Really good book. The plot was interesting and well done. It played out well. Very well executed. It was exciting and had me hooked very early on, Starting to really enjoy this author and her writing style

This book was hard to get into. I wasn’t a huge fan of the political aspects of the book. It is an entertaining Scandi noir crime book

Due to a sudden, unexpected passing in the family a few years ago and another more recently and my subsequent (mental) health issues stemming from that, I was unable to download this book in time to review it before it was archived as I did not visit this site for several years after the bereavements. This meant I didn't read or venture onto netgalley for years as not only did it remind me of that person as they shared my passion for reading, but I also struggled to maintain interest in anything due to overwhelming depression. I was therefore unable to download this title in time and so I couldn't give a review as it wasn't successfully acquired before it was archived. The second issue that has happened with some of my other books is that I had them downloaded to one particular device and said device is now defunct, so I have no access to those books anymore, sadly.

This means I can't leave an accurate reflection of my feelings towards the book as I am unable to read it now and so I am leaving a message of explanation instead. I am now back to reading and reviewing full time as once considerable time had passed I have found that books have been helping me significantly in terms of my mindset and mental health - this was after having no interest in anything for quite a number of years after the passings. Anything requested and approved will be read and a review written and posted to Amazon (where I am a Hall of Famer & Top Reviewer), Goodreads (where I have several thousand friends and the same amount who follow my reviews) and Waterstones (or Barnes & Noble if the publisher is American based). Thank you for the opportunity and apologies for the inconvenience.

I've read several of the Hanne Wilhelmsen series and enjoyed them very much. I had not read the earlier two novels in the Selma Falck series. Thanks to Netgalley and Atlantic Books for the ARC.

The premise is intriguing - Falck, lawyer and private investigator, is still recovering from a previous case, when a fairly obscure politician is shot by a sniper, while lunching with Falck and another close friend. Was the victim the intended one? Was it (another) attack on Falck? Falck teams up separately with investigative journalist Lars Winther and police detective Fredrik Smedstuan to unravel the strands of the mystery, even as the body count rises.

I found the background - corruption and lies in a government department - plausible, and the insights into the working of Norwegian politics interesting. There was a real sense of menace and danger in some of the subplots. However I had some reservations - we never read of Falck contacting the other survivor of the sniper attack, or meeting with the victim's spouse, nor entering into any introspection. I got a vague feeling she is written as no nonsense, direct, but a skilled lawyer and investigator isn't this emotionally illiterate, surely, no matter how traumatised by past events?

The perpetrator's back story and rationale for the crimes just didn't work for me, because it seemed inconsistent with what else was revealed about them during the course of the investigation. All in all, it fell short of satisfying me, but has left me curious to try to make sense of it by going back to earlier books in this series.

The third instalment in Anne Holt's fantastically atmospheric new crime series featuring Selma Falck. I thought it was well written, with absolutely flawlessly done characters, and absolutely unputdownable.

Gosh not quite sure where to start with this one. Did I like the lead character Selma? Did I think this booked worked as a stand alone? Did it live up to other Scandi noir novels? Well no I don’t think I did particularly like Selma who seemed to have no great feeling when her friend was murdered ( that’s not a spoiler as it’s at the very beginning). Although I hadn’t read the early books in this series it just about manages to be a stand-alone but I think definitely would be better read in order. Lastly no I wasn’t keen on the politics so it wasn’t as good as other Scandi noir books I’ve read.
Clever story and you do get a great understanding of the Norwegian mind but not a little boring too.

I am a big fan of the Hanne Wilhelmson series by Anne Holt, and 1222 is one of my favourite Nordic Noir novels. A Memory For Murder is the third book in a new series by the author, focusing on Selma Falck who works as a private investigator. I have read the first in this series but not the second, and even though it worked as a standalone, I think I would have enjoyed it more if I had read all three in order. Having read a selection from both, I can say that the new series has a very different feel to it. The main character Selma is a former lawyer, so these books have a more political aspect to them.

A Memory For Murder was clever with quite a complex storyline and a satisfying ending. I actually enjoyed reading about Selma, even though she is a ‘no nonsense’ character, and sometimes comes across quite harsh. I’m sure that Nordic Noir fans would love the more traditional aspects of the story but a basic understanding of the political system in Norway is probably beneficial.

