Pursued by deathbird

All playing out against the backdrop of unethical large scale Salmon farming Staalesen creates a detailed and visual experience of a small town where everyone has a secret He places Veum s slowly coming to terms with his life and his age in a juxtaposition to his menial importance in a much larger criminal investigation Very well written and pretty gripping Unfortunately the reveal is impossible to predict as there are basically zero breadcrumbs English I always look forward to a new Varg Veum book He s one of those characters that you feel you could know There s nothing of the trope PI or detective about him But.

Pursued by deathadder v2

The day Varg saw him on the bus His natural inability to not investigate sees him travel to Solvik and ask around At the local store he meets the owner Stein and local Edvard Edvard offers to show him the area and whilst at the local pier they see a camper van in the sea Is this where the missing boy has ended up Pursued by Death has a slow beginning where the author builds layers and layers to the story and it captured my attention from the get go I flew through this in one day The latter half of the book ramps up the tension with some stunning consequences I certainly did not see them coming or work out who the bad guy was I love it when that happens as it really makes you take a deep breath full of wonder and surprise The storyline highlights a growing environmental topic in Norway.

Pursued by deathfire

The 20th book in the Norwegian series starring Private Investigator Varg Veum set in Bergen Veum is in his office when he reads a news headline about a missing man and realises that two weeks earlier from a bus he was on he saw the man standing at a crossroads with two girls Curious he decides to go to Solvik and drives straight into a plot involving fish farming jealousy and a woman Betty who apparently eats men for breakfast I ve read quite a few of this series and like all the others this could be easily read as a standalone Briefly once again Veum is in the right place at the right time and he finds a car in the sea with a body inside Then Betty asks Veum to look into the death two years earlier of her ex husband which was officially determined to be an accident Veum believes this may be connected to the recent body he found and the missing people who were in Solvik to protest against a large commercial fish farm A slow burn start which soon gathers momentum and the tension rises as Veum uncovers information about two families who have a longstanding feud Veum is a brilliant character old school he is caring but resolute in his work clever and determined and I d want him in my corner Brilliantly written we are drawn deeper into the darkness until matters come to a thunderous and lethal climax I m enjoying these each one I read Keep going Veum English After having his driver s license suddenly and basically in the middle of the road suspended private investigator Varg Veum witnesses a group of young people on a bus one of whom later disappears He finds himself drawn into the mysterious world of a small coastal village As he investigates the disappearance he uncovers a complex web of secrets rivalries and a possible connection to a previous death he s not painted as perfect either Which strangely makes him just that. Pursued by deathdog Varg is a character who you want to know and about because he s always full of dry wit humour and curiosity Obviously you expect him to be curious as a PI but the scrapes that he gets into are always multilayered As are his ways of picking apart the puzzles he has to solve There s no simple single solution to anything he investigates I always find he s filled with food for thought This novel has so much depth and I love the nod to the characters love of Icelandic crime fiction made in the opening pages. Pursued by deathadder This novel is so well written layers of story aplenty and I d definitely say sit down with it when you have a chance and plan nothing else for the duration of it It s immensely clever and I d recommend it highly. Pursued by deathadder razer With thanks to Anne Cater Orenda Books and the author for the advanced reading copy of this book English There is a lot about fish in this book Because salmon farming is one of the staple industries in Norway A bit like sheep or dairy farming here There is also a lot I didn t understand about the difference between wild salmon farming and farm bred salmon but it s the basis for the salmon wars and the divide between the factions on either side One thing it revolves around is salmon lice which I can t even think about without cringing but I m not going to go into detail It just may put me off eating salmon ever again. Pursued by deathadder v3 Varg Veum reads about a missing man and realises he saw him with two young women a few days before The missing man was one of a group of demonstrators protesting against the whole exploitation of salmon farming He then travels to the small town of Solvik out of curiosity and heads out to a disused salmon farm with a local man Aga Edvard where they discover a camper van in the sea with a dead body inside. Pursued by deathko It s a well written excellently plotted crime thriller in the Nordic Noir tradition perfectly translated by Don Bartlett It has quite a lot of what I can only describe as throwaway humour which could easily get lost in the drama except it doesn t It s also not quite as gritty as some Scandi Noir so for those who find the genre all a bit gory Pursued by Death will definitely appeal The characters have depth and the descriptions are comprehensive without being over the top The plot twists and surprises are intricate and intelligent. Pursued by deathlock Pursued by Death is the latest in the Varg Veum series I ve met Varg Veum before in Bitter Flowers written in 1991 and I liked him as much today as I did then He s now 62 years old so not your average thirty something cop we usually see in crime novels In fact he s a private investigator who was never a police officer He s just a regular guy He does have an ex wife don t they all and though he likes a drink or three he s not an alcoholic at least not any In Bitter