Readers' Reviews

Black seconds by Karen Fossum, translatedfrom Norwegian by Charlotte Barsland

In any book written in one language and translated into another, the quality of the translation is vital. In this case, the blend has worked brilliantly. These two women have produced an excellent read.

Some of the cover comments compare the Police hero/protagonist, Inspector Sejer to
Morse or Adam Dalgleish and there is an undertone of the English style of
"homeliness" in the writing, but that in no way detracts from the interest that
the Norwegian background elicits from the reader.
   
 This is a completely different type of psychological thriller from the Americans,
Patterson and Childs or the Australian, Riley.
 The characters and plot are excellent, the action is slow but steady. There are no
guns or shootouts, the hero is never left hanging by his toenails over an abyss,
but the suspense is powerful.
 A new writer for this reviewer, but hopefully our lovely library will buy more of
her work.
   
  Thoroughly recommended.

Reviewer: Kathryn Edwards 

17 January 2008