Cicatrices

Thorkild Aske #2

by Heine Bakkeid, Ana Flecha Marco (Translator)

La célebre escritora Milla Lind investiga la desaparición de dos chicas adolescentes para escribir su próxima novela cuando el detective que trabaja para ella muere asesinado. Como ella insiste en seguir adelante con las pesquisas, su editorial se pone en contacto con Thorkild Aske, un expolicía experto en interrogatorios que acabó en prisión tras una tragedia. A pesar de sus reticencias, Aske acepta el trabajo. Su buen olfato para descubrir mentiras no tarda en revelarle que el caso esconde muchas trampas y que ahora su vida corre peligro.

EN EL NORTE SE ENCUENTRAN LAS PUERTAS DEL PARAÍSO. TAMBIÉN LAS DEL INFIERNO.

Genres: Crime, Thriller, Fiction, Mystery, Audiobook, Scandinavian Literature, Nordic Noir

475 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2017

About the author

Heine Torgersen Bakkeid er en norsk forfatter.

Bakkeid har en bachelorgrad i systemutvikling. Han debuterte i 2005 med den humoristiske science fiction-romanen "Boblejim – spesialagenten".

Reviews

[Peter · Rating 3 out of 5]

Damaged
Scandinavian authors have created some of the most damaged protagonists in crime thrillers over the last few decades. Characters enduring psychological wounds, physiological scars and dark thoughts, leave you wondering how they could possibly solve the cases they embark on but they inevitably do. The main character in Scatter Her Ashes is Thorkild Aske, and he is the most broken and raw one of them all, deeply troubled after the death of his wife in a car accident, that also left him permanently injured and scarred. Believability is always stretched playing to this trope but this one is tooooo much. When Aske isn’t popping pills, drinking, getting run over by a car (twice), getting beaten near to death, is deranged, suicidal, has sex with every woman he meets, he’s solving multiple criminal cases and flying in and out of high-security facilities in Russia like its next door.

Aske is hired by author Milla Lind to help with some investigative research for her latest book. An opening that has occurred because the previous investigator, Robert, was apparently shot dead by his mentally unbalanced wife. The area of research Milla has Thorkild looking into, is with two missing teenagers and we soon discover that Milla had a daughter which she gave up at birth but is now intent on tracking her down. Who do you think one of the teenagers is? The recent findings of additional murdered couples seem to attract a particular interest with Aske and the plot suddenly becomes very complicated.

I do enjoy the bleak noir setting very typical of Scandinavian thrillers and this story provides that atmosphere quite vividly. The pace is good and there were many moments where I’d hoped the story was coming together nicely only to be thwarted by another implausible plot hole. There are other twists and multiple subplots that I’ll avoid saying anything about and there is always suspicion with the other characters and the motives they have to be assisting Milla and Thorkild.

I read this book as a buddy read with my wonderful friend Beata. She was the light in the whole experience, and I imagine it would have been a DNF if we had been on our own. I would like to thank Bloomsbury Publishing, Raven Books and NetGalley for providing me with a free ARC in return for an honest review.

[Beata · Rating 2 out of 5]

A relatively well-paced thriller with the regular for Scandinavian Noir distorted characters in the lead, however, I had several issues while reading this book. As I would like to avoid spoilers, let me just say that the main problems for me were with some of the characters and the ways they conducted the research and investigation.
The idea behind the misper cases was rather good, but at about 50% I was tired of the improbability of some directions in which the plot was directed. I always have difficulty putting reliability behind the plot aside, hence my rather critical opinion of this book.
This book was a BR with Peter. The choice was mine, just hope our next one will be much, much better.
*Many thanks to Heine Bakkeid, Bloomsbury Publishing, and NetGalley for arc in echange for my honest review.*

[Kuszma · Rating 4 out of 5]

Az önpusztítás Paganinije, Thorkild Aske újra színre lép. Ezúttal egy látszólag sikeres, de valójában hozzá hasonlóan nyűtt lelkű krimiírónő mellé szegődik, látszólag azért, hogy segítse őt a következő könyvvel kapcsolatos rendőri kérdések megszakértésében. Ám tudott dolog, hogy ha Norvégiában eldobunk egy csirkecsontot, az óhatatlanul egy sorozatgyilkost talál tarkón, így hát ők is belebotlanak valamibe, szóval halál, kínok, szörnyű titkok, etc, ahogy az már ebben a műfajban megszokott. Ja, és hát ott vannak a nyomozó ügyeletes privát szenvedései is, a gyógyszerfüggőség, a szuicid gondolatok, az érzelmi viharzások*, hátha a szakmányban elkövetett emberölés nem elég, hogy az olvasó figyelmét fenntartsa.

