Thank you for the advanced copy of this book. A really good Nordic crime drama, unfortunately, I hadn't realised it was part of a series so have not come across the characters before, however I will definitely search for the other books and catch up.

Who doesn’t love Scandinavian thrillers? This sequel to The Katharina Code is, to me, one of the best thrillers of the recent period. It’s part 2, out of a series of 13, and it’s a good one again. Personally, I liked the previous part a bit better but it’s entertaining as hell!

Horst knows how to build a story, a plot, and characters. There’s no secret there. And he does it again this time.

It’s cold outside, rainy, or snowy? Grab this book and be transferred to Norway.

I do enjoy these Wisting novels. Why? Unlike some other Scandinavian crime novels Horst is adept at the day to day investigation of a crime case. Never boring or drowned in too much jargon.

This latest one has a political backdrop as a former government minister's death unearths an old crime. Nothing outlandish plot wise and enough to keep the reader guessing.

If you like your crime without the violence and not too gruesome, this book comes highly recommended.

The second in the Wisting series, THE CABIN follows Wisting and his daughter - plus several supporting characters - investigating the mystery of several boxes’ worth of foreign currency found in the home of a dead government minister. Totalling millions and millions, they have no idea how the money got there, where it was from, and why the minister was in possession of it.

This was a good mystery with a pleasing twist, and all loose ends are tied up by the end. It’s not breakneck speed, and at times I did find it hard to keep track of the secondary characters, but I did enjoy this book and will certainly continue reading Horst’s books.

The second instalment in the Cold Case Quartet. Classic Nordic Noir involving William Wisting investigating cold cases. Despite his quite frankly irritating liability of a daughter, I still enjoyed it enough to read the rest of the author’s offerings.

Great Nordic crime drama. I did't realise this was part of a series so have not come across the characters before. I will certainly seek out more now.

A Truly Absorbing Crime Thriller, as good as they get:
Second in the Cold Case Quartet from Jørn Lier Horst, "The Cabin" features all that is best in Scandinavian Detective fiction. The plot is intriguing and original: boxes of bank notes worth millions of dollars are found at the scene of the death of a leading politician. The bank notes are linked to both a bank heist and mysterious disappearance which happened 15 years earlier. Due to the potential political sensitivity of the case Chief Inspector Wisting is assigned as a special investigator. Wisting is methodical, very methodical, and leaves no stone unturned as he zealously endeavours to solve the case. As with many Scandinavian crime novels it is the characterisation which adds so much to the quality of the book. The author has created a singular character in Wisting and already a TV Series has brought his character to the small screen. (Or large screen if you have a super-size TV.)
A book which is a must read and not to be missed. "The Cabin" can be read as a standalone thriller or in sequence in the series: it matters not.

The Cabin is a Nordic Noir, the second instalment in Jørn Lier Horst’s crime fiction series called the Cold Case Quartet and follows on from The Katarina Code, which I loved. One of Norway’s most prominent crime fiction authors, Horst has the credentials to bring authenticity to the genre, formerly having been Head of Investigations in the police force. Having said that some of his novels have been influenced by true murder stories.
In The Cabin, Chief Inspector Wisting is unexpectedly called to the Director General of Public Prosecutions and instructed to undertake an extremely sensitive case in which a senior politician, Bernhard Clausen, who has just died, has been implicated. After his death the Head of Party Organisation had taken a trip down to Clausen’s summer cabin in Stavern, where he uncovered stacks of cardboard boxes filled with banknotes amounting to about 80 million kroner - enough money to have impacted his political decisions. Wisting is enlisted to head up a small team to get to the bottom of this, ensuring that there are no leaks, as national interests could well be jeopardised. As Wisting starts to delve and to further complicate matters, other crimes come to the fore including the suspicious disappearance of a young man by the name of Simon Meier. Wisting has to consider whether this tenuous link could have any connection to their main investigation and if so, where does it all lead? In fact with so many suspicious strands emerging, it strikes Wisting that “the perfect metaphor for an investigation was a jigsaw puzzle. It was just that sometimes you had too many pieces and some of them belonged to a different puzzle”.
Wisting is a widower and he has a daughter, Line, who is a single mother and a journalist. In this story, Line plays a more prominent role than in The Katarina Code and unwittingly finds herself embroiled in more than a straightforward journalistic role. Wisting handles everything with his usual single minded determination to solve the case and I can’t help feeling that there’s a bit of Horst in his character, Wisting. Line’s calm, systematic approach is showing signs that she’s a chip off the old block. I liked the way the tension and anticipation builds clue by clue without resort to graphic violence. Towards the end, as they’re getting closer to joining up the dots, the suspense mounts when it becomes a race against time.
Even though this particular novel isn’t particularly scenic, I still get the distinct impression I’m experiencing Norway when I’m immersed in the story.
I would love to read more from this author and I thank Netgalley, Penguin Books UK - Michael Joseph and Jørn Lier Horst for the opportunity to read and review The Cabin.

Another great read from Jorn Lier Horst! Love the relationship between Wisting and his daughter Lina, and once again they are thrown together on another cold case when Wisting is called in to discreetly investigate when a politician’s death reveals a secret room in a summer cabin with a large stash of cash. Just how does the cash link to a young man’s death 15 years before? Great sense of pace. Really enjoyed it!

