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Nebeltage
Die junge Zofia Wagner wird ermordet in ihrer Warschauer Wohnung aufgefunden. Für Freunde und Nachbarn ist die Tat völlig unerklärlich, führte Zofia doch ein unauffälliges Leben. Auf den zweiten Blick tun sich jedoch ungeahnte Abgründe auf – und fast jeder aus Zofias Umfeld gerät unter Verdacht: ihr Ex-Freund, ihre tschetschenische Putzfrau, ihr ehemaliger Verlobter. Kommissar Marcin Sawicki, ein Macho alter Schule, und seine ehrgeizige neue Kollegin Ada Rochniewicz übernehmen die Ermittlung. Doch Doch sämtliche Spuren verlieren sich im Nebel …
»Ein hervorragender Kriminalroman, maßgefertigt für die heutige Zeit.« Olga Tokarczuk, Literaturnobelpreisträgerin
»Ein hervorragender Kriminalroman, maßgefertigt für die heutige Zeit.« Olga Tokarczuk, Literaturnobelpreisträgerin
704 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2015
5 people are currently reading
82 people want to read
About the author
Kaja Malanowska
8 books6 followersFelietonistka Krytyki Politycznej. Za debiutancką powieść Drobne szaleństwa dnia codziennego nominowana do Gwarancji Kultury TVP Kultura 2011 w kategorii debiut[1]. Powieść Patrz na mnie, Klaro! znalazła się w finale Nagrody Literackiej „Nike” 2013[2] oraz była nominowana do Paszportów „Polityki” 2012[3]. Napisała doktorat z genetyki na University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Mieszka w Warszawie.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
July 4, 2021
A Polish crime novel that ticked a lot of boxes. Ada is the newly arrived only female in the Warsaw homicide team. She has an ability to read people but comes across as calm, unemotional and wooden. She has no friends, a newly discovered step-sister and no contact with her wealthy father. She has some real issues with graphic dreams just part of her personality.
The book hooked me early, then just as it started to wan the red herrings were lost and the story turned into a new direction investigating Catholicism and political corruption.
Well worth reading.
The book hooked me early, then just as it started to wan the red herrings were lost and the story turned into a new direction investigating Catholicism and political corruption.
Well worth reading.
March 26, 2017
"Mgła" jest oparta na tradycji czarnego kryminału: jest trup, okoliczności w jakich doszło do zbrodni, śledztwo prowadzone przez komisarzy, kryminalna intryga, rozwiązanie zagadki. Klasyczne elementy zostały dobrze wykorzystane, powieść jest napisana sprawnie i zajmująco. Dobra powieść kryminalna powinna mieć wyrazistych głównych bohaterów, a tego u Malanowskiej mi zabrakło. Ich portrety psychologiczne są ledwie zarysowane i w dużej mierze oparte na stereotypach (samotna pani komisarz, która ma "daddy issues" i typowy polski policjant z brzuszkiem i rastistowsko-homofobicznym nastawieniem do ludzi i świata). Kłopotliwy jest też wątek "wizji"/snów pani komisarz. Dla mnie mało wiarygodny i po prostu zbędny. Natomiast całość czyta się naprawdę dobrze, sama intryga (choć początkowo trochę schematyczna) okazuje się wielowątkowa i zgrabnie skonstruowana. Na plus wątki poboczne i zakończenie. Jestem jednak pewna, że w przypadku pojawienia się kolejnej części główna para skończyłaby razem. Może lepiej, żeby nie było więc kontynuacji ;)
January 3, 2016
Gdyby nie zbyt duża liczba wulgaryzmów byłaby wręcz doskonała. Bardzo ciekawa fabuła zasysa i nie pozwala się oderwać od lektury. Mądre śledztwo, bez dziur i dziwaczności. Główni bohaterowie: Sawicki i jego nowa partnerka Aga - plastyczni i ciekawi, coś ich chyba połączy, oprócz pracy oczywiście. Kilka osobistych zagadek pozostaje nierozwiązanych, co daje nadzieję na kontynuację współpracy pary detektywów. I dobrze!
April 22, 2016
Sprawnie napisane, ale trochę tutaj za dużo tego wszystkiego: morderstwo, złowroga sekta, problemy psychiczne, uchodźcy, wizje i przeczucia - takim zestawem obdzielić by można spokojnie trzy kryminały.
Do tego miejscami nieznośnie pretensjonalny język: "Czas pełzał ślepy i zagubiony po kamiennej posadzce", "Noc była miękka niczym wata"...
Do tego miejscami nieznośnie pretensjonalny język: "Czas pełzał ślepy i zagubiony po kamiennej posadzce", "Noc była miękka niczym wata"...
