Locked In, by Jussi Adler-Olsen, is the final book in the Department Q mystery series set in Denmark. You absolutely should read the other Department Q novels before this one; you won't be dissapointed!

This final book finds Carl, lead Department Q detective, arrested and jailed under suspicion of murder and drug trafficking, stemming from the discovery of a drug filled suitcase in his attic. To make matters worse, it seems the organization behind the drug trade thinks Carl will talk, so they are trying to eliminate him.

As Department Q tries to investigate behind Jacobsen's back, Carl's allies from prior novels band together to help solve the mystery - who set Carl up? And who is trying to eliminate him?

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Thanks to the publisher, the author, and to Netgalley.

I was very thrilled to read book 9 in the Department Q series this August (my review can be found here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4814280808) .
So, I was very happy to receive a review copy of this tenth and last title in the series. It turned out that it would have been better had I read all books in the series first. This last one reads as if the author wanted to inform the readers about the many loose ends in previous books. I’m sure there were no real loose ends to spot, but now suddenly the whole books is full with people who suddenly have memories about things that happened almost twenty years ago and that have come back with one purpose: to put Carl in jail and preferably have him murdered there.
Of course his colleagues from Department Q won’t let that happen (the murder, that is) and they set to work to solve this case. Unofficially that is because Marcus Jacobsen doesn’t want them to. As I’ve seen some of the tv-series, I would recognize certain people who suddenly turned up but to be honest I’m not really impressed. The ending is really a very good one and I promised myself that one day I will read all books in order and make notes so as to understand this last one in the series better. https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4814280808t
Thanks to Dutton and Netgalley for this review copy.

I must start by thanking both NetGalley and Dutton publishing for my eARC in exchange for my honest review.
The final Department Q novel, and not his best. Reintroducing some characters from the past, this really feels like a wrap up of what was a mystery series well worth resding.

This was by far the most interesting case that Carl had becoming the victim and also the better man that was needed to take on the drug mob. It starts out with Carl going into one prison has two incidents with killers. Then gets shipped to another prison and meets a criminal who he ends up saving his brother. All this time his first case with Department Q brings him a women that he saved offering a multi-million offer to help Carl. We have Assad, Rose, and Gordon which are the rest of Department Q, were told not to help with this case. There was a killer on the loose which bombed Carl in the second prison he was in. Carl got a way and found Hardy who was badly injured in the nail-gun case. You'll have to read the rest for yourself which will bring you into all the scenarios which Jussi brings into to get you excited. I recommend this book to all those who like Jussi.

Thanks to netgalley and the penguin group Dutton for this ARC. Due to be published 03/12/2024.

The character switch from one chapter to the next meant that you had different perspectives throughout. It did take me a few chapters to settle into the story.

There's a lot going on throughout the book so I felt I could put it down as I didn't want to lose momentum, particularly as there's a few twists later on. Carl has been dealt a bad hand and his supporters are fiercely standing up for him which shows that he's held in high regard. Despite this, it's still a tough road to travel and he's up against so many unknown people that you do find yourself querying who to trust and if people are who they say they are.

It pains me to write this review and not just because, after 10 volumes and 17 years, the excellent Department Q Series comes to an end. It was hard because I didn’t love it. Long-running series usually include one novel in which the hero is falsely accused and locked out of the investigation. I’m not a fan of this trope. Locked In brings the overarching story of Carl Morck and his peripheral involvement in the nail gun murders to a close. I couldn’t remember some of the details, but it wasn’t hard to figure out what was happening. Adler-Olsen recaps just enough to remind readers without falling into repetition. It was also nice to see how far the main characters have gone, from Assad cleaning the dingy basement office to him kicking everyone’s butt; and Rose turned into the backbone of Department Q. But, while it was nice to see many secondary characters back, some of them fall by the wayside and disappear in the middle of the book. It makes sense that they’re brought back only to say goodbye so there’s no need to keep them long. But there are other characters who are new, and get introduced only to be forgotten without a resolution to their subplot. A MacGuffin is painfully inserted as a plot device but it’s forgotten in the middle of the book with no repercussions. One of my favorite things about the series was how the author planted a clue as a throwaway line in the middle of a random chapter that then became huge in the end. This is not the case here. I loved the ending, which reminded me of why I enjoyed the series so much. So we bid adieu to Carl Morck in a bittersweet ending, knowing that we can always go back to the beginning to revisit all his cases.
I chose to read this book and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased. Thank you, NetGalley/PENGUIN GROUP Dutton | Dutton.

