Status
Available
Call number
Series
Collection
Publication
Penguin (2013), 640 pages
Description
Fiction. Mystery. Thriller. HTML:Detective Carl Mørck and his colleagues Assad and Rose must use all of their resources to uncover the horrifying truth in this heart-pounding Nordic thriller from the #1 international bestselling author Jussi Adler-Olsen. Carl Mørck holds in his hands a bottle that contains old and decayed message, written in blood. It is a cry for help from two young brothers, tied and bound in a boathouse by the sea. Could it be real? Who are these boys, and why weren�??t they reported missing? Could they possibly still be alive? Carl�??s investigation will force him to cross paths with a woman stuck in a desperate marriage�??her husband refuses to tell her where he goes, what he does, how long he will be away. For days on end she waits, and when he returns she must endure his wants, his moods, his threats. But enough is enough. She will find out the truth, no matter the cost to her husband�??… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member lit_chick
“It took a while to gather the things he needed. The hardest part was stretching himself, confined by his chain, to reach the tar between the roofing planks with the tips of his fingers. Everything else was at hand: the bottle, the sharp sliver of wood from the timbered floor, the paper on which
Detective Carl Morck holds in his hands a message in a bottle: the message, old and decayed, and written in blood, is a cry for help from two young brothers who are being held captive in a boathouse. But is the message real? And if it is, who are the boys, and why were they never reported missing? Could they possibly still be alive?
Morck’s investigation will see him cross paths with a woman stuck in a desperate marriage. Her husband, moneyed and well-heeled, refuses to tell her about his work. He is gone often but refuses to tell her where, or how long he will be away. For days on end, she waits with their young son, and when he returns, she will once again be subject to his moods, his wants, and his threats. She vows she will find out the truth, at last – and at all costs. And then, unbeknownst to her, two more young children are taken; and they also are not reported missing. Morck contemplates that the cases are related, and may be a “conspiracy of faith” – the victims are of particular religious sects: Jehovah’s Witnesses and Mormons.
In the basement offices of Department Q, Morck, along with the inimitable Assad and Rose, will need all of their resources to solve this thriller. It’s a page-turner, written in Adler-Olsen’s fine suspenseful style, full of detail and well-turned characters. As I’ve come to expect and enjoy, the personalities and antics of the Department Q “team” kept me well entertained. Highly recommended.
He pushed off one of his shoes and stabbed so sharply at his wrist with the wood that tears welled in his eyes. He let the blood drip onto his polished shoe for a minute, perhaps two. Then he tore a large shred of paper from his bedding, dipped the splinter in his blood, and twisted his body, pulling at his chain until he was able to see what he was writing behind his back. As best he could, and in the smallest handwriting, he put down in words what was happening to them. When he had finished, he signed the letter with his name, rolled up the paper, and stuffed it inside the bottle.” (4)
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he was sitting. (3)Detective Carl Morck holds in his hands a message in a bottle: the message, old and decayed, and written in blood, is a cry for help from two young brothers who are being held captive in a boathouse. But is the message real? And if it is, who are the boys, and why were they never reported missing? Could they possibly still be alive?
Morck’s investigation will see him cross paths with a woman stuck in a desperate marriage. Her husband, moneyed and well-heeled, refuses to tell her about his work. He is gone often but refuses to tell her where, or how long he will be away. For days on end, she waits with their young son, and when he returns, she will once again be subject to his moods, his wants, and his threats. She vows she will find out the truth, at last – and at all costs. And then, unbeknownst to her, two more young children are taken; and they also are not reported missing. Morck contemplates that the cases are related, and may be a “conspiracy of faith” – the victims are of particular religious sects: Jehovah’s Witnesses and Mormons.
In the basement offices of Department Q, Morck, along with the inimitable Assad and Rose, will need all of their resources to solve this thriller. It’s a page-turner, written in Adler-Olsen’s fine suspenseful style, full of detail and well-turned characters. As I’ve come to expect and enjoy, the personalities and antics of the Department Q “team” kept me well entertained. Highly recommended.
He pushed off one of his shoes and stabbed so sharply at his wrist with the wood that tears welled in his eyes. He let the blood drip onto his polished shoe for a minute, perhaps two. Then he tore a large shred of paper from his bedding, dipped the splinter in his blood, and twisted his body, pulling at his chain until he was able to see what he was writing behind his back. As best he could, and in the smallest handwriting, he put down in words what was happening to them. When he had finished, he signed the letter with his name, rolled up the paper, and stuffed it inside the bottle.” (4)
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LibraryThing member ctpress
The detective Carl Mørk is back. Oh he's so very back. More grumpier than ever in his under-budgeted Department Q that takes on all the unsolved cases. And in pursuit of the most sinister killer by far in this series. No need to elaborate on the plot here. This is Scandi-Crime and no one in their
I like the way the narration shifts between the killer's perspective and the investigator's - sometimes in the same scene - the last part of the story is really suspenseful. In the beginning of the story there are several scenes that borders on the farcical - over the top for my taste - but a minor detail.
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comfortable suburbans houses are save. Specially not the members of shady sects in Denmark. Mørks team assist him once more - sidekick Assad with the hidden talents - and the quirky secretary who reluctantly plays a more active role this time.I like the way the narration shifts between the killer's perspective and the investigator's - sometimes in the same scene - the last part of the story is really suspenseful. In the beginning of the story there are several scenes that borders on the farcical - over the top for my taste - but a minor detail.
