Disgrace (Department Q)

Carl Morck is one of the most engaging detectives I have encountered recently. He's rude, funny, smart, fierce, incorrigible, irreverent and probably has opposition disorder when it comes to bosses and authority. He also has a huge crush on the staff psychologist which is a hoot to read about.

Carl has two upbeat and energetic sidekicks, both somewhat annoying, who act as a foil to his morose curmudgeonly nature. In this novel his team is delivered information about a former prep school 'gang' who may have committed some murders. Many of these individuals hold positions of power, are financially successful and networked with the elites in society. They are pretty untouchable. Of course, that doesn't stop Carl and his team of misfits.

Although I enjoyed aspects of the plot in this, there is some occasional graphic accounts of sexual abuse of women in here which was very distasteful and, for me, took away from the enjoyment of the mystery. If you find that distasteful also, just be forewarned. Will read the next in the series, and hope it is not as graphic as I find Carl and his merry band of misfits entertaining enough when they solve crimes.

Revenge saga against the murderers of two young people back in the late 80's.

Pros: Characters are mildly amusing at times.

Cons: Almost everything. Not creditable enough to be taken seriously, not humorous enough to be taken as funny. Not enough (or any) edge of your seat action to keep you focused. By the time I'd made it half way through I was seriously wishing it was ending.

Comments: If you don't demand too much from you stories, then this might be a good fit for you. I'm not sure why I picked it out of the
library. Probably because it was set in Denmark, and I like exotic locations :)~ (okay, Denmark's not "exotic"...but I've had fun there).
In any case, this embodies a lot of what I dislike in many novels. Why check to see how something is really done when I can just make it
up on the spot. Hey, if it sounds good...who cares. Its like those spontaneous campfire stories that ramble on and no one ever stops to
think "does that make sense" or "how does that fit in with what we know". That's fine for a campfire, but not for a detective story or
mystery. In this day and age, when you can get the answers to most questions without standing up (as long as you're sitting at your computer), this level of detail and fact checking is not acceptable.

A solved murder case from decades earlier has landed on the desk of Copenhagen's Department Q where only cold cases are investigated.

Puzzled by the mysterious file, Detective Carl Mørck and his assistant Assad begin checking into the case. They are aided in their investigation by a new member to Department Q, Rose. She's a bit sassy, but thorough in her assignments.

Narrator Steven Pacey does an excellent job bringing the various characters to life, giving each a distinct voice. His cadence, accent and delivery of the emotions adds another layer to the story. He gives sound to the raw emotions woven throughout the story.

Mørck and his department learns a young brother and sister were brutally murdered two decades earlier. While a man confessed to the crimes years later, four of his companions were also briefly considered suspects. The group was from a privileged boarding school with the convicted man being from a less influential family than the others.

Reopening the case, Mørck finds three members of the group are now well-respected, wealthy men. The fourth member, Kimmie - the only woman, lives on the street and has been for a number of years keeping out of reach of her friends.

As Mørck and his team gets closer to learning what really happened, Kimmie puts her own plan into action. She's out for revenge for her own reasons and will stop at nothing to accomplish it.

THE ABSENT ONE is a heart-pounding, adrenaline rush that will hold you captive from beginning to explosive end. Author Jussi Adler-Olsen mixes bits of humor along the way to lighten the mood and then drops you off the edge. Adler-Olsen has a unique way of creating a character that you find despicable for their actions, only to turn around and feel sorry and pity for almost forgetting their misdeeds.

THE ABSENT ONE is the second installment in the Department Q series and can be listened to or read on its own. However, to get the complete understanding of the characters I would highly recommend listening or reading KEEPER OF LOST CAUSES first.

The Absent One by Jussi Adler-Olsen, A Department Q Novel, Read by Steven Pacey, Penguin Audio, @2012, ISBN: 978-1611761207, Unabridged, 12 Discs, Listening Time: Approximately 14 Hours

FTC Full Disclosure - This audio book was sent to me by the publisher in hopes I would review it. However, receiving the complimentary copy did not influence my review.

Also published under the title "Disgrace"

Book 2, in the Department Q series

We learnt in the first installment that Department Q was set up the handle cold cases with Carlo Morck, a prickly Copenhagen Deputy Det., to lead it. This follow-up is quite different to the first case he tackled. This story is more brutal and is filled with great inventiveness in its descriptions of the technique of torture and depravity. The nonstop action is pulse-pounding with many unforeseen twists to derail us although we do have some breaks to help us relate to the characters. This is a saga that is far from being dull.

