This is the thirteenth book in the series, and bloody hell. It was just a good and thrilling as the first 12. I've always loved reading some Norwegian noir (the likes of Jo Nesbo and others), and once again Ms Fossum didn't disappoint. I hope there is some more in the series.

Another hit thriller from a master storyteller. She never disappoints, and always a treat to learn of another new one from this superb author.

Very well-written and engaging. I didn't see the ending twist coming and still don't know how I feel about it. The detective was especially well-written.

Found myself losing my train of thought and wanting to scan parts. I was waiting for the story to get moving and it never seemed to do so. While I see that others enjoyed the story, I found that by the time it went anywhere, I no longer cared.

Fossum once again demonstrates why she is a master of not only the crime novel but the psychological thriller with this heartbreaking story of sadness and isolation. As Sejer investigates a horrific murder Fossum forces the reader to become the killer as more and more is revealed about them through conversations and flashbacks. A masterful read that lingers with you long after you finish the book.

This story had me intrigued from word one. For at least half of it, I had no idea where the story might be going but I certainly wanted to find out. As Detective Sejer questions Ragna over a period of days, her story begins to be revealed. At first glance, she appears to be just an ordinary person who lives alone, goes to work and is very introverted. But then things start to get weird. Ragna becomes convinced that she is being stalked and it certainly seems to be true, but is it? This is very much a psychological thriller which takes you deep into the mind of abnormal psychology. Ragna is a character that I couldn't help feeling sorry for because of her disability but at the same time I was suspicious of her. I also really enjoyed the calm and almost sedate style of Detective Sejer. He skilfully gains her trust and draws her out of her shell. The winter in Norway setting added to the thrill and mystery of the story. This is one I thoroughly enjoyed and would definitely recommend.

I felt this was well-paced and had a good ending. It was more character-driven than I was expecting, but I liked that about it.

The Whisperer by "Norwegian Queen of Crime" Karin Fossum is a Scandinavian mystery where the crime is only divulged towards the end of the book. This is the thirteenth Inspector Sejer novel but this title reads well as a standalone. The book alternates between Ragna Riegel's daily life and the later interrogation of Ragna by Inspector Sejer about the crime she committed. Ragna, a middle-aged single mother, has a precise life. She lives alone, after her teenage son moved to Berlin. She lives in the home she grew up in, previously with her parents. She works in a store, commutes by bus where she always sits in the same seat and shops for her supper in the same shop every day. One day, she finds a threatening anonymous note in her mailbox, leading her to believe her life is in danger. Over time, more notes appear and Ragna's fear grows. Meanwhile, every other chapter has Inspector Sejer interviewing Ragna. The reader is kept in the dark as to why Ragna is being detained by the police and what crime she committed. This Scandinavian mystery is typically very dark but you will need to find out the hows and whys of this woman's life, no matter what.. Highly recommended. Thank you to Houghton Mifflin Harcourt and NetGalley for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Scandi-noir queen Karin Fossum brings familiar Inspector Konrad Sejer to an interview room in “The Whisperer.” There he spends much of the novel probing a dormouse of a woman who has clearly done something bad. Fossum delicately interleaves the charged discussions between cop and prisoner with the recent days of the woman, who had begun receiving threats. The interrogations are nuanced, the daily histories increasingly pregnant with violence. I enjoyed the cat-and-mouse very much, and the author’s masterful withholding of information works a treat, but there is only one problem. The final denouement reveals a tired plot that limps to a boring end. A pity that the technically adept construction is in aid of so little.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher of this book for the opportunity to read this book and give an honest review.

I have read almost all of Fossum’s previous books. I like the Inspector Sejer series of mysteries. I enjoy Fossum’s style of writing and the way she tells a story. This book appeared to move so slowly. I was eager for it to come to a conclusion. The ending did not hold a lot of surprise. I found myself without a lot of empathy for the main character. She wasn’t especially likable. I did feel good about her beginning a correspondence with her long estranged son that had moved to Germany many years prior to this time.

Inspector Konrad Sejer is interrogating Ragna Reigel, accused of a horrifying crime.
A seasoned detective with an intrinsic ability to read people, and a passion to find the truth.
Ragna cannot speak above a whisper after an operation goes wrong and impairs her ability to express herself.
With her withdrawn, reserved personality, it will take all his skill to find out what transpired that day in Ragna's house.
A subdued psychological thriller, the measured pace may be too slow for some readers.
Fossum tells a well crafted tale, with intriguing characters, but the slow burn loses some of the tension by the end.
Best for readers of the series, familiar with her work.
Inspector Sejer is one of my favorite fictional characters, we don't get enough of him in this story.
Thank you to HMH Books for the e-ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
3.5 stars, rounded down to 3 stars.

