his daughter. But where has he been, and what is the real reason for his return? Ester stumbles across information that forces her to look closely at her past, and to revisit her war-time training to stay alive…
Written with Dahl's trademark characterization and elegant plotting, The Courier sees the hugely respected godfather of Nordic Noir at his best, as he takes on one of the most horrific periods of modern history, in a exceptional, shocking thriller.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Thriller, Mystery, Fiction, Crime, World War II, Espionage

384 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2012

About the author

Born in 1958, Dahl's first novel was published in 1993. He is best known for his series about Oslo detectives Frank Frølich and Inspector Gunnarstranda.

Also publishes as K.O. Dahl

Reviews

[Miriam Smith (A Mother’s Musings) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve heard lots of good reports about Kjell Ola Dahl’s writing and was therefore intrigued to read his latest book ‘The Courier’, an historical thriller set in Norway.
Being a keen reader of Nordic Noir, I was very much looking forward to reading this story and I wasn’t disappointed. Translated by Don Bartlett, the transition into English is seamless and being equally atmospheric and suspenseful this made for a very promising mystery thriller.
The story opens in 2015 when Turid recognises a piece of jewellery up for auction that was her dead mothers. The story then switches between 1942 and 1967.
It’s 1942 and Jewish courier Ester, is betrayed, narrowly avoiding arrest. She manages to escape to Sweden but her family are unfortunately deported to Auschwitz. When Turid’s mother Ase and best friend to Ester is murdered, Turid’s father Gerhard Falkum is believed by the Gestapo to be the killer. Ester meets up with Falkum in Stockholm after he too flees Norway but later dies in a fire. However, twenty five years later Falkum shows up in Oslo wanting to reconnect with his daughter but where has he been and why has he returned? Ester, stumbling upon information that forces her to look closely at her past means she has to revisit her war-time training just to stay alive....
I loved how this captivating story switched between the two time lines connecting the two years perfectly with each chapter. The characters are excellently portrayed and created which makes this a richly, charismatically character driven story. The precise attention to detail is truly second to none too and with short, descriptive sentences this just proves the saying ‘less is more’.
Intriguing with brilliantly creative plotting, dark and positively suspenseful yet utterly realistic, I thoroughly enjoyed reading “The Courier” and I will definitely be reading more by this author again.

4 stars.

[Ingrid · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't feel for any of the characters, which makes the book rather cold.

[Magdalena · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have previously read a contemporary crime novel by Kjell Ola Dahl (a book that I really liked) and was intrigued by the prospect of reading a historical crime novel this time. Code Name Hilde story takes place both in present time, during the 60s and 40s. The present time story is the story that the book starts off with and also ends with. The story starts off with an older woman recognizing a family heirloom that is about to be auctioned away and she vows to stop the auction. It's then the story moves back and forth between the 40s and 60s as we get the whole story told, a story that the old woman will never get the full scope of.

I was so caught up with the 40s and 60s storylines that I pretty much forgot about the bracelet until it showed up in the story later on. It's such a thrilling and engrossing book that I felt that it could have been a bit longer, I wanted to know more about Ester's life after WW2, about her son in Israel and what happened during the years after the events during the eventful days in the 60s. This may be a stand-alone book, but I wouldn't mind reading more about Ester.

Code Name Hilde is a captivating novel. I especially liked reading about Norway during WW2 and the invasion of Nazi Germany and the peril of the Jews in the country. I recommend the book warmly!

Thanks to Bokfabriken for the review copy!

[Yigal Zur]

one of the books that with regret i stopped reading after half of it and i really wanted to know who is the killer of the murder done in 1942. but the jumps between times, the small too detailed information which it seems sometime bizarre made me quite. and historically the time and location is interesting - Norway under the german rule, collaboration with nazis. fascinating material. a guy coming after many years to find who is the killer. it seems that the only way is to come again sometime to the book with the right mood.

[Beverley · Rating 5 out of 5]

https://beverleyhasread.wordpress.com

A few things I like in a book:

* Great writing
* An intriguing plot
* A mystery (or three)
* Multiple timelines
* Lots of political and social history
* Strong characterisation

If I read a book that contains two or three of the above I consider it a win, if I read a book that hits every single item on my wishlist I feel like I’ve won the lottery. The Courier by Kjell Ola Dahl is a winning ticket. Set in the present day, the 1960s and during World War 2 The Courier examines life in Norway during the war and its far reaching impact.

In 1942, Ester, a young Jewish woman, working for the resistance in Oslo flees to Sweden after her cover is blown and she ends up on the radar of the Gestapo. She has left her family and friends behind and is tortured by thoughts of how safe they are in a country increasingly in the grip of a fascist regime. Her childhood friend, Åse and her husband Gerhard are also entrenched in the resistance but when Ester discovers that Åse is dead and Gerhard is suspected of her murder she is blindsided. Their daughter, Turid is still in Norway and when Gerhard dies in a fire she is adopted by a couple from Oslo. Except Gerhard reappears in Oslo in 1967 and he wants to see his daughter. Where has he been, who really died in the fire and is everything as it seems?

I love a book set during WW2 and in particular love to read about this period of history in countries other than my own. I am ashamed to say that I had little idea that Norway was so heavily impacted during the war and that Jews had their property taken from them (Ester’s father’s shop has a sign in the window declaring, ‘Closed (Jew)’) and subsequently sent to concentration camps. Kjell Ola Dahl writes some heartbreaking passages which convey the fear and frustration that Ester and her family feel. Her family home is ransacked and their possessions taken and it is all the more shocking due to the sparse use of language used to describe this betrayal.

The drawers have been smashed. There are white splinters around the locks. Her foot slips on a piece of paper. The noise makes her freeze. She is still for a few seconds. Curiosity drives her on.

Each sentence is like a gunshot. The gaps and the spaces left by the things unsaid let my imagination run wild and I felt the horror and disbelief for myself.

This tension runs throughout the novel like a river. It is an undercurrent which taints every sentence and character and I didn’t know quite who to trust. This is a brilliant thriller wrapped up in a piece of exquisite historical fiction with meticulous plotting and great characterisation. I loved the multiple timelines which allowed the mysteries (and boy are there a few!) to develop. The intervening years have made long held resentments and secrets fester and for Ester, Gerhard’s reappearance is shocking and visceral. She needs to know what happened the night he was supposed to have died in a fire and the death of Åse still weighs on her mind leading to a brilliant cat and mouse chase between the two of them. Or is it three of them? Because somebody else is also investigating Gerhard and the past may not stay buried.

With great characters like Gerhard, a man who is a principled loving father and husband but with a dark streak a mile wide and Ester a brave, fearless, strong woman this book becomes a study of human nature and what we will do in extraordinary circumstances. Kjell Ola Dahl writes women so well, they are not just ‘the wife’, or ‘the mother’ or ‘the pretty dead girl’ and the plot of The Courier is driven by women. It is women who hide Ester from the Gestapo, women who carry messages for the resistance and a woman who is unafraid to go against powerful and menacing men to right wrongs. I loved the people in this book, but most of all I loved Ester and her strength.

If brilliantly plotted novels with strong female leads and a stack of social and political history is your thing then The Courier could be for you. Wonderfully translated by Don Bartlett it is Nordic Noir at its best.

[Tripfiction · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Nordic Noir at its best...." dark thriller set in OSLO and STOCKHOLM



The Courier is the 11th book by Kjell Ola Dahl, one of the fathers of Nordic Noir. The first was published in back in1993. Eight of the books are police procedurals featuring investigator Gunnarstranda and his sidekick, Frank Frølich. But The Courier is quite different.