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LibraryThing member froxgirl
Dane detective Carl Morck and his Department Q misfits solve two more crimes, one actually commencing with a message in a bottle. These police procedurals are brilliantly plotted and Morck, Assad, and Rose (some strange goings-on with her) fight not only arsonists and kidnappers, but also asbestos,
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mysterious Middle Easterners, and sexual satiety. You don't need to begin at the beginning - start anywhere in the series. Just start! Show Less
LibraryThing member CLStern
3rd of the Department Q series and my favorite so far.
LibraryThing member zmagic69
Guess what? Another book from Scandinavia. Here are my thoughts regarding this book.
1. This is a translated version of the original. The complete lack of editing means that anytime two or more people are talking to each other it is as if they are in separate rooms. There is zero continuity in this
2. The translation seems to be geared to a British reader, so the use of slang and everyday language is still foreign to an American reader, which is fine except with the complete lack of editing it can be very hard to follow.
3. This book is easily 200 pages too long. The removal of those 200 pages would not have any impact to the core story.
As far as I can tell this is what the primary storyline is, this; a bottle is picked up by a Scottish fishing boat with a note inside it is forgotten about for a period of time. Everyone who has come in contact with the bottle has bad luck (not relevant because it is never expanded on) the note is in Danish and sent to the Denmark police, the note was written by a kidnapped victim, through unbelievable sleuthing it is finally deciphered, and the cold case decision sets about finding the kidnapper.
The kidnapper, hates religious people, as he was brought up in an abusive highly,Religious family, therefore he targets his victims to match his growing up. He is married, but the wife character is completely unneeded since she is weak and makes no difference to the story except in the last chapter.
As if this is not convoluted enough, the cold case department is also working on a series of Arson cases which add nothing to the primary story other than to act as a distraction.
1. Carl Morck is a detective in a cold case division of the Denmark police. He is a dull burnt out policeman, who seems to either get lucky solving crimes, happens to be in the right place at the right time enough times to figure out the case, or through unbelievable coincidence puts cases together. He seems to have a love interest with Mona, don't know why and didn't care as it seems to be thrown in whenever Carl is becoming to dull to read about.
2. Also in the department are Assad who is from Syria. And Rose/Yrsa who is bipolar. These two characters are so poorly explained, behave so strangely, and don't seem to follow any standard chain of command with Carl. They also are a complete distraction, and their quirkiness is never explained, they are not funny, and don't add anything.
3. Carl's former partner apparently was injured in the previous book in this series and is now paralyzed and living in a hospital bed it Carl's living room.
4. Carl is separated from his alcoholic wife who wants to move back in, but is crazy..... And really who cares, and why is she in the story.
I could go on but let's summarize,
A. Book is way too long.
B. Editing is horrible.
C. Translation is bad and confusing.
D. Characters are either dull, quirky, or badly drawn out.
1. This is a translated version of the original. The complete lack of editing means that anytime two or more people are talking to each other it is as if they are in separate rooms. There is zero continuity in this
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book.2. The translation seems to be geared to a British reader, so the use of slang and everyday language is still foreign to an American reader, which is fine except with the complete lack of editing it can be very hard to follow.
3. This book is easily 200 pages too long. The removal of those 200 pages would not have any impact to the core story.
As far as I can tell this is what the primary storyline is, this; a bottle is picked up by a Scottish fishing boat with a note inside it is forgotten about for a period of time. Everyone who has come in contact with the bottle has bad luck (not relevant because it is never expanded on) the note is in Danish and sent to the Denmark police, the note was written by a kidnapped victim, through unbelievable sleuthing it is finally deciphered, and the cold case decision sets about finding the kidnapper.
The kidnapper, hates religious people, as he was brought up in an abusive highly,Religious family, therefore he targets his victims to match his growing up. He is married, but the wife character is completely unneeded since she is weak and makes no difference to the story except in the last chapter.
As if this is not convoluted enough, the cold case department is also working on a series of Arson cases which add nothing to the primary story other than to act as a distraction.
1. Carl Morck is a detective in a cold case division of the Denmark police. He is a dull burnt out policeman, who seems to either get lucky solving crimes, happens to be in the right place at the right time enough times to figure out the case, or through unbelievable coincidence puts cases together. He seems to have a love interest with Mona, don't know why and didn't care as it seems to be thrown in whenever Carl is becoming to dull to read about.
2. Also in the department are Assad who is from Syria. And Rose/Yrsa who is bipolar. These two characters are so poorly explained, behave so strangely, and don't seem to follow any standard chain of command with Carl. They also are a complete distraction, and their quirkiness is never explained, they are not funny, and don't add anything.
3. Carl's former partner apparently was injured in the previous book in this series and is now paralyzed and living in a hospital bed it Carl's living room.
4. Carl is separated from his alcoholic wife who wants to move back in, but is crazy..... And really who cares, and why is she in the story.
I could go on but let's summarize,
A. Book is way too long.
B. Editing is horrible.
C. Translation is bad and confusing.
D. Characters are either dull, quirky, or badly drawn out.
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LibraryThing member elebama
Another solid Department Q mystery.
LibraryThing member ebyrne41
Having read and enjoyed two previous books by Jussi Adler-Olsen (Mercy, Disgrace) I looked forward to this one with equal glee. Redemption is the third novel in the Department Q series featuring cold case detective Carl Mørck. While Adler-Olsen's books tend to be on the long side (this one runs to
The humour meanwhile, and indeed much of the mystery in the book, concerns the members of the Department Q investigating team, two of whom are civilians but who of themselves are quite mysterious, quirky and colourful characters.
Enough said, I can well recommend, so get reading!