Excellent psychological thriller! It moved at a fast pace with twists and turns throughout! Well-developed characters and plot. Highly recommend!

I've been a fan of Karin Fossum's books for years and eagerly read this latest one. I found it totally different from her previous books. Still brilliantly written, but just not a cut and dried murder mystery. The suspense of "what did she do?" kept me engaged and turning the pages. I liked seeing Inspector Sejer in this role of contemplative and compassionate interviewer.

What Ragna did was shocking and how she handled the aftermath even more so. The correspondence with her son gave important information on her family's mental problems and helped explain what she had done.

The final twist was a total shock - - and yet one I had thought of earlier in the book. A perfect ending!

This is not an ordinary murder mystery, but there are indeed mysteries. They are unravelled slowly and with great prose, describing the characters and situations perfectly. Beautifully written, and touching on some serious aspects of life.

Karin Fossum's The Whisperer is a fantastic character study that allows Inspector Sejer to do what he does best: listen. Ragna Riegel is a tough nut to crack, but the presence of Sejer's dog, Frank, helps lower some of the woman's defenses as the book alternates between the voices of Ragna and the inspector.

It's really not crystal clear through most of the book exactly why Ragna is in jail, and while these two characters talk, the reader is asking himself questions. What did she do? Prison for life? Murder? Could she really kill anyone? The more I read, the more I felt as though I were falling down the rabbit hole with Ragna, and I think a little of her paranoia rubbed off on me, which is a mark of some excellent storytelling.

The only thing I have to complain about is that the story drags badly at about the half- to the three-quarters mark. The lag time may not bother anyone else and that's fine, but if you're the type of reader who likes everything to be resolved by book's end, you're probably not going to like The Whisperer because it has a twist at the very end that sends your mind off to the races again-- and you're left wondering. You're left with questions, not closure.

I loved that twist at the end. In fact, I think I was expecting it. Karin Fossum had me thinking about the madness that can be found in everyday life, and she reminded me to question assumptions-- and that is a valuable reminder.

A brilliant psychological suspense novel. Fantastic translation too. I loved how every chapter ended on a twist that you just had to continue reading. I read this in one day. Fantastic xx

The Whisperer by Karin Fossum
Translator: Kari Dickson

Translation was great. Inspector Sejer is a regular character in Ms. Fossum's novels but this is definitely a stand-alone book. While no need to read the other books, I highly recommend them as will your brain after reading this.

This is a supurb psychological suspense novel by a master storyteller. The suspense builds and builds with each chapter finally crescendoing into an ending that will leave you with your mind blown and jaw dropped. Three quarters of the way in you will realize you have been masterfully manipulated.
Ten Stars.

An excellent add to the list of titles by Karin Fossum. Suspenseful, taut writing. A well done mystery with an insight into mental illness. Surprising twists and turns. Thorough descriptions so that you could image walking along the cold, snowy street.

This was my first Karin Fossum novel, but it certainly won't be the last. This was an incredible character study about the effects of isolation and the power of denial; to say more would be a spoiler. For a character who seems to be have incredible rigidity in her mundane life, listening in on her thoughts is fascinating. There are many tender, vulnerable, and insightful moments that we get to spend with Ragna, and watching her story unfold as her life unravels is a compelling experience.

**I received a free review copy from the publisher in exchange for my honest unedited feedback.**

I enjoy Nordic Noir police procedurals, and that is what I expected when I started reading this novel. Ragna had a failed surgery that left her unable to speak above a whisper. She works at what seems like the Norwegian version of a dollar store, and is convinced that someone is stalking her. She has had a difficult life-- impregnated by an older man when she was a teen, she and her son lived which her parents until he left and moved to Berlin. Is she really being menaced, or is she insane? The novel evolves as she converses with the police inspector after her arrest (we don’t understand why at first). Fossum has written an intense and probing character study which gradually unfolds. Psychological suspense is not a genre that is usually at the top of my list, but I was impressed by this novel. If that is one of the genres you love, I think you will enjoy The Whisperer.