Én meg rájöttem, miért olyan népszerűek a skandináv krimik. Nem, nem a vér miatt. Hanem mert (a kivételektől eltekintve) jól vannak megírva. Az angolszász detektívregények esetében néha van olyan érzésem, hogy mélységesen tudatában vannak saját lektűr voltuknak. Itt van például ez a szegény Conan Doyle, aki úgy szeretett volna valami „normális” könyvet írni, de nem, mert egy óvatlan pillanatban megszülte Sherlock Holmest, aki onnantól kezdve ellopta a show-t a meg sem született regények elől. Ezekben az országokban a krimiirodalom (amit mindazonáltal felületesen ismerek, így hát muszáj hozzátennem, mégpedig hangsúlyosan hozzátennem, hogy: SZERINTEM) kreatívírás-tanfolyamokon nevelkedett titánok játszótere, akik kőkemény üzleti megfontolások és kiadói elvárások hálójában írják műveiket, határidőre, előre leadott szkriptek alapján. Nyilván ettől függetlenül lehetnek jók, sőt, akár káprázatosan jók is, de van bennük valami termékszerű.

Persze a skandináv krimik egy jó része is termékként készül, pláne mióta rájöttek a könyvtermesztők, hogy ez egy olyan exportcikk, amiből kacsalábon forgó luxusapartmant lehet a fjord szélére installálni. De azért a gyökerek még kitapinthatóak: hogy ezek a történetek vigasztalan depresszív éjszakákon születtek, arra a letisztult minimalizmusra épülve, ami a skandináv szépirodalom sajátja. És hát a krimi meg a minimalizmus úgy illik egymáshoz, mint egy puzzle két egymás melletti darabja. Ahogy a krimi és a depresszív éjszakák hangulata is. Hogy az emberi nem sárkányfog-vetemény, és hogy nincs remény, nincs remény, legfeljebb apró győzelmek, vagy még inkább: véresen kiharcolt döntetlenek vannak.

Nem mondom, ami magát a nyomozást illeti, van, hogy döcög a szekér. Túlgondoltnak tűnő jelenetek is akadnak, ami pedig a végkifejletet illeti, háááát, gyakran összecsapottak, kaotikusak, rosszul rendezettek, mintha a szerző a lényeget már úgyis elmondta volna, és a finálén csak mihamarabb túl akarna lenni. De mégis jó olvasni. Mert működő jellemrajzok vannak benne, atmoszféra, feszültség, kémia a szereplők között, egyszóval: ami a krimi szintjén hiányzik, az megvan benne mint irodalomban. És én nem cserélnék le egy kiválóan megkonstruált nyomozót egy kiválóan megkonstruált nyomozati szálra.

Várom a harmadik részt.

* Az első könyv egyik központi nyűgjének számító székrekedés most nem kerül beható tárgyalásra, úgy látszik, Aske bélrendszere normalizálódott valamennyire. Aminek elmondhatatlanul örülök.

[8stitches 9lives · Rating 4 out of 5]

Scatter Her Ashes is the second instalment in the Thorkild Aske series, featuring disgraced former Norwegian detective of the same name. It isn't strictly necessary to have read the preceding book as the central thread of the plot is self-contained and enough background is given on Aske to bring new readers up to speed. Former cop Aske isn't living his best life, that's certainly true to say. He's been in prison, is addicted to his prescription medication, which was issued due to an accident, and lost the woman he loved in that aforementioned accident. His psychiatrist Ulf secures him work on an investigation to try to keep him on the straight and narrow. Renowned crime writer Milla Lind is looking for someone to help research a case on which her next bestseller will be based. Aske will be replacing Robert Riverholt, a detective shot dead by his mentally unstable ex-wife as he was researching the case of two missing teenagers, but Thorkild soon discovers the case Milla has ’assigned’ him is merely a cover as she wants him to seriously investigate her daughter who she gave up years earlier.

This is a captivating, original and gripping mystery thriller and right from the get-go, you are provided with the rich and brooding atmosphere I've come to expect from a Heine Bakkeid work of Scandi Noir. The descriptions of the local scenery are nothing short of spectacular, so it's easy to become immersed in the story rapidly. It's written in a flowing manner, plotted impeccably and I would say this is darker, grittier and much more melancholy, verging on a tad depressing, than any other thrillers I've read recently. The potent mix of tragicomic plot, an extremely troubled protagonist and the stark surroundings give it an air of claustrophobia, and you can certainly see why that is exactly what Bakkeid is known for as he quite frankly does it so well. There is a lot going on, with much of it being quite surreal, yet I remained thoroughly riveted throughout, and Thorkild is such a chaotic central figure that it becomes almost a parody, which I really found difficult to put down. Highly recommended. Many thanks to Raven Books for an ARC.