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632 pages), I never felt this to be excessively long and I pretty much enjoyed it from start to finish. In fact it is one of those books that builds nicely, culminating in a tense race-against-time-type finish. He is a quality writer and a good storyteller who can comfortably mix suspense, mystery and humour, pleasing the reader on several fronts all at once. The plot here is well thought out and developed, and centers on the disappearance of a number of children over time, the investigation of which is triggered by a message in a bottle washed up on foreign shores. And while you the reader know that the killer is still active, the investigating team do not and for some time are not even sure if a crime has in fact taken place. Being privy to the present day activities of the killer, you wonder when and if the investigating team will ever make the necessary breakthrough and if they will in time to stop the killer adding to the number of his victims. You, meanwhile, will spend a lot of time in the company of the killer, and your fascination with him will grow accordingly, rest assured. Add to the story mix a troubled childhood and religious sects mindful of their privacy and you begin to see how a serial killer is born and can thrive while remaining largely anonymous. Some scenes border on harrowing, the subject matter of harm to children never being an easy one to digest, but the book is thankfully not overly graphic. As the story develops and builds, so does the action and the pace, and I felt it less easy to put the book down the further I progressed. The humour meanwhile, and indeed much of the mystery in the book, concerns the members of the Department Q investigating team, two of whom are civilians but who of themselves are quite mysterious, quirky and colourful characters.
Enough said, I can well recommend, so get reading!
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LibraryThing member Schatje
Department Q receives a message in a bottle; the message, written in blood 13 years earlier, is a plea for help from a young boy who, along with his brother, has been kidnapped. The investigations of Detective Carl Morck and his two assistants lead to the discovery that there have been several such
Besides giving Morck’s viewpoint, the book also provides the perspective of the kidnapper (who targets multi-children families of Denmark’s fringe fundamentalist religious sects whose reclusive nature and dislike and distrust of society result in the police not being informed when children are kidnapped for ransom) and his wife Mia (who becomes more and more suspicious of her secretive and controlling husband).
Morck continues to be an interesting character; he is a cantankerous sloth who enjoys his naps at work. Nonetheless, he is capable of flashes of brilliance and works non-stop when the situation becomes dire and people’s lives are in jeopardy. He is assisted by Assad, whose past in Syria continues to remain a mystery, and Rose, who is as competent as she is chameleon-like. Questions about Assad and Rose that are raised in the first two novels of the Department Q series are not answered here; in fact, more questions arise.
The depiction of the professional kidnapper bothered me in that he is just too perfect a villain. He is an expert in disguises and is a master manipulator because of his amazing psychological insight into the minds of his victim families. Flashbacks reveal his troubled childhood and provide motive for his actions: “To hell with them. He hated them more than anything else. To hell with all those who in the name of God believed themselves to be above all others” (318). These flashbacks may be intended to humanize the man, but any sympathy they might have aroused is entirely dampened by the amount of suffering he has caused.
This book cries out to be made into a movie. There is an incredible car chase scene and a great deal of suspense since several lives are endangered, although, unlike many crime dramas, this one does not have everyone escaping unscathed. The touches of humour lighten a plot which otherwise would be too stark with its portrayal of human depravity.
This is the third of the Department Q novels (following "The Keeper of Lost Causes" and "The Absent One"), but it can be read as a standalone. Although not perfect and the subplot involving a series of arsons and Serbian gangs is pointless and distracting, the book is a fast-paced read for those who enjoy Scandinavian mysteries. There will undoubtedly be a fourth in the series.
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crimes and, in fact, they are being committed in the present as well.Besides giving Morck’s viewpoint, the book also provides the perspective of the kidnapper (who targets multi-children families of Denmark’s fringe fundamentalist religious sects whose reclusive nature and dislike and distrust of society result in the police not being informed when children are kidnapped for ransom) and his wife Mia (who becomes more and more suspicious of her secretive and controlling husband).
Morck continues to be an interesting character; he is a cantankerous sloth who enjoys his naps at work. Nonetheless, he is capable of flashes of brilliance and works non-stop when the situation becomes dire and people’s lives are in jeopardy. He is assisted by Assad, whose past in Syria continues to remain a mystery, and Rose, who is as competent as she is chameleon-like. Questions about Assad and Rose that are raised in the first two novels of the Department Q series are not answered here; in fact, more questions arise.
The depiction of the professional kidnapper bothered me in that he is just too perfect a villain. He is an expert in disguises and is a master manipulator because of his amazing psychological insight into the minds of his victim families. Flashbacks reveal his troubled childhood and provide motive for his actions: “To hell with them. He hated them more than anything else. To hell with all those who in the name of God believed themselves to be above all others” (318). These flashbacks may be intended to humanize the man, but any sympathy they might have aroused is entirely dampened by the amount of suffering he has caused.
This book cries out to be made into a movie. There is an incredible car chase scene and a great deal of suspense since several lives are endangered, although, unlike many crime dramas, this one does not have everyone escaping unscathed. The touches of humour lighten a plot which otherwise would be too stark with its portrayal of human depravity.
This is the third of the Department Q novels (following "The Keeper of Lost Causes" and "The Absent One"), but it can be read as a standalone. Although not perfect and the subplot involving a series of arsons and Serbian gangs is pointless and distracting, the book is a fast-paced read for those who enjoy Scandinavian mysteries. There will undoubtedly be a fourth in the series.
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LibraryThing member BillPilgrim
Another Department Q novel. Carl Morck in charge.
A plea for help is found inside a bottle in the sea. It is found six years after it was written, and then not passed on to Carl until many years after that. The note is mostly illegible, so Carl and his assistants must try to figure out what it
As in the other books of the series, the action switches back and forth between Carl, Assad and Rose and the perpetrator of the crime. There is not much mystery involved, mostly suspense and watching Carl sort out the evidence and bear down on the criminal.
Another good read. Now I have to wait until the next book in the series. I've read all three available so far.
