Norwegian crime is one of my current reading indulgences. Having read I Will Miss You Tomorrow, I was looking forward to the second instalment of this series featuring disgraced ex-Chief Inspector Thorkild Aske, and I have to say I was completely and thoroughly hooked right from the start.

In Scatter Her Ashes former Internal Affairs Interrogator Thorkild Aske has been released from prison and has a prescription drugs addiction, issued as a result of an accident. He is trying to stay on the straight and narrow and has been asked to help research a case for crime writer Milla Lind upon which her next bestseller will be based. Replacing Robert Riverholt, a detective who was shot dead, Aske initially thinks he's researching the case of two missing teenagers, but soon discovers the case Milla has 'assigned' him is merely a cover...

As I rapidly found myself immersed in the story I marvelled over Heine Bakkeid's descriptions of the locale. The novel was mostly told from Aske’s viewpoint with interjections from Olivia who was one of the missing teenagers as she supplied the details of her disappearance. It was unclear if she is was living or dead, which added to the story's incongruity.

Protagonist Thorkild Aske is a somewhat damaged, larger than life character whom I warmed to more in this instalment. Buzzing with surrealness, Scatter Her Ashes was gripping and there were abundant twists and mystery aplenty as the narrative unfolded.

Heine Bakkeid's ability to blend a clever plot, a melancholic and claustrophobic atmosphere, a unique main character and the harsh and bleak setting of Norway, as well as featuring a soupçon of the macabre make this a powerful story. Evidently, he is a gifted storyteller who can provide readers with thrills, sophistication and a story packed with substance. A highly recommended five-star read.

I am already looking forward to seeing more of Thorkild Aske in future instalments of this series.

I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request from Raven Books via NetGalley and this review is my own unbiased opinion.

Scatter Her Ashes is the second instalment in the Thorkild Aske series, featuring disgraced former Norwegian detective of the same name. It isn't strictly necessary to have read the preceding book as the central thread of the plot is self-contained and enough background is given on Aske to bring new readers up to speed. Former cop Aske isn't living his best life, that's certainly true to say. He's been in prison, is addicted to his prescription medication, which was issued due to an accident, and lost the woman he loved in that aforementioned accident. His psychiatrist Ulf secures him work on an investigation to try to keep him on the straight and narrow. Renowned crime writer Milla Lind is looking for someone to help research a case on which her next bestseller will be based. Aske will be replacing Robert Riverholt, a detective shot dead by his mentally unstable ex-wife as he was researching the case of two missing teenagers, but Thorkild soon discovers the case Milla has ’assigned’ him is merely a cover as she wants him to seriously investigate her daughter who she gave up years earlier.

This is a captivating, original and gripping mystery thriller and right from the get-go, you are provided with the rich and brooding atmosphere I've come to expect from a Heine Bakkeid work of Scandi Noir. The descriptions of the local scenery are nothing short of spectacular, so it's easy to become immersed in the story rapidly. It's written in a flowing manner, plotted impeccably and I would say this is darker, grittier and much more melancholy, verging on a tad depressing, than any other thrillers I've read recently. The potent mix of tragicomic plot, an extremely troubled protagonist and the stark surroundings give it an air of claustrophobia, and you can certainly see why that is exactly what Bakkeid is known for as he quite frankly does it so well. There is a lot going on, with much of it being quite surreal, yet I remained thoroughly riveted throughout, and Thorkild is such a chaotic central figure that it becomes almost a parody, which I really found difficult to put down. Highly recommended. Many thanks to Raven Books for an ARC.

“Scatter Her Ashes” by Heine Bakkeid starts out as a benign week-long assignment for an ex-policeman in Norway to assist a celebrated local author to write a new novel using an unsolved case as the basis - but quickly becomes an actual missing persons investigation before ending up being a terrifying hunt for a ruthless serial killer.

The ex-policeman, Thorkild Ashe who has recently attempted suicide is trying to deal with his dangerous demons by taking a cocktail of strong antidepressants that his psychiatrist Ulf is trying to convince him to give up. This complicates matters considerably as Thorkild spends a good proportion of his time bargaining with people to get access to the medication he craves and performing at levels below his best. The famous author character, Mille Lind has chosen Thorkild to assist with her project after her last consultant was murdered partly because she battles with similar psychological issues but manages to keep under control.

This is an exciting, psychological thriller where the characters travel the length and breadth of Norway and also to a couple of prisons in Russia to meet the people whom they believe can help them discover what has become of the child Olivia who was abducted 7 months previously with her friend Siv.

This is my first book by Heineken Bakkeid.
I believe there’s a first novel in the series and I would advise that you read that one first as, although this book could be read as a stand alone, I felt some references would be better understood if I have read the first book.

