fredag den 31. juli 2009

Ann Cleeves, Raven Black (2006)


On the first pages of this book we meet Magnus who is sitting all alone in his kitchen right after midnight. It is New Year´s Eve, and he keeps the light on because someone might turn up after all.

Rather unexpectedly, two young girls knock on his door. They have been in Lerwick to celebrate Hogmanay. Old, slow Magnus enjoys their visit, and does not realize they only do it for a dare.

A few days later one of the girls, sixteen-year-old Cathrine Ross, is found dead after having been seen together with Magnus again. The case seems fairly simple to the locals as Magnus was also involved in the case of eleven-year-old Catriona who disappeared without a trace some years ago. She had made a habit of visiting Magnus and his old mother.

The local detective Jimmy Perez may seem relaxed and disorganized, but unlike some of the policemen who have been called in from Aberdeen, he is not certain they have their man. He is the type who won´t be satisfied until everything feels right.

Just like the engaging Vera Stanhope series, one of the things which characterizes Ann Cleeves´ new series is her talent for creating interesting characters, plus a fine sense of place, in this case the remote Shetland in the darkest and coldest winter period.

So the really good news is that this fine story is the first in a quartet!

See the post Ann Cleeves wrote for this blog in April where she explains why she came up with Jimmy Perez.

Ann Cleeves, Sort som ravnen (2008).
Denne krimi er den første af Ann Cleeves´ krimier, som er oversat til dansk.

Historien begynder hos Magnus, som sidder helt alene i sit køkken lige efter midnat. Det er nytår, og han lader lyset være tændt, fordi det kunne være, nogen ville kigge ind – selv om det ikke er sket i adskillige år.

Helt uventet banker to unge piger på. De har været i Lerwick for at fejre Hogmanay, den traditionelle skotske nytårsfest. Gamle, tungnemme Magnus nyder deres visit, og opfatter slet ikke, at de bare gør det for at vise, de tør.

Nogle få dage senere bliver en af pigerne, seksten år gamle Cathrine Ross, fundet død efter at have været på besøg hos Magnus igen. I de lokales øjne er sagen nærmest afsluttet med det samme, fordi Magnus også var indblandet i en sag, hvor en lille pige forsvandt sporløst nogle år tidligere. Elleveårige Catriona besøgte ofte Magnus og hans gamle mor.

Den lokale kriminalinspektør Jimmy Perez er tilsyneladende afslappet og uorganiseret, men i modsætning til flere af de tilkaldte politifolk fra Aberdeen, er han slet ikke sikker på, de har den rigtige person. Perez er typen som bider sig fast, indtil han er helt sikker i sin sag.

Ligesom i den skønne Vera Stanhope-serie, er det typisk for Ann Cleeves´ nye serie, at hun har et stort talent for at skabe interessante personer, samt et tiltalende miljø, i dette tilfælde den fjerne ø Shetland i den koldeste og mørkeste vinterperiode.

Så den aller-bedste nyhed er, at denne velskrevne historie er den første i en serie på fire!

Se det indlæg, Ann Cleeves skrev til min blog i april, hvor hun forklarer, hvorfor hun opfandt Jimmy Perez-figuren.

9 kommentarer:

Mack sagde ...

Thanks Dorte, I'm going to an indie bookstore tomorrow and they have a copy.

Dorte H sagde ...

Mack, it is always good to hear that people read one´s reviews! I have also seen this one in a Danish bookstore recently, but I had my English copy on the shelf.

Kerrie sagde ...

I too enjoyed RAVEN BLACK. We read it in our face to face group and it made for a very good discussion

Julia Phillips Smith sagde ...

The cover is a good antidote to a sticky summer day, Dorte. The story sounds so atmospheric.

Dorte H sagde ...

Kerrie, you remind me that I should also write something about this book for my Danish crime fiction group!

Julia, it is indeed atmospheric. You really get a sense of Shetland.

Beth F sagde ...

Argh. This sounds so good. And that means I need to add another series to the list of series recommendations I've been getting lately.

Dorte H sagde ...

Beth, Ann Cleeves is great!

Unknown sagde ...

I'm going to have to try Ann Cleeves. You make it sound great, so here goes anothe ronto my list!

Dorte H sagde ...

Elizabeth: good idea! And I´d love to hear what you think about her.