Thursday, June 18, 2009

What Is Mine by Anne Holt

Title: What Is Mine
Author: Anne Holt
Translated from the Norwegian by: Kari Dickson
ISBN: 9780446578028, Warner Books, 2006
Genre: Police Procedural, #1 Vik and Stubo mystery
Rating: A

First Line: She was walking home from school.

Johanne Vik, former FBI profiler now psychology professor at Oslo University, is called to the home of Alvhild Sofienberg. Terminally ill, Sofienberg has always been puzzled by the case of Aksel Seier, a man who was convicted of murdering a child in 1956, served eight years of his sentence, and then was quietly set free. Sofienberg is convinced that Seier was innocent and she wants Vik to look into the case.

Police Inspector Adam Stubo is immersed in the investigation of a series of missing children. He wants Vik to help him with his investigation, and he won't take no for an answer even though Vik has a full plate, not only of work, but as the mother of a mentally handicapped child.

Holt is a former minister of justice, lawyer and journalist. Although she spends a bit too much time carefully delineating each of her characters, this book is an ardent commentary on parenthood and an absorbing mystery with a nice little twist at the end. What Is Mine is the first in a three-part series centered on Vik and Stubo, and I know I won't be able to stay away from the other two books.

Try as I might, I just can't ignore these wonderful mysteries that keep coming my way from Scandinavia!


6 comments:

  1. I liked this one too Cathy - although got a bit annoyed by the sexual tension between Adam and Johanne - I just wanted them to grow up a bit :)

    PS - hope you're enjoying THE BROKEN SHORE - one of my favourite Aussie reads

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  2. I am glad you like our Scandinavian mysteries. Anne Holt is a really great writer, but Johanne Vik is somewhat annoying, I think.

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  3. I love mysteries from overseas - I didn't know about this author. Thanks so much for bringing it to our attention!

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  4. I agree with Dorte, its great that you like the Scandinavian authors. I've read a couple of Anne Holt's books as well (also one or two Stubo/Vik) and I am agreeing with Dorte once again and Bernadette....slighty annoyed with Vik and Stubo, mostly Vik.

    But will probably read Anne Holt again nevertheless.

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  5. I have not read Holt (yet), but I'm entralled with Iceland's Arnaldur Indridason. Tightly written with none of the usual cop-shop woes and politics, Inspector Erlendur simply goes about his business and solves crimes.

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  6. Bernadette--For some reason I was able to tune out the sexual tension. I don't know why. :) I finished reading The Broken Shore last night. I still feel a bit as though I'd been sucked into the Kettle!

    Dorte--In a way I found her ex-husband to be more annoying than she was.

    Rhapsody--You're welcome!

    Charlie--For some strange reason that I cannot remember, I wasn't "taken" with Inspector Erlendur, but I did give 'im a try!

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