Carl returns from vacation to discover that his unit has been reshuffled and is confronted with a file that shouldn't be on his desk. The file concerns the brutal murders of a sister and brother two decades earlier and one of the suspects confessed and was convicted. How did the file come into his possession and why was he immediately asked to let it go?

Once Carl looks something, this contrarian individual will do the direct opposite to what he is told. Looking further into this supposedly solved case leads him to Kimmie, a vagrant who steals to survive and a group of ex -boarding school bodies who became successful businessmen. The group is later discovered to be engaged in a series of despicable acts.....

Maybe the antics of the criminals are over the top and a bit unbelievable but nevertheless we have a plot that is exciting and revolves around Carl's attempts to get evidences and convictions. The characters are intricate and fascinating. Carl is hard to work with, Assad is always cheerful and Rose the new addition to the department is a piece of work. To the mix are the creepy villains and Kimmie I let you judge her....IMO this author is in a league of his own and provides hours of captivating reading with his superb writing, his original characters and exciting plots.

I found it predictable, boring and almost gratuitous in violence. Somehow it lacked some essential spark that made the first book so enjoyable. It might just be me. I do hope in a third book he can turn it back around.

Reason for Reading: Next in the series.

Simply superb psychological thriller. Adler-Olsen does it again. Detective Carl Morck is pulled into a case 20 years old and then related cases seem to pop up all over the place. As if that isn't enough, murders are happening now that just may well have a connection with these cold cases as well and the names involved are only just the creme de la creme of Norway's high society. Carl and his sidekick Assad are back together again with their trepiditious friendship more firmly grounded as they have learnt to trust one another and as they stand together facing the unknown element of a new partner to their Department, the cold, mouthy, yet efficient Rose Knudsen. I absolutely loved the case; very unique, very creepy, never quite sure where the author was going to go with it. One thing I often wondered about was the scene that takes place in the "Prologue", who is the person that this is happening to? I found myself going back and reading it a couple of times because I thought I'd figured it out but could find no clues to back myself up and pow! what a zinger, when we do find out who it is.

I'm a big fan of Carl; he's crusty, used to the old ways, doesn't like change and isn't really about to change in anyway he can get away with it. He and Assad are polar opposites but they've worked out quite a nice relationship, where they can drive each other batty at times and at others work on perfect sync. I'm not impressed with the new addition of Rose but I don't think I'm supposed to be. I've been exposed to Carl's opinion of her and her attitudes toward him and I'm not liking it. Three's a crowd , I say. But someone else may say, they need a female voice in here. She's a pain in the butt and I'm not prepared to like her, but we'll see what happens in the next book. However, I'm not docking any points because I don't like a character! Great, great thriller. Love Adler-Olsen's writing, the intensity, the shock value without going too far, but going far enough to give us that just beyond sick, sicko psycho killer. Bring on the next book!

PS: I love the UK covers and titles for this series! Even though neither the US nor UK titles reflect the original intent of the Danish titles. This one's Danish title literally translated is "The Pheasant Hunters", which is a phrase used in the book to denote a certain class of people and is a perfectly suitable title. Perhaps the phrase is not known to western readers but funnily enough I ran across the phrase in an English book I read shortly after this one.

Although I really liked the first book in the Department Q series (The Keeper of Lost Causes), I didn't like this one as much. Too much time was spent with the sadistic "bad guys." I would have preferred more chapters from Carl Morck's point-of-view. I missed his sarcastic humor from the first book. It's there, but it's dour. Assad still makes for a great sidekick, and what little the reader learns about him invites even more mystery. I'll read the next book in the series. I just hope it gets back to what made the first one such a great read.

Seldom does an author come around who is so unique that they shouldn't be compared to anyone. In years to come, other authors will be thrilled to be compared to Adler-Olsen, but he is an original. Part of what makes these books of the "Q Department" special is that A-O makes his characters appear more as real people than most authored are able to do. Most authors may be able to write four or five main characters, but everyone else is a stereotype or two dimensional. The only author I know that can do this consistently is Fred Vargas. But Vargas' books don't have the darkness and sadness like those of A-O.

