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trolle69's review against another edition
emotional
informative
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
2.5
mpr2000's review against another edition
4.0
Hedda Hellberg has disappeared, and her husband has decided to ask for help at her journalist friend Nora Klemetsen, Henning Jul ex-wife. Nora, that has a lot of perseverance and know how to make the good questions, discovers that one of the wealthiest families in Norway is involved in the disappearance...
On the other hand, Henning Jul has lost everything he loved, his son and his wife, the only thing that motivates him to live is to discover who set the fire that killed his son. He doesn't have fear to be killed, he just wants the truth.
With an oppressive atmosphere full of mystery and secrets, Thomas Enger has created a psychological thriller that will leave you stunned from the beginning till the end. It's not enough that we don't know how the relation between Nora and Henning ends, the last chapter is so stunning that I had to read it 3 times to believe it!
This is the 4th book of the Henning Jul series, I don't recommend to read it alone, there are a lot of characters and you will miss some of the connections between them, and the book is so good that you will want to start reading from the first book of the series.
Investigate one of the wealthiest family in a country is never a good idea, because if they have to choose between their money or going to prison... your life could be in danger!
I loved Nora and Henning as a characters, they still have chemistry even if they are not together, and after all the things they have passed together the respect and friendship is still there. That's one of the things that makes this book so good, the plot is interesting but the characters are complex and you connect with them since the first page.
Are you ready to risk your life for the truth?
On the other hand, Henning Jul has lost everything he loved, his son and his wife, the only thing that motivates him to live is to discover who set the fire that killed his son. He doesn't have fear to be killed, he just wants the truth.
With an oppressive atmosphere full of mystery and secrets, Thomas Enger has created a psychological thriller that will leave you stunned from the beginning till the end. It's not enough that we don't know how the relation between Nora and Henning ends, the last chapter is so stunning that I had to read it 3 times to believe it!
This is the 4th book of the Henning Jul series, I don't recommend to read it alone, there are a lot of characters and you will miss some of the connections between them, and the book is so good that you will want to start reading from the first book of the series.
Investigate one of the wealthiest family in a country is never a good idea, because if they have to choose between their money or going to prison... your life could be in danger!
I loved Nora and Henning as a characters, they still have chemistry even if they are not together, and after all the things they have passed together the respect and friendship is still there. That's one of the things that makes this book so good, the plot is interesting but the characters are complex and you connect with them since the first page.
Are you ready to risk your life for the truth?
noveldeelights's review against another edition
5.0
All my reviews can be found at noveldeelights.com
If you've been following my blog and reviews, then you know that I am cursed myself by a little something I call Dee-Logic, which dictates I start a series from the very beginning. So why did I now start in the middle, you ask? Well, I will tell you. First of all, because I'd seen this book around so much that I got too curious for my own good. And secondly, I didn't actually know the previous ones had been translated to English. It's okay, you may laugh.
This one actually reads pretty well as a stand-alone as you get a lot of information from events that happened in the previous books. Nevertheless, I did buy the other books and will be reading those at some point too. It'll be another thing I've never done before, go backwards in a series. I'm obviously all about broadening my horizons these days.
What I really enjoyed was the fact that the main characters are journalists. It made a nice change from having detectives investigating cases.
Henning Juul's job as a crime reporter has led to devastating consequences. He lost his son in an arson attack and he and his wife have gone their separate ways. Juul is determined to find out who was responsible.
Meanwhile, Nora is approached by the husband of an old friend. She's gone missing and the police aren't much help. Nora sets out to investigate and quickly realises her friend's husband may not have known her as well as he thought he did.
I didn't know what to expect but I was hooked from the first page. This is one brilliantly constructed plot with various threads and layers that will keep you gripped right until the end. Thomas Enger has a beautifully descriptive writing style. I've never been to Norway but I could visualise it without a problem. The characters are truly realistic and believable, flaws and all. There's also a reference to events in European history that I knew very little about.
It's fair to say my first introduction to Scandi-Noir went well and I see another book in this genre in my near future. I should also mention that I don't normally read translated books as I always have this feeling some things get lost in translation, but that wasn't the case here at all.
And so now, I shall rather impatiently await book 5. Can't wait! Although, hopefully I'll have enough time to read the other ones first.
If you've been following my blog and reviews, then you know that I am cursed myself by a little something I call Dee-Logic, which dictates I start a series from the very beginning. So why did I now start in the middle, you ask? Well, I will tell you. First of all, because I'd seen this book around so much that I got too curious for my own good. And secondly, I didn't actually know the previous ones had been translated to English. It's okay, you may laugh.
This one actually reads pretty well as a stand-alone as you get a lot of information from events that happened in the previous books. Nevertheless, I did buy the other books and will be reading those at some point too. It'll be another thing I've never done before, go backwards in a series. I'm obviously all about broadening my horizons these days.
