Review of WE SHALL INHERIT THE WIND by Gunnar Staalesen

 3.5 Stars

When I asked for suggestions for a new detective series to listen to during walks, a friend recommended the Varg Veum series by Gunnar Staalesen, who is often described as the father of Nordic noir.  I began with We Shall Inherit the Wind though I understand it is not the first of the series.  As so often happens, not all the books have been translated and translations do not always begin at the beginning.  Nonetheless, this book turned out to be a good place to start since it marks a major change in Varg’s life.

Varg, whose name means wolf, is an ex-social worker who has become a private investigator working in Bergen, Norway.  Ranveig Mæland, a friend of Varg’s fiancée Karin, asks Varg to investigate the disappearance of her husband Mons.  Mons owns land on a remote island which is being considered for a controversial wind farm.  Just as all interested parties and opponents to the plan are to gather on the island, Mons has gone missing.  As Varg searches for Mons and later checks into a land sale, he uncovers business and family secrets.

The book touches not only on disappearances, one in the past and one in the present, and dubious business dealings but also on environmental terrorism and religious fanaticism. 

Varg is a likeable character though he is, as he readily admits, not perfect.  He will not stop until all his questions are answered and though this may be admirable, it is also a flaw.  This determination has him making an error for which he pays a tragically high price.  Yet afterwards, even when the case is finished, he continues investigating on his own because he wants to confirm his suspicions about an unsolved case from the past. 

Another trait that stands out is his stoicism.  He rarely displays his feelings, though his thoughts reveal that he is capable of deep emotions.  The ending suggests that difficulties may lie ahead for Varg because he doesn’t know how to deal with his feelings. 

Varg is 56 years old; as befits his age, he is more old-fashioned in his approach.  He relies on deductive reasoning; he is not the gun-toting tough guy who manhandles suspects. 

My one problem with the book is the names of the characters, and there are lots of them.  Because I was listening, not reading, I often became confused with the many similar-sounding names who, to me, are foreign. 

I appreciate that though there are some unexpected twists, the clues are there.  Things that didn’t feel right prove to have not felt right for a legitimate reason.  All the reader has to do is pay close attention and, like Varg, use his/her deductive thinking skills.

I quite enjoyed my introduction to this series, so much so that I’ve already downloaded the next book.  I look forward to spending my morning walks in the company of Varg Veum.