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Varg Veum #7
Fallen Angels
Ever-dogged Bergen PI Varg Veum has to dig deep into his own past as he investigates the murder of a former classmate. Vintage, classic Nordic Noir from international bestselling author Gunnar Staalesen.
When Bergen PI Varg Veum finds himself at the funeral of a former classmate on a sleet-grey December afternoon, he’s unexpectedly reunited with his old friend Jakob – the once-famous lead singer of 1960s rock band The Harpers – and his estranged wife, Rebecca, Veum’s first love.
Their rekindled friendship come to an abrupt end with a horrific murder, and Veum is forced to dig deep into his own adolescence and his darkest memories, to find a motive … and a killer.
Tense, vivid and deeply unsettling, Fallen Angels is the spellbinding, award-winning thriller that secured Gunnar Staalesen’s reputation as one of the world’s foremost crime writers.
When Bergen PI Varg Veum finds himself at the funeral of a former classmate on a sleet-grey December afternoon, he’s unexpectedly reunited with his old friend Jakob – the once-famous lead singer of 1960s rock band The Harpers – and his estranged wife, Rebecca, Veum’s first love.
Their rekindled friendship come to an abrupt end with a horrific murder, and Veum is forced to dig deep into his own adolescence and his darkest memories, to find a motive … and a killer.
Tense, vivid and deeply unsettling, Fallen Angels is the spellbinding, award-winning thriller that secured Gunnar Staalesen’s reputation as one of the world’s foremost crime writers.
390 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1989
About the author
Gunnar Staalesen
152 books265 followersGunnar Staalesen is a Norwegian writer. Staalesen has a cand.philol degree from Universitetet i Bergen and he has worked at Den Nationale Scene, the main theater in Bergen.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 59 reviews
August 28, 2024
With some books it’s about all I can do to finish them. This was a struggle. The middle-aged but not grown up men with terrible attitudes toward women is my biggest complaint. The book is about 35 years old and it didn’t help that I had to read all about 80s Norwegian pop music with all that spandex and gelled hair. 1-2 stars for its setting in Bergen.
December 17, 2022
Bergen, Norway...action covering the "old days" of rock and roll takes Varg back in time as he works out what happened back then to bring about retribution deaths happening in the now. Christmas season in Bergen attracted me to this book, but this is one of the darkest books I have ever read, written by the master of Nordic noir. Adults only, please.
Library Loan
Library Loan
September 5, 2024
“Had we only known that the years would pass so quickly, only to wash us ashore on an unknown beach, Robinson Crusoe and Man Friday, in a decade where neither of us felt at home.”
Gunnar Staalesen is honestly a Norwegian Nordic Noir master and Varg Veum is up there as one of my favourite characters. This is the second Varg Veum book I have read, the seventh in the series, written in 1989 but only published in English in 2020. The early books in the series are mostly unavailable in English (hopefully ‘as yet’).
What is it that I love about Gunnar Staalesen? Firstly, he writes in an eloquent prose, descriptive yet not overdone, moody yet not depressing, beautifully bleak with a melancholy that lingers on every page. Plot is meticulous yet not front and centre and Staalesen takes the time to explore ideas, concepts, ideologies, histories and places. There is almost a literary feel. This is no thriller as such, it is a slow burn mysterious and deeply connected narrative.
Fallen Angels is a really reflective story that looks back to look forward. The story centres around friends and acquaintances who grew up together, brought together in grief, with some bound together by an unspeakable secret. Staalesen navigates this territory in a way that allows the reader to be enveloped in the world of a youth long gone, loves not realised, friendships diminished by the years, and pays homage to the notion that the past is always present.
I loved this book and I love this series. 5 stars again.
Gunnar Staalesen is honestly a Norwegian Nordic Noir master and Varg Veum is up there as one of my favourite characters. This is the second Varg Veum book I have read, the seventh in the series, written in 1989 but only published in English in 2020. The early books in the series are mostly unavailable in English (hopefully ‘as yet’).
What is it that I love about Gunnar Staalesen? Firstly, he writes in an eloquent prose, descriptive yet not overdone, moody yet not depressing, beautifully bleak with a melancholy that lingers on every page. Plot is meticulous yet not front and centre and Staalesen takes the time to explore ideas, concepts, ideologies, histories and places. There is almost a literary feel. This is no thriller as such, it is a slow burn mysterious and deeply connected narrative.
Fallen Angels is a really reflective story that looks back to look forward. The story centres around friends and acquaintances who grew up together, brought together in grief, with some bound together by an unspeakable secret. Staalesen navigates this territory in a way that allows the reader to be enveloped in the world of a youth long gone, loves not realised, friendships diminished by the years, and pays homage to the notion that the past is always present.
I loved this book and I love this series. 5 stars again.
December 17, 2020
Few things in life are as satisfying than immersing yourself in a new book by the godfather of Norwegian crime writing, Gunnar Staalesen, and once again Fallen Angels, the latest in the Varg Veum investigations, brings a whole host of new delights, and something different to this long running series…
I am in total admiration of writers who undertake to sustain writing an established series featuring the same central character, and particularly Staalesen who always seems to be able to expose different facets to Veum’s character, which are always plausible and gratifying for the follower of this series. What is noticeable about this book, compared to the previous books, is the more noticeable meditative tone, and the feeling of a greater degree of introspection. There are significantly less of the cynical and wryly humorous asides that this character so often employs, and instead there seems to be a greater degree of digging down into his life and motivations, and an incredibly dark denouement that is both full of pathos and very disturbing. This book gives Veum a chance to ruminate on his life more, as individuals he has known since childhood and his formative years begin to have untimely deaths, forcing Veum to reassess incidents from the past, and how they could have led to these current events.
In one noteworthy passage Veum sums up these exact thoughts, “Childhood is a wound that never heals; your youth a poster someone has tried in vain to tear down. All the years you have lived are here, like dirty footprints in the snow behind you. You have left your own chalk-marks on most of the walls in this town and no charlady has bleach strong enough to wash them off completely. And the child you once were, you will never be again.” Consequently, childhood, life, death, love, friendship, loyalty and betrayal are key themes throughout the book, as Veum attempts to track a determined and vengeful killer, but finds himself immersed in loves lost and betrayals uncovered and exposed in this very personal case. There is a much more sombre tone to this book as a whole, and quite intense examinations of the public vs the private in terms of the character’s lives, and the role of the spiritual and religious as time marches on, and age begins to become a greater concern in Veum’s mind, intensified in the series of murders of his peers, a couple of misjudged entanglements, and also as an important connection is rekindled from the past.
Once again, Staalesen works wonders for the Norwegian tourist board with his precise and descriptive portrayal of Bergen- both the good and the not so good- and its surrounding landscapes, so as he traverses the country in search of vital clues, the visual representation of these locales is always imbued with clarity and atmosphere. Likewise, there is an almost complete bibliography of the Norwegian music scene from the 1960s onwards, which adds an other layer of interest to the book, and perhaps more starkly as he charts the musical journey of the fictional band, The Harpers, shows the highs and lows of life in the spotlight, the drugs, the groupies, and more brutally how some continue to try and hold on to fame beyond the time they should, when the glory years are indeed well behind them. The central investigation is very deeply imbedded in the events from this period of the band’s success, and like water circling a drain, Veum slowly closes in on the disturbing goings-on before their parting of the ways.
As I said, there is a much more meditative tone to Fallen Angels overall, although Staalesen does seem to get an inordinate amount of pleasure from putting Veum through the emotional wringer fairly consistently in the series. I liked the dark brooding tone to this one, with the growing self awareness Veum gains from revisiting his formative years, his appreciation of his own upbringing, and how this has shaped him on a moral and spiritual level, in contrast to the morally dubious and in some cases, really dislikeable figures from his past. Another satisfying addition to this already excellent series and who knows what awaits Varg Veum in his next investigation… Recommended.
I am in total admiration of writers who undertake to sustain writing an established series featuring the same central character, and particularly Staalesen who always seems to be able to expose different facets to Veum’s character, which are always plausible and gratifying for the follower of this series. What is noticeable about this book, compared to the previous books, is the more noticeable meditative tone, and the feeling of a greater degree of introspection. There are significantly less of the cynical and wryly humorous asides that this character so often employs, and instead there seems to be a greater degree of digging down into his life and motivations, and an incredibly dark denouement that is both full of pathos and very disturbing. This book gives Veum a chance to ruminate on his life more, as individuals he has known since childhood and his formative years begin to have untimely deaths, forcing Veum to reassess incidents from the past, and how they could have led to these current events.
In one noteworthy passage Veum sums up these exact thoughts, “Childhood is a wound that never heals; your youth a poster someone has tried in vain to tear down. All the years you have lived are here, like dirty footprints in the snow behind you. You have left your own chalk-marks on most of the walls in this town and no charlady has bleach strong enough to wash them off completely. And the child you once were, you will never be again.” Consequently, childhood, life, death, love, friendship, loyalty and betrayal are key themes throughout the book, as Veum attempts to track a determined and vengeful killer, but finds himself immersed in loves lost and betrayals uncovered and exposed in this very personal case. There is a much more sombre tone to this book as a whole, and quite intense examinations of the public vs the private in terms of the character’s lives, and the role of the spiritual and religious as time marches on, and age begins to become a greater concern in Veum’s mind, intensified in the series of murders of his peers, a couple of misjudged entanglements, and also as an important connection is rekindled from the past.
Once again, Staalesen works wonders for the Norwegian tourist board with his precise and descriptive portrayal of Bergen- both the good and the not so good- and its surrounding landscapes, so as he traverses the country in search of vital clues, the visual representation of these locales is always imbued with clarity and atmosphere. Likewise, there is an almost complete bibliography of the Norwegian music scene from the 1960s onwards, which adds an other layer of interest to the book, and perhaps more starkly as he charts the musical journey of the fictional band, The Harpers, shows the highs and lows of life in the spotlight, the drugs, the groupies, and more brutally how some continue to try and hold on to fame beyond the time they should, when the glory years are indeed well behind them. The central investigation is very deeply imbedded in the events from this period of the band’s success, and like water circling a drain, Veum slowly closes in on the disturbing goings-on before their parting of the ways.
As I said, there is a much more meditative tone to Fallen Angels overall, although Staalesen does seem to get an inordinate amount of pleasure from putting Veum through the emotional wringer fairly consistently in the series. I liked the dark brooding tone to this one, with the growing self awareness Veum gains from revisiting his formative years, his appreciation of his own upbringing, and how this has shaped him on a moral and spiritual level, in contrast to the morally dubious and in some cases, really dislikeable figures from his past. Another satisfying addition to this already excellent series and who knows what awaits Varg Veum in his next investigation… Recommended.
