When The Devil Holds The Candle is the fourth Inspector Sejer novel from Karin Fossum. This one is more straightforward and quite a bit simpler than her previous novels, and my least favourite.
Andreas and Zipp are in their early twenties, still finding thrills driving around at night harassing people. If they need extra money, they simply look for a handbag to steal, regardless of who gets hurt. One night they spot an old woman wandering home from the theatre and Andreas has the plan to rob her when she reaches her house. Armed with a knife, he forces his way in.
The main narrator of this story is an old woman, living in a pretty, clean home. She's done everything right, and from the outside it looks like she is comfortable, the kind of old lady in a brown coat no one notices. In reality, she hates everything and everyone and spends all her time and energy ridiculing people and spitting derision. When a young man forces his way into her home, she forces him backwards down the cellar stairs where he lies immobile and twisted on the cold cement floor. Day after day he prays to die as she sits by and watches him.
I didn't find any of the characters to be pleasant or moving, and found Irma's outlook on how pathetic everyone is became tiring. The idea of a seemingly sweet little lady harbouring evil thoughts is interesting, but while the writing is, as always from Fossum, excellent, this novel left me cold. Inspector Sejer has a full time love interest, and it's always interesting to see how he and Skarre interact. There are treats for faithful readers, as Irma recalls scenes from her perspective that took place in Fossum's first novel, In The Darkness.
For me, this crime novel was just ok.
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)
Black Seconds (Inspector Sejer #6)
The Indian Bride (Inspector Sejer #5)
He Who Fears The Wolf (Inspector Sejer #3)
Don't Look Back (Inspector Sejer #2)
In The Darkness (Inspector Sejer #1)
1998 / Tradeback / 230 pages
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