De dødes tjern

Kai Bugge #2

by André Bjerke

En gruppe ungdomer reiser til en hytte for å finne årsaken til at en god venn begikk selvmord. I løpet av noen høstdøgn utsettes de for en rekke nervepirrende opplevelser. Alt beveger seg i grenseland mellom drøm og virkelighet, i et slør av uhygge, inntil psykoanalytikeren Kai Bugge skjærer gjennom mystikken og presenterer løsningen.

Genres: Horror, Mystery, Classics, Fiction, Crime, Thriller, Mystery Thriller

172 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1942

About the author

Jarl André Bjerke was a Norwegian writer and poet. His debut was in 1940 with a collection of poems, Syngende Jord (Singing Earth). He has written a wide range of material: poems (both for children and adults), mystery novels (four of them under the pseudonym Bernhard Borge), essays, and articles. He was known as a master translator, and translated works by Shakespeare, Molière, Goethe, Racine, etc. into elegant Norwegian. A central theme in Bjerke's works, especially his poems, is the longing for childhood.

Reviews

[Alice · Rating 3 out of 5]

Looooved the setting, the atmosphere and the mystery. Found the whole thing incredibly intriguing and creepy, but had a hard time getting past the outdated view on women (it would've easily been a 4 star read without it).

[Theresa (mysteries.and.mayhem) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very quick read for me. The Lake of the Dead is a Nordic Noir novel with a healthy twist of horror. At the heart of the story we have a very analytical psychologist and a spiritualist trying to solve a mystery. They spend much of their time arguing their beliefs. Was it the result of something from the spirit world, or is there a reasonable explanation? The story really could have gone either way. You'll have to read it for yourself to find out what the outcome is!

Bjerke does a great job of conjuring a dark, creepy setting in this story! The woods and lake become almost claustrophobic as the story progresses. Four dark Nordic stars for this one. I believe it's held up well to the test of time.

[Rachel (TheShadesofOrange) · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 Stars
It was so interesting to read this classic Norwegian story that blends together elements of mystery and horror. I had never heard the story before, yet it felt familiar and almost comforting. I would recommend this one to readers looking for a fresh story with the narrative and tone of a classic horror story.

[Gavin Hetherington · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was so excited for this one - perhaps a little too excited - that I should have lowered my expectations. Having said that, this was still such a good read, one that I think if you go into it expecting more a crime novel than a horror/thriller, you'll be fine! You can check out more of my thoughts in my reading vlog, where I tried to pull an all-nighter to read this: https://youtu.be/0M_zFyMEMFI

[Jeffrey Canino]

An exquisitely eerie mystery from Norway, THE LAKE OF THE DEAD (1942) juggles supernatural, psychological, and criminal explanations as it unravels the problem of a spooky 100-year-old legend that just might be replaying itself in the present. Featuring an idyllic lake that attracts sleepwalkers to its depths like a magnet, a rash of inexplicable drownings, ghostly footprints left in mud, a tortured young woman in peril, and a cheeky, frustrated author of mystery novels who relays it all to us, THE LAKE OF THE DEAD reads in the tradition of John Dickson Carr while also crossing the border into folk horror territory. (Its 1958 film adaptation is even included in Severin Films' recent folk horror blu-ray mega box set.) In its first ever American publication, Bjerke's Nordic gem of detection has been given a new, lively translation by James D. Jenkins, allowing English language readers the opportunity to finally discover what's lurking beneath the surface of the lake just beyond Dead Man's Cabin...

Available this February 2022 from Valancourt Books.

[Lezlie The Nerdy Narrative · Rating 3 out of 5]

THE LAKE OF THE DEAD by Andre Bjerke was the June pick of the month for the Wine & Crime Book Club. This 1942 classic tale mixes murder, mystery and supernatural horror and was voted the all-time best Norwegian crime novel. Later it was adapted to film in 1958 and is still regarded as one of Norway’s best films.

The question is do I agree with the Norwegians, and sadly, I do not.

Might I take a quick moment to provide the disclaimer that what follows is MY personal opinion and therefore MY subjective thoughts regarding MY enjoyment (or lack thereof).

A quick plot summary: Bjorn Werner rents a secluded cabin in the woods for a writing retreat. Sounds peaceful, doesn’t it? Of course it does…as long as you can ignore the restless ghost of Tore Gruvik that prowls the woods surrounding the cabin and lake at night. Did I tell you of this cabin’s history? No? Oh, allow me to enlighten you. A century earlier, the nearby lake was the site of a tragedy in which Tore Gruvik murdered his beloved sister, her lover before committing suicide. In the years following, it is local legend that anyone who stays at the cabin is possessed by Tore Gruvik’s spirit and subsequently drowns themselves in the lake.

