figoruni's blog

I must admit that I thought this was set in Denmark! So how good is the setting? It's much less obvious than Henning Mankell's books. Doesn't make the books less readable. This is, I think, Hakan Nesser's first book (at least with Van Veeteren) and it's really good. I love the humour - that fly in the court chapters and Van Veeteren himself ... This isn't a book trying to give the reader a taste of another culture, but for readers outside Sweden it at least proves that Swedes do have a sense of humour! Read it.

OK, so going to Afghanstan probably isn't a holiday option. Still, this book makes you wish that it was. The author clearly has an intense love of the country and it's people. It has opened my eyes to a culture surviving in a political situation. Excellent writing, and if I can ever bear to finish it, I'm told an uplifting ending.

This is a great writer. I love his characters and plots. The setting though, is key. I was disappointed to discover Algonquin Bay and Trout Lake don't exist (I google earthed them) but I'm sure they are based on real places. I'm rereading this book which is set in February. It's very COLD!!! Anyone out there know what it's like? Live somewhere like this?