The book mainly follows Thorkild’s process thought but there are some chapters from Olivia’s point of view too.
Although Some parts of the book felt a bit surreal overall it was a really interesting read and I was not expecting most of the plot twists to happen.

I thought that maybe I couldn’t completely rely of Thorkild’s point of view but he was actually a quite reliant character and it was interesting to try and piece together what has happened, although, I did get it wrong in the end.

Overall it was an interesting read, and I can’t wait to see what other stories await us.

I would like to thank Netgalley, Bloomsbury Publishing and Raven books for this advanced digital copy in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.

I usually love any sort of crime/mystery/thriller set in this part of the world but I struggled with this book to really feel any empathy for the characters that I am afraid I ended up DNF’ing it.

Thank you for providing me with a copy.

4.5 stars
There's something about Thorkild Aske that really intrigues me. Maybe it's pity for his past - most of which he brought upon himself - but maybe for the way he just kinda keeps going. Despite all the odds, despite all his lifestyle choices, despite his pill popping addiction, his inability to avoid danger, maybe he has a death wish? Maybe? He's definitely larger than life and, maybe not as believable as he could be as a character, but, you know what, I like him. Can't quite put my finger on exactly why, but I do.
So... this is Aske's second outing, the first being I Will Miss You Tomorrow, which I would recommend you read before starting this one. And here he is hired by an author, Milla Lind, to help her with some research. A vacancy which came about when the previous holder of the position was shot dead by his mentally unstable wife. The research is concerning missing teenagers, specifically a couple Milla knows of personally. It soon becomes evident however that Milla's connection to the girls is more personal than professional and things start to get a bit tricky for Aske as he tries to cut through all the secrets and lies to get to the truth. At the same time trying to stay alive both from himself and his own actions, and others who would do him harm...
This book is a bit over the top but, as already mentioned, it really works. Aske throws himself (literally) into the case and the people and, well the danger. He sort of gets off on it all in a weird and wonderful way. How he isn't dead yet... well... he's definitely still haunted by his past.
And the story this time - the case he finds himself embroiled in - well. Again, a bit over the top and, on occasion, a bit predictable, but fun nonetheless and, it's fiction, it's supposed to entertain and this series does just that for me. Yes I rolled my eyes a fair few times along the way but there was nothing that irked me enough to jolt me out of what was a compelling story.
All in all, a cracking second outing - hopefully the next in series will be translated and released in the UK soon. My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

What a bleak read. A mish mash that I found impossible to keep on reading. The plot was nowhere realalistic and the characters had no depth. I read 75% of this book and then gave up. Saying that I am sure other readers will enjoy it more just not for me.
Thanks to Bloomsbury Publishing and Netgalley for the ARC in return for giving an honest review.

Loved it.

It's dark, it's bleak, there is little hope for the victim's that our rumpled detective is searching for.

Admittedly you have to suspend belief for a lot of it, as there is a lot that just wouldn't happen - or I couldn't imagine it happening, to be more precise, but I don't know?!

Thorkild is a damaged guy, there is so much wrong with him and his life that you wonder why he's still hanging around, and he hasn't just ended it all already. Of course he has had these thoughts himself and we see his darker thoughts and feelings as we progress through the story.

He is called to help with an investigation into some missing girls. However, what he doesn't know is that the author doing the research has an ulterior motive in the job. She is looking for her long lost daughter, whom she gave up when she was born.

The Scandinavian landscape and haunting atmosphere made this read all the more mysterious, and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this one to fans of the genre.

It is regret that I have to say that this is not a novel that worked for me, I gave up at 62% as I really was not enjoying it at all, and was dreading returning to it after I had put it down. I have no doubt there will be others who will love it, but it just wasn't for me. Many apologies for this.

Scandinavian authors have created some of the most damaged protagonists in crime thrillers over the last few decades. Characters enduring psychological wounds, physiological scars and dark thoughts leave you wondering how they could possibly solve the cases they embark on but they inevitably do. The main character in Scatter Her Ashes is Thorkild Aske, and he is the most broken and raw one of them all, deeply troubled after the death of his wife in a car accident, that left him permanently scarred. Believability is always stretched playing to this trope but this one is tooooo much. When Aske isn’t popping pills, drinking, getting run over by a car (twice), getting beaten near to death, is deranged, suicidal, has sex with every woman he meets, he’s solving multiple criminal cases.

