A good storyline full of action. Was a little difficult keeping up with the numbers of characters initially but once established, was great to follow their stories through

Wow I have read all the Department Q books over the years and didn't think it was possible for the author to top.some of those that have gone previously.. How wrong could I be. This publication is absolutely stunning and I have just read it over a couple of days whilst on holiday .
If like me you've read the previous ones you've no doubt wondered about Assad's past, well, this is where we find out all about it and how it ties into their latest case.

No hesitation in awarding ☆☆☆☆☆

With quirky characters and a story line full of current world issues this gripping thriller ticks all the boxes
A woman escaping from Syria washes dead up on shore. but she didn't drown.. Assad a member of Department Q
knows the murdered woman and soon starts to follow a terrorist's trail. With an intriguing sub plot and a freelance journalist following a separate trail this is a great page turner

Victim 2117 is another gruellingly complex case for Department Q, and sees our favourites embroiled in a brilliantly plotted and well written mystery, with far reaching, yet deeply close impact.

With, action, suspense, and the ever present subtle level of humour it is a cracking read.

This is the 8th instalment in the Jussi Adler Olsen’s Department Q series and I am a fan of this Nordic noir author. Although I enjoyed this latest, probably not as much as others, as it had less humour and the writing, in parts, read somewhat differently from previous books.

It’s a bit of a slow burner at the start but followed by a gripping, tense page turner.
The author addresses some current social and political issues and the intricate plot has many twists. The story is told from several points of view but although complex and sometimes laborious, I didn’t find it difficult to follow. The inclusion of two different kinds of terrorist threat, global and domestic, within the storyline was good. Also, I enjoyed hearing the back story of several major characters, particularly Assad, finally!
I would like to thank the publisher, Quercus and NetGalley for my copy, this is my honest review.

Victim 2117 is the eighth in the Dept Q series of novels, set in Denmark, featuring Inspector Carl Mørck and his colleague Assad. I read and enjoyed the first couple of books a few years ago, and watched the excellent movies, but did not feel at a disadvantage that I had not read the other books in the series; this works perfectly well as a standalone, as any backstory is seamlessly inserted into the narrative.
The story is told from multiple points of view which gives the reader greater insight into what is going on than the police. It is a complicated plot that requires Carl and Assad to work with the German police in order to prevent a terrorist atrocity in Berlin.
Up until now Assad has been quite an enigmatic character – his colleagues do not know much about him. When refugees from Syria are washed up on the beach in Ayia Napa, the pictures are in newspapers all over the world. Assad recognizes faces from his past and is shocked into revealing his story. It is a harrowing tale, quite difficult to read in places, but very topical as it deals with refugees, the situation in the Middle East and the constant threat of terrorist plots. It is also personal – someone from his past is sending Assad a message, clearly with revenge in mind.
Alongside the main investigation, a secondary plot strand (no spoilers) could easily have been omitted, as I felt it was a distraction, but it did highlight the psychological effect of violent computer games on impressionable youth.
The characters are well drawn and believable and, despite the upsetting subject matter, the story is thrilling and entertaining. The ending is a terrifying race against time with the suspense ramped up to the max.
Thanks to the author, Quercus and NetGalley for a review copy.

The first few books in this series were fantastic but I think I'm done now. . .

My fav. characters in this story were Alexander and Joan Aiguader. Ghaalib’s plan was good. Loved the action. Absolutely nail-biting page-turner. Sometimes I held my breath at the twists. Carl Morck-Assad brotherhood, Rose-Gordon, the police / intelligence forces, and Mona/ Hardy-Morton, journalistic paradigms, and the entire international / domestic (lone wolf) terrorism universe created in the novel. Brilliant.

Thanks to the publisher for the ARC. The version I've read has 480 pages.


Memorable lines:
- As meaningful as it had been for him to survive back when he escaped from the prison, it was now equally insignificant.

- “What was her name?”

- “Listen here, you sick….” (the entire Gordon outburst)

- “Dumb dick?”


Spoiler Queries:
- I didn't understand how the body count was 13 dead officers, 9 dead terrorists & 30 injured. Shouldn’t there have been many sightseer/tourist deaths considering 5 terrorists with automatic guns were firing (& counter fire from LEAs)?
- Why Alexander did not use the sword after the first gun shot went astray?!
- Gordon leaving the gun on the computer table was a huge blooper - who does that?

