This book had a very slow start but the story does pick up as it goes. Overall, worthwhile listen but could have started out a bit faster

Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Was Dame Charlotte Lazerton's death really an accident? Or is Torben following the right path when he thinks it could be murder?

Murder and mayhem with a charmingly clumsy detective! I enjoyed this story, even though I found the pace a bit slow to start with, it only really picks up at the end of the book. Torben is a likeable character, and I found myself urging him on to find the killer. He is witty and a bit clumsy with his interactions with Layla, which just makes him more relatable. Their playful banter added a touch of humor to the story.

I enjoyed the narrator's accent and found it was easy to follow and listen to. Torben could have had slightly more emphasis on his accent, but I appreciate that can make it harder for listeners to follow. There was good emphasis on character emotions, and when the pace picked up, the narrator managed to include the feeling of urgency when needed in his voice.

It felt like a golden age mystery in a modern setting, and while the ending might not have been the most satisfying conclusion, I enjoyed following the story along and trying to work out whodunit. While this is the second novel in the series, I have not read the first but had no issues following the story. It can be read as a standalone book. There are some references to the previous story, but not enough to play a vital role in this book.

The back-and-forth brainstorming between Torben and Layla was most enjoyable, and I think what held my interest, plus the ongoing miscommunication/misreading of each other, provided some lighter entertainment in what could have ended up being a boring fact-listing conversation. Plenty of scope for Torben to follow different theories kept me guessing (I will admit I don't read many murder mysteries, so for a seasoned reader, the conclusion may be obvious).

I'd recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a cozy crime novel with a Scandi twist. Get ready for a delightful dose of Scandi noir with a side of awkward charm.

Torben Helle met with Charlotte and she told him her phone was being tapped. A few days later she dies from falling down the stairs. Was this an accident or was someone responsible? Torben and friends will investigate to discover the truth, but is he qualified to catch a killer?

Very well written and well narrated witty novel (I listened to the audiobook). Great quirky characters who look for clues and attempt to find the truth. Torben may have gained a new home, thanks to Charlotte but he cares enough to honour her memory. Well paced, funny at times, serious at times too. Very enjoyable.

3.25* overall

This is a joint review for the Ebook and Audiobook of Helle's Hound:
4* audiobook
2.75* for the book overall

I was so excited to see that Torben Helle was coming back after the highly enjoyable 'Helle & Death' last year. Unfortunately 'Helle's Hound' didn't live up to the first book for me.

In this latest mystery for Torben, friend and mentor Dame Charlotte Lazerton is dead, found at the foot of her staircase partially eaten by her Irish wolfhound, Mortimer. Torben believes it's suspicious, the police, aside of one one Nordic Noir fan, don't, so it's up to Torben and Leyla to try and prove that it's murder.

This was overall a fun read but sadly was too long and winding and very slow to get going. It was also unevenly paced The final quarter of the book came at you like a train of information which, after the slow pace of much of the rest of the book, felt like an overload, especially as there were too many characters involved who weren't fully fleshed out for me. All of these points and what I felt was an overall unsatisfying conclusion means that sadly this one wasn't the win I hoped for.

For the audiobook, I felt that Gunnar Cauthery did a really good job with the narration. He really characterised our Torben and Leyla and their budding romance really helped break through the monotony of the bulk of the middle section of the book. He also brought out the humour of the narrative which I thoroughly enjoyed. He wasn't able to help break out the more minor characters as much as was needed to make them become proper characters but I feel that is because there were too many people involved with too few distinguishing features.

The audiobook was also really well edited and produced but was let down by the story not being as enjoyable for me.

This series has a lot of potential. The cosy scandi/nordic noir mystery set up is really appealing to me. I much preferred the tightly plotted, limited cast and isolated setting of Book 1 and hope we return to a similar style for Book 3 (if we're due another instalment).

Thank you to NetGalley and Serpent's Tail / Viper / Profile Books | Viper for a digital review copy of "Helle's Hound" and Profile Books Audio | Viper for a review copy of the Audiobook, both in exchange for my honest and voluntary review.

Thank you Netgalley, Profile Books Audio | Viper and Oskar Jensen for the audio Arc of Helle's Hound,
Narrated by Gunnar Cauthery

This is the second book in the Helle's and Death series, the first book is of the same name as the series and both books can be read as a standalone if you haven't read the first. These books are cosy mystery/ amateur sleuth books with a fair amount of humorous writing. I really enjoy Oskar's writing style and how he builds a medium paced mystery, character building and the humour with consistency and ease. I loved the dynamics between the characters, especially the friendships and the banter that happens between them.

