REVIEW: Darkness Calls: An Inspector Cecilie Mars Thriller by Michael Katz Krefeld
Dear Michael Katz Krefeld:
I have not read much Nordic Noir at all – I think the only books I’ve read that qualify are the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo series. When this book crossed my path, I hesitated a bit – I’m less interested in police-focused thrillers than other types – but decided to try it out. It’s apparently the first in a trilogy, though if I understand correctly it’s the only one of the three so far to have been translated to English.
The book, set in Copenhagen, opens in the aftermath of a rape; a pretty grim way to start (though not very graphic, at least). The victim goes home and tries to wash off the evidence, but later her mother brings her to the police. She’s interviewed by Inspector Cecilie Mars and her partner.
Cecilie has recently been promoted. She read to me like the prototype of a female police detective found in television, films and books. Cecilie is in her 30s, no-nonsense and hardened. She has a no-strings attached relationship with a prosecutor and her own childhood trauma that she hasn’t unpacked in the past couple of decades. Since I don’t even read police procedurals much maybe I shouldn’t complain, but how about a female detective that loves the color pink and Taylor Swift, and is in therapy for her not-trauma filled past but just because she thinks everyone could use therapy?
Cecilie, due to her unprocessed trauma and the fact that she knows the rape victim (she taught her self-defense), does something really stupid. Unfortunately, this really stupid, definitely career-ending and possibly criminal act is somehow witnessed by an unknown person who records the whole thing. The person, who calls himself Lazarus, then reaches out to Cecilie and begins to blackmail her. Lazarus wants Cecilie to be an instrument of justice against various unsavory people who have gotten away with or are getting away with terrible crimes.
Cecilie, could, of course, just turn herself into her superiors and confess everything. Which would mean there would be no book, so I knew she wouldn’t do that. But often in books with this type of dynamic, I find myself uncomfortable or frustrated because even though I know by the rules of the story the main character has no choice, I also know that things are going to get much worse before they get better. It’s a scenario that makes me anxious. (Right now I’m reading another thriller where the main character has just decided to flee police when she realizes she’s being framed for murder, and in this book I feel that it’s set up in such a way that I can at least understand why she makes that choice. So it’s not like I always hate this trope.)
Cecilie digs herself further in while trying to uncover Lazarus’ identity. Lazarus has what at times seemed like a supernatural abilitiy to observe Cecilie unseen, break into her apartment when she’s not there, and in general stay several steps ahead of her for the majority of the book. This ability is never explained at the end, which irritated me.
I don’t have a whole lot to say about Darkness Calls. It wasn’t really my thing, and I don’t think the translation aspect helped. I don’t read a lot of translated works, and I’m sure the translation was competent, but the writing still felt clunky at times. Cecilie was a hard character to warm up to because she was herself so closed off and dour. About her only nice relationship is with her partner, Lasse.
The revelation of Lazarus’ identity didn’t have a strong impact on me as a reader; this isn’t a thriller with a lot of twists and turns. It was more like, okay, well, that person is one of the characters in this book. I complain about ridiculous twists in thrillers, but they do entertain me at times.
That said, this book was readable, and the setting was evocative in a sort of grimy, dark Scandinavian way. It just wasn’t for me, though a fan of police thrillers would probably like it better. I’m giving Darkness Calls a C+.
Best,
Jennie
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