March 7, 2021
It's always quite something to read a novel written by the "godfather of Nordic Noir", or as many prefer to call him "Norwegian Chandler", Gunnar Staalesen. Varg Veum is one of the oldest and most intriguing protagonists in the genre and there are, so far, more than twenty books featuring the rogue private eye, son of a tram conductor who enjoyed studying Norse mythology, who used to work in Child Welfare as a social worker. The first installment in the series was published in 1977 and from then on the global readership has been given the opportunity to delve into the fascinating world created by Staalesen's wonderful prose which stands out due to its accuracy and simplicity, the excellent descriptive parts, and the stark characterization. It should be noted that a bronze statue of Varg Veum adorns the entrance of the Scandic Strand Hotel near Bergen's harbour. Fallen Angels is the eighth installment of the beloved saga, first published in 1989, and it won the prestigious Palle Rosenkratz Prize, awarded to the best crime novel published in Denmark in a given year, in 1990. The story triggers a trip down memory lane for Varg who has to deal with a case involving his childhood past, searching for the woman who used to be his first crush and struggling to solve the murder of an old acquaintance against all odds as he soon realizes that there is nobody who can be truly trusted.
To read my full review, visit https://tapthelinemag.com/post/fallen...
To read my full review, visit https://tapthelinemag.com/post/fallen...
November 5, 2020
Fallen Angels by Gunnar Staalesen will be published in paperback original format with Orenda Books November 12th. Described as ‘vintage, classic Nordic Noir', Fallen Angels is the eighth book in this international series and is the book that secured Staalesen’s reputation as one of the fathers of Nordic Noir. It is wonderfully translated by Don Bartlett who has worked with a wide variety of Danish and Norwegian authors, including Jo Nesbo and Karl Ove Knausgaard. Don Bartlett has also translated other books in the Varg Veum series.
Varg Veum is at the stage in his life where he is contemplating his past years and what lies ahead. Attending the funeral of a childhood buddy he bumps into his old friend, Jakob Aasen, resulting in an unexpected reunion of sorts. Jakob had married Varg’s first love, Rebecca who, as it turns out, has upped and now left Jakob. Jakob was a member of the highly successful 1960s rock band The Harpers, a band whose musical career came to an abrupt end. Varg never knew why but when the body is discovered of one of the band members, stabbed outside a club, he begins to wonder about what really happened all those years ago.
While this is all transpiring Jakob also asks Varg to track down his missing wife Rebecca, the one person that Varg has never been able to forget. Rebecca was very much part of Varg’s teenage years. His unrequited love for Rebecca has remained with him and now to have to search for her brings all sorts of memories flooding back.
Rebecca and Jakob’s relationship has been in trouble for awhile but Jakob remains hopeful that the past can be left just there letting them move on with their lives. Jakob is quite furtive and the more Varg probes, the more he realises that all is not as it seems.
While there is a murder investigation in the middle of this tale, it feels almost like an aside. Fallen Angels is very much a story about the past, about days of youth and trips down memory lane, with Bergen and the surrounding landscape taking centre stage. Gunnar Staalesen is clearly very passionate about his homeland and this filters through in the atmospheric depictions of the world he inhabits.
The characters are well portrayed but, admittedly, not too many I liked. Their behaviour was, at times, quite ghastly and, in fairness to Gunnar Staalesen, he makes no attempt to salvage them either. Now I do need to mention that there is a very dark storyline that does unveil itself as the plot picks up speed, which leaves quite a disturbing image in the mind, so be warned.
Fallen Angels is the first book I have read by Gunnar Staalesen. His other books, that have already been translated into English by Orenda Books, follow later in the series and have developed quite a following among fans of Nordic Noir. Varg Veum is a PI and, I assume, in later books his cases get darker and more gripping. Fallen Angels is very much setting the scene for the future PI. Discovering that Fallen Angels was originally published in Norway in 1989 clarified for me the period that the book was set in. I must admit I did get a little confused with the positioning of this book in the series and had to alter my original review. I thought I was jumping in mid series. I was wrong.
Fallen Angels is a dark, brooding, slow-burning murder mystery with very vivid descriptions of Bergen and its surrounding regions. It is a book that provides a backstory for many who follow Varg Veum and are now given the opportunity to delve deeper into his personality and the reasons why he became the man he is today.
Varg Veum is at the stage in his life where he is contemplating his past years and what lies ahead. Attending the funeral of a childhood buddy he bumps into his old friend, Jakob Aasen, resulting in an unexpected reunion of sorts. Jakob had married Varg’s first love, Rebecca who, as it turns out, has upped and now left Jakob. Jakob was a member of the highly successful 1960s rock band The Harpers, a band whose musical career came to an abrupt end. Varg never knew why but when the body is discovered of one of the band members, stabbed outside a club, he begins to wonder about what really happened all those years ago.
While this is all transpiring Jakob also asks Varg to track down his missing wife Rebecca, the one person that Varg has never been able to forget. Rebecca was very much part of Varg’s teenage years. His unrequited love for Rebecca has remained with him and now to have to search for her brings all sorts of memories flooding back.
Rebecca and Jakob’s relationship has been in trouble for awhile but Jakob remains hopeful that the past can be left just there letting them move on with their lives. Jakob is quite furtive and the more Varg probes, the more he realises that all is not as it seems.
While there is a murder investigation in the middle of this tale, it feels almost like an aside. Fallen Angels is very much a story about the past, about days of youth and trips down memory lane, with Bergen and the surrounding landscape taking centre stage. Gunnar Staalesen is clearly very passionate about his homeland and this filters through in the atmospheric depictions of the world he inhabits.
The characters are well portrayed but, admittedly, not too many I liked. Their behaviour was, at times, quite ghastly and, in fairness to Gunnar Staalesen, he makes no attempt to salvage them either. Now I do need to mention that there is a very dark storyline that does unveil itself as the plot picks up speed, which leaves quite a disturbing image in the mind, so be warned.
Fallen Angels is the first book I have read by Gunnar Staalesen. His other books, that have already been translated into English by Orenda Books, follow later in the series and have developed quite a following among fans of Nordic Noir. Varg Veum is a PI and, I assume, in later books his cases get darker and more gripping. Fallen Angels is very much setting the scene for the future PI. Discovering that Fallen Angels was originally published in Norway in 1989 clarified for me the period that the book was set in. I must admit I did get a little confused with the positioning of this book in the series and had to alter my original review. I thought I was jumping in mid series. I was wrong.
Fallen Angels is a dark, brooding, slow-burning murder mystery with very vivid descriptions of Bergen and its surrounding regions. It is a book that provides a backstory for many who follow Varg Veum and are now given the opportunity to delve deeper into his personality and the reasons why he became the man he is today.
November 20, 2020
Finished reading: November 20th 2020
*** A copy of this book was kindly provided to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Thank you! ***
P.S. Find more of my reviews here.
"Such is life. When you walk around your home town, you meet your own past everywhere. Childhood is a wound that never heals; your youth a poster someone has tried in vain to tear down."
*** A copy of this book was kindly provided to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Thank you! ***
P.S. Find more of my reviews here.
July 11, 2021
Thriller set in BERGEN
Fallen Angels, was published in Norwegian in 1989, and is now in English translation for the first time. It is an important book in that it was the one that established Gunnar Staalesen as a formidable talent in the crime writing community. He is up there with the very best. It is the third book in the Varg Veum series – although the first that achieved real critical claim. It has been followed by a further eight over the years to 2020.
It is 1986. Varg, ex social worker and now private investigator, attends the funeral of an old school friend, Jan Peter. In the late 60s, Jan had been in a band in Bergen called The Harpers with a number of Varg’s old classmates. They had been moderately successful. Also at the funeral is Jakob Aasen – another former classmate (and member of The Harpers), whom Varg has not seen for sixteen years. They chat and have drinks afterwards, with yet another classmate, Paul Finckel. It develops into a drunken evening… They reminisce about their youth.
There is a murder. A band member is murdered. Varg Veum gets involved – and discovers that all the members of the band (with the exception of Jakob) have met untimely and suspicious deaths (though not recognised as such by the authorities). Will Jakob be next, and will he listen to Varg’s attempts to help him? Why is someone targeting the group? What happened in the past to make this happen?
The story moves forward to a very dramatic denouement.
Fallen Angels is, though, a lot more than a great thriller. It is a story of someone going back into their adolescense to piece together what may have actually happened and what caused events to unfold as they did. Quite horrible incidences are revealed…It is, in that sense, quite a profound book covering the divergent paths life has taken for those who were once very close.
As ever with Gunnar’s work, Bergen comes through loud and clear – as it was both in the 60s and the 80s. It is a city I know a little (not well…) and it was fascinating to see various landmarks woven into the story.
A really good, enjoyable, and thought provoking book.
Fallen Angels, was published in Norwegian in 1989, and is now in English translation for the first time. It is an important book in that it was the one that established Gunnar Staalesen as a formidable talent in the crime writing community. He is up there with the very best. It is the third book in the Varg Veum series – although the first that achieved real critical claim. It has been followed by a further eight over the years to 2020.
It is 1986. Varg, ex social worker and now private investigator, attends the funeral of an old school friend, Jan Peter. In the late 60s, Jan had been in a band in Bergen called The Harpers with a number of Varg’s old classmates. They had been moderately successful. Also at the funeral is Jakob Aasen – another former classmate (and member of The Harpers), whom Varg has not seen for sixteen years. They chat and have drinks afterwards, with yet another classmate, Paul Finckel. It develops into a drunken evening… They reminisce about their youth.
There is a murder. A band member is murdered. Varg Veum gets involved – and discovers that all the members of the band (with the exception of Jakob) have met untimely and suspicious deaths (though not recognised as such by the authorities). Will Jakob be next, and will he listen to Varg’s attempts to help him? Why is someone targeting the group? What happened in the past to make this happen?
The story moves forward to a very dramatic denouement.
Fallen Angels is, though, a lot more than a great thriller. It is a story of someone going back into their adolescense to piece together what may have actually happened and what caused events to unfold as they did. Quite horrible incidences are revealed…It is, in that sense, quite a profound book covering the divergent paths life has taken for those who were once very close.
As ever with Gunnar’s work, Bergen comes through loud and clear – as it was both in the 60s and the 80s. It is a city I know a little (not well…) and it was fascinating to see various landmarks woven into the story.
A really good, enjoyable, and thought provoking book.
May 4, 2021
Childhood is a wound that never heals; your youth a poster someone has tried in vain to tear down. All the years you have lived are here, like dirty footprints in the snow behind you.
This is my second encounter with Staalesen, and unfortunately it was a bit of a sophomore slump for me. Unlike Yours Until Death, Fallen Angels was less emotionally gratifying and featured too many characters to keep track of.
The story centers around an impromptu high school reunion of sorts for Varg after one of his childhood cronies unexpectedly dies. There, he becomes reacquainted with an old friend Jakob, a former rockstar in a band known as The Harpers. As their lives begin to intersect, Jakob hires Varg to investigate his wife Rebecca in the midst of their lovers' quarrel. But Varg grows concerned as bodies begin to pile up. It becomes increasingly clear that something buried in The Harpers past is coming back to haunt them. Time for an exorcism.
Fallen Angels is thick with nostalgia, wistful feelings of the past and despondent daydreams about what might have been. I found myself thinking about my own high school friends and where they might have ended up. In fact, by synchronicity it seems, one of them reached out to me while I was reading this book.
Staalesen has a genuine grasp on human nature and this translates effortlessly to his characters. He is especially gifted in articulating the darker feelings in the emotional spectrum, such as shame, regret, defensiveness and dismay. It's easy to empathize with many of the characters, especially our antihero. Here and there, he weaves in strings of bitter humor that burst forth unexpectedly. The scene in the video store had me laughing out loud and as for the woman with occult inclinations... I will not soon forget about her.
