Series
Genres
Publication
Doubleday (2015)
Description
Fiction. Mystery. Suspense. Thriller. HTML:International bestseller Samuel Bjork makes his US debut, a chilling and fast-paced thriller in which two detectives must hunt down a vengeful killer�??and uncover the secret that ties each of them to the crime A six-year-old girl is found in the countryside, hanging lifeless from a tree and dressed in strange doll's clothes. Around her neck is a sign that says "I'm traveling alone." A special homicide unit re-opens with veteran police investigator Holger Munch at the helm. Holger's first step is to persuade the brilliant but haunted investigator Mia Kruger, who has been living on an isolated island, overcome by memories of her past. When Mia views a photograph of the crime scene and spots the number "1" carved into the dead girl's fingernail, she knows this is only the beginning. Could this killer have something to do with a missing child, abducted six years ago and never found, or with the reclusive religious community hidden in the nearby woods? Mia returns to duty to track down a revenge-driven and ruthlessly intelligent killer. But when Munch's own six-year-old granddaughter goes missing, Mia realizes that the killer's sinister game is personal, and I'm Traveling Alone races to an explosive�??and shocking�??co… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member bsquaredinoz
One of the things I generally like about European crime fiction is that it isn’t as full of psychopaths and violence as mainstream American and English novels can be but this one seems squarely aimed at that market. It’s undoubtedly a smart move economically, those books sell like the
The forces of good are represented by an ageing, overweight chap called Holger Munch.He’s divorced with an adult daughter and a 6 year old granddaughter he adores. His closest colleague is Mia Kruger. A thirty-something loner, bordering on alcoholic, who is planning her own suicide when the book opens. For reasons that become clear as the story progresses. For me the most compelling police character is young Gabriel, a hacker who has taken a ‘real’ job now that his girlfriend is pregnant. The way he approaches the transition from one sphere to the other (teenager to adult, potential criminal to police worker) seems most real to me and I’d have liked to see more of him.
Evil is represented by a somewhat confusing cacophony of characters and story threads, at least one of which is almost entirely pointless. Perhaps this wouldn’t have bugged me as much if the book hadn’t been so long. There is a lot of exposition here and countless 2-page spreads without a paragraph break or dialogue…just endless words. The story was just engaging enough to keep me reading (with only a moderate amount of eye-rolling) but I will admit to skimming some of the exposition.
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proverbial hot cakes, but it doesn’t fully engage me. Dead children in odd costumes. A religious cult. Several characters fueled by madness including a serial killer with a convoluted motive. A police squad full of eccentric geniuses, including one with a death wish. The loved ones of our heroes in danger. To me I’M TRAVELLING ALONE seemed as if it had been penned by someone more familiar with a “10 tips for great thriller writing” checklist than actual crime fiction of the kind I like.The forces of good are represented by an ageing, overweight chap called Holger Munch.He’s divorced with an adult daughter and a 6 year old granddaughter he adores. His closest colleague is Mia Kruger. A thirty-something loner, bordering on alcoholic, who is planning her own suicide when the book opens. For reasons that become clear as the story progresses. For me the most compelling police character is young Gabriel, a hacker who has taken a ‘real’ job now that his girlfriend is pregnant. The way he approaches the transition from one sphere to the other (teenager to adult, potential criminal to police worker) seems most real to me and I’d have liked to see more of him.
Evil is represented by a somewhat confusing cacophony of characters and story threads, at least one of which is almost entirely pointless. Perhaps this wouldn’t have bugged me as much if the book hadn’t been so long. There is a lot of exposition here and countless 2-page spreads without a paragraph break or dialogue…just endless words. The story was just engaging enough to keep me reading (with only a moderate amount of eye-rolling) but I will admit to skimming some of the exposition.
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LibraryThing member bayleaf
I’m Traveling Alone is a terrific suspense novel written by Samuel Bjork. I was caught up in the story immediately and the momentum never slowed. Yes, there are a lot of characters and a lot is going on in the book, but I didn’t find it difficult to follow. Bjork blends the stories well, dead
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six-year-old girls dressed in doll’s dresses and a creepy religious cult in the middle of a Norwegian forest. One may be reminded a bit of the Stieg Larsson-Lisbeth Salander books, minus the sex and the gore. Holger Munch and Mia Kruger are a great team, and while I did a bit of page flipping at the end, wanting more, I hope this is the beginning of a new Scandinavian crime series. Show Less
LibraryThing member auntmarge64
Superb police suspense.