When you read Adler-Olsen you can visualize those grey and gloomy landscapes that were so perfectly done in Ingmar Bergman's films. I've been to all the Scandinavian countries (except for Finland) and can attest that except in the height of summer their seems to be a foreboding in the countryside that looks like it was planned to be a set for a horror film. Though they love to party, have a good time and to drink (boy do they like to drink), there is always a stoic undercurrent of non-reality that would have pleased Kafka.

On top of his great pacing of a story, A-O loves to put snide and fatuous dialogue into the mouths of his characters. I don't think anyone should give away any of this plot except to say that it's a semi-cold case, that involved some very upper class individuals who A-O uses to condemn Danish society. These people who have every advantage in life, look down on other Danes who haven't become wealthy and famous. Their contempt for the 'foreigners' who have come into their country, who they see as societal parasites, is never far from the surface.

A-O writes about his society the way that Andrea Camelleri writes about Italy, or Henning Mankel writes about Sweden. They all seem to feel that their 'nanny' governments have destroyed what made their cultures great. That the government, military and industry as so intermarried among just a few families that it's very little different than living in a gilded cage. People should be happy to lead their stratified lives and leave all the "BIG" questions to those who know what's best for them. A totally amazing novel.

Zeb Kantrowitz

I really like dept Q novels. They are different from the normal detective mysteries, possibly because they take place in Denmark and are written by a Dane. The pace and the feel of the books are fast and just a little off the norm, a little foreign.

Called 'Disgrace' in the UK this book is an excellent 2nd book from Jussi Adler-Olsen. I was concerned when I saw how it started with kids from a prep school but it was really different than most of those stories. Great character development and super ending.

I loved the first book and looked forward to this one. The book was well written. There are parts of this book that were disturbing, but overall I enjoyed the book. I love Department Q and its addition of Rose. I eagerly look forward to the next installment.

Quirky detective, trusty Syrian sidekick, and mysterious clerical helper solve old cold cases from an isolated basement office. The interactions of these characters is as intriguing as the cases they solve. Recommended to those who love mysteries.

I was really looking forward to this book, but it was very disappointing. I found the "villians" to be very cliche and lacking in any originality. There was a lot of expository writing in the sections about "the gang." Towards the end, I was skipping chunks because I was bored and wanted to get it over with. The whole animal thing at the end was not believable either. I did like the addition of Rose and the main characters are very well rendered but I hope that Adler-Olson digs a bit deeper on the next one, which I will get from the library!

Once again Morck, his assistant Assad, and Rose, a new comer, are chasing the bad guys. Despite the bad guys' motives not being always entirely credible (which is something most crime fiction suffers from) this is very good writing. And the main characters are always nicely off beat. Personally I find it more engaging than Larsson and almost (perhaps) on a par with Nesbo.

I love the developing relationship with Carl and Assad and the arrival of a newbie throws Carl in a tailspin and perhaps wondering who is really in charge of Department Q! I found it chilling how these characters developed from spoiled private school kids to ruthless adults and petty criminals to cold hearted murderers and tormentors. Well worth a read!

The story was absorbing since it gave an inside feel for life in Denmark. This includes political fraud and corruption, the machinations of the corporate corrupt and the financial restraints on the police department. I found it thought provoking. Some things are universal, and it's nice to have the little guys make a difference.

Sometimes translated fiction just doesn't quite cut it but this is insignificant for the most part; Jussi Ader-Olsen injects some humor but maybe it gets a little lost in the translation. Not a big complaint. This was a very satisfying and gripping thriller especially since I was in southern Sweden and visited Copenhagen while I was reading it!

Great characters. Great story. Great writing. Nothing black and white about this story - it covered all the shades of grey that exist in real life, when real people are involved. I needed a tissue at the end.

I gobbled up "The Department of Lost Causes" and couldn't wait for more Adler-Olsen to be translated to English. "The Absent One" doesn't disappoint. The few formulaic items are actually fun (the mis-matched partners, the grumpy, jaded detective) while the plots are super fresh and the character development actually moves from book to book.
Meanwhile the struggle against bureaucracy, and the police procedural work is lovely. I appreciate too that the work never takes 2-3 days.... it covers weeks or months while pieces slowly fall together due to lots of hard work and a little luck.

Fantastic read. A word of advice - do not start at bedtime if you need to get a good nights sleep - you won't want to put it down!

Jussi Adler-Olsen is a great writer - a gripping story with incredible twists and turns.

