I'm not sure why the Scandinavians have the corner on bleak murder mysteries, but this one fits the mold and delivers the goods. Even though it is number seven in investigator Harry Hole's career and I haven't read the first six, all the necessary elements are at play: Norway's bleak, slushy winter; a diabolical serial killer; a troubled detective with a sleep disorder; a preternaturally intelligent younger female assistant; meaningful relationships in various states of disrepair; credible clues intermingled with red herrings; and a tense plot. In
The Snowman young, married women with children and not-great husbands are murdered in and around Oslo. With time it becomes apparent that they they are killed following the first snowfall of the year and a snowman is left on the scene as lonely sentinel. Near the end, even after you and Detective Hole have figured out who is committing the crimes and why, there is, of course, still one murder waiting to happen.
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