Hanne Wilhelmsen Novels

A small-time drug dealer is found battered to death on the outskirts of the Norwegian capital, Oslo. A young Dutchman, walking aimlessly in central Oslo covered in blood, is taken into custody but refuses to talk. When he is informed that the woman who discovered the body, Karen Borg, is a lawyer, he demands her as his defender, although her specialty is civil, not criminal, law. The young man is adamant: he will speak to Karen Borg, and to her alone. A couple of days later, Hans E. Olsen, a lawyer of the shadiest kind, is found shot to death. Very soon, police officers Håkon Sand and Hanne Wilhelmsen establish a link between the two killings. They also find a coded message hidden in the murdered lawyer's apartment. Their maverick colleague in the drug squad, Billy T., reports that a recent rumor in the underworld involves lawyers employed in drug dealing. Now the reason the young Dutchman insisted on having Karen Borg as a defender dawns on them: since she was the one to find and report the body, she is the only Oslo lawyer that cannot by any means be implicated in the crime. As the officers investigate, they uncover a massive network of corruption involving the highest levels of government. As their lives are threatened, Hanne and her colleagues must find the killer and, in the process, bring the lies and deception out into the open. Title Info. Monday 28 September, and Earlier Tuesday 29 September Thursday 1 October Friday 2 October Monday 5 October Wednesday 7 October Sunday 11 October Monday 12 October Tuesday 13 October Thursday 15 October Friday 16 October Monday 19 October Friday 23 October Monday 26 October Thursday 29 October Tuesday 3 November Friday 6 November Saturday 7 November Monday 9 November Tuesday 10 November Wednesday 11 November Thursday 12 November Friday 13 November Thursday 19 November Friday 20 November Saturday 21 November Monday 23 November Tuesday 24November Wednesday 25 November Friday 27 November Saturday 28 November Sunday 29 November Monday 30 November Tuesday 1 December Tueday 5 December Thursday 10 December Monday 14 December "Det. Hanne Wilhelmsen and her colleague Håkon Sand, an attorney with the Special Branch of the Oslo police, look into two murders in Edgar-finalist Holt's well-paced first Hanne Wilhelmsen novel…Snippets of the crooks' reactions to the police investigation add tension, while the breaking of a 'book code' helps bring the criminal activities into focus." "Blind Goddess is sure to appeal to fans of either the Wallander books or their TV adaptions as well as to readers who enjoy the many female detectives in Scandinavian fiction...A winner on all counts." "Holt delivers a deeply woven detective mystery that keeps readers guessing until the bitter end. Highly recommended for crime fiction enthusiasts." "Fans of Scandinavian suspense will find lots to like in Anne Holt's Blind Goddess…A topnotch police procedural, one with an exotic and icy Nordic twist." "Politics and drugs make uneasy bedfellows in this first case for Hanne Wilhelmsen…Fans of Henning Mankell's majestically lumbering police procedurals will relish every twist in the long road to resolution."

The second book in Edgar-nominated Anne Holt's internationally bestselling mystery series featuring Detective Inspector Hanne Wilhelmsen, last seen in Blind Goddess It is only the beginning of May, but in Oslo a brutal heat wave has coincided with an alarming increase in violent crime. In the latest instance, police investigator Hanne Wilhelmsen is sent to a macabre crime scene on the outskirts of town. An abandoned shed is covered in blood. On one wall an eight-digit number is written in blood. There is no body-nor any sign of a victim. Is it a kid's prank or foul play? Is it even human blood? As more bloody numbers are found in isolated locations throughout Oslo, Hanne's colleague H├Ñkon Sand makes a startling discovery: the digits correspond to the filing numbers of foreign immigrants. All are female, all are missing. Is there a serial killer on the loose in Oslo? How does the killer have access to immigrant data? Meanwhile, as the trail heats up, the victim of a horrific unsolved rape case and her father have each decided to take justice into their own hands. Hanne and H├Ñkon soon discover that they aren't the only ones on the hunt for the killer. "Anne Holt is the godmother of modern Norwegian crime fiction." "Fast-paced and involving…Holt knows psychology as well as she knows the ins and outs of police-work. She quickly draws the reader into the minds and lives of half a dozen disparate characters-none more interesting than Inspector Wilhelmsen herself…Holt's visions of societal and ethical decay are balanced by glimpses of great poignancy, human consolation, and love." "A good old-fashioned mystery." "Move over, Jo Nesbø." "A perfect entry point into Scandinavian crime…A sure pleasure for police-procedural fans who read everything from Slaughter to Nesbø." "A sympathetic lead distinguishes Holt's second novel." "It's obvious why the Hanne Wilhelmsen series has gained popularity among Scandinavian crime enthusiasts. Holt's tightly wound suspense plots and quirky, likable protagonist are a breath of fresh air. Her latest thriller will quench her parched fans' thirst." "Expertly translated for American readers by the highly capable Anne Bruce…A wonderful combination of old-school police procedure and amateur detective work…Holt is a master of balancing criminal procedure with suspense…This is a series that demands to be read, and the more quickly the better."