Unfortunately, I felt that these brighter points were ultimately overshadowed by the unsavory nature of the plot's conclusion. It's worth noting however, that while this hindered my own enjoyment of the book, I see it as more as a personal problem rather than a critique of the author's abilities. While Fallen Angels certainly meandered in parts and patiently plodded towards the punchline, it was deftly written and superbly harrowing.
This is my second encounter with Staalesen, and unfortunately it was a bit of a sophomore slump for me. Unlike Yours Until Death, Fallen Angels was less emotionally gratifying and featured too many characters to keep track of.
The story centers around an impromptu high school reunion of sorts for Varg after one of his childhood cronies unexpectedly dies. There, he becomes reacquainted with an old friend Jakob, a former rockstar in a band known as The Harpers. As their lives begin to intersect, Jakob hires Varg to investigate his wife Rebecca in the midst of their lovers' quarrel. But Varg grows concerned as bodies begin to pile up. It becomes increasingly clear that something buried in The Harpers past is coming back to haunt them. Time for an exorcism.
Fallen Angels is thick with nostalgia, wistful feelings of the past and despondent daydreams about what might have been. I found myself thinking about my own high school friends and where they might have ended up. In fact, by synchronicity it seems, one of them reached out to me while I was reading this book.
Staalesen has a genuine grasp on human nature and this translates effortlessly to his characters. He is especially gifted in articulating the darker feelings in the emotional spectrum, such as shame, regret, defensiveness and dismay. It's easy to empathize with many of the characters, especially our antihero. Here and there, he weaves in strings of bitter humor that burst forth unexpectedly. The scene in the video store had me laughing out loud and as for the woman with occult inclinations... I will not soon forget about her.
Unfortunately, I felt that these brighter points were ultimately overshadowed by the unsavory nature of the plot's conclusion. It's worth noting however, that while this hindered my own enjoyment of the book, I see it as more as a personal problem rather than a critique of the author's abilities. While Fallen Angels certainly meandered in parts and patiently plodded towards the punchline, it was deftly written and superbly harrowing.
November 6, 2020
I've read a few books in Gunnar Staalesen's long-running Varg Veum series and always look forward with great anticipation to the next instalment. Fallen Angels actually takes us back in time as it was originally published in Norway in 1989 and being set in the 1980s, it gives English-speaking readers the opportunity to meet the younger Veum.
The book's typically melancholy opening finds Veum at the funeral of an old classmate where he is reunited with two other childhood companions, most notably Jakob Aasen. If Fallen Angels allows us to see the younger man then it forces Veum himself to look even further back at his past as he recalls his formative years with some longing albeit with the jaded cynicism of a man who has witnessed too much and who understands what awaits children as they grow into adults.
The slow-burning pace of the novel allows for a thoughtful exploration of psychology and religion but even the more superficial discussions - of the music of The Beatles, for instance - are given breathing space as the dialogue flows naturally throughout. Praise must be given to Don Bartlett here, of course for his excellent translation which loses nothing of the lyrical quality of the original writing.
The keen observations of human behaviour is complemented by the rich descriptions of Bergen, including the inclement weather and the exterior and interior environments of the town. The less salubrious nightlife is brought vividly to life with the fevered, highly-charged atmosphere ensuring the juxtaposition between the theological elements of the storyline and the explicit sensual and sexual encounters mean the term, 'sins of the flesh' have perhaps never been more apt.
The rising body count increases almost imperceptibly during the course of the novel which becomes a compelling exploration of the terrible consequences of the night of sixteenth October 1975. Jakob was once a member of a successful Norwegian band, The Harpers but everything came to an abrupt end that night and Varg becomes convinced that the truth as to what happens holds the key to the present day murders.
The awful truth is gradually revealed but although the final confirmation isn't unexpected, it's still shocking. Gunnar Staalesen doesn't devalue the horrific revelations by concluding the novel with a happy ending. The seedy reality is more painful and more brutal with few characters remaining untarnished by their part in what happened. Having knowledge of the older Varg Veum means it's fascinating to see how an earlier case like this has shaped who he became, explaining the darkness which haunts him throughout his life but it's not necessary to have read either prior or later novels in the series and Fallen Angels can easily be enjoyed as a standalone novel.
This isn't an easy read, emotionally and it is a harrowing examination of some of the worst of human behaviour but the sheer poetry of Gunnar Staalesen's writing is an absolute delight throughout and this evocative, powerful novel is another welcome addition to this exceptional series. Highly recommended.
The book's typically melancholy opening finds Veum at the funeral of an old classmate where he is reunited with two other childhood companions, most notably Jakob Aasen. If Fallen Angels allows us to see the younger man then it forces Veum himself to look even further back at his past as he recalls his formative years with some longing albeit with the jaded cynicism of a man who has witnessed too much and who understands what awaits children as they grow into adults.
The slow-burning pace of the novel allows for a thoughtful exploration of psychology and religion but even the more superficial discussions - of the music of The Beatles, for instance - are given breathing space as the dialogue flows naturally throughout. Praise must be given to Don Bartlett here, of course for his excellent translation which loses nothing of the lyrical quality of the original writing.
The keen observations of human behaviour is complemented by the rich descriptions of Bergen, including the inclement weather and the exterior and interior environments of the town. The less salubrious nightlife is brought vividly to life with the fevered, highly-charged atmosphere ensuring the juxtaposition between the theological elements of the storyline and the explicit sensual and sexual encounters mean the term, 'sins of the flesh' have perhaps never been more apt.
The rising body count increases almost imperceptibly during the course of the novel which becomes a compelling exploration of the terrible consequences of the night of sixteenth October 1975. Jakob was once a member of a successful Norwegian band, The Harpers but everything came to an abrupt end that night and Varg becomes convinced that the truth as to what happens holds the key to the present day murders.
The awful truth is gradually revealed but although the final confirmation isn't unexpected, it's still shocking. Gunnar Staalesen doesn't devalue the horrific revelations by concluding the novel with a happy ending. The seedy reality is more painful and more brutal with few characters remaining untarnished by their part in what happened. Having knowledge of the older Varg Veum means it's fascinating to see how an earlier case like this has shaped who he became, explaining the darkness which haunts him throughout his life but it's not necessary to have read either prior or later novels in the series and Fallen Angels can easily be enjoyed as a standalone novel.
This isn't an easy read, emotionally and it is a harrowing examination of some of the worst of human behaviour but the sheer poetry of Gunnar Staalesen's writing is an absolute delight throughout and this evocative, powerful novel is another welcome addition to this exceptional series. Highly recommended.
November 11, 2020
Fallen Angels is the latest instalment in the hugely popular and long-running Varg Veum series, and just proves that Gunnar Staalesen really is the King of Nordic Noir. I'm a massive fan of all things Norwegian and Fallen Angels has been a fabulous read; incorporating much more about Varg's background and teaching the reader about how Bergen, and the whole of Norway has changed over the years.
It's a grey, snowy December day and Varg is attending the funeral of an old schoolfriend. Also attending the funeral are Jakob and Rebecca. Varg's relationship with both of them go back many years; Rebecca was his first love and Jakob and he were friends a long time ago. Jakob's rock band The Harpers, were hugely popular in the 1960s and I really loved the incorporation of a musical slant in this story.
This trip back in time is suddenly brought fully up to date when an horrific murder is discovered, and as Varg works hard to investigate, he also looks back at his past. It's interesting to note that this novel was originally published in Norway in the late 1980s and is set in that period, and also looks back to the 1960s. We learn more about Varg's younger years and his motivation and influences that have shaped his future.
The stark contrast between those past days, with the issues and ways that they were spoken about, and dealt with are certainly not politically correct by today's standards and is fascinating to read.
As the victim count increases, so too do Varg's reflections on his younger years. The reader learns about the night that put an end to the huge success of The Harpers band and Varg comes to realise that there may be a link to those events, and the present day.
There's a poetic, lyrical quality to Staalesen's writing, he's not all action and fast-paced plot. His ability to produce much more than a thriller, with the beautifully evocative sense of place and the masterfully created characters is a joy to read. He doesn't fear danger though, and there are parts of this story that are darker than dark; concentrating on how humans can do the most terrible things to each other, and how those things can shape people and lifetimes.
Slowly, but very surely, the author guides us towards the shocking reveal with a feeling a menace and threat as we arrive there.
For anyone who has yet to discover the Varg Veum series, this is a great place to start. For those of us who are already familiar with Staalesen's much applauded character, Fallen Angels give a fabulous insight into the man we know and the events that made him what he is.
Translated by Don Bartlett, and with such a beautiful cover, Fallen Angels is a dark and brooding story that will delight lovers of classic Noir fiction, with the added delights of the Norwegian setting.
It's a grey, snowy December day and Varg is attending the funeral of an old schoolfriend. Also attending the funeral are Jakob and Rebecca. Varg's relationship with both of them go back many years; Rebecca was his first love and Jakob and he were friends a long time ago. Jakob's rock band The Harpers, were hugely popular in the 1960s and I really loved the incorporation of a musical slant in this story.
This trip back in time is suddenly brought fully up to date when an horrific murder is discovered, and as Varg works hard to investigate, he also looks back at his past. It's interesting to note that this novel was originally published in Norway in the late 1980s and is set in that period, and also looks back to the 1960s. We learn more about Varg's younger years and his motivation and influences that have shaped his future.
The stark contrast between those past days, with the issues and ways that they were spoken about, and dealt with are certainly not politically correct by today's standards and is fascinating to read.
As the victim count increases, so too do Varg's reflections on his younger years. The reader learns about the night that put an end to the huge success of The Harpers band and Varg comes to realise that there may be a link to those events, and the present day.
There's a poetic, lyrical quality to Staalesen's writing, he's not all action and fast-paced plot. His ability to produce much more than a thriller, with the beautifully evocative sense of place and the masterfully created characters is a joy to read. He doesn't fear danger though, and there are parts of this story that are darker than dark; concentrating on how humans can do the most terrible things to each other, and how those things can shape people and lifetimes.
Slowly, but very surely, the author guides us towards the shocking reveal with a feeling a menace and threat as we arrive there.
For anyone who has yet to discover the Varg Veum series, this is a great place to start. For those of us who are already familiar with Staalesen's much applauded character, Fallen Angels give a fabulous insight into the man we know and the events that made him what he is.
Translated by Don Bartlett, and with such a beautiful cover, Fallen Angels is a dark and brooding story that will delight lovers of classic Noir fiction, with the added delights of the Norwegian setting.
November 16, 2020
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Fallen Angels is a captivating book where a school reunion soon turns into murders, funerals, and investigations.
The author connects the readers to the character right away from the first page. I liked Varg in the lead and thought he handled the investigation pretty well. In the beginning, I loved how he and his school mates all reminisce about old times. Given that, we get to know all the characters like Varg, Jakob, Paul, Rebecca, and Johnny. There is also a sense of mystery that looms how Helge, Arvid, and Jan all died.
Moreover, the author does a lovely job of slowly unraveling the murder mystery. You slowly start to see the true nature of some characters and the bizarre things they do. Also, some of the characters are memorable, like Rebecca, Harry, and Bente. Similarly, the ending is twisted and shocking, which makes you feel uncomfortable. One memorable scene is when Varg walks in on a strange ritual that shocks him.