It is set in three time zones – briefly the present day (or rather 2015), 1967, and 1942. Alternate chapters switch between 1967 and 1942. It is Oslo in 1942. Ester, a Jewish girl delivering underground anti-Nazi newspapers, is betrayed – she knows not by whom – and has to flee to Stockholm. Her family are sent to Auschwitz where they all perish… She suffers from guilt at having escaped. In Stockholm, she meets Gerhard Falkum, a hero of the resistance who has also fled Oslo. Gerhard left under a cloud, with accusations (which he vehemently denies) that he murdered his wife and left his young daughter an orphan. Åse, Gerhard’s wife, was Ester’s best friend when she was young… A relationship between them is beginning to develop – when Gerhard is killed in a mysterious house fire.

25 years later (in 1967), Gerhard returns from the dead and appears in Oslo – to everyone’s surprise and amazement. Where has he been for 25 years, and why has he returned? His alleged reason is to catch up with his daughter, but there must be more. And he lies about where he has been – says he is a car dealer in the States, but this is not true. Slowly it begins to emerge that he may have been involved with US and UK intelligence – and that they may even have faked his death in Stockholm all those years ago.

Ester, and others from his 1942 past, are trying to second guess him and control what is happening. But it is very difficult. There are many mutual suspicions. Old concerns and fears are raised again…

The Courier moves to a frightening conclusion in a graveyard, where all is revealed. The ending is both surprising and convincing.

Both Oslo (in 1942 and 1967) and Stockholm (in 1942) are well described. A very scary time for the Jewish population – indeed for most citizens – of Oslo is covered in sensitivity and a sense of outrage. And 1942 returns to haunt the inhabitants of 1967.

This is Nordic Noir at its best – a great example of what good thrillers should be about.

[Rowena Hoseason · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you rate a book by its historical context, social insight and technical accomplishment then this Scandinavian story would be a full-on five-star phenomenon. It’s a consummate construction of complex timelines set in WW2 in Norway, the mid-1960s in Sweden, and the 21st century.

A cold-blooded killing committed in the past can only be solved in the present, but the culprit’s identity is skilfully obscured by layers of shameful secrets – the distasteful reality of wartime collaboration, exploitative espionage, inter-agency rivalry and greed-driven opportunism.

Each time and place is painstakingly realised, and author Kjell Ola Dahl interlaces fascinating observations about the Norwegian resistance and the fate of Jewish citizens in Norway under Nazi occupation into the mystery.

The actual investigation is pretty thin, however. There aren’t many options about who the murderer could be. The cover blurb talks about ‘shocking twists’ but I was neither shocked nor particularly surprised by whodunnit and why.

The rising tension depends heavily upon all the zig-zagging back and forth. Similarly, the story is told from several perspectives – making it quite fragmented. There’s little action or satisfying confrontation, and I became fairly frustrated with the repetitive sneaking around Stockholm’s backstreets.

I also struggled to form strong bonds with the characters – perhaps because their experiences were disjointed and diluted by the narrative device.

The Courier is much more like an exercise in historical realisation than a powerful crime drama, then. While it excels as the former, it didn’t succeed for me as the latter.
7/10

There are more reviews of crime / fiction over at http://www.murdermayhemandmore.net

[Dimitris Passas (TapTheLine) · Rating 4 out of 5]

''The Courier'' is definitely one of the top novels of the year in the Nordic Noir genre, its main merit being a compelling plot unfolding into three different timelines: the first covers the first years of the Second World War, the second is set at 1967, while the third is unraveling in the present (2015). It is a great crime/mystery with lots of, main and secondary, characters who are masterfully outlined, proving the talent of the writer, Kjell Ola Dahl, who along with Gunnar Staalesen ("Varg Veum" series) are considered to be the patrons of the Norwegian crime fiction.

For my review, visit https://tapthelinemag.com/post/the-co...

[Premanand Velu · Rating 4 out of 5]