Holding the baby... 2 stars

When former leading politician Bernhard Klausner dies, his colleague is astonished to discover a huge stash of cash hidden in his cabin. Because of the political sensitivity the Chief of Police asks Inspector William Wisting to carry out a confidential investigation to find out where the cash came from. Wisting does what any top police officer asked to investigate a sensitive case would naturally do – he tells the whole story to his journalist daughter and asks her to help with the investigation, clearly feeling that the entire resources of the Norwegian police force which have been put at his disposal for the case simply won’t be as competent as a jobbing free lance reporter with babysitter issues. Meantime, Amalie, the baby in question, entertains us all with her charming baby ways throughout the entire book. Gosh.

As you will gather, the idea of Wisting involving his daughter in a sensitive case blew the story way over the credibility line even before it started, but I persevered. Just like Amalie did when she struggled to complete her ten-piece jigsaw with a picture of a cow on it. Next thing we know Wisting decides the safest place to keep the vast haul of cash is, no, not in some police security vault or even in a bank, but in his own basement. I began to wonder if the Norwegian police force is actually a professional one at all, or maybe it’s modelled on a Toytown version. Then, because his daughter Line is investigating the case for him, Wisting stays at home to babysit Amalie, as you do. Amalie likes to have her tinned stew mushed up for her, by the way – isn’t that adorable?

The initial premise is interesting, but the storytelling reduces it to an overlong, repetitive and highly confusing account of every detail of the investigation. The reader will follow Line or one of the police investigators as they interview a witness or read some reports and then that investigator will report what we’ve just read to Wisting so we get to read it all for a second time. The investigation barely moves for the first 60% of the book, with them simply confirming information that was already in the police files and speculating endlessly about the same things over and over. Meantime, Amalie plays games on Grandpa’s iPad – the one he uses for accessing confidential police files.

The last 40% might be brilliant. I wouldn’t know since I skimmed it to find out whodunit, or rather whodunwhat. But when I focussed back in at 90% only to find Amalie had woken up from a nap and was calling for her Mummy, I decided to leave them all to it. Now I’ll never know what the plot was about, and d’you know? I’m fine with that.

Recommended for people who are desperate to know if Amalie managed to complete her jigsaw. But not so much for people who like crime novels to have an air of credibility, some forward momentum, a decent pace and no babies.

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

Another well written story, The Cabin is a great addition to the Cold Case Quartet series. I really like Scandinavian writers, there is something special about their writing. It's dark and it feels like something is lurking outside, waiting to attack. The story unfolds slow but steady, speeding up towards the end. It was impossible to put the book down, because I got more and more invested to find out what had happened.

When socialist politician Bernard Clausen dies his socialist party members discover not just a controversial manuscript in his cabin on the Norwegian coast, they also discover boxes of bank notes, worth millions of dollars. Chief Inspector William Wisting is called in to investigate and makes a link to a missing persons case. I have recommend this book to everyone I know this Christmas. I cancelled going out and bribed my husband to cook so i could finish it. It's that good! The author's sparse prose combined with the translation of the novel is outstanding. The plot races along and there is no room for flimflam. Quite simply the pace doesn't stop. I didn't see the twists coming either - this is an author I'll return to again.

Having read the author's previous work, The Katharina Code, I was excited to be offered an opportunity to read this next book, which also features CI Wisting, solving a cold case in Norway. We were introduced to Line, Wisting's daughter, in the first book and she is given a more prominent role here in helping the cold case unit solve the crime (a bit unusual, procedurally, but works here).

As with the last, this book was well-written and well-paced. I think it outstrips the first! I'm looking forward to more by this author - I do love a bit of Nordic Noir and this absolutely fits the bill.

Thanks to NetGalley, Michael Joseph Publishing and Jørn Lier Horst for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

4.5*

Just the sort of story I enjoy reading.

Set in Norway we have the return of Chief Inspector Wisting who is asked to lead a ‘hush-hush’ investigation when a lot of money – millions of Kroner – is found at the lake retreat of a well known politician who has recently died. He is to find out where the money came from.

Wisting puts together a small group of people, including his daughter Line, to help him.

Meanwhile the cold case team is looking into the case of Simon – a young man who disappeared, presumed dead, but whose body was never found. Adrian Stiller is in charge of the cold case investigation.

The two cases have coinciding elements and a letter – an anonymous tip off from the cold case – brings Wisting and Stiller’s investigations together.

Meanwhile, Line’s checking out various leads were her father doesn’t want to make obvious there is a police investigation going on.

As the threads unravel and lead to the truth about where the money came from and what happened to Simon, Line is attacked. She has obviously been targeted and has been brought to the attention of some very nasty villains.

This is a really good, very well written Police procedural with a twist. With well drawn characters and terrific plot. It is well paced and, as the storyline goes on, becomes a taut and gripping read. A very satisfying read which I thoroughly enjoyed.

This was my last read of 2019 and an excellent book to finish the year with.