A special homicide unit in Oslo is reconvened to tackle a killer who is kidnapping and murdering 6-year old girls and leaving them hanging from trees. The main character is a young female cop with an uncanny ability to identify viable avenues to investigate from even odd
Even the minor characters are well drawn. There's lots of building tension and enough red herrings to completely throw the reader off the trail until the author is good and ready to reveal the killer. Wonderful!
(Provided by Netgalley.com)
A special homicide unit in Oslo is reconvened to tackle a killer who is kidnapping and murdering 6-year old girls and leaving them hanging from trees. The main character is a young female cop with an uncanny ability to identify viable avenues to investigate from even odd
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bits of evidence. Brought back to her unit from a secluded island where she has been planning her suicide, she and other members of the team, including the equally-legendary unit head, whose beloved granddaughter is the same age as the victims, and a likable young computer genius new to police work, begin working 24-hours days as the victims pile up. Even the minor characters are well drawn. There's lots of building tension and enough red herrings to completely throw the reader off the trail until the author is good and ready to reveal the killer. Wonderful!
(Provided by Netgalley.com)
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LibraryThing member Pet12
I am somewhat at odds and unsure how to rate this. For the first 23% of it, I was close to giving up. It felt like a long line of people were being introduced, but the plot wasn't going anywhere. Being the first in a new series, there is certainly a benefit to providing plenty of background to your
Quite possibly, this is all a very personal thing, and if you have more patience than me and enjoy Scandinavian crime fiction, then you will most likely love this. Because, the more I read, the more I enjoyed it and amazingly, all the different strands come together quite effortlessly in the last part, and you end up with a thorough police procedural that felt authentic. You also end up rooting for the entire investigative team because it was full of interesting and diverse characters. The ending was rushed though and I still had questions unanswered, mainly relating to the Christian sect. I think I would give the second book a try once it's available in English because the author succeeded in creating a very complex, intriguing and original story and I liked the investigative team.
Definitely worth reading, but be patient.
I received a copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
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main characters, and by the end, I have to admit, you really felt you had a solid understanding of who Mia Krüger and Holger Munch were. But in addition to the main characters', there were also copious other perspectives and plotlines that kept switching with each short chapter. It wasn't confusing, but it just stopped me from getting fully involved and I kept putting the book down after a chapter or two and then resuming it for a bit again. I also found the writing style a bit stilted at times, and the frequent repetition of everybody's first and second names became tedious.Quite possibly, this is all a very personal thing, and if you have more patience than me and enjoy Scandinavian crime fiction, then you will most likely love this. Because, the more I read, the more I enjoyed it and amazingly, all the different strands come together quite effortlessly in the last part, and you end up with a thorough police procedural that felt authentic. You also end up rooting for the entire investigative team because it was full of interesting and diverse characters. The ending was rushed though and I still had questions unanswered, mainly relating to the Christian sect. I think I would give the second book a try once it's available in English because the author succeeded in creating a very complex, intriguing and original story and I liked the investigative team.
Definitely worth reading, but be patient.
I received a copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
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LibraryThing member bfister
A dramatically dysfunctional but gifted heroine, a twisted and peculiar criminal, another day in Norway, homicide capital of the ... wait, what? Sorry, though this book had all of the required parts and was fully assembled, it just seemed too designed for the market for me. A DNF for me.
LibraryThing member smik
This is another of those novels to come out of Scandinavia that tries very hard to convince the reader that you have missed out on earlier titles in a series. Perhaps we have, but it appears to me that this title was first published in Norwegian in 2013 and then translated into English in 2015. It
This tactic seems to be becoming more common recently and makes you wonder whether some of these writers are actually breaking into their own streams of consciousness, or whether they have unpublished manuscripts depicting earlier events, and that eventually they will publish these retrospectively.
The plot is macabre and won't appeal to all. Six year old girls disappear and are then found in strange places dressed in doll's clothes. Part of the puzzle is to discover who these actions are directed at and flashes of intuition from Mia Kruger provide the answer.