What I really enjoyed was the fact that the main characters are journalists. It made a nice change from having detectives investigating cases.
Henning Juul's job as a crime reporter has led to devastating consequences. He lost his son in an arson attack and he and his wife have gone their separate ways. Juul is determined to find out who was responsible.
Meanwhile, Nora is approached by the husband of an old friend. She's gone missing and the police aren't much help. Nora sets out to investigate and quickly realises her friend's husband may not have known her as well as he thought he did.
I didn't know what to expect but I was hooked from the first page. This is one brilliantly constructed plot with various threads and layers that will keep you gripped right until the end. Thomas Enger has a beautifully descriptive writing style. I've never been to Norway but I could visualise it without a problem. The characters are truly realistic and believable, flaws and all. There's also a reference to events in European history that I knew very little about.
It's fair to say my first introduction to Scandi-Noir went well and I see another book in this genre in my near future. I should also mention that I don't normally read translated books as I always have this feeling some things get lost in translation, but that wasn't the case here at all.
And so now, I shall rather impatiently await book 5. Can't wait! Although, hopefully I'll have enough time to read the other ones first.
yvo_about_books's review
4.0
Finished reading: June 10th 2022
“She so wished she could look into a crystal ball and see the future. There was no set answer. The certainty that there was no certainty made her heavy. Sad. Despondent.”
I've been having a excellent time with this series, and Cursed is already book number four... Thomas Enger has a writing style that is both engaging, great at creating suspense and very easy to read. He is also great at creating the right atmosphere and his stories really do have that Nordic noir vibe with the setting and descriptions. In Cursed, we even cross briefly to a Swedish forest, but the majority of the story is set in Norway. We get both the city and the countryside; the best of both worlds and I liked how especially the Tønsberg area setting played a role in the plot. The story once again has a multiple POV structure, and this time around we also get to see a lot of Henning's ex-wife Nora. Henning and Nora are investigating different cases; Henning the fire that caused the death of their son and Nora the disappearance of an old friend. It was intriguing to follow both on their journey towards the truth, and there are plenty of twists and secrets along the way to keep you entertained. The last page of Cursed came as a complete shock; I never would have seen that development coming at all! It's a cliffhanger ending that definitely makes me want to pick up the final book ASAP.
thebooktrail88's review against another edition
5.0
Visit the locations in the novel: Cursed
Thomas Enger you are one of my authors to watch and to read again as this was a book which dragged me into that forest, made me jump and tied me up in a series of lies and danger. Why do I read novels set in the woods late at night? I really should learn but I never do as the urge to read anything recommended by Karen Sullivan always goes to the top of the TBR pile. Nora and Henning were very multilayered and fascinating and there’s another story in that couple alone – their background seeps into this present day storyline and weaves a web of its own.
What really freaked me out is the missing woman and the trail to find her. Didn’t arrive at the retreat? Didn’t even leave Oslo? Husband concerned? Well I had my own theories but I was happily proven more than wrong and that ending pulled the rug from under me very hard indeed.
I may still be battered and bruised from this novel but as I recover, it’s a very satisfying feeling I have now.
thereadingparamedic's review against another edition
4.0
This is the first of the Henning Juul series I've read but as each novel stands alone, I didn't feel I'd missed anything.
I liked that the main characters attempting to solve the mysteries were journalists, rather than police officers, and that they have a connection to one another. Henning and Nora are both likeable characters, and based on what they have been through in the past, you get a real sense of how they really don't want to let each other go, despite the way they may act towards one another at times.
Cursed really picked up for me in the last 70 pages or so. It became really fast paced as all the pieces started to come together. I ended up sitting completely still for a couple of hours until I'd finished it, I literally couldn't wait to get to the end! And what an ending!!!
A tale of twisted family secrets, if you're a fan of crime thrillers, there's no doubt you'll enjoy this book!
I liked that the main characters attempting to solve the mysteries were journalists, rather than police officers, and that they have a connection to one another. Henning and Nora are both likeable characters, and based on what they have been through in the past, you get a real sense of how they really don't want to let each other go, despite the way they may act towards one another at times.
Cursed really picked up for me in the last 70 pages or so. It became really fast paced as all the pieces started to come together. I ended up sitting completely still for a couple of hours until I'd finished it, I literally couldn't wait to get to the end! And what an ending!!!
A tale of twisted family secrets, if you're a fan of crime thrillers, there's no doubt you'll enjoy this book!
meloches's review against another edition
4.0
Check out all my reviews on Clues and Reviews
www.cluesandreviews.wordpress.com
I have been lucky enough to read several Orenda titles since Clues and Reviews was born and I have never been disappointed. This novel did not end that streak. What a fantastic book!
