Today we have another brilliant crime thriller from Jorn Lier Horst and Thomas Enger, with another in their Blix and Ramm series, Victim. Published on 7th November by Orenda Books, I have a great giveaway for you with the chance to win a print copy! Details on how to enter are at the foot of this post. Before we get to an extract for you to sample, here's a little about the book:
Buried sins
Brutal revenge…
Two years ago, Alexander Blix was the lead investigator in a missing
person’s case where a young mother, Elisabeth Eie, was kidnapped. The
case was never solved.
Blix’s career in law enforcement is now
over, but her kidnapper is back, leaving evidence of Elisabeth's murder
in Blix’s mailbox, as well as hints that there are other victims.
At the same time, Emma Ramm has been contacted by a teenage girl, whose
stepfather has been arrested on suspicion of killing a childhood
friend. But there is no body. Nor are there any other suspects…
Blix and Ramm can rely only on each other, and when Blix’s fingerprints
are found on a child’s drawing at a crime scene, the present comes
uncomfortably close to the past.
A past where a victim has found their own, shocking form of therapy.
And someone is watching…
Shocking, relentless and unbearably tense, Victim marks
the return of the international bestselling, blockbuster Blix &
Ramm series from two of Norway's finest crime writers.
Extract
It didn’t take more than a couple of minutes before Emma
Ramm realised what a mistake she had made. It was by no means a disaster
though, to enter the Botanical Garden without the slightest knowledge or
interest in shrubs and plants. She had always appreciated the aesthetic things
in life, but when her walking partner had four legs and a level of curiosity
about every single thing happening around them that was a little more than the
average, then the experience suddenly became a lot more frantic.
Terry was a Tibetan terrier who she had been told was a
‘laid-back’ dog, but could also be a lively, friendly little guy with ‘many
charming traits’. He was supposed to be both outgoing and smart, and not
particularly aggressive or difficult to deal with. But – and this was the big
but – he could also be ‘not quite as loyal to strangers’. Which, really, was
what Emma was to him.
Be firm, she told herself, almost like repeating a mantra.
Regardless, it was Terry who pulled her to the right, yanked her to the left –
desperate to experience all the exciting smells and traces of something or
other across every nook and cranny of the Botanical Garden – which probably had
more nooks and crannies than anywhere else in Oslo.
When she eventually managed to get Terry to take a breather
at the top of the hill, or rather on a bench where she could look out over the
upper Grønland district, she wondered what the previous owners had done with
him. The only thing she knew about him was that he had been adopted from a
shelter.
Emma checked her watch.
Blix was late.
She passed the time by scrolling through the news sites on
her phone. It was a wonderful feeling to be able to do so without the fear that
her competitors had discovered a case she should have covered herself, without
having to think of all the angles she should tackle a story from as soon as she
read an item she knew would dominate the news for the next few days.
It had taken time to shake off those old habits, those old
ways of thinking. It had taken time to get used to detaching herself from her
old routines too, such as getting up early in the morning to exercise before
the work day began. Now she could sleep in until half-seven before hopping on
her bike or sliding into her running trainers and taking to the streets to try
to keep up with the city’s light-blue trams.
Emma’s phone vibrated in her hand.
It was a number she didn’t recognise. She usually let
unknown callers ring through to voicemail – she hated talking to telemarketers
or people wanting her to take part in some dull market research. This time
though, she answered, seeing as she still couldn’t see any sign of Blix.
‘Is that… Emma Ramm?’ The voice on the other end sounded
like it belonged to a young girl.
‘It is?’
‘Hello. I … ’
A prolonged silence. ‘My name is Carmen,’ the girl
eventually said. ‘I’m sorry that I … ’
She stopped again. Emma straightened up and planted both
feet on the ground.
‘I was wondering if I could have a chat with you?’
Emma frowned. For a school assignment, perhaps, she thought.
A student who had found her name in an article about the topic of whatever
project they were doing. It had happened before.
‘Sure you can,’ Emma replied.
‘What about?’
‘I’d rather not say over the phone. I … ’
Again, silence on the other end.
‘Sorry,’ she said. ‘I’m not very good at talking over the
phone.’
Emma felt a wave of sympathy for the young girl. ‘Do you
want to talk in person?’
‘Yes. Or, no. Um, yes. If that’s okay. If you have time?’
Emma glanced at her wristwatch, even though she knew that
time itself wasn’t a problem.
‘Can I ask why you want to talk to me in particular,
Carmen?’
‘Because …
The seconds ticked by. Emma heard a sniffle on the other
end. Then another.
‘Forget it,’ she said abruptly. ‘Sorry for bothering you.’
And the next moment, the line went dead.
About the Authors
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| Jørn Lier Horst |
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| Thomas Enger |
Jørn Lier Horst and Thomas Enger are both internationally
bestselling Norwegian authors. Jørn Lier Horst first rose to literary fame with
his no. 1 bestselling William Wisting series. A former Detective Chief
Investigator in the Norwegian police, Horst imbues all his works with an unparalleled
realism and suspense. Thomas Enger is the journalist-turned-author behind the acclaimed
Henning Juul series. Enger’s trademark is his dark, gritty voice paired with
key social messages and tight plotting. Besides writing fiction for both adults
and young adults, Enger also works as a music composer. Death Deserved, the
first book in the Blix & Ramm series, was Jørn Lier Horst and Thomas
Enger’s first co-written thriller, and all five books in the series series have
hit no. 1 on bestseller lists worldwide.
You can follow the authors here:
Thanks to John Lier Horst,Thomas Enger, Karen Sullivan and Anne Cater of Orenda Books for the extract and a place on the blog tour.
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Giveaway (UK only)
To win a print copy of Victim just Follow and Retweet the pinned tweet at @bookslifethings and good luck!
The closing date is November 15th 2024 and there is one winner.
*Terms and Conditions – UK only. The winner will be selected at
random via a random retweet selector from all valid entries and will be notified by X (Twitter)
and/or email. If no response is received within 7 days then I reserve the right
to select an alternative winner. Open to all entrants aged 18 or over. Any personal data given as part of the
competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with
third parties, with the exception of the winners’ information. This will passed
to the giveaway organiser and used only for fulfilment of the prize. I am not
responsible for despatch or delivery of the prize.
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