Mia Kruger appears in character to be very similar to Stiegg Larsen's creation Lisbeth Solander although perhaps not as autistic.
In the long run this plot appears to have a bit of everything, almost a pot pourri of what can be found in Scandinavian crime fiction.
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is actually the first of two books in the Mia and Munch series. But we are certainly told that Mia and Munch have "history", and references are made to incidents that occurred in the previous year.This tactic seems to be becoming more common recently and makes you wonder whether some of these writers are actually breaking into their own streams of consciousness, or whether they have unpublished manuscripts depicting earlier events, and that eventually they will publish these retrospectively.
The plot is macabre and won't appeal to all. Six year old girls disappear and are then found in strange places dressed in doll's clothes. Part of the puzzle is to discover who these actions are directed at and flashes of intuition from Mia Kruger provide the answer.
Mia Kruger appears in character to be very similar to Stiegg Larsen's creation Lisbeth Solander although perhaps not as autistic.
In the long run this plot appears to have a bit of everything, almost a pot pourri of what can be found in Scandinavian crime fiction.
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LibraryThing member mchwest
I read this book to attend a local library book club for the month of November. I used to read this genre all the time. I've gotten away from it for the most part, except for Gone Girl and Girl on a Train, and haven't missed it but this book took me in right away, easy to follow the plot and I
** I so enjoyed the book group at the library, and the more we discussed the book the more we had unanswered questions! A few of the story lines were left unexplained and some we didn't know why they pertained to the story. I will still look for his next book and the continuation of the two detectives stories, it is due to be translated in March of 2017.
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think I might read the next in the series too. I don't go to book groups often so I don't know what the will discuss but fun to find out!** I so enjoyed the book group at the library, and the more we discussed the book the more we had unanswered questions! A few of the story lines were left unexplained and some we didn't know why they pertained to the story. I will still look for his next book and the continuation of the two detectives stories, it is due to be translated in March of 2017.
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LibraryThing member bevok
Well presented audiobook. Munch and Kruger are promising characters in an interesting crime story. Although the story didn't keep me guessing quite as much as some other novels I'd recommend giving this Nordic crime novel a try.
LibraryThing member MugsyNoir
This is a solid thriller, with great characters and heart-pounding suspense. On the downside, it is a serial killer story (don't care for them) and involves the murder of children (really don't like that), in this case six-year old girls.
LibraryThing member LisaMorr
Very good first book in the series Munch and Kruger where we are introduced to Holger Munch and Mia Kruger, both working in the Violent Crimes Section; well, Mia Kruger had worked in the Violent Crimes Section, but at the start of the book she is apparently planning to kill herself until Holger
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visits her on her solitary island, bringing her a case file that brings her back to the team, at least temporarily. What follows is a roller coaster of confusing clues as Munch and Kruger try to solve the mystery around a serial killer who's after 6-yr old school girls. Show Less
LibraryThing member linda.a.
A six year old girl is found hanging from a tree, with a satchel on her back and an airline tag around her neck which reads “I’m travelling alone”. Holger Munch, head of the Violent Crimes Team, and highly experienced police inspector, is charged with re-establishing his previously disbanded
This is a well-written story in which the tension is maintained throughout and the psychological insights are convincing. The back stories of the two main characters form a running thread throughout the narrative and I very quickly found myself becoming very involved in how their experiences were affecting the ways in which they related to other people, as well as the ways in which they carried out their investigations. In addition to the investigations into the murders, there are other sub-plots which influence the development of the story; these are credibly and skilfully woven into the main plot. One is the abduction of a baby from a maternity hospital six years earlier. Another theme centres on the existence of a secretive Christian group which has set up a well-guarded base in the local woods: are these people involved or are they just rather weird? A third major storyline is Holger’s relationship with his adored six year old granddaughter and, when she appears to be threatened, the case becomes intensely personal. Yet another plot involves the fate of two young brothers who are seriously neglected by their parents and who, after discovering one of the victims, become central to the main plot. The interleaving of all these plots is skilfully done and adds a palpable urgency to the developing story. Although seemingly disparate at the start, by the end of the story all these threads are brought together in a convincing way.
