Blog Tour | Book Review: Killed by Thomas Enger (Henning Juul #5)

I’m so happy to be sharing my review of Killed on Valentine’s Day; it’s so fitting, don’t you think? Wait, I know what you’re thinking, today is the day to celebrate love, and I am…. I’m celebrating my loved for Killed by sharing my review with you all today. After reading book 4, Cursed, I had been eagerly awaiting this novel.

Book Description:

Crime reporter Henning Juul thought his life was over when his young son was murdered. But that was only the beginning…

Determined to find his son’s killer, Henning doggedly follows an increasingly dangerous trail, where dark hands from the past emerge to threaten everything. His ex-wife Nora is pregnant with another man’s child, his sister Trine is implicated in the fire that killed his son and, with everyone he thought he could trust seemingly hiding something, Henning has nothing to lose … except his own life.

Packed with tension and unexpected twists, Killed is the long-awaited finale of one of the darkest, most chilling and emotive series you may ever read. Someone will be killed. But who?

My Thoughts:

Killed is the fifth and final instalment in the Nordic Noir, Henning Juul series, and it’s a bitter sweet moment. Enger has delivered a cracking finale, yet I’m saddened to say goodbye to Henning. Having read this series (with the exception of book 3, which I plan to read), I have grown fonder of Henning as the series progressed and have seen the brilliant portrayal of his character’s development. Now, as this is the last book in the series, you’ll get maximum enjoyment from it if you have read all [or at least some] of the previous books, because you’ll have an understanding of what came before. If you are reading this novel without reading any of the previous ones, Enger provides a character list at the beginning of the novel which will go a long way in helping you understand who’s who during the course of your read.

This novel is a fantastic conclusion to the series; this is the book were everything clicks – all the connections from the previous books align and everything makes sense. And, if you’ve read the previous books, you’ll appreciate what Enger has done, how cleverly he has crafted this series and the mystery of who is responsible for setting the fire that killed Henning’s son. Not only does Killed answer every question and tie up every loose end, in and of itself, it is an engaging read.

Let’s talk about the about the prologue and how it hooks you instantly! From the moment you start this book, you just know it’s one you’re going to enjoy. The prologue is a powerful one that has you instantly gripped and dying to know how these events came to be. And what follows is a well-thought-out course of events, leading to a brilliant ending – and Enger, you had me there, you really had me! (Don’t mind me, I’m just letting Enger know how well his red-herrings worked.)

In this novel, you’ll see families destroyed and being slowly rebuilt, criminals going head to head, people’s desperation to survive being crossed and double crossed, actions that’ll have you holding your breath. But, what you’ll also see is Henning being driven by emotion, and through all the events that take place, you can see that his love for his son is his driving force; it’s this display of emotion that warms you to Henning.

With this being the final instalment, I’m reluctant to reveal any parts of the plot as I don’t want to spoil anything for people starting this series. So, instead, I’ll share a line that is irreverent in the grand scheme of things but made me laugh out loud because my brain loves dark humour:

“The labour had lasted for 42 hours, and the strain and blood loss had left Anita looking like a wan, worn-out heroin addict.”

In all seriousness, Killed was a pleasure to read; it was dark in nature, with just the right amount of action and emotion and I highly recommend it. And, thank you to Kari Dickson for the translation that allowed me to join Henning on his final adventure.

This book is available to buy from: Amazon UK / Book Depository

*My thanks to Orenda Books & Anne Cater (A Random Things Tour) for providing me with a copy of this book and inviting me to participate in the blog tour*

 About the Author:

Thomas Enger (b. 1973) is a former journalist. He made his debut with the crime novel Burned (Skinndød) in 2010, which became an international sensation before publication. Burned is the first in a series of 5 books about the journalist Henning Juul, which delves into the depths of Oslo’s underbelly, skewering the corridors of dirty politics and nailing the fast-moving world of 24-hour news. Rights to the series have been sold to 26 countries to date. In 2013 Enger published his first book for young adults, a dark fantasy thriller called The Evil Legacy, for which he won the U-prize (best book Young Adult). Enger also composes music, and he lives in Oslo.

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