(65) Lost but not Out of the Game

Title: The Keeper of Lost Causes by Jussi Adler-Olsen
Publisher: Dutton Adult
400 Pages
Genre: Mystery

I received an advanced reader copy of this book via netgalley.com This book is set to be released August 23, 2011.

Synopsis: The Keeper of Lost Causes, the first installment of Adler- Olsen's Department Q series, features the deeply flawed chief detective Carl MØrck, who used to be a good homicide detective-one of Copenhagen's best. Then a bullet almost took his life. Two of his colleagues weren't so lucky, and Carl, who didn't draw his weapon, blames himself.

So a promotion is the last thing Carl expects.

But it all becomes clear when he sees his new office in the basement. Carl's been selected to run Department Q, a new special investigations division that turns out to be a department of one. With a stack of Copenhagen's coldest cases to keep him company, Carl's been put out to pasture. So he's as surprised as anyone when a case actually captures his interest. A missing politician vanished without a trace five years earlier. The world assumes she's dead. His colleagues snicker about the time he's wasting. But Carl may have the last laugh, and redeem himself in the process.

Because she isn't dead . . . yet.

Review: Look out Stieg there is a new Nordic writer in town.  While this book didn't feel as polished as The Girl with The Dragon Tattoo it was very good and the series has potential. It took me a little bit to realize that the alternating chapters were taking place in two different times but once I caught on it was a race against the clock. I found myself holding my breath in places hoping that Carl and his assistant would solve the case before time ran out.

Carl is depressed and just doesn't care much about his job anymore.  The department knows it but they don't know how to get rid of him so they devise a plan to bring more money into the homicide department and stash Carl somewhere where he can't do much harm or much good.  They put him in charge of a new division investigating old cases that had political or media attention that didn't produce any results.

Carl knows what the powers that be are doing and doesn't really care, he spends his time in his basement office smoking, surfing the internet or taking naps, that is until they give him an assistant who seems to slowly ignite his passion for his job once again.  Carl's new assistant is a quirky, mysterious man who seems to have a photographic memory, an interest in the law, and an interest in getting Carl out of his funk.  The two make an interesting, productive and amusing team.