Reviews

Helle & Death by Oskar Jensen

Only show reviews with written explanations

niamhreviews's review against another edition

4.0

I was pleasantly surprised by Helle and Death. If you took the characters from The Secret History (yes, the same ones that are hugely unbearable to be around) and put them in an Agatha Christie novel complete with spooky house, old scores to settle etc, you'd get this book and actually, I kind of enjoyed it. I can see how people wouldn't enjoy this - the middle is particularly treacle-like to get through - but the ending more than makes up for it. I didn't see it coming and that's one of the best ways to get me to enjoy a mystery.

thebristolreader's review against another edition

Go to review page

slow-paced

3.5

ellsson's review

Go to review page

mysterious fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

En PERFEKT debut bok. Alltså, fruktansvärt bra i typ allt. Nu har jag ju inte läst sådär jättemånga murder mystery än, so vet inte om detta trope är vanligt. Men oavsett så var det ett bra sådant.

Det enda jag lite störde mig på var hur Halle verkade vara en reflektion av författaren. Med det sagt är det i sig självt inte en dålig sak, men jag störde mig på det lite grann.

Är otroligt taggad på bok nr 2 iaf den saken är säker

Lite minuspoäng pga danskjävel sorrynotsorry. Men älskade touchen av danska fraser, och nice men en ordlista för alla utanför Norden som inte fattar vad som sägs

ÄLSKADE verkligen Halle’s inre dialog under första sidorna när han diskuterade tre populära sjölvmords-målningar. Även om jag inte fattade direkt att det var det han gjorde. Så var det en perfekt inlevelse. Googlade upp målningarna och det satte en stämning på hela boken

som sedan blev otroligt relevant i slutet. Det perfekta tillägget

Content Warnings

evieomills's review

Go to review page

adventurous funny lighthearted mysterious fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5

aled56's review against another edition

Go to review page

mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes

4.0

what_heather_loves's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging funny mysterious reflective tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

"Within three minutes, everyone was there. Perhaps it was something about being summoned - the last person to ring that gong had been Anthony; there was something spectral in the renew of his call. Perhaps it was the sound itself, the harshness of metal, hard-edge clamour in a place of softness, snow and mourning - what ever it was they seemed on edge."

The first in a new crime fiction series sees a group of university friends reunited and snowed in, in a manor house in Northumberland, with the dead body of one of them. Art historian and Dane, Torben Helle, police inspector Ruth Thompson and lawyer Leyla Moradi investigate and soon uncover secrets and lies. Golden Age country house vibes combined with examinations of modern friendships, this is funny and clever. And there's a building floor plan at the front and back of the hardback!

Content Warnings