Unhinged by Thomas Enger and Jørn Lier Horst trns by Megan Turney

Today Mandie is playing another bit. of catch up with a review of Unhinged, book three in the Blix and Ramm series from Thomas Enger and Jørn Lier Horst. I loved this series and this particular book is a real winner. A real step change in tone for the duo and a very memorable case. You can read my thoughts on the book right here. Here’s what the book is all about:

About the Book

When a police investigator is killed execution-style and Blix’s own daughter is targeted by the killer, he makes a dangerous decision, which could cost him everything. Blix & Ramm are back in a breathless, emotive thriller by two of Norway’s finest crime writers…

When police investigator Sofia Kovic uncovers a startling connection between several Oslo murder cases, she attempts to contact her closest superior, Alexander Blix before involving anyone else in the department. But before Blix has time to return her call, Kovic is shot and killed in her own home – execution style. And in the apartment below, Blix’s daughter Iselin narrowly escapes becoming the killer’s next victim.

Four days later, Blix and online crime journalist Emma Ramm are locked inside an interrogation room, facing the National Criminal Investigation Service. Blix has shot and killed a man, and Ramm saw it all happen.

As Iselin’s life hangs in the balance, under-fire Blix no longer knows who he can trust … and he’s not even certain that he’s killed the right man…

Two of Nordic Noir’s most brilliant writers return with the explosive, staggeringly accomplished, emotive third instalment in the international, bestselling Blix & Ramm series … and it will take your breath away.

Mandie’s Thoughts

From the beginning I have been completely hooked by the Blix and Ramm series, so I was excited to get stuck into Unhinged. Once again I was not disappointed and finished the book in 2 days. This time things get really personal for Detective Blix and events take a turn that you definitely won’tsee coming but will have you turning page after page to the end. There is definitely a different feel to this book which I think is down to the way it is structured as you are taken between the aftermath of events and the investigations leading up to it and this time Blix is in trouble, the kind he may not be able to get out of.

You really can’t help but get invested in the lives of the main characters, especially this time as we see more of the personal life of Blix and how much he loves his daughter and what he would do to protect her, even if it means he may have to cross a line to do it. That is not to say that he takes these actions lightly, as all his instincts as a police officer cause him great conflict, but then again you just never know what lengths you would go to for family. Emma is also torn between her job as a journalist and as a friend which at times causes issues. I also felt that this time she was not such a prominent figure in this story, but she was also by no means a bit player.

Unhinged will definitely take your emotions on one hell of a ride, one that the blurb in no way truly prepares you for and will leave you wanting to know what is next for Blix and Ramm as surely it can’t end here. I still can’t believe that this series is written by 2 people as everything just flows perfectly and this has to be a testament to the writing skills of Thomas Enger and Jørn Lier Horst.

Although you could quite easily pick up Unhinged and read it without having read the first 2 books in the series, personally I think you would be missing out. Here’s to hopefully the next one in the series

About the Authors

Jørn Lier Horst and Thomas Enger are the internationally bestselling Norwegian authors of the William Wisting and Henning Juul series respectively. Jørn Lier Horst first rose to literary fame with his No. 1 internationally bestselling William Wisting series. A former investigator in the Norwegian police, Horst imbues all his works with an unparalleled realism and suspense.

Thomas Enger is the journalist-turned-author behind the internationally acclaimed and bestselling Henning Juul series. Enger’s trademark has become a darkly gritty voice paired with key social messages and tight plotting. Besides writing fiction for both adults and young adults, Enger also works as a music composer. 

About the Translator

Megan Turney is originally from the West Midlands, and after having spent several years working back and forth between the UK and the Hardanger region of Norway, she is now based in Edinburgh, working as a commercial and literary translator and editor. She was the recipient of the National Centre for Writing’s 2019 Emerging Translator Mentorship in Norwegian, and is a published science fiction critic. She holds an MA (Hons) in Scandinavian Studies and English Literature from the University of Edinburgh, as well as an MA in Translation and Interpreting Studies from the University of Manchester.