A plea for help is found inside a bottle in the sea. It is found six years after it was written, and then not passed on to Carl until many years after that. The note is mostly illegible, so Carl and his assistants must try to figure out what it
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says. But kidnapped is one of the words that is easy to figure out and the location where it occurred, so they have enough information to get started with an investigation.When they realize that the crime at issue has been reenacted since then, it becomes a race against time.As in the other books of the series, the action switches back and forth between Carl, Assad and Rose and the perpetrator of the crime. There is not much mystery involved, mostly suspense and watching Carl sort out the evidence and bear down on the criminal.
Another good read. Now I have to wait until the next book in the series. I've read all three available so far.
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LibraryThing member JohnGrant1
I found this very readable, but overall merely adequate. The book effectively has two halves, although these grade into each other smoothly -- it's not a question of there being a clearly demarcated Part One and Part Two.
In the first half, as we follow cop Carl Morck and his cold-case team of
Also in the first half, Morck's team is investigating two unrelated cases: a sequence of arsons and an ancient kidnapping/murder brought to light thanks to, quite literally, a message cast adrift years earlier in a bottle. The latter investigation is by far the more interesting -- the detectives realize the criminal in that case is a serial kidnapper/killer who's still active, preying on wealthy members of Denmark's Christian cults -- so it's quite a relief when it becomes the sole focus.
I read the latter part of the book at a gallop. Even so, I didn't finish it wiping my brow, gasping and in general feeling as if I'd been put through a wringer -- as if I'd experienced the book rather than merely read it -- as I do when I get to the end of a tale by, say, Val McDermid. I guess what I'm trying to say is that the book seems a bit lightweight, somehow. If Adler-Olsen had cut the crap, I'm guessing the overall effect on me would have been quite different . . . and that right now I'd be describing this as a real sock-between-the-eyeballs thriller.
In the first half, as we follow cop Carl Morck and his cold-case team of
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Department Q, Adler-Olsen seems to feel the need to leaven the mixture with plenty of leaden, laddish humour: Morck has difficulty swatting flies, how hilarious; his assistant Assad is full of folk proverbs involving arseholes, how sidesplitting. Much of this "light relief" is, mercifully, abandoned in the latter part of the book, where Adler-Olsen concentrates instead on his storytelling.Also in the first half, Morck's team is investigating two unrelated cases: a sequence of arsons and an ancient kidnapping/murder brought to light thanks to, quite literally, a message cast adrift years earlier in a bottle. The latter investigation is by far the more interesting -- the detectives realize the criminal in that case is a serial kidnapper/killer who's still active, preying on wealthy members of Denmark's Christian cults -- so it's quite a relief when it becomes the sole focus.
I read the latter part of the book at a gallop. Even so, I didn't finish it wiping my brow, gasping and in general feeling as if I'd been put through a wringer -- as if I'd experienced the book rather than merely read it -- as I do when I get to the end of a tale by, say, Val McDermid. I guess what I'm trying to say is that the book seems a bit lightweight, somehow. If Adler-Olsen had cut the crap, I'm guessing the overall effect on me would have been quite different . . . and that right now I'd be describing this as a real sock-between-the-eyeballs thriller.
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LibraryThing member everfresh1
There are some books I just don't enjoy. This is one of them. It's difficult to say what main contributions are - maybe it's too slow pace, maybe it's characters that I can't relate to. I do like Scandinavian mystery/ police thrillers, but this author is not one of the best representatives of that
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genre (and this my second - and probably last of his books - after 'Keeper of Lost Causes'). It's actually well written stylistically but doesn't create something that was worth reading for me. Show Less
LibraryThing member Twink
You many remember me raving about the first two books in this wonderful series. The third book in Jussi Adler-Olsen's series has just released in North America - A Conspiracy of Faith.
Detective Carl Morck works for Department Q - housed in the basement of the Denmark Police Department. Department
Adler-Olsen hooked me right from the start. A pair of boys is being held captive in a remote boathouse. The older brother knows they are going to die, but ingeniously manages to put together a message in a bottle and toss it through a crack into the ocean. Years later the bottle finally makes it's way to Carl's desk. And the hunt begins for a killer.
Now, we as readers, know who the killer is - and that he is still operating. His chapters are especially chilling. Adler- Olsen paints a particularly frightening picture of a sociopath. The hunt is on and we can only urge Carl and team to hurry - another pair of children are being held in the same old boathouse.
Adler-Olsen's plotting is excellent and the action and sense of urgency translated into late night reading for me. But what makes this series really shine are the protagonists. Carl is a brilliant investigator but is a man with a complicated personal life. The secondary storyline gives him more depth as a character, rather than just confining him to the police station. Assad is still a mystery, but Adler-Olsen has let a few more details slip about this intriguing character's background. The interplay and dialogue between the two pulls the reader in.
I've read the first two books, but chose to listen to this third entry. I didn't realize who the reader was until the opening lines of the first disc - then realized it was one of my favourites - Graeme Malcolm. He has such a rich, full sonorous voice. He has a Scottish accent, but bends it to fit Carl's personality. The voice he chose for Assad also worked well. Malcolm uses his voice very effectively - the killer's mind set was all the more chilling with the dispassionate tones employed. His voice was easy to listen to, extremely expressive and really brought the book to life.
A five star read and series for this reader. I can't wait to read the next Department Q book!
Detective Carl Morck works for Department Q - housed in the basement of the Denmark Police Department. Department
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Q deals with old and cold cases. The department isn't very large - it's Carl and Assad - an enigmatic Syrian who started off as the cleaner, but has proven to be invaluable to Carl. They have been joined by Rose - and her sister Ursa this time 'round - both decidedly 'different'. Adler-Olsen hooked me right from the start. A pair of boys is being held captive in a remote boathouse. The older brother knows they are going to die, but ingeniously manages to put together a message in a bottle and toss it through a crack into the ocean. Years later the bottle finally makes it's way to Carl's desk. And the hunt begins for a killer.
