Soren Hammer

Fans of Nordic noir will easily find more satisfactory offerings in the crowded field such as the "Department Q" novels by Jussi Adler-Olsen.

This police procedural by a Danish brother-and-sister writing team isn't always a smooth read; the sometimes awkward translation disrupts the flow. Some of Simonsen's actions aren't realistic for a man of his rank, and the ending feels rushed. If you like the thrillers of Anders Roslund and Borge Hellström or Mons Kallentoft, give the Hammer siblings a try.

This debut thriller by two Danish siblings unfolds in chapters that flit back and forth across the perspectives of the detectives and the vigilantes: one chapter is narrated by Simonsen, another by the leader of the killers, another by a reporter, etc. This method, while illuminating detail and motive, adds confusion to the overly long tale, providing constant description rather than clarity. Further, in its central theme of violence against children and societal response to it, this novel attempts to instill an ethical depth that it ultimately cannot deliver. Still, some fans of Scandinavian crime fiction may be interested. [Previewed in Kristi Chadwick's "Following the Digital Clues: Mystery Genre Spotlight," LJ 4/15/13.]