After the simply brilliant events of the previous Dept Q Scandi thriller (The Scarred Woman), I was a mite dubious that this long-running series could sustain its momentum with another five-star yarn. Oh, me of little faith. Once author Olsen sets the scene, he lets loose a monstrous snowball of a plot that becomes an almost-unstoppable emotional avalanche.

Like the last book, this novel is dedicated to one of Department Q’s supporting cast, Assad, the supposed refugee from Syria. He’s always been an international man of mystery with a dark past and talents that seem more suited to the wrong side of the street… and this time we find out why.

And it’s a horrible story, the kind it’s hard to wrench yourself away from. Olsen cleverly incorporates one of the media’s favourite sensations – the death of asylum seekers as they try to reach Europe by boat – and spins a far larger saga which spans years back to Saddam’s vicious regime in Iraq. Assad’s family, it turns out, aren’t simply dead or missing. For many years they’ve been hostages, brutalised by Assad’s worst enemy. And now that man plans a terrorist atrocity in a major European city – using Assad’s family as deadly weapons.

This is grim territory, even for a genre which has created more than its fair share of bloodthirsty serial killers. There’s not so much of Olsen’s usual quipping humour in here; unsurprising, because it would feel utterly out of place. The violence feels more real in Victim 2117, because it’s set in such a credible real-life scenario. Unlike many Nordic noir thrillers, the action doesn’t take place in some picturesque fjord with monosyllabic farmers slaughtering sheep. Instead we’re transported to Spain, to metropolitan Germany, and back to Assad’s murky past in the Middle East. This couldn’t be less like a typical Dept Q cold case if it tried.

And in many ways, it’s all the better for that. Perhaps understanding just how powerful the central plotline is, Olsen introduces a second thread which substitutes for his usual bantering dialogue. Yes, it’s a weird world in which a shut-in games addict who threatens to go spree killing with a samurai sword feels like light relief – but it serves to remind us that Copenhagen still has its own issues, and pulls part of the story back to its more usual territory of the slightly eccentric police procedural.

Massively satisfying on all levels, Victim 2117 is only slightly compromised by a couple of less-than-essential subplots involving Carl’s private life (presumably paving the way for Book 9 in the series). Those could easily have been set aside, making the central scramble to stop the terrorists all the more urgent. The addition of a new character, Joan, works wonderfully, and his personal journey from near-suicidal self-pity to real peril is delicately handled. Joan is a great example of ‘first world problems’ and how trivial they are when juxtaposed with genuinely murderous intent.

An excellent addition to the series. However, it would probably be quite confusing if you don’t know some of the characters already – as none of the regulars are anything other than odd, and much of the emotional context would be lost. Possibly not the best Dept Q thriller to start with, then.

9/10

Jussi Adler Olsen comes back with the 8th instalment in the Department Q series - Victim 2117. For me personally it’s the first time reading a book in a series and I must say it was a very pleasant experience.

The author addressed some current world problems of political refugees seeking freedom and terrorism. I found the dual storyline interesting and I think it was a very clever way of showing two different types of terrorist’s threat within one novel. Victim 2117 is an incredibly fast paced and action packed book full of well crafted characters and complex plots. The slow beginning is followed by the tense, suspenseful and at times heartbreaking story.

Although I enjoyed the novel I must say the political theme is not my favourite. Nonetheless it was a good read and I will definitely reach for the previous books in the series.

Thanks to Quercus Books and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Well, the master of Nordic-noir is back, and back in spectacular fashion. It is the eighth instalment of Adler-Olsen’s Dept Q series of police procedurals, and it if 'Victim 2117' is anything to go by, the series just keeps getting better and better. Jussi is at the height of his storytelling powers with this gritty, hard-hitting novel that takes its cue from important contemporary issues of the day. It would be a disservice to label Adler-Olsen as a pure thriller writer, though, because his stories have that cerebral edge missing from other novels of its type. They are engaging, immensely absorbing, but with the real-word foundation of an inhuman world we all sadly recognise in the powerful, yet pitch-perfect prose of this master of his craft. Social realism wrapped in a thriller-like format doesn't always provide for a compelling read, but in Adler-Olsen's hands it is an unbeatable combination of both and style and substance. So, this is not a novel for those looking to escape the harsh realities of a world laid bare by the 24 hour news cycle, it is, however, an absorbing mystery with plenty of twists and turns. At the heart of 'Victim 2117' is a complex story with both the shocking migrant crisis and contemporary terrorism at its forefront. Nothing is as it seems, however, and this applies particularly to the eponymous 'victim 2117', a woman who is no ordinary victim of the humanitarian crisis forced by the diaspora from the war-torn Middle East. It is up to the wonderfully realised protagonists of Department Q to unravel this intricate, infinitely compelling mystery from an author who is still at the top of his game.