Now, we as readers, know who the killer is - and that he is still operating. His chapters are especially chilling. Adler- Olsen paints a particularly frightening picture of a sociopath. The hunt is on and we can only urge Carl and team to hurry - another pair of children are being held in the same old boathouse.
Adler-Olsen's plotting is excellent and the action and sense of urgency translated into late night reading for me. But what makes this series really shine are the protagonists. Carl is a brilliant investigator but is a man with a complicated personal life. The secondary storyline gives him more depth as a character, rather than just confining him to the police station. Assad is still a mystery, but Adler-Olsen has let a few more details slip about this intriguing character's background. The interplay and dialogue between the two pulls the reader in.
I've read the first two books, but chose to listen to this third entry. I didn't realize who the reader was until the opening lines of the first disc - then realized it was one of my favourites - Graeme Malcolm. He has such a rich, full sonorous voice. He has a Scottish accent, but bends it to fit Carl's personality. The voice he chose for Assad also worked well. Malcolm uses his voice very effectively - the killer's mind set was all the more chilling with the dispassionate tones employed. His voice was easy to listen to, extremely expressive and really brought the book to life.
A five star read and series for this reader. I can't wait to read the next Department Q book!
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LibraryThing member nbmars
A Conspiracy of Faith is the third book in Adler-Olsen's “Department Q” series featuring Copenhagen Deputy Detective Superintendent Carl Mørck. Carl heads a very small subunit in Homicide called Department Q, which was established to take a second look at cold cases. As Carl’s boss said
"It’s old, it’s unsolved, and no one else could be arsed.”
As with the previous book, we know right away who the criminal is, so there are no surprises there; the race is to see if and when Carl and his crew can apprehend the guilty party; how many deaths will take place before they can do so; and whether everyone on Carl’s team will make it out alive.
It’s a clever set-up for an author; you don’t have to worry about throwing in red herrings which may or may not be effective or plausible, nor do you have to worry about avid reviewers inserting spoilers into their summaries!
The evildoer in this case is targeting religious fanatics, kidnapping their children for ransom. In this way, he supports himself. (In a very funny passage the bad guy allows how he thought of retiring earlier but the stock market hasn’t been good; even serial killers suffer from the economy!) As the story goes on, we learn more about why this person has come to hate religious sects, and a bit about their prevalence in Denmark.
Discussion: Once again with this author, the criminal is way, way beyond evil. Ordinarily, I wouldn’t keep coming back to what I hope is such an implausible depiction of the bad guys, but I'm too enamored of the good guys to give up the series!
The character of Detective Mørck is very entertaining; all he really wants to do is nap. He also has a dry, mordant wit that is quite humorous; he always sees the worst in everyone and everything, and is always capitulating to his “powerlessness” over events. His home life is a zoo, and his work life is out of control as well. His assistant Assad, who actually started out as the janitor, does most of the crime solving, and the secretary Rose does the rest! In this book, moreover, we also meet Rose’s twin sister Yrsa, who is as fully engaging as is Rose.
Evaluation: This book had more suspense than the prior one I read, and had me racing to the end. It can be read as a standalone but I would recommend starting at the beginning anyway, because you will get more out of the series and besides you will like it so much you will wish you had (because who likes to go backwards?)!
Note: My rating would be higher but for the over-the-top-ishness of the bad guys!
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about the criteria for a case to be sent to Department Q:"It’s old, it’s unsolved, and no one else could be arsed.”
As with the previous book, we know right away who the criminal is, so there are no surprises there; the race is to see if and when Carl and his crew can apprehend the guilty party; how many deaths will take place before they can do so; and whether everyone on Carl’s team will make it out alive.
It’s a clever set-up for an author; you don’t have to worry about throwing in red herrings which may or may not be effective or plausible, nor do you have to worry about avid reviewers inserting spoilers into their summaries!
The evildoer in this case is targeting religious fanatics, kidnapping their children for ransom. In this way, he supports himself. (In a very funny passage the bad guy allows how he thought of retiring earlier but the stock market hasn’t been good; even serial killers suffer from the economy!) As the story goes on, we learn more about why this person has come to hate religious sects, and a bit about their prevalence in Denmark.
Discussion: Once again with this author, the criminal is way, way beyond evil. Ordinarily, I wouldn’t keep coming back to what I hope is such an implausible depiction of the bad guys, but I'm too enamored of the good guys to give up the series!
The character of Detective Mørck is very entertaining; all he really wants to do is nap. He also has a dry, mordant wit that is quite humorous; he always sees the worst in everyone and everything, and is always capitulating to his “powerlessness” over events. His home life is a zoo, and his work life is out of control as well. His assistant Assad, who actually started out as the janitor, does most of the crime solving, and the secretary Rose does the rest! In this book, moreover, we also meet Rose’s twin sister Yrsa, who is as fully engaging as is Rose.
Evaluation: This book had more suspense than the prior one I read, and had me racing to the end. It can be read as a standalone but I would recommend starting at the beginning anyway, because you will get more out of the series and besides you will like it so much you will wish you had (because who likes to go backwards?)!
Note: My rating would be higher but for the over-the-top-ishness of the bad guys!
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LibraryThing member luvamystery65
I am really loving this series! There is a lot going on here. First, there is the crime, then there are the characters and finally there is a whole background story that is slowly unfolding in the series.