Flowers he d just come out of rehab. Pursued by deathadder 99 August 15 2024 319 pages 15 9 2024 4 5 Whether watching any of the excellent films made from the Varg Veum series or reading one of the thrillers it s always excellent entertainment Well written with fully drawn characters sense of place and activity which make each storyline a page turner This book really was interesting moving between Bergen and the demonstrations against a commercial fish farming facility in the tiny village community of Solvik north of Bergen Nature of the sea and the rocky terrain are well described as are the characters present and their pasts as Varg hired to investigate a death two years earlier and the police try to piece together the current series of crimes When Varg Veum reads the newspaper headline YOUNG MAN MISSING he realises he s seen the youth just a few days earlier at a crossroads in the countryside with his two friends It turns out that the three were on their way to a demonstration against a commercial fish farming facility in the tiny village of Solvik north of Bergen. Pursued by deathadder elite Is the body he s found connected to the death of a journalist who was digging into the fish farm s operations two years earlier And does either incident have something to do with the competition between the two powerful families that dominate Solvik s salmon farming industry Or are the deaths the actions of the Village Beast the brutal small town justice meted out by rural communities in this part of the world. Pursued by deathguard Shocking timely and full of breathtaking twists and turns Pursued by Death reaffirms Gunnar Staalesen as one of the world s greatest crime writers English Gunnar Staalesen is a Norwegian writer Staalesen has a cand. Pursued by deathadder mouse When Bergen PI Varg Veum becomes involved in the disappearance of a young activist he comes up against one village s particular brand of justice The international bestselling critically acclaimed Varg Veum series returns As searing and gripping as they come New York Times One of my very favourite Scandinavian authors Ian Rankin The Norwegian Chandler Jo Nesb When Varg Veum reads the newspaper headline YOUNG MAN MISSING he realises he s seen the youth just a few days earlier at a crossroads in the countryside with his two friends It turns out that the three were on their way to a demonstration against a commercial fish farming facility in the tiny village of Solvik north of Bergen. Pursued by deatherage opticians Is the body he s found connected to the death of a journalist who was digging into the fish farm s operations two years earlier And does either incident have something to do with the competition between the two powerful families that dominate Solvik s salmon farming industry Or are the deaths the actions of the Village Beast the brutal small town justice meted out by rural communities in this part of the world. Pursued by deathcounter Shocking timely and full of breathtaking twists and turns Pursued by Death reaffirms Gunnar Staalesen as one of the world s greatest crime writers Pursued by DeathI do love this series Varg Veum is such a wonderful character someone who it is clear cares greatly about the fortune of others even if sometimes it is not quite in his own best interest He has an inquiring mind a quiet determination and the ability to get under people s skin in both good and bad ways letting us the reader know that whatever trail he is following he has clearly latched onto the right path even if it isn t always clear where his journey will end This time around he finds himself caught up in the case of some missing protestors and a cold case which may or may not have been than the misadventure that the police originally dismissed it as One thing that is clear to us from the very start is that as far as our trust in Veum is concerned if he feels as though something is a little off it almost certainly is I really enjoy spending time in Veum s company even when he isn t trying very hard he has a knack of finding himself in a little trouble which is very much the case in Pursued by Death An unexpected tussle with another vehicle and less than sympathetic response from the police Veum finds himself on what will turn out to be quite a fateful or may fortuitous bus journey home to Bergen If he hadn t been on the bus he wouldn t have seen the young couple who go missing and if he hadn t reported what he knew to the police or even revisited the town of Solvik he wouldn t have made the dramatic discovery which really kick starts this particular mystery Funny how these things work out Good for Veum he gets a case out of it even if it s not the one he might have been expecting Good for us as readers as we are now faced with two mysteries for the price of one. Pursued by deathadder There is a clear environmental element to this story as well as a look at the impact of big business on smaller communities That side of the case is actually really interesting and whilst it informs rather than dominates the mystery it s something I d never given much consideration to before the impact of fish farming on natural wildlife and water systems and the difference between land based and river based fish farms Every day is indeed a school day But as fascinating as this foray into ethical fish farming or not as the case may be was it is the reasoning behind the disappearance of the two young adults who had both been protesting against the fishery company and the many strange an unexpected connections between the various characters we meet that kept the intrigue going and my attention totally on the book Add in the sudden death of a man who was writing a book on the very subject of the fisheries and I couldn only wonder what other connections Veum may yet uncover. Pursued by deathly stillness I really like the way in which Gunnar Staalesen s able to bring the small community of Solvik to life and the very distinct and larger than life personalities he infuses into the characters who inhabit the town and the area From the less than helpful police to store and cafe owner Stein relative newcomer and lamenting fisherman Edvard and Veum s new client Betty who also happens to be the