Thorkild is hired by author Milla Lind to help with some investigative research for her latest book. An opening that has occurred because the previous investigator, Robert was apparently shot dead by his mentally unbalanced wife. The area of research Milla has Aske looking into is with two missing teenagers and we soon discover that Milla had a daughter which she gave up at birth but is now intent on tracking her down. Who do you think one of the teenagers is? The recent findings of additional murdered couples seem to attract a particular interest with Aske and the plot suddenly becomes very complicated.

I do enjoy the bleak noir setting very typical of Scandinavian thrillers and this story provides that atmosphere quite vividly. The pace is good and there were many moments where I’d hoped the story was coming together nicely only to be thwarted by another implausible plot hole. There are other twists and multiple subplots that I’ll avoid saying anything about and there is always suspicion with the other characters and the motives they have to be assisting Milla and Thorkild.

I read this book as a buddy read with my wonderful friend Beata. She was the light in the whole experience, and I imagine it would have been a DNF if we had been on our own. I would like to thank Bloomsbury Publishing, Raven Books and NetGalley for providing me with a free ARC in return for an honest review.

*Many thanks to Heine Bakkeid, Bloomsbury Publishing, and NetGalley for arc in echange for my honest review.*
A relatively well-paced thriller with the regular for Scandinavian Noir distorted characters in the lead, however, I had several issues while reading this book. First and foremost, I found it rather unlikely that Norwegian civilians would receive access to the most protected prisons in Russia so easily. Moreover, the escape from such prison is close to nil, which again spoilt the reading for me.
I realize that Aske has suffered a lot and paid for his sins, but even as a civilian reseracher helping out Milla Lind he is unbelievable and unreliable. Moreover, the subplot regarding his ex-wife was streched to the limits of my believability. Aske is too damaged to get involved in a criminal case, and suddenly everybody agrees to assist him despite his troubled past.
The idea behind the misper cases was really good, and connecting all the cases together was done rather well.
I always have difficulty putting reliability behind the plot aside, hence my rather critical opinion of this book.

A good read ..... well written and good characterisations . The story is intriguing and the main character rings true and carries the story through to the end. I enjoyed it .

Thorkild Aske is a former police officer who has been in prison and is scarred following a car accident that killed the woman he loved. Struggling with drug addiction his psychiatrist has put him in touch with Mila Llind, an author, who is researching her next book. He will be replacing another former policeman who was killed by his ex-wife while investigating the case of two missing teenage girls. Thorkild soon discovers that the research for the book is simply a cover for another investigation - the search for Milla’s teenage daughter, the daughter she had given up years earlier. Soon an attempt is made on his life and he’s on the trail of a serial killer.

Wasn’t sure of this book at the start but it soon sucked me in and I had to keep reading to find out what happened

Thanks to Netgalley, Bloomsbury Publishing and Heine Beikkeld for the ARC of this book in return for an honest review.

I would like to thank Netgalley and Bloomsbury Publishing for an ARC of Scatter Her Ashes, the second novel to feature Thorkild Aske.
I Haven't read the first book in this series but can't in all honesty say it spoilt my enjoyment of this publication.
In fact it has stoked my desire to go back and read it now !

A totally messed up ex cop hooked on prescription drugs but a very competent detective nonetheless.
Twists and turns a plenty which had me hooked from the word go.

More please Mr Bakkeid

I was swept along from the start, questioning myself over each of the characters in turn. As the plot developed I found myself drawn into the chaotic world Thorkild Aske desperate to reach the conclusion, but also not wanting it to end.
This is the first novel by Heinke Bakkeid that I have read but now like Aske, I'm hooked...looking for my next hit.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for this arc. I’ve heard good stuff about Bakkeid’s debut, I Will Miss You Tomorrow, so I was highly excited to read this. Even though there are references to the protagonist’s past, as this follows a new mystery, this was accessible and easy to read like a standalone. Although I was intrigued by the protagonist’s past, and overall highly enjoyed this book, so I’ll definitely seek out the debut.
So what’s this one about? This opens with statistics about the number of missing people reports in Norway, followed by a prologue where we meet Robert Riverholt, an ex-policeman and now freelance consultant, finishing up a meeting with Milla Lind, a crime writer conducting research for her new book. They agree to have dinner that night, where Robert plans on telling Milla something that will wrap her story up. Robert leaves the building, but on his way while walking he feels a muzzle at the back of his head and is shot dead, gunned down in the streets of Oslo during broad daylight...
The story is narrated in first-person from the POV of its protagonist, Thorkild Aske, who’s an ex-policeman and served time in jail. There’s some references to his past and a case he was involved in (that was dealt with in the debut novel). We follow Thorkild have a meeting at a job centre, and then later have dinner with his psychiatrist friend, Ulf. Ulf has a proposal for Thorkild - assist Milla Lind with research for her novel, which needs to be completed, for approximately ten days in exchange for a tidy sum of money which Thorkild is in need of - a quick job and then Thorkild can focus on getting his life back. Thorkild still reeling from the effects of his previous case agrees, thinking of the tiny bedsit he currently resides in, and sets out to meet Milla.
The case Milla is researching involves two fifteen-year old girls who went missing from a residential home a year ago. As Thorkild starts to dig around he realises this is more than a story to help Milla’s writing and Milla herself seems to be hiding a secret...What has Thorkild gotten himself involved with? A seemingly simple situation becomes complicated and twisted, as lives are at stake, and if Thorkild doesn’t want to end up in the same position as his predecessor he needs to keep his wits around him...The search for two missing girls will unearth other past crimes...