I think for me it is not about the crime. We know right from the start what the crime is and
Next up is the characters and this is where this series has me sold. Carl thinks he is a simple man who just wants a worry free day and a nice woman. Fortunately for us he is anything but. Carl is a trouble magnet, loyal to his own and is hiding secrets even from himself. I suppose that is why Carl is tolerant of Assad who very obviously is hiding secrets and identity. Assad's attention to detail has helped in every case so far, including this one. Rose, OMG that Rose! She was a thorn in Carl's side in book two and here it is no different. Rose could be a case study for the DSM-5 but once again Carl surprises me by his acceptance of her. He even pushes her out of her comfort zone and she helps gain key evidence needed to capture the criminal. Hardy is the key to Carl's past and possibly the future.
Finally, the nail gun murders have been mentioned in every book. Last book we learn that Hardy gave in his statement that Carl knew more about the case than the other two partners did. This is brought up again. Carl confronts Hardy about this. Hardy doesn't deny it and is surprised that Carl is denying knowing more than they did. Carl is forced to examine himself. Does he have a secret so dark that he is keeping it even from himself? There are also questions about Carl having a relationship with Hardy's wife in the past. Is it just in the past? This case is going to drag out.
I loved this book. I kept turning the page to see how Carl and team were going to catch on and catch the bad guy. I laughed out loud so many times. My geeky fan love of Department Q was not disappointed!
I think for me it is not about the crime. We know right from the start what the crime is and
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who is behind the crimes. We get a little bit about why the "poor criminal" has become such a monster. Boo hoo! For me the meat of the crime portion of the story is how Carl and team are going to end up finding out what EXACTLY the crime is, who did it and how to catch him. Luck and intuition play as much a part of solving this as does police procedure.Next up is the characters and this is where this series has me sold. Carl thinks he is a simple man who just wants a worry free day and a nice woman. Fortunately for us he is anything but. Carl is a trouble magnet, loyal to his own and is hiding secrets even from himself. I suppose that is why Carl is tolerant of Assad who very obviously is hiding secrets and identity. Assad's attention to detail has helped in every case so far, including this one. Rose, OMG that Rose! She was a thorn in Carl's side in book two and here it is no different. Rose could be a case study for the DSM-5 but once again Carl surprises me by his acceptance of her. He even pushes her out of her comfort zone and she helps gain key evidence needed to capture the criminal. Hardy is the key to Carl's past and possibly the future.
Finally, the nail gun murders have been mentioned in every book. Last book we learn that Hardy gave in his statement that Carl knew more about the case than the other two partners did. This is brought up again. Carl confronts Hardy about this. Hardy doesn't deny it and is surprised that Carl is denying knowing more than they did. Carl is forced to examine himself. Does he have a secret so dark that he is keeping it even from himself? There are also questions about Carl having a relationship with Hardy's wife in the past. Is it just in the past? This case is going to drag out.
I loved this book. I kept turning the page to see how Carl and team were going to catch on and catch the bad guy. I laughed out loud so many times. My geeky fan love of Department Q was not disappointed!
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LibraryThing member michigantrumpet
Another in the Department Q Danish police procedural series. Detective Carl Morck and his intrepid assistants (Assad and Rose) form a ragtag team of misfits solving cold cases. This time, a years' old message in a bottle crying out for help has them quickly enmeshed in mysterious disappearances
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within fundamental religious communities. Adler-Olsen certainly has learned to keep the suspense ratcheted up as one races to the end. A good quick genre read. Show Less
LibraryThing member -Eva-
When a bottle, found in the ocean outside Scotland, is revealed to contain a message pleading for help written in Danish, Department Q are tasked with finding what turns out to be a serial kidnapper and murderer. Another great installment in the series about Carl Mørck, Assad, and the assistant(s)
There is some of the humor that is so much part of these characters, but there's also a lot of scolding being done by Mørck, so this installment isn't quite as funny as the previous ones. The arson plotline seems a little tagged on, but it doesn't take up all that much room so it's not too much of an issue, and it does explain more about Assad's abilities, which is always interesting. I am getting increasingly intrigued by Assad, since he has a huge amount of mysterious business going on that has nothing to do with his work at the department and hopefully future installments will enlighten us. Also, Hardy could prove to become quite a player in the future and I'm looking forward to seeing more of him as well. According to my edition, a total of eight books are planned for this series (five are currently published) and I'm hoping they'll all be as entertaining as the first few have been.
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Rose and Yrsa. As is normal in this series, the perpetrator and the plotline beggars belief somewhat although this one is slightly more believable than the previous books and the story is told with a level of veracity that makes up for any issue of that kind. Since we're dealing with children in danger, the stakes are inherently as high as can be, and the sense of urgency makes for a proper page-turner.There is some of the humor that is so much part of these characters, but there's also a lot of scolding being done by Mørck, so this installment isn't quite as funny as the previous ones. The arson plotline seems a little tagged on, but it doesn't take up all that much room so it's not too much of an issue, and it does explain more about Assad's abilities, which is always interesting. I am getting increasingly intrigued by Assad, since he has a huge amount of mysterious business going on that has nothing to do with his work at the department and hopefully future installments will enlighten us. Also, Hardy could prove to become quite a player in the future and I'm looking forward to seeing more of him as well. According to my edition, a total of eight books are planned for this series (five are currently published) and I'm hoping they'll all be as entertaining as the first few have been.