I very quickly became engrossed in this “Nordic Noir” story and thought that all the characters were very well portrayed, even the apparently minor ones, each of whom had an important contribution to make to the developing story. These wonderful characterisations added a real sense of intimacy to the story-telling and, when I finished the book, I found myself reluctant to let most of them go! However, I don’t have to for long because, to my delight, I see that the next in the series, The Owl Always Hunts at Night, is now available, so I am looking forward to getting to know Holger, Mia and the team much better.
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specialist team to investigate the murder. However, there is one vital member of the team who is missing and Munch is determined to track her down before starting the investigation. This is his former partner, Mia Krüger, a brilliant but deeply disturbed detective whose actions had caused the team to be disbanded. She has retreated to an isolated island, with every intention of committing suicide on a specific, fast-approaching date but Munch manages to persuade her to join him and the team. It is only when she looks at the evidence that a clue is picked up which everyone else has missed: on the little finger of the girl’s hand the number one has been scratched. Mia is convinced that the killer will strike again and her prediction soon proves to be correct. This is a well-written story in which the tension is maintained throughout and the psychological insights are convincing. The back stories of the two main characters form a running thread throughout the narrative and I very quickly found myself becoming very involved in how their experiences were affecting the ways in which they related to other people, as well as the ways in which they carried out their investigations. In addition to the investigations into the murders, there are other sub-plots which influence the development of the story; these are credibly and skilfully woven into the main plot. One is the abduction of a baby from a maternity hospital six years earlier. Another theme centres on the existence of a secretive Christian group which has set up a well-guarded base in the local woods: are these people involved or are they just rather weird? A third major storyline is Holger’s relationship with his adored six year old granddaughter and, when she appears to be threatened, the case becomes intensely personal. Yet another plot involves the fate of two young brothers who are seriously neglected by their parents and who, after discovering one of the victims, become central to the main plot. The interleaving of all these plots is skilfully done and adds a palpable urgency to the developing story. Although seemingly disparate at the start, by the end of the story all these threads are brought together in a convincing way.
I very quickly became engrossed in this “Nordic Noir” story and thought that all the characters were very well portrayed, even the apparently minor ones, each of whom had an important contribution to make to the developing story. These wonderful characterisations added a real sense of intimacy to the story-telling and, when I finished the book, I found myself reluctant to let most of them go! However, I don’t have to for long because, to my delight, I see that the next in the series, The Owl Always Hunts at Night, is now available, so I am looking forward to getting to know Holger, Mia and the team much better.
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LibraryThing member EdGoldberg
Mia Kruger is planning to kill herself in 12 days, it being the 10th anniversary of her twin sister's death by drug overdose. Hidden away on a remote island, she's resolved to drugs and alcohol to dull her senses and ear her pain.
But her peace will be short lived. Her friend and mentor veteran
the body of a 6 year old girl was found hanging from a tree by a jump rope, perfectly bathed and groomed, dressed in doll clothing, wearing a backpack and a sign stating "I'm Traveling alone." Munch has no clues but is authorized to reopen Oslo's Violent Crimes Unit to investigate and he needs Mia to be a part of it.
In her initial viewing of the crime scene photos, Mia sees what everyone else has missed, a verry light #1 etched into the girl's finger nail and rightly states that more murders will occur.
Although this is the firsts book in the series, it seems like a continuation. Mia and Munch have a rapport and a history. The author brings in "new" faces such as a young computer hacker as well as Violent Crime Unit veterans.
The novel includes swindling aging nursing home patients out of their money, a new age church situated in a remote forest and missing infants snatched from the hospital cribs.
There is a lot of action and a lot of red herrings until the killer is brought to justice. The tension continually heightens and reaches its crescendo when Munch's 6 year old granddaughter is kidnapped.
Who is the target? Mia? Munch? As the body count increases, the team needs to ramp up its game.
I like the plot. I liked the characters. I liked the action. One review said "If you want a police procedural filled with a multitude of red herrings to keep you on the edge of your seat, then you'll want to start I'm Traveling Alone right away. I agree.
