Burned by Thomas Enger

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Her blonde curls are soaked in blood. The ground has opened up and tried to swallow her. Only her head and torso are visible. Her rigid body is propped up by the damp earth; she looks like a single, long-stemmed, red rose…

A young woman has been buried up to her neck, then stoned to death. The brutality of the crime is shocking, and its implications are deeply puzzling. The method of murder resembles an honor killing, an execution style practiced rarely in the Middle East, and only when the victim has been accused of adultery. Yet such killings don't happen in Norway...

Investigative reporter Henning Juul has just returned to his job after an accident that killed his son and left him scarred from a fire, and his first assignment is to investigate and report on this brutal murder. Working with his ex-wife's new boyfriend proves difficult, but it's the lingering pain from his accident that's almost debilitating. Henning knows the arrest of the victim's boyfriend—a Pakistani native—is misguided, and he sets out to uncover the truth. This gritty, page-turning novel of suspense uncovers class divisions, racial conflicts, and deep emotions in the way that's reminiscent of the best of Scandinavian suspense, and heralds the arrival of a major talent.

As soon as I read the first unforgettable pages of Burned by Thomas Enger, I knew I was in great hands. The two chapters which open Burned masterfully set up the interlocking themes and moods of the rest of the novel. The dream-like quality of the first and very brief chapter, without any graphic images or any gore whatsoever, knocked me over with its tragic implications. If I had read anymore, I think I would have probably started sobbing. The second chapter is quite the opposite, harsh and jarring, shocking me with horrific description absent from the painful beginning. The images seared into my brain are ones I will not soon forget, if ever. This alternating technique, employed throughout Burned hooked me in multiple levels – emotionally, psychologically, while being a compelling story.

There are two stories here, the first being that of Henning, still reeling from the fiery death of his son from two years ago. He’s taking pills every day and changes the batteries of his eight fire alarms daily. One of the goals set by his psychologist, just the ability to light one match, is one he’s tried but failed to accomplish every day for the past two years. Is he scarred? You bet he is. His scars run so deep, they go from his disfigured face down to his broken soul. The pain he feels over his son’s death is hinted in the narrative, no unnecessary telling on Enger’s part. It is so painful, Henning refers to it as “That which he must not talk about.” By the end, through bits and broken pieces, the reader forms a partial picture of what happened. And it is bad.

The second story involves Henning’s return to his old job as a journalist for an Oslo paper. His first day back is gentle: he is assigned a sickening murder of a young college student that appears to be an honor killing by her Pakistani boyfriend. Of course, things are not what they seem, and as Henning digs more and more into the hydra-headed story, he uncovers unsavory and unexpected things about everyone involved, not the least of which is the racial tension and prejudices in modern-day Norway.

I am hesitant to even mention it, but as it’s bound to come up, please disregard any comparison to Steig Larsson. Though I adore Lisbeth Salander, I found Enger’s writing superior. For one thing, no tedious chapters on finance to slog through to get to the meat. The chapters are concise, direct, and packed with story – perhaps a result of the author’s journalistic background. I was fascinated with the insights into Norwegian culture and modern-day journalism, plus the interweaving stories were simply engrossing. A masterful debut thriller from an author who happens to be Scandinavian.

Thank you very much to Atria Books for providing a copy for me to review!