Additionally, the setting was another highlight of the story. The author describes Bergen in an attractive manner that made me want to visit it. As the author is Norweigian, you can see how he mentions the culture and the people personally.
However, I did feel the author/translator could have worded the text better. Perhaps it is the translation, but the sentences were too lengthy and over-descriptive for my taste. At times, it felt like one sentence was the paragraph in itself. Personally, this not my cup of tea, and it threw me off from the story a bit.
Apart from that, this was an exciting read. Although this is the 8th book in the series, you can easily read it as a standalone. I would recommend this book if you love Norweigian tales or slow burner murder mysteries.
November 18, 2020
"On the stairs going down it struck me that actually there was something I had omitted to mention: the fact that of the four men who had constituted The Harpers rock band from 1959 to 1975 only one was still alive…"
After a former classmate is murdered, Private Investigator Varg Veum must delve deep into his past and that of his childhood friends. But he's unprepared for the dark and murky secrets that will finally be revealed in this classic Nordic Noir.
As with any book published by Orenda, I went into this one with high hopes. It was my first time reading a book by this author and I hadn't read any of the previous books in the series, but I didn't feel like that put me at any kind of disadvantage.
"Opening a photograph album is like being captured by the past."
Set in 1986, this was a fun trip down memory lane to a simpler time without mobile phones or social media. I think that setting the story in this time period added to the mystery as people genuinely lost contact and didn't instantly hear about current events. It allowed for an element of surprise in the investigation that wouldn't have been there in the present day.
I liked the author's writing style, particularly his use of metaphors. This was a steadily-paced novel rather than a quick page-turner, and it wasn't until almost half-way through that the murder actually occurs. For the first half of the book Varg is investigating the whereabouts of his school friend Jakob's wife Rebecca, who also happens to be the one that got away. While it is a compelling story overall, there were times I felt like it got bogged down in Varg's walk down memory lane and daydreams of Rebecca. But once the murder had occurred the tension began to increase, building to a crescendo as we approached finale and its shocking revelations.
Fallen Angels is a darkly atmospheric, layered and gripping thriller that keeps you guessing right until the last pages. It is particularly perfect for those who like a dark tale without the blood and gore.
After a former classmate is murdered, Private Investigator Varg Veum must delve deep into his past and that of his childhood friends. But he's unprepared for the dark and murky secrets that will finally be revealed in this classic Nordic Noir.
As with any book published by Orenda, I went into this one with high hopes. It was my first time reading a book by this author and I hadn't read any of the previous books in the series, but I didn't feel like that put me at any kind of disadvantage.
"Opening a photograph album is like being captured by the past."
Set in 1986, this was a fun trip down memory lane to a simpler time without mobile phones or social media. I think that setting the story in this time period added to the mystery as people genuinely lost contact and didn't instantly hear about current events. It allowed for an element of surprise in the investigation that wouldn't have been there in the present day.
I liked the author's writing style, particularly his use of metaphors. This was a steadily-paced novel rather than a quick page-turner, and it wasn't until almost half-way through that the murder actually occurs. For the first half of the book Varg is investigating the whereabouts of his school friend Jakob's wife Rebecca, who also happens to be the one that got away. While it is a compelling story overall, there were times I felt like it got bogged down in Varg's walk down memory lane and daydreams of Rebecca. But once the murder had occurred the tension began to increase, building to a crescendo as we approached finale and its shocking revelations.
Fallen Angels is a darkly atmospheric, layered and gripping thriller that keeps you guessing right until the last pages. It is particularly perfect for those who like a dark tale without the blood and gore.
March 9, 2024
As soon as we heard what went on, 10 years earlier, it was quite obvious who the killer was. Gunnar waited quite a long time to bring us to this to head. Gunnar uses time to compare all the characters with one another bringing out how all people reacted to the rape of a minor and the rape of an adult.
Varg Veum takes care of the rapist of the adult, but the minor rape is drawn out so that only one person out of four, only three were killed, and only one was found to be murdered by a person involved with seeing the rape, and the forth person was saved. Gunnar uses quite a lot of descriptive language in people with the singing and playing of music that was used during the 60's, 70's, and 80's. And Gunnar uses the bars with a lot of dancing to relate to the people that were involved with the people that were the rapists. All this was finally brought out by the person who was raped. Yet Varg utilizes this to bring several red herrings before he finally finds the murderer. I like the main basis for the story and Gunnar drags this out throughout the book.
Varg Veum takes care of the rapist of the adult, but the minor rape is drawn out so that only one person out of four, only three were killed, and only one was found to be murdered by a person involved with seeing the rape, and the forth person was saved. Gunnar uses quite a lot of descriptive language in people with the singing and playing of music that was used during the 60's, 70's, and 80's. And Gunnar uses the bars with a lot of dancing to relate to the people that were involved with the people that were the rapists. All this was finally brought out by the person who was raped. Yet Varg utilizes this to bring several red herrings before he finally finds the murderer. I like the main basis for the story and Gunnar drags this out throughout the book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 7, 2020
Varg Veum is a PI, attending the funeral of a friend, memories of the past are recalled.
There is a murder to solve in the present day, but Varg’s past keeps coming to the fore.
This is a tale of Varg’s past, his friendships, love and secrets that have made him the person he is now.
There is an underlying feeling of tension which gives this an unsettling edge as we peer into the darker side of human behaviour.
At times quite harrowing, this emotion packed thriller is a look into the dark underbelly of society, those that live in it and the effect this has on those who deal with the aftermath. Both brutal and melancholy, this dark thriller is utterly compelling.
Thank you to Random Things Tours for the opportunity to be part of this blog tour, for the promotional material and an eARC of Fallen Angels.
There is a murder to solve in the present day, but Varg’s past keeps coming to the fore.
This is a tale of Varg’s past, his friendships, love and secrets that have made him the person he is now.
There is an underlying feeling of tension which gives this an unsettling edge as we peer into the darker side of human behaviour.
At times quite harrowing, this emotion packed thriller is a look into the dark underbelly of society, those that live in it and the effect this has on those who deal with the aftermath. Both brutal and melancholy, this dark thriller is utterly compelling.
Thank you to Random Things Tours for the opportunity to be part of this blog tour, for the promotional material and an eARC of Fallen Angels.
May 23, 2013
I read this book in french because it's not available in english. Staalesen is the great misunderstood scandinavian crime author. Doesn't get much love outside his country, but his P.I Varg Veum is as good any American ones. Better than most.
December 22, 2022
Gunnar Staalesen is een Noorse bestsellerauteur van tientallen thrillers. Hij is vooral bekend geworden door zijn boeken met privédetective Varg Veum, een serie die ook in Nederland en Vlaanderen op televisie is uitgezonden. Inmiddels heeft Staalesen 21 thrillers met Varg Veum in de hoofdrol geschreven. Gunnar Staalesen woont, evenals Varg Veum, in Bergen.
Varg Veum is privédetective in het Noorse Bergen. Hij heeft een groot rechtvaardigheidsgevoel, is opportunistisch en anti-autoritair.
Varg Veum is een van de oudste en meest intrigerende hoofdrolspelers in het genre en er zijn tot nu toe meer dan twintig boeken verschenen over de malafide privédetective, de zoon van een tramconducteur die graag de Noorse mythologie bestudeerde,en die vroeger bij Child Welfare werkte als een maatschappelijk werker. Het eerste deel in de serie werd gepubliceerd in 1977 en vanaf dat moment heeft het wereldwijde lezerspubliek de kans gekregen om zich te verdiepen in de fascinerende wereld die is gecreëerd door Staalesens prachtige proza, dat opvalt door zijn nauwkeurigheid en eenvoud, de uitstekende beschrijvende delen en de grimmige karakterisering.Gevallen engelenis het achtste deel van de geliefde sage, voor het eerst gepubliceerd in 1989, en het kreeg de prestigieuze Palle Rosenkratz-prijs, toegekend aan de beste misdaadroman die in een bepaald jaar in Denemarken werd gepubliceerd.
Het begint allemaal wanneer Varg de begrafenis bijwoont van een oude klasgenoot en daar ontmoet hij, na vele jaren, enkele van zijn vrienden uit zijn schooljaren. Jakob Aasen was een van Varg's beste vrienden omdat ze samen opgroeiden in een van de buurten van Bergen. Samen gaan ze op kroegentocht en komen ze terecht in een club waar Johnny Solheim als zanger optreedt. Jakob en Johnny speelden vroeger samen in een band genaamd "The Harpers" en hun relatie lijkt aanvankelijk gespannen omdat er een gedeelde geschiedenis is die Varg niet ken. Jakobs vrouw, Rebecca, is een vrouw die Varg nooit heeft gezien sinds hij een jonge jongen en waar hij toen hopeloos verliefd op was. Rebecca die uiteindelijk koos voor Jakob heeft Jakob alleen gelaten met drie kinderen en nu wordt ze vermist, dus vraagt Jacob Varg om discreet te informeren naar haar huidige verblijfplaats. Varg aanvaardt om het te doen als een gunst aan een oude vriend en wanneer, de dag erna, Johnny dood wordt gevonden, doodgestoken, buiten een illegale nachtclub, zal de Bergensiaanse privédetective in een spiraal van vroegere geheimen en leugens worden getrokken die resulteerde in de dood van Johnny.
Het verhaal is aangrijpend en het ontrafelt zich in een gelijkmatig tempo, steeds sneller naar het verrassende einde waar de waarheid wordt onthuld en alle puzzelstukjes op hun plaats vallen. De lezer krijgt de kans om een glimp op te vangen van het leven van de hoofdpersoon als jong kind en zijn nostalgie blijkt duidelijk uit zijn vertelling in de eerste persoon: "Er was veel verdwenen, maar de voetafdrukken van de kinderen die daar rondliepen zouden nooit volledig gewist totdat ze zelf, allemaal, uit het schetsblok van de tijd waren". Staalesens weergave van hoe het was om in het naoorlogse Bergen te leven is prachtig en het opperste gevoel van locatie van de roman maakt van Bergen een droomstad. Verder is er een prachtige dialoog en veel muzikale referenties, vooral met betrekking tot het begin van rockmuziek en bands als The Beatles.
Gevallen engelen is in de eerste plaats een misdaadroman met een ingenieus plot en het eindresultaat is meer dan bevredigend. Er is veel mysterie en het is echt moeilijk om de finale van het verhaal te voorspellen.
Varg Veum is privédetective in het Noorse Bergen. Hij heeft een groot rechtvaardigheidsgevoel, is opportunistisch en anti-autoritair.
Varg Veum is een van de oudste en meest intrigerende hoofdrolspelers in het genre en er zijn tot nu toe meer dan twintig boeken verschenen over de malafide privédetective, de zoon van een tramconducteur die graag de Noorse mythologie bestudeerde,en die vroeger bij Child Welfare werkte als een maatschappelijk werker. Het eerste deel in de serie werd gepubliceerd in 1977 en vanaf dat moment heeft het wereldwijde lezerspubliek de kans gekregen om zich te verdiepen in de fascinerende wereld die is gecreëerd door Staalesens prachtige proza, dat opvalt door zijn nauwkeurigheid en eenvoud, de uitstekende beschrijvende delen en de grimmige karakterisering.Gevallen engelenis het achtste deel van de geliefde sage, voor het eerst gepubliceerd in 1989, en het kreeg de prestigieuze Palle Rosenkratz-prijs, toegekend aan de beste misdaadroman die in een bepaald jaar in Denemarken werd gepubliceerd.