மூடுபனி விலகும்போது…
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ஆங்கிலப் புதின வாசிப்பு என்பது எனக்கு சற்றே தாமதமாக தொற்றிய பழக்கம் தான். எழுத்துக்கூட்டிப் படிக்க ஆரம்பித்த காலத்தில் இருந்தே தமிழில் கையில் கிடைத்ததை எல்லாம் வாசிக்க ஆரம்பித்துவிட்டேன். ஆரம்பத்தில் இரும்புக்கை மாயாவி, வேதாள மாயாத்மா என்று காமிக்சில் ஆரம்பித்து, மெது மெதுவாக வாண்டு மாமா, பி.டி.சாமி, என்று வேகமெடுத்து, இரண்டாவது மூன்றாவது வகுப்பில், ராஜேந்திரக்குமார், புஷ்பா தங்கதுரை என்று எட்டிப்பிடித்துவிட்டேன். வயசுக்கு மீறிய பிஞ்சிலே பழுத்தது என்று பெருசுகள் முணுமுணுத்தது காதில் விழுந்தாலும் என் வாசிப்பு என்னவோ நிற்கவேயில்லை. காமிக்சுகளில் மாத்திரம் ஆங்கிலம் தமிழ் என்ற பாகுபாடு எப்போதும் இருந்ததில்லை.
ஆங்கில நெடும் புதினங்கள் அவ்வப்போது வாசித்தாலும் தமிழ் அளவுக்கு அதில் வேகமில்லை. அதற்கு காரணம் வீட்டில் அப்பா கண்டிப்பாக ஹிந்து பேப்பர் தவிர ஏதும் வாங்குவதில்லை என்பதோடு என் வாசிப்பு அனைத்தும் விடுமுறையில் தாத்தா வீட்டுக்கு ஊருக்கு வரும்போதுதான். கோவைக்கு அருகாமையில் அமைந்த சிறிய ஊரான அங்கே தமிழ் காமிசுக்களுக்கே கோவை சென்று தான் வாங்கி வரவேண்டும். மற்றபடி தினப்பத்திரிக்கை என்றால் தினகரன், தினத்தந்தி, வாரப்பத்திரிக்கைகள் என்றால் குமுதம், ஆனந்தவிகடன் முதல் கல்கண்டு முத்தாரம் வரை, நாவல்கள் என்றால் ராணிமுத்து, மாலைமதி என்று வகைதொகை இல்லாமல் கிடைப்பதைப் படிக்கும் வெறிபிடித்த பண்டிதனாகிவிடுவேன்.
கோவை வந்தவுடன் ஆங்கிலத்திலும் வாசிப்பின் வேகம் அதிகரிக்க ஆரம்பித்தது. அதற்கு முக்கிய காரணம் பாரதி வித்யா பவன் நூலகமும் என் நண்பன் குருவும் தான். மெதுவாக என் ஆறாவது படிக்கும் வயதில், பள்ளிக்குப் பின்னான நடன வகுப்பின் நடுவே, எனிட் பிளைட்டன், ஹார்டி பாய்ஸ், அகதா கிரிஸ்டி என்று நூலக புத்தகங்களை பரிந்துரைத்து, ஆர்வத்தை தூண்டிப் படிக்க வைத்துவிடுவான். நகரத்து தடபுடல்களை புதிதாக பார்த்து மிரண்ட எனக்கு, அவன்தான் புதிய விஷயங்களை அறிமுகப்படுத்திடும் கலைஞானி, சகலகலா வல்லவன் எல்லாம். நடன வகுப்பு முடிந்ததும், அங்கேயே பவன் நூலகத்தில் நேரம் போவது தெரியாமல் புத்தகத்தில் மூழ்கவும், இரவாகியும் வீடு வரவில்லை என்று தேடி வந்த என் பாட்டனாரிடம் திட்டு வாங்கவும் காரணம் அவன்தான். பிறகு மெதுவாக ஹெரால்ட் ராபின்ஸ், இர்விங் வாலஸ் என்று அறிமுகப்படுத்தி முன்னணி நாவலாசிரியர்களான அலிஸ்டர் மேக்லீன், ஜெஃப்ரி ஆர்ச்சர், கென் ஃபாலட், ஃப்ரெட்ரிக் ஃபோர்சித், லட்லம், வில்பர் ஸ்மித் என்று என்னை நிலை நிறுத்தியதும் அவன்தான். காலங்கள் பல கடந்து இருவரும் உலகின் வேறு வேறு மூலையிலிருந்தாலும், இன்றும் அவர்களின் புதிய புத்தகம் வருவது எங்களைப் பொறுத்தவரை ஒரு திருவிழாதான்.
அப்படி வாசிக்க ஆரம்பித்தவுடன், ஒரு புதிய உலகம் எனக்கு அறிமுகமானது. புதிய களங்கள், சம்பவங்கள், அவை நிகழும் காலகட்டங்கள் மற்றும் இடங்கள், அதில் உலவும் மனிதர்கள் என்று விரியும் அந்த வாசிப்பு இதுவரை அனுபவிக்காத முழுமையான அனுபவத்தை அளித்தது. வாசித்து முடித்த பின்பும் அதன் பாதிப்பில் சில மணி நேரங்களோ, சில நாட்களோ, திளைத்து இருப்பதும், வேறு புதிதாக வாசிக்க ஆரம்பித்தால் இதன் அனுபவம் பிறழ்ந்து விடுமோ என்று தயங்கியதும் நிகழும். கூடவே தமிழில் முன்னணிக் கிரைம் கதைகள் என்று பரவலாக விற்கப்படுபவை முக்காலே மூணு வீசம் வெறும் குப்பைதான் என்ற புரிதலுடன் அந்த வாசிப்புக்கு அப்போதே தலைமுழுக்குப் போட்டதும் நடந்தது.
அப்படி முழுக்குப்போட்ட பின்புதான் தமிழில் தி.ஜா, கி.ரா., போன்ற முன்னோடிகளின் வாசிப்புக்கு தடம் மாறி புதிய ரசனைக்கு வழிகிடைத்தது. வாத்தியார் சுஜாதாவின் எழுத்தைக் கூட வேறு கோணத்தில் தேடி வாசிக்கவும் வழி கிடைத்தது. ஒருவகையில் அதற்குக் காரணம் ஆங்கில கிரைம் நாவல்கள் என்பது நகை முரணாகத் தெரியலாம், ஆனால் அதுதான் எனக்குத் திருப்பு முனை.
இன்று மேலே குறிப்பிட்ட முன்னோடி கிரைம் எழுத்தாளர்களில் சிலர் மட்டுமே இன்னும் தொடர்ந்து எழுதி வருகின்றனர். அவர்களுக்கு அடுத்த நிலையில் புதிய தலைமுறை ஆங்கில எழுத்தாளர்கள் பலர் வந்துவிட்ட போதும், அவர்களுள் பலர் திரைப் படங்களையும் சின்னத்திரைத் தொடர்களையுமே குறி வைத்து எழுதுகின்றனர் எனத் தோன்றுகிறது. அவர்களின் முந்தைய தலைமுறை போன்று ஆழமாக இல்லை என்ற நெருடல் நெடுநாட்கள் எனக்கு இருந்தது. அதுவே என்னை மொழிபெயர்ப்புகள் வழியே மற்ற நாட்டு / மொழி எழுத்தாளர்களிடம் என்னை இட்டுச் சென்றது.
அப்படி வாசித்தவர்களில் சமீப காலத்தில் நான் கண்டடைந்த கியெல் ஓலா டால் ( Kjell Ola Dahl) என்ற நார்வேஜிய புனைக்கதை எழுத்தாளர் மிகச்சிறப்பான கதைகளை நமக்கு அளிக்கிறார். நார்வேயின் கிரைம் எழுத்தின் முடிசூடா மன்னன் என்று அழைக்கப்படும் அவருடைய புத்தகங்கள் ஆங்கிலத்தில் மொழிபெயர்க்கப்பட்டு சமீப காலங்கள் அதிகம் விற்பனை செய்யப்படுகின்றது. 1993 ம் ஆண்டில் எழுத ஆரம்பித்த அவருடைய புத்தகங்கள் நார்வேயில் மட்டும் அல்ல, மற்ற ஐரோப்பிய நாடுகளிலும் மிக அதிகமாக வாசிக்கப்படுகிறது.
பொதுவாக ஸ்டீக் லார்சன் (Steig larsson), யு நெஸ்ப ( Jø Nesbo) போன்ற ஸ்வீடிஷ், நார்வேஜிய எழுத்தாளர்களின் நூல்களால் பரவலாக அறியப்பட்ட நார்டிக் கிரைம் நூல் பரப்பில் டால் ஒரு முக்கிய ஆளுமை.
இந்த வகை நூல்கள் பரப்பு பரவலாக ஆங்கில வாசிப்புத் தளத்துக்குள் வந்து சேர முக்கிய காரணம் அதன் மொழிபெயர்ப்பாளர்கள். அந்த வகையில் டான் பார்லெட், யு நெஸ்ப மற்றும் டால் இருவரின் குறிப்பிடும்படியான புத்தகங்களையும் ஆங்கிலத்தில் மொழிபெயர்த்தவர். அவருடைய திறனுக்கு அவர் மொழிபெயர்த்த டேனிஷ், நார்வெஜிய மற்றும் ஸ்வீடிஷ் எழுத்தாளர்களின் நூல்கள் ஆங்கிலத்தில் அடைந்த வெற்றியே சாட்சி.
அவருடைய சில புத்தகங்களை வாசிக்க ஆரம்பித்த நான், சமீபத்தில் வாசித்த “ த கூரியர்” ( The courier) என்ற புத்தகம், நான் வாசித்த டாலின் படைப்புகளிலேயே மிகச்சிறப்பான ஒன்று, என்று அறுதியிட்டுக் கூற முடியும்.
பொதுவாக நார்வேஜிய எழுத்தாளர்களின் படைப்புகளை அப்படியே படித்தால் அதன் வீச்சு புரியாது. அதற்காக அவர்களின் சரித்திரம் மற்றும் தற்போதைய சமூக அமைப்பு பற்றிய பின்னணி வாசிப்பும் மிக அவசியம்.
அந்தவகையில், இரண்டாம் உலகப்போர் காலகட்டமான 1942, அதன் பின்னான 1967 ஆகிய இரண்டு தளங்களில் பயணிக்கும் இந்தப் படைப்பு தற்காலத்தில் (2015) துவங்கி முடிகிறது. இரண்டாம் உலகப்போரை தவிர்த்துவிட்டு 100 ஆண்டு ஐரோப்பிய சரித்திரத்தை எழுத முடியாது. குறிப்பாக நாஜிகள் நார்வே நாட்டை ஆக்ரமித்து, அவர்களின் அரசரையும் ஜனநாயக அரசையும் துரத்திவிட்டு தங்களுக்கு தலையாட்டும் ஒரு அரசை வைத்து தங்கள் கைப்பிள்ளை போல நடத்தியதை நார்வே நாட்டினர் மறக்கவில்லை. கூடவே வெளியே தெரிந்தும், தெரியாமலும் ஹிட்லர் அங்கே நடத்திய பல நடவடிக்கைகள் இன்றும் அதன் சமூக அமைப்பில் தாக்கம் செலுத்துகின்றன.
அதைப்பற்றிய பின்னணி அறியாமல் இந்தப் புதினத்தை வாசிக்கும்போது வேகமாக கடந்துபோகும் அபாயம் உள்ளது. உதாரணமாக, ஒரு இடத்தில், போர்கால பின்னணியில், முக்கிய பாத்திரத்தை விசாரிக்க வரும் நார்வேஜிய நாஜி போலீஸ் அதிகாரியின் தோற்றத்தையும் அவன் நீலக் கண்களையும் குறிப்பிடும் இடம்.
காணாமல் போன நகையை மீட்கும் முயற்சி என்ற முடிச்சில் துவங்கும் இந்தக் கதை, ஒரு கொலை என்ற அச்சில் சுழல ஆரம்பிக்கிறது.
வழக்கமான “ whodunit” எனப்படும் ‘ ஒரு மர்மக் கொலைக்குற்றம், அதைக் கண்டுபிடிக்கும் துப்பறிவாளர் ‘ என்ற வகையாக இல்லாமல், அந்தக் கொலை என்பதை ஒரு அடிநாதமாக கொண்டு, போர்கால சமூகப் பிரச்சினை, அரசியல் முரண்பாடுகள், உளவு நடவடிக்கைகள், என பல தளத்தில் பயணித்து, ஆரம்பித்த இடத்திலேயே முடிந்து விடுகிறது. உண்மையில், அந்தக் கொலை நடக்க நிகழ்வை விவரிக்கும் போதே கொலையாளி யார் என்ற ஊகம் வாசிப்பவருக்கு வந்து விடுகிறது. இருந்தபோதும் கதை சொல்லும் போக்கும், சம்பவங்களும், விவரணைகளும் வாசிப்பவரைக் கட்டி வைத்து ஒவ்வொரு அடுக்காக உரித்து, உண்மைகளை ஒவ்வொன்றாக அவிழ்க்கும் போது பிரமிக்க வைக்கிறது.
அந்த வகையில் அலிஸ்டர் மெக்லீன் நாவலை ஒத்த சாயலை அளித்தாலும், அதை விட மிக ஆழமான ஒரு புரிதலை வாசிப்பவர்களுக்கு அளிக்கிறது. வாசித்து முடித்தவுடன் அதன் தாக்கம், ஒரு நாள் முழுவதும் வேறு எந்த புத்தகத்தையும் கையில் எடுக்கவிடாமல் பனிபடர்ந்த நார்வேர்ஜிய இரவின் குளிரோடு நம்மை பயணிக்க வைக்கிறது.
#premsjourney #bookimpression