Thanks to NetGalley and Atlantic Books for the opportunity to read & review.

I would like to thank Netgalley and Atlantic Books for an advance copy of A Memory for Murder, the third novel to feature Oslo based private detective Selma Falck.

Selma is eating with her friends, Linda and Vanja, when a shot rings out. Linda is killed and Selma injured, but was Selma the intended target? When more people with links to Linda are killed it seems that there is someone with a deadly message to impart.

A Memory for Murder is a bit of a mixed bag. It starts strongly with a shooting and multiple points of view. To be honest I had no idea how some of the characters fitted in and why they were there and this was true for the majority of the novel. This could have been annoying but the author has a way of writing that invites the reader in and arouses the curiosity. I was burning up the pages to find out more. By the middle of the novel I was starting to get a bit bored as it seems to sag after the initial burst of energy. It gets bogged down in government bureaucracy running amok and playing fast and loose with the law. I understand that there is some truth in what the author posits, but I know nothing about and have no interest in Norwegian scandals, so it all flew over my head. The conclusion is typically Nordic, some resolution but not enough to be massively satisfying.

The actual murder part of the plot is well conceived and interesting. Unfortunately it gets obscured at times by the government thing. I like the way the killer gets his say without giving any hints to his identity or motive and that it all ties loosely to the other part of the plot. It is interesting social commentary for Norwegians, where, apparently, trust in the government is a foundation of their culture. I didn’t find it particularly applicable to my life or experience.

Selma Falck is an unusual protagonist and I still can’t make up my mind if I like her or not. She seems really selfish, always working an angle to get what she wants, and yet she is popular and charming and puts herself out to care for her friend, the paranoid Einar. Maybe she’s just like the rest of us, contradictory. I like the way she gets stuck in to her investigations and doesn’t let go, if they interest her.

It should be noted that there are many references to her previous case, so I would recommend reading the series in order, because I haven’t got round to book 2 and I felt the loss.

Overall A Memory for Murder is a good read. 3.5*

This is the 3rd in Anne Holt's Scandi-Noir series set in Oslo, Norway and featuring her ex-lawyer, now private investigator, Selma Falck. I have read the first in the series but somehow missed the second, this one has Falck meeting close friends, MP Linda Bruseth and Vanja Vegge at a cafe. Falck finds herself injured, the victim of a sniper attack which kills Linda. Falck is a celebrity in Norway, she has a successful sporting background, a contestant on many reality shows, and a reputation for solving difficult and complex cases, with a big presence on social media. Initially, everyone, including the media, assume that Falck was the real target, but she and the police, in the form of Inspector Fredrik Smedstuan, change their minds when a police consultant, ex-military Birgar Jal Nilson, convinces them it was clearly Linda, and that Falck was collateral damage.

Lars Winther is a journalist who has previously worked with Falck, he is not a happy man when his boss, the editor insists that he picks up an exclusive investigation instigated by his colleague, Jonathan Herse, on child services. Child services are usually a nightmare issue to take on, but with Herse now dead after a cycling accident, Lars goes through his papers, becomes interested but finds it hard to decipher his notes, going to Falck for help. Personally, Falck finds herself shaken and shocked when she becomes aware that an intruder has been entering her supposedly safe apartment, a stalker that must know her well as items that have meaning for her are left behind. She turns to traumatised ex-police officer Einar Falsen for help, a man she has helped and supported. Formerly homeless and suffering from a range of mental health issues, Falsen is improving dramatically, as he becomes familiar with just how helpful the internet can be in his investigations. Falck works with Fredrik as further murders occur, a hanging and poisoning.

This a complex case for the flawed Falck, who to be honest can be a unappealing character, she has to battle hard to resist her addiction to gambling. She has a powerful motivation to resist gambling, her daughter, Anine, who has the gift of seeing through her lies, will stop her seeing her young grandson, Skjalg, with whom she has built a strong connection. Falck pays fast and loose with how helpful she is prepared to be with Fredrik and with Lars as she gets closer to the shocking truth, but has little idea of just how much danger she is in. This is a wonderfully entertaining and engaging Scandi-crime read that I think many crime and mystery readers will enjoy. Many thanks to the publisher for an ARC.