I am personally not such a big fan of thrillers, and pretty early on in the book I realized I had already seen the movie the book was based on. The movie was great, and I expected the book to be that as well, and I wasn't disappointed, I really enjoyed the characters - especially Assad - and the conspiracy was well written and well composed. I recommend for anyone who likes a good thriller ;)

I have not read The Girl with the Dragon Tatoo, the book that has apparently spurred much interest in Scandinavian mystery-thrillers. However, I have read a number of such mysteries, and this one stands out for its memorable characters. The protagonist, Carl Mørck, like Erlendur and Wallander, is of late middle-age, out of shape, and psychically damaged from encounters with criminals. However, Carl is a lot more fun that the other two, a curmudgeon whose views on his colleagues and suspects are expressed with Scandinavian understatement and gloom. His assistant, Assad, is perhaps a bit cartoonish, but his Middle-Eastern wisdom and common sense make for some wonderful scenes with cranky Carl.

The mystery revolves around a woman politician who went missing several years before Carl takes the case. The reader sees that the woman is alive, but undergoing terrible torture, which only gets worse with time. As with most mysteries, the villainy of the villain is so over-the-top that it's totally unrealistic. Would some psycho be so committed to make one victim suffer that they carry on with it for a half-dozen years?

But who reads these thrillers for their realistic plots? We like the thrill of the chase, the mystery, the danger. This book has them all.

The first Department Q Novel. Scandinavian crime mystery novel. Not as dark as The Girl with the Dragon a Tattoo series. I enjoyed this book & plan to read more in the series.

The first in a series of Danish crime novels following detective Carl Morck in the newly established "Department Q". Carl is just returning to work after being involved in a case where he was shot, one of his partners was paralyzed, and the other killed. Basically, he's such a jerk that no one wants to work with him, so when the government hands down the order to establish a new department for old unsolved cases, the higher-ups see an opportunity to get Morck out of their hair. Working out of the basement with only himself and his assistant Assad, he re-opens a cold case about a promising young politician who disappeared 5 years ago.
I enjoyed this book, and am planning to check out the rest of the series as it is released in English. Morck's character is a little tiresome at times, particularly with his womanizing, but I loved the character of Assad and their relationship.
This is my third foray into Scandinavian crime literature. I didn't love it like [b:The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo|2429135|The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (Millennium, #1)|Stieg Larsson|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1327868566s/2429135.jpg|1708725], but liked it a lot better than [b:The Snowman|9572203|The Snowman|Jo Nesbø|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1355881478s/9572203.jpg|2697052].

Not the best Scandinavian crime fiction I have read but certainly not the worst. Also published as 'The Keeper of Lost Causes'.

Another book recommended for readers who like Girl With the Dragon Tattoo: this one was even better--funnier and more developed characters--than "Boy in the Suitcase." Interesting, fast-paced, suspenseful and peopled with interesting, nuanced characters. Again, I'm looking for the next volume in the series for sure!