Book Review | The Mountain King by Anders de la Motte

During a high-profile kidnapping case, Criminal Inspector Leonore Asker finds herself exiled due to political and personal reasons. She is sent to the Department of Lost Souls — the forgotten unit for odd, cold cases. Despite the humiliation, Asker is drawn into a peculiar case involving small strange figurines. Her investigation takes her to abandoned buildings and the dark recesses of the city, where an unknown evil lurks.

A creature born of pain and fever dreams who outwardly resembled a human, but who in actual fact was a monster.

This is how his story begins.

The Mountain King is a brilliant Nordic noir with an appealing protagonist and a mystery with plenty of surprises! Asker is a brilliant detective who suffers from the politics at her workplace. I like that she doesn’t have the usual “tortured detective” hangups that are prevalent in this genre. While her past is troubled, it’s not something that bogs her down and affects her work.

Her colleagues in her new spooky department are a weird bunch who surprisingly grew on me. They each have secrets and view her as an outsider, but she takes steps to ensure there is a connection between them. The story takes place in various deserted locations, giving an ominous, suspenseful feeling whenever the characters leave the city. We get the killer’s POV too, which is creepy because they are constantly watching.

Besides the mystery of The Mountain King’s identity, we learn about Asker’s strained relationship with her mother and a traumatic past with her father. I thought Asker’s backstory was unique and somewhat moving. We also meet Martin Hill, Asker’s old childhood friend and a professor whose student went missing. From his side of the story, it’s clear that there is something left unsaid from his and Asker’s history. I thought their reunion was interesting, particularly due to those unspoken words. I guess I’m a sucker for second-chances! The book ends with a question regarding Asker’s father, so I’m excited to see where this series goes.

The Mountain King is a dark, compelling mystery that will keep you guessing.

About the author: Anders de la Motte

Photo by Bernd Wahlbrinck