Wednesday, August 01, 2012

THE ABSENT ONE

Author:  Jussi Adler-Olsen
Genre:  Thriller, Department Q Series #2
Published:  2012
Personal Rating:  4.25/5 (very good +)
Format:  Book
Yearly Count:  66


From the Inside Cover of the ARC:

. . . Morck is satisfied with the notion of picking up long-cold leads.  So he's naturally intrigued when a closed case lands on his desk:  A brother and sister were brutally murdered two decades earlier, and one of the suspects--part of a group of privileged boarding-school students--confessed and was convicted.  


But once Morck reopens the files, it becomes clear that all is not what it seems.  Looking into the supposedly solved case leads him to Kimmie, a woman living on the streets, stealing to survive.  Kimmie has mastered evading the police, but now they are the only ones looking for her.  Because Kimmie has secrets that certain influential individuals would kill to keep buried . . . as well as one of her own that could turn everything on its head.

Woo!  Another successful read by Adler-Olsen.  The Absent One definitely has moments of brutality (Eek!), but I thoroughly enjoyed all of the intriguing characters.  Morck, Assad (assistant) and Rose (new addition to the team) are a very unique bunch and keep the interest level high even when they are just chatting.  I can't say I laughed-out-loud, but smirks generated by the under-the-surface humor were aplenty.  The other characters were very peculiar, and I wanted to know their stories.

The plot was a little eccentric, but I went with the flow.  Surprising for me, I loved the slower, methodical development in this one, because it created suspense.  Definitely a very good read, and I look forward to being by Morck's side when he picks up another cold case.                 



         


My thanks go to Penguin Group and Shelf Awareness for sending me this ARC.  The Absent One is scheduled to be published on August 21, 2012.

14 comments:

  1. Wow, a thriller that pulls off some humor too? This sounds good! I need to start this series.

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    1. Bermudaonion ~ I hesitate to call it humor because it is unintentional. The characters are a bit peculiar. :)

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  2. I hope to get to this one in August! Glad you enjoyed it.

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    1. Nise' ~ Hope you like it as much as I did.

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  3. Whoa! Great review. This is in my pile for this month! I just moved it up ahead of Karin Slaughter's newest :-) I just loved the relationship between Morck and Assad in the 1st book.

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    1. Nicola ~ The relationship between Morck and Assad continues, but I love the addition of Rose! She adds another odd dimension!!! I'm looking forward to your thoughts.

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  4. I have this one, so was happy to see that you enjoyed it. Thanks for sharing.

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    1. Diane ~ Yay! I hope it's a great read for you!

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  5. Yay! I've heard good things about this second in the series. I have it and hope to be reading it soon. Both The Hubster and I enjoyed the first one a lot.

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    1. SuziQoregon ~ Adding Rose to the mix makes them an interesting trio. I can't imagine you not liking it.

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  6. I've never heard of this author but now I'm totally intrigued by your review and even the brutality that you mention in this post.

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    1. Staci ~ Really?!? Make sure you start with The Keeper of Lost Causes. :)

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  7. Anonymous11:49 PM

    I need to read the first one!

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