I wish to thank Netgalley and Simon & Schuster.ca for this much-appreciated ARC. It introduced me to a superb writer of this gripping, atmospheric, character-driven police procedural set in Norway. I don't know how I was unfamiliar with this author, but I was pleased he has other books to add to my reading list. There is no explicit violence, and shows a step-by-step procedure for solving a cold case; the storyline is spellbinding. This is a complex, multi-layered story, but easy to follow, and I found it fascinating. Jorn Lier Horst was a senior investigative officer and is now an award-winning crime writer whose stories have an air of authenticity. This book is certainly in the top league of Nordic Noir, with H. Mankell's Wallander and the earliest Girl With the Dragon Tattoo. The translation into English is impeccable. This book was reissued by Simon & Schuster.ca on January 21st, 2025.

I was pleased to learn that the author has other mysteries translated into English, and I can't wait to read more. The primary police officer is Chief Inspector William Wisting. He is a widower and a devoted family man with two adult children and a grandchild. Hew is remarkably well-adjusted, without the vices that plague and distract most fictional detectives. There is no secret dark past, no reliance on alcohol or other drugs, no troubled love life, no gambling problem. He has a positive outlook, with no stress from his bosses, and is well-liked among his colleagues. He is intelligent and dedicated to solving his cases.

One cold case remains unsolved after 24 years, and it has obsessed Wisting for all this time. It was the disappearance of Katharina Haugen. Wisting has brought the archived files home. Each year on the anniversary of her missing, he reviews all the evidence, witness statements, police reports, and photos, hoping to find a clue that has eluded him. Katharina left behind a suitcase packed with clothes. Was she planning to leave on her own? Was she kidnapped, murdered, or still alive? More puzzling was a code she left behind, consisting of scattered numbers and letters no experts could decrypt. Wisting feels that if he could interpret the code, he could close the case. He also visits the widower, Martin Haugen, on each anniversary. Martin was an early suspect, but an alibi proved he was eight hours away when his wife vanished. A neighbour, Vassvik, was believed to be the last to see her and was also an early suspect. Wisting and Marin have built a friendship over the years, but he is frustrated. He is no nearer to solving the case and cannot bring closure to the grieving husband.

An ambitious, manipulative young detective, Stiller, has arrived from Kripos, the Norway national police. A cold case department has recently opened its own cold case department. Stiller is assigned to the case of Nadia Krogh, a young woman who vanished before Katharina disappeared. She was believed to be kidnapped, and a note demanded ransom. The ransom was not collected, and Nadia was never found. A fingerprint belonging to Wisting's friend, the widower Martin, was found on the ransom note, and some other evidence pointed toward Katharina's husband. Has Martin deceived Wisting, or is he innocent? Stiller has now connected the cases of the two missing women.

Stiller manipulates Detective Wisting to use his friendship with Martin to entrap him with undisclosed information. He also sets up Wisting's daughter, Line, to interview anyone connected with Nadia and use her information for a Podcast to keep his reopened cases in the spotlight.

Will any connection be found between the two women in the cold cases? Will their mysterious disappearances finally be solved? Will the Katharina Code be of any help?

Highly recommended for fans of Nordic Noir, readers interested in procedures to solve cold cases or an intriguing, well-written mystery.

👀 W A T C H F U L W E D N E S D A Y review 👀 featuring “The Katharina Code” by Jorn Lier Horst!

BOOK REVIEW: 🖤🖤🖤🖤/5

For twenty four years, Chief Inspector William Wisting revisits one of his unsolved cold cases on the October 9th anniversary date.

Katharina Haugen mysteriously disappeared one night leaving behind a note containing random scribbled strings of numbers. The code was never cracked and Katharina was never found. Each year Wisting goes over his old case notes to see if he can catch anything new and also pays a visit to Katharina’s husband Martin who he could never provide closure to.

But this year is different because Martin is missing … and so is another woman. There was a lot of scrutiny over Martin being responsible for his wife’s disappearance all those years back. His name was cleared … but something has never sat right with Wisting 🤔 …

🚨 This is a new to me nordic noir writer and I really enjoyed this book! Such a solid police procedural written by a former Norwegian Police Detective! Definitely someone to keep an eye out for if you love Nordic noirs like me!

Thank you kindly to @wisting.jornlierhorst @simonschusterca @netgalley for my #gifted digital copy in exchange for my honest review! This book releases on January 21, 2025!