It was a little difficult to follow the events in this complicated story which begins in 2015 when Ester learns that a family heirloom stolen by the Nazis is being auctioned off.
Switch to 1942, at which time, Ester's friend Ase was killed, supposedly by her husband Gerhard. However the murder wasn't investigated thoroughly and Gerhard is later reported killed.
Switch to 1967, when Ester and Gerhard meet up again and Ester begins to investigate Ase's murder.
There are many extremely interesting details about life in Norway under German occupation and resistance activities, and complicated plotting, spy vs. spy-like, but it was very slow going and a little frustrating to finish. ( )

I have previously read a contemporary crime novel by Kjell Ola Dahl (a book that I really liked) and was intrigued by the prospect of reading a historical crime novel this time. Code Name Hilde story takes place both in present time, during the 60s and 40s. The present time story is the story that the book starts off with and also ends with. The story starts off with an older woman recognizing a family heirloom that is about to be auctioned away and she vows to stop the auction. It's then the story moves back and forth between the 40s and 60s as we get the whole story told, a story that the old woman will never get the full scope of.

I was so caught up with the 40s and 60s storylines that I pretty much forgot about the bracelet until it showed up in the story later on. It's such a thrilling and engrossing book that I felt that it could have been a bit longer, I wanted to know more about Ester's life after WW2, about her son in Israel and what happened during the years after the events during the eventful days in the 60s. This may be a stand-alone book, but I wouldn't mind reading more about Ester.

Code Name Hilde is a captivating novel. I especially liked reading about Norway during WW2 and the invasion of Nazi Germany and the peril of the Jews in the country. I recommend the book warmly!

Thanks to Bokfabriken for the review copy! ( )

I have previously read a contemporary crime novel by Kjell Ola Dahl (a book that I really liked) and was intrigued by the prospect of reading a historical crime novel this time. Code Name Hilde story takes place both in present time, during the 60s and 40s. The present time story is the story that the book starts off with and also ends with. The story starts off with an older woman recognizing a family heirloom that is about to be auctioned away and she vows to stop the auction. It's then the story moves back and forth between the 40s and 60s as we get the whole story told, a story that the old woman will never get the full scope of.

I was so caught up with the 40s and 60s storylines that I pretty much forgot about the bracelet until it showed up in the story later on. It's such a thrilling and engrossing book that I felt that it could have been a bit longer, I wanted to know more about Ester's life after WW2, about her son in Israel and what happened during the years after the events during the eventful days in the 60s. This may be a stand-alone book, but I wouldn't mind reading more about Ester.

Code Name Hilde is a captivating novel. I especially liked reading about Norway during WW2 and the invasion of Nazi Germany and the peril of the Jews in the country. I recommend the book warmly!

Thanks to Bokfabriken for the review copy! ( )

Die Stadt Oslo ist 1942 von Nazis besetzt. Die Jüdin Esther hat sich dem Widerstand angeschlossen, doch sie wird verraten und kann gerade noch nach Schweden fliehen. Ihre Familie wird deportiert. Gerhard Falkum, der Mann ihrer Freundin Åse, flieht mit der Hilfe von Sverre ebenfalls nach Schweden. Er wird verdächtigt, seine Frau umgebracht zu haben, doch Gerhard bestreitet die Tat. All das beschäftigt Esther noch viele Jahre. Im Jahr 1967 taucht der totgeglaubte Gerhard wieder in Norwegen auf. Er will seine Tochter Turin ausfindig machen, die damals adoptiert wurde. Aber es ist viel Zeit vergangen und niemand ist begesitert von Gerhards Auftauchen.
Im Jahr 2015 entdeckt Turid in der Zeitung ein Foto von einem Armband, das versteigert werden soll. Es ist das Armband ihrer Mutter, welches ihr 1967 gestohlen wurde und Turid möchte es unbedingt zurückhaben.
Die Buchbeschreibung klang so vielversprechend, aber wirklich überzeugen konnte mich das Buch nicht. Die Geschichte spielt auf drei Zeitebenen und wird aus unterschiedlichen Perspektiven erzählt. Eigentlich mag ich so etwas, aber hier habe ich mich etwas schwergetan, vielleicht weil mich die Geschichte nicht so gepackt hat. Nach und nach ergibt sich ein Bild, was damals geschehen ist.
Die Charaktere hatten für mich nicht genügend Tiefe. Nur mit Esther konnte ich mitfühlen, die anderen kamen mir nicht nahe.
Auch wenn die Geschichte Potential hatte, so kam dennoch keine Spannung auf und die Figuren blieben zum größten Teil blass. Auch die Fragen wurden nicht alle beantwortet. Schade! ( )

The Courier – A Brilliant Standalone Thriller

Kjell Ola Dahl has written a brilliant standalone thriller, that is based around one of the darkest periods of Norwegian history in the twentieth century. He bases this book around one of the most horrific periods when the Germans were in control of the country, and the Quisling government was aiding and abetting the occupation.

It is 2015, and Turid notices an advert for an auction, and that one of the items for sale is a bracelet that she knows was stolen from her in 1967. As she tries to stop the sale and reclaim her wonderful bracelet. What the reader gets it a journey back to 1942, and to actions in 1967.

Ester sees that her father has been arrested by his jeweller’s shop daubed with anti-Jewish graffiti, she goes home to find that her mother and grandmother have been taken as well. Ester goes to her friend Åse’s apartment which she shared with her baby Turid and Gerhard Falkum.

In 1942, Ester is a courier for the resistance, but she has been betrayed and narrowly escapes the clutches of the Gestapo, and escapes to Sweden. It is in Stockholm, she once again comes across Gerhard, who tells her that Åse has been murdered and that he is on the run from the police. Ester is the liaison officer assigned to take care of Gerhard. Ester has a burgeoning relationship, until it is ended by a fire which kills Gerhard.

1967, Ester has not been back in Oslo that long when an old acquaintance from the war is on her doorstep, telling her that Gerhard Falkum is alive. He wants to reconnect with his daughter and get to the bottom of Åse’s murder. Ester knows she must use her skills and revisit what happened during the war and stay alive. As Ester revisits her past it takes her closer to the truth.

A truly wonderful book, a book I can highly recommend. ( )