From Edgar Award finalist Anne Holt comes the captivating third book in the series featuring the brilliant and tough police inspector Hanne Wilhelmsen, who must investigate the grisly murder of an orphanage director. In an orphanage outside Oslo, a twelve-year-old boy is causing havoc. The institution's aging director, Agnes Vestavik, sees something chilling in Olav's eyes: sheer hatred. When Vestavik is found murdered, stabbed in the neck with a kitchen knife-with Olav nowhere to be found-the case goes to maverick investigator Hanne Wilhelmsen, recently promoted to superintendent in the Oslo police. Hanne suspects that Olav witnessed the murder and fled, and she orders an investigation of the orphanage staff. But Hanne is hopeless at delegating and sharing responsibilities. Only Hanne's supreme deductive skills keep her on the job, but this is one case where her instincts are leading her astray. Meanwhile, Olav makes his way to his once unfit mother's apartment in central Oslo. When police finally catch up to him, Olav will lead them on a chase that will upend all of their assumptions. A dark and captivating new chapter in this brilliant, rollicking series, Death of the Demon examines that murky intersection between crime and justice. "Always adept at balancing emotional narrative and strong suspense, Holt has crafted another must-read with this fascinating peek into a modern Sherlock's investigative mind." "Stellar…Holt…relentlessly explores the agonies of a mother unable to manage a monstrously brain-damaged twelve-year-old boy-and the tragic ironies implicit in a society priding itself on cradle-to-grave welfare that condemns its most powerless and needy to inevitable disaster." "Reading is especially good at capturing the gritty and intimate dialogue, adjusting her volume and pacing to emphasize emotional urgency. Her portrayal of the twelve-year-old prime suspect is piercing yet impossible to ignore. In contrast, Reading's voice is raw with vulnerability when Hanne is forced to reconcile the demands of her personal life with her independence."

From Anne Holt, the internationally bestselling author of 1222, comes the next installment in her Edgar Award–nominated mystery series. Chief Public Prosecutor Sigurd Halvorsrud's wife is found dead in front of the fireplace in the family living room. The cause of death: decapitation. Her husband, who witnessed the grisly murder and is himself covered in blood, immediately falls under suspicion, though he claims his wife's killer was Ståle Salvesen, a man he'd prosecuted years before. Detective Inspector Hanne Wilhelmsen is called in to lead the investigation with her old colleague, Billy T. Despite the circumstantial evidence, Hanne is unconvinced of Sigurd Halvorsrud's guilt-that is, until a witness says he saw Ståle Salvesen commit suicide by jumping off a bridge days before the murder took place. Then a journalist at one of Oslo's largest newspapers is found beheaded. What links these two horrifically violent crimes? The demanding investigation soon clashes with a terrible crisis in Hanne's personal life. Cecilie, the woman she has lived with for almost twenty years, has fallen seriously ill and doesn't have much time to live. With a savage killer on the loose, Hanne must ask herself: Is the truth worth chasing at all costs? "Holt offers readers yet another dandy surprise ending." "The hands-down best mystery novels of the past decade have come out of Scandinavia, and Anne Holt's Dead Joker does nothing to break that string…A first-rate thriller." "The pacing is leisurely, especially for a Scandinavian thriller, but the character development is the main appeal here." "Nuanced characters and a strong sense of place make for an immersive tale that packs an emotional punch and offers incisive commentary on the failings of the criminal justice system." "Series narrator Reading's crisp, clipped accents exemplify Hanne's characteristically rigid self-control and taciturn manner…[through her] serious yet melodious voice." "The pairing of Kate Reading's narration skills with the talents of one of Norway's premiere authors creates a real treat for psychological thriller fans…Reading's crisp diction moves the action along smartly without losing the listener in the maze of clues and characters. Her facility with languages and convincing accents is an asset as she familiarizes listeners with Norwegian names. Fans of Scandinavian mysteries, as well as first-timers, will be delighted with Reading's delivery of Holt's latest."