How do you go from hating characters to admiring them? Jussi does just that in this book. Kimmie is crazy and you start out loathing her, but as the novel comes to the end you feel great pity. Carl and Assad are just the best detective team. Love Assads loyalty and Rose seems like a real cooks nut, but very efficient. I can't wait to start the next one! Jussi is my new favourite writer. Bring it on!

Really enjoy the writing style and relationships of the characters in this series. Would highly recommend the book and the rest of the series to people who enjoy the mysteries that verge on the uncomfortable and dysfunctional.

Like in the first book the interpersonal conflicts are making this book alive. The story is interesting and made me want to read more, and I immediately bought no. 3 just after finishing.
Took me long to try my first Adler-Olsen book after hearing many recommendations and I am definitely not regretting trying. And I feel there is no turning back if the other books are keeping the quality of writing seen in books 1+ 2

I really, really liked Jussi Adler-Olsen first novel, The Keeper of Lost Causes. He developed characters I really cared about, and created a compelling novel. In this novel, the antagonists seem too one-dimensional, i.e., pure evil. Carl Moerck, on the other hand, and the growing list of satellite characters, continue to be top-notch. Ultimately, I would have liked to have seen as much about Carl as about the criminals (like the first novel--that formula worked). That being said, I look forward to the third novel in the series!

I love this series. It's not the typical detective novel. It's straightforward but there is something about it that is terribly appealing. I'm not sure how exactly to describe it but it's great. Can't wait for the next one in May.

Interesting plot but fairly predictable ending. The story is complex. I much preferred reading The Keeper of Lost Causes. This is looking like it might be an interesting Department O series and am looking forward to reading the next installation

I really enjoyed reading Jussi Adler Olsen's first Department Q novel, The Keeper of Lost Causes. While dark and quite extreme, it was also very suspenseful and simply well written. Needless to say that I was looking forward to The Absent One. While it kept me engaged, it didn't keep me awake at night the way its predecessor did.

I don't want to give the story away so I won't go into too many details. The perpetrators in The Absent One are quite deranged human beings that basically hunt people for pleasure. However, I find that this time around the extreme personalities Olsen draws here are over the top. Maybe because he describes such aberrant human behavior in the context of them living as part of normal society that it were more believable if it were one individual, not a group of 5, 6 people. In addition these are highly successful members of Danish society (with the exception of the one female in the group, Kimmie).

While this would still be an intriguing angle for a great thriller, I am not sure Adler Olsen really succeeded with this. It seems as if he focused too much on their psychopathic lifestyles and not enough on the seemingly normal lives they live (again with the exception of Kimmie). In short, Olsen heaps just way too much evil streaks/behaviors on these characters and does not juxtapose it sufficiently with their facades of success and normalcy. The result is that - at least for me - their evilness didn't affect me as deeply as it would have, had he drawn the characters in a more complex manner and not almost as (albeit very vicious) caricatures.

This is still an OK thriller but it did not leave me in this breathless state of reading as The Keeper of Lost Causes did, it was just too out there. I'll give it another shot with the next book in the series (not yet published at the time of this review) and see if I'll like that better again.

So glad to have been told about this series! Wonderful, complex stories, really scary villains juxtaposed with some good guys and quirky characters. Fun roller coaster of pleasant, even funny and horrifying. LOVE!

No spoilers here, but can there really be people this sick? Hard to get into the heads of this troup, but as the novel progresses, the characters deepen. In the end, and befitting the novelist's skill, the protagonist is the most compelling character. Not a bad finish!

Fantastic! - as good as "The keeper ..." I'm a big fan of Alder-Olsen. His books are so original; his writing is witty, clever, funny at times.
And the characters become people one relate to them. .

have just finished Disgrace by Jussi Adler Olsen and can thoroughly recommend it to fans of Scandinavia crime literature. I think this is the second book in a series of four in the Dept.Q 2 series. I have two of the other books in the series on back order and will purchase more from this author as they become available. If you enjoyed the Dragon Tattoo Series then this is an Author with similar depth of characters and story line.

The settings and the people are the point of these books. I love Department Q and the staff thereof. These books create an enthralling atmosphere and spending time in that atmosphere is always satisfying.

I enjoy this author for his wit and storytelling. He keeps you interested throughout the book. He doesn't need gratuitous violence to spike the story. His characters are interesting and believable. Try this author, you won't be dissapointed

I have enjoyed reading the first two Dept. Q novels. I have even gotten a map of Denmark so that I can follow the travels of the detective. I am enjoying finding out more about the characters as the series unfolds.