The Book Nook

International Mystery Have you noticed a rise in good Scandinavian thrillers and mysteries?   Stieg Larsson’s “The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo” certainly brought notice to Nordic authors and spawned two movies – one from Europe and one from America.  Although Larsson died before finishing his fourth book in the series, it was (in my opinion) expertly completed by David Lagercrantz who is continuing Millenium saga on his own. There’s also Henning Mankell’s “Wallender” books which PBS turned into a drama series.  Many readers enjoy Jo Nesbø’s complex books featuring Inspector Harry Hole.  Going back further in time is the husband and wife team of Sjöwall-Wahlöö, who are considered the founders of the Scandinavian crime novel.  And speaking of crime, I have a confession to make. Years ago, I unfairly dismissed books penned in the far north because so many had a dreary feel or because I found character and location names difficult to pronounce.  Learning the link between lack of sunlight and mood gave me a new perspective and technology made it easy to hear how to pronounce unfamiliar words.   This allowed me to discover many great reads, including the wildly funny book by Jonas Jonasson, “The 100-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared”, which was featured in the very first Book Nook review. Getting back to Scandinavian mysteries, here’s an international bestseller that briefly takes us around the world before settling in Venice, Italy and Copenhagen, Denmark.  Although the plot hinges on the possibility that the world will end, it’s done with a light hand that makes the story an enjoyable read.  It’s “The Last Good Man” by A. J. Kazinski. The premise is based on an ancient legend that claims there are thirty-six righteous people on earth who somehow protect everyone around the globe.  Without them, humanity would end.  The 36 people are unaware of their special status and are therefore unprotected.  Someone has systematically murdered all but a few of these guardians and shows no signs of stopping. Although the murders are seemingly random, a member of the Venice police force named Tomasso has noticed a remarkable similarity.  Without his supervisor’s knowledge or permission, he risks punishment by using Interpol to gather information.  Tomasso also sends vague warnings to several police stations throughout Europe, including Copenhagen. Normally such an ambiguous warning would be ignored, but the Danish capital is currently preparing for a world climate summit.  Those in power fear reprisals from ignoring even a nebulous threat.  The seemingly pointless task of finding and warning “good people” of potential danger is given to Niels Benzton. Niels is a homicide detective with a knack for negotiating with criminals but who is deemed odd by others in his department.  An intense fear of travel prevents him from leaving Copenhagen to attend classes that would further his career.  It also separates him from his wife Kathrine who is working in another country for a year.  He had planned to overcome his phobia to visit her, but the unexpected assignment has given him a handy, if temporary, excuse to stay put. Although he’s uncertain what exactly he’s supposed to do, he creates a list of people to caution, although against what specifically is also unclear.  During his mission he meets Hannah Lund, a once-promising scientist who is able to find patterns in seemingly random facts, but who is still deep in grief over her son’s suicide. Back in Venice, Tommaso’s unauthorized use of police resources has indeed come back to haunt him.  He’s also dealing with the stress of a dying parent and his supervisor feels this stress is the cause of Tomasso’s wild conspiracy theories.  Tommaso is put on suspension and urged to get professional help. Although forbidden from police work, he can’t give up this riveting mystery and contacts Niels, but neither share a common tongue.  Fortunately, Hannah bridges the language barrier for them.  Using her brilliant mind to further the investigation gives her a reason to reconnect to the world.  The three are drawn into a thrilling puzzle with a deadly end – and time is running out. The downside for me was a hokey premise that was hard to swallow but that was outweighed by the plusses.  While the story jumped around the globe at first, it never felt scattered and was woven into a tight tale using a solid thriller format.  The discoveries seemed original and were well-linked together. “The Last Good Man” stands apart from most crime novels in that characters instead of plot drive the story.  The main characters are likeable and interactions are believable.  The writing style gives it the feel of an intellectual action film, likely due to the authors’ professions.   A. J. Kazinski is actually the pseudonym of Jacob Weinreich a novelist and screenwriter, and Anders Ronnow Klarlund is a self-taught film director.  This is their first collaboration. Adult situations and language are sprinkled, not peppered into the story.  Fans of Dan Brown’s occult mysteries (“The Da Vinci Code”, “Angels and Demons”) will find parallels here.  Short chapters and sections make it an easy read in the pleasant venues of Venice and Copenhagen.