I like the William Wisting books. They are solid police procedurals in which the evidence is sifted and examined and proportionate weight given to each piece. Wisting is Chief Inspector in Larvik’s CID and his daughter Line, who lives just down the road with her young daughter Amelie, is now a freelance journalist. Wisting commissions her to work on his latest cold case which is very hush hush and involves the discovery of a very large sum of money at the cabin of a deceased senior politician, Bernard Clausen.
The money is around 15 years old. And 15 years ago a man disappeared and was presumed drowned. These two things seem unrelated, except that the missing man was a friend of Clausen’s son, Lennart, who died in a motorcycle accident around the same time. Wisting is tasked with discreetly finding out where this money came from without it becoming a political scandal. While Line investigates the personal and professional lives of Clausen, Wisting and his colleagues trace the origins of the money.
Wisting himself is that strangest of all fictional police detectives and it’s no accident that Lier Horst’s own police experience has played into the creation of this detective. He has no obvious character defects. He neither drinks nor smokes too much. He loves his daughter and volunteers to look after his granddaughter. He is meticulous, softly spoken and not given to melancholia. In short, he is thorough and very competent and his cases are solved by good, old fashioned police work. I’ve said it before, but he is exactly the kind of detective I’d want investigating any case that I had to report.
The story is interesting and the inter-connectedness of the stories plays out at a decent pace. The narrative works well and there’s no hint of this being a translated work, which is how you’d expect it to be in a collaboration that has worked well between author and translator for a number of books.
The dialogue is convincing and the tension comes from an element of danger and violence that threatens Wisting’s family as their investigation gets closer to the truth.
The joy of this book is in the slow burning, understated process and the nicely crafted plotting rather than a hugely surprising or climactic denouement, but it is a satisfying conclusion to a layered and fascinating mystery nicely topped off with a dash of political intrigue.

Nordic Noir lights up a cold case

Jørn Lier Horst was not a Scandinavian author I had come across and I was delighted to discover him through the ‘Cape Town Open Book Festival’ this year. During discussions he came across as clear thinking, purposeful man whose experience as head of investigations in the Norwegian police force has translated successfully into compelling crime novels. A full-time writer with a number of awards under his belt he has given life to a new and memorable character, Chief Inspector William Wisting, one who, I think, will remain up there with the likes of Wallander.

In ‘The Cabin’, the second in the ‘cold case quartet’, a controversial dead politician is the pivot of the plot. Bernhard Clausen dies of natural causes (yes, really) but it is a surprising discovery at his cabin on the Norwegian coast that sets the police on to a new trajectory. CI Wisting is called in on the understanding that he treats this as a confidential investigation. Choosing his team carefully he includes his daughter, freelance journalist Line, and colleague Espen Mortensen, crime scene technician amongst others, some not so welcome but necessary to uncovering the full story. As Wisting unpacks the situation it becomes apparent that the death, the discovery, politics and a 15 year -old cold case are linked inextricably.

Horst’s writing is methodical and his translator has done a superb job in providing English readers with a pacey read that allows one to keep track. Piece by piece – like a jigsaw puzzle, the clues start to add up but not predictably and the plotting cleverly leads you down a number of paths – all of which merge neatly at the end.

I liked the fact that there was little of the sometimes unrealistic violence that seems to haunt many of the Nordic Noir novels. I really warmed to widower Wisting and his daughter’s relationship which was very plausible. Her inclusion is purely practical as she is able to go where the police cannot. As she works through her connections and her own theories, she is put in danger - making for some spine-tingling moments.

Horst keeps the pace right up to the end and shows that a well-planned investigation while going awry at times, is about looking beyond the obvious while uncovering the intricacies and vices of personal and public lives.

The Cabin is a superb page-turner with a no-nonsense approach that certainly shows a police investigation at its very best.

Beryl Eichenberger

Breakaway reviewer received a copy of this book for review

Fifteen years ago Simon Meier went fishing and was never seen again. He was presumed drowned.

Chief Inspector William Wisting is asked to investigate a number of unusual items found in politician Bernard Clausen's cabin on the Norwegian coast after his recent death.

He must covertly work with a small team and his journalist daughter, Line, to piece together what happened all those years ago and find the link to Meier's disappearance.

Another great story from this writer, I whisked through it in a week. Would thoroughly recommend to anyone who enjoys Nordic Noir novels or fancies a change to the usual British detective.

I received this book from Netgalley in return for a honest review.

I am in a small minority, it seems, because I really couldn’t get on with The Cabin and eventually gave up before I finished it, which is a very rare thing for me.

The Cabin is a Norwegian police procedural and the first of the series that I have read (and the last, I suspect). A prominent politician dies and Wisting is sent to investigate what is left in the man’s holiday cabin, which leads to a dark, twisty story relating to some older cases. The trouble is that the storytelling just seemed plodding and tedious to me, with lots of detail which could have been interesting but read like a boring litany, some clumsily signalled Significant Events which the police don’t immediately spot even though it’s made pretty obvious to the reader, and so on – and the prose is lamentable in places. I don’t know how much of this is due to the author and how much to the translator, but the effect is pretty ghastly. In just the first few pages I picked out some terribly clunky writing like “’Let’s sit down,’ he said, gesturing with his hand,” some horribly stale usages like “This promised to be an investigation on a totally different level from what he was used to,” and some positively unforgivable, crashing clichés like “Amalie usually chattered nineteen to the dozen.”

It got no better and I’m afraid it became too much for me after a while. I’m very surprised to have such an unfavourable response to an author who was admired by Marcel Berlins and I am sorry to be so critical, but the truth is that I found The Cabin so poorly written that I couldn’t get through it.

(My thanks to Penguin for an ARC via NetGalley.)

would like to thank netgalley and the publisher for letting me read this book

a young man disappears without a trace presumed drowned in the lake

an airport heist where millions of pounds in several denominations are stolen, this is never found

then one day a prominent politician dies and questions are raised about his son who had tragically died in a motor bike accident

wistering is sent to investigate and boy does this open up a can of worms

it was lovely to enter the world of wistering and his family with line and her daughter and find where their lives were and to see how their lives entwine when they both come together to investigate the case that has them enthralled...but what dangers lurk and from an enemy thats closer than they think....

Brilliant scandinavian crime fiction. I find the author has an ability to provide minute detail without making anything pedantic or boring. I loved the Katherina Code and looked forward to reading this, the second book in the series - both are stand alone -. The author brings a level of descriptiveness that draws the reader into the country and this is interesting itself as well as providing an excellent murder mystery. I am looking forward to more from the same author.

I loved the Katharina Code by Jorn Lier Horst, which was the first outing for Chief Inspector William Wisting, so was really relishing the second in this series. It certainly sucked me in quickly and, like the first book, sees Wisting’s journalist daughter Line drawn into the case. When an eminent retired politician Bernhard Clausen dies, Wisting is tasked with conducting a covert investigation not into his death but what was found in his beach home - the Cabin. Coincidentally a maverick policeman Adrian Stiller from the cold case team is re-investigating the disappearance of Stephen Meier who lived in the same neighbourhood as the Clausens. The plot is further complicated by an airport robbery which occurred at around the time of Meier’s disappearance. The author has a forensic eye for detail which makes this series so worth reading and his characterisation is really engaging. I actually loved The Cabin more than its predecessor and am forward to the third! Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin UK for the ARC.

Readers familiar with the investigations of Norwegian detectives Wisting and Mortensen will surely enjoy this latest outing. The author again manages to weave a credible story around a cold case linked to the death of a politician that will entertain whilst providing just enough mild peril for members of Wisting’s family to add to the tension without plunging into the darker depths of the more extreme Scandi Noir offerings.

A combination of a well paced narrative, an idiosyncratic lead character and an excellent translation provide an entertaining read that will encourage the reader to read quickly to see how the different strands resolve themselves. This will appeal to readers familiar with Horst’s previous work as well as those who come across this team for the first time. Highly recommended.

Thanks to netgalley for an early copy in return for an honest review
First time reading this Author and thoroughly enjoyed the story well thought out and rather intriguing can highly recommend

A thoroughly engaging tale, right from the start. This is a well written and interesting story. It doesn't have any great reveals or plot twists but still keeps the reader keen enough to get to the conclusion. The main character seems to be quite likeable, although I found his daughter and granddaughter to be a little annoying. Not my usual Scandi- noir, but still worth anyone's time.

This is the second of the 'Chief Inspector Wisting' books that I've read, and I enjoyed this one as much as the previous one.

Bernhard Clausen, a former Member of Parliament for the Labour Party has died, and Wisting has been given a secret case to investigate, forming his own team around him. Wisting's daughter (Line) is again involved, this time on Wisting's terms.

But, there is danger lurking, where from is not obvious. Another case overlaps Wisting's and the investigation starts to get very involved.

Line follows up on a previous journalists investigations and obliquely involves the woman in the case. This helps Line move her work for her father forward much more quickly. Meanwhile a Kripos cold case investigator wants to learn what Line knows about it too!

Jorn Lier Horst still tells an exciting story that keeps you along for the trip to the end.
Definitely a book that I would recommend to someone that I know, they are a keen Wallender 'follower'. I'm sure that they would like it.

Another outing for Inspector Wisting and his daughter Line, she is an investigative journalist who he tends to co-opt into his investigations. Set in rural Norway North-west of Oslo a senior government minister is found dead at his summer cabin. In the cabin is found a huge amount of cash and Wisting is ordered to conduct a confidential investigation into where is came from and whether the minister is guilty of a crime. The story moves at a good pace with plenty of action. A good read.

Politician Bernard Clausen has died of natural causes but when police go to his cabin they find boxes and boxes of euro's, dollars and pounds. These boxes look as though they have lain untouched for years.
Where have they come from?
Chief Inspector William Wisting is on the case but it soon becomes apparent it is connected to the disappearance of Simon Meier , a fisherman who vanished 15 years ago.
Can he solve it and at what cost to him and his family?

Some hidden money is found after a politician dies. Chief Inspector Wisting has been called in to investigate the death and finds links to a cold case from 2003 when Simon Meier went missing. The money found in the cabin is believed to be linked to a local robbery which had also taken place several years ago. Wisting's daughter, Line is helping out with the investigation. Are the cases connected?

This is the first book that I have read by the author.i also did not k ow that it was part off a series. The story has a slow but steady pace until we get to the final chapters where it starts to speed up. The interpretation is first class. As the layers unfold, the more interesting this book becomes. The characters are well rounded and believable. The plotline is perfect. There is also someone else after the money and they're not adverse to using violence to find it. I really liked this book.

I would like to thank NetGalley, Penguin UK - Michael Joseph and the author Jørn Lier Horst for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is the second book I've read by this author and I really enjoyed it. Interesting characters and an intriguing plot. A good few twists and turns and a satisfactory ending. I look forward to the next book in the series.

This book was excellent!
Chief Inspector Wisting is a grat character to follow and this time his daughter came into the picture as a helper too, so solve 2 cases. One was a robbery in a cabin, which gives the title of the book. The other was about the disappearance of a man around same time, long time ago.
There are many twists and turns in the book. The pacing was perfect and I loved every second of it.

Thanks a lot to the publisher and Netgalley for this copy in exchange for an honest review.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Chief Inspector Wisting allows his daughter to assist as he works to solve two cold cases -- one a robbery, after Kr 80 million in banknotes is found in the cabin (of the title) and the other is the disappearance of a man about the same time (15 years ago). Several twists and turns as the Inspector with his team methodically follow the evidence.

This was my first discovery of Chief Inspector Wisting and I requested it without realising this was not the first book with this character. However this didn’t spoil my enjoyment of The Cabin and in fact will encourage me to seek out the previous titles.

I was originally drawn to the curious hook of the mysterious haul of money and relished how it was cleverly woven through a missing person’s cold case and the death of a politician. It was difficult to put the book down as I wanted to get to the bottom of the mystery.

The cover design is also very eye-catching.

My second novel by Jorn Lier Horst, the first being The Katharina Code. Chief Inspector Wisting is called upon to investigate the death of a politician and the case is linked to a cold case from 2003 when a young lad went missing never to be found. In the politician's home, a load of money is found believed to be the proceeds of a local robbery which also took place many years ago. Wisting's daughter Line, helps him with his investigation. Full of twists and turns and lots of police procedures, I thoroughly enjoyed this Nordic crime and Jorn Lier Horst is becoming a favourite of mine.

Author Jorn Lier Horst was a real life policeman, eventually becoming head investigator in Larvik, Norway, where he has set his series featuring William Wisting, who is himself Chief Inspector in Larvik CID. So there is an air of authenticity that runs right through the gripping narrative, in this, the second in the Cold Case Quartet.

Simon Meier disappeared 15 years ago, but apart from the occasional unconfirmed sighting of him, the trail has gone cold.

Politician Bernard Clausen was found dead just yesterday at his summer cabin. Though there are no suspicious circumstances regarding his death, it’s the large stash of cash (80 million kroner to be precise!) that was discovered at the scene that has investigators scratching their heads. Now, how these two individuals were connected, despite the passing of the years will have to be ascertained by Wisting, and it won’t be easy. Where did the huge amount of money ( all of it in old bank notes from the period that Simon disappeared) come from, and what happened to Simon?

Due to the sensitivity of this case, involving as it does a respected politician, Wisting has to keep this investigation very much under the radar, and he enlists a small team of trusted colleagues, as well as his investigative journalist daughter Line.

This was an extremely complex investigation with many characters and many suspects, it was brilliant on the small detail yet still creating and retaining tension, and whilst many books are judiciously edited in these times of reduced attention spans, this one wasn’t, and yet there was not one superfluous turn of phrase. The characters were well fleshed, the investigation was intelligently carried out and completed, and furthermore it was completely gripping, coming as it did with some heart stopping moments, particularly for Line. And finally to our protagonist Wisting, here we have a law enforcement officer who doesn’t believe police work gives him the right to be judgemental - I think that’s a wonderful trait, and I think he’s wonderful too! Highly recommended.