[Mairead Hearne (swirlandthread.com) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ester can see part of her father’s face through the bars on the window. The hairline, the fringe over his forehead and the top of his glasses. That is when he sees her. They exchange looks. His hand grasps a bar on the door window. She closes her eyes and regrets that she has seen this. She wishes she had spared him the humiliation….’

The Courier by Kjell Ola Dahl will be published by Orenda Books in paperback on 21st March 2019 (available now in ebook format) and is described as ‘a stunning and compelling wartime thriller with its sophisticated storytelling and elegant prose….exploring one of Norway’s darkest periods of history from the Godfather of Nordic Noir’ With wonderful translation by Don Bartlett, The Courier is a thriller that has been compared to the work of John Le Carré, a fitting analogy I would think…..

The Courier is a novel that takes the reader on a journey beyond the final days of the Second World War and into the following decades. After treaties were signed and hands shaken, the impact of the previous years did not just fade into the distance. The aftermath of the brutalities inflicted rippled throughout the generations and still do today. Although The Courier is a book of fiction, many historical references are based on actual facts. I was completely unaware as to the extent of Norway’s involvement in the Second World War, a country that was never really mentioned when we studied this period in school, so I was fascinated to read about it here and to look beyond the novel. (always the sign of a good read when I’m enthused to do my own research)

In 2012 the then Norwegian prime minister, Jens Stoltenberg, apologised for the role his country played in deporting its own Jews as Europe marked Holocaust Remembrance Day.

“Norwegians carried out the arrests, Norwegians drove the trucks and it happened in Norway….. It is time for us to acknowledge that Norwegian policemen, civil servants and other Norwegians took part in the arrest and deportation of Jews.” – BBC News 27.01.12

It is with this in mind that Kjell Ola Dahl departs from his favoured police procedural/psychological thriller genre and brings us this book filled with the horrors and mistrust of an era, a book that rivals many espionage style reads currently (and historically) on the shelves.

It’s 1942 and Ester had lived a comfortable life with her mother and father in Oslo. But Ester was frustrated by the increasing influence of the Nazi regime and was willing to do her bit for the resistance. Ester received an urgent message that her father was targeted as part of a Jewish roundup but Ester was too late to warn him and had to stand and watch as he was taken away. Ester had no where to run and, fearing for her own safety, she approached her childhood friend, Åse and her husband, Gerhard Falkum, a heroic member of the resistance, for help.

Ester made her escape into Sweden, where she continued to assist refugees escaping the terror of the Nazis, but always with an underlying hope that her family were safe. She crossed paths with Gerhard Falkum, a man in the shadows, frustrated with his inability to do more but also in hiding after being accused of murdering his wife, Ester’s friend, Åse. But after a mysterious fire which takes Gerhard’s life, Ester is left alone and afraid. As the war came to it’s inevitable conclusion, Ester remained in Sweden, the place she called home.

Twenty-five years pass and Ester’s world is suddenly faced with upheavel, as Gerhard makes an astonishing reappearance, looking to re-establish a relationship with his long-lost daughter, Turid.

What follows is a game of cat and mouse as Ester is unexpectedly reacquainted with people from her past, from that life of secrecy that she had left behind. But can you ever escape the hidden dangers of your past?

Kjell Ola Dahl builds the suspense throughout, seamlessly shifting between the decades, as the layers are slowly peeled back. The true character of each participant is revealed as the story exposes the depths of secrecy and classified information that was long hidden, never expected to see the light of day again.

The Courier is a tension-filled thriller wrapped around interchanging timelines. It has a strong plot that both entertains and informs, capturing the imagination of the reader from the opening pages. The Courier is a spy novel, it’s a historical guide, it’s a mystery, all fantastically translated by Don Bartlett, bringing the writings of Kjell Ola Dahl to a much wider and very appreciative new audience of readers across the globe.

I am a huge fan of historical fiction, so it was an absolute treat for me to have the opportunity to read The Courier. A highly compelling read, packed with suspense and intrigue. Highly entertaining!!

[Yvonne (It's All About Books) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Finished reading: March 9th 2019

"You can hide, you can move to an island, build a hut and wander on a beach for years, lonely. But when the past comes calling you are the same person."

*** A copy of this book was kindly provided to me by Anne Cater and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Thank you! ***



Those who know me are probably already aware of the fact I have a special interest in WWII historical fiction and I always enjoy a good mystery. Add an international setting you don't see every day and the fact that it's Nordic Noir in the first place and you'll find me jumping up and down out of sheer excitement. Oh yes, I couldn't wait to dive into my copy of The Courier and it turned out to be just as good as the reviews I saw popping up kept promising me. Want to know why?

