Detective Inspector Huss by Helene Tursten
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I’ve read only one foreign-language-translated-into-English mystery author before, and when I stumbled onto this book while browsing the shelves of the Toronto Public Library’s virtual branch, I decided to give her a try. Good decision!
It’s interesting reading a story set in a country I’m not that familiar with. All the little cultural, geographical, and wintry details bring Goteborg, Sweden to life for a foreigner like me. I’m not a reader who needs to have North American touchstones in order to enjoy a book. I find that slang or jargon or even measurement systems that are native to the area in which the story is located makes it much more real and authentic and enjoyed immersing myself in the unfamiliar. I discovered some real differences between Canadians and Swedes, some of which I knew from my Swedish contacts who helped me with my research for Lifeliner, but some more shocking trends and events I didn’t know. Mysteries aren’t just for entertainment!
But Detective Inspector Huss is an entertaining read. There’s no solving the mystery way before the ending, no obvious red herrings, no cheating tactics to fool the reader, just a well-crafted mystery and plot with strong characters and vibrant details. Well worth a read. I’ve put the second in this series on hold at TPL and cannot wait to read it.
