Black Seconds (US)

Ida Joner gets on her brand-new bike and sets off toward town. A good-natured, happy girl, she is looking forward to her tenth birthday. Thirty-five minutes after Ida should have come home, her mother starts to worry. She phones store owners, Idas friends, anyone who could have seen her. But no one has. Suspicion immediately falls on Emil Mork, a local character who lives alone and hasnt spoken since childhood. His mother insists on cleaning his house weeklyalthough shes sometimes afraid of what she might find there. A mothers worst nightmare in either case: to lose a child or to think a child capable of murder. As Idas relatives reach the breaking point and the media frenzy surrounding the case begins, Inspector Konrad Sejer is his usual calm and reassuring self. But hes puzzled. And disturbed. This is the strangest case hes seen in years. From Publishers Weekly Gumshoe Awardwinner Fossum ( When the Devil Holds the Candle ) once again wraps a blanket of methodical police work and infectious psychological tension around a relatively quiet crime in her fifth Inspector Sejer mystery to be made available in the U.S. When nine-year-old Ida Joner takes off for town (never named) on her new bike one afternoon and is never seen again, suspicion falls on Emil Johannes Mork, a silent, simple man. Emil, however, doesn't appear to have the heart of a killer. The narrative shifts smoothly among those affected by the tragedy: Emil's beleaguered mother, a good woman with little life of her own; a male cousin of the missing girl who may suffer some secret guilt; and, of course, Insp. Konrad Sejer and his younger colleague, Jacob Skarre. Sejer is a beautifully created character, a thoughtful, lonely man with great empathy. As he investigates Ida's disappearance, it's not so much the facts of the case as the impact of it on the people who surrounded the girl that fuel the story. (July) Copyright Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. From Booklist Starred Review Inspector Sejer and his innocent-looking assistant, Jacob Skarre, are back (The Indian Bride, 2007) in another dark, intense, and impossible-to-put-down investigation. Nine-year-old Ida has gone missing, and Sejer and Skarre head up the hunt, even as everyone, including Sejer and his own mother, suspects a local man, Emil,who never speaks. Details of Sejers investigation are interspersed with scenes from the lives of Emil and of Idas grieving family. Fossum follows her successful formula, providing the reader with insight into the victims family as well as the suspected and actual criminals, making the story as much about understanding the various characters as about the investigation. Yet this time, the story lacks some of the punch of her previous novels; the identity of the real killer is so clear early on thathaving Sejer overlook it comes across as an uncharacteristic mistake. At the same time, Sejers interrogation of the mute Emil is one of the most superb scenes in crime fiction. Even at less than her best, Fossums work is still outstanding. Essential reading for fans of Scandinavian crime fiction. --Jessica Moyer A missing child mystery drives this “dark, intense... impossible-to-put-down investigation.... Essential reading for fans of Scandinavian crime fiction” (Booklist, starred review).Ida Joner gets on her brand-new bike and sets off toward town. A good-natured, happy girl, she is looking forward to her tenth birthday. Thirty-five minutes after Ida should have come home, her mother starts to worry. She phones store owners, Ida's friends—anyone who could have seen her. But no one has.Suspicion immediately falls on Emil Mork, a local character who lives alone and hasn't spoken since childhood. His mother insists on cleaning his house weekly—although she's sometimes afraid of what she might find there. A mother's worst nightmare in either case—to lose a child or to think a child capable of murder. As Ida's relatives reach the breaking point and the media frenzy surrounding the case begins, Inspector Konrad Sejer is his usual calm and reassuring self. But he's puzzled. And disturbed. This is the strangest case he's seen in years.Praise for Karin Fossum:“A superb writer of psychological suspense.” —New York Times“Sejer is a beautifully created character, a thoughtful, lonely man with great empathy.” —Publishers Weekly“With sharp psychological insight and a fine grasp on police procedure, Fossum is easily one of the best new imports the genre has to offer.” —The Baltimore Sun“No one can thoroughly chill the blood the way Karin Fossum can... will put you away, no questions asked.” —Los Angeles Times“A truly great writer and explorer of the human mind.” —Jo Nesbo, New York Times bestselling author of the Harry Hole series“Fossum... writes like Ruth Rendell with the gloves off.” —Kirkus Reviews