The first thing that stands out in The Courier is that this story is actually set in three different time periods which are connected by the main characters. The story mainly switches between 1942 and 1967, both having its own storyline and different angle to contribute to the plot. This mostly dual timeline was one of the strongest elements of this story for me and highly enhanced my reading experience. The fact that we are left in the dark about what happened in 1942 and what consequences it has on the characters in 1967 adds a healthy dose of suspense to the plot and the author is able to build this feeling of suspense and intrigue in both storylines. Both are equally strong for different reasons, a balance that is easy to achieve while using a dual timeline.

The writing and plot development also really stood out for me. This story managed to grab my attention right from the very first chapter and the engaging writing style made it easy to fully emerge myself in the story and travel back in time. The descriptions of time, place and characters are detailed and well developed, making it easy to imagine yourself as a spectator observing the story from a front row seat. The main characters felt real as they are realistically displayed with flaws and all; you will soon find yourself rooting for them and this makes connecting to the story all the easier.

Another thing I could really appreciate was the historical content and the many references to daily life in Norway and Sweden in 1942 and 1967. Especially since WWII historical fiction tends to focus on countries like Germany, Poland or France, I was excited to be offered a glimpse of the history of lesser known countries that were affected by that particular part of history. It was interesting to see the characters evolve over time as they react to the things that happen to and around them. The plot also has quite a few surprises in store and I can promise you that you will not see them coming. The Courier is a little Nordic Noir gem and a very satisfying read for fans of historical fiction and thrillers alike. Highly recommended!

P.S. Find more of my reviews here.

[Bruce Hatton · Rating 2 out of 5]

In 1942, Gerhard Falkum, a Norwegian resistance fighter flees to Sweden; ostensibly to escape the Gestapo, although it turns out he is also wanted by the Norwegian police for the murder of his wife. Shortly after arriving in Stockholm, he is assumed to have died in a plane crash.
However, in 1967, he turns up in Oslo; allegedly having spent the previous 30 years in the U.S. and seems determined to exonerate himself for his wife’s murder by finding the real killer.
The chapters alternate between 1942 and 1967, with three excursions into the present time concerning the provenance of a rare bracelet. This is a device which can work well, however, on this occasion, I had trouble reconciling the characters of 1942 with how they appeared 25 years later. The resolution of the central crime was rather clumsily handled and, I felt, well telegraphed beforehand.
In all, a very intriguing and original idea which could have been handled much better.

[Ken Fredette · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow! I've read all of Kjell's books but you know I've never been this up in the air on this who-done-it. Ester is the woman who reveals who the actual killer is, but you are lead on so many people who may have killed her. This is a really great mystery. Taken over many years. It's a great story to read and then let it play out. I give it 4 out of 5 stars and recommend it to read.

[Izabelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jag är ju egentligen ingen deckarfantast men den här var faktiskt väldigt bra! Jag tror det beror på att det är en blandning mellan deckare, historisk roman och en spionhistoria. Bakgrunden till storyn, Norge under och efter andra världskriget, var väldigt intressant.

[Raven · Rating 5 out of 5]

Once again the spectre of WWII, familiar in Scandinavian fiction, looms large in this latest thriller from the always compelling Kjell Ola Dahl. With it’s triple timeline narrative, and an overriding air of conspiracy, lies and betrayal, this is certainly on a par with some of the finest proponents of the espionage genre.

I think the stand out feature for me of this particular book, was the real resonance it had of one of my favourite fiction writers, William Boyd, and this is high praise indeed. In much the same way as Boyd has defined his place in the spy genre with his particular attention to and always authentic female protagonists, so Dahl achieves the same thing with Ester. I found her character absolutely mesmerising throughout as she seeks to unravel the crimes of the past, as the story unfolds through 1940s Norway, to 1960s Sweden and then to the contemporary period. I loved that Dahl imbued her character with an equal share of vulnerability, stubborn minded and tenacious invincibility, truly making her character for the reader to become invested in. From the traumatic loss of her family in Auschwitz, to the murder of her closest friend, and then her conflicting hard headedness and attraction to the man she believed responsible of this crime, Dahl puts her through an emotional wringer, which instead of breaking her, just makes her grow in stature among her peers, and allows her to navigate the disturbing vibrations of the past in the present. I must confess, that such was my interest in her character, the male protagonists of the book became shadowy conduits for Ester’s self realisation, but without their attempted manipulations, and seeming duplicity in relation to her, this made for an interesting journey as she navigates her way to the truth.

What I also admired greatly was the way that Dahl so fixedly entrenches us in each contrasting time period, as the book does alternate quickly at times between the two. This real sense of time and place keeps us rooted in Ester’s story across the years, and adds contrasting feelings of tension in each era. Obviously, in the Nazi occupied Norway of 1940s and the severe escalation of the Final Solution, the feeling of fear and threat of violence is palpable in these sections of the book. This is further heightened by the illicit activities that Ester herself is involved in. However, Dahl manages to manipulate our sense of tension, which is no less discomfiting, in the 1960s narrative too, as Ester tries to unravel the enigma that is Falkum. This ebb and flow of their interactions, and the veil of secrecy that Dahl manages to cast over events up until the latter stages of the book is effectively done, all leading to an emotional and devastatingly poignant denouement.

In much the same way as Arnaldur Indridason has recently explored the Icelandic experience of WWII, adjusting the focus away from the linear murder mystery form to something far more searching and emotionally driven, so Dahl achieves the same in this intelligent and absorbing standalone. As a fan of Dahl’s regular crime series, I was more than satisfied with this perceptive, and at times, incredibly moving exploration of Scandinavian history. It pirouettes so neatly between changing times, cultural norms (through Dahl’s precise insertion of music and film references) and the growing self awareness and belief of a truly memorable female protagonist. Highly recommended.

[Thebooktrail · Rating 4 out of 5]

Visit the locations in the novel


The Courier is a novel set in a time period we all think we know a lot about, but after this I am doubting what I have read before and thinking about events of the war very differently indeed. It’s about Norway’s involvement in the war and its treatment of Jews. I admit to knowing nothing of this angle if you can call it that and is something we never studied at school, that’s for sure.

Kjell Ola Dahl normally writes police procedurals so how would he treat such a delicate and senstive subject in a new format? Brilliantly is the simple answer.

He takes us back to 1942 and we see the terror and uncertainty of the time through the eyes of Ester. She’d lived quite a nice life before the war broke out but little by little, she became troubled by the Nazis and their increasing levels of control and persecution. Her father is taken away before she can get to warn him which causes Ester severe anguish. She feels so useless and so Ester then joins the resistance.

She moves to Sweden and really starts work in the Resistance as there is a large number of people assisting the refugees here. Imagine having to move and flee only to constantly worry about your family back home! She meets Gerhard Falkum, who is accused of murdering his wife, Ester’s friend, Åse. Tragedy strikes and Ester is left all alone.

What happened to Gerhard and what happens to Ester? The next part of the story follows Ester as she becomes reacquainted with her past,whether she likes it or not. There are plenty of dangers in that past. People you wouldn’t want to meet again. But they come out of the shadows and Ester is forced to face her past. Except that this past could kill her…

The Courier really put a fresh and interesting spin on a war story. There’s a really fascinating thread about couriers, passing letters and secrets during this most troubled time and it was fascinating to be part of it. The war held many of its secrets close to its heart and they come out of the shadows one by one, tied back first by secrecy, classified documents and then the people caught up in their trap.

This is a strong novel with many layers, secretive and hidden which come to the fore. By the end, the bigger picture is quite something and you see things you might not have picked up during the novel itself. Stand back and admire as if The Courier was a painting of the war, which in a way, it is. The more you look, the more you find.