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LibraryThing member ethel55
Once I get past the horrible upbringing that sends this story's perpetrator on a lifelong serial spree, I remember why I like these books so much. The much beleaguered detective Carl Morck returns to the basement of police headquarters, only to find the Health Department believes there to be
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asbestos in the old pipes. A new cold case, in the form of a message in a bottle arrives, and they're off. Carl, his mysterious assistant Assad, secretary-like Rose and even an appearance by her twin Yrsa, create a great group dynamic within another solid mystery by Jussi Adler-Olsen. From what I can tell, all three books thus far have been translated by different people and this was the first one I felt there was some choppiness to the flow of the language. Still, it was a good read and I look forward to more of them becoming available in English. Show Less
LibraryThing member shelleyraec
Though still suffering from bloat (at least 100 hundred pages could easily be cut from it’s 635pp length) I enjoyed Redemption more than the previous installment, Disgrace. There is more humour and less overt violence with Department Q head, Detective Carl Mørck and his staff, Assad and Rose,
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pitted against a chilling sociopath, who has managed to escape notice for more than fifteen years. It begins with a barely legible message in a bottle written in blood which leads the team to a serial killer responsible for the the kidnap, ransom and murder of siblings. The case is complex, with few clues and even less evidence for the cold case team to exploit but slowly they begin to unravel the deadly career of this careful criminal. There is more to the novel than just the case though, the protagonists have lives outside of their careers and who they are is as interesting as what they do. Redemption is an intriguing and compelling novel and I am looking forward to the next title to be translated from this talented Danish crime fiction author. Show Less
LibraryThing member jnwelch
A Conspiracy of Faith is the third in the Department Q mystery series by Danish author Jussi Adler-Olsen. A family man who has cautioned his wife that he can't tell her about his business turns out to make his living on the ransom from kidnapping children. The book kicks off with a kidnapped boy
We get to see what drives the religion-hating villain, and the harm he causes all around him. But most of the fun derives from the interactions of crusty, wise-ass, bureaucracy-bucking Carl, the suspiciously competent but language-hampered Assad, and the ball-busting Rose, along with her quite different twin who fills in for a while. There are back stories arcing through the books, and in this one we get more tantalizing information about the ambush that crippled Carl's colleague Hardy, international intrigues involving Assad, and a surprising home life for Rose. There's good action, particularly as two women imperiled by the kidnapper race through the night trying to take him down. Meanwhile, Carl continues to evade his now regretting separated wife, and it looks like his awkward attempts to romance self-possessed psychologist Mona may be making some headway.
I've not really gotten caught up in the Scandicrime craze, but the wit and shenanigans of this series have hooked me. Looking forward to number 4.
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being held in a hut near a fjord writing a mesage in blood and sending it onto the water in a bottle. Dept. Q investigates what we might call cold crimes, and the bottle eventually ends up with its eccentric head, Carl Morck. He is assisted by Assad, a mystery man from Syria who started as a janitor, and Rose, a punkish independent who has no qualms about telling Carl where he can stuff it. Gradually they decipher the waterlogged message and begin to assemble the clues necessary to bring down the meticulous and elusive kidnapper.We get to see what drives the religion-hating villain, and the harm he causes all around him. But most of the fun derives from the interactions of crusty, wise-ass, bureaucracy-bucking Carl, the suspiciously competent but language-hampered Assad, and the ball-busting Rose, along with her quite different twin who fills in for a while. There are back stories arcing through the books, and in this one we get more tantalizing information about the ambush that crippled Carl's colleague Hardy, international intrigues involving Assad, and a surprising home life for Rose. There's good action, particularly as two women imperiled by the kidnapper race through the night trying to take him down. Meanwhile, Carl continues to evade his now regretting separated wife, and it looks like his awkward attempts to romance self-possessed psychologist Mona may be making some headway.
I've not really gotten caught up in the Scandicrime craze, but the wit and shenanigans of this series have hooked me. Looking forward to number 4.
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LibraryThing member bookmagic
I do really enjoy this Danish crime series about Department Q, cold case files. This is the fourth in the series, I believe. Carl and his assistant Assad, investigate an old letter that was discovered in a bottle washed up on a Scottish beach and makes its way back to Denmark. Barely legible, Carl
They only problem I have is that the character of Carl is a bit racist and condescending about his partner Assad. At this point in the series, Assad has more than proven his worth and I'm not sure if this is the authors feelings coming through. The mismatched combo of the two characters is part of the charm, but I honestly almost put this down in the first quarter of the book. Once they get more involved with the case, the caustic remarks by Carl fade. But really, enough is enough already. Stop making Assad into some kind of caricature. If this issue is still there in the next book, I'm done. It's offensive and makes for bad writing.
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and Assad can read enough to know it was a cry for help from a kidnapped child. Alternating between the detectives is the killer who targets children of well-to-do families who belong to cult-like churches. The story is well-written, becoming more suspenseful as it progresses.They only problem I have is that the character of Carl is a bit racist and condescending about his partner Assad. At this point in the series, Assad has more than proven his worth and I'm not sure if this is the authors feelings coming through. The mismatched combo of the two characters is part of the charm, but I honestly almost put this down in the first quarter of the book. Once they get more involved with the case, the caustic remarks by Carl fade. But really, enough is enough already. Stop making Assad into some kind of caricature. If this issue is still there in the next book, I'm done. It's offensive and makes for bad writing.
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LibraryThing member terran
Really like this series. Characters are well developed and different. This entry provides insight into the religious beliefs in Denmark.
LibraryThing member bfister
Third book in the Department Q series.
LibraryThing member zmagic69
Guess what? Another book from Scandinavia. Here are my thoughts regarding this book.
1. This is a translated version of the original. The complete lack of editing means that anytime two or more people are talking to each other it is as if they are in separate rooms. There is zero continuity in this
2. The translation seems to be geared to a British reader, so the use of slang and everyday language is still foreign to an American reader, which is fine except with the complete lack of editing it can be very hard to follow.
