Nordic Noir set in BERGEN

25th February 2025

Big Sister by Gunnar Staalesen, nordic noir set in BERGEN.

Translated by Don Bartlett

Gunnar Staalesen is one of the acknowledged godfathers of Nordic Noir, and in this well written and engaging novel – no.18 in the Varg Veum series – the PI receives rather shocking news. He has a sister of whom he had no knowledge. Norme Johanne Bakkevik is certainly an unfamiliar name to him, but she arrives at his office and asks him to investigate the seeming disappearance of her Goddaughter, Emma. She seems to have vanished and she is impossible to contact by phone. This personal angle really adds a new dimension to the investigation that will inevitably ensue and the Varg Veum is not easily derailed. The familiarity of his sleuthing still underpins the narrative but the personal issues that come to the fore add a very human element to this particular story.

It seems, however, that no-one seems to be missing her. Her flatmates and friends are cool that she has simply taken off. Her father is apoplectic when the investigator turns up on his doorstep and doesn’t seem interested that no-one has seen her for a while. As a reader, one can almost feel the shrugging of shoulders, which feels so very odd given this is a young woman in the prime of her youth.

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As he delves deeper into situation, it becomes clear that this is not a simple case, it will take skill and determination to pull the whole picture together. Delving into the past throws up some productive leads, but then he is caught up in the world of extreme bikers and a shadowy group, who excel at deep diving into the internet.

There is never any real heart-pumping action in the author’s novels but what you do get is studied and elegant storytelling (with an excellent translation). And of course he is renowned for bringing the setting of Bergen and environs to really colourful life.

I believe there are now 20 in the Varg (which means wolf) Veum series. Each can be read as a standalone.

On this link, enjoy a tour of the city in the capable hands of this author 

Tina for the TripFiction Team

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