The Katharina Code cover art

The Katharina Code

The Cold Case Quartet, Book 1

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The Katharina Code

By: Jørn Lier Horst, Anne Bruce - translator
Narrated by: Tim McInnerny
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About this listen

Penguin presents the audiobook edition of The Katharina Code by Jørn Lier Horst, read by Tim McInnerny.

Twenty-four years ago Katharina Haugen went missing. All she left behind was her husband Martin and a mysterious string of numbers scribbled on a piece of paper.

Every year on October 9th Chief Inspector William Wisting takes out the files to the case he was never able to solve. Stares at the code he was never able to crack. And visits the husband he was never able to help.

But now Martin Haugen is missing too.

As Wisting prepares to investigate another missing persons case he's visited by a detective from Oslo. Adrian Stiller is convinced Martin's involved in another disappearance of a young woman and asks Wisting to close the net around Martin.

But is Wisting playing cat and mouse with a dangerous killer or a grief-stricken husband who cannot lay the past to rest?

Set between the icy streets and dark forests of Norway, The Katharina Code is a heart-stopping story of one man's obsession with his coldest case.

©2018 Jørn Lier Horst (P)2018 Penguin Audio
Crime Thrillers Fiction International Mystery & Crime Police Procedural Psychological Thriller Mystery Disappearance Heartfelt Suspense Marriage

Critic Reviews

Jørn Lier Horst is one of the most brilliantly understated crime novelists writing today (Joan Smith)
Up there with the best of the Nordic crime writers (Marcel Berlin)
The Katharina Code is the best and most ingenious novel that Jørn Lier Horst has written thus far (Tvedestrandsposten)
If you haven't already, introduce yourself to Norway's Chief Inspector William Wisting - you'll warm to him even though his patch can get pretty cold (Jon Wise)
Jørn Lier Horst only gets better and better . . . The Katharina Code is a beautiful crime fiction story (Stavanger Aftenblad)
The Katharina Code vibrates with anticipation all the way to the finish (Dagbladet)
The author has employed literary devices one only rarely finds in a crime novel. And he's succeeded marvellously (Tvedestrandsposten)
With The Katharina Code Jørn Lier Horst again delivers an excellent crime novel with a credible plot . . . All that remains is to declare that Jørn Lier Horst impresses again (Østlands-Posten)
The untangling [of the mystery], the tactics, and the climax keep the suspense at a solid Horst level (Trønder Avisa)
Jørn Lier Horst has truly done it this time . . . Exceptionally well-executed (Tønsbergs Blad)

What listeners say about The Katharina Code

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Not quite Scandi Noir more Scandi-Gris

I enjoy a number Scandi crime thrillers, Nesbo, Stieg Larssen etc but I found this to be more of a police procedural rather than a thriller.

Was it well written? Yes, but it is flat. The mysteries are not too deep or moving. Wisting is dull - no drinking issues, no psychological malaise just a good cop. I do not want to say that all fictional detectives need to have a good backstory or issues but it is necessary to help build a lightweight story like this one. This one lacks suspense.

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A bit slow for me

It's a well written story. But not really my cup of tea. I found the story rather flat.

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Buen descubrimiento

Vale la pena, una vez que agarra, no suelta. Un estilo distinto, muy bien escrito y así también relatado

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Satisfactory for an easy listen.

A good story with great narration. Not very exciting and a little predictable, but a good time-passer. Look fwd to next in series.

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Cold case Nordic crime

Another great Wisting story. A little predictable - this one comes from a different perspective, so the culprit is revealed fairly early but nice tense moments to carry things to a satisfying conclusion.

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How did Wisting become Wisteyan and Wistiyan?

After watching the series and listening 7 audio books from the same author, about the same character (William Wisting), in this book, Wisting became Wisteyan and sometimes Wistiyan, and Line is sometimes Line and sometimes LIna, and Tommy Kvanter is now KVATNA. Please somebody help me, how did this happen?

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