But her peace will be short lived. Her friend and mentor veteran
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homicide detective Holger Munch needs her help. Mia is an ace detective and profiler and Munch is stumped.the body of a 6 year old girl was found hanging from a tree by a jump rope, perfectly bathed and groomed, dressed in doll clothing, wearing a backpack and a sign stating "I'm Traveling alone." Munch has no clues but is authorized to reopen Oslo's Violent Crimes Unit to investigate and he needs Mia to be a part of it.
In her initial viewing of the crime scene photos, Mia sees what everyone else has missed, a verry light #1 etched into the girl's finger nail and rightly states that more murders will occur.
Although this is the firsts book in the series, it seems like a continuation. Mia and Munch have a rapport and a history. The author brings in "new" faces such as a young computer hacker as well as Violent Crime Unit veterans.
The novel includes swindling aging nursing home patients out of their money, a new age church situated in a remote forest and missing infants snatched from the hospital cribs.
There is a lot of action and a lot of red herrings until the killer is brought to justice. The tension continually heightens and reaches its crescendo when Munch's 6 year old granddaughter is kidnapped.
Who is the target? Mia? Munch? As the body count increases, the team needs to ramp up its game.
I like the plot. I liked the characters. I liked the action. One review said "If you want a police procedural filled with a multitude of red herrings to keep you on the edge of your seat, then you'll want to start I'm Traveling Alone right away. I agree.
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LibraryThing member Carol420
This is the author’s U.S. debut novel. The story may be a bit too gruesome for some readers since it deals with the kidnapping and horrible murder of a 6-year-old girl. The murder scene is described in graphic details that leave very little to the imagination. With that warning out of the
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way...the title was a bit of a mystery to me until we learn that the discovery of the crime and the girl... who was found hung from a tree with a tag around her neck that read "I'm Traveling Alone". Sometimes a single character will carry a story and make the entire book an adventure...this is true with the character of Mia Kruger, a former member of the violent crimes team who was always considered to be the best in her field. Mia Kruger is absolutely fascinating, a brilliant woman with a sixth sense but also with a troubled past... a past that drove her out of Oslo and into isolation in a small town in the North of Norway. This complex mystery has many twists...reaching back into the pasts of the two detectives and impacting their futures. It keeps you guessing until the very end. Just something to be aware of...the translation from Norwegian to English suffered some setbacks but not enough to affect the enjoyment of the book. Show Less
LibraryThing member Daftboy1
This is a good Crime novel set in Norway.
A young girls body is found hanging from a tree, with a note saying I am travelling alone.
Holger Munch the chief detective who is in charge of investigating this case wants to bring back his most trusted investigator Mia Kruger. Mia is really depressed and
Mia reluctantly comes back and helps Munch, they assemble a team of Detectives and also a young IT wizard called Gabriel Mork. More young girls go missing and turn up dead in similar circumstances.
Munch elderly Mother is in an old folks home and they get a bit of a break, she is going to leave her money to a new Church. This Church is rippng of old people. One of the Nurses at this old folks home called Karen appears really nice and kind. She is the one kidnapping the young girls and helping the church steal from the old folk. Karen grabs Marion, Munch's beloved Grand daughter she also drugs Mia. Its a race against time to save them both. The Police find Karen and shoot her dead and save the day.
A young girls body is found hanging from a tree, with a note saying I am travelling alone.
Holger Munch the chief detective who is in charge of investigating this case wants to bring back his most trusted investigator Mia Kruger. Mia is really depressed and
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is on the verge of killing herself. Mia reluctantly comes back and helps Munch, they assemble a team of Detectives and also a young IT wizard called Gabriel Mork. More young girls go missing and turn up dead in similar circumstances.
Munch elderly Mother is in an old folks home and they get a bit of a break, she is going to leave her money to a new Church. This Church is rippng of old people. One of the Nurses at this old folks home called Karen appears really nice and kind. She is the one kidnapping the young girls and helping the church steal from the old folk. Karen grabs Marion, Munch's beloved Grand daughter she also drugs Mia. Its a race against time to save them both. The Police find Karen and shoot her dead and save the day.
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Awards
Barry Award (Nominee — First Novel — 2017)
Language
Original language
Norwegian
Original publication date
Original Norwegian: 2007
English translation: 2015
ISBN
9780857522511
Other editions
I'm Travelling Alone by Samuel Bjork (Paperback)