Het begint allemaal wanneer Varg de begrafenis bijwoont van een oude klasgenoot en daar ontmoet hij, na vele jaren, enkele van zijn vrienden uit zijn schooljaren. Jakob Aasen was een van Varg's beste vrienden omdat ze samen opgroeiden in een van de buurten van Bergen. Samen gaan ze op kroegentocht en komen ze terecht in een club waar Johnny Solheim als zanger optreedt. Jakob en Johnny speelden vroeger samen in een band genaamd "The Harpers" en hun relatie lijkt aanvankelijk gespannen omdat er een gedeelde geschiedenis is die Varg niet ken. Jakobs vrouw, Rebecca, is een vrouw die Varg nooit heeft gezien sinds hij een jonge jongen en waar hij toen hopeloos verliefd op was. Rebecca die uiteindelijk koos voor Jakob heeft Jakob alleen gelaten met drie kinderen en nu wordt ze vermist, dus vraagt Jacob Varg om discreet te informeren naar haar huidige verblijfplaats. Varg aanvaardt om het te doen als een gunst aan een oude vriend en wanneer, de dag erna, Johnny dood wordt gevonden, doodgestoken, buiten een illegale nachtclub, zal de Bergensiaanse privédetective in een spiraal van vroegere geheimen en leugens worden getrokken die resulteerde in de dood van Johnny.
Het verhaal is aangrijpend en het ontrafelt zich in een gelijkmatig tempo, steeds sneller naar het verrassende einde waar de waarheid wordt onthuld en alle puzzelstukjes op hun plaats vallen. De lezer krijgt de kans om een glimp op te vangen van het leven van de hoofdpersoon als jong kind en zijn nostalgie blijkt duidelijk uit zijn vertelling in de eerste persoon: "Er was veel verdwenen, maar de voetafdrukken van de kinderen die daar rondliepen zouden nooit volledig gewist totdat ze zelf, allemaal, uit het schetsblok van de tijd waren". Staalesens weergave van hoe het was om in het naoorlogse Bergen te leven is prachtig en het opperste gevoel van locatie van de roman maakt van Bergen een droomstad. Verder is er een prachtige dialoog en veel muzikale referenties, vooral met betrekking tot het begin van rockmuziek en bands als The Beatles.
Gevallen engelen is in de eerste plaats een misdaadroman met een ingenieus plot en het eindresultaat is meer dan bevredigend. Er is veel mysterie en het is echt moeilijk om de finale van het verhaal te voorspellen.
March 20, 2021
Heart breaking
October 11, 2020
Fallen Angels takes readers back to where it all began for Varg Veum, to a point where he is forced to face his childhood, and to confront feelings from his past. This is a sometimes difficult story to read, the implications of everything that Varg learns over the course of his investigation unpalatable, but handled in a careful way that protects readers from the worst of the truth.
We meet Varg as he is attending the funeral of an old school friend, bringing him face to face with people from his past with whom he has a very complex relationship. His old friend Jakob also happens to be the person who married the first woman that Varg ever loved, Rebecca. As it turns out, the funeral that Varg attends will not be the last and as another of his old friends dies, it is up to him to discover if there is a reason behind this.
Much of the novel is given over to setting the scene, to introducing us to the main characters and the dynamic between them, moving often between the present and Varg's memories of the past. Gunnar Staalesen does a brilliant job of recreating not only the present day, or at least mid-eighties Bergen, as well as the Bergen of the sixties and seventies, exploring Varg's first feelings of love and infatuation and his relationship with both his family and religion, something that he lives on the periphery of through his friendship with Rebecca.
There is a slow building tension in this book, a kind of underlying threat that you can feel but that rarely reaches the surface. The more we learn about the band, about their twisted friendships and the jealousies that developed, the more you realise that there may be creedence in Varg's assertion the deaths of his friends are anything but accidental. The investigation leads Varg, and the reader, so some dark places, many of which are still topical even if the story is set in the mid-eighties. That whole idea of the perception of women, that to be outgoing or, heaven-forbid, provocative, may be a signal of promiscuity and an invitation to the men in. their lives to act upon their own fantasies, is one that is all too recognizable and all too real.
It is unsettling to read at times, but still portrayed in a way that is both sensitive to the victim and also chillingly authentic. While everything takes place off the page, there is no doubting what has happened and Varg's reaction to it serves only to make him all the more human and, perhaps, been more endearing. It has always been clear that Varg has a real empathy for the victims, but never more so than in the course of this book. The author has done a brilliant job in conveying Varg's inner turmoil, that conflict that exists between his need to see justice done and the understanding of who the true victims are in this story.
This is not a fast paced book, the investigation difficult and the forays into Varg's past take away any urgency that may ordinarily surround the kinds of threats Varg perceives to his friends. And yet it works beautifully, suiting the style of the story and the deliberate nature of Varg's persona. I have loved this trip down memory lane with Varg, appreciated getting to know more about the events that shaped the investigator we know today. It is a story full of mystery, of uncertainty and threat, but overwhelmingly of emotion, a thoughtful look at how events of the past can inform and shape the future, and of the devastating impact of the abusive and destructive relationships that surround Varg and his friends. It may be closing a chapter in Varg's life, but you know it is one that will inform much of his future.
A truly thought provoking read and definitely recommended.
We meet Varg as he is attending the funeral of an old school friend, bringing him face to face with people from his past with whom he has a very complex relationship. His old friend Jakob also happens to be the person who married the first woman that Varg ever loved, Rebecca. As it turns out, the funeral that Varg attends will not be the last and as another of his old friends dies, it is up to him to discover if there is a reason behind this.
Much of the novel is given over to setting the scene, to introducing us to the main characters and the dynamic between them, moving often between the present and Varg's memories of the past. Gunnar Staalesen does a brilliant job of recreating not only the present day, or at least mid-eighties Bergen, as well as the Bergen of the sixties and seventies, exploring Varg's first feelings of love and infatuation and his relationship with both his family and religion, something that he lives on the periphery of through his friendship with Rebecca.
There is a slow building tension in this book, a kind of underlying threat that you can feel but that rarely reaches the surface. The more we learn about the band, about their twisted friendships and the jealousies that developed, the more you realise that there may be creedence in Varg's assertion the deaths of his friends are anything but accidental. The investigation leads Varg, and the reader, so some dark places, many of which are still topical even if the story is set in the mid-eighties. That whole idea of the perception of women, that to be outgoing or, heaven-forbid, provocative, may be a signal of promiscuity and an invitation to the men in. their lives to act upon their own fantasies, is one that is all too recognizable and all too real.
It is unsettling to read at times, but still portrayed in a way that is both sensitive to the victim and also chillingly authentic. While everything takes place off the page, there is no doubting what has happened and Varg's reaction to it serves only to make him all the more human and, perhaps, been more endearing. It has always been clear that Varg has a real empathy for the victims, but never more so than in the course of this book. The author has done a brilliant job in conveying Varg's inner turmoil, that conflict that exists between his need to see justice done and the understanding of who the true victims are in this story.
This is not a fast paced book, the investigation difficult and the forays into Varg's past take away any urgency that may ordinarily surround the kinds of threats Varg perceives to his friends. And yet it works beautifully, suiting the style of the story and the deliberate nature of Varg's persona. I have loved this trip down memory lane with Varg, appreciated getting to know more about the events that shaped the investigator we know today. It is a story full of mystery, of uncertainty and threat, but overwhelmingly of emotion, a thoughtful look at how events of the past can inform and shape the future, and of the devastating impact of the abusive and destructive relationships that surround Varg and his friends. It may be closing a chapter in Varg's life, but you know it is one that will inform much of his future.
A truly thought provoking read and definitely recommended.
November 10, 2020
A confession: Though I have seen Gunnar Staalesen's name being praised by book lovers for several years, I've never taken their advice to read his novels until now. But it seems I have picked a good time to jump aboard, as Orenda is stepping back in time with this new English translation of a book first published in Staalesen's native Norwegian in 1989, and the story itself takes his long-standing private investigator Varg Veum into his own past.
Attending the funeral of a former classmate, Varg meets old friends Jakob and Paul. As the service goes on, he finds himself lost in thoughts of their schooldays, a streak of angst running through the memories as icy as the December weather outside the chapel. The three agree to meet that evening for a drink. A few rounds in, Paul is left behind with a promising conquest; Varg and Jakob head to a club where another old friend is to be found - Johnny, lead singer of The Harpers, with whom Jakob played guitar in the 1960s.
But tonight there is an obvious rift between the ex-bandmates, and finally Varg gets Jakob to spill the reason: it turns out his wife has walked out and he fears she has gone to Johnny, as she did once before. Varg reluctantly agrees to make some calls - after all, the woman in the family photos is Rebecca, Varg's first love as a teenager, and the siren call of the past is irresistible.
Johnny isn't difficult to track down in daylight hours, but though he confirms Rebecca and he had an affair, he claims not to have seen her since. Jakob isn't convinced, but as he and Varg leave a nightclub after a fruitless search for Johnny, the PI discovers a dying man on the street near the club - and finds himself entangled in the police investigation, even as he continues the search for Rebecca. Then he stumbles on a mysterious letter which suggests the death outside the nightclub and two others, previously deemed accidental, are in fact linked. And that there is someone else at risk too...
Meanwhile, he worries at the question of what happened that night in October 1975 to break up both the band and the relationships of two of its members. It comes to light eventually, and it's truly awful; I recoiled from the pages as I read it. Even the knowledge that a form of wild justice has prevailed doesn't take away the sting.
I could have lived without some of the scenes involving female characters that were rather gratuitous, and one or two other elements had me raising an eyebrow. But they are how true of how much crime fiction dealt with such things at the end of the 80s, so you have to bear that in mind. However, none of these issues undermine the overall power of the novel.
The descriptions of the landscapes and communities of Varg's childhood make the book as much social history as novel, and you can luxuriate in them as this is a seriously slow burn narrative - it's a third of the way through the novel before the murder, and there is no subplot to distract from Varg and his investigations.
The chill winter weather and the nature of the case underline the sense of melancholy that runs throughout the book, which stems from the sense of loss that nostalgia can bring. And yet there is much to enjoy and overall it's a satisfying read, perfect to keep you company on these darkening winter nights.
Attending the funeral of a former classmate, Varg meets old friends Jakob and Paul. As the service goes on, he finds himself lost in thoughts of their schooldays, a streak of angst running through the memories as icy as the December weather outside the chapel. The three agree to meet that evening for a drink. A few rounds in, Paul is left behind with a promising conquest; Varg and Jakob head to a club where another old friend is to be found - Johnny, lead singer of The Harpers, with whom Jakob played guitar in the 1960s.
But tonight there is an obvious rift between the ex-bandmates, and finally Varg gets Jakob to spill the reason: it turns out his wife has walked out and he fears she has gone to Johnny, as she did once before. Varg reluctantly agrees to make some calls - after all, the woman in the family photos is Rebecca, Varg's first love as a teenager, and the siren call of the past is irresistible.
