Thoughtful, character-driven crime... 4 stars

Twenty-four years ago, Katharina Haugen went missing and has never been seen since. She left a partially packed suitcase and a sheet of paper filled with cryptic numbers, the meaning of which has never been discovered. The obvious suspect, her husband Martin, had a cast-iron alibi, and the police have never been able to identify any other suspects. Every year on the anniversary of her disappearance, William Wisting, the detective who investigated the case at the time, visits Martin, and over the year they’ve developed a kind of friendship. But this year when Wisting calls at his house as usual, Martin has gone missing too. And then Wisting discovers that the new Cold Cases Group has discovered new evidence linking the Katharina case to another unsolved disappearance...

It was only on finishing this that I realised it’s the twelfth in a series about Norwegian detective William Wisting, which explains why I felt we weren’t given much background about him or his family. Other than that, this worked very well as a standalone. Wisting is the kind of detective I like – dedicated, hard-working, with a stable family life and a life outside work. He’s a widower with a grown-up son and daughter. Thomas is home on leave from his job in the military, but doesn’t play a significant part in the story. Line, on the other hand, is a journalist, working freelance since the birth of her child, and is asked to write a series of articles and make a podcast about the other cold case, the Nadia Krogh disappearance, so she has a bigger role. Horst handles this very credibly, avoiding the temptation to have her act as some kind of all-action sidekick to her father, and instead using her to give the reader another perspective on the case as it unfolds.

This is a slow-paced book, based firmly on the realism of police investigation. As such, there’s not a lot of action or any of the ubiquitous shock twists so prevalent in current crime writing. It also becomes clear relatively early on who is responsible for the disappearances, meaning that the bulk of the story is more about how the police go about catching the perpetrator and finding evidence. In common with a lot of contemporary crime fiction, I felt it could have lost a hundred pages and been the better for it. Nevertheless, it never lost my attention even during the rather overlong mid-section, and this is because I felt both the writing and the depth of the characterisation were strong enough to carry it. The inclusion of Wisting’s family helped to make him a rounded character – driven, for sure, but not to excessive extremes. And his relationship with Martin, Katharina’s husband, is developed very well and realistically, as we see how the event that brought them together – Katharina’s disappearance – also acts as an invisible barrier to them becoming full friends.

The detective from the Cold Cases Group, Adrian Stiller, is rather more enigmatic. His methods take him close to the line and sometimes across it, and he’s quite willing to manipulate people to get his results, but he’s effective. He’s also troubled, and it’s only towards the end that we learn why. This is billed as the first in a “Cold Case Quartet”, so I’m assuming he will feature in the others and will probably be filled out more as a character in them. In this one, I wasn’t sure whether I liked him or not, so it will be interesting to see how he develops. Not having read the previous books, I don’t know if Wisting usually works alone, but in this one the two of them together made for an interesting pairing – both desiring the same end, but not sure about each other’s methods of achieving it.

Overall I enjoyed this, and would recommend it to readers who like a thoughtful, character-driven approach to crime rather than twisty action- packed thrillers. I’ll be keen to read the next in the quartet, and look forward to reading some of the earlier books in the series too, though I don’t think they’ve all been translated.

NB This book was provided for review by the publisher, Penguin UK – Michael Joseph.

Quality Nordic Noir from an author I hadn’t read before.
I used to enjoy Wallander, but have gradually moved away from Nordic crime so I only read this upon receiving an ARC. Well written, quirky Nordic attitudes, multiple viable storyplots and unconventional police procedures – what’s not to like?

I find Scandinavian thrillers to be a little hit and miss, possibly because of the translation, so I was slightly wary of reading 'The Katharina Code'. As it turned out, there was nothing to be concerned about in this atmospheric tale of a woman who went missing many years ago and an unsolved kidnapping.

This is very gentle in tone, the story gradually unwinding as we discover what really happened all those years ago and the true meaning of the Katharina Code, a strange collection of numbers and symbols that was seemingly impossible to crack.