One of Oslo's hottest celebrity chefs is murdered and Hanne Wilhelmsen is called back into action in the sixth installment of the award-winning series from Anne Holt, Norway's #1 bestselling crime writer. When celebrity chef Brede Ziegler is discovered stabbed to death on the steps of the Oslo police headquarters, it sends a shock wave through the city's hip in-crowd. Chef Ziegler had lots of famous associates. Could the culprit be among them, or was this a random act of violence? Police investigator Billy T. takes on the case, but he is stymied by conflicting information about what kind of man Ziegler was. It seems nobody really knew him, not even his glamorous wife, his business partner, or the editor of his memoir. While Billy T. struggles to crack the case, Hanne Wilhelmsen returns to Oslo after a six-month absence. Hanne discovers that not only had Ziegler been stabbed, but he had also ingested a lethal dose of painkillers. As the plot thickens, Hanne and Billy T. are pulled deeper into the nefarious world in which Ziegler lived. Was he who he said he was? And can those who claim to have known him best be trusted? Hanne is determined to find the truth. "In this polished translation by Anne Bruce, Wilhelmsen quickly puts on her game face when a fellow officer is unable to solve the murder of [a] celebrity chef." "Impressive…Transcripts of witness statements alternate with Holt's penetrating psychological analysis of human desires, weaknesses, and essential decency, unveiling unexpected dimensions of her series characters." "A nearly pitch-perfect procedural layered over a moving exploration of rejection and abandonment." "Narrator Kate Reading uses a steady pace and capable tone to recount the mundane details of the case and evoke curiosity from the listener…Reading evokes the rhythms of real dialogue between the many characters. Those who love listening to crime novels will be entertained as they try to solve this one."

From Norway's #1 bestselling crime writer comes a suspenseful locked-room mystery, the US debut of a new series, set in an isolated hotel where guests stranded during a monumental snowstorm begin turning up dead. A train on its way to the northern reaches of Norway careens off the track during a massive blizzard, 1,222 meters above sea level. The passengers abandon the train for a nearby, century-old hotel that is practically empty except for the staff. With plenty of food and shelter from the storm, the passengers think they are safe-until one of them turns up dead. With no sign of rescue and the storm continuing to rage, retired police inspector Hanne Wilhelmsen is asked to investigate. Paralyzed by a bullet lodged in her spine, Hanne has no wish to return to police work. Bitter and antisocial, she is slowly coaxed back to her old habits as curiosity and a natural talent for observation compel her to take an interest in the passengers and their secrets. When another body turns up, Hanne realizes that time is running out and she must act fast before panic takes over. Trapped in her wheelchair, trapped by the storm, and now trapped with a killer, Hanne has to fit the pieces of the puzzle together before they strike again. Anne Holt's books have sold more than five million copies in Europe, and her books are #1 bestsellers in Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Iceland, and Finland. Now she is poised to gain a huge American following with this captivating new mystery that pays homage to Agatha Christie and her classic book, And Then There Were None. Title Info. Dedication. Beaufort Scale 0 Beaufort Scale 1 Beaufort Scale 2 Beaufort Scale 3 Beaufort Scale 4 Beaufort Scale 5 Beaufort Scale 6 Beaufort Scale 7 Beaufort Scale 8 Beaufort Scale 9 Beaufort Scale 10 Beaufort Scale 11 Beaufort Scale 12 "Anne Holt is a thriller writer of the highest order. With the claustrophobic and breathless suspense in 1222 she, again, proves her extraordinary abilities." "Anne Holt is the godmother of modern Norwegian crime fiction." "It's easy to see why Anne Holt, former minister of justice in Norway, and currently its bestselling female crime writer, is rapturously received in the rest of Europe…The buildup of tension is slow but superbly effective. Holt's vivid depiction of claustrophobia, petty squabbles, and mob hysteria is just as convincing as her evocation of the storm outside." "Retired police detective Hanne Wilhelmsen makes her US debut in Holt's intriguing reimagining of Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None…The prickly Hanne is worth getting to know." "Kate Reading is an apt voice for one-time police inspector Hanne Wilhelmsen...This is a good audiobook for wintertime listening when the snow is swirling outside." "Bestselling Norwegian author Holt channels her inner Agatha Christie to deliver a frigidly good whodunit as she introduces the first of a new mystery series." "A fascinating, extremely modern homage to the classic detective novel." "Step aside, Stieg Larsson. Holt is the queen of Scandinavian crime thrillers…Captures the Agatha Christie spirit of the good, old-fashioned murder mystery." "A pleasure from start to finish…A dazzling and classic crime story and a brilliant thriller." "Holt updates the classic locked-room mystery with such bravado that on the last page the reader can only give a deep sigh of contentment." "A masterpiece of the genre, a real non-stop read."

