Orenda Books Blog Tour - Fallen Angels

 

TITLE: Fallen Angels

AUTHOR: Gunnar Staalesen

PUBLISHER: Orenda Books

PUBLISHING DATE: November 12, 2020

FROM GOODREADS: 

When Bergen PI Varg Veum finds himself at the funeral of a former classmate on a sleet-grey December afternoon, he’s unexpectedly reunited with his old friend Jakob – guitarist of the once-famous 1960s rock band The Harpers – and his estranged wife, Rebecca, Veum’s first love. 

Their rekindled friendship is thrown into jeopardy by the discovery of a horrific murder, and Veum is forced to dig deep into his own adolescence and his darkest memories, to find a motive … and a killer. Tense, vivid and deeply unsettling, Fallen Angels is the spellbinding, award-winning thriller that secured Gunnar Staalesen’s reputation as one of the world’s foremost crime writers.

MY THOUGHTS: When I saw mention of a old classmate reunion and a 60s rock band, I knew I had to give this book a chance.  And once again, Orenda didn't let me down.  Sometimes I struggle with translated works but not the case with Fallen Angels.

While this is a slow paced book, I can say that it still managed to hold my interest.  It's told in dual timelines so the reader gets to see the present days 80s when Veum is attending the funeral of an old classmate.  While there he runs into an old friend, Jakob, and his wife, Rebecca.  The only problem is Rebecca just happens to be Veum's first love.  As the book progresses we get a good look at the relationships of the past and start to see why Veum suspects that the death of his classmate might be a murder instead, especially when a second death soon follows.  

I really enjoyed getting to know Veum even though I understand there are previous books in this series.  I think he is portrayed very humanly and we see him in all his struggles as well as successes.  The author also manages to weave in feelings of first love and both the family and religious dynamics which played a part of his childhood.  I will admit I suspected where the book was headed but I loved it nonetheless. 

It seems some if this series has already been adapted for movies and hopefully this winter, when the snow is falling and the wind is blowing, I will be able to locate a few to watch.  If you like slow burn Nordic Noir books, then add this one to your lists to check out!

RATING: 4 PAWS

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: One of the fathers of Nordic Noir, Gunnar Staalesen was born in Bergen, Norway, in 1947. He made his debut at the age of twenty-two with Seasons of Innocence and in 1977 he published the first book in the Varg Veum series. He is the author of over twenty titles, which have been published in twenty-four countries and sold over four million copies. Twelve film adaptations of his Varg Veum crime novels have appeared since 2007, starring the popular Norwegian actor Trond Espen Seim. Staalesen has won three Golden Pistols (including the Prize of Honour) and Where Roses Never Die won the 2017 Petrona Award for Nordic Crime Fiction, and Big Sister was shortlisted in 2019. He lives with his wife in Bergen.