Thanks

Thanks to the Michael Joseph Marketing Team who emailed me an invite to read and review The Cabin as I had previously read and reviewed The Katerina Code by Jørn Lier Horst. They sent a link to download the eBook via NetGalley for which my thanks to Penguin-Michael Joseph.

The Cabin, a really good detective thriller. No futuristic technology to ease a writer’s task, just good detective work. However, perhaps they do things differently in Norway and calling upon your daughter to aid an investigation may be normal there. Perhaps too they don’t have the usual security detail check the premises where politicians sometimes assemble? For they would have found it most unusual to find a room clearly given over to an incendiary bomb in a log cabin. Even more unusual was the storage of a massive fortune in the lead detective’s basement. Those things apart it was a real page turner and a pleasure to read.

When Bernhardt Clausen, a prominent politician, dies of a heart attack no-one is surprised but when millions in foreign currency is discovered in his cabin that becomes a case for William Wisting. Whilst investigating this Wisting also becomes aware of an anonymous tip linking Clausen to a missing person case from the same time as the money is dated. Making a quick deduction the police realise that the money is from an armed robbery at Oslo Airport, unsolved until now. However as Wisting and his journalist daughter Line start asking questions it's clear that the robbers are keen to get the money.
This is a fast-paced and solid Scandic-crime novel. Wisting and his team are not really developed characters but in the context of the plot that is no big thing. There are a couple of twists in the narrative but none of overtly surprising and they make complete sense in the context. Horst has written an enjoyable novel which sits neatly in its genre without being outstanding.

15 years ago, Simon Meier walked out of his house and was never seen again. With no leads, the case quickly ran cold. Until now.
Politician Bernard Clausen has died & in his cabin on the Norwegian coast, police make a shocking discovery - boxes of bank notes, worth millions of dollars. Collecting dust.
Chief Inspector William Wisting thinks it could link to Meier's disappearance.
But solving both cases will mean working with an old adversary, and delving into a dark underworld - which leads closer to home than he could have imagined
A well written & very well translated book that held my interest all the way through. The characters have plenty of depth. There are some twists & turns that added to the mystery. I found the ending to be satisfying. I did find a couple of things implausible but they did contribute to the story.
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

This is only the second novel I have read by this author, I thought the first one I read was good, but this one is even better! When a very important politician dies and an extremely large sum of money is found in his cabin Chief Inspector William Wisting is handed the case to investigate, under the instructions that he and the team he assembles must keep what they are doing secret. When it becomes apparent that this case and that of a young man who disappeared years before are somehow linked, the action really gets going. Wisting involves his daughter, Line, because of her journalism background and as the case starts to unravel Line asks questions that unwittingly lead her into danger.
I think it's possible because the main characters are mostly likeable and you can relate to them that I enjoyed this book so much and was disappointed when it finished. The action, and twists in the plot kept going to the end and it's an excellent read.

Bernard Clausen was a prominent labour politician when his wife died. When further tragedy strikes he retires from politics only to return after a brief hiatus. When he passes away suddenly his cabin is found to contain things difficult to explain which could cause problems for his party and legacy.

Chief Inspector William Wisting finds himself leading an investigation into a mystery which goes back decades. Having hand picked his team Wisting begins a case with ramifications for both local and national politics as an election looms.

This was a really good read almost until the end when for me it let itself down and left me feeling a bit cheated. Without giving anything away I would say that anyone who reads murder and thriller books on a regular basis may well be disappointed with the big reveal but have enjoyed what led up to it.

I was able to read an advanced copy of this book thanks to NetGallery and the publishers in exchange for an unbiased review and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys thrillers with a political slant or has read previous books by this author.

Up there with Norwegian Noir writer Horst's most accomplished crime thrillers, The Cabin is a cracker of an addition to his Scandinavian Noir catalogue. The second instalment in The Cold Case Quartet series featuring inimitable Chief Inspector William Wisting pulls no punches and from its opening, it slowly but surely envelops you in its dark and chilling atmosphere. It wasn't long before I was fully committed and then swiftly followed by that amazing "problem" - an overwhelming inability to put the book down despite having important tasks to complete, The fact that Horst was a police investigator for many years lends this a sense of realism and believability often missing from thrillers in large part.

He also knows how to capture a readers attention and then keep it for the entirety of the novel; there was never any point that I felt I was becoming bored or disillusioned despite reading a lot of this genre and Scandi Noir in general. In fact, the whole series is one which is gritty, riveting, full of twists, steeped in mystery and the added bonus of being based in a setting that is a character in its own right with how prominent it is and how much it adds to the stellar, stark atmospherics all round.

If you consider yourself an enthusiastic crime connoisseur then this is well worth your time' both this book and its predecessor although this is, in my opinion, more enjoyable than The Katharina Code. Although it is always preferable to have read the preceding instalment in a series I don't think this is a necessity; this book can be thoroughly enjoyed and understood with no issues whatsoever so feel free to jump right on in. I would like to also give a quick mention of the huge impact translation can make in the success/failure of a book; here Anne Bruce has done such an adept job that it reads very much as though it had been written in English, Highly recommended. Many thanks to Penguin - Michael Joseph for an ARC.