Thoughtful and compelling - a literal page-turner.

My thanks to Quercus Books for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘Victim 2117’ by Jussi Adler-Olsen in exchange for an honest review.

This is the eighth in Adler-Olsen’s Dept Q series of police procedurals. It was translated from the Danish by William Frost. I have read a number of the earlier books in the series though have fallen behind, though this wasn’t a problem as enough background was provided with minimal spoilers for earlier cases.

To acknowledge the number of refugees drowning each year in the Mediterranean, Barcelona has erected a pillar with a digital counter on it. Down on his luck freelance journalist, Joan Aiguader, has a ‘gut-feeling’ after seeing a report on the drownings and so travels to Cyprus. He is there when ‘Victim 2117’ washes up on shore and captures a picture of two women wailing over the body and a bearded man trying to stop their reaction.

However, when this powerful image and the story Joan files with his editor is picked up worldwide, it sets off a chain of events that has life-changing consequences for a number of people, including members of Dept Q.

I don’t want to give too many details to avoid spoilers; though will say that the investigation generated by this case main focus is on a well organised international terrorist plot, which in turn reveals the complex backstory of one of Dept Q’s own - the enigmatic Assad. In addition, in Copenhagen a disturbed teenager takes Victim 2117 as a symbol to fuel his own murderous plans. The clock in both cases is counting down.

This was a complex premise and as a result demanded quite a close reading. After completing I had the impression that Adler-Olsen wanted to explore both the organised terrorist plot involving a group trying to further political or religious goals and the ‘lone wolf’ type of terrorist with a more personal agenda. The ongoing refugee crises in Europe is also referenced. I discovered after reading that the ‘counter of shame’ memorial on the beach at Barcelona actually does exist

I felt overall that this was a highly ambitious undertaking and while I was very caught up in the story there were times when the multiple threads somewhat split my focus.

As I haven’t read the last few Dept Q books (yet!) I am not certain how political they are. Certainly here rather than chasing down the usual type of criminal found in police procedurals, Adler-Olsen clearly intended to explore current political issues. His last novel, ‘The Washington Decree’, was a political thriller and now with ‘Victim 2117’ he seems to have moved firmly in this direction.

‘Victim 2117’ was a compulsive read and I wonder where the series will go from here? Will Dept Q return to cold cases or do new horizons beckon?

Overall, this is a series that continues to impress with a very memorable cast of characters. It’s certainly one that I would highly recommend to lovers of Scandi Noir.

Rating: 2 🔪
Author: Jussi Adler-Olsen
Publisher: Quercus Books
Release Date: Out Now!
(Thank you NetGalley and Quercus for the free copy!)
Synopsis:

In the heart-pounding new installment of the No.1 bestselling Department Q series, a terrifying international investigation reveals the complex backstory of one of the department's own - the enigmatic Assad. 
The newspaper refers to the dead body only as Victim 2117 - the two thousand, one hundred and seventeenth refugee to die in the Mediterranean Sea. 
But to three people, the victim is so much more, and the death sets off a chain of events that throws Department Q, Copenhagen's cold cases division led by Detective Carl Mørck, into a deeply dangerous - and deeply personal - case: a case that not only reveals dark secrets about the past, but has deadly implications for the future.
For a troubled Danish teen, the death of Victim 2117 becomes a symbol of everything he resents and is the perfect excuse to unleash his murderous impulses. For Ghallib, a brutal tormentor from the notorious prison Abu Ghraib, the death of Victim 2117 was the first step in a terrorist plot, years in the making. And for Department Q's Assad, Victim 2117 is a link to his buried past and to the family he assumed was long dead.
My Thoughts:
Okay... let me collect myself here because this book raises some major issues and tensions that are relevant to the current political climate that really touched a nerve for me. It looks long and hard at some of the political, racial and religious issues, tensions and prejudices in today's world and I applaud the attempt and the representation of such important issues, but at the same time it completely ruined the book for me. I see this stuff everyday on the news and in the streets and on the internet, I do not need to find in my fiction novels which I read for enjoyment and relaxation. There is nothing at all relaxing about this book or the very serious issues that it covers.
I have to doff my hat to Jussi Adler-Olsen for tackling these important and current cultural issues and tensions. The way he handles them is clever and leaves an impact, sadly for me it's too harsh an impact when I'm looking for relaxation and reading and not whatever you could call this. Realist fiction? Political fiction? I don't really know.
What I can say is, I've since read A LOT of rave reviews about this one, so if you like your fiction to be filled with serious contemporary issues and tensions then it might be the book for you! Unfortunately it's not the book for me and I had to DNF at just over halfway through.