October 9, 2025
Incredible murder mystery - a fantastic book likely suitable for those who are fans of The Bridge (Nordic TV show).
Excellent depiction of a range of interesting subjects/ issues including:
- cults
- refugee community
- sexism in the police force
- mental health (psychosis)
- abortion
- paedophilia
- limitations of the legal system
Each character was flawed and unlikeable yet I also found myself warming to each of them. Marcin is gruff and rough around the edges - and seems extremely misguided relating to women - yet also works hard and softens throughout the story. Ada is cold, thoughtful and strong while also managing her own ASD/ trauma history and ongoing visual hallucinations. I really liked that they did not get together, as is common in cop drama lines.
I really enjoyed the Warsaw setting and the references to the fog. It felt gritty and real, but also like being transported elsewhere as a non-Pole.
The ending was perfection - while the murder mystery was mostly wrapped up it felt realistic for there to be unanswered questions. Ending on 2 mentally unwell people thinking up a new cult was appropriately unsettling - the reader is left with the sense that these issues continue on and goes on beyond the murder, while also experiencing the satisfaction of the story ending. In other words - not a cliche Hollywood ending!
I hope this is a series, am keen to continue reading this author.
Excellent depiction of a range of interesting subjects/ issues including:
- cults
- refugee community
- sexism in the police force
- mental health (psychosis)
- abortion
- paedophilia
- limitations of the legal system
Each character was flawed and unlikeable yet I also found myself warming to each of them. Marcin is gruff and rough around the edges - and seems extremely misguided relating to women - yet also works hard and softens throughout the story. Ada is cold, thoughtful and strong while also managing her own ASD/ trauma history and ongoing visual hallucinations. I really liked that they did not get together, as is common in cop drama lines.
I really enjoyed the Warsaw setting and the references to the fog. It felt gritty and real, but also like being transported elsewhere as a non-Pole.
The ending was perfection - while the murder mystery was mostly wrapped up it felt realistic for there to be unanswered questions. Ending on 2 mentally unwell people thinking up a new cult was appropriately unsettling - the reader is left with the sense that these issues continue on and goes on beyond the murder, while also experiencing the satisfaction of the story ending. In other words - not a cliche Hollywood ending!
I hope this is a series, am keen to continue reading this author.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 20, 2023
4,5
Wielopłaszczyznowy i wielowątkowy swietny kryminał, napędzony genialnie skonstruowanymi śledczymi, komisarz Ada Rochniewicz jest spostrzegawcza, piekielnie inteligentna, opanowana i skuteczna. W parze ze złamanym i pogubionym życiowo Marcinem Sawickim tworzą świetną parę detektywów. Dużo wątków społecznych i psychologicznych (kwestie uchodźców, zagadnienia religijne, itd).
Wielopłaszczyznowy i wielowątkowy swietny kryminał, napędzony genialnie skonstruowanymi śledczymi, komisarz Ada Rochniewicz jest spostrzegawcza, piekielnie inteligentna, opanowana i skuteczna. W parze ze złamanym i pogubionym życiowo Marcinem Sawickim tworzą świetną parę detektywów. Dużo wątków społecznych i psychologicznych (kwestie uchodźców, zagadnienia religijne, itd).
February 18, 2024
I've tried reading this before and didn't enjoy it that time either - impenetrable.
June 3, 2024
Gute Charaktere und auch eine Handlung mit Überraschungen, aber irgendwie dann doch etwas zu langatmig für mich.
March 23, 2021
http://jessjustreads.com
Translated into English, Fog by Polish writer Kaja Malanowska is an enticing crime novel that investigates the murder of a young woman in her Warsaw apartment.
Written in omniscient third person, Fog has two protagonists — the secretive, blunt but intelligent Ada, and the brash, impulsive and overtly sexist Marcin Sawicki. They each bring different personalities, opinions and tactics to their detective work.
Whilst Marcin’s methods could be deemed questionable at times, even Ada makes mistakes in her career. As a team, they’re able to work together to solve the crime, uncovering all the layers to the murder that were not immediately obvious.
“Normally he was annoyed when fellow officers were talkative — it tired him to have to take part in a conversation, react to jokes. He knew he had a reputation as a curmudgeon and a loner. Today, though, with Ada, he felt bothered by the quiet.”
It’s hard to know whether this is compliment to Kaja or Bill, but the prose is exceptional. Particularly description around dialogue — describing Ada and Marcin’s interactions, facial expressions, movements in a way that conveys their characterisation really vividly.
There’s a lot of elements to this novel, between the characters and their secrets, the murder itself and how that evolves into something larger than anyone expected, but also the office politics in Warsaw and the secrets that Marcin and Ada’s colleagues are hiding. Whilst other reviews point out this might’ve been too many elements for one novel, I liked it. Fog is complex and layered, intriguing the reader and keeping them engaged throughout.
