Book Review: The Lion's Mouth by Anne Holt

Disclosure / Disclaimer: I received this ebook, free of charge,from Scribner Publishing, via Edelweiss, for review purposes on this blog. No other compensation, monetary or in kind, has been received or implied for this post. Nor was I told how to post about it



From the internationally bestselling author, called the “godmother of modern Norwegian crime” by Jo Nesbø, the next book in the Edgar Award–nominated mystery series: Hanne Wilhelmsen is on the case when someone murders the prime minister of Norway.


the lions mouth cover


Synopsis:

Less than six months after taking office, the Norwegian Prime Minister is found dead. She has been shot in the head. But was it a politically motivated assassination or personal revenge? The death shakes the country to its core. The hunt for her killer is complicated, intense and gruelling. Hanne Wilhelmsen must contain the scandal before a private tragedy becomes a public outrage, in what will become the most sensitive case of her career...This is a story of lies, intrigue and politics. The Lion's Mouth questions who holds the power in Norway, and how far they will go to use it.

Review:

This is the first book in the Hanne Wilhelmsen series I had read, and the first from Holt, so reading the book out of its order in the series was not a problem, as Holt gives enough clues to previous incidents involving the main characters, that you get the feel for them and their backgrounds, and you can read this book as a stand alone. Having been used to some really GREAT translators in French and Danish books recently, I do have to note that I don't think the translation is as fluid as it could be, as there were a few times when I went back and reread a page or two, thinking I might have missed something. But overall, it doesn't take away from a unique locked room mystery set in the highest rung of government, How Hanne helps Billy T, the lead investigator, to sort through the chaos of the characters lives is interesting, and there are a few red herrings that may throw the reader down the wrong trail or two. In the end, it was a satisfying mystery and look at the human character, no matter what country we live in, human nature is human nature. If you are looking for something new and different this Spring, check out this book!


About the Author:

Anne Holt is Norway's bestselling female crime writer.Anne worked as a journalist and news anchor, and spent two years working for the Oslo Police Department before founding her own law firm and serving as Norway’s Minister for Justice in 1996-97. Her first book was published in 1993 and her works have been translated into over thirty languages. Her novel1222was nominated for an Edgar Award for Best Novel. She lives in Oslo with her family.

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