This was a captivating read. It was pacy and the plot moves along, with atmospheric prose and a stunning but haunting scenery of Scandinavian cliffs and cold icy lakes.
My only gripe was that the only female character wasn’t well written. Unfortunately for me Bakkeid writes women as tropes, there to move the story forward than fully-flashed characters. Women in this book are either love interests or victims of a crime case. I cringed at Milla and Thorkild’s relationship, and found the sex scenes quite generic, slightly gratuitous and unnecessary. Also, the plot felt at times too easy and there were convenient turns, with dialogue that was on the nose. I just couldn’t emotionally connect with the characters. However, I was curious to see how the strands of the story would come together so read on. Overall this was a brooding Scandi-crime novel for fans of Jo Nesbo. 3.5/5.

My thanks to NetGalley and publisher Bloomsbury Publishing Plc (UK & ANZ), for the ARC.
Having read "I Will miss You Tomorrow" I was looking forward to what Thorkild Aske would get up to next. A former police officer, addicted to numerous drugs in the wake of a previous accident, he has struck a deal with his psychiatrist, Ulf - he quits smoking and Thorkild reduces the potency of the drugs he takes. Theirs is a surreal and humorous relationship. Ulf once again secures an investigation for Thorkild to undertake.

Milla Lind, a famous crime novelist, and her partner Joachim Borlind have identified a real police case on which to base her final book in a series. Seven months earlier two schoolgirls appeared to have absconded from their residential home. They had started preliminary enquiries with the help of Robert Riverholt, a retired detective who, unfortunately, was murdered. Thorkild is to carry on the investigation. However, things are not straightforward; there are things not being explained, things being covered-up, and Milla's interest in the case just doesn't add-up - until Thorkild makes a stand and prises the information out of her.

Amongst the intrigue, humour, and police procedurals there are some dark and menacing moments.
A really good read - I think better than the previous book.

I would like to thank Netgalley and Bloomsbury Publishing PLC for an advance copy of Scatter Her Ashes, the second novel to feature disgraced former Norwegian detective Thorkild Aske.

Thorkild is at rock bottom, hurting after his adventure in the north and suffering from opioid withdrawal, so he accepts an offer from top crime fiction author, Milla Lind, to do some research on a missing teenagers case that will form the basis of her next bestseller. Except all is not as it seems. Milla has a personal interest in the case and her last investigator was shot dead.

I thoroughly enjoyed Scatter Her Ashes which has an OTT plot with a genuine mystery and is an engrossing read that I found hard to put down. It will not be for every reader as it has a surreal if not anarchic approach but I, personally, couldn’t put it down.

Where to start? I haven’t read the first novel in the series, I Will Miss You Tomorrow, so the opening of this one which makes references to it, harpoons, candle factories, withdrawal and various other topics is disorientating and made me wonder what I’d stumbled into as it seemed so unreal, if not surreal. I think it might have been beneficial to read the series in order if only to make sense of this initial chaos and perhaps Thorkild’s personal chaos. Actually this initial confusion doesn’t last as Thorkild settles down into looking for the missing girls. As I said the plot is decidedly OTT with among, many other things, Thorkild surviving a couple of murder attempts but it’s fun, engrossing and held my attention from start to finish. I think it’s clever how the author makes a parody such a good read.

The novel is mostly told from Thorkild’s point of view with interjections from Olivia, one of the missing teenagers who fills in the detail of her disappearance. It’s unclear if she is alive or dead, which just adds to the anarchy. Thorkild’s narrative is not as disorganised as you might think. Yes, he is poor, struggling mentally and would do anything for “Oxis” but he can still think and see clearly so the investigation is fairly logical and driven by him. The perpetrator is well hidden so that adds to the absorption as I tried to guess and speculate. Wrong again, as the author intends.

Scatter Her Ashes is a good, interesting and unusual read that I have no hesitation in recommending.