Johnny isn't difficult to track down in daylight hours, but though he confirms Rebecca and he had an affair, he claims not to have seen her since. Jakob isn't convinced, but as he and Varg leave a nightclub after a fruitless search for Johnny, the PI discovers a dying man on the street near the club - and finds himself entangled in the police investigation, even as he continues the search for Rebecca. Then he stumbles on a mysterious letter which suggests the death outside the nightclub and two others, previously deemed accidental, are in fact linked. And that there is someone else at risk too...
Meanwhile, he worries at the question of what happened that night in October 1975 to break up both the band and the relationships of two of its members. It comes to light eventually, and it's truly awful; I recoiled from the pages as I read it. Even the knowledge that a form of wild justice has prevailed doesn't take away the sting.
I could have lived without some of the scenes involving female characters that were rather gratuitous, and one or two other elements had me raising an eyebrow. But they are how true of how much crime fiction dealt with such things at the end of the 80s, so you have to bear that in mind. However, none of these issues undermine the overall power of the novel.
The descriptions of the landscapes and communities of Varg's childhood make the book as much social history as novel, and you can luxuriate in them as this is a seriously slow burn narrative - it's a third of the way through the novel before the murder, and there is no subplot to distract from Varg and his investigations.
The chill winter weather and the nature of the case underline the sense of melancholy that runs throughout the book, which stems from the sense of loss that nostalgia can bring. And yet there is much to enjoy and overall it's a satisfying read, perfect to keep you company on these darkening winter nights.
November 25, 2020
At the start of the story set in 1986 in Bergen, Norway, social worker turned private investigator Varg Veum attends the funeral Jan Petter Olsen, a man he knew from his schooldays. He only sees two other old classmates, journalist Paul Finckel and Jakob Aasen. Jakob had been the guitarist turned keyboard player in the very successful band The Harpers, formed in 1958 with three other lads from the same district and school. Varg hasn’t seen Jakob since 1965 when Jakob married Rebecca, the girl that Varg had loved since his early childhood but never managed to snare for himself. After the funeral the three men go for drinks and reminisce. Leaving Paul behind, Varg and Jakob visit a music venue where the “golden oldie” appearing is Johnny Solheim, The Harper’s lead singer. The Harpers disbanded in 1975 but Varg never knew why and no one seems happy to tell him. The other two band members, bassist Harry Klove and drummer Arild Hjellestad, have already died in mysterious accidents. The old friends also run into the charismatic young pop singer Belinda Bluflat who has them all under her spell, including Johnny. Jakob now works as a church organist. His wife has left him and their three children, and he asks Varg to try to find her for him. She left him once before for Johnny and might be with him again. Varg meets Johnny again twice in a short space of time. Once at his shop, alive, and then soon again, stabbed in the street, dead. Varg becomes entwined in the police investigation into the death, but soon realizes this has everything to do with the past and what happened to the band all those years ago. There is a killer in their midst and Varg fears another murder could take place. As he revisits past acquaintances and digs into buried memories that people would rather forget, he soon finds himself in the midst of something very dark and terrible, and once he brings it into the light, things will never be the same again for any of them. I found the book to be a very slow burn. Considering it is number eight in the series, it felt more like it was an introduction to Varg and his past life rather than jumping straight into a case as I would have expected. The investigation does gradually start to unroll but throughout the first half of the book there is little in the way of tension or suspense, and I was desperately hoping that something would happen soon. Despite his self proclaimed lifelong adoration of Rebecca, Varg does seem to spend a lot of time fantasizing about the bodies of most of the women he meets which gives him plenty to muse upon as he looks back on his formative years and the people he grew up with. There are some nice little touches of humour in Varg’s thoughts to himself which have translated well. The story does eventually get going and I was glad I waited. After setting the scene very well, it does get around to revealing the dark secrets that have coloured the last 21 years but also paints a captivating portrait of the town and its inhabitants over the years as they look back upon their youth and question the choices they made. 4*
November 12, 2020
This review also appears on my blog at: https://livemanylives.wordpress.com/
Gunnar Staalesen is a master of the PI genre, beautifully painting pictures with first person narrative and simile, and with Fallen Angels he is at the top of his game. Digging deep into Varg Veum’s past we connect with the detective like never before to form an unbreakable bond.
It feels good to be back in Bergen. Varg Veum, the Lone Wolf, guides us into his past after a childhood friendship is rekindled at a funeral. This is a reflective story for Veum, as he considers what was and what might have been, we are able to get to know him at a personal level.
Fallen Angels was first published in Norwegian in 1989 and according to his website remains the author’s favourite Veum novel. “The first I wrote as a full-time author, and in this book I go deeper into the portrayals of people than earlier in the series. A book about rock and religion, growing up and the abuse children and young people can be exposed to by people in their immediate environment.”
The author hints here at the strong vein of noir that runs through the novel. Veum not only delves into his past but also the darkest corners of the human capacity for horror. It is handled perfectly though, as is the 1980s world that may be unfamiliar to younger readers but is flawlessly captured (as you would expect given that the novel is coming to us in English 30 years after it was written).
The story builds slowly as we are pulled into Veum’s world, initially via a prolonged pub crawl, and the beauty of the book is in that up close and personal nature of the narrative. Rather than watching a detective cat and mouse chase from afar, the reader is drawn into the scene, sharing the sense of a lifting fog from the past that allows a faint tentacle of sunlight to illuminate the present.
The characters are not universally likeable but they do feel real and authentic, warts and all. The actions of the past have left their mark on everyone. Some are stained with a darkness that they can never shed, whilst others have been cracked and have no hope of reclaiming innocence or peace.
In a way, Veum himself is a relic, striding out of a time that has gone, but I still find him compelling. There is a mournful, melancholic aura to him. A heavy human heart that sparks a whisper of recognition somewhere deep inside. He is on a mission to uncover other peoples’ truths but too often his own escapes him, even when he has chased it to the bottom of the bottle.
Skål Veum, until next time.
Gunnar Staalesen is a master of the PI genre, beautifully painting pictures with first person narrative and simile, and with Fallen Angels he is at the top of his game. Digging deep into Varg Veum’s past we connect with the detective like never before to form an unbreakable bond.
It feels good to be back in Bergen. Varg Veum, the Lone Wolf, guides us into his past after a childhood friendship is rekindled at a funeral. This is a reflective story for Veum, as he considers what was and what might have been, we are able to get to know him at a personal level.
Fallen Angels was first published in Norwegian in 1989 and according to his website remains the author’s favourite Veum novel. “The first I wrote as a full-time author, and in this book I go deeper into the portrayals of people than earlier in the series. A book about rock and religion, growing up and the abuse children and young people can be exposed to by people in their immediate environment.”
The author hints here at the strong vein of noir that runs through the novel. Veum not only delves into his past but also the darkest corners of the human capacity for horror. It is handled perfectly though, as is the 1980s world that may be unfamiliar to younger readers but is flawlessly captured (as you would expect given that the novel is coming to us in English 30 years after it was written).
The story builds slowly as we are pulled into Veum’s world, initially via a prolonged pub crawl, and the beauty of the book is in that up close and personal nature of the narrative. Rather than watching a detective cat and mouse chase from afar, the reader is drawn into the scene, sharing the sense of a lifting fog from the past that allows a faint tentacle of sunlight to illuminate the present.
The characters are not universally likeable but they do feel real and authentic, warts and all. The actions of the past have left their mark on everyone. Some are stained with a darkness that they can never shed, whilst others have been cracked and have no hope of reclaiming innocence or peace.
In a way, Veum himself is a relic, striding out of a time that has gone, but I still find him compelling. There is a mournful, melancholic aura to him. A heavy human heart that sparks a whisper of recognition somewhere deep inside. He is on a mission to uncover other peoples’ truths but too often his own escapes him, even when he has chased it to the bottom of the bottle.
Skål Veum, until next time.
November 9, 2020
Private Investigator Varg Veum finds himself at a funeral of a former classmate, which becomes much more than he bargained for on this occasion. The funeral turns into a sort of reunion for Varg with several classmates, namely his old friend Jakob. This rekindled friendship is immediately thrown into turmoil after Varg’s discovery of a brutal murder. This murder leads Varg down a path into the past and his adolescence. He must explore some of his darkest memories in order to find a killer.
Gunnar Staalesen transports readers straight into Norway to follow along with Private Investigator Varg Veum as he investigates a case linked to his youth. I was a bit worried when I realized that this was the 8th installment in a series centered on Varg, however, I was instantly able to pick up the plotline and had no issues with the flow of this story.
One of the key aspects that makes this book work so well as a standalone installment is the focus on Varg’s adolescence. I love when books link two timelines together in order to solve a crime or murder. Staalesen effortlesses melds together Varg’s past and present to be one cohesive and fascinating story! I loved both of the timelines and how easy it was to flow back and forth between the two. Instead of awkward transitions or jumps the reader is able to reflect back on specific events with Varg the same way you reminiscence about your past regularly.
Staalesen has a true knack for not just transporting the reader to another time, but also another place. I truly felt the city of Bergen come to life while I was reading FALLEN ANGELS and tagging along with Varg. Talk about wanderlust! It speaks a great testament to a storyteller when you start to research places from their books while reading them in the hopes that one day (ya know, post-pandemic) you might be able to go exploring there!
FALLEN ANGELS is an excellent addition to any TBR in search of a slow-burn Nordic Noir story to cozy up with in the colder months!
A huge thank you to Orenda Books for my gifted copy!
Gunnar Staalesen transports readers straight into Norway to follow along with Private Investigator Varg Veum as he investigates a case linked to his youth. I was a bit worried when I realized that this was the 8th installment in a series centered on Varg, however, I was instantly able to pick up the plotline and had no issues with the flow of this story.
One of the key aspects that makes this book work so well as a standalone installment is the focus on Varg’s adolescence. I love when books link two timelines together in order to solve a crime or murder. Staalesen effortlesses melds together Varg’s past and present to be one cohesive and fascinating story! I loved both of the timelines and how easy it was to flow back and forth between the two. Instead of awkward transitions or jumps the reader is able to reflect back on specific events with Varg the same way you reminiscence about your past regularly.
Staalesen has a true knack for not just transporting the reader to another time, but also another place. I truly felt the city of Bergen come to life while I was reading FALLEN ANGELS and tagging along with Varg. Talk about wanderlust! It speaks a great testament to a storyteller when you start to research places from their books while reading them in the hopes that one day (ya know, post-pandemic) you might be able to go exploring there!
FALLEN ANGELS is an excellent addition to any TBR in search of a slow-burn Nordic Noir story to cozy up with in the colder months!
A huge thank you to Orenda Books for my gifted copy!
December 1, 2020
Character development is rare in a book series, many writers settling for the story and never revealing the hidden depths of the character you thought you knew inside out. In Fallen Angels by Gunner Staalesen, the writer surprised and delighted me by taking Veum into his past and writing a narrative that reveals lost friendships, first loves and danger that have catastrophic effects on the present. I loved how it gave him a greater sense of depth, helping us to him to understand how he was shaped by all the events in his childhood. I felt closer to him as a character by the end and intensely moved by his reactions to what happens. I did not think I could love him more, but by the end of Fallen Angels, this flawed, but principled character had been made even more real, because the writer takes us inside his head and allows us to experience his fears and his very real terror.
