Chicklit Club
 

GRIP LIT

 

The Scarred Woman - Jussi Adler-Olsen (2017)

 

Social worker Anna-Lise is tired of dealing with young women who feel entitled to spend government money on clothes and accessories while refusing to find any job. Michelle, Denise and Jazmine are three young women who bond over their dislike of their social worker, Anna-Lise, and their need for money and independence. Rose is a police officer but her past keeps haunting her and she gets to a point where the only solution has drastic consequences. As the police investigate a cold case, the murder of a woman on the street, a robbery, two hit-and-runs, and an old accident, these women's paths cross, leading to disastrous consequences.
This is my first Nordic thriller and I found the writing style very different from the crime novels I am used to. The action is slow-paced, but as the tension raises I found myself more absorbed in the novel. Although I didn't like and couldn't sympathise with any of the women, they are complex, strong - although mentally unstable - characters who fight for their survival in any way they can. This novel is the seventh book in a series and I found some of the subplots regarding the recurring characters confusing as I haven't read any of the previous books. Despite this, I really enjoyed this book, which is dark, suspenseful, and full of dramatic moments. (NP) 7/10

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