Book Review: The Keeper of Lost Causes (Jussi Adler-Olsen)

If you've read my post about my reading goals, you know that I'm working on both the Popsugar Challenge for 2018 and the Modern Mrs. Darcy list. One of the prompts for the PS challenge was "Nordic noir", which I'm going to admit, freaked me out a little bit. When I Googled the term, this is what I returned:
"Scandinavian noir (Nordic noir) is a genre of crime fiction written from a police point of view. The language is simple and eschews metaphor, the settings have bleak landscapes, and the mood is dark and morally complex."
Thank you, Wikipedia.

To be fair, I've been in something of a crime/mystery/thriller path lately (lots of Tana French, Gillian Flynn, Paula Hawkins), but a "morally complex" mood put me off a little. What does that mean? Just how dark is the material? I timidly searched for "Nordic noir books", and was grateful to return an article from Signature-Reads.com, entitled "Nordic Noir 101: 11 Best Books to Get to Know the Genre". On this list, The Keeper of Lost Causes is briefly described, and I was interested. I requested it through our inter-library loan program and waited.
The plan was for TKoLC to be my "lunchtime book". That lasted about three days, and then I could not possibly fathom leaving it at work for the whole weekend. I promptly took it home and finished it that Friday evening. Here are my thoughts! 


Summary
When first we meet Carl Mørck, he's working in a trio of homicide detectives, called out to investigate some suspicious circumstances surrounding a death. During the investigation, the book opens with action right away, as Carl's team is ambushed by at least two unknowns. This results in the death of one teammate, the complete paralysis of another, and some serious PTSD for Carl. 
When next we see Carl, he has returned to work, and it seems his once gruff manner is now nothing short of intolerable. The rest of the homicide department can't stand him, and his supervisor is tired of the complaints. 
Thanks to convenient timing, a change in parliamentary law allows for additional funding to the force in the name of cases "of special focus" - namely, high profile cold cases. Named Department Q (after the founding/funding political party), Mørck finds himself with a promotion as the new head of the department. A stack of cases is delivered to his basement office, a quirky assistant is hired, and here is where the reader meets Merete Lynggaard. 
The case of Merete Lynggaard quickly unfolds as the narration rotates between Mørck's investigation and Merete's experiences. I quickly discovered that not everything is what it seems, and solving the disappearance of a political sweetheart isn't easy. 

What I Liked
The action is fast-paced. I was not bored at any part of the story, I didn't feel the need to scan instead of read, or fast forward any bits. Each page is important in the story and the case, and I appreciated the feel that I was solving the mystery alongside the detective.
I think that Mørck is a lovable curmudgeon. Is he a hot mess from PTSD? Yes. Is he perhaps a womanizer? Yes. But, I found that forgivable, and enjoyed his character development through the story. 

What I Didn't Like
I have no criticisms, truly. I did struggle with the pronunciation of names and places, but the novel was originally published in Danish, and as an American, lots of those words looked like gibberish. However, it's easy to search and hear the pronunciations online.

Rating
This book is easily a 4.5 or 4.75/5.0. I was hooked immediately, had zero complaints about the plot and the action, and I immediately placed a hold for the second Department Q novel.

Recommended For
This novel is great for someone who enjoys crime fiction from a police perspective, or suspense from any perspective. I would not recommend if you have issues with multiple narrators or moving around in the timeline.

Read Alike Authors and Novels
Paula Hawkins - The Girl on the Train
Gillian Flynn - Sharp Objects
Tana French - The Likeness

When are you picking up The Keeper of Lost Causes?? Let me know, and happy reading!

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