mother of one of the missing people each has a unique voice and a very different perspective on this most puzzling of cases There are many other characters who inform the story and even a hint of happiness for our favourite PI in the form of journalist Torunn which is good to see after all the tragedy that has impacted him over the years My hats off to translator Don Bartlett who makes the transition into English feel flawless making the words accessible whilst instilling a sense of the culture through each conversation and turn of phrase I really enjoyed the slow build of the mystery in this one the many layers that are peeled away until we get to the true heart of the matter The truth of this case the root of all the evil as it were links back to some of the oldest motives known to man and the escalation in tension towards the end the understanding that something big is about to happen had me turning the pages at speed keen to know what would happen I just say that even I was surprised by what comes to pass and for a small town the amount of tragedy they experience is beyond anyone s expectations As for the ending the final reveal well I didn t see that coming perhaps I should have paid a little attention but in some respects it felt all the better for not having expected it In a small town where everyone knew everyone else perhaps it was the only way it could unfurl It definitely felt true to the story and a fitting if somewhat tragic end to story that had that undercurrent of sadness from the very early chapters Veum s dry and honest observations keep the story just light enough but it was never going to be a story with a happy ending now was it Definitely a story that fans of the series will enjoy It was good to see Veum with a smile on his face for once I only hope we get to see it again Definitely recommended English I m always excited to pick up a book from the Varg Veum series and this was no exception For some reason my brain categorizes them as cosy Nordic noir they deal with dark topics but it is done with a lightness of touch that keeps them full of hope in a weird way They feel unique fresh and brilliant. Pursued by deathadder elite When Varg is forced to get a bus he spots two girls meeting a boy with a camper at a bus stop by Solvik A few weeks later whilst reading a newspaper he sees that the boy is missing and he was last sighted at a demonstration against a fish farm in Solvik the growth of large scale fish farms and the damage that they cause to the environment Whilst dealing with salmon lice some of the chemicals can leak into the surrounding water and have a lasting impact Of course there is the debate of needing to provide locals with jobs especially in small rural areas like Solvik I love it when I learn about new things and this part of the narrative did steer me down a few internet rabbit holes It s this part that of story that drives the mystery as the missing boy was part of the demonstrators even though he grew up in Solvik and his family was part of the industry It highlights the divides in the community and the links between the characters and the industry I love Varg as he is inquisitive and loyal and doesn t let up with his investigation even under immense pressure It feels as if he is at a stage in his life where he is beginning to question a few things like his relationships with his son and grandson and his reflection around his birthday His dry humour really helps give that lightness to the story Let me know if you pick this one up English Bergen PI Varg Veum has a spot of trouble when a tricky case he is working leads to his car and driving licence being confiscated on his way home to Bergen Somewhat aggrieved at the unfair way he has been treated Varg is forced into taking the journey home by bus undertaking a bit of grumpy people watching on the way. Pursued by deathlock Days later a headline about a missing young man with a distinctive VW camper van catches his attention He realises that he spotted this man in company of two young women at a crossroads during his bus journey Contacting the police to volunteer this information he discovers that the trio were on their way to a demonstration against salmon farming in the tiny community of Solvik. Pursued by deathlayer With the misunderstanding about his driving habits sorted Varg heads to retrieve his car and calls into Solvik to see if he can find out anything interesting about the young man s disappearance His curiosity leads him to a dead body and pulls him into a case mired in bad bloodMy favourite Norwegian PI Varg Veum is back in a brand new twisty mystery that delves deliciously into small town feuds This is a case that takes Varg out of Bergen into the dying community of Solvik embroiling him in the fallout of a dispute over a commercial fishing enterprise that is destroying the local economy and the environment. Pursued by deathadder v2 In classic Varg gumshoe style dripping with Raymond Chandler vibes he picks up the thread of a case and follows a chain of leads by inserting himself in the lives of those connected to the missing young man As usual he manages to annoy a fair number of them with his penetrating questions and sardonic modus operandi but the way he gets himself under people s skins is very effective His determined tugging on loose threads is rewarded by an unravelling of mysteries as the twists and turns of the story play out At first sight this is a book all about environmental themes and Staalesen certainly does not shy away from examining the significant damage that results from lucrative commercial fishing operations It is grim reading indeed However as Varg s tramping around Solvik and Bergen wringing information out the locals protestors and warring businessmen produces results it is the underlying personal themes that come to the fore Dark motivators of jealousy betrayal and hot headed revenge blend cleverly into plotlines around environmental issues dodgy business practices and community strife in a perfect storm of page turning loveliness The slow burn beginning hots up in pace all the way to the just the kind of explosive climax and seriously slick twist and twist again ending that makes Staalesen s Varg