It is written in language that makes you feel if you could step off the page into the cold, restless streets of his home. It is such a magnificent part of this book, because the danger around Veum feels almost like it is vibrating off the page. The writer and translator capturing the tension as it builds and envelops the reader. It left me utterly broken. The quietness of the revelation at the heart of this book, having more of any impact, because in the moments of silence, between the words and sentences, you’re painfully aware of the horror the tortured soul of the killer seeking to silence the hurt pulsating down the years and exploding into the present. It makes for a compulsive read, you might feel the need to turn away, but knowing that something of great darkness may be around the corner you read on.
I’m not sure what Gunner Staalesen can do to top this, but I have faith he can.
It is written in language that makes you feel if you could step off the page into the cold, restless streets of his home. It is such a magnificent part of this book, because the danger around Veum feels almost like it is vibrating off the page. The writer and translator capturing the tension as it builds and envelops the reader. It left me utterly broken. The quietness of the revelation at the heart of this book, having more of any impact, because in the moments of silence, between the words and sentences, you’re painfully aware of the horror the tortured soul of the killer seeking to silence the hurt pulsating down the years and exploding into the present. It makes for a compulsive read, you might feel the need to turn away, but knowing that something of great darkness may be around the corner you read on.
I’m not sure what Gunner Staalesen can do to top this, but I have faith he can.
November 23, 2020
The central figure, Varg Veum, is certainly not your run of the mill character. His name means 'wolf' in Norwegian and it suits him perfectly as he doggedly roots out the clues and tries to find out the truth. There is a hint of the outsider about him. Set in Bergen, the story is full of its sights and sounds and the cold, biting weather adds to the atmosphere. The story takes an uncompromising look at the lives of a group of schoolfriends, now grown up. At times, it takes you to uncomfortable places. I certainly did not see the ending coming.
In Fallen Angels, you are taken back into Veum's childhood and to his first love. Moving back and forwards through Veum's life, I found it interesting how the attitudes of the past are depicted. Women certainly had a tough life with assumptions made about them. The past seems like a strange country which we visit and not somewhere we would like to stay for long. We are not shown a cosy, innocent place by any means. As the murders mount up and Veum searches for Rebecca, it proves to be a mystery which is character driven and the tension slowly builds. For readers who enjoy this series, this fills in some of Veum's background.
In short: Slow burning suspense
Thanks to the publisher for a copy of the book
In Fallen Angels, you are taken back into Veum's childhood and to his first love. Moving back and forwards through Veum's life, I found it interesting how the attitudes of the past are depicted. Women certainly had a tough life with assumptions made about them. The past seems like a strange country which we visit and not somewhere we would like to stay for long. We are not shown a cosy, innocent place by any means. As the murders mount up and Veum searches for Rebecca, it proves to be a mystery which is character driven and the tension slowly builds. For readers who enjoy this series, this fills in some of Veum's background.
In short: Slow burning suspense
Thanks to the publisher for a copy of the book
November 3, 2022
Varg Veum is a singular character in Nordic Noir, a completely messed up man haunted by his social worker background, and with bottomless empathy for the child victims of this world.
This one is a typical Veum outing. Varg attends the funeral of an old schoolfriend, and hooks up with some of his former mates, members of an old rock and roll band. One of them asks Varg to help track down his wife, who has left him.
In the bitter weather leading up to Christmas, Varg digs through his own childhood memories, begins to think that there have been a few too many funerals lately, and starts looking for an explanation. What he finds out is shocking.
As always, Staalesen brings Bergen to life in a manner matched only by Ian Rankin's Edinburgh. His unique character, set in this unique place, with suitably twisty and disturbing plots, make this series unmissable.
This one is a typical Veum outing. Varg attends the funeral of an old schoolfriend, and hooks up with some of his former mates, members of an old rock and roll band. One of them asks Varg to help track down his wife, who has left him.
In the bitter weather leading up to Christmas, Varg digs through his own childhood memories, begins to think that there have been a few too many funerals lately, and starts looking for an explanation. What he finds out is shocking.
As always, Staalesen brings Bergen to life in a manner matched only by Ian Rankin's Edinburgh. His unique character, set in this unique place, with suitably twisty and disturbing plots, make this series unmissable.
January 27, 2022
Deze recensie is eerder verschenen op Koukleum.nl.
Ik had al regelmatig de boeken met Varg Veum voorbij zien komen in de catalogus van uitgeverij Marmer en ik was hier iedere keer nieuwsgierig naar, maar omdat deze serie al liep, durfde ik het niet aan, om er zo in te stappen. Maar nu was ik uiteindelijk zo nieuwsgierig dat ik in gesprek met de uitgeverij, gewoon gevraagd heb of deze wellicht ook losstaand te lezen waren en ik kreeg al vrij snel een bevestigend antwoord. Dit zorgde er voor dat ik eindelijk de stap durfde te nemen om een boek van Gunnar Staalesen te gaan lezen en recenseren. Ik begon enthousiast te lezen, maar wat mij al snel opviel was dat alles wel heel uitgebreid omschreven werd. Zo zijn ze in het begin van het boek op een begrafenis en er wordt veel, voor mijn gevoel nutteloze informatie weggegeven.
"De deuren van de kapel werden geopend en de mensen gingen naar binnen. Er waren twee kapellen, met hun ingangen recht tegenover elkaar. De kleinste heette Hoop. Die was voor de uitverkorenen. De grootste heette Geloof, gereserveerd voor de grote, witte kudde. Zo ziet het er tijdens een doorsneedienst op een gewone zondagochtend niet uit. Maar zo is de dood. Die zet zoveel voorstellingen op zijn kop.
Jan Petter zou worden bijgezet in Geloof."
Dat Jan Petter in de kapel Geloof de dienst heeft, heeft eigenlijk absoluut geen meerwaarde voor het verhaal en had dus veel beknopter gekund. En dit viel mij dus regelmatig op dat er informatie bijgehaald werd, waarvan ik dacht wat moet ik met deze informatie. Dit vind ik op zich heel jammer, want het haalt de vaart uit het verhaal en haalt de aandacht weg van de belangrijke dingen.
Ik merkte dat ik me op een bepaald moment steeds meer ging ergeren aan de vele onnodige details die gegeven werden en hierdoor werd het lezen van het boek voor mij geen pretje. Normaal lees ik erg graag Scandinavische thrillers, maar deze was helaas geen succes.
De verschillende personages waren wel goed uitgewerkt en ik kon me wat dat betreft goed in de personages inleven en ook de omgeving werd zo goed omschreven dat ik me zelf in het Noorse Bergen waande. Ook kon je je heel goed in het verleden van Varg Veum verplaatsen. Echter ook het verleden werd soms tot in den treuren uitgekauwd, waardoor het verhaal soms wat langdradig werd en ik mezelf echt moest aanzetten om verder te lezen.
De ontknoping zag ik dan niet meteen aankomen en dat vond ik dan wel erg goed uitgedacht en hier wist Staalesen mij dan ook nog mee te verrassen. Echter denk ik persoonlijk dat dit boek, zeker de helft dunner had kunnen zijn, als alle overbodige opsommingen eruit gehaald zouden worden.
Helaas was mijn kennismaking met Gunnar Staalesen niet positief en de kans dat ik wederom een boek uit de Varg Veum serie op zal pakken is daarom ook heel klein.
Ik had al regelmatig de boeken met Varg Veum voorbij zien komen in de catalogus van uitgeverij Marmer en ik was hier iedere keer nieuwsgierig naar, maar omdat deze serie al liep, durfde ik het niet aan, om er zo in te stappen. Maar nu was ik uiteindelijk zo nieuwsgierig dat ik in gesprek met de uitgeverij, gewoon gevraagd heb of deze wellicht ook losstaand te lezen waren en ik kreeg al vrij snel een bevestigend antwoord. Dit zorgde er voor dat ik eindelijk de stap durfde te nemen om een boek van Gunnar Staalesen te gaan lezen en recenseren. Ik begon enthousiast te lezen, maar wat mij al snel opviel was dat alles wel heel uitgebreid omschreven werd. Zo zijn ze in het begin van het boek op een begrafenis en er wordt veel, voor mijn gevoel nutteloze informatie weggegeven.
"De deuren van de kapel werden geopend en de mensen gingen naar binnen. Er waren twee kapellen, met hun ingangen recht tegenover elkaar. De kleinste heette Hoop. Die was voor de uitverkorenen. De grootste heette Geloof, gereserveerd voor de grote, witte kudde. Zo ziet het er tijdens een doorsneedienst op een gewone zondagochtend niet uit. Maar zo is de dood. Die zet zoveel voorstellingen op zijn kop.
Jan Petter zou worden bijgezet in Geloof."
Dat Jan Petter in de kapel Geloof de dienst heeft, heeft eigenlijk absoluut geen meerwaarde voor het verhaal en had dus veel beknopter gekund. En dit viel mij dus regelmatig op dat er informatie bijgehaald werd, waarvan ik dacht wat moet ik met deze informatie. Dit vind ik op zich heel jammer, want het haalt de vaart uit het verhaal en haalt de aandacht weg van de belangrijke dingen.
Ik merkte dat ik me op een bepaald moment steeds meer ging ergeren aan de vele onnodige details die gegeven werden en hierdoor werd het lezen van het boek voor mij geen pretje. Normaal lees ik erg graag Scandinavische thrillers, maar deze was helaas geen succes.
De verschillende personages waren wel goed uitgewerkt en ik kon me wat dat betreft goed in de personages inleven en ook de omgeving werd zo goed omschreven dat ik me zelf in het Noorse Bergen waande. Ook kon je je heel goed in het verleden van Varg Veum verplaatsen. Echter ook het verleden werd soms tot in den treuren uitgekauwd, waardoor het verhaal soms wat langdradig werd en ik mezelf echt moest aanzetten om verder te lezen.
De ontknoping zag ik dan niet meteen aankomen en dat vond ik dan wel erg goed uitgedacht en hier wist Staalesen mij dan ook nog mee te verrassen. Echter denk ik persoonlijk dat dit boek, zeker de helft dunner had kunnen zijn, als alle overbodige opsommingen eruit gehaald zouden worden.
Helaas was mijn kennismaking met Gunnar Staalesen niet positief en de kans dat ik wederom een boek uit de Varg Veum serie op zal pakken is daarom ook heel klein.
April 18, 2021
Fallen Angels by Gunnar Staalesen, vintage Nordic noir with masterful storytelling and not a terrible place to start if you’re new to him.
At the funeral of a former classmate, Bergen PI Varg Veum has an unexpected reunion with an old friend, Jakob Aasen, on a somber Norwegian December afternoon. After the funeral, they go club hopping together. Learning that Varg is a private investigator, Jakob confides in him about his estranged wife, Rebecca, and asks Varg to locate her as a favor. That complicates the rekindled friendship since Varg has not never truly gotten over Rebecca, his first love. But he agrees to look for her. When someone murders another mutual friend, Varg realizes something very odd is going on. He makes the connection between the victim, a former member of the same once-famous 1960s rock band which Jakob was a guitarist with and some other unnatural deaths. A quest to find a killer forces Veum to dig deep into his own past and darkest memories.
