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Bitter Flowers – Gunnar Staalesen

Fresh from rehab, Norwegian PI Varg Veum faces his most complex investigation yet, when a man is found drowned, a young woman disappears, and the case of a missing child is revived. The classic Nordic Noir series continues…

PI Varg Veum has returned to duty following a stint in rehab, but his new composure and resolution are soon threatened when a challenging assignment arrives on his desk.

A man is found dead in an elite swimming pool and a young woman has gone missing. Most chillingly, Varg Veum is asked to investigate the ‘Camilla Case’: an eight-year-old cold case involving the disappearance of a little girl, who was never found.

As the threads of these apparently unrelated crimes come together, against the backdrop of a series of shocking environmental crimes, Varg Veum faces the most challenging, traumatic investigation of his career.

I am grateful to Anne Cater of Random Things Blog Tours for the opportunity to host a leg of the Bitter Flowers tour. I was provided with a review copy of the book but I read a purchased copy.

Bitter Flowers takes us back to Bergen for another meet up with Private Investigator, Varg Veum. I have now read quite a few of the stories in this series and enjoy Veum’s understated but dogged determination. He he is a sleuth that grinds out results rather than dashing from scene to scene so the cases he investigates feel smarter and multi layered forcing Veum to dig deep and uncover information to progress his case.

In Bitter Flowers we join the story as Varg is being taken to his new job by his physiotherapist. He has been in recovery and slowly returning to full health, the alcohol he had been reliant upon is out of his systems and he wants to keep it that way.

His new role is to run a security check on a luxurious residential property and make the house seem occupied while the owners are in Spain. His physiotherapist has found him this post and she is taking him to the property for the first time. Veum also feels she may be flirting with him, they have been close during his rehab but she made it clear she had a boyfriend.

On arrival, while Veum looks around the large house, he has the feeling they are not alone in the property. Veum isn’t wrong – a body is floating in the indoor swimming pool. He hauls him out but by the time he is out of the water his physiotherapist is gone and a man has called the police. Who made the call? Where did his friend go?

His pursuit of answers leads Veum into the heart of an environmental dispute. The family that own a plant which produces toxic waste are central to his investigation but the family have their own problems, campaigners are mounting angry protests at the chemicals escaping from their factory.

In another surprise twist there also seems to be a connection to a famous cold case. A young child disappeared from her family home in 1979. Over seven years later (this story is set in the late 1980s) the girl has never been found. Now Veum finds himself chatting to her (divorced) parents and is uncovering new evidence.

His interest in multiple cases draws unwelcome attention though and he may not realise it but Veum is putting a target on his back.

Bitter Flowers felt the most accessible of Gunnar Staalesen’s books and I flew through this story in just two days. Translation thanks to Don Bartlett – the hand behind the previous Varg Veum books I have read – who has delivered another beauty with some devastating moments of poetic tragedy.

Lots to love in this series and I think this is my favourite so far.

Bitter Flowers is published by Orenda Books and is available in digital, paperback and audiobook format. You can order a copy here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B099P8KXZ6/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i0

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November 20

Fallen Angels – Gunner Staalesen

Exploring his own dark memories may be the only way to find a killer…

When Bergen PI Varg Veum finds himself at the funeral of a former classmate on a sleet-grey December afternoon, he’s unexpectedly reunited with his old friend Jakob – guitarist of the once-famous 1960s rock band The Harpers – and his estranged wife, Rebecca, Veum’s first love.

Their rekindled friendship is thrown into jeopardy by the discovery of a horrific murder, and Veum is forced to dig deep into his own adolescence and his darkest memories, to find a motive … and a killer.

My thanks to Orenda Books for the review copy I received and to Anne Cater of Random Things Blog Tours for the opportunity to join the Fallen Angels tour.

Fans of Varg Veum may find they learn more about our hero in Fallen Angels than in any of his other outings. In Fallen Angels Veum is very much looking to the past – his childhood, friends he grew up with and he must come to accept that people will change over time and he may not like the result.

Fallen Angels begins with an ending – at a funeral for an old friend and where one old friend can be found it is not unexpected for a few familiar faces from yester-year also to put in an appearance. Soon Veum is back in the company of people he thought we knew well but it is clear something significant took place in 1975 and along with the immediate impact it had among his friends there is still fallout taking place.

