Unrest

I would like to thank Netgalley and Mirror Books for an advance copy of Unrest, the first novel to feature Danish detective, Axel Steen.

Copenhagen is in turmoil with the Nørrebro district in lockdown as the police battle with "autonomists" intent on violent protest. In the midst of this Steen is called out to a murder where a man in a balaclava has been killed in a locked cemetery surrounded by police officers.

I somewhat enjoyed Unrest which is a long, complicated novel with a bit of everything, not least realism. It is easy to see why it won the Danish Crime Academy's début prize in 2012 as it is quite literary in its themes and characterisation but that doesn't make it a hugely satisfying read as, in fact, some of it makes for uncomfortable reading. I don't really know where to start trying to explain it but perhaps with the atmosphere which I can admire but not really enjoy. There is a real sense of hatred and danger which permeates the novel with the autonomists (I translate that as left wing radicals and anarchists) distrusting the police and willing to engage in rioting at the least sign of heavy handedness, which is frequently as heavy handedness seems to be the only way the police conduct their business. There is no touchy-feely sensitivity in this version of the Copenhagen police, it is all hard edges and brutality and this approach is all inclusive, so covers not just social unrest but information gathering and protection of their interests and image. I found it a tough and disquieting read, especially as it has a real ring of authenticity about it. Obviously I need to man up.

Aside from the tough, brutal atmosphere the novel has a good, if convoluted plot. Axel Steen is a dedicated detective, able to see past the obvious, so he works the case doggedly, unhindered by his boss who wants rid of him and the organised crime team who insist on "helping" but are working to their own agenda. The story of their involvement borders on farce when it's finally revealed but, again, smacks of reality, involving as it does cover-up, arrogance and ambition.

There is hardly a single pleasant character in the novel and as there are plenty of them Mr Stein has a field day stripping back human nature to its corrupt venality at worst, indifference at best. Even Axel Steen is a poor specimen with his insomnia, hypochondria, hash smoking and loneliness, just a man trying to get by, making mistakes and trying to live with it. It paints a stark picture of modern mankind.

I feel that Unrest is not really sure about what it wants to be, social commentary or murder investigation so the investigation gets somewhat lost in some of the digressions and the focus is not always on it fully. As it stands it is a very interesting read but as a procedural it could do with a prune and a sharper focus. It will not be to everyone's taste but I have no hesitation in recommending it as a good, if gritty and sometimes uncomfortable read.

Jesper Stein delivers a tense Scandinavian novel that is part mystery/thriller, part social/political commentary. I'm sure there will be mixed reviews in the US for this one, but I personally enjoyed it. The pace was slow and the content sometimes graphic, but overall this was a good read. The complex plot and characters keep you engaged and keep you guessing.

Axel Steen, DCI in the homicide division, is known as a loner and a rule breaker within the department. He often plays by his own rules and has a no nonsense attitude. Axel gets called out to investigate a delicate and bizarre crime scene.

It appears that the deceased is an autonomist that has been brutally tortured by the police amidst a riot. But maybe he was bound and murdered by the autonomists during the rioting. Or, perhaps, his death has nothing at all to do with the riots or those involved in them.

Axel soon discovers that this case runs much deeper than he originally thought. As the investigation picks up steam, Axel realizes that someone is out to frame him and a member of the press in order to obstruct justice.

There is a large pool of suspects, so Axel must be careful and use his resources wisely. His involvement in the investigation is restricted because of certain factors along the way. Add to this the blatant disregard and disdain for the police force by the general public, and Axel must investigate this case with the deck stacked against him.

Jesper Stein masterfully weaves the storylines together in the end, leading up to a thrilling conclusion. As I said, this book might not be for everybody, but I would recommend it to fans of Scandinavian mysteries and thrillers.

I received this as a free ARC from Mirror Books on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Another new writer for me to savour. I had never heard of Jesper Stein until I read an interview with him and I thought I would take a chance on this, his first novel which has just been translated into English.