This is a fascinating series and I liked this instalment.
It's not a story you want to read if you need some escapism but it's a gripping and entertaining read nonetheless
The plot is well crafted and flows, the cast of characters are well written and it kept on the edge till the end.
I recommend it.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

The master of Nordic Noir returns with Victim 2117, the eighth instalment in the Department Q series featuring Copenhagen’s cold case division headed by Detective Carl Mørck. A deceased refugee is found washed up on the coast of Cyprus having attempted to make the perilous journey across the Mediterranean for a better life. She is assigned as victim 2117 as she is the 2,117th person to have seemingly succumbed to the power of the waves. However, it is later discovered that she had been the victim of a vicious stabbing and that a different beast altogether had taken her life. Catalan freelance journalist Joan Aiguader takes an interest in the case of the female victim but little does he realise, she is the catalyst for the beginning of some of the most devastating and dangerous international plans. She inspires troubled Danish teenager, Alexander, into carrying out his vengeful plot against humanity and his apathetic family, and she inspires new-found confidence in Department Q employee Assad who finally feels able to reveal information on his background and past.

I thought using the timely topic of migration in Europe as the precipitator setting in motion the terrorist plot was an original and thoroughly gripping method of beginning this utterly riveting story. It's propulsive and exciting and it doesn't just feature action-packed, tense happenings but manages to show the emotional side of the refugee crises and the part that often plays in international terrorism. Tightly crafted with a believable and well-developed cast who are some of the most intricately built crime characters in the game, it is an intense and heart-pumping read. Granted, it isn't the most fast-paced narrative but this is a series with nuance and sophistication rather than relying on cheap thrills and spills. The translation can often make or break a book, but I am pleased to report that you completely forget about that aspect; a job adeptly done I’d say. Overall, an entertaining, moving and adrenaline-fuelled page-turner. I look forward to the ninth instalment. Many thanks to Quercus for an ARC.

This could be his last chance for a break-through as a journalist. When Barcelona based Joan Aiguader decides to write about a victim, the 2117th refugees who dies on the dangerous way across the Mediterranean Sea, he cannot anticipate that his article will shake Department Q, Copenhagen’s cold case unit, or that he himself will soon fall in the hands of reckless terrorists. The poor woman who found death on Greek shores is well known to Assad, member of the famous and most successful unit within the Danish police. Lely Kababi once saved his life when his family had fled Iraq and now, so many years without the least information about her whereabouts, he sees her on a picture and next to her is his wife Marwa whom he has neither seen nor spoken for 16 years. Assad needs to get in touch, but he knows just from looking at the picture that this will not be easy since there is another person to be seen: his worst enemy who obviously is seeking revenge.

Jussi Adler-Olsen continues his Department Q series with a suspenseful and highly political instalment which combines current events with the story around the very special unit of the Danish law enforcement authorities. When I read the first novel, I immediately fell for the very peculiar characters Adler-Olsen created. They seemed to be quite a unique assortment of individuals who nevertheless managed to work well together and were highly successful due to their distinctive and diverse skills. All of them had a story which only slowly has been revealed throughout the different books, now it is time for Assad’s story, the most secretive of all.

I am not quite sure if I find Assad’s backstory totally convincing, but I grant it to literature to extent the borders of plausibility at times. Additionally, I am also not in the position to judge on what can happen in Middle East countries in times of war. Setting aside this aspect, I found the characters’ motivation very convincing – Assad’s as well as his opponent’s. I was quite happy to finally get an idea of his life before joining Department! Q which has always been quite blurry. And I totally adored how Adler-Olsen managed to combine this with current affairs that have been central to European politics for quite some time now. Especially the role of journalists – unfortunately only crucial at the very beginning – has been quite authentically portrayed.