Fallen Angels is set in the mid to late 1980s so the events of 1975 are not too far removed from when the action takes place. Other than a lack of mobile phones it is not immediately obvious Fallen Angels is not set in present day. But it really doesn’t need to be, the story is expertly told and Varg Veum is an imminently enjoyable and complex character who will always keep me engaged.

At the end of the opening quarter of the book we have a murder and a good understanding of Veum’s friends. While it may not have felt relevant at the time the scenes Veum spends catching up with old acquaintances and hearing of the days they spent as a band are seeding important clues as to what may lie ahead. Obviously I totally missed the important ones so when we head into the end game of Fallen Angels there were more than a few dark and unpleasant shocks to be revealed.

Tackling some difficult themes I found Fallen Angels to be thoroughly absorbing. Nostalgia and melancholy moments, regrets for lost opportunities but also an awareness that time doesn’t always heal – anger can grow if left to fester. Veum has to get people he once knew well to open up to him and share stories they wanted to keep secret. Staalesen has written this one superbly – Veum picking his way through half truths and faded memories to then bring everything together with such devastating effect.

Translation duties are handled by Don Bartlett who has done an amazing job with this lyrical prose. I intend the pun on lyrical – Staalesen’s writing is poetic in places and there are many musical references and comparisions through Fallen Angels. Bartlett has captured the musical feel of these poetic interchanges and the story is hugely enriched by it.

What seems to begin as a slow burn novel soon ignites into a cracking crime thriller. Veum is plunged back to his past and sees old friends dying, can he save his childhood chum or is there someone out there lurking and waiting for the opportunity to avenge an incident which took place several years ago?

Another gem from the Orenda collection.

Fallen Angels is published by Orenda Books and is available in paperback and digital versions. You can order a copy here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B081QZ3NYS/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i0

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June 20

Where Roses Never Die – Gunnar Staalesen

September 1977. Mette Misvaer, a three-year-old girl disappears without trace from the sandpit outside her home. Her tiny, close middle-class community in the tranquil suburb of Nordas is devastated, but their enquiries and the police produce nothing. Curtains twitch, suspicions are raised, but Mette is never found.

Almost 25 years later, as the expiry date for the statute of limitations draws near, Mette’s mother approaches PI Varg Veum, in a last, desperate attempt to find out what happened to her daughter. As Veum starts to dig, he uncovers an intricate web of secrets, lies and shocking events that have been methodically concealed. When another brutal incident takes place, a pattern begins to emerge

My thanks to Karen at Orenda Books for my review copy

I first encountered Gunnar Staalesen’s books last year when I read We Shall Inherit The Wind. I had enjoyed that immensely and was keen to read more about Varg Veum, so when the opportunity to join the Where Roses Never Die blog tour came along I jumped at the chance.

As detailed above, Where Roses Never Die is an investigation into an abducted child – almost 25 years ago a three year old girl (Mette) vanished from the sandpit outside her house. Spin forward to the early days of the new millennium and Mette’s mother contacts Varg Veum asking if he can investigate the disappearance of her daughter before the statue of limitations expires.

Mette and her family lived in a very small suburban community and the residents of the neighbouring houses are going to provide the best possible leads for Veum to start. It quickly becomes obvious that there are long held secrets to be uncovered and challenged. Veum will have his work cut out to uncover the half-truths, shake down the cobwebs of memory and refute the lies within the community (as it appears they all have reason to withhold information).

In addition to the historic disappearance of young Mette, the reader is aware that while Varg Veum has a “real time” problem to contend with too. An armed robbery in a jewellers shop appears to have a chance connection with Mette’s disappearance. This will cause problems when a PI comes a calling and faces the possibility of treading on the toes of an ongoing police investigation – especially when that PI is asking about a case the police did not solve many years earlier. Throw in a couple of heavy-duty thugs who seem intent to clip Veum’s wings and end his investigations permanently and we have an unexpected threat hanging over our hero’s head.

This felt like a proper detective story. The mystery of a missing child was presented. No clues over where she may have gone (she is likely to be dead) and we have a harrowing read for any parent. A seemingly impossible challenge for a PI who is facing his own personal demons – a battle against the bottle which is brilliantly depicted by the author. The need for me to know what happened to Mette kicked in – would Veum be able to close out a cold case? Is there even the slightest chance that this will have a happy ending? The ‘need to know’ factor keeps me reading – it’s great when it grabs hold of me early in a book.