ida Joner Gets On Her Brand-new Bike And Sets Off Toward Town. a Good-natured, Happy Girl, She Is Looking Forward To Her Tenth Birthday. Thirty-five Minutes After Ida Should Have Come Home, Her Mother Starts To Worry. She Phones Store Owners, Ida’s Friends—anyone Who Could Have Seen Her. But No One Has.

suspicion Immediately Falls On Emil Mork, A Local Character Who Lives Alone And Hasn’t Spoken Since Childhood. His Mother Insists On Cleaning His House Weekly—although She’s Sometimes Afraid Of What She Might Find There. a Mother’s Worst Nightmare In Either Case—to Lose A Child Or To Think A Child Capable Of Murder. As Ida’s Relatives Reach The Breaking Point And The Media Frenzy Surrounding The Case Begins, Inspector Konrad Sejer Is His Usual Calm And Reassuring Self. But He’s Puzzled. And Disturbed. This Is The Strangest Case He’s Seen In Years.

the Washington Post - Daniel Mallory

what A Spare, Artful Novel This Is: How Lean, How Swift, How Bitterly Sad. The Solution To Its Mystery Will Not Astonish Perceptive Readers, But Even Seasoned Crime Aficionados Should Savor The Ineluctable Undertow Of Dread Surging Beneath The Surface Of black Seconds, Dragging The Characters Out To Sea—quite Literally, In One Instance—and Snarling Their Destinies Like Twine. We Approach The Final Pages Feeling Wounded, As Though A Dagger Had Been Plunged Into Our Heart; And In Her Concluding Sentences, Fossum Twists The Blade One Last Time. It's A Merciless Conclusion To A Novel Of Rare, Hypnotic Power.

A little girl seems to have vanished without trace. Inspector Sejer must find her before it's too lateIda Joner gets on her brand-new bike and sets off to buy sweets. A good-natured, happy girl, she is looking forward to her tenth birthday. Thirty-five minutes after Ida should have come home, Helga Joner, her mother, starts to worry. She phones the shop and various friends, but no one has seen her daughter. As the family goes out looking for Ida, Helga's worst nightmare becomes reality, and they contact the police.Hundreds of volunteers comb the neighbourhood, but there are no traces of Ida or her bike. As the relatives reach breaking point and the media frenzy begins, Inspector Sejer is calm and reassuring. But he finds the case puzzling. Usually missing children are found within forty-eight hours. Ida Joner seems to have vanished without a trace. Ida Joner gets on her brand-new bike and sets off to buy sweets. A good-natured, happy girl, she is looking forward to her tenth birthday. Thirty-five minutes after Ida should have come home, her mother, Helga, starts to worry. She phones the shop and various friends, but no one has seen her daughter. As the family goes out looking for Ida, Helga's worst nightmare becomes reality, and they contact the police. Hundreds of volunteers comb the neighborhood, but there are no traces of Ida or her bike. As the relatives reach breaking point and the media frenzy begins, Inspector Sejer is calm and reassuring. But he finds the case puzzling. Usually missing children are found within forty-eight hours. Ida Joner seems to have vanished without a trace Inspector Konrad Sejer doggedly pursues the truth when nine-year-old Ida Joner fails to return home from what should have been a short trip to town, and suspicion falls on Emil Mork, a simple man in his fifties who has not spoken since childhood, but who does not appear to Sejer to have the heart of a killer In This Fifth Inspector Sejer Mystery, A Little Girl Has Vanished Without A Trace And Sejer Must Find Her Before It's Too Late. Karin Fossum ; Translated From The Norwegian By Charlotte Barslund. Sequel To: Calling Out For You.