This is one for those who prefer their thrillers to be character rather than action based. It's not jam packed with tension, but that doesn't make it any the less intriguing and for once you genuinely care about what happens to everyone involved.

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC without obligation.

Rating: 4+*
This book took about a quarter of the way through to really ramp up the tension and get into it’s stride. The first quarter is really setting the scene, the place and introducing the characters, in particular Wisting himself. Whilst this is the first book of four which has Wisting looking at cold cases it is not the first book with Wisting as the main character. For someone who had not read anything previously written by Jørn Lier Horst this was invaluable background which was both interesting and helpful. So be assured that this book can be read without having read any of the previous books. If you have read the others there is plenty of good reading in this portion of the book that you will not only need to read but will want to.

The story itself has Wisting looking ‘off the books’ at an old case of a woman, Katerina, who went missing over two decades ago and has never been found. It is quite a mystery to him and a note left behind at the time seems to be a code which has yet to be solved. Over the years he has remained in touch with Katerina’s husband, Martin, always visiting him on the anniversary of her disappearance. As he goes for his annual visit this year Martin seems to have disappeared.

Wisting – Chief Inspector William Wisting of the Larvik Police, Norway – is a terrific character we find that he is a widow and, recently, has become a grandfather. He has grown children, twins, Line and Thomas. Wistings family life is an integral part of the story which allows Horst to show how cases impact upon him personally and from which we can learn his character, how he conducts himself, what drives him and what type of detective he is.

As the story develops we learn that CCG Kripos, a national cold case department, has re-opened an old case that of Nadia Krogh a child who had been kidnapped in the late eighties. The lead detective on the reopened case is Adrian Stiller.

Wisting is teamed up with Stiller and he learns of new evidence that has come to light on the Kroger investigation. His daughter, Line, also gets involved as she is asked to return to work early from maternity leave as an investigative journalist. As we follow Wisting, Stiller and Line the threads of the case are laid out and we learn what happened all those years ago.

As the story comes to a climax Wisting is placed in a pretty precarious position in order to gain important information.

This book is a really good read and I would certainly recommend it to all who enjoy a good detective story. Wisting is a terrific detective, realistically portrayed, the story is well plotted and nicely paced. It will be interesting to see the TV version when it arrives in the meantime there are a good few books that can be enjoyed.

With thanks to Penguin UK – Michael Joseph for an eARC of The Katerina Code via NetGalley. All thoughts are my own, I have not received any payment for this review.

This is a real slow burner and I loved every minute of it! Katharina Haugen disappeared 24 years ago and Inspector Wisting has never given up on this unsolved case, each year revisiting the evidence and visiting Katharina’s husband Martin. The riddle of a note left behind by his wife - the Katharina code - has yet to be resolved. But when Wisting’s journalist daughter Line is asked by Kripos to investigate a older case of involving a kidnapping gone wrong, both father and daughter find themselves drawn into the same case. A must read for crime fans!

Interesting read with stable characters. The mystery sets off at a steady pace and stay that way. The ending is a pleasant surprise.

The latest novel featuring Chief Inspector William Wisting (there are other Wisting books already published although this is a stand-alone one), who has a case he has never managed to solve, that of Katharina Haugen who went missing twenty-four years ago. All she left behind was her husband Martin and a mysterious string of numbers scribbled on a piece of paper - the Katharina code.

Marketed as one for fans of Inspector Wallander, Jorn Lier Horst is similar to Henning Maknkell in that he builds the atmosphere slowly to a riveting finale. The plotting is good, moving along at a steady pace and nothing outlandish in the events that unfurl. Wisting's character one you can empathise with and it will come as no surprise that this book/series is lined up for a TV adaptation.

Highly recommended for lovers of Scandinavian based crime and anyone after a well written crime novel.

