The Lion's Mouth

December 14, 2015
First published in Norway in 1997 and coauthored with Reiss-Andersen, Edgar-finalist Holt’s compelling, character-driven fourth Hanne Wilhelmsen novel (after 2013’s Death of the Demon) delivers a one-two punch: first, the fatal shooting of Norwegian prime minister Birgitte Volter at her desk by a killer who seemingly vanishes without a trace; then, days later, the death of a Supreme Court judge in mysterious circumstances. And despite unprecedented efforts by the police and Security Service—with no lack of conspiracy theories by pundits, who point the finger at everyone from right-wing extremists to mysterious forces linked to a controversial probe into the deaths of at least 800 Norwegian children decades earlier—it looks like an investigation in danger of going nowhere fast. But as series fans know, smart money doesn’t bet against Oslo’s Chief Insp. Hanne Wilhelmsen, who’s officially on extended leave. Holt uses her surprising plot to highlight the nature of power and the extent to which it can corrupt.

February 1, 2016

When Norway's new prime minister is found dead in her office, the country is shaken. While some link her death to an act of terrorism or the manifesto of a lone madman, others suspect a killer much closer to home. Meanwhile, the local press leaks new details about a decades-old mass infant mortality scandal with a possible connection to the prime minister's demise. As the police investigate the murder, Billy T. confers with his partner, CI Hanne Wilhelmsen, who is on leave and vacationing in the United States. Intrigued by the case, she returns to Norway to help investigate and solve the high-profile mystery. As each potential lead unravels, Hanne is forced to employ her fine-honed investigative skills to restore the truth. VERDICT Within this English translation of Holt's 1997 novel lies a twisty tale of political intrigue. If readers can get past the dated technology (faxes and pagers) and the intricacies of the Norwegian governmental structure, they will be rewarded with a clever mystery. [See Prepub Alert, 8/10/15.]--Mary Todd Chesnut, Northern Kentucky Univ. Lib., Highland Heights

Copyright 2016 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from February 1, 2016
A massive investigation is launched when Norwegian Prime Minister Brigitte Volter is found shot in the head in her office in 1997. The murder weapon is missing, as is the scarf she was wearing, an enameled pillbox that had been on her desk, and her security pass. As speculation mounts about whether the crime was political or personal, Billy T. is sorely missing his partner, Norwegian Police Chief Inspector Hanne Wilhelmsen, who's on sabbatical in Californiabut then, intrigued by the case, she returns to Norway and shows up on his doorstep. Chief Justice Benjamin Grinde, a childhood friend of Volter's and head of a commission looking into an increase in infant deaths decades earlier, was the last to see the prime minister alive; briefly a suspect, he commits suicide days later. But Billy T. is focused instead on a security guard who turns out to be linked to a right-wing conspiracy, while the intuitive Hanne's instincts prove right. Edgar-nominee Holt details the politics of the time, effects of Volter's death, painstaking police work, and press coverage of the entire situation, gradually revealing some stunning secrets. A fine addition to a noteworthy series, spotlighting a politically sensitive case in the broader context of Norwegian society. A natural for Jo Nesb readers.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2016, American Library Association.)