When a woman goes missing, Henning Juul, reeling from his own personal tragedy, is dragged into the case of a missing woman when his ex-wife, Nora, joins the search.
As the pair becomes immersed in the case, they find themselves entangled with one of Sweden’s most prominent families and, as the truth comes to light, Juul is willing to risk everything for answers.
I was initially worried I would not be able to follow, as this is the fourth in a series, but I found that I was able to easily catch on to Henning Juul and his backstory. Engel does a phenomenal job at giving the reader enough information to fill in the blanks, while leaving it vague enough to make the reader want to go back and read the series for themselves!
Aside from the main mystery, a second arc develops (and from what I understand is a key component in other novels) in which Juul tries to hunt down those he believes to be responsible for the death of his son. I would read a book solely about this; Enger’s ability to capture Henning Juul’s ferocity, pain and desperation on each page was enough to send shivers down my spine.
I am never disappointed with the character development in a Nordic Noir novel and this one lived up to my expectations. Each character in this novel was tightly woven and developed. I loved Henning. I loved Nora. I loved them together. I will absolutely be going back to read the others in the series so I can see the full development of these characters and their journey.
And the end??!! The last few lines? I needed to pick my jaw up off the floor. Please Thomas Enger. Write quickly. My heart can’t take it!!!
I feel like any fan of Nordic Noir, or any reader who enjoys their characters developed and pronounced, will love this novel. 4/5 stars.
www.cluesandreviews.wordpress.com
I have been lucky enough to read several Orenda titles since Clues and Reviews was born and I have never been disappointed. This novel did not end that streak. What a fantastic book!
When a woman goes missing, Henning Juul, reeling from his own personal tragedy, is dragged into the case of a missing woman when his ex-wife, Nora, joins the search.
As the pair becomes immersed in the case, they find themselves entangled with one of Sweden’s most prominent families and, as the truth comes to light, Juul is willing to risk everything for answers.
I was initially worried I would not be able to follow, as this is the fourth in a series, but I found that I was able to easily catch on to Henning Juul and his backstory. Engel does a phenomenal job at giving the reader enough information to fill in the blanks, while leaving it vague enough to make the reader want to go back and read the series for themselves!
Aside from the main mystery, a second arc develops (and from what I understand is a key component in other novels) in which Juul tries to hunt down those he believes to be responsible for the death of his son. I would read a book solely about this; Enger’s ability to capture Henning Juul’s ferocity, pain and desperation on each page was enough to send shivers down my spine.
I am never disappointed with the character development in a Nordic Noir novel and this one lived up to my expectations. Each character in this novel was tightly woven and developed. I loved Henning. I loved Nora. I loved them together. I will absolutely be going back to read the others in the series so I can see the full development of these characters and their journey.
And the end??!! The last few lines? I needed to pick my jaw up off the floor. Please Thomas Enger. Write quickly. My heart can’t take it!!!
I feel like any fan of Nordic Noir, or any reader who enjoys their characters developed and pronounced, will love this novel. 4/5 stars.
markhoh's review against another edition
4.0
Thomas Enger has the knack for writing multi layered intriguing Scandi Noir and his Henning Juul series is evidence of his skill as an author. “Cursed” is the 4th installment in this series and I can feel the threads of the previous 3 books coming together in a tantalizing and distinctly moody and Nordic kind of way.
Henning Juul is a tragic character, tortured by the death of his son, Jonas, in an apartment fire, ultimately started to kill Juul who has been investigating a story that is connected to the Norwegian underworld.
Each story has standalone elements but builds a bigger story that must be read in order to fully appreciate or understand. While some elements of the plot of “Cursed” follow a predictable Nordic Noir formula, it’s place within the entire series creates a unique and intriguing story that is easy to read and comes together in a satisfying way. The characters of Juul, his ex wife, Nora and fellow journalist Iver, are the principal characters and have a strong connection that feels slightly cliche and I’m guessing how it will turn out when I get to book 5, the final one in the series.
“Cursed” finishes on a cliff hanger that leaves the reader keen to get to book 5.
4 star read.
Henning Juul is a tragic character, tortured by the death of his son, Jonas, in an apartment fire, ultimately started to kill Juul who has been investigating a story that is connected to the Norwegian underworld.
Each story has standalone elements but builds a bigger story that must be read in order to fully appreciate or understand. While some elements of the plot of “Cursed” follow a predictable Nordic Noir formula, it’s place within the entire series creates a unique and intriguing story that is easy to read and comes together in a satisfying way. The characters of Juul, his ex wife, Nora and fellow journalist Iver, are the principal characters and have a strong connection that feels slightly cliche and I’m guessing how it will turn out when I get to book 5, the final one in the series.