Veum series so enjoyable. Pursued by deathchill There is an undeniable melancholy strain to this latest instalment in the Varg Veum series particularly when it comes to the relationship dynamics and stories of many of the characters here including Varg himself But there are touches of humour too and Varg is as charmingly dysfunctional as ever Translator Don Bartlett does an excellent job with pace tone character to keep the story flowing nicely Highly recommended for lovers of cracking Norwegian noir from a master of the genre English I m sure I m not alone in having an element of doubt when you sit down to read a new book by an author that you have read many times before as to how good you are going to find the next instalment in their series Pursued By Death is the twelfth book I have read and since blogging the ninth I will have reviewed by the godfather of Nordic noir Gunnar Staalesen and featuring Varg Veum his stalwart private investigator and do you know what he has completely come up trumps again Varg Veum is hands down one of my favourite characters in the crime fiction genre with his dry humour and wilful tenacity yet tempered by a genuine desire to bring answers to those who have none and rubbing a good many people up the wrong way in the process As he somewhat reluctantly at first undertakes a new investigation of what comes to look like a suspicious death and surreptitiously inveigles himself in another connecting investigation Veum manages one again to insinuate himself completely into a small community a community with many dark secrets and dangerous assignations at its heart He has a wonderful knack of connecting with people who he quickly perceives to be of help to his enquiries digging down into their lives and connections to stealthily put the pieces together and there are a host of interesting local characters in this one for him to irritate or delight Veum does have what I would describe as a scruffy charm where he can read people very well and achieves his ends through a combination of sharp wit empathy and an innate curiosity of people s lives and relationships This is all deeply ironic in view of his distanced relationship with his own family and his sporadic romantic entanglements when he seems to have such a natural aptitude for making connections with others. Pursued by deathakid Equally he has a wonderful ability to frustrate and annoy the local community and police force as he is as tenacious as a dog with a bone if he believes that information is being held from him leading into some interesting run ins with law enforcement He delights in baiting those in the upper echelons of society by wealth or position as he stubbornly goes about his business chipping away at people to extract information to the great annoyance of many and sometimes at physical danger to himself I particularly enjoy his regular contratemps where his natural dry wit and persistence comes to the fore making people wriggle like a fish on a hook. Pursued by deathadder keyboard Speaking of which I can t think of a single scenario that when being handed a book which incorporates a compressed history of the salmon farming industry in Norway would have me saying Crikey how fascinating I cannot wait to read this but I stand corrected This very subject underpins the murderous shenanigans in the story and in the light of a recent incident at a salmon farming business here in the UK I did actually find this aspect of the story quite interesting indeed Who d have thought it To anyone still eating farmed salmon yeah maybe don t do that. Pursued by deathadder keyboard Seriously though every day is a school day when reading Staalesen s books as he always introduces some little nugget of Norwegian history politics or cultural life into his novels giving them a solid hook on which to hang his plotting and narrative and which many readers particularly outside of Scandinavia may not be familiar with Combine this with his superlative storytelling great characterisation and yet another perfect translation from Don Bartlett for the British audience I particularly liked the inclusion of the phrase flying fart Pursued By Death is a than enjoyable addition to this wonderful series Recommended English It s always good to pick a book from the Varg Veum series and Persued By Death was no exception and was exactly what I expected. Pursued by deathlock So this time Verg Is drawn into the disappearance of a young activists one he had seen a few days earlier at a country crossroads So Varg heads out to investigate and on the way discovers a dead body in the sea. Pursued by deathadder essential So for me Pursued By Death starts slightly slowly but that s only due to the author building the story and definitely not a negative The pace soon builds up and tension grows and I m sure like me you ll fly through this read in my case that was two sittings: Pursued by deathgaze I wonder if the author has any Varg Veum books still up his sleeve I certainly hope so, Pursued by deathlayer Many thanks to annecater for inviting me to be part of RandomThingsTours English Pursued by Death Varg Veum Gunnar Staalesen Don Bartlett translator iBook 7. Pursued by deathadder v2 Varg heads to Solvik initially out of curiosity but when he chances upon a dead body in the sea he s pulled into a dark and complex web of secrets feuds and jealousies, Pursued by deathakid philol degree from Universitetet i Bergen and he has worked at Den Nationale Scene the main theater in Bergen: Pursued by deathadder mouse Varg heads to Solvik initially out of curiosity but when he chances upon a dead body in the sea he s pulled into a dark and complex web of secrets feuds and jealousies. Pursued by deathadder essential Varg Veum is such a great character He s consise he s clear and cares about others He s intelligent and inquiring with tough determination Everything you d expect from a PI, Pursued by deathlock It s a many layered story with twists and turns mystery and a clear environmental element: Pursued by deathcounter The characters feel real and are believable and the author s writing style was fitting with this type of story and genre.Want to know Be sure to pick your copy up.4 s from me English