Review: In the Darkness

In the Darkness by Karin Fossum
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

A new nordic mystery series for me. I liked it even though I think a few things might have been lost in translation. I will spend more time with Inspector Sejer.

A woman and her daughter find a body floating in the river. Instead of calling the police, she calls her father to chat. Because that's not suspicious at all. Ok, Eva. The setting is dark, like all of the nordic noir I've read. Cold, bleak, and stark. Eva is a hot mess, and she makes suspect decisions throughout the entire book. The plot unwinds in a series of time jumps and while I enjoyed the book, I wanted more time to explore Inspector Sejer. I'm hoping he is more of the focus in the next books.

I did not expect several of the twists and it kept me guessing until the end - things I love in my mysteries. A good start to a new author and series for me. Three solid stars.

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Review: Slay-Ride

Slay-Ride by Dick Francis
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Classic Dick Francis. This time we travel to Norway. I'm cold just reading this book.

We get a great Francis "everyman" in David Cleveland. Jockey Club investigator and all-around smart, nice guy. He gets in danger (as you would expect), barely escapes with his life (naturally) and saves the day.

Plus, this book is as old as I am, and it is still a fun read. One of my favorite authors of all time.

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Valkyrie Rising (Valkyrie #1)

Valkyrie Rising by Ingrid Paulson

My rating: 2 of 5 stars


Elsa, Warrior Princess, finds herself in Norway. Who doesn't love a Norse mythology book? Apparently me.

You are looking at an average teen drama. Romance, eye-rolling dialogue, angst and self-doubt. Elsa is spending the summer with her kick-ass grandmother in Norway. Conveniently, her crush is tagging along by way of her big brother. Can you feel the tension? I know I could. When she arrives she begins to discover the power within her. Elsa is a Valkyrie, and a pretty powerful one, just like her grandmother. When the town is in trouble, she and her grandmother team up to save the world. Lots of potential here to tell an interesting story but it got lost in the teen angst. A pity, because I saw glimpses of a good story along the way. But Ellie's character was too whiny and meek for me, and her transformation fell flat. Loki and her grandmother were interesting, but the rest just missed the mark.

In the end, it was just ok. 2 stars.



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