On an early April afternoon, a bomb goes off in the Oslo offices of the National Council for Islam in Norway, killing twenty-three people. The police and security service suspect an extremist organization to be responsible for the attack, a suspicion that grows stronger when threats reach authorities of a bigger explosion planned for the celebration of the Norwegian constitution. As a special advisor on cold cases, Hanne Wilhelmsen has cut her official ties to the Security Service and lives contentedly-or at least as contentedly as she can manage-in solitude with her partner Nefis and their young daughter. A small computer monitor is Hanne's only window to the outside until the day of the attacks, when her closed-off world is broken open. Hanne is approached by her long-lost friend, Billy T., whose son Linus has recently undergone some disturbing changes. As the mood of the city darkens, Hanne tries to help Billy T. reach out to Linus and realizes that Oslo is up against forces far more terrible and menacing than ever before. "Skillfully melds terrorism and parental issues in an absorbing compact plot…Maintains high suspense while emphasizing the myriad characters' personalities…Holt's storytelling at its finest." "Odd Numbers shows Holt's storytelling at its finest." "An irresistible combination of a heated race against time in the bomb-story plot line, and a slower paced cold-case story…Holt cleverly ties all the threads together, brings her rich gallery of characters to life, and deals with the difficult issues of our time." "Outstanding…Holt sheds a vital humane light on one of today's most lethal social problems." "A prophetic counterterrorist procedural whose bold central conceit is likely to grow more depressingly plausible with every passing week." "The mystery unfolds within a realistic portrayal of Europe's burgeoning immigrant population and the violent extremism-on both sides-this phenomenon has engendered. One key recurring character is sacrificed in this book, but a fascinating new character in the person of Hanne's new assistant, Henrik Holme, is added. Readers will want to read more about him." "As is always the case with Anne Holt's books, the plotting is well-paced, the characters and their interactions are in every way plausible, and the story is very much of the moment."

The final nail-biting installment in the ten-part, award-winning Hanne Wilhelmsen series from Scandinavia's most celebrated female crime writer, Anne Holt In 2001, three-year-old Dina is killed in a tragic car accident. Not long thereafter Dina's mother dies under mysterious circumstances, and Dina's father Jonas is convicted of her murder. Now it's 2016, and the cold case ends up on the desk of Detective Henrik Holme, who tries to convince his mentor Hanne Wilhelmsen that Jonas might have been wrongly convicted. Holme and Wilhelmsen discover that the case could be connected to the suicide of an eccentric blogger, as well as the kidnapping of the grandson of a EuroJackpot millionaire. Twenty-four years in the writing, the ten books in Anne Holt's internationally bestselling series is now complete. "Hanne is a character who's going to get in your head-and stay there" (Entertainment Weekly). In Dust and Ashes is the exciting, not-to-be-missed conclusion to this terrific series. "Kate Reading's performance is elegant, cool, and beautifully responsive to the text…There's no need to have read earlier installments to understand or relish the plot, in which apparently unrelated tragedies…converge for a nerve-shredding climax. Nordic noir at its best." "Offers more than a tricky plot. There is also fascination in seeing Ms. Holt enter the minds of characters troubled and admirable alike." "Sharp characterization, brilliant plotting, and a pair of puzzling mysteries, all of which play out against the background ticking of a loud plot. It seems that author Anne Holt (with an assist in the form of a fine translation by Anne Bruce) has saved the very best for last." "For Hanne and Henrik, both convincing complex characters, all suffering comes down to the 'good old sins': money, sex, and revenge. Readers will be sorry to see the last of them." "This tenth and final book in this bestselling Norwegian series is perhaps one of the best. Holt is an expert at creating multifaceted characters and riveting fast-paced crime novels." "In this tenth and final book in the Hanne Wilhelmsen series, Wilhelmsen is as intuitive, and prickly, as ever, as Holt explores further the relationship between Wilhelmsen and Holme. For fans of Jo Nesbø, who has noted Holt's primacy in Norwegian crime fiction, and of the genre in general." "Holt closes her series with one of its strongest entries, combining a generous sensitivity to all with an unblinking portrait of a franchise sleuth who, pressed to defend the corners she's cut, acknowledges, 'I've become more pragmatic with age.'"