“She knew Sawicki felt uncomfortable in the presence of women, but that he would step out of their way rather than try to dominate. Why did this nice young woman with her broad, bright face and round eyes rub him up the wrong way? One moment more and they wouldn’t have got another word out of her.”
Fog is unnecessarily long — 400 pages, small font, small margins. The story did lull a bit through the middle, the intensity wavered, and I think a procedural crime story such as this could have progressed more succinctly. Ada’s ‘visions’ that are mentioned in the blurb don’t actually seem to have a large presence in the novel, and I think they’ve could’ve been cut from the entire story.
Additionally, some of the characters weren’t overly likeable. Even Marcin is a sexist, homophobic, judgemental character, and some of his outbursts didn’t seem overly authentic. The dynamic between him and Ada felt too much like Kaja was trying to establish ‘good cop bad cop’.
“He trailed after her, struggling to keep up; he was moving as if he were in a bubble. He stared at Ada’s back, resenting the fact that not once had she allowed her emotions to get the better of her. At the same time he was immensely grateful to her. His memory of the last hours blurred into a multicoloured haze, like a film projected too quickly.”
Compulsive and addictive, Fog is a procedural thriller that crime readers will devour.
Thank you to the publisher for mailing me a review copy in exchange for an honest review.
Translated into English, Fog by Polish writer Kaja Malanowska is an enticing crime novel that investigates the murder of a young woman in her Warsaw apartment.
Written in omniscient third person, Fog has two protagonists — the secretive, blunt but intelligent Ada, and the brash, impulsive and overtly sexist Marcin Sawicki. They each bring different personalities, opinions and tactics to their detective work.
Whilst Marcin’s methods could be deemed questionable at times, even Ada makes mistakes in her career. As a team, they’re able to work together to solve the crime, uncovering all the layers to the murder that were not immediately obvious.
“Normally he was annoyed when fellow officers were talkative — it tired him to have to take part in a conversation, react to jokes. He knew he had a reputation as a curmudgeon and a loner. Today, though, with Ada, he felt bothered by the quiet.”
It’s hard to know whether this is compliment to Kaja or Bill, but the prose is exceptional. Particularly description around dialogue — describing Ada and Marcin’s interactions, facial expressions, movements in a way that conveys their characterisation really vividly.
There’s a lot of elements to this novel, between the characters and their secrets, the murder itself and how that evolves into something larger than anyone expected, but also the office politics in Warsaw and the secrets that Marcin and Ada’s colleagues are hiding. Whilst other reviews point out this might’ve been too many elements for one novel, I liked it. Fog is complex and layered, intriguing the reader and keeping them engaged throughout.
“She knew Sawicki felt uncomfortable in the presence of women, but that he would step out of their way rather than try to dominate. Why did this nice young woman with her broad, bright face and round eyes rub him up the wrong way? One moment more and they wouldn’t have got another word out of her.”
Fog is unnecessarily long — 400 pages, small font, small margins. The story did lull a bit through the middle, the intensity wavered, and I think a procedural crime story such as this could have progressed more succinctly. Ada’s ‘visions’ that are mentioned in the blurb don’t actually seem to have a large presence in the novel, and I think they’ve could’ve been cut from the entire story.
Additionally, some of the characters weren’t overly likeable. Even Marcin is a sexist, homophobic, judgemental character, and some of his outbursts didn’t seem overly authentic. The dynamic between him and Ada felt too much like Kaja was trying to establish ‘good cop bad cop’.
“He trailed after her, struggling to keep up; he was moving as if he were in a bubble. He stared at Ada’s back, resenting the fact that not once had she allowed her emotions to get the better of her. At the same time he was immensely grateful to her. His memory of the last hours blurred into a multicoloured haze, like a film projected too quickly.”
Compulsive and addictive, Fog is a procedural thriller that crime readers will devour.
Thank you to the publisher for mailing me a review copy in exchange for an honest review.
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April 23, 2021The following book reviews have been shared by Text Publishing – publisher of Fog
'Malanowska manages to create two uniquely flawed and interesting characters...The fog-bound city of Warsaw is brought to noirish life.’
Pile by the Bed
'Malanowska manages to create two uniquely flawed and interesting characters...The fog-bound city of Warsaw is brought to noirish life.’
Pile by the Bed
March 31, 2022
So wanted to give this 4 stars. So much that was good...the start, the main characters, the sexism shown, the sense of the country. But it was just too long and got too involved and co.plicated. hope to read more of this author and see how she improves.
March 30, 2021
Quite a solid whodunnit. A few twists along the way and decent denouement. A little slow in places.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews