I hadn't realised that there were other Wisting books, so this was my first. Fortunately, it can be read as a standalone, which left me free to enjoy a tense, well paced story that kept me gripped from start to finish. It's no surprise that it got picked up for TV.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC without obligation.

This is the third Wisting novel I've read (although it's been quite a break for me between them), and I was as invested in this one as with the others. The story starts with a bang, as a serious and serial offender manages to break away from police while on an expedition out into the woods to identify the burial site of one of their murder victims, and the suspense doesn't really let up from there. There are complications with bureaucracy, with trying to work out how it was done, and who with - and then people go missing and other bodies start to turn up. I was turning the pages frequently with this, trying to discover more clues and hoping for people to stay safe. The ending did not disappoint, and this was a satisfying crime novel with a continuous lacing of suspense. (Heads up for some graphic descriptions of violence, both sexual and otherwise.)

Jørn Lier Horst can write, he can write thrillers. In the tradition of Scand-thrillers he sets a pace and strats this book with full action.

It perfeclty reads as a standalone, which is good news for those entering at book 14 😉

William Wisting's series is one of my favorites. The Inner Darkness is book 14, in which Chief Inspector William Wisting searches for the last victim of serial killer Tom Kerr. Unfortunately, Kerr escapes during his trip to the forest, and it seems that he had some help with the escape. Now Wisting must find the killer before he strikes again, as well as find the aide who helped him.

While not my favorite in the series, The Inner Darkness is still an engaging and interesting crime novel. The ending was a letdown for me since I figured it out easily. Despite that, it is a very worthwhile book that I strongly recommend to anyone who enjoys crime fiction.

This is my third of the Wisting books and they are usually an excellent well-plotted, tightly written read. This one was my least favourite so far and that's because of the crimes committed by the perpetrator. They are grim and a bit hackneyed in their description. The Cabin and Dregs were better reads.

I really enjoyed this! It was highly entertaining and a very fun book to read. I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys a good thriller or mystery.

Another great tale which I thoroughly enjoyed. I don't want to give too much away with my review, but rest assured this police procedural crime novel will keep you guessing and is well worth a five star rating.

Yet another book from the series that doesn't disappoint. Difficult to review without spoiling -I read this in one sitting, you won't regret it!

Once I got used to the Scandinavian names I thoroughly enjoyed this police procedure crime novel. It was well written and exciting with enough twists and turns to keep me guessing and entertained. Highly recommended

Not nice subject matter, but keeps the attention.
I found this book to be quite cleverly written without the true culprit being too obvious. The translation was quite good, only a few minor niggles.
I enjoyed the character of Wisting, but must admit that I found his daughter Line to be a bit strange - what mother would try to escape from the house of a predator whilst leaving her young daughter inside? This spoilt it a little for me. I think I would have preferred more Wisting and less Line.
Had I been watching this as a film, there would have been a few moments when I would have shouted at the screen - Don't do that! - but I guess that if all the characters had acted sensibly, there wouldn't have been the tension and excitement.

These Wisting series of books just keep getting better and better. A true slow burner of a book where the pace and action increase to a page turning finale.
A must read for any fan of Nordic crime fiction.

This is the 3rd Book in The Cold Case Quartet featuring William Wisting and his daughter Line. Tom Kerr, serial killer is in prison, but strikes a deal, saying he can tell them where one of his victims is buried but he must show them in person. He had been working with an accomplice who the police called The Other One, and it hoped that he might also provide details of where he is.

The police are wary and are fully prepared for an escape attempt or thought they were! He cleverly manages to escape but at the same time seriously wounds several police officers.

So the race is on to find him, hoping he will contact The Other One and they will get them both - but he seems to be 1 step ahead of them; how/why?

A great book, was unable to put this down. I think the characters are great and have enjoyed the TV adaptation, please do some more. Thoroughly recommend this but read in order!

This is the first Wisting novel I have read and I was incredibly impressed with it. The bleak landscape and circumstances of the case place it firmly in the Scandi Noir genre that I know and love, however the tight plotting and intense atmosphere makes the novel stand out from the pack. Wisting and his daughter working alongside each other creates a curious dynamic that you initially would think would go one way, but in fact it goes in quite the opposite direction. The hauntingly calm and sinister villain worked incredibly well, this book will definitely give you chills.

Another twisting tale for Wisting to make sense of and he doesn't disappoint. i read the previous book in this series and thoroughly enjoyed it, so was very pleased to have the chance to catch up with this detective. The story is quite intriguing and I didn't guess how the ending would unfold until almost there. The backdrop of snowy Norway makes this even more gripping as it adds to the bleakness. I will definitely look out for the next volume.

The Inner Darkness is an incredibly tense and compelling tale from Jørn Lier Horst and is part of The Cold Case Quartet series, featuring Norwegian Chief Inspector William Wisting, based at Larvik police station. Riveting and exciting, I loved the minimalist character portrayal of the smart, logical and determined Wisting. Told from the perspectives of Wisting and his daughter, Line, Jørn Lier Horst's matter-of-fact, unfrilly and intriguing writing was notably good and even though this was my first read of the series, I found it to be an absorbing, followable story. Slow-burn in its pacing, the remote, chilly backdrop of scenic Norway created added tension which was tangible throughout. I'm really looking forward to reading the books I've missed in the series.

I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request from Penguin UK - Michael Joseph via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.

I love Jorn’s writing. It is tense, fast-paced and compelling.
In this book, he creates a sense of real menace and writes a brilliant police procedural. His characters are excellent, especially Tom Kerr, as the convicted serial killer and escapee!
Wisting is a hugely believable lead detective, and though doubted, once again, proves his worth. I also love the beautifully crafted backgrounds and settings.
Horst is up there with Henning Mankell among Scandinavian writers of this genre.

A convicted serial killer has agreed to lead police to the grave of a victim but the operation is set-up and he escapes. As well as looking for Tom Kerr the police are also searching for his unknown accomplice, never caught and always one step ahead of them. Wisting is being hung out to dry as the scapegoat for the escape and his daughter Line is documenting it all on camera but can they catch the killer before he strikes again.
Again this is a strong novel from Horst featuring his cold case team. This is a particularly twisty one with enough red herrings to satisfy most readers and a denouement which comes from left-field but which ultimately satisfies.

The Wisting series of Scandi crime stories have become as comfortable as a snuggly sofa next to a roaring fire on a chilly winter afternoon. Although the cover blurb does its best to sell this carefully constructed mystery as a ‘pulse-pounding thriller’ it has far more in common with Wallander or Varg Veum than Harry Hole or Department Q. In British terms, think Midsomer Murders. Not The Sweeney…
If you’ve read Jørn Lier Horst’s earlier mysteries or seen episodes of the Wisting TV series then you’ll know exactly what to expect. Thoughtful crime fiction which revolves around the relationship between Norwegian police detective Wisting and his adult daughter, Line. He’s experienced, measured and deliberate, a by-the-book investigator and a far cry from crime fiction’s typical tortured souls with their addictions and outlandish habits. She’s the fiery female journalist, forever chafing against her father’s authority while trying to win his approval for her own investigative instincts. Invariably, she puts herself in harm’s way – and her potential jeopardy is what propels the story forwards…
And it’s an entirely intriguing story, in fact, one which could’ve stood entirely on its own. A convicted felon, a multiple murderer, finally offers to reveal the grave site of one of his undiscovered victims. Wisting has his doubts, and is presented with the poisoned chalice of being the officer in charge of the escapade – which rapidly turns into an escape. A cold-blooded killer is unleashed, and it seems that his original accomplice is waiting in the wings. A massive manhunt follows to track the two murderers before they can flee across international borders – or commit another gruesome crime.
Locating these killers requires more than barking dogs and searching the woods while wearing dayglo jackets, however. Wisting and Line, in parallel and separate investigations, examine the old, cold cases, searching for the identity of the unknown accomplice. This is a carefully constructed and satisfying mystery, replete with red herrings (possibly pickled, as this is Scandinavia after all), dead ends and misleading evidence.
Despite the book’s title, which suggests melancholic soul-searching at midnight, The Inner Darkness steers clear of deep philosophical waters. It’s a precisely plotted police procedural; cleanly translated and easy to read. Although I’m a little weary of the father / daughter plot device, the narrative is deftly delivered and there’s little about Wisting to dislike. I’m hardly desperate for the next one, but this series provides solidly enjoyable entertainment.
8/10

What a good find this author has proved to be. I will look out for his writing from now on. Nordic Noir always has an element of “ I’m never going to get used to these names” about it and this was no exception but as usual they fall into place and become not so noticeable. Although I had just got used to Line as a name when Lone as another was thrown in for good measure.
The story whilst for a lot of time is a good example of police procedural does eventually elevate itself to a tense thriller. The timing is excellent particularly in the second half of the book but one thing that threw me was the role of. Wisting’s daughter as some sort of situation photographer. I’m not sure that role would have been possible in a British or American book but I will go along with it being possible in Scandinavia. I would have preferred her to have been a police officer but that’s just me wanting to run the show! For that reason and that only I would have given four and a half stars but I won’t downgrade to four so five it is.
I would like to thank Netgalley and Penguin UK - Michael Joseph for an advanced digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest and unbiased review

At the centre of this dark crime novel we have a sadistic killer, Tom Kerr, who is in prison for the abduction, torture and murder of two women. An overused theme although slightly altered here by the novel beginning with Kerr imprisoned for his crimes. Kerr has confessed to a third victim and is taken out of prison to lead the police to the location of the body. The police were aware that Kerr had an accomplice known as ‘The Other One’ and were hoping to use Kerr’s visit to the burial site to bring his accomplice out into the open. However, it all goes wrong and Kerr escapes. Wisting was in charge and therefore held to account for the escape and his daughter Line was also mixed up in the action as she was filming Kerr..
What follows is a carefully plotted, police procedure novel with a number of twists. It is a complicated plot; however, there were times I found myself wondering why the police weren’t taking a more sensible course of action.

A good scandi crime novel but there are graphic descriptions of violence and there is a similarity to other novels in this series with Wisting’s daughter Line gets involved in the action.