Set so far in the past in the 1980s, reading Fallen Angels, the third installment in the Varg Veum series, reminded me a little of Raymond Chandler’s novels and Varg Veum seemed a bit like a Norwegian Philip Marlowe. The novel is a slow-burn out of the gate, but quickly develops into an absorbing read. Staalesen masterfully pulls you deeper and deeper into the story with each chapter. Peering into the darker side of human nature creates an underlying feeling of tension that leaves the reader feeling unsettling as the dark secrets of the characters’ pasts emerge. With its cold, dark setting, emotional chilliness, and an overarching sense of despair expressed via a brutal murder-mystery plot, the book meets and exceeds what we expect from a Nordic thriller.
This isn’t an easy read emotionally. It’s an uncompromising examination of how human beings sometimes do the most inhuman things to each other, and how such events shape people for a lifetime. There’s almost a poetic, lyrical quality to Staalesen’s writing. His descriptions of the landscapes, expert use of juxtapositions and similes, and his fully rendered believable characters combine to produce an evocative sense of place.
This was my first book by Gunnar Staalesen. After the first dozen chapters, I felt like I wouldn’t like this novel particularly, but by the time I reached the shocking reveal at the end, I pondered where Gunnar Staalesen has been all my life. How could I have missed reading him until now?
I highly recommend this powerful novel to anyone who enjoys a suspenseful crime mystery thriller. Gunnar Staalesen is another welcome addition to my list of favorite Scandinavian crime fiction writers. I’ll be adding the other books in the Varg Veum series to my to be read pile.
At the funeral of a former classmate, Bergen PI Varg Veum has an unexpected reunion with an old friend, Jakob Aasen, on a somber Norwegian December afternoon. After the funeral, they go club hopping together. Learning that Varg is a private investigator, Jakob confides in him about his estranged wife, Rebecca, and asks Varg to locate her as a favor. That complicates the rekindled friendship since Varg has not never truly gotten over Rebecca, his first love. But he agrees to look for her. When someone murders another mutual friend, Varg realizes something very odd is going on. He makes the connection between the victim, a former member of the same once-famous 1960s rock band which Jakob was a guitarist with and some other unnatural deaths. A quest to find a killer forces Veum to dig deep into his own past and darkest memories.
Set so far in the past in the 1980s, reading Fallen Angels, the third installment in the Varg Veum series, reminded me a little of Raymond Chandler’s novels and Varg Veum seemed a bit like a Norwegian Philip Marlowe. The novel is a slow-burn out of the gate, but quickly develops into an absorbing read. Staalesen masterfully pulls you deeper and deeper into the story with each chapter. Peering into the darker side of human nature creates an underlying feeling of tension that leaves the reader feeling unsettling as the dark secrets of the characters’ pasts emerge. With its cold, dark setting, emotional chilliness, and an overarching sense of despair expressed via a brutal murder-mystery plot, the book meets and exceeds what we expect from a Nordic thriller.
This isn’t an easy read emotionally. It’s an uncompromising examination of how human beings sometimes do the most inhuman things to each other, and how such events shape people for a lifetime. There’s almost a poetic, lyrical quality to Staalesen’s writing. His descriptions of the landscapes, expert use of juxtapositions and similes, and his fully rendered believable characters combine to produce an evocative sense of place.
This was my first book by Gunnar Staalesen. After the first dozen chapters, I felt like I wouldn’t like this novel particularly, but by the time I reached the shocking reveal at the end, I pondered where Gunnar Staalesen has been all my life. How could I have missed reading him until now?
I highly recommend this powerful novel to anyone who enjoys a suspenseful crime mystery thriller. Gunnar Staalesen is another welcome addition to my list of favorite Scandinavian crime fiction writers. I’ll be adding the other books in the Varg Veum series to my to be read pile.
June 13, 2021
Fallen Angels is the latest book published by Orenda Books in the Varg Veum series and this time we get to discover much more about Varg’s past when he attends the funeral of an old school friend. Initially he is asked by his friend Jakob to find his wife Rebecca who has recently left him. Varg agrees as a favour but is not sure that he really wants to come face with her, after all she was his first love. As he starts to reconnect with the people he once knew well, he finds himself caught up in the middle of a murder investigation. Never one to leave things alone he sets out to find out who is responsible.
Throughout this book we get snippets of Varg’s childhood as he remembers sometimes fondly and sometimes not so fondly of events that shaped them all, however it is events of a slightly more recent time that are the backdrop for what he finds himself in the middle of. As he digs deeper, he finds that everyone is reluctant to provide information as to what really happened in 1975 but he is sure that whatever it is, it holds the key.
As you get further into the book and past events are revealed, at times it can become quite disturbing. It is down to the skill of Gunnar Staalesen that at no time do you feel that the topic is too graphic or sensationalised. Except for Varg and the ultimate victim in this story the remaining characters have no redeeming qualities whatsoever. Where you may feel sorry for some of them at the start, by the end you get the distinct feeling that their lives are what they deserve, and you can understand why Varg wants little to do with any of them again.
Fallen Angels can very easily be read on its own as this was actually book 8 in the series and certainly has a different feel and pace to the other books I have read so far. I think that is possibly my favourite as we are getting to see a different Varg Veum, one that who is not yet quite so jaded, or affected by the cases he has had to deal with. The determination to find the truth no matter what is clearly there as is his sense for justice. With the fantastic descriptions of the ever changing seasons and scenery I am falling in love with Norway almost as much as I am with Staalesen’s writing and can’t wait for what comes next in this series
Throughout this book we get snippets of Varg’s childhood as he remembers sometimes fondly and sometimes not so fondly of events that shaped them all, however it is events of a slightly more recent time that are the backdrop for what he finds himself in the middle of. As he digs deeper, he finds that everyone is reluctant to provide information as to what really happened in 1975 but he is sure that whatever it is, it holds the key.
As you get further into the book and past events are revealed, at times it can become quite disturbing. It is down to the skill of Gunnar Staalesen that at no time do you feel that the topic is too graphic or sensationalised. Except for Varg and the ultimate victim in this story the remaining characters have no redeeming qualities whatsoever. Where you may feel sorry for some of them at the start, by the end you get the distinct feeling that their lives are what they deserve, and you can understand why Varg wants little to do with any of them again.
Fallen Angels can very easily be read on its own as this was actually book 8 in the series and certainly has a different feel and pace to the other books I have read so far. I think that is possibly my favourite as we are getting to see a different Varg Veum, one that who is not yet quite so jaded, or affected by the cases he has had to deal with. The determination to find the truth no matter what is clearly there as is his sense for justice. With the fantastic descriptions of the ever changing seasons and scenery I am falling in love with Norway almost as much as I am with Staalesen’s writing and can’t wait for what comes next in this series
November 27, 2020
Staalesen has never been about crashing, fast paced thrillers, his novels have always been about that slow burn, a laying of foundations, the layers piled upon one another as the chapter and the pages flipped by.
Fallen Angels was no exception except this time it was a novel of introspection, of a Veum who had to trawl his own memories, to revisit happy and not so happy times. I have to say I loved this about turn, I felt we got to see a different side to Veum, a more human, caring side, one that craved and perhaps still craved love and closeness but wariness and fear made him take a step back and retreat back within himself.
It brought him back in touch with childhood friends, with his first love, Rebecca his friends group The Harpers and the Bergen music scene they once all frequented. Staalesen was nothing if not brilliant in his ability to portray the in fighting of a band of such diverse characters, of the hangers on, the relationships, marriages and children that sprang up. What Veum and indeed, us could not understand was the sudden break up, the scattering of its members and then years later the deaths. Like Vuem we wondered if there was a connection, if maybe something traumatic had occurred, one that sent someone on a killing spree, acts of revenge.
If Staalesen gave us a glimpse of an alternative Veum he also gave us the usual dogged and pedantic Veum, the private investigator who left no stone unturned, who went where the police neither had the time or the inclination. It took him on a tour of the city of Bergen, of the surrounding area and the islands that floated off its coastline.
I felt like a tourist with the most wonderful tour guide who described the beauty of the mountains, the vastness of the sea, and the differing landscapes of the islands. It wasn’t always beauty, as we travelled to the less salubrious suburbs of the city, of the run down state of the houses the characters found themselves in. The two sides of Bergen so perfectly reflected the two sides of the novel, the light and shade Veum found himself grappling with as the stakes rose higher, as the lies and deceit became ever more tangled and the knowledge that what happened was truly shocking.
The truth when it came was indeed shocking, and whilst the perpetrator had committed crimes I knew were wrong, I somehow couldn’t blame them, could see that they felt there was no alternative, a chance to release all the pent up anger and betrayal that built over many years.
What did it mean for Veum and his friends? For me it was the closing of a chapter, something Staalesen knew he had to do for Veum before he could move him forward. Maybe Veum could now find the love and happiness that he so craved, to take that risk and open his heart to all the good things that might be to come.
Whatever Staalesen has in store for Veum you know you will still get that sense of anticipation and excitment as the new novel falls into your hands and you open the covers and immerse yourself in those first few pages.
Fallen Angels was no exception except this time it was a novel of introspection, of a Veum who had to trawl his own memories, to revisit happy and not so happy times. I have to say I loved this about turn, I felt we got to see a different side to Veum, a more human, caring side, one that craved and perhaps still craved love and closeness but wariness and fear made him take a step back and retreat back within himself.
It brought him back in touch with childhood friends, with his first love, Rebecca his friends group The Harpers and the Bergen music scene they once all frequented. Staalesen was nothing if not brilliant in his ability to portray the in fighting of a band of such diverse characters, of the hangers on, the relationships, marriages and children that sprang up. What Veum and indeed, us could not understand was the sudden break up, the scattering of its members and then years later the deaths. Like Vuem we wondered if there was a connection, if maybe something traumatic had occurred, one that sent someone on a killing spree, acts of revenge.
If Staalesen gave us a glimpse of an alternative Veum he also gave us the usual dogged and pedantic Veum, the private investigator who left no stone unturned, who went where the police neither had the time or the inclination. It took him on a tour of the city of Bergen, of the surrounding area and the islands that floated off its coastline.
I felt like a tourist with the most wonderful tour guide who described the beauty of the mountains, the vastness of the sea, and the differing landscapes of the islands. It wasn’t always beauty, as we travelled to the less salubrious suburbs of the city, of the run down state of the houses the characters found themselves in. The two sides of Bergen so perfectly reflected the two sides of the novel, the light and shade Veum found himself grappling with as the stakes rose higher, as the lies and deceit became ever more tangled and the knowledge that what happened was truly shocking.
The truth when it came was indeed shocking, and whilst the perpetrator had committed crimes I knew were wrong, I somehow couldn’t blame them, could see that they felt there was no alternative, a chance to release all the pent up anger and betrayal that built over many years.
What did it mean for Veum and his friends? For me it was the closing of a chapter, something Staalesen knew he had to do for Veum before he could move him forward. Maybe Veum could now find the love and happiness that he so craved, to take that risk and open his heart to all the good things that might be to come.
Whatever Staalesen has in store for Veum you know you will still get that sense of anticipation and excitment as the new novel falls into your hands and you open the covers and immerse yourself in those first few pages.
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