Bjorn has been at the cabin just a short couple of weeks before local authorities contact his sister that they suspect Bjorn committed suicide due to evidence they collected. Only problem is there’s been no body found. The sister passes the information to everyone in her and Bjorn’s friend group, which leads to an impromptu excursion to the cabin. The group of friends are determined to discover what happened to their friend. One friend suspects foul play, one wishes to find the psychological basis of it all by investigating the so-called “suicidal mania” spot and yet another believes it was something supernatural.

Sounds like a fantastic book about a realistic game of CLUE, right? It should have worked for me, but it didn’t. I did like the story and the mystery of it all, but it was kind of work to read it. I could only take it in small batches of pages at a time and while I did keep reminding myself it was written in a time when things were very different, 1942, I was still unable to keep myself from being offended at the author’s remarks regarding women. I don’t consider myself someone easy to rile up and the gentleman who wrote the introduction said Bjerke was being humorous, it just hit me wrong every single time. I can’t think of another book that literally pissed me off so many times with an offhand disparaging remark like this one did. Because reading is subjective AND I based my ratings and reviews on MY personal enjoyment, this one got ranked really low and I honestly wouldn’t consider it among a title I’d recommend to anyone asking for this type of story.

[Kimberly · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars, rounding up.

THE LAKE OF THE DEAD, by Andre Bjerke, is a novel that stands the test of time in terms of its appeal to modern day mysteries. It starts out with a group of friends at the home of one couple, one of the guest tells a tale of murders and suicide from 110 years ago, that allegedly still haunts people--compelling them to a crazed state of mind--to do likewise. Not so coincidentally, one member of the group has purchased this remote cabin and lake for himself, and is preparing to go there for a stay.

After his disappearance is noted, a large group of those assembled that first night go out to investigate the scene. Here we have quite the mix of characters and their beliefs: the "scientific", "psychiatrist", "supernatural/ghost", and "human/murder" believers, as well as our narrator, who doesn't seem to know quite what to believe.

Although the beginning was rather slow, once they got to the cabin the odd occurrences and unexpected events got things moving appreciatively. I will admit that I "suspected" the end result early on, but was never fully certain. My only real complaint was the amount of time the author took to over describe the events, AFTER everything was said and done.

[Kristin Kvilhaug · Rating 3 out of 5]

3,5 stars. I adored the creepy setting, mystery and wry and witty narrator style, but couldn’t quite move past the antiquated view on women. The way Bjerke writes female characters, they belong in the kitchen and he refers to them as “the weaker sex”.

[Becky Spratford · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review in the January 2022 issue of Library Journal and on the blog here: https://raforall.blogspot.com/2022/01...

Three Words That Describe This Book: translation, mystery-ghost story hybrid, compellingly creepy


Draft Review:

Norwegians’ consistently list titles by Fossum, Nesbo, and this 1942 classic in the top three of their all time favorties. Werner, a young scholar, disappeared while investigating a sensational murder from over 100 yrs before. Now, a year later, his sister, and his friends-- a psychologist, an occult specialist, a stage actress, and our narrator, a mystery novelist and private detective-- plan a trip to the haunted lake hoping to find him. Written with an enticing first person narration, directly addressing the reader, and with chapter titles like, “ In which a madman's diary is presented,” it is as if Bjerke is daring readers to put the novel down, a herculean task once started. This forgotten classic, with an excellent, new translation, allows the creepy setting, menacing tone, and very real danger of this compelling and engaging story to shine in all its 1940s glory for a modern audience.

Verdict: While some of the views on women are a bit outdated here, they are directly addressed in the excellent introduction, leaving room for this title to appeal to a huge swath of readers from fans of Yrsa Sigurðardóttir or Anthony Horowitz, to atmospheric Horror-Mystery hybrids by Cynthia Pelayo or Simone St. James.


Great, accesible translation of a book that in Norway is consistently in the top 3 of favorite books by Norwegians coming in only behind Nesbo and Fossum! Originally published in 1942. Never available in an American edition.

Out dated notions of women but it is 1942! The translation makes it shine in all of its glory though. Captures the voice well.

Super creepy and atmospheric, mystery-ghost story hybrid, compelling pace. I especially loved the titles for each chapter which are a leading statement to get you to just read one more chapter. For ex.. "Chapter 5: In which a madman's diary is presented." Who could resist one more chapter with that hanging over you.

Reads like a 1940s mystery-- ala Agatha Christie with a strong first person narration by the investigator who is a crime fiction writer. The book breaks the 4th wall often. A

I really enjoyed being immersed in the 1940s feel but the super creepy lake house and the menacing tone, and VERY REAL danger, were not outdated in anyway.