This is a excellently written book with an intriguing premise. Detective William Wisting is nearing retirement age but is still haunted by the case he never managed to solve. Katharina Haugen disappeared nearly twenty five years earlier and no trace of her has ever been found. She left behind some tantalising clues, including a mysterious code that no one has yet been able to break. Wisting is convinced the code holds the key to the mystery and regularly combs it for clues. His interest is peaked further when Katharina’s husband, Martin, a man who Wisting has become friends with, disappears too. Martin Haugen maybe involved in the disappearance of another young woman and Wisting soon finds himself with a tangled web of secrets to unravel.

Fans of Nordic crime will find much to enjoy here. There’s some tense set pieces, for example when the police try to covertly bug Martin Haugen’s house. Wisting is involved in a tense game of cat and mouse with the suspect that is smartly written and doesn’t tip over into melodrama. There’s plenty of character development too. Wisting is widowed and his daughter is a reporter with a young daughter who Wisting dotes on. It’s a smartly plotted book and the short chapters are a device I really enjoy, it has the effect of making the book zip along and I raced towards the ending. The author has a firm pedigree in crime writing and you’d be doing yourself a disservice if you missed out on this addition to the canon.

I received a ARC from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for a fair review.

I love a good cold case thriller- this is a firm decent debut! A bit on the slow meandering side but nevertheless a good story about a detective who has been trying to solve the disappearance of a woman 24 years before and had always liked the Husband for it- now Kripo cold case detective Stiller is wanting him to go undercover to solve it!

A decent start to what I believe is a series of books! I will check out the next one but I hope it gets moving a little faster! But retains the good plot and characters!

A great opener to a new series - a great read:
"The Katharina Code" is the first novel in Jørn Lier Horst's new Cold Case Quartet and a scintillating opener. This novel is for all who love and read Scandinavian Crime thrillers and will go down a treat if you are a fan of Henning Mankell’s Wallander series. There are many obvious similarities between the two. The portrayal of family as the firm foundation for a sound and contented life. And the value of public service. The main character is Wisting, a widowed Senior Swedish Police Detective. He is supported by a tightly knit family unit: Line (daughter and leading journalist), Thomas (son and Military Helicopter Pilot) and Amalie (grand-daughter). The author at an early stage in the novel establishes each of the family as real and tangible characters. "The Katharina Code" deals with the investigation of a case which has been troubling Wisting for twenty-four years. A young married girl disappeared almost a quarter of a century earlier and has never been found. Every year on the anniversary of Katharina Haugen's disappearance, Wisting, goes back over the police files, looking for any clues which might have been missed at the time. We are made fully aware of the thoroughness of the police investigation. There was a suggestion that she might have faked her own disappearance but Wisting is convinced that Katharina was murdered and her body lies somewhere waiting to be discovered. But every year Wisting's scrutiny of the case files proves fruitless. Is this year to be any different? Well it is. Enter Adrian Stiller, who works for Kripos, a newly formed National Squad who specialise in Cold Cases and have acquired the acronym CCG (Cold Cases Group). Adrian isn't specifically investigating Katharina's case but one which may be linked to it. New forensic science has provided the police with a link in two unsolved cases and that link could prove vital to solving the twenty-four year old mystery. The relationship between Wisting and Stiller is a grating one. The Katharina Code of the title refers to a coded note left behind by Katharina which the authorities have never been able to decipher but is believed to be vital to solving the case. And of course it is. As the opening novel in a new series this is an exceptionally surefooted starter with the promise of more thrilling cases ahead.

William Wisting is a detective who’s been trying to solve the case of a missing woman for nearly 24 years. He’s always suspected the husband but had no proof. Now Detective Stiller from the Kripos Cold Case squad wants him to go undercover to investigate the husband in relation to another missing person case - Nadia Kogh went missing over 25 years ago. At the time it was believed she had been kidnapped as a ransom demand was received by the family but now a link has been made between the two cases. Really enjoyed this book - kept me gripped from the beginning. If you like Wallander you’ll love this one.

Thanks to Netgalley, Michael Joseph and Jorn Lier Horst for the ARC of this book in return for an honest review.