“Cursed” finishes on a cliff hanger that leaves the reader keen to get to book 5.
4 star read.
steph1rothwell's review against another edition
5.0
Cursed is the fourth book in the series to feature Henning Juul. I was a little concerned at first, I’m not very good at reading out of sequence. But there was enough information, with no spoilers to follow the story and the relationship between the characters.
The start is brutal with the murder of an elderly hunter in a wood but it then switches immediately to Henning, Nora and their respective searches. They used to be married but the marriage fell apart with the death of their son. However, they still have strong feelings for each other which they both try and ignore.
Henning is trying to find out who was responsible for the death of their son despite the danger that it places him in. Nora has been asked to help find an old friend from university who has disappeared after telling her husband she needed some time on her own.
This is a novel, that once I worked out the back story I really enjoyed.
I have always struggled with novels that feature journalists before, probably because they are portrayed as being without morals or loyalty. But both Henning and Nora were warm, honest and approachable. Henning, especially faced danger with his quest and there were a few times that I wasn’t optimistic about him surviving. Nora was unaware of how much danger she could be in. Her friend was from a very wealthy and powerful family, some of whom who didn’t like questions being asked. Most of the novel focused on Nora. I liked both, but loved her strength and loyalty. She still grieved the loss of her son and felt guilty being optimistic about the future.
The cases joined very well, I didn’t see how they would do but it was all believable. Power, greed and money are never far from anything. The ending was a huge shock. I purposely covered the last paragraph with my hand so I didn’t accidently see a name. and the name it revealed was one that had me aching for an immediate follow up. Book five will not come quick enough.
With thanks to Karen Sullivan, as always for the copy received.
The start is brutal with the murder of an elderly hunter in a wood but it then switches immediately to Henning, Nora and their respective searches. They used to be married but the marriage fell apart with the death of their son. However, they still have strong feelings for each other which they both try and ignore.
Henning is trying to find out who was responsible for the death of their son despite the danger that it places him in. Nora has been asked to help find an old friend from university who has disappeared after telling her husband she needed some time on her own.
This is a novel, that once I worked out the back story I really enjoyed.
I have always struggled with novels that feature journalists before, probably because they are portrayed as being without morals or loyalty. But both Henning and Nora were warm, honest and approachable. Henning, especially faced danger with his quest and there were a few times that I wasn’t optimistic about him surviving. Nora was unaware of how much danger she could be in. Her friend was from a very wealthy and powerful family, some of whom who didn’t like questions being asked. Most of the novel focused on Nora. I liked both, but loved her strength and loyalty. She still grieved the loss of her son and felt guilty being optimistic about the future.
The cases joined very well, I didn’t see how they would do but it was all believable. Power, greed and money are never far from anything. The ending was a huge shock. I purposely covered the last paragraph with my hand so I didn’t accidently see a name. and the name it revealed was one that had me aching for an immediate follow up. Book five will not come quick enough.
With thanks to Karen Sullivan, as always for the copy received.
dakegra's review against another edition
4.0
Cursed follows the interlocking narratives of Henning Juul and his ex-wife Nora as they investigate what appear to be different mysteries. Nora is looking into the disappearance of Hedda Hellberg who was supposed to be on a trip to Italy but appears not to have left Oslo. Henning is delving into the tragic events surrounding the death of their son. Despite being the fourth book to feature Henning Juul, this can easily be read as a standalone - there are hints at previous cases and events, but this story stands firmly on its own two feet. Henning and Nora are two fantastic characters, with a real and compelling depth to their relationship and backstory.
I particularly loved Nora and her story - a strong, wilful investigative journalist who will stop and nothing, and brook no nonsense from anyone in pursuit of the truth, whilst dealing with a complex and challenging personal life.
Regular readers of this blog will know that I love reading a story with a real sense of place, and Cursed has that feeling that you could visit the locations in the story and know them immediately from the book.
Cursed is dark and riveting, with a plot which zigs and zags through a twisting landscape of suspense, truth and lies. Brutal in places, but beautifully layered and plotted.
If you like your noir of the nordic variety, Thomas Enger is definitely an author you need to read.
I particularly loved Nora and her story - a strong, wilful investigative journalist who will stop and nothing, and brook no nonsense from anyone in pursuit of the truth, whilst dealing with a complex and challenging personal life.
Regular readers of this blog will know that I love reading a story with a real sense of place, and Cursed has that feeling that you could visit the locations in the story and know them immediately from the book.
Cursed is dark and riveting, with a plot which zigs and zags through a twisting landscape of suspense, truth and lies. Brutal in places, but beautifully layered and plotted.
If you like your noir of the nordic variety, Thomas Enger is definitely an author you need to read.