3. This book is easily 200 pages too long. The removal of those 200 pages would not have any impact to the core story.
As far as I can tell this is what the primary storyline is, this; a bottle is picked up by a Scottish fishing boat with a note inside it is forgotten about for a period of time. Everyone who has come in contact with the bottle has bad luck (not relevant because it is never expanded on) the note is in Danish and sent to the Denmark police, the note was written by a kidnapped victim, through unbelievable sleuthing it is finally deciphered, and the cold case decision sets about finding the kidnapper.
The kidnapper, hates religious people, as he was brought up in an abusive highly,Religious family, therefore he targets his victims to match his growing up. He is married, but the wife character is completely unneeded since she is weak and makes no difference to the story except in the last chapter.
As if this is not convoluted enough, the cold case department is also working on a series of Arson cases which add nothing to the primary story other than to act as a distraction.
1. Carl Morck is a detective in a cold case division of the Denmark police. He is a dull burnt out policeman, who seems to either get lucky solving crimes, happens to be in the right place at the right time enough times to figure out the case, or through unbelievable coincidence puts cases together. He seems to have a love interest with Mona, don't know why and didn't care as it seems to be thrown in whenever Carl is becoming to dull to read about.
2. Also in the department are Assad who is from Syria. And Rose/Yrsa who is bipolar. These two characters are so poorly explained, behave so strangely, and don't seem to follow any standard chain of command with Carl. They also are a complete distraction, and their quirkiness is never explained, they are not funny, and don't add anything.
3. Carl's former partner apparently was injured in the previous book in this series and is now paralyzed and living in a hospital bed it Carl's living room.
4. Carl is separated from his alcoholic wife who wants to move back in, but is crazy..... And really who cares, and why is she in the story.
I could go on but let's summarize,
A. Book is way too long.
B. Editing is horrible.
C. Translation is bad and confusing.
D. Characters are either dull, quirky, or badly drawn out.
1. This is a translated version of the original. The complete lack of editing means that anytime two or more people are talking to each other it is as if they are in separate rooms. There is zero continuity in this
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book.2. The translation seems to be geared to a British reader, so the use of slang and everyday language is still foreign to an American reader, which is fine except with the complete lack of editing it can be very hard to follow.
3. This book is easily 200 pages too long. The removal of those 200 pages would not have any impact to the core story.
As far as I can tell this is what the primary storyline is, this; a bottle is picked up by a Scottish fishing boat with a note inside it is forgotten about for a period of time. Everyone who has come in contact with the bottle has bad luck (not relevant because it is never expanded on) the note is in Danish and sent to the Denmark police, the note was written by a kidnapped victim, through unbelievable sleuthing it is finally deciphered, and the cold case decision sets about finding the kidnapper.
The kidnapper, hates religious people, as he was brought up in an abusive highly,Religious family, therefore he targets his victims to match his growing up. He is married, but the wife character is completely unneeded since she is weak and makes no difference to the story except in the last chapter.
As if this is not convoluted enough, the cold case department is also working on a series of Arson cases which add nothing to the primary story other than to act as a distraction.
1. Carl Morck is a detective in a cold case division of the Denmark police. He is a dull burnt out policeman, who seems to either get lucky solving crimes, happens to be in the right place at the right time enough times to figure out the case, or through unbelievable coincidence puts cases together. He seems to have a love interest with Mona, don't know why and didn't care as it seems to be thrown in whenever Carl is becoming to dull to read about.
2. Also in the department are Assad who is from Syria. And Rose/Yrsa who is bipolar. These two characters are so poorly explained, behave so strangely, and don't seem to follow any standard chain of command with Carl. They also are a complete distraction, and their quirkiness is never explained, they are not funny, and don't add anything.
3. Carl's former partner apparently was injured in the previous book in this series and is now paralyzed and living in a hospital bed it Carl's living room.
4. Carl is separated from his alcoholic wife who wants to move back in, but is crazy..... And really who cares, and why is she in the story.
I could go on but let's summarize,
A. Book is way too long.
B. Editing is horrible.
C. Translation is bad and confusing.
D. Characters are either dull, quirky, or badly drawn out.
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LibraryThing member leslie.98
This third book in the Danish Dept. Q series was more of a thriller than a traditional mystery. It kept me up reading but once I was done, I found that I think it wasn't quite as good as the first two. Perhaps I am finding the continuing plot-line about his colleague/friend Hardy (who is paralyzed
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and suicidal) wearing a bit thin... Show Less
LibraryThing member cjordan916
Detective Carl Mørck holds in his hands a bottle that contains old and decayed message, written in blood. It is a cry for help from two young brothers, tied and bound in a boathouse by the sea. Could it be real? Who are these boys, and why weren’t they reported missing? Could they possibly still
Carl’s investigation will force him to cross paths with a woman stuck in a desperate marriage- her husband refuses to tell her where he goes, what he does, how long he will be away. For days on end she waits, and when he returns she must endure his wants, his moods, his threats. But enough is enough. She will find out the truth, no matter the cost to her husband—or to herself.
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be alive?Carl’s investigation will force him to cross paths with a woman stuck in a desperate marriage- her husband refuses to tell her where he goes, what he does, how long he will be away. For days on end she waits, and when he returns she must endure his wants, his moods, his threats. But enough is enough. She will find out the truth, no matter the cost to her husband—or to herself.
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Awards
Barry Award (Nominee — Novel — 2014)
Glass Key Award (Winner — 2010)
Language
Original language
Danish
Original publication date
2010-11-01 (Denmark)
2013-07-18 (UK)
Physical description
640 p.; 5.08 inches
ISBN
0141399996 / 9780141399997