In a foster home outside Oslo, a twelve-year-old boy is causing havoc. The institutions steely director, Agnes Vestavik, sees something chilling in Olavs eyes: sheer hatred. When Vestavik is found murdered at her desk, stabbed in the back with an Ikea kitchen knifewith Olav nowhere to be foundthe case goes to maverick investigator Hanne Wilhelmsen, recently promoted to chief inspector in the Oslo Police.
Could the child be a murderer? As police canvass the city for Olav, Hanne, working alongside the foulmouthed detective Billy T., orders an investigation of the homes employees. But despite her supreme deductive skills, she is hopeless at delegating, hopeless at pooling information, hopeless at sharing responsibilities. Can Hanne learn to trust others before her bullheaded instincts lead her astrayin the workplace and on the home front?
Meanwhile, Olav makes his way through the city, looking for the mother who was forced to consign him to the states care. A dark and captivating new chapter in this brilliant, rollicking series, Death of the Demon examines that murky intersection between crime and justice.
Review
Anne Holt is the godmother of modern Norwegian crime fiction.--Jo Nesb
"A perfect entry point into Scandinavian crime....A sure pleasure for police-procedural fans who read everything from Slaughter to Nesbo.
(Booklist (starred review))
Expertly translated forAmerican readers by the highly capable Anne Bruce A wonderful combination ofold-school police procedure and amateur detective work. Holt is a master ofbalancing criminal procedure with suspense. This is a series that demands tobe read, and the more quickly the better.
(Bookreporter)
"Always adept at balancing emotional narrative and strong suspense, Holt has crafted another must-read with this fascinating peek into a modern Sherlocks investigative mind."
(Booklist)
"Unforgettable."
(Kirkus)
About the Author
Anne Holt has worked as a journalist and news anchor and spent two years working for the Oslo Police Department before founding her own law firm and serving as Norways Minister for Justice in 1996-97. Her first book was published in 1993 and her works have been translated into over twenty-five languages. Her novel 1222 was nominated for an Edgar Award for Best Novel. She lives in Oslo with her family.