Reviews
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“The new Jo Nesbø /…/ Beautiful and dark entertainment. /…/ Remember the name Heine Bakkeid – his second crime novel is top quality Nordic noir. /…/ In this novel [Bakkeid] has included the best elements of his debut, eliminated the beginner’s blunders, and created a crime story that is extremely well executed and entertaining on several levels. This is the closest this literary critic has come to Jo Nesbø’s style and characters. The antihero Thorkild Aske evokes the same feelings we get for Nesbø’s Harry Hole as he fights against human decay and downfall. /…/ The plot is more complex and expertly concocted than in Bakkeid’s debut, and is all the more exciting for it. The plot and characters are so fascinating that it’s impossible to put the book down. /…/ Bakkeid’s prose is clean, thrilling and original, which is refreshing in a genre where it seems as if more and more authors put emphasis on action rather than style. /…/ Bakkeid has a sharp-eyed style and is in addition very funny. The cynical humor balances out the novel’s darkness and makes it a wonderful read. /…/ Bakkeid has crafted a character and a universe that has made him well deserving of a huge circle of readers.”
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“A crime novel that throws down the gauntlet to the very, very best of them all. /…/ Just looking at the cover I’m already sucked into a world that can most definitely be categorized as Nordic noir. There’s plenty of melancholy, decadence, and a five-minutes-till-midnight atmosphere. Dark, yes, but not so much so that one’s mood isn’t kept up by an antihero full of gallows humor. /…/ Even if Thorkild Aske calls to mind Jo Nesbø’s Harry Hole, Heine Bakkeid has succeeded in crafting a character with a genuine personality and identity that stands rock-steady on his own two legs. /…/ The author’s use of metaphors and linguistic tools elevate the crime genre to a higher level. /…/ Heine Bakkeid has delivered yet again, and I’m already looking forward to book number three.”
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“Suspenseful, original crime fiction with a wonderful momentum and a protagonist who struggles with his issues – but does so with a twinkle in his eye. /…/ Bakkeid writes excellently, the character of Thorkild Aske especially comes across clearly. And he’s not just a tortured man, there’s also a whip-like wit to his lines, and he stumbles through the book with a subtle laconic humor that suits not only him, but the story itself. The novel is thrilling too, with a nice, even escalation of the suspense. The way in which [Bakkeid] tells the story works wonderfully also, the author knows how to switch between points of view in a seamless manner, and there’s an impetus in the book that’s far superior to most other crime novels’ /…/ A more than excellent crime novel […] definitely one of the best this year.”
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“Plenty of suspense, humor and energy /…/ Thrilling and well-written and Bakkeid makes it all come together.”
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“[Meet Me in Paradise] is well-written, and it makes you want to keep reading, quickly!”
Heine Bakkeid 