Readers of mysteries like those by Anthony Horowitz will enjoy this and of course Nordic Noir fans. Especially fans of Yrsa Sigurðardóttir. But also light horror like Alma Katsu's THE DEEP

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Norwegian supernatural murder mystery? Please and thank you!

[Alan · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story begins with a group of friends gathered for dinner and the telling of a myth in a small village in Norway. A hundred and ten years earlier a man killed his sister and her lover, throwing their bodies into the nearby lake before killing himself as well in the lake. Legend has it that anyone who stays in killer's old cabin gets possessed by his ghost and commits suicide in the lake. As it turns out, one of the friends has recently purchased and renovated that cabin and intends to go on a little vacation there. Soon after, word gets back to the friends that he appears to have drowned himself in the lake, although there's also word of a criminal roaming the woods who could have been responsible for his disappearance. The remaining friends, who include an author (the narrator) and his wife, a psychoanalyst, a journalist, the deceased's sister and her boyfriend, decided to go to the lake and investigate for themselves. When they arrive, strange and mysterious things happen around and to them to make them wonder if the old legends are true after all.
I had a bit of a hard time getting into the novel, as the set up was a bit blah. But once the main story got started with the mystery and the horror and all it quickly picked up steam and became more engaging. The tale is full of elements of both horror and mystery, and plays out in intriguing fashion. My only real contention is that the solution ended up being way too psychological and required a lot of exposition to explain all that had occurred. 3.5* rounded to 4*

[Cecilia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Apart from the extremely sexist views of women the protagonist of the story has, I really liked this book.. . Up until the penultimate chapter where it just became far too explanatory / condescending and some pretty questionable moral decisions (breach of patient / therapist confidentiality anyone?) by the main character(s) became obvious. Pity.

[Kaora · Rating 5 out of 5]

I couldn't put this down. I thoroughly enjoyed it from cover to cover!

[Leandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Foul Play or a Ghost Story come to life?

If you are in search of an atmospheric read set in the isolated forests of Norway, then look no further than André Bjerke’s The Lake of the Dead. Translated from its original Norwegian, this book is a national favorite within Norway. According to the book’s introduction (written by the translator), Norway’s horror genre does not go as deep as that of the U.S. and other countries, but this is as close to a Norwegian horror narrative as it gets. I would classify this as a hybrid between thriller and detective fiction. It mixes that feeling of always being watched with a band of amateur detectives, each with their own way of finding the solution.

After buying a cabin deep in the forest, one that the locals call “Dead Man’s Cabin,” Bjorn Werner goes missing within two weeks of arriving at the property. Legend says that over a century ago, a man killed his sister and her lover, throwing their bodies into Blue Lake, and then committed suicide after going mad with guilt. According to local authorities, Bjorn’s footprints led to the lake’s edge, leaving them to assume suicide. His family and friends think differently. Whether it was foul play or supernatural events, they are determined to come to the truth. Hopefully before more of them perish.

There is so much to enjoy about this book. I felt the tension and fear experienced by the narrator. Reading Bjorn’s last few diary entries was particularly unnerving. I am not an expert in horror, so I do not know what horror buffs would think of this narrative, but I do think it is a great title for those who enjoy elements of the thriller genre. Interestingly, there are also many classic mystery tropes and themes! The self-referential nods to detective fiction tropes – just the way I like it – reminded me of John Dickson Carr and Vincent Starrett. Bjerke features a variety of detectives, too: Gran, the classic deductive sleuth; Bugge, the psychoanalyst; Mork, believer in the occult; and Borge, our Hastings-inspired narrator.

Something to check out if you are a fan of translations and things that go bump in the night.

[Anniken Haga · Rating 2 out of 5]

(Review in Norwegian)

Jeg fikk ''De Dødes Tjern'' av en venninne i bursdagsgave for flere år siden. Jeg prøvde å lese den da, men kom ikke lenger enn til side 37 - fant eseløret, fra den gang jeg drev med slik bokskjending! - og boka har egentlig bare blitt med på et par flyttelass siden den gangen. Mye fordi jeg og venninnen falt fra hverandre. Helt ærlig hadde jeg glemt at jeg fikk den av henne, til jeg så beskjeden på første side da jeg skulle begynne å lese boka nå.

På grunn av denne venninnen, hadde jeg nok også en hvis forutanelse om boka. Hun var svært fascinert av det overnaturlige og skrekk, og da jeg flere ganger hadde hørt om det mørkere aspektet av denne boken fra andre kilder, trodde jeg vel at den ville være mer...magisk... av mangel på noen bedre forklaring.

