Death at the Hands of a Sleeper
I've always been intrigued by the idea of 'sleepers', spies who infiltrate an enemy country, become a member of that society, and act only when they receive their activation code-word. This is how Geiger starts when a grandmother, Agneta, receives such a call, and shoots her husband.
The book follows the unofficial investigation of the death by Sara Nowak who knew the couple and their two daughters. She's a volatile vice policewoman who stakes out prostitutes and follows-up their customers. Often her job is brutally described and I wouldn't have said always necessary, however towards the end of the book you see how the purpose of her job, and the past of Agneta's husband come to a surprising joining.
Much of the early background information covers the Cold War and whether or not the dead man was an informer. This was well written but by the end I got a little confused as so much extra information was thrown at the reader, often just recited rather than happening. I did enjoy it though, and for a debut novel it was very good.
The book follows the unofficial investigation of the death by Sara Nowak who knew the couple and their two daughters. She's a volatile vice policewoman who stakes out prostitutes and follows-up their customers. Often her job is brutally described and I wouldn't have said always necessary, however towards the end of the book you see how the purpose of her job, and the past of Agneta's husband come to a surprising joining.
Much of the early background information covers the Cold War and whether or not the dead man was an informer. This was well written but by the end I got a little confused as so much extra information was thrown at the reader, often just recited rather than happening. I did enjoy it though, and for a debut novel it was very good.