I can't believe Department Q has solved its last case! In an exceptionally satisfying conclusion, Adler-Olsen has pulled together all the loose strings and reinvigorated so many previous characters in this final adventure.

I must confess that I found the beginning a little dense. There are a LOT of perspectives and a lot of new (and old!) characters who have their own tales to tell in order to bring everything to a head. I started reading these books a decade ago, and there were so many details that got muddied and lost in that time. I never felt like I was having difficulty following things though, which I chalk up to the author's magnificent skill at providing just enough information to remind you of the essential bits of previous cases and interactions. I'm sure it's a different read if you go into them all straight through and suspect I'll have to do that one of these days to see what I missed.

The chapter-by-chapter perspective shift was, at times, dizzying and did occasionally slow the pacing for me - from about 25% in until about the 50% mark. From there on out I literally flew through the story as revelations, secrets, lies, and more Assad-isms came flying at me fast and furious. I LOVED the way things played out. I did not see the ultimate Big Bad's identity coming at first, and when I finally figured it out (just in the nick of time, as was the case with Carl), I was delighted by the obfuscation and subterfuge that filled the previous novels.

This was a marvelous series. I'm sad to see it end, but it ended so beautifully that I can't be upset - and will just have to wait to see what magic Adler-Olsen comes up with next!

4.5. A thrilling, but sad, conclusion to the Dept Q series. Carl has made many enemies over the years, which is now coming back to haunt him. Someone has framed him for a crime he did not commit, and he is now in prison. His trusty, but quirky, team at Dept Q work round the clock to try to clear his name before it is too late. Like all the books in the series- this is a non-stop page turner, with come comic relief provided by Rose and Assad when it is needed the most. I have thoroughly enjoyed this series and will greatly miss it. While the crimes have always been grisly in nature, the humanity of the team, warts and all, always shines through. Farewell Carl, Rose, and Assad- it has been a fabulous run and you will be greatly missed!!!!!

This is one of my favorite series and this book is amazingly good.

Department Q is back again but without their illustrious leader. Carl Morck has found himself where he always sends the bad guys….behind bars, and set up in such an intricate way there appears there is no way out. Don’t underestimate his coworkers in the Department and those whom are alive today due to his extraordinary detective skills. Together they will band together in a thrilling police drama with enough action to keep you reading long past your bedtime.

Will Carl be exonerated? Will the real culprit be exposed? Tighten your seatbelt!

Highly recommended!

An intricate mystery with several plot lines and a cast of hundreds. This book takes a lot of brain power to keep track of the many threads and characters running through it. Department Q has always been a fascinating part of the police in Denmark. Carl has been imprisoned. From there, we are taken on a long hike to find out what that is all about. Tied up nicely at the end.

Fans of Department Q will enjoy this installment of Detective Carl Morck. Morck is accused of many things and is a sitting duck in prison. He has been framed and now he doesn't know who he can trust.

Locked In is the thrilling final chapter in Jussi Adler-Olsen's acclaimed Department Q series following the journey of Detective Carl Mørk and his team. Over the previous nine novels Mørk has led the cold case division of Copenhagen's police, solving some of the most harrowing crimes with the help of his quirky yet brilliant staff: Assad, Rose, and Gordon.

In this gripping conclusion, Mørk finds himself ensnared in a web of deceit and danger. Arrested on charges framed by long-buried evidence mysteriously discovered in his attic, Mørk awaits trial while behind bars. As he becomes a target for elimination within the prison, the stakes are higher than ever.

Meanwhile, his loyal team at Department Q races against time to uncover the truth and clear his name. Their quest for justice is bolstered by characters from previous cases who come forward to aid Mørk and protect him from the looming threats.

True to the tenor of the series, “Locked In” offers a breakneck pace and thrilling plot twists. Adler-Olsen masterfully ties up all the loose ends from earlier books, delivering a satisfying and dramatic conclusion to the Department Q saga.