Jeg har aldri lest noe av forfatteren før, og er jo ikke så glad i krim, så jeg håpet vel det skulle være noen fantastiske elementer, helt til mannen min påpekte at Bjerke var kjent krimforfatter, nærmest en klassiker her i Norge. Så jeg slo meg tilrette med en kort krimbok.

Boka er skrevet på en slik måte som jeg liker å lese krim. Med masse små spor hele veien gjennom, til og med i de dagligdagse samtalene, som gjør at leseren kan gjette seg frem til hva som skjer.
Jeg hadde en anelse fra ganske tidlig i boka av hva som skjedde, men det ble klarere og klarere for meg mens jeg leste. Rundt side 100 var jeg sikker i min sak, selvom det var noen elementer jeg ikke helt forsto.
Det viste seg at jeg hadde rett, noe som vanligvis er en positiv ting når jeg leser en krimbok - selv en sånn ''duh''-opplevelse er bra, så lenge det er logisk hvem gjerningsmannen er.

Dessverre var det også mye av avsløringen som gjorde at boken falt for meg.
Mye av utgangspunktet til at saken ble løst som den gjorde, var på grunn av psykoanalyse - som kan hende jeg også brukte, ser jeg i ettertanke - og det var greit, men hele aspektet med det telepatiske, fungerte ikke for meg.
Det virket som et forsøk på å lage en tvist, som ikke funket.

Karakterene var også interessante. De hadde individuelle meninger og manier, men dessverre var det bare mennene som var utviklet slik. Kvinnene hadde en rolle, kanskje to, og det var å være på kjøkkenet, være redde - ok, kanskje tre - eller bli brukt for å løse saken.
Det irriterte meg grenseløst, alle disse små kommentarene om kvinnens plass og kvinnens svakheter som kom inn, og det er greit at dette var en annen tid, men det var fortsatt veldig påfallende.

Så nå har jeg lest den, kan jeg si med god samvittighet, og kommer nok ikke til å lese den igjen...

[Hedda Tollefsrud · Rating 2 out of 5]

INNEHOLDER SPOILERE!!

Dette ble en spesiell og kjedelig leseopplevelse for meg. Spesielt når boken er kåret til tidenes beste norske krimroman. Kanskje jeg er for ung? Jeg vet ikke om det var det gammeldagse kvinnesynet eller de utdaterte psyologiske teoriene som gjorde det, men når løsningen blir presentert i form av telepati og Freuds teorier om undertrykt seksuallyst falt jeg helt av lasset. Trekker litt opp når jeg på et tidspunkt kjente et lite blaff av grøss og uhygge, men det gikk fort over.

[Vivi Renate Audsdotter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Når jeg først skulle prøve meg på en lydbok, var denne veldig grei å begynne med, i anledning påske og dette. Det var som å høre radioteater hvor Henny Moan spilte alle roller med innlevelse og bravur.
Tipp topp to tomler opp!

[edgarallenshoe · Rating 5 out of 5]

okay so the narrator is kinda sexist but that’s okay cuz no one in the story takes him seriously and he is portrayed a useless little man

[Marianne Lakris]

Denne er perfekt påskelesning. Har lest den på nytt de siste årene. Herlig grøssende og innslag av myter, sagn og psykoanalyse.

[Allie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great story!!!! I am so happy they translated the book into English.

[Andy Weston · Rating 3 out of 5]

In the darkest and deepest part of the Norwegian woods is Dead Man's Cabin, the location of tragedy a century earlier when a local logger, Tøre Gruvik, apparently became insane, and beheaded his sister and her lover, and threw their corpses in the nearby lake before drowning himself.
An Oslo author, who has ignored superstition, has now disappeared from the cabin while finishing his book. A body is found, and suicide is suspected. His friends travel to the cabin, determined to find out what has happened.
Bjerke's novel, first published in 1942, has recently earned a reprint from Valancourt, and was voted the all-time best Norwegian crime novel. It also has an atmospheric 1958 film adaptation is regarded as one of Norway's best films.
Even though parts of the story may sound familiar, not least to Scooby-Doo fans, this is a very entertaining piece of horror fiction.
I intend to seek this very cabin out myself when I head up into the deep Norwegian forests later this year..

[Tanja Berg · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is supposed to be THE amazing, major, Norwegian crime novel. For me it all ended in a "meh" and "what exactly was it that I missed?" It was difficult getting into, the old-fashioned language (the 8th or 9th language I've inquired during my sojourn on this earth) hard to acclimatize to.