Join Horst offers up another Scandi detective novel to add to what has now become a rich source of high quality detective fiction set in a subtly different context to the British/American setting with which we have all become so familiar. The lead character, Wisting, is a genuinely drawn three dimensional figure with a family, whose lives float around his own in a credible way whilst providing some texture to his own character. His back story is not overly dominant but provides enough detail to allow the reader to understand his motivations and interests. The story itself is conventional enough - outside detective from a cold case unit arrives to investigate a decades-old kidnapping and possible murder that has close links to a different cold case that has obsessed Wisting for a similar length of time. A perfectly credible tale is spun setting out how the two cases are intimately connected leading eventually to a satisfying denouement. Some readers may feel that the author gives a little too much in the way of pointers to the likely fate of the 'victims'; on the other hand it can be satisfying to feel a little smug when the reader discovers that her/his detective skills are somewhat more sharply honed than those deployed by the police detectives! Strongly recommended to fans of Scandi detective novels and those readers who are likely to enjoy the less frantic and often somewhat more credible plot lines that often feature in these stories

I quite liked the atmosphere that was created in this book and found the characters interesting and well-written. Even though this is one of a series I still felt that the book felt right as a standalone. I found the plot initially quite interesting but I felt that it lost a bit of steam towards the middle and it was no longer really captivating my interest by the end.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

For twenty-three years, Chief Inspector William Wisting revisits the cold case of missing Katharina Haugen, meeting with her husband in what has now become an annual ritual. But when the husband goes missing this year, and a new cold case arrives that appears to be linked to Katharina's disappearance, suddenly the past becomes present and Wisting finds himself caught in a cat-and-mouse game.

This was a really interesting mystery with a good number of twists and turns to keep you guessing. I liked Wisting's character and his daughter's gradual involvement as a journalist to add a new angle to the story, though at times I found the brooding and inscrutable detective Adrian Stiller a little too much to believe. Overall an enjoyable and refreshing read.

Excellent read and draws the reader in. Clues all the way through but final solution is still a surprise.

Than you to NetGalley, Penguin UK, Michael Joseph and the author, Jorn Lier Horst, for the opportunity to read a digital copy of The Katharina Code in exchange for an honest, unbiased opinion.
Being a huge fan of the Wollander series, I jumped at the chance to preview this novel because of the comparison. I am happy to say, the comparison is justified.
I thought the storyline was well written with engaging characters. There was plenty of twists to keep the discerning fan intrigued until the end. I will certainly be reading more from this author in the future.
Definitely well worth a read.

Katharina disappeared 24 years ago...CI Wisting believes her husband has something to do with her disappearance. Kathrarina left a code what does it mean. Each year on the anniversary he meets her husband. Then a cold case is opened into a kidnapping around the same time as Katharina's disappearance. Is there a connection will the cases finally be solved and is Katharina's husband involved. Brilliant crime book would recommend.

I really loved this book. I admit I have never read Wallander books, but came to love the TV series. This reminds me very much of those sort of stories. I thoroughly enjoyed the characterisation and the sense of place that the book creates. The cold case team seemed to be plausible and the mystery really gets hold of you.
I could not stop reading it and have recommended it to several people already.
Great stuff and I look forward to more books by this author. Brilliant.

This police story is full of cats chasing mice at every level ... a senior detective suspicious about the resolution of an old case is confronted with new evidence that may add up to a final solution - but it's instigated by a new detective who eyes him as suspiciously as he regards him and it involves subterfuge; his daughter and granddaughter and son , newly back from fighting in Afghanistan .. we are always suspicious of every relationship - and so are the protagonists. Really clever and absorbing, and when the solution comes, it's surprising and affecting. This is a sophisticated novel full of flourish and finesse. Highly recommend ... it must move in its plodding way at times, so I had to be patient at times - but it's worth it!

Wisting has been quietly working on the Katarina case for years when his kripo challenger wanders in and brings matters to a head. An excellent slow building thriller that won't disappoint.