Jussi Adler Olsen vs Mons Kallentoft

Continuing my exploration into European crime thrillers, I have discovered two more authors. Though both cover the exploits of police officers, the protagonists and tones of the stories could not be more different.

Danish Jussi-Adler Olsen's Detective Superintendent Carl Morck and his sidekick Assad operate out of Department Q for unsolved crimes aka cold cases. They were soon joined by Rose, a secretary somewhat inclined towards bossiness and insubordination.

The books are fast paced and the criminal elements titillating enough to keep me going non- stop once I started reading. Tremendously enjoyable. Yet despite the breeziness, there are nuances on human psychology and motives that sneak up to give one cold chills.



Scandinavian Mon Kallentoft's books are much more sobering. One could even said the female protagonist Superintendent Marlin Fors is depressing, and getting increasingly more so with each new chapter.

There is an unique element in all the novels that I find very intriguing. In fact, I do not recall any other crime writers using this perspective towards the crimes committed in each novel.