[Bridget · Rating 5 out of 5]

Norwegian crime is one of my current reading indulgences. Having read I Will Miss You Tomorrow, I was looking forward to the second instalment of this series featuring disgraced ex-Chief Inspector Thorkild Aske, and I have to say I was completely and thoroughly hooked right from the start.

In Scatter Her Ashes former Internal Affairs Interrogator Thorkild Aske has been released from prison and has a prescription drugs addiction, issued as a result of an accident. He is trying to stay on the straight and narrow and has been asked to help research a case for crime writer Milla Lind upon which her next bestseller will be based. Replacing Robert Riverholt, a detective who was shot dead, Aske initially thinks he's researching the case of two missing teenagers, but soon discovers the case Milla has 'assigned' him is merely a cover...

As I rapidly found myself immersed in the story I marvelled over Heine Bakkeid's descriptions of the locale. The novel was mostly told from Aske’s viewpoint with interjections from Olivia who was one of the missing teenagers as she supplied the details of her disappearance. It was unclear if she is was living or dead, which added to the story's incongruity.

Protagonist Thorkild Aske is a somewhat damaged, larger than life character whom I warmed to more in this instalment. Buzzing with surrealness, Scatter Her Ashes was gripping and there were abundant twists and mystery aplenty as the narrative unfolded.

Heine Bakkeid's ability to blend a clever plot, a melancholic and claustrophobic atmosphere, a unique main character and the harsh and bleak setting of Norway, as well as featuring a soupçon of the macabre make this a powerful story. Evidently, he is a gifted storyteller who can provide readers with thrills, sophistication and a story packed with substance. A highly recommended five-star read.

I am already looking forward to seeing more of Thorkild Aske in future instalments of this series.

I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request from Raven Books via NetGalley and this review is my own unbiased opinion.

[Dimitris Passas (TapTheLine)]

In Heine Bakkeid's first volume in the new Thorkild Aske series, I Will Miss You Tomorrow, the readers were introduced to the truly tormented, damned protagonist of the same name who embarked on a missing persons case off the Norwegian coast that ultimately threatened his own life. Thorkild bears many physical as well as psychological and mental scars from his tragic past that includes the loss of the love of his life in a car accident, his three-year stint in Stavanger's correctional facilities, his addiction to prescription drugs such as Oxycontin and benzodiazepines, and a severe brain trauma that led to a distorted perception of reality. He is disgracefully discharged from the police force where he worked as a chief interrogator in the Internal Affairs Unit and he is constantly out of a job. In a way, Thorkild reminded me of another heavily tortured protagonist of Norwegian crime fiction, Jo Nesbø's notorious Harry Hole, the most popular criminal Inspector in Scandinavian crime fiction. Except for a compelling fictional character, Scatter Her Ashes features a complex plot, full of subplots, surprises, and twists as well as a strong whodunit element. The story revolves around another misper case that gets more and more complicated as the plot evolves and ends up in a full-blown serial-killer hunt.

To read my full review https://tapthelinemag.com/post/scatte...

[Tanja Berg · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jeg har virkelig sansen for Thorkild Aske! Han er, med sitt nedbrutte psyke, helt annerledes enn de heltene som man vanligvis treffer på i norsk krim. Greit nok at det fins en flust av alkoholiker blant disse, men Thorkild har vært så langt ned som det er mulig å komme og dupper fortsatt under overflaten en stor del av tiden.

I denne boken er han blitt nektet sine lykkepiller av sin psykiater og venn Ulf. Dessuten skal han hjelpe en kjent krimforfattare med research, spesifikt om en forsvinning av to tenårsjenter fra barnevernet. Fint lite går etter planen og Thorkilds bullshit detektor hyler fra første stund.

Dette er god underholdning og en frisk pust i den ellers så oppbrukte krimgenren.

[justonemorepage_ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Former police officer, Thorkild Aske finds himself once again mixed up in a very complicated mystery. Thorkild is barely holding on these days, he's in withdrawal and desperate to end his life once and for all. However, he is more desperate for work right now, so he agrees to help bestselling crime writer Milla lind to investigate the disappearance of two schoolgirls. However, once Thorkild gets there, he quickly discovers that she may have him there for a very different reason. He finds himself mixed up in a very dangerous situation(once again).

I really enjoyed book one; I WILL MISS YOU TOMORROW, but Scatter Her Ashes was just so much better for me! It was super action packed and just one Hell of a ride. Did I have my suspicions? Yes BUT I didn't have the reasoning behind it, so I ate the story up trying to solve this mystery

[Elaine Tomasso · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would like to thank Netgalley and Bloomsbury Publishing PLC for an advance copy of Scatter Her Ashes, the second novel to feature disgraced former Norwegian detective Thorkild Aske.