Thanks to Net Galley I have now discovered an exceptional writer who has introduced Axel Stein, yet another troubled character who overcomes his flaws and weaknesses and is a talented detective who gets things done his way.

The book is long and detailed and there are several subplots but the quality of the looting and writing ensures that you stay with the book which develops into a fascinating and memorable read.

Highly recommended. I look forward to the rest of the series becoming available in English.

This is the first in Jesper Stein's DCI Axel Steen series set in Copenhagen, Denmark. Axel is a disturbed, divorced man with a 5 year old daughter, Emma. He still has strong feelings for his ex-wife, Cecilie, has real problems sleeping, is fearful of death, smokes hash and has vibrant erotic dreams. It is 2007, he is the only cop who lives in the troubled mixed district of Norrebro, where the police have gone in heavy handed to close down the Youth House. Not unexpectedly, the area has not taken this provocation lying down as the place goes up in flames with riots, molotov cocktails are flying at the police, whilst the police are coming down hard and brutally on protesters. Axel has watched his home turf burn the night before when he is woken by a phone call in the early hours. A murdered man, dressed as a autonomist with a balaclava over his head, has been posed sitting against a wall at the Assistens Cemetery.

What is a completely frightening scenario is that the man has been killed in an area closed off to all but the police, raising the dynamite and horrendous possibility that the killer is a police officer. This is going to be a nightmare for the police, this will inflame local tensions even more. It is a political priority that the perpetrator is identified as soon as possible. Axel is not looked upon favourably by the police chief Corneliusson, Axel is a maverick, he will do what he thinks need to be done, he is hard to manage, but he gets results. In an incendiary climate with the media scrambling for any exclusive with their intense focus, the investigation looks at why the cops failed in their duty, given there were patrols and guards. Video footage that could help the case is taken by a young man, Piver, looking to build up his revolutionary credentials. The drugs gangs, like the BGP, led by Moussa, have to be looked at, with drugs and more being supplied from the Balkans. The murder victim's history is pored over, how did he come to be at the cemetery and why was he murdered? Axel finds himself in choppy waters, struggling to remain on the police team as slurs are cast on his reputation but he is a man determined to get to the truth, even if it shows the police in a poor light.

Jesper Stein writes a fantastic crime thriller set amidst the turbulence of riots, and gives us a mesmerising protagonist in Axel, who lives in Norrebro, knows it and the local community well. He is not going to fall for the prejudices and stereotypes that so many cops have of it's poor, colourful and political residents with their high number of migrants, especially the autonomists. The story is complex, with a wide range of characters, and a number of sub plots, and I was never less than enthralled with the narrative, finding it gripping and entertaining. I liked how there was a pertinent social and politically commentary so well and beautifully integrated in the book. Stein shows a real gift in characterisation and in his ability to adeptly handle and portray a crime investigation amidst the disturbing background of riots. A brilliant read that I recommend highly. Many thanks to Mirror Books for an ARC.

Thank you NetGalley and Mirror Books for letting me read Unrest by Jesper Stein for an honest review. All opinions are my own!

My first time reading that author.

A body is found and many want in on the case... but why? Could someone from the police be responsible? Do they want to solve the case or do anything possible to mess with it? Things aren't always what they seem...
Detective Axel Steen, homicide division, is the man for the job, he's dedicated, he wants to find out the truth.

This is a detective story and also a thriller, well written, good story, a bit complex at times.

Review shared online on NetGalley, Goodreads, Twitter, Amazon when published.