I'll definitely be reading more of Oskar's books in this series and others in the future,

This book was narrated by Gunnar Cauthery and I really enjoyed his voice and cadence which got in line with this book nicely.

4.25 stars for Storygraph rounded to 4 stars for other review sites

Helle’s Hound is the second installment in Oskar Jensen’s delightful Helle & Death series, and it’s a truly charming addition. Having enjoyed the first book, I was pleased to find that this sequel lived up to expectations. With the same witty writing, realistic characters, and a cozy mystery at its heart, it’s a thoroughly enjoyable read. As a bonus, the book doubles as a guide to some of London’s landmarks and great restaurants, adding an extra layer of charm. It’s an easy, entertaining read that fans of the series—and newcomers—will appreciate. I listened to the audio version and the excellent narration brought the characters and atmosphere to life.

I enjoyed the first book in this series, despite its middling Goodreads reviews and was eager to pick up the next one. However, I only really found this book to be 'ok', with some odd writing choices and a mystery that both attempted to do too much and left too much up to the imagination. It follows the death of Torben's mentor, which he believes is murder, and the investigation he goes on with Layla in tow to try and figure out the truth.

Layla is sort of my key problem with the book - namely, that her POV was just not necessary. Not only does she end up having little to do with the overall conclusion, but her chapters seemed to be entirely dedicated to running hot and cold as to whether she wanted to date Torben. The chapters tend to alternate POV's between the two and hers just isn't needed based on the writing we currently get.

I also found the mystery rather under-developed. There are many, many characters involved in it and I got completely lost as to who was who after a while, they all seemed to blend into one. It took a long time to get to the conclusion and when we did, more seemed to happen off the page than it did on. We get a pretty decent twist around the 80% mark and I was expecting more, but it just never came.

Honestly, the feeling I came out of this book with was just confusion. Like none of it has implanted on my brain or I didn't absorb the plot properly. What I mainly remember is Torben going to a lot of different restaurants and - to the author's credit - some rather delicious descriptions of food. And an election for an art museum. Really, anything beyond that has entirely escaped my mind.

Fresh from his adventures in a country mansion in Northumbria, Art History academic Torben Helle is back, and this time his canvas is the city of London.
His mentor Dame Charlotte Lazerton is found dead at the foot of her stairs, and Helle suspects there’s more to her death than a mere accident. When five high-profile people turn up at Dame Charlotte’s funeral, Helle suspects they may know more about her death, and drags in old University friend, barrister Leyla to “help” investigate.
I really enjoyed this follow up to Helle and Death. Seeing Helle given more freedom to roam the city as opposed to being snowed in at a country mansion keeps the pace of the story going. However, with this longer leash, there’s more scope for him to get things wrong, and bumble around. He’s a man for details, often missing the bigger picture, and he’s a character I just adore.
The novel reads like a classic golden age mystery in a modern setting, with laugh out loud moments. Torben Helle is such a delightful character, I can’t wait to follow more of his adventures. Seeing London through Helle’s eyes almost makes me want to get on the train and visit.
The narration is once again top class, bringing you right into Torben Helle's thought processes
Helle’s Hound is out on January 30 2025.
Many thanks to Viper Books and Netgalley for an advance copy of this novel

This murder mystery follows Danish academic Torben Helle investigating his mentor's death after she's found partially eaten by her dog. While police consider it natural causes, Torben suspects murder and plays detective with help from his professionally well-connected friends. The novel offers a blend of academic politics, Cold War intrigue, and dark humour, with likeable (if slightly unrelatable) characters. However, the somewhat uneven pacing (even at 30% through I wasn't feeling the tension) and overcomplicated plot could try some readers' patience. While entertaining in its lighter moments, the mystery proves somewhat predictable for genre enthusiasts.

I got this as an ARC from NetGalley

This is decidedly more entertaining than the previous outing for Toben Helle (which I also read as an ARC) but that had more to do with the romance than the mystery. I resisted the urge to reread Helle & Death as I knew it would make me more critical of this one but my intense frustration with Helle forgetting or overlooking blindingly obvious vital information came with a heavy dose of deja vu.

However, where Helle & Death left me spitting feathers over the sheer improbability of the killer's method, this was within the bounds of my suspended disbelief. And the final solution leaves me asking questions but I can't claim Jensen kept the criminal mastermind off-page.

I'd recommend this to anyone looking for a cosy mystery with a Scandi twist