The different points of view accelerate the action and lead to a high pace. It does not take long to be totally captured by the novel and again, the author has demonstrated that among the multitude of great Scandinavian crime writers, he surely is at the very top.

I have been following this series since the very first one, when I immediately fell in love with the characters and with Adler-Olsen's style.
Through the years I have read Spanish and English translations, to get my hands in the first one to come since unfortunately I cannot read in Danish. I maintain that Spanish translations are better but this one I believe was a great translation, since I could feel the same rhythm of previous books.

Now for the story itself: not my favorite, and I'll explain why.
We finally get to know Assad's story. It was shocking and I never expected we would really have all at once like this after so many years of wondering. I guess now all we have to expect is the truth about the nail gun case (Carl's personal one).
I liked how the author approached the issue, how he showed a very human, deeply hurt and damaged Assad. The way he tells the story felt real and put us, readers, right in front of this battered soul.
However...the story itself...did not convince me. It felt way over the top and unrealistic. Not that I don't believe the human capacity of wanting to hurt others as Ghaalib wanted (and did) but I do believe that the great escape from the Iraq's prison was far-fetched and could not have happened. Also, I didn't believe that Assad would behave like he did knowing his family was right there in the middle of it all, and specially not for the brothers who should never have put him in that position. I, in his place, would be incredibly angry at them both, but Assad remained loyal to them till the end. It didn't add up to me...
Also, what his wife and daughters (and son, we later learn) endured... oh my, how will they ever recover from that? If Ghaalib himself could not have done to them as he told Assad he did other men clearly have. They are damaged beyond repair, perhaps? Ronia specially. These poor children were raised in absolute terror!
Well, I guess we will have to wait and see on the next installment.

Carl, on the other hand, was spectacular this time. He was almost flawless and it makes me smile to see how much he's grown up since the first book. He's more human, a better friend, a better boss, a better detective, and he seems finally happy, or at least on the path to it. I love that.

Rose... sigh... I am afraid I never really liked her so this book did not help much to change my mind but she is an important asset of the team, I grant you that.
Oh, and I loved to have Marcus back.

Finally, Gordon. The boy also grew a lot here and if he wants, I believe he can also become a valuable asset to Department Q. Let's see.

I would like to immensely thank Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

I received this book from Netgalley in exchange of an honest review.

Victim 2117 is the eight book and adventure of the Department Q and, since I loved this book series, it was like coming back home. It's an international investigation, that touches Denmark, Siria, Germany that starts with the murder of an old woman. Her death pushes three different people to act. For Ghaliib is the start of his terroristic plan. For a deranged young teen is the reason he chooses to get his tevenge against the world's indifference. But for Assad is family and the reader get to know finally his story.
Captivating and moving.

Oh Assad! So much grief and so much pain. A long awaited and perfectly thrilling deep dive into the enigmatic Assads past. Rose finally emerges back into service to help in what turns out to be a trans continent adventure racing into the depths of worries refugee question. Truly excellent.

When a dead refugee is washed ashore in Cyprus the press refers to her as Victim 2117, the two thousand, one hundred and seventeenth to die in the Mediterranean Sea. But the supposedly unnamed victim hits much closer to home for Departments Q’s Assad, and he finally has no choice but to relive the painful memories from his time in Middle East, in order to prevent the loss of thousands of innocent lives.

I have read several of the Department Q novels and have also watched the TV adaptations, so I was really excited to read the next instalment. However, the book followed on from an incident that had happened with Rose (one of the Department Q team) which I couldn’t really follow as I had not read the previous book – The Scarred Woman. As a result, I found it hard to fully get involved in the story. Having said that, I thought the plot was really interesting and, unlike a lot of crime novels, it focussed on terrorism which made the story feel very real. For me, it is easy to stay detached from a story about a serial killer or murder investigation but, as this plot was based around terrorism and suicide bombings, it read like it could be a true account of something happening in the news today.

Even though this book concentrated on Assad, Detective Carl Mørck is still one of my favourite characters and I really enjoyed reading more from the Department Q team. The storyline was very dark and probably not for everyone, but it was definitely an exciting and thought provoking read.