Tour Review; Ordeal by John Lier Horst

Summary:
The Hummel case has bothered William Wisting for more than six months. The investigation into what happened when taxi-driver Jens Hummel disappeared has been fruitless, and he has to endure criticism. A crucial discovery directs suspicion at Dan Roger ‘Danny’ Brodin. The problem is, however, that Danny is already in prison, convicted of another murder. Wisting is accustomed to building up a solid case for the prosecution, but this time things are different. Now he has to use all his expertise and experience to unpick a case that other people already believe to be over and done with. He follows his own convictions – all the way into the courtroom.

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Without a Body

When I first heard about Ordeal by John Lier Horst, I was instantly intrigued. I have, however, not read any of the previous William Wisting books in the series so I was a little worried about jumping in at book number ten but I’m very happy to report that this was definitely not an issue. While I do wonder if I would have connected to the book more had I read the previous books, it certainly didn’t stop me from very much enjoying this book. I loved all of the details in the story and the way that the plot really twisted throughout – I honestly had no clue what had happened, which is a refreshing relief in crime fiction.

It Can Be

Due to his background, John Lier Horst brings a very real portrayal of police detective work to his book which, in my opinion, just made it that much more interesting to read. From the tension between different police departments to small details like gun ballistics, it really just added something extra to the book. Add to that a plot that really pulls you in and begs you for more as it weaves between a variety of characters and theories, this book certainly has a way to keep the reader entertained. I loved how the book finally concluded as well, it was very cunning and clever. I will be keeping an eye out on John Lier Horst from now on.

Difficult To Discover

While some readers may have more of a connection to some of the characters in this book due to background knowledge of them, I found that I fell for them pretty quickly. I loved the relationship between William and his daughter, as well as the rest of the detective team. The only relationship I didn’t really connect with was between William and Suzanne as I felt I needed to read the previous books to understand this. What all of this means is that John has created a vast array of interesting and well-developed characters that you love reading about – and thus I want to go back and see what else they’ve been through together.

What’s Actually Happened

Overall, I very much enjoyed reading this book. I love detective novels – and don’t read enough of them – and this was the perfect detective novel for me. With a mix of crime, real details, and enthralling characters who had intricate and interesting lives, it was just a great read to dive into. After finishing the book, I found myself continuously thinking about the setting and the characters so I’m definitely looking forward to reading the rest of the english translated versions of these books and hoping more books get translated in the meantime. So if you love gritty detective novels that keep you guessing – and hence, on your toes – then you should definitely give this book a go!

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