The sixth Inspector Sejer crime novel from writer Karin Fossum is titled Black Seconds. Rather than dwell on the crimes, her novels explore the workings of the human mind with great insight.
Ten year old Ida Joner leaves her house on her yellow bike to ride to the local candy shop. When she doesn't return in a few hours, her Mother and Aunt frantically search the streets to no avail. She was bright and trusting - could someone have picked her up? Inspector Sejer and the team interview all concerned with no leads, and the media frenzy begins. When Ida is found many days later, wearing a crisp new nightie and wrapped in a clean duvet by the side of the road, rumours and accusations spread throughout the community. One suspect is a simple man in his fifties, a loner who keeps to himself and doesn't speak - even to his elderly mother, who cleans his house and laundry. Sejer discovers he befriended the girl in the past and may know what happened to her. Is he dangerous, or just different?
Again, Fossum introduces a crime that seems to be senseless, and a community of people - and complex family relationships - where hidden tensions begin to fray. Inspector Sejer has a calming but persistent manner that gets to the root of the crime, and the gentleness to know how hard to push for the truth. Despite excellent writing and original characters, I didn't enjoy this as much as others - I think because, like her previous novel, The Indian Bride, it was clear to me early on who killed her and how, but I still enjoyed the diversions Fossum laid out along the way.
Black Seconds won one of the most prestigious international crime writing awards in 2002 - the Martin Beck Award given by the Swedish Crime Writer's Academy for the best crime novel in translation.
My other reviews for Karin Fossum:
The Whisperer (Inspector Sejer #13)
The Drowned Boy (Inspector Sejer #11)
The Caller (Inspector Sejer #10)
Bad Intentions (Inspector Sejer #9)
The Water's Edge (Inspector Sejer #8)
The Murder of Harriet Krohn (Inspector Sejer #7)
The Indian Bride (Inspector Sejer #5)
When The Devil Holds The Candle (Inspector Sejer #4)
He Who Fears The Wolf (Inspector Sejer #3)
Don't Look Back (Inspector Sejer #2)
In The Darkness (Inspector Sejer #1)
2002 / Tradeback / 247 pages
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