Devil’s Fjord

In this promising series launch from Hewson (the Nic Costa series) set on the Faroe island of Vágar, the chief duty of 55-year-old Tristan Haraldsen, a part-time district sheriff who recently retired from the police on account of his health, is to ensure that the fishermen from the village of Djevulsfjord follow the rules of an ancient and savage ritual, the whale hunt known as the grind. During the course of the hunt, the two Mikkelsen brothers, Jónas and Benjamin, go missing. Meanwhile, Tristan’s wife, Elsebeth, has a chance encounter with an angry animal rights activist that leads the couple to investigate the mysterious death of Tristan’s predecessor as district sheriff and the disappearance of a local policewoman’s brother. This grim tale, almost the stuff of Norse myths, offers little hope or redemption as absolute evil wraps its way through Djevulsfjord—where outsiders are not welcome. The story starts slow, but once the fate of the Mikkelsen brothers becomes clear, readers will be gripped and hold fast until the shocking end. Hewson’s fans will look forward to the next installment. (May)