I don't normally read mysteries, but because I liked other books by Griffith, I gave this one a chance. I am SO glad I did.

The writing in this book is perfection. Griffith's word choices, sentence structure, and what she purposely chooses to include/exclude are completely interwoven with the tone of the book/scene. It's one of those books where the writing itself is a major part of the experience of the book, that only very few authors can pull off. Every word and phrase serves a purpose. The writing is tight, almost clinical, but still so world-buildingly dense and deliberate. The entire book is sharp and smart: words, characters, flow, content, plot, dialogue, themes.

Griffith builds phenomenal tension and expectation. She very craftily uses a word here or an almost throwaway sentence there, and even though you as the reader don't quite know what's going on yet (even though the narrator does), you know something's coming and get caught up inexorably into that delicious anticipation.

The climactic scene was written so well I could visualize it perfectly in my mind. I honestly don't think seeing it in movie form would have improved it. In fact I think it would have diminished it, the writing was that tight and integral to experiencing the action. I happened to read this scene during my work lunch break and had to focus on calming down my adrenaline rush so I could get through the afternoon.

Aud has a special appreciation for nature, and her descriptions of the world around her both bring the reader deeply into the scene and in me, at least, sparked a serious appreciation for nature myself. I find myself paying more attention when I'm outside, to what I see, hear, smell, and feel. It's a beautiful feeling. I'm curious now to reread this book to see if Aud's nature descriptions increase after she meets and increasingly interacts with Julia.

I've never read a book where the 1st person was executed so well. It was clearly a very deliberate choice that brings as much to the matrix of the experience of this book as the rest of the writing. We get insight into Aud's evaluations of characters, her recognizing their perceptions of her and meeting their expectations to manipulate situations to her needs. We as the audience see all the moving parts through her eyes and feel powerful as a result, which is exactly how she positions herself. Love a competent character and woman.

I loved every moment of this book, even the rough ending. Cannot recommend Griffith enough. ( )

When you read that a series of books are “brilliant and heartbreaking and made of awesome sauce and everybody should read them but go into them blind or you won’t get their full impact” (MartinWisse on Metafilter) well then you simply have to give the first book a try, don’t you?

Well, I did and I have to agree with MartinWisse after just reading the first book in the series. In The Blue Place we are introduced to Aud Torvingen, an ex-police officer, the daughter of a Norwegian diplomat and an American father. Someone who grew up in England but is so very Norwegian. A woman who knows danger and violence and who always plays to win.

I just loved this book. Aud is such a great character. I’ve skimmed through a few reviews on Goodreads1 and I just can’t get over how many people dismissing this as a “lesbian romance”, I mean, yes Aud is a lesbian. And there is romance, so both of those words are accurate and true. But would you usually describe James Bond as a straight romantic hero? I mean, he always gets the girl, doesn’t he? And that aspect is usually quite important in the story. But we never do, do we? Straight male authors who pursue a romantic storyline never get dismissed as just a romance. So why do so many people seem to do that when it is a female lead?

I will allow that this is more of a character study than a plot driven thriller or mystery. But I am perfectly fine with that. More character than plot is a plus for me. Your reading may vary.

I loved it and will be reading the sequel soon. ( )

This book has been sitting on my to-read shelf for 3 years. I finally read it, and what a disappointment. I predicted the major plot point, and then waited for a very long time for it to play out. The book was mostly too slow, then too metaphorical when it got suspenseful to the point where I didn't know if something major was actually happening. The romance was contrived. Why are lesbian romances always scripted like "we bumped into each other, didn't get along at first, then fell in love"??? Very un-relatable. ( )

My favorite bookseller, JB, pushed this book into my hands and said 'trust me'. Some books you can easily categorize or 'sell' with a sentence or two but this one is not one of those. It is truly a 'trust me'. Aud Torvingen is a former policewoman who is independently wealthy. She is a native of England who is Norwegian and lives in Atlanta. One night while strolling she literally runs into a young woman just as the house she's passing by blows up. But the mystery part of this book is not as interesting as the characters who are really fascinating. I've just never read anything quite like it. ( )

I only got about a quarter into this. I was not enjoying it, finding it a real slog, and I eventually figured out why: I think the main character would have looked down her nose at me. Seriously, it's kinda ridiculous, but I was thinking that she would have been disgusted to know I was reading about her. She had such an air of superiority. I'm sure there's some backstory, some bad event in her past that made so her so distant and harsh, but, you know, at no point did I ever care to find out. Also, the tone of the novel too was stylized in an odd way: to be frank, it read like a novelization of a lesbian version of a mid-'90s late night Cinemax "erotic thriller." Perhaps in translation, too.

And, a personal note for others like me: there are a lot of brand-name products called out in this book. Some people like this because it adds realism; personally, I find it distracting. The author's best efforts couldn't sell enough Saabs to keep them here, sadly. ( )