Category: Thomas Enger

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Inborn By Thomas Enger – Blog Tour Review.

About The Book

When the high school in the small Norwegian village of Fredheim becomes a murder scene, the finger is soon pointed at seventeen-year-old Even. As the investigation closes in, social media is ablaze with accusations, rumours and even threats, and Even finds himself the subject of an online trial as well as being in the dock … for murder?

Even pores over his memories of the months leading up to the crime, and it becomes clear that more than one villager was acting suspiciously … and secrets are simmering beneath the calm surface of this close-knit community.

As events from the past play tag with the present, he’s forced to question everything he thought he knew. Was the death of his father in a car crash a decade earlier really accidental? Has his relationship stirred up something that someone is prepared to kill to protect?

It seems that there may be no one that Even can trust. But can we trust him? A taut, moving and chilling thriller, Inborn examines the very nature of evil, and asks the questions: How well do we really know our families? How well do we know ourselves?

My Review

With thanks to the publisher for the copy received. Having enjoyed Thomas Enger’s series of books featuring Henning Juul I was looking forward to reading this standalone YA/ adult fiction  novel. My feeling was that it was more adult fiction than YA. 

Even, the lead character is only one of the voices. There is also his mother Suzanne, who is to put it mildly, not much support to him or anybody else, and a police officer Yngve. Yngve was a character who I adored. I loved his approach to the investigation, how he tried to support Even whilst wondering if he was responsible for the murders that had taken place. But most of all I loved his conversations with his recently deceased wife Åse.

Because it is YA there is less detail than usual about the killings but it’s believable. The small town community that is stunned by the deaths, the suspicion regarding Even, the gossip and abuse on social media and the self imposed isolation caused by computer gaming. 

There are many twists, I didn’t have a clue whether Even was guilty or innocent. I couldn’t even work out if he was the accused or a witness in the court scenes. Or if he wasn’t guilty, who was?

It is a completely different novel to the ones that are from the Henning Juul series but it is just as good. 




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Killed by Thomas Enger – translated by Kari Dickson – Blog Tour Review.

KILLED COVER AW 2.indd

About the Book

Determined to find his son’s killer, Henning doggedly follows an increasingly dangerous trail, where dark hands from the past emerge to threaten everything. His ex-wife Nora is pregnant with another man’s child, his sister Trine is implicated in the fire that killed his son and, with everyone he thought he could trust seemingly hiding something, Henning has nothing to lose … except his own life.

Packed with tension and unexpected twists, Killed is the long-awaited finale of one of the darkest, most chilling and emotive series you may ever read. Someone will be killed. But who?

My Review

With thanks to the publisher for the copy received.
Killed is the final book in the series that features Henning Juul and is the second that I have read. The story follows immediately after the previous book Cursed , if you haven’t read any of the series I would recommend that you at least read that one. Juul is intent on getting answers related to his latest discovery into the circumstances regarding his son’s death. From the prologue you know that he got his answers and more with tragic consequences.
Many threads are tied up in this novel from the earlier books. Despite not having read them from the beginning I could follow it reasonably well with the help of the character listing at the front.
Many of the characters are criminals, some you know who they are, but some have their true personality hidden. As is usual, much of the corruption that occurs is connected to money but there are also other reasons for the crimes that are committed. Anybody familiar with European history will appreciate the need to find answers about the past. And how a person who needs to know can be manipulated.
Whilst the prologue brought fear and resignation the epilogue brought poignancy and farewell. A flawed character whose desire for the truth had a cost. I will miss him.

You can purchase the book here 

Killed Blog Tour Poster

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Cursed by Thomas Enger – Blog Tour Review.

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About the Book

When Hedda Hellberg fails to return from a retreat in Italy, where she has recently been grieving for her dead father, her husband discovers that her life is tangled in mystery. Hedda never left Oslo, the retreat has no record of her and, what’s more, she appears to be connected to the murder of an old man, gunned down on the first day of the hunting season in the depths of the Swedish forests…

My Review

Cursed is the fourth book in the series to feature Henning Juul. I was a little concerned at first, I’m not very good at reading out of sequence. But there was enough information, with no spoilers to follow the story and the relationship between the characters.

The start is brutal with the murder of an elderly hunter in a wood but it then switches immediately to Henning, Nora and their respective searches. They used to be married but the marriage fell apart with the death of their son. However, they still have strong feelings for each other which they both try and ignore.

Henning is trying to find out who was responsible for the death of their son despite the danger that it places him in. Nora has been asked to help find an old friend from university who has disappeared after telling her husband she needed some time on her own.

This is a novel, that once I worked out the back story I really enjoyed.

I have always struggled with novels that feature journalists before, probably because they are portrayed as being without morals or loyalty. But both Henning and Nora were warm, honest and approachable. Henning, especially faced danger with his quest and there were a few times that I wasn’t optimistic about him surviving. Nora was unaware of how much danger she could be in. Her friend was from a very wealthy and powerful family, some of whom who didn’t like questions being asked. Most of the novel focused on Nora. I liked both, but loved her strength and loyalty. She still grieved the loss of her son and felt guilty being optimistic about the future.

The cases joined very well, I didn’t see how they would do but it was all believable. Power, greed and money are never far from anything. The ending was a huge shock. I purposely covered the last paragraph with my hand so I didn’t accidently see a name. and the name it revealed was one that had me aching for an immediate follow up. Book five will not come quick enough.

With thanks to Karen Sullivan, as always for the copy received.

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Posted on

Cursed by Thomas Enger – Blog Tour Review.

515ppmic7ol-_sx324_bo1204203200_

About the Book

When Hedda Hellberg fails to return from a retreat in Italy, where she has recently been grieving for her dead father, her husband discovers that her life is tangled in mystery. Hedda never left Oslo, the retreat has no record of her and, what’s more, she appears to be connected to the murder of an old man, gunned down on the first day of the hunting season in the depths of the Swedish forests…

My Review

Cursed is the fourth book in the series to feature Henning Juul. I was a little concerned at first, I’m not very good at reading out of sequence. But there was enough information, with no spoilers to follow the story and the relationship between the characters.
The start is brutal with the murder of an elderly hunter in a wood but it then switches immediately to Henning, Nora and their respective searches. They used to be married but the marriage fell apart with the death of their son. However, they still have strong feelings for each other which they both try and ignore.
Henning is trying to find out who was responsible for the death of their son despite the danger that it places him in. Nora has been asked to help find an old friend from university who has disappeared after telling her husband she needed some time on her own.
This is a novel, that once I worked out the back story I really enjoyed.
I have always struggled with novels that feature journalists before, probably because they are portrayed as being without morals or loyalty. But both Henning and Nora were warm, honest and approachable. Henning, especially faced danger with his quest and there were a few times that I wasn’t optimistic about him surviving. Nora was unaware of how much danger she could be in. Her friend was from a very wealthy and powerful family, some of whom who didn’t like questions being asked. Most of the novel focused on Nora. I liked both, but loved her strength and loyalty. She still grieved the loss of her son and felt guilty being optimistic about the future.
The cases joined very well, I didn’t see how they would do but it was all believable. Power, greed and money are never far from anything. The ending was a huge shock. I purposely covered the last paragraph with my hand so I didn’t accidently see a name. and the name it revealed was one that had me aching for an immediate follow up. Book five will not come quick enough.

With thanks to Karen Sullivan, as always for the copy received.

img_0825