The Norwegian Prime Minister Birgitte Volter is found dead in her office, shot with a very rare gun. The motive lies in the dark, her last visitor, Benjamin Grinde, leader of a commission to clarify the masses of deaths with babies 30 years earlier, is immediately under suspicion but he does not really seem to be the murderer. Due to the importance of the victim, a large team is set up with the Oslo police and not only Birgitte’s closest family, but also political motives are taken into consideration. Yet, many loose ends lead to nothing. Was it after all just a case of envy or jealousy?

Anne Holt really succeeds in surprising the reader. She offer a believable solution to the crime which then has to be given up. Another theory is established, just to be dropped, too. At the same time, we see the characters develop and become more and more multifaceted in the course of the plot. The decision to limit the protagonists to a very small number gives those few the room to become convincing players and appear authentic.

What I enjoyed most were the twists and turns which often came unexpectedly but were always well motivated and cleverly constructed. The biggest surprise is kept hidden until the very last pages and provides another incredible view on the whole story. All in all, a very clever and formidable crime novel.