The settings of Oslo and Stockholm are carefully crafted and very well done across the time periods of 1942 and 1967. The landscape is one of fear, terror, outrage, injustice and not just for the Jewish population,

Kudos to Don Bartlett for making this so easy to read and so accessible to readers outside of Scandinavia.

[Stephanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have read a few books that are in someway connected to WW2, but never one that is set in Norway. In honesty, I am ashamed to admit that I never had any idea about Norway’s involvement in the war. The book is set both in 1942 when you are introduced to Ester and Gerhard and 1967 when Ester is determined to get answers. There are also very brief chapters that are set in 2015.

This is a book where you need to concentrate a lot when reading. The period that it is set in change for each chapter and there were occasions when I had to check which I was reading about. But when 1942 was left behind I found it much easier to read, and all the questions I had were answered.

Ester was a character I loved. She is Jewish, and a courier who is working with the resistance. When she witnessed her father being taken away by the authorities and his shop closed I was a little surprised that there wasn’t further focus on this. I has expected the novel to be about the atrocities committed. But the novel focuses on Ester’s determination to find out what happened to her friend and trying to find out how and why Gerhard is still alive 25 years later. It also gives some insight into what happened behind the scenes during the war.

It was increasingly fascinating how the the story connected, and what happened to them in the years between. Especially with Ester, this novel could have just concentrated on her life journey from Norway to Israel. Whilst there wasn’t a lot of focus on what happened to her family, you do get to see the effect it had on her. How it never left her. I imagine this to be a true reflection of what it must be like for descendants of loved ones who were taken away.

[Kathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

A moving book presenting life in Norway for Jews during Hitler's ascendancy.

I bought this back in May and tried reading it a couple of times and had to delay until I could make it through. Very upsetting material.

[Jess · Rating 4 out of 5]

In 1942, Jewish newspaper courier Ester Lemkov finds herself betrayed by the resistance forces she is working with and narrowly avoiding arrest. She not only feels her own life at jeopardy, but watches as her father is dragged from their family store and their home is vandalized. In order to save herself, Ester must leave behind those she loves and make a new start in Sweden. Her family back in Oslo is fated to be deported to Auschwitz.

Ester’s time in Stockholm brings her a reunion with Gerhard Falkum, a resistance hero who has had to leave behind his infant daughter and flee Oslo after his wife is found murdered. Gerhard is suspect number one in the death of his wife, Ase, who is also Ester’s childhood friend. He maintains his innocence. As Ester grows closer to Gerhard, he is removed from her life when he dies in a fire.

Twenty-five years later, Ester receives news that Gerhard Falkum is not only alive, but he is in Oslo. Gerhard claims that he has returned to reconnect with his daughter, but Ester is not convinced. Not only can she not figure out his end goal, but she also can’t figure out where he’s been all this time. Ester is determined to get to the bottom of the lies Gerhard seems to leave in his wake. Will she want the truth once she has it?

THE COURIER unpacks a multi-layered story about Ester Lemkov’s life. The story initially opens in 2015, where we meet a woman tracking down a bracelet she says belonged to her mother. That story is immediately segwayed back to 1942 and 1967, as two alternating storylines take centerstage revealing a lifetime of events that will ultimately link back to 2015.

The two narratives of 1942 and 1967 tell stories from Ester’s past and are ultimately linked together because of Gerhard, who she thought died in 1942, but has now returned in 1967. The events of each story intertwine with each other in order to reveal the truth behind events between Ester and Gerhard that have haunted them for twenty-five years. I loved how each story worked perfectly as a standalone, but ultimately fed off of each other to create a compelling tale of crime fiction.

Kjell Ola Dahl has a flawless way with words, where he can bring to life the streets of any city before the reader’s eyes. The atmospheric quality of Dahl’s writing truly made this story all the more captivating. In conjunction to this element, Dahl also succeeds in creating multi-faceted characters that the reader instantly connects with, be it through pity, anger, or compassion. Dahl made it easy to understand the motives behind character’s actions in present and past scenarios. While I might have been in the dark as the mystery was unraveling, Dahl writes with a reassuring quality that I could feel that answers were always right around the corner.

THE COURIER is a work of crime fiction with a compelling historical aspect that truly helps make it stand out in a crowded genre. This slow-burn, atmospheric tale is one that will transport you to another time and another way of life. Lovers of several genres can expect to find something for them within these pages.

Disclaimer: Thank you Orenda Books for providing me a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

[Clair · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kjell Ola Dahl has published 11 books which includes a police procedural/ psychological thriller series featuring investigators Gunnarstranda and Frølich. The Courier is completely different…in time period, subject and characterisation – a brave deviation but a completely successful one.

The Courier is set mainly between the early 1940’s and the late 1960’s – fleetingly the reader is taken to present time (for when the book was first published in 2015). We meet Ester, a young Jewish woman in 1942 when she is delivering anti-Nazi newspapers in Oslo. Unfortunately, Ester and her family have been found by the Nazi’s resulting in Ester fleeing for her life to Stockholm whilst he parents are taken to the gas chambers of Auschwitz. Ester had a best friend, Åse who was murdered, her death was deemed to be at the hands of her jealous husband, Gerhard Falkum. Ester meets up with Gerhard in Stockholm and begins to form a relationship with him until he is killed in a house fire….but is all that it seems to be?!

1967 brings Ester and Gerhard back together again, rather than being dead, Gerhard has been living a secret life that intrigues not only Ester but people in their past…

The Courier is a wonderful slow burn read. For me, I didn’t study history or World War II in any depth at school so not really familiar with the details. As such, I had to read this book slower than I usually would so I could keep up with timelines and events. It is full of tension, mainly generated through the slow-burn narrative as well as the (mainly) dual timelines. The author really brings to life the fear that people lived with both during the war and for decades afterwards, the scars that never quite healed.

I highly recommend The Courier to historical fiction/espionage fans…you are in for a treat

[LJ (ljwritesandreviews) · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Courier is told using multiple timelines, 1942, 1967 and finally 2015. We follow the story of Ester, a young Jewish woman who risks her life to be part of the resistance. After a near miss with the police, Ester flees to Sweden leaving her life behind. Later she finds out that her friend was murdered and blamed on her partner, Gerhard Falkum.

Twenty five years later Gerhard is back, to reconnect with his daughter Turid but is that really why?

The terror and uncertainty of WWII really oozes from the pages of The Courier. It’s packed with vivid descriptions and fascinating characters that will transport you back in time while sitting in the comfort of your own home.

As many of you know if you’ve been reading this blog for a while, I love a novel that teaches me something. I had no idea that the Nazi managed to infiltrate countries like Norway and started persecuting Jews too.

I liked the character of Ester, she’s so strong, having to face such danger and heartbreak, having to run from her own country leaving behind her family and friends, determined to survive.

This is a really intricately plot novel but sometimes I felt that I got a bit lost between the back and forth of the timeline.

I’d recommend The Courier to anyone who loves a good historical spy thriller, full of tension, terror and intrigue.

[Jinnie Stork · Rating 1 out of 5]

Språket är barnsligt och lämnar inget åt fantasin. Till exempel räcker det inte med att författaren skriver att någon använder nål och tråd, han skriver också ut att personen syr. Man känner sig som läsare du förklarad och att berättelsen står och stampar vid sådana oväsentligheter. Allt sex är så underligt pittoreskt, alla är otrogna, alla verkar sakna empati. Ramberätteksen saknar mening och den stora berättelsen saknar kontinuitet. Dessutom måste det finnas mer intressanta intriger att komma på än att en snubbe mördar sin fru om man nu ska skriva om andra världskriget i Norge. Och hela motståndsrörelsen känns banal på det sätt som den berättas om i denna berättelse, medan den på intet sätt var banal i verkligheten. På det hela inte en särskilt välskrivet berättelse, där synopsisen hade kunnat göras intressant.