Thorkild is at rock bottom, hurting after his adventure in the north and suffering from opioid withdrawal, so he accepts an offer from top crime fiction author, Milla Lind, to do some research on a missing teenagers case that will form the basis of her next bestseller. Except all is not as it seems. Milla has a personal interest in the case and her last investigator was shot dead.

I thoroughly enjoyed Scatter Her Ashes which has an OTT plot with a genuine mystery and is an engrossing read that I found hard to put down. It will not be for every reader as it has a surreal if not anarchic approach but I, personally, couldn’t put it down.

Where to start? I haven’t read the first novel in the series, I Will Miss You Tomorrow, so the opening of this one which makes references to it, harpoons, candle factories, withdrawal and various other topics is disorientating and made me wonder what I’d stumbled into as it seemed so unreal, if not surreal. I think it might have been beneficial to read the series in order if only to make sense of this initial chaos and perhaps Thorkild’s personal chaos. Actually this initial confusion doesn’t last as Thorkild settles down into looking for the missing girls. As I said the plot is decidedly OTT with among, many other things, Thorkild surviving a couple of murder attempts but it’s fun, engrossing and held my attention from start to finish. I think it’s clever how the author makes a parody such a good read.

The novel is mostly told from Thorkild’s point of view with interjections from Olivia, one of the missing teenagers who fills in the detail of her disappearance. It’s unclear if she is alive or dead, which just adds to the anarchy. Thorkild’s narrative is not as disorganised as you might think. Yes, he is poor, struggling mentally and would do anything for “Oxis” but he can still think and see clearly so the investigation is fairly logical and driven by him. The perpetrator is well hidden so that adds to the absorption as I tried to guess and speculate. Wrong again, as the author intends.

Scatter Her Ashes is a good, interesting and unusual read that I have no hesitation in recommending.

[Mark · Rating 5 out of 5]

‘’If only you knew”, I go on, “the strength of the human desire to believe, sometimes. How intense your delusions can be, and how willing you can be to breathe life into them. Human beings want to believe.” p400.

Heine Bakkeid delivers a second 5 star instalment in “Scatter her Ashes”, delivering quintessential Nordic Noir with all the elements that make this genre so appealing. Set in the transitional period between winter and spring in Norway, accentuating the atmospheric bleakness from the south to the Arctic north, Bakkeid brings Thorkild Aske, damaged, disgraced, and dark, ex-policeman to life in a page turning tale of human need.

While not quite as lyrical and poetic for me as Bakkeid’s first book, “I will miss you tomorrow”, I enjoyed it immensely. Thorkild Aske is the type of character I love, deeply damaged, giving opportunity to explore some kind of raw humanity, an opportunity to delve into the dark nights of the human soul, made even darker in the far north.

“Scatter her ashes” sees Aske connect with Milla Lind, famous Norwegian crime writer who clearly has a penchant for writing best selling Nordic Noir herself that the whole country seems to now about and has so connected with her character August Mugabe. Bakkeid highlights that Lind writes in a way that is a literary processing of her own sadness and loss, which is kind of intriguing to read a novel about some who writes the same kind of novels.

Milla Lind’s deep sadness centres around her missing daughter, who she gave up when she was a young child, unable to deal with the rape that resulted in her pregnancy. Aske is recruited to try to find her daughter after the previous private investigator is murdered.

Aske continues to deal with his own demons, regrets, addictions, mental health, delusions and emotional tumult. He is truly one of the more complex characters I have come across in this genre.

I thoroughly enjoyed this one, have been waiting to read it ever since reading the first book and I’m pleased to see it certainly did not disappoint.

[WR · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow, this was a macabre story, but the series is picking up momentum.

[Hans Brienesse · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book. It is well written and with a good plotline. The characters seem real enough although I think the author went to great lengths to give us the completely unvarnished look that ultimately became a little tiresome. The ending with full explanation is reasonable but.......well, Hmmmmm! However as a work of Scandinavian detective fiction it is just that little bit different from what seems now to be the standard format to make for a thoroughly enjoyable read.

[Aysegul Ozkan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Way better than the first one of the series. Thorkild Aske is a different sort of a protagonist. Ex-policeman, ex-con, wanna be dead! After two unsuccesful suicide attempts, he is still with us. 😀

With the help of his interesting pyscologist, he tries to put his ex policeman skills into use and help a crime books author to write her latest novel. Her plan is not what it seems...

[Kjersti Farrier · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent story telling. It seems like a long time since I've read a book where the descriptions are so good that I feel I'm actually in the place being described, and a part of the interaction between the characters. Heine creates highly believable characters too. Keep at it, Heine, you have a new no 1 fan!

