Dregs by Jorn Lier Horst

A Nordic-Noir police procedural featuring three feet that wash up on the shore. Each foot is wearing a training shoe. At the same time, four people have disappeared from an old folks' home. Bizarre. 

It's up to the staid, 'slightly awkward way he had', detective to work out what's going on, why only feet are found, why people have disappeared from the same home and, of course, where are the rest of the bodies.

The story is mostly told from the perspective of the detective and of his journalist daughter, who has a thing for murderers and is working on a feature series about a few of them. It is an easy read despite the subject matter, with a tad too much backstory told for those involved in the investigation. Despite the gruesome opening with severed feet, this is not a gory book. There is no violence or dramatic scenes such as car chases, which would make this an action-packed and visual kind of read. Instead, this is measured and interesting story, looking at social aspects and the role of prison for murderers in particular.

This book is part of a series featuring the detective, William Wisting, and this is the only one I've read so far. Hopefully the rest of the books appeal to the intellect as much as this does, preferring social themes over gratuitous sensationalism. Recommended for fans of intelligent Nordic-Noir.

Published by Sandstone Press on 13 December 2019 in the UK.
​Advanced review copy supplied by the publisher.