I adore Danish TV dramas and so this was a must for me to read. It is a gritty thriller which presents a Copenhagen very different from that presented in Borgen. This is a city full of danger and unrest and makes you wonder why Danes are allegedly the happiest people in the world (several surveys give them a high level of satisfaction with their lives). This novel is the first in a series which features Axel Steen, an unconventional police officer always at odds with his bosses. He lives alone in Norrobro, a district which is at the centre of all the unrest with autonomists (anarchists) rioting all around him. A body is found in a nearby cemetery and Axel has to find the murderer. Not easy when it looks as though the police might be the perpetrators. The character of Axel is built up very well. He has multiple personal problems like an ex-wife who is intent on keeping him from his daughter and a boss who really is out to get him. When I read things like this I can see why JKRowling gave her detective an artificial leg as his problem! Another policeman with a difficult personal life - give me one who hasn't! However the scenes between Axel and his superiors are nicely done and you do get a feeling of empathy for him.. In many ways this is much more realistic than lots of the crime I read. It is refreshing that the victims are not women or children and this makes it quite different.

Author Jesper Stein is the third best-selling author in Denmark, with film rights already sold for his first three books and his work translated in more than ten countries. However, this is the first time his work has appeared in English and Mirror Books are planning to publish the first five in the series. I am pleased that, with translation, we get the first book in a series appearing in print (so many publishers seeming to go with the most successful novel, even if it is third, or fifth, in a series and, therefore, making those of us who like to read a series in order slightly crazy!).

The main character is homicide detective Axel Steen – aged thirty eight, in love with his ex-wife, having issues with access to his five year old daughter, depressed, lonely and fearful of death. As such, a rather typical Scandinavian detective, as we readers have come to know them; with a whole host of problems and issues. To make things worse, Axel is distrusted by his superiors and is known to be a difficult and uncompromising investigator. He gets results and that enables him to stay in a job, but you sense it would not take much for Detective Chief Inspector Darling to get rid of him.

Steen lives in a rather bad area of Copenhagen and, on the night we are introduced to him, there are full scale riots going on outside, due to the police clearance of the nearby Youth House. With over two hundred people arrested and violence and vandalism in full swing, he is called to the discovery of a hooded corpse, who is found in the cemetery. Going to investigate, it seems almost unbelievable that the murder has occurred with so many police on the streets and Axel’s interest is directed to a camera that he spots on a nearby railing, which then vanishes.

This is a gritty, dark and violent start to a series. It involves organised crime, Axel having to cope with unwelcome collaboration into the investigation and also having to juggle his fortnightly visit with his daughter, along with the case. Those readers who like Nordic Noir may well find a new series here, with a flawed hero and a novel which does not let up on the action. I received a copy of this book from the publisher, via NetGalley, for review.

Generally, I'm not a huge fan of novels that take place in foreign countries with which I'm unfamiliar (sometimes don't understand the slang or police procedures, and don't connect with the locales), but for some reason that's never an issue with stories in and about Denmark. This was an engaging and suspenseful tale with a flawed protagonist -- the best kind! -- and I read in very nearly one sitting. Highly recommended.

I am a huge fan of Scandinavian Noir so this was a book I knew I wanted to read immediately. Jesper Stein is a multi-award winning crime writer. "Unrest" won the Danish Crime Academy’s Debut Novel Award in 2012 and the fourth book in this series entitled "Aisha" won the Danish Booksellers' Golden Laurels. He is also the third bestselling author in Denmark. Stein has written a number of books featuring Detective Chief Inspector Axel Steen and the rights to three of them have been purchased by SF Studios (producers of "The Bridge") with the intention of making three films based on Axel's exploits. His crime novels have been sold to more than ten countries, including France, Germany, Holland and Norway. It's safe to say he is a big talent. Why didn't I know about him sooner?

The corpse of unidentified man is found bound and hooded propped up against a gravestone at the central cemetery. Axel Steen is assigned to the case and it initially looks as though the culprit could be a member of the police force when camera footage is found. There also appears to be a link to the demolition of the nearby Youth House, a notorious spot where left-wing militants meet. However, Axel soon discovers that many people, both inside and outside of the police force, seem to be hindering the investigation in what looks like an attempt at stopping the case being solved. The clues then take him to unexpected places such as the Copenhagen underworld where drugs and gangs are rife. Axel will not stop until the killer is caught, no matter the consequences. And the consequences for Axel himself may turn out to be greater than expected.