[Anita Ness · Rating 4 out of 5]

nesten fem stjerner. en fornøyelse å lese. spennende, godt skrevet, skrudde karakterer, vakre miljøskildringer. les mer i bloggen artemisiasverden.blogspot.no

[Ciaran McLarnon · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Scatter Her Ashes” by Heine Bakkeid starts out as a benign week-long assignment for an ex-policeman in Norway to assist a celebrated local author to write a new novel using an unsolved case as the basis - but quickly becomes an actual missing persons investigation before ending up being a terrifying hunt for a ruthless serial killer.

The ex-policeman, Thorkild Ashe who has recently attempted suicide is trying to deal with his dangerous demons by taking a cocktail of strong antidepressants that his psychiatrist Ulf is trying to convince him to give up. This complicates matters considerably as Thorkild spends a good proportion of his time bargaining with people to get access to the medication he craves and performing at levels below his best. The famous author character, Mille Lind has chosen Thorkild to assist with her project after her last consultant was murdered partly because she battles with similar psychological issues but manages to keep under control.

This is an exciting, psychological thriller where the characters travel the length and breadth of Norway and also to a couple of prisons in Russia to meet the people whom they believe can help them discover what has become of the child Olivia who was abducted 7 months previously with her friend Siv.

[Afsheen · Rating 4 out of 5]

En god bok som handler om små feiltrinn og fortidenes skygger

[puffeli · Rating 3 out of 5]

3,5⭐️

[Bokkjellden · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pilleavhengige Aske vil bare være i fred og liker egentlig ikke å være «detektiv», men også her blir han overtalt. Nå skal han hjelpe en kjent forfatter med research til sin neste bok. Hennes forrige «researcher» ble tydeligvis ble drept på et etter hvert mystisk vis. Samtidig har to unge tenåringer har forsvunnet fra ungdomshuset de bor på...
Historien er fengende og både Aske og hans nye sjef er spennende karakter. Likevel skjer det litt for mye av det gode, om jeg kan ordlegge det slikt, og det er noen snarveier som er litt for enkle og troverdige. Når det er sagt så er dette ingen dårlig bok og fortelling, og jeg kommer jeg til å lese bok 3 også.

[Geir Tangen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Det finnes mange typer god krim, men det er ikke mange som skriver så godt som Heine Bakkeid. Om Nordic Noir-sjangeren noen gang trenger et ansikt, så finnes alle ansiktstrekkene her. Mørkt. Melankolsk. Makabert, og Majestetisk. Det er til tider nesten vondt å lese Bakkeids krimbøker om Thorkild Aske. Mismotet og håpløsheten henger som en snurpenot rundt beina våre gjennom hver eneste side. Selv der det er spor av lys i horisonten, så er det skumring vi ser.

Hans første bok «Jeg skal savne deg i morgen» hadde på sett og vis noen lettere partier gjennom forfatterens bruk av beksvart humor. En dryppende sarkasme som fikk oss til å le høyt noen ganger. I «Møt meg i paradis» er dette til en viss grad blitt erstattet av en enda kraftigere dose med mørk melankoli og et inderlig dødsønske. Jeg savner litt av humoren, selv om den tidvis kunne være noe malplassert i første bok.

Likevel ... Stort bedre nordic noir enn dette er det nesten ikke mulig å skrive. Det er så til de grader gjennomført ut til hver minste lille fingerspiss, at jeg kan ikke annet enn å gi meg ende over. Heine Bakkeids andre krimroman er en studie i solid krimhåndverk. Litt i overkant utrolig til tider, men spennende, grusomt og frydefullt makaber mot slutten. Liker du å grave deg ned i de aller mørkeste rom( slik jeg gjør). Ja, da har du et godt tips fra meg her.

[Tommy Murtagh · Rating 1 out of 5]

Dear me, well I'm glad that's over! What an unlikely mess. Ludicrous finalé too. Was planning to make a list of the plot holes as I read, but it looked like that would be a lot of work. Unusual to have a book where every single character is unlikeable. Will not miss their company.

[Elizabeth Sulzby · Rating 2 out of 5]

Scatter Her Ashes or Watch an Author trash Scandanavian Noir Police Procedurals.

I re-read this author's first book to be sure I wasn't being too harsh on his book. Nope, alas. I had been drawn to "I Will Miss You Tomorrow" because it is set in the North of Norway, in the Arctic Circle, Tromso and villages further out and northward where I have traveled. And I had never read a book that was set partially in Stavanger (but we don't get much about that).

