Chilling murder mystery set in OSLO

14th February 2024

The Ice Swimmer by Kjell Ola Dahl, chilling murder mystery set in Oslo and surrounding countryside during the frozen winter month of December.

TR: Don Bartlett

The Ice Swimmer is the sixth in Dahl’s Oslo Detective series and starts off with a chilling chase through the city’s main metro stations, culminating in the blackness of the railway tunnels. This is followed closely by the mysterious murder of a low-level civil servant, Sveinung Adeler, found drowned in Oslo Harbour.

Enter Detective Gunnarstranda and his colleague, Lena Stigersand who are brought in to investigate. What initially looks like a tragic accident takes a sinister turn as it emerges that, just before his death, Adeler had been dining with a Stortling MP and another unidentified man. Bring into the mix a stalker, an unreliable boyfriend and the Norwegian security services and you have the makings of a complex thriller that ends in the most unexpected way.

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Interspersed with the dramatic twists and turns of the case are Lena’s own complicated life choices and her unanticipated ill health. As she digs into the case and finds herself fighting against the heart of the Norwegian establishment, she also has her own demons to deal with.

The streets and sights of Oslo are beautifully described and the freezing winter conditions came alive on the page. Richly translated by Don Bartlett, this is Nordic Noir not to be missed – although the Norwegian names can be hard to follow and remember for those unfamiliar with the language.

Val for the TripFiction Team

Catch our reviewer Val on Twitter X @valproctor and author Kjell Ola Dahl @ko_dahl 

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