I admired Axel's tenacity but he has some real personal issues to contend with. He is divorced from his wife who is hellbent on keeping him from being able to see his daughter. Axel's character is well-developed and despite him always being at odds with his bosses, I enjoyed reading about him. The story is well written, easy to get into and fast paced. I read it within a day as I couldn't put it down, it was so good. I cannot wait to read more from Stein as I loved his writing style and the creation of a flawed character in Steen. There is a lot of circumstances and situations throughout the story where you feel sympathy for Steen. I didn't mind that the author used that old trope of a Detective with personal issues which is really overused in crime fiction. It worked here and as I liked Axel this was neither here nor there for me.

All in all, a fantastic, dark and gritty read that I had fun with. I cannot wait to pick up some of Stein's other books, I know I am late to the party but better late than never, as they say! Mirror Books have secured the first five books in this series and this is the first time Stein's crime fiction has been translated into English. I look forward to the reading the whole of the series.

Publication Date - 19th July 2018

Many thanks to Mirror Books for an ARC. I was not required to post a review and all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

In the best possible way, Unrest is very much a what you see is what you get type of thriller, as it ticks every single box required of a Scandinavian crime novel, and is extremely reflective of the genre as a whole. Indeed, as I was reading, I felt echoes of Nesbo, Larsson, Staalesen and Nesser throughout the book particularly in terms of plot and characterisation, and the density and slow burning feel of the plot again fulfils perfectly the familiar characteristics of the genre, so plenty to enjoy here for the Nordic noir fan…

The reader is thrust straight into the familiar realm of police conspiracy, so beloved of the Scandinavian set, suffused with the gritty, unflinching gaze on the political and social ills of Danish society. With a riot in full flow, the discovery of a body would seem an ordinary occurrence, but Stein perfectly hinges his whole narrative on why and how this victim is of such significance on a much larger canvas, and the wider ramifications of this killing. Stein presents a broad spectrum of issues including immigration, police corruption, the drug trade, trafficking and so on, and generally this is one of the more slow burning Scandinavian thrillers I have encountered, as reasons for, and suspects of the killing are slowly addressed, investigated and discounted as the plot develops. It did take me a while to slow down to the pace of the plot, and begin to appreciate the more laborious style of investigation that the main police protagonist, Axel Steen, finds himself embroiled in, in contrast to say the more compact style of other Nordic writers. I think Unrest is extremely reminiscent of some of the fine Nordic TV dramas that we love, with chicanery, social and political division and big meaty issues at its core. Consequently, the political and social elements of the plot and the tensions between the investigative branches , engaged me more, and I very much enjoyed Stein’s warts-and-all portrayal of Copenhagen. I thought he depicted beautifully the chasm between the areas of the city, both monetarily and structurally, and I loved the way his writing had shades of the old fashioned flaneur, with the very visual and observant tone of his descriptions, as Steen traverses the different neighbourhoods.

I’m sure regular readers of my reviews know of my general aversion to too much being made of the familial and romantic upsets of the main police protagonists, and to an extent this book did irritate me slightly in terms of this. Personally I grew a little tired of Steen’s domestic woes and his sexual involvement with a key witness, and the less said about his reves humides the better, but on a more positive note I found his professional persona contained some of my favourite characteristics of an officer operating to his own agenda and with his own methods. Stein imbues his detective with the cynical and slightly hangdog air so beloved in the genre, but this pall of negativity usefully detracts other people’s perceptions of Steen, thus revealing a keen mind and nose for a conspiracy. He’s also not afraid to get his hands dirty or to take a knock or two along the way, skating the boundaries of professional behaviour, but delighting us with his aversion to following the rules.

Overall, I enjoyed this new-to-me author, and judging by the praise the author receives across Europe, I think there may be more enjoyment to come in the company of Detective Superintendent Axel Steen. A solid Scandinavian thriller, and recommended for fans of the genre…