With this Thorkild Aske kicked out of the police, imprisoned, and addicted, the author seems to kind of select the most noirish of the noir--but not in an interesting way. This "Frei" girl for whom he leaves his marriage in the first book was someone he had barely any time with but has become so obsessed with her that he fantasicizes in his second book (Scatter Her Ashes) that is is making love with Frei when he lets himself be fed viagra to fuck the "mystery writer" Milla that he is working for in an attempt, first to collaborate to get her through her "writers block." But really he learns that he is supposed to help her find her missing daughter, born of a savage rape when she was a teenager and given away by Milla when she finds she cannot separate her feelings about the rapist from the daught she has born from that rape.

So ole Aske (and the author goes on and on about how decrepid, scarred, and "old before his time" is) not only fucks the woman he is working for but he does it, the description leads us to believe, to get the OxyContin he is addicted to and has been cut off from by his psychiatrist Ulf. And there is never any real character development worth a readers' time--although I will drudge my way through this one.

It is interesting that there is very little about this author in English. Not even in his books. We knew he grew up in the North and that was what interested me in the first book. The Thorkild Aske character had been in prison in Stavanger which is an interesting city down south on the west fjords side of Norway. We don't have any thing about who the author collaborated with about police work, or addictions, etc. There is a funny thing in the second book that a character says he is collaborating with a fantastically well-known police procedural female author and someone asks her if she is Karin Fossum (who is a great writer in real life) and she blushes and says no.

Good stuff in these books: The author writes good sentences or has an excellent editor at the sentence level. He develops complex plots. He used lots of Norwegian place names and conveys some relevant knowledge. He makes mysteries and has police terminology.

I have written lots about the unbelievability of Aske and all the characters with no sense of character development. Another way in which these books are disappointing is that there is no awareness of Norwegian social culture, no politics, no history, and these are also features that are well known in Norwegian and most Scandinavian noir.

Perhaps this author is intending all of this to make us think that he is cunningly making fun of the noir body of literature? If so, he has not made me believe he is such a clever author. Ah, well. I won't waste any more money on this guy. After COVID when libraries open again, maybe we will see if he keeps publishing and gets any better.

There are too many excellent writers in this field to put up with this boorish fake "damaged hero." Hey, you want damaged hero? You want self-destructive behavior and addiction? Read Jo Nesbo's Harry Hole series.

[Lotten · Rating 3 out of 5]

Möt mig i paradiset är en välskriven deckare med bra och snyggt språk. Den utspelas i Sør-Norge, främst i Stavanger och på Tjøme men även till viss del i Lofoten i Nord-Norge, och jag tycker Heine Bakkeid lyckas väl med sina miljöbeskrivningar, i synnerhet den karga och kalla naturen i norr. Det förstärker det ensliga och dramatiska i bokens upplösning. Berättelsen börjar i bra tempo, och jag har inga problem med att komma in i boken. Men efterhand så blir det allt trögare för mig, då det finns några saker i Möt mig i paradiset som jag har svårt för.

Thorkild Aske är en antihjälte och har i en del recensioner liknas vid Harry Hole. Jag kan förstå den liknelsen, och jag ska låta det vara osagt hur väl det stämmer med hur Harry Hole var i början i den serien. Men för mig är Thorkild Aske allt som jag inte gillar i en deckares huvudperson numera. Han är drogberoende efter att ha blivit fast i smärtstillande. Som en röd tråd genom boken löper hans jakt på smärtställande, och om och om igen så rabblas olika mediciner och vilka typer av effekter de har, vilket jag tycker är helt ointressant. Thorkild Aske är dessutom så egocentrerad att det inte framgår klart varför han alls intresserar sig för vad som hänt Olivia, Siv och Robert. Personligen hade jag tyckt mer om Möt mig i paradiset om den fokuserat mer på själva mysteriet än Thorkild. Jag är så less på alla nedgångna traumatiserade poliser (här ex-polis) med drogberoende som befolkar krimiallitteraturen. Har man inga problem med det så blir säkert upplevelsen annorlunda.

Men jag hade nog kunnat stå ut med Thorkild och haft mer utbyte av Möt mig i paradiset om det inte varit för kvinnoporträtten. Alla kvinnorna som förekommer mer än i förbigående är cyniskt porträtterade. De är antingen fullständigt viljelösa som gör allt en man säger, eller så framstår de som egoistiska och kalla. Gemensamt är att de alla vill ha sex med Thorklid, av skäl som är mig fullständigt obegripliga. Han är inte alltid intresserad, men om inte annat så övertygar de honom med droger. För så ivriga är de. Det är faktiskt nästan så jag slutar läsa boken pga hur kvinnorna tecknas.