Where Roses Never Die was read in a single lazy day. For once I was able to sit back and enjoy a book from cover to cover with minimal interruptions, the story flowed around me and I was able to lose myself in the plot. Following Varg Veum as he relentlessly chased down leads and unpicked lies was a very pleasant journey. Plaudits also must go to Don Bartlett who has done a splendid job translating Staalsesen’s original work and bringing us such a readable volume.

I am becoming a bit of a fan of Mr Staalesen’s books and Varg Veum is welcome to return any time he likes. I feel that I have a lot of catching up to do and I cannot wait to get started.

Where Roses Never Die is available in paperback and digital formats and can be ordered here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Where-Roses-Never-Varg-Veum/dp/1910633097/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1466359151&sr=8-1&keywords=where+roses+never+die

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June 3

We Shall Inherit The Wind – Gunner Staalesen

1998. Varg Veum sits by the hospital bedside of his long-term girlfriend Karin, whose life-threatening injuries provide a deeply painful reminder of the mistakes he’s made. Investigating the seemingly innocent disappearance of a wind-farm inspector, Varg Veum is thrust into one of the most challenging cases of his career, riddled with conflicts, environmental terrorism, religious fanaticism, unsolved mysteries and dubious business ethics. Then, in one of the most heart-stopping scenes in crime fiction, the first body appears…

A chilling, timeless story of love, revenge and desire, We Shall Inherit the Wind deftly weaves contemporary issues with a stunning plot that will leave you gripped to the final page. This is Staalesen at his most thrilling, thought-provoking best.

I am delighted to have the opportunity to host the latest leg of the blog tour for the astonishing We Shall Inherit The Wind by Gunnar Staalesen. My thanks to Karen at Orenda Books for my review copy.

Varg Veum is a long established and much loved character yet this was my first introduction to him. I would very much like the opportunity to read more of Staalesen’s books (and Veum will return in two more books from Orenda in 2016 and 2017). As a ‘jumping on point’ I can assure other new readers that the author provides more than enough background to allow you to pick up and enjoy We Shall Inherit The Earth without the need to have read previous tales.

Not just my introduction to Varg Veum but my first introduction to Nordic crime fiction: I was more than pleasantly surprised. We Shall Inherit The Wind is a gripping read, a story which is driven by the strength of the characters and the lies they will tell to protect their secrets.

Veum is a private investigator. He has been engaged to trace a missing man, Mons Mæland, who has vanished just as an important discussion on a proposed wind-farm was due to take place. Mæland owns land upon which the wind-farm may be built and his contribution to the development is vital. This is the late 1990’s and harnessing the environmental energies is a developing and controversial area. While there is potential for significant money to be made there are objections to the proposed development and rival factions are soon introduced to the story.

Veum is searching for Mæland on behalf of Mæland’s second wife. Over 20 years previously Mæland’s first wife, Lea, disappeared and was declared dead after she failed to return from her morning trip to the shore. Lea’s children do not appear to have accepted Mæland’s choice of a second wife and they seem reluctant to assist Veum’s investigations, seemingly believing their father will soon return. Veum finds his enquiries stonewalled at every turn and I began to feel some frustration on his behalf, however events were soon to take a sudden and dramatic twist.

Mæland has been murdered, his body left posed in a way that suggests that extreme religious fervour may be involved. Veum’s missing person investigation is now a murder enquiry and the stakes are significantly raised.

The discovery of Mæland’s body brings to question the lengths that individuals and corporations may go to when chasing financial gain. We are given to consider the justification of environmental terrorism and personal sacrifice to save a landscape and a way of life.

Veum is a dogged investigator in pursuit of the truth and from the outset of the novel we know that his actions have consequences that will fall far too close to home. As he slowly unpicks the conflicting stories and unravels historic relationships, the reader is aware that his actions will result in the hospitalisation of Veum’s fiancée Karin. As much of We Shall Inherit The Wind is focused on Veum and Karin’s relationship it is a particularly bitter twist knowing that an innocent party will be caught up in the events we are reading about. By the time you reach the endgame you find yourself willing Veum to walk away…but if he had then we would have been robbed of a memorable finale!

We Shall Inherit The Wind is a story that needs to be read. Huge plaudits are due to Don Bartlett who translated the original novel from Norwegian and captured the beauty of Staalsen’s prose. Reading Inherit was a joy and (as my Norwegian is not too hot) I thank Don Bartlett for making it possible for me to enjoy this book.

If you have never read Nordic crime, or any translated fiction, then there are few better places to start.

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