Diamanter og rust Diamonds and Rust

Hanne Wilhelmsen #13

It’s high summer in Scandinavia. Hanne Wilhelmsen finds herself, much against her will, at her family’s newly purchased, stately summer cabin by Viksfjord in Vestfold. Summer guests come and go, and one high pressure after another sweeps over southern Norway. Everything is pure idyll. For everyone except Hanne.

Two years have passed without Hanne participating in any investigations, and the police chief himself has banned her from being involved in new ones. The idleness is getting on the nerves of both Hanne and her family. But then an elderly woman is found dead, naked in a bathtub, deep in Maridalen in Oslo. The deceased turns out to be an acquaintance of the Wilhelmsen’s cabin neighbor, the shy crime author Kristine Hoff. To escape a cabin full of parties and guests, Hanne quickly seeks refuge in Kristine’s cool, shady garden. A strange friendship develops, and Hanne Wilhelmsen is once again to prove that she surpasses most when it comes to digging up old secrets and solving new crimes.

Diamonds and Rust is a story about wounds that never heal, about envy, betrayal and revenge, and about a crime so well and thoroughly thought out that it may never be solved. Not unless Hanne Wilhelmsen gets a chance to try.

Reviews

“[Diamonds and Rust is] the 13th and final instalment in the series about the iconic crime detective heroine Hanne Wilhelmsen, and Anne Holt finishes off the series with one of her best and strongest plots ever. Since her debut novel Blind Goddess in 1993, readers have followed Hanne throughout her life, from her time as a police officer at the Oslo Police Department, to a more secluded existence. Hanne was a unique hero when she emerged, and although the world has evolved a lot since then, there still is a need for her. Anne Holt confirms that with this book. /…/ Diamonds and Rust is one of Anne Holt’s most personal novels and will remain a key title in her authorship. /…/ There is also courteous and tender flashbacks to Hanne’s long career. The book industry is central to the plot, and in typical Holt style, the book is full of sarcasm, sharp humor, and well-directed jabs, especially towards the male side of it. She also highlights the criticism of the commercial side of the publishing industry, which makes the book strikingly relevant at a time when book shame and young people’s reading habits are being debated. And she writes so well that I both laughed and was moved to tears. The characters are portrayed so brilliantly, especially the depiction of a little boy discovering the dead woman in one of the novel’s most horrifying scenes. The heartbreaking portrayal of a demented woman in the prologue also makes a lasting impression. But it’s the crime mystery that impresses the most. Holt lays out the clues with masterful precision. Even seasoned crime readers will struggle to solve the mystery before the reveal. You just have to read one more page to find out more. And when the ending comes, it’s both logical and credible, and it tears at your heart. It’s so poetic, so dignified, and so real. I’m still a little taken aback. Everything works! Diamonds and Rust is a book about transformation, about falling apart, about family, and what you are willing to do for the ones you love. It’s powerful, so powerful! Thank you for everything, Hanne Wilhelmsen. You were and are an important icon that will be deeply missed. ”

★★★★★★

Verdens Gang, Norway
“The final book about Hanne Wilhelmsen is probably Anne Holt’s best one /…/ What else is there to wish for here? How often do you wish that a crime novel was longer?”

Dagsavisen, Norway