Mysteriet i Möt mig i paradiset är lovande i början. Jag gillar de stycken där man får ”lyssna” på en kvinnlig röst som beskriver tidigare händelser. Sen förlorar sig berättelsen i relationen mellan Thorkild och Milla, och mot slutet när allt ska knytas ihop blir det för komplicerat och snabbt, och vissa händelser blir obegripliga.

Möt mig i paradiset har fått fina recensioner i Norge, och jag tror säkert den får det i Sverige också. Det är ju inte alla som är less på antihjältarna i deckare.

Omdöme: Norsk krim med snyggt språk men hemska kvinnoporträtt
Betyg: 3-

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[Marles Henry · Rating 4 out of 5]

Heine Balled has an interesting way of pulling you in slowly and shockingly into each twist, nook and cranny that ‘Scatter Her Ashes’ has to offer.  It is chilling. It is raw. It is visceral. It is creepy and sinister. This is a story that is clever and has some dark humour that shines through at the rights times to stop the edginess dragging you under. Thorkild Aske is damaged goods, but he is asked to step into an unusual case as a ‘consultant’ for a crime writer, Milla Lind. Yes - there is more to this story, but the totality of what the ‘more’ refers to isn’t what you think it will be. From the top and tail of Norway to a Russian prison, the experience of the bitter cold and landscapes do influence the bleakness of Thorkild, and the spiralling of his emotions and withdrawal symptoms throughout the course of the story. No one want to talk, no-one wants to share anything, no-one wants to spare the truth about two girls going missing from a local residential home. Or about Milla’s previous consultant’s death. Or even about Milla. And Milla’s novels about August Mugabe seem to hide a lot of home truths and pathways that either lead to a new twist or something more sinister. Thorkild seems to have a knack to deflect his flaws and highlight the same in others in order to discover the truth, without every dealing with his own. He has a way to apply the manic and strained conversations and thoughts in his own mind to what is happening around him in order to make sense of what he sees. Mind you, he’s also very clever at hiding that analysis from the reader, and what you may have thought was an obvious left turn was in fact a veer to the right with a hairpin u-turn. I was lured in with this novel, and it was worth the wait to reel it all in.

[L'atelier de Litote · Rating 5 out of 5]

Un polar norvégien froid comme la neige, coupant comme la glace, bienvenue dans le second opus de l’ancien policier Thorkild Aske. Dès le début, on sait qu’il ne va toujours pas mieux mais qu’il se soigne Ulf, son psy lui laisse le choix d’intégrer un atelier de fabrication de chandelles où bien de tenir le rôle de consultant pour une autrice de polars. C’est donc auprès de Milla Lind qu’il va suivre de près la disparition de deux jeunes filles et lui fournir de précieux éléments pour son futur best-seller. Rapidement Thorkild se rend compte que les choses ne sont pas ce qu’elles semblent être et que la principale intéressée cache son jeu. Le premier tome « Tu me manqueras demain » avait été un coup de cœur et cette fois-ci encore, j’ai retrouvé tout ce qui m’avait tant plu. J’adore le personnage de Thorkild, défiguré, cabossé par la vie, survivant à ses suicides, accro aux antidouleurs. Un enquêteur hors cadre qui donne tout et ne s’épargne rien. Un portrait psychologique intense à vous faire dresser les poils sur les bras. Tout cela tempéré par un fort pouvoir d’autodérision et un humour grinçant. Malgré son triste état, il arrive pourtant à avoir des résultats, je n’ose même pas imaginer s’il était en parfaite santé ce que cela donnerai ! A nouveau l’intrigue nous emporte dans les territoires du nord haït par Thorkild et là le talent de l’auteur se révèle dans ses descriptions de la nature et du climat mais aussi dans sa capacité à nous les faire ressentir avec un art quasi cinématographique. Vous l’aurez compris, il serait dommage de passer à côté de ce personnage qui porte le roman à lui tout seul, un flic dont le cœur et l’âme sont brisées mais qui trace son chemin avec une rigueur toute nordique. Bonne lecture.

[Ciaran McLarnon · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Scatter Her Ashes” by Heine Bakkeid starts out as a benign week-long assignment for an ex-policeman in Norway to assist a celebrated local author to write a new novel using an unsolved case as the basis - but quickly becomes an actual missing persons investigation before ending up being a terrifying hunt for a ruthless serial killer.

The ex-policeman, Thorkild Ashe who has recently attempted suicide is trying to deal with his dangerous demons by taking a cocktail of strong antidepressants that his psychiatrist Ulf is trying to convince him to give up. This complicates matters considerably as Thorkild spends a good proportion of his time bargaining with people to get access to the medication he craves and performing at levels below his best. The famous author character, Mille Lind has chosen Thorkild to assist with her project after her last consultant was murdered partly because she battles with similar psychological issues but manages to keep under control.

This is an exciting, psychological thriller where the characters travel the length and breadth of Norway and also to a couple of prisons in Russia to meet the people whom they believe can help them discover what has become of the child Olivia who was abducted 7 months previously with her friend Siv.

[Mai Laakso · Rating 4 out of 5]

Norjalaisen Heine Bakkeidin dekkari Paratiisin kutsu on toinen osa Thorkild Aske-dekkarisarjaa. Jo ensimmäinen osa Meren aaveet koukutti, vaikka olen aika kyllästynyt alkoholisoituneisiin ja lääkehuuruissa törttöileviin päähenkilöihin. Sellainen on sarjan päähenkilö, entinen poliisi, joka sai vankilatuomion törttöillessään lääkehuuruissa autolla. Kolarissa kuoli eräs nuori nainen, jota Thorkild ei pystynyt unohtamaan, vaan kaipasi edelleen.

Aske sai kuuluisalta rikoskirjailijalta töitä. Kirjailija oli kiinnostunut kahdesta kadonneesta tytöstä, joista hän aikoi kirjoittaa seuraavan dekkarinsa. Pian Aske huomasi, että kirjailija salaili jotakin, ja homma haiskahti. Hänen edeltäjänsä oli saanut kuulan takaraivoonsa ja syy oli vieritetty hänen vaimonsa tekemäksi, joka oli tehnyt itsemurhan lähes samanaikaisesti.

Lue kirjasta löysikö Aske tytöt ja miten rikoskirjailijan auttaminen sujui. Asken luonteella muitakin rikoksia tuli selvitettyä rähjäisenä, mutta suht selvin päin melkein koko kirjan ajan. Heine Bakkeiden Paratiisin kutsu on tummaa nordic noiria parhaimmillaan. Lisäksi kirjan huumori sai välillä suupielet ylöspäin. Mainio kesädekkari.

[E · Rating 4 out of 5]

Scatter Her Ashes (Thorkild Aske #2) is a gripping, dark and atmospheric thriller.

Thorkild Aske is damaged, deeply troubled and has a complicated past…

The former head of interrogations in the police forces Internal Affairs now - after three years in jail including time spent in a psychiatric clinic - has an acquired brain injury, an addiction to prescription pain medication which seems to currently be under control and is at times suicidal… Desperate to do something with his time - and with his psychiatrists agreement - he finds himself helping a crime writer investigate a real life missing persons case which she’s used as a background for the book she’s writing. But everything is not as it seems… It turns out that the authors previous investigator was murdered on the job in a crime which makes little sense to him. And it also turns out that the murdered investigator had started looking into some seemingly unrelated cases. His police brain seems to be returning, he’s able to use all his skills and experience as an investigator/interrogator. He’s not sure where it’s all heading but he’s determined to get to the truth.

[Micheal · Rating 1 out of 5]

Oh man, what a let down! The first book, despite its moments of pure, unbelievable silliness was a creepy, memorable debut that had scenes I clearly recall over a year later. This one, though... It'd be easier to list the bits that didn't have glaring plot holes. Though I can't comment on the translation, the writing in this one is lacklustre, until we get to act three, in the north of Norway (as they kept saying. Why not just 'up north'?) but then goes crap again as the action goes back down south. The whole thing's just a sorry mess from beginning to end and the lack of believability throughout shreds any credibility it may have by the time we get to the frankly ludicrous denouement.
If you liked the first one, go ahead and check this one out (of the library) but, personally, I was very disappointed. Nevertheless, I'll read the third instalment, because Thorkild Aske is still a good character.

[Kirja Vieköön! · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thorkild Aske paratiisin, tai pikemminkin helvetin porteilla. Kipulääkkeisiin ja rauhoittaviin koukussa oleva, fyysisestikin rujo Aske jäljittää dekkaristi Milla Lindin apuna kadonneita teinityttöjä. Hän käyttäytyy kuin narkomaani ja on valmis seksiin työnantajansa kanssa pillereitä vastaan. Aika nopsaan terävälle Askelle selviää, että Lind salaa jotain. Tapaus laajene kuin pullataikina, Aske on päästä hengestään ja useita kadonneiksi ilmoitettuja henkilöitä löytyy ’itsemurhan’ tehneinä. Johtolangat vievät Asken jopa Arkangeliin ja Pietariin ja hyytävä loppunäytös tapahtuu syksyisillä Lofooteilla.

Paratiisin kutsu on kerännyt kiittäviä arvioita ja antisankari Askea on verrattu Nesbøn Harry Holeen. Minua tämä kakkososa ei lumonnut aivan ykkösosan tapaan, ja syyksi arvelen tuoretta Van Veeteren kuuntelukokemusta. Norja miljöönä on kyllä kiinnostava.