[Paul · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Courier – A Brilliant Standalone Thriller

Kjell Ola Dahl has written a brilliant standalone thriller, that is based around one of the darkest periods of Norwegian history in the twentieth century. He bases this book around one of the most horrific periods when the Germans were in control of the country, and the Quisling government was aiding and abetting the occupation.

It is 2015, and Turid notices an advert for an auction, and that one of the items for sale is a bracelet that she knows was stolen from her in 1967. As she tries to stop the sale and reclaim her wonderful bracelet. What the reader gets it a journey back to 1942, and to actions in 1967.

Ester sees that her father has been arrested by his jeweller’s shop daubed with anti-Jewish graffiti, she goes home to find that her mother and grandmother have been taken as well. Ester goes to her friend Åse’s apartment which she shared with her baby Turid and Gerhard Falkum.

In 1942, Ester is a courier for the resistance, but she has been betrayed and narrowly escapes the clutches of the Gestapo, and escapes to Sweden. It is in Stockholm, she once again comes across Gerhard, who tells her that Åse has been murdered and that he is on the run from the police. Ester is the liaison officer assigned to take care of Gerhard. Ester has a burgeoning relationship, until it is ended by a fire which kills Gerhard.

1967, Ester has not been back in Oslo that long when an old acquaintance from the war is on her doorstep, telling her that Gerhard Falkum is alive. He wants to reconnect with his daughter and get to the bottom of Åse’s murder. Ester knows she must use her skills and revisit what happened during the war and stay alive. As Ester revisits her past it takes her closer to the truth.

A truly wonderful book, a book I can highly recommend.

[Georgiana 1792 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ci ho messo un po' a terminare questo romanzo, ma, alla fine, non mi è dispiaciuto, malgrado lo stile piatto, dovuto, secondo me, all'utilizzo del presente sia nella parte ambientata nel 1942 che in quella del 1967, che spesso tende a confondere il lettore tra i due periodi. Una storia che non mi è risultata molto chiara anche a causa della mia scarsa conoscenza del ruolo della Norvegia durante il secondo conflitto mondiale, anche perché, sebbene ci fosse l'occupazione tedesca, i personaggi principali si muovevano quasi indisturbati in Norvegia, pur essendo membri della Resistenza. E, in effetti, un'altra cosa che non mi è stata chiarissima è stata l'attività di spionaggio che sembrava fare da sottofondo un po' a tutto il romanzo, ma che è rimasta sempre molto misteriosa.
Alla fine, un sacco di inseguimenti, gente che viene pedinata che si mette a pedinare i propri inseguitori, armi e gioielli che compaiono e scompaiono in modo misterioso, e chi più ne ha più ne metta, che portano a una soluzione banale. Sembra quasi di vedere un nuotatore poco esperto che batte i piedi e le braccia sul pelo dell'acqua creando un'enormità di schizzi, ma poi rimane sempre fermo nello stesso posto...

[Dave · Rating 3 out of 5]

We learn that a crime occurs in Scandinavia during ww2. The author resolves it 70 some years later. The relatively short story held my attention for the most part, but I set it aside frequently, often at times when I had nothing better to do. It was satisfying in the end

[Sarah Krumpietz · Rating 2 out of 5]

In „Die Frau aus Oslo“ von Kjell Ola Dahl begleiten wir die Jüdin Esther zur Zeit des NS Regimes in Norwegen auf ihrer Flucht nach Schweden und auf der Suche nach dem wahren Mörder ihrer besten Freundin.
Bei diesem Katz und Maus Spiel lernen wir einige alte Bekannte, wie den Widerstandskämpfer Gerhard Falkum, oder den einst Gleichgesinnten Sverre Fenstad kennen, die alle eine tragende Rolle in den schrecklichen Ereignissen während des Krieges innehaben.
Welche aber genau und wieso, wer oder was, wie gehandelt hat, das gilt es in diesem Krimi herauszufinden.
Die Geschichte um den Mord und dessen Aufklärung entwickelt sich am Anfang wirklich rasant, aber auch nicht zu schnell, was mir wirklich gut gefallen hat, man bekommt kein allzu langes „Intro“, bei dem man ewig nicht weiß wo es hingehen soll, weshalb mich das Buch anfangs auch wirklich gut unterhalten hat und ich das Potenzial hinter der Geschichte meinte erahnen zu können.
Die Sprache ist ganz angenehm und leicht, kurze Sätze machen es dem Leser nicht schwer durch die Geschichte zu fliegen und versprechen Spannung auf den folgenden Seiten.
Auch die Perspektivenwechsel - wir erleben die Geschehnisse aus ca. 4-5 Sichtweisen - weisen auf einen gut durchdachten Krimi hin. Weiterhin spielt die Geschichte in 3 verschiedenen Zeiten
– 1942, 1967,2015 - am Anfang jedes Kapitels sind das aktuelle Jahr und der Ort aber immer deutlich als Überschrift angegeben, weshalb ich auch keine Schwierigkeiten hatte bei den Zeitenwechseln den Überblick zu behalten.
An sich stilistisch ganz feine Mittel, mit denen der Autor Spannung aufbauen und reichlich Informationen an den Leser weitergeben könnte. Müsste man meinen.
Leider finde ich, dass K. Dahl es nicht geschafft hat den guten und vielversprechenden Start im weiteren Verlauf der Geschichte beizubehalten oder dem gerecht zu werden.
Der Lesefluss wird durch unnötige Aneinanderreihung von gefühlt hunderten von Straßenbezeichnungen unterbrochen, fast jeder Gang eines Protagonisten (und sie gehen überaus viel), wird akribisch genau dokumentiert - „Esther biegt ab in die XY gate, geht weiter entlang am xy Friedhof, schaut hinauf zur XY gate und überlegt weiterhin der XY gate zu folgen..“ -, solche oder so ähnliche Stellen finden sich in den ersten 2 Dritteln des Krimis wirklich zu Hauf und den genaueren Sinn dahinter sehe ich nicht.
Im Fokus der Geschichte steht eben der Mord an Esthers Freundin Ase und ihr Mann Gerhard steht von Anfang an unter dringendem Mordverdacht, weshalb dieser, genau wie Esther, nach Schweden flieht. 1967 treffen die Zwei wieder aufeinander und Esther will den, seit 25 Jahren ungeklärten, Mord nun endlich aufdecken. Dieses Aufdecken des Mordes, bei dem durchaus auch andere Personen eine Rolle spielen, ist aber letztlich nur ein ewiges umeinander herschleichen, bespitzeln und rätseln der Protagonisten. Im Endeffekt wird dieser Mord dann, der damalige Hergang und die Motive dahinter, nur nacherzählt, wirklich passieren tut während der Handlung wenig.
Also A erzählt B seine neuen Erkenntnisse und C weiß immer noch nicht, was genau los ist..
Dass der Mörder für mich dann am Ende keine Überraschung war, verlieh mir leider auch kein Hochgefühl.
Das einzig unerwartete war eine von Esthers Reaktionen am Schluss, welche sich mir aber auch wirklich nicht erschließen konnte, viel zu schnell abgefertigt wurde und ich ungemein übertrieben fand.
Sonst muss ich leider auch sagen, dass mich die einzelnen Charaktere nicht wirklich überzeugen konnten.
Die Rolle von 2 Personen ist für mich auch nach Beenden des Buches noch ein Rätsel, im Grunde hätte sich die komplette Handlung auf 3, vielleicht 4 Personen beschränken können.
Über die komplette Erzählung hinweg werden Fässer aufgemacht, Hinweise gegeben, Dinge geschehen und andere Dinge werden gesagt, aber leider bleiben viele davon ungeklärt. Um nicht zu spoilern, will ich nicht zu genau auf deren Inhalt eingehen, aber nicht einmal das genaue Motiv hinter dem schrecklichen Mord an Ase und die Abgründe des Täters, erfahren wir befriedigend eindeutig.