Upon the suicide of a friend, a bunch of youths (that I thought were at least middle aged) head up to the forest to find out what really happened. They are plagued by visits of a long departed murderer and the sleep-walking of a dear friend. Whether the suicide was really that or murder, remains to be seen.

One of the members of the group, Bugge (yeah, he rally BUGS me) is a psychologist and a major pain in the ass. He finally resolves the whole thing. *yawn* Why didn't I see that coming? Regardless, I don't really care. I had expected more. MUCH more.

[Terje · Rating 4 out of 5]

En norsk klassiker fra 1942. Jeg tror nok at den unge André Bjerke hadde lest Agathe Christie, for det er en litterær tilnærming som ligner. På forsiden av denne pocketutgaven er VG sitert på at det er tidenes beste kriminalroman. Det synes jeg er å ta litt hardt i. Jeg liker den best når den er mystisk og overnaturlig og jeg ikke kan skjønne hva skjer med de som blir trukket til tjernet og dør, når vi blir forledet til å tro at det er en eiesyk bror fra 1880-tallet som går igjen. Når mysteriet blir nøstet opp og trådene faller på plass, framstår løsningen som en smule søkt. Men det er uansett en historie som fascinerer.

[Hedia Ghanizadeh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Amusing novel with intellectual prototypes, ranging from proponents of metaphysics and spiritualism to the scientific, psychodynamic perspective (not in a strict sense, since it´s the psyhcoanalytical movement that´s represented). The criminal narrative is not that captivating, but that might as well be due to my lack of interest for the genre in general. The wide spectrum of ideas, the witty dialogues (demonstrating Bjerkes refined sense of humour, with slightly misgynistic tendencies), as well as the brilliant and precise language, made it all in all an enjoyable reading.

[Bjørn Skjæveland · Rating 3 out of 5]

Opprullingen av mysteriet var hinsides kørka, men ellers var det rimelig spennende. Det er minst 30 år siden jeg så filmen, så jeg husket heldigvis null og niks av handlingen. Ble kanskje mest overrasket over den humoristiske tonen gjennom hele fortellingen, noe jeg likte veldig godt.

Forøvrig er det litt artig at boka ble utgitt midt under okkupasjonen, men at krigen ikke nevnes med et ord, selv om handlingen foregår i samtiden. Og apropos samtiden, så kan det jo nevnes at kvinnesynet i boka bærer veldig preg av dette (dog litt uvisst om det er Bjerkes eller hovedpersonens syn), haha.

Grei underholdning, men dette blir bare midt på treet for min del.

[Caroline · Rating 4 out of 5]

A classic - but since it's from 1942, it is pretty sexist. The legendary André Bjerke could write though, you could totally read this book in one sitting. It's a good creepy mystery, but I wasn't very satisfied with the ending.

[B · Rating 2 out of 5]

Nothing to write home about.

[Evelyn Holmøy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Trivelig retro-krim. En oppklaring like fantastisk og uforutsigelig som en hvilkensomhelst Christie-klassiker.

[Nina The Wandering Reader · Rating 3 out of 5]

“Galileo’s judges refused to look through his telescope…and why? Because it would have destroyed their worldview–it would have blasted away the foundation underneath them, it might have driven them mad. They felt horror. For the same reason, a modern Westerner is scared of seeing a demon or meeting a ghost. His worldview would instantly explode.”

This was a fun spooky murder mystery! It definitely reads like the era it was written in--the 1940's-- and therefore the women characters lack development and on-page presence while the male characters do all the talking, scheming, and problem solving. The narrator himself comes off a bit condescending ("Mørk is a misogynist, of course, and as a result he's very popular with the weaker sex; there's nothing women find more flattering than being despised." ).

In spite of all that, I enjoyed the ride! Fans of mystery writers like Agatha Christie or lovers of the classic Nordic Noir will still like this quite a bit!

By the way, one of my favorite quotes from the book happens to be: “In autumn, our city is like a beautiful woman of thirty-eight.”

[Marita · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this book because it was voted the all-time best Norwegian thriller. Hmmm...I think not. Don't get me wrong, it had its moments, but those moments were few. It was hard to get past the incredibly dated and misogynistic view of women, and the achingly overused psychobabble. The book is far more crime novel than it is thriller - I had hoped for more of the latter - but I think the resolution of the crime was ridiculous.

There's something about some novels from this era that want to prove how smart they are by including pages and pages and pages of psychoanalytic dialogue from a character as a way of wrapping up the mystery. Not only did I hate the character doing the psychoanalysis, the endless Freudian delve into the mind of the killer ruined any of the "thrills" for me.

It's a short book and not much of a time commitment, but the Norwegians can do better than this.