I really enjoyed this book, a police procedural story. The characters are all believeable and realistic: the police officers, family members, and suspects. For once, someone actually waits for backup at the right time! There is also a good sense of place; the descriptions of scenes at the isolated cabin are excellent. I would definitely read more books in this cold case series.

This was a very clever story, looking at two cold cases which seem to have a common denominator, solves missing person cases from more than 20 years previously. Great procedural police work, interesting characters and a fast moving storyline.

Thank you netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book. This book was a bit slow to begin with, it just seemed to go on and on. It was worth the read though. Great storyline and great characters. Very well thought out and well written.

Katherine went missing twenty four years ago .Slow but enjoyable read . Intriguing plot with twists and turns . A great Scandinavian noir book.

Twentyfour years ago, Katharina Haugen, went missing. She left behind her husband, Martin, and a mysterious string of numbers scribbled on a piece of paper. Every year on the 9th October, Cheif Inspector William Wistingtakes out the files to the case he was never able to solve. He stares at the codes he was never able to crack. He visits the husband he was never able to help.

This novel is set between the streets and the dark forests of Norway. It's been twenty four years since Katharina Haugen was reported missing. Cheif Inspector William Wistingtakes and his officers pulled out every stop to try and find her, but to no avail. Now her husnand is also missing. Adrian Stiller is convinced MARTIN is involved with the disappearance of another woman. Will Wisting ever solve the codes and find out just what happened to Katharina? You will have to read the book to find out!

This is a well written, fast paced read. This book had me gripped from the first few chapters. I had not heard of the author before I read the book so this is the first book I have read by him, but it won't be the last. Jorn Leir Hurst was a Senior Investigating Officer before he turned to writing. I do recommend this book.

I would like to thank NetGalley, Penguin UK - Michael Joseph and the author Jorn Lier Horst for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Chief Inspector Wisting has a cold case which he has returned to often over the last twenty-five years.
Katharina Haugen went missing twenty-four before, all she behind was a suitcase packed with her clothes laying open on her bed. Where was she going?
Also she left a piece of paper on the kitchen table. Scribbled on the note were lines of numbers. Neither Wisting, his department and many outside agencies had been able to decipher the meaning of these scribbles. Wisting had affectionately named it the Katharina Code.
This is the story of the friendship ? between Wisting and Martin Katharina 's husband when they spend the weekend fishing and what revelations are finally revealed.
This book was a slow starter but stick with it as it soon starts to build momentum. The came of cat and mouse between the two main characters was exciting. The investigator from Kripos has his own agenda and doesn't care how he achieves it. I am sure there is another book just about him.
This is the first book I have read by this author and I will be on the lookout for more.
I would like to thank the author Jorn Lier Horst, Penguin Books UK- Michael Joseph and Net.galley for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for giving an honest review.

I would like to thank Michael Joseph and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read ‘The Katharina Code’ by Jorn Lier Horst in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

Chief Inspector William Wisting was the officer in charge of the investigation when Katharina Haugen went missing twenty-four years ago. Since then he’s become obsessed with discovering what happened and has visited Katharina’s husband Martin every year on the anniversary of her disappearance. Over the years they’ve kept in touch but is it a genuine friendship or is Wisting hoping to find out the truth?

‘The Katharina Code’ has an interesting plot with good substantial characters but I found it slow and somewhat heavy and laborious. It didn’t really come alive until three-quarters of the way through when it started to liven up with the involvement of Adrian Stiller of the Cold Case Unit and Wisting’s journalist daughter Line. The ending was disappointing which I suppose was in keeping with the rest of the novel.

The Katharina was on the whole an original tale on Nordic noir fiction that nowadays seems so riddled with cliché and recycled story lines. The summary of the book stops short within the first few chapters, and so after that there is an excitement because you now have no idea where the book will go. The rest, however, was average. The storyline was good, but there was nothing too exciting or ground breaking. There was enough intrigue to keep your attention, but mostly it was a slow burner and the story did not really start until about three quarters of the way through.

3.5 stars


A really good read... it kept a nice even pace,nothing overly dramatic as some cold cases can.
This was just a bit different though.
Few reasons... the fact our main characters has developed a friendship of sorts over last 24 years with suspect was good.
Seeing both the point of view of journalist and police made a pleasant change.
Good solid characters,interesting crime.
The ending felt a bit flat.... but really there was no other way to end it in keeping with story.