Crime in Norway

Karin Fossum is a Norwegian author who writes crime novels featuring her character Inspector Sejer. When the Devil Holds the Candle (translated into English by Felicity David) is the third of the series. I hadn’t read any of them before I picked up this volume but didn’t think that this impaired in any way my understanding of the story.

The book actually concentrates most of the narrative on Andreas and Zipp who are two young men making a meagre living through petty crime. They decide to rob a young woman who is pushing a pram but that goes badly wrong so they pick on what they think is an easier victim – an older woman in her home. Andreas breaks into the house but doesn’t reappear, leaving Zipp to try and work out what is going on.

The book follows Andreas inside the home, the older woman who is not as frail and helpless as the boys thought, and the Inspector as he connects various things together and tries to find the missing boy.

This is a book that turns expectations on their head. The older woman, Irma, is lonely and bitter and tries to get her own back on her world by what she does to Andreas. Zipp becomes aware that all actions have consequences and that maybe he needs rapidly to leave his life of crime. The Inspector follows the trail of clues but finds that he cannot work out what is happening and why.

This is a very accomplished crime novel with a touch of psychological horror – not too much or I wouldn’t have finished it. It’s unsettling in places but the plot is compelling. I would read another novel by this author.