„Die Frau aus Oslo“ erhielt 2015 die Auszeichnung als Norwegens bester Krimi.
Ich für meinen Teil muss feststellen, dieses Buch als das Beste irgendwas anzupreisen, würde mir wirklich nicht einfallen, ich bin zwar kein Krimi-Experte, geschweige denn einer, der einen Durchblick in der norwegischen Literatur hat, aber wenn das Norwegens Bester war, dann bin ich alles andere als angetan mal einen anderen zur Hand zu nehmen.
Alles in Allem hat mich die Geschichte leider nicht genug gefesselt, ich bin am Ende ratloser, als zu Beginn der Handlung und schlussendlich bleibe ich eher enttäuscht und verwirrt, als gut unterhalten, zurück.

[Kate A · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rating 3.5/5

The Courier is set between three different times in the 1940s, the 1960s and in 2015. I have to say I found the different timelines quite hard to grasp at first but soon they flowed quite well together. It was certainly very interesting having multiple timelines in this case because of the differences the war made to the characters, the suspicion and the way they had to act during the war to survive definitely shows later in their lives and adds some extra tension to the plot.

I had no idea how much involvement Norway had during the war, I suppose because when I learned about it, it was mostly about Britain’s fight. It still amazes me the reach that this movement had and quite how many lives were devastated by it.

There were so many questions in this book, I liked that every time I thought we might be getting close to any answers something would pop up and keep the guessing going. As I said the setting lends itself to suspicious characters, everyone seems like they are hiding things and that they have secrets because they had to play their cards so close to their chests during the war. It’s great for making you wonder about characters motivations, and I enjoyed the way that things unfolded, information was found out in bits and pieces that had to be puzzled together.

The tension was pretty high for a lot of the book, however, there would be moments or scenes that would suddenly kind of lose it, there would be a lot of extraneous detail that meant you lost the build up from what you had just read. This might just be this writers style, it was always quite descriptive and occasionally would add to the setting but personally, I felt like it made the pace of the book chop and change and that made for quite a difficult reading experience at times.

Having said that, once the book got past the three-quarter point, the suspense did continually build. I was desperate to find out the answers to all my questions and found that I couldn’t put the book down until I’d reached the end.

The Courier is more of a slow burn book, but with a high stakes atmosphere. I’m glad that I decided to leave my comfort zone and take a chance on it.

Originally posted on everywhere and nowhere

[Between The Pages (Gemma M) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have read and enjoyed previous books by Kjell Ola Dahl so this was a must read for me. What a brilliantly written and translated story! This is the perfect historical, crime novel. Really takes you back to the 1940s and 1960s during WWII. It also links to the present day, each is set out clearly so there is no confusion for the reader.
This is not your everyday, average mystery its unique and written perfectly. I loved the two female characters Ester and Ase. It is a page turner of a read which you will not want to put down. I wanted more after finishing this I just loved it all! Fast paced story for me, devoured it. Also contains short chapters which I love! I was lost into this story and didn’t want to come back to reality.
Highly recommend. A well deserved four stars from me. One you won’t regret reading. A story that I won’t forget for a long time.

[Tara · Rating 2 out of 5]

I never really connected with any of the characters, which, like another reviewer stated, made it feel cold. Although it was at times intriguing, I had to force myself to read this.

[Wampy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Die Kälte der Figuren

Buchmeinung zu Kjell Ola Dahl – Die Frau aus Oslo

„Die Frau aus Oslo“ ist ein Kriminalroman von Kjell Ola Dahl, der 2019 bei Bastei Entertainment in der Übersetzung von Thorsten Alms erschienen ist. Der Titel der norwegischen Originalausgabe lautet „Kureren“ und ist 2015 erschienen.

Zum Autor:
Kjell Ola Dahl, 1958 in Norwegen geboren, schreibt seit einigen Jahren mit großem Erfolg Kriminalromane, seinen Beruf als Lehrer hat er dafür aufgegeben. Seine Kriminalromane werden in eine Vielzahl von Sprachen übersetzt und erscheinen in zahlreichen Ländern. DIE FRAU AUS OSLO wurde mit dem angesehen RIVERTON-PREIS und dem BRAGE-PREIS ausgezeichnet. Mit seiner Familie lebt er in Askim, unweit Oslos.

Klappentext:
Oslo, 1942. Die Stadt ist von den Nazis besetzt. Die Jüdin Esther kämpft im Widerstand - bis sie verraten wird. In letzter Sekunde gelingt ihr die Flucht nach Schweden. Ihre Familie jedoch wird deportiert. In Stockholm trifft Esther den Widerstandskämpfer Gerhard Falkum, der ebenfalls aus Oslo geflohen ist. Er steht unter Mordverdacht an seiner Frau. Ein Verdacht, der nie ausgeräumt werden kann und Esther Jahrzehnte später noch beschäftigt. Denn zurück in Oslo will sie herausfinden, wer ihre Familie damals in den sicheren Tod geschickt hat ...

Meine Meinung:
Dieses Buch ist kein klassischer Kriminalroman, auch wenn sich viel um den Tod der jungen Ase im von Deutschen besetzten Oslo im Jahre 1942 dreht. Insgesamt spielt die Handlung auf drei Ebenen, der Zeit der Widerstandskämpfer im Jahre 1942, einer Art der Aufarbeitung im Jahr 1967 in Stockholm und einem kurzen Abschnitt in der Jetztzeit. Meist betrachtet der Autor die Geschehnisse um die Jüdin Ester, dem Geheimdienstmann Sverre und den Ehemann Gerhard der getöteten Ase, der sich 1967 Gary nennt. Der Autor geizt mit Informationen zu seinen Figuren und viele Aspekte werden nur angedeutet. Selbst untereinander wird vieles verschwiegen. Dies passt aber zur Geschichte, den Widerständler und Geheimdienstler agieren schon aus Eigeninteresse so. Die Figuren im Jahre 1967 wirken angeschlagen mit Wunden aus der Zeit des Krieges. Keine der Figuren wirkt sympathisch, auch weil ihre Charakterzüge mit Ausnahme von Ester nur grob skizziert werden. Erst im Lauf der Geschichte wird deutlich, was alles im besetzten Oslo und in Stockholm passiert ist. Ester ist eine starke Frauenfigur, die aber auch sehr berechnend agiert. 1967 in Stockholm spitzen sich die Ereignisse dramatisch zu, ohne dass aber große Spannung aufkommt. Bei mir hinterlässt der Roman ein Gefühl der Kälte und des Bedauerns.

Fazit:
Die Figuren passen zur Handlung, wirken aber durch die Bank unterkühlt und berechnend. Spannung kommt eher durch fehlende Informationen als durch rasante Handlung auf, aber der Autor zeichnet ein glaubhaftes Bild der Zeit und der Auswirkungen, die erst 25 Jahre später deutlich werden. Vier von fünf Sternen (80 von 100 Punkten) und eine Leseempfehlung für ein durch die kühl wirkenden Figuren überzeugendes Buch.