Masterful in plot, pace, characters and setting, this is a serious and multi-layered mystery, a study of how some people rise to greatness in danger and under oppression. Inspector Kurt Wallander is a humble hero, given more to mid-life-crisis existential angst than machismo. He’s smart, though, and far more courageous and resourceful than he gives himself credit for.

Set in 1990 as the Soviet Union was falling apart, The Dogs of Riga portrays life under the waning but still powerful totalitarian regime in Latvia, especially the lives of the resistance group Wallander encounters. The action is seldom violent, and yet it’s intense and suspenseful. When there is violence, it’s used effectively, not gratuitously, and the compassionate and sensitive Wallander is haunted by it.

There’s a kind of life-or-death game quality to the adventure and chase in the plot. In the early 90s, the need to communicate secretly required face-to face meetings in secret places, and a search for hidden documents meant getting past guards, not passwords. Reading this book was a reminder of the bravery and determination of people who resisted and helped bring down repressive powers back then, and what life must be like for those struggling against corrupt and unjust governments today.

I just got back from Riga (in Latvia). In a way, the trip was a success or at least seems to be so far, but in a way, it was not as much fun as the last time.

The weather was as good as could be expected for December, that is completely calm, which made sure I didn't get seasick and that's always good.

Mum came along on this trip which, to be honest wasn't all that much fun for us. In her defense I have to say that she was in pain (she's twisted her ankle) and had a bad cough (which she still does). But she kept complaining about everything, including the food, which my sister and I quite liked. We are quite thrilled that there was so much that happened to be vegan.

Something was wrong with the subway in Stockholm, but that didn't affect us very much, because we were on a bus (once we found a way of buying tickets), but so many people chose to go by bus instead of by subway which made it a bit crowded. Plus for some reason, some of the bus stops were just canceled (if that's the word - a decision was made to just ignore them and people had to walk a lot further).

On the train, on the way back, we saw a cute little boy. He showed me how to open a door (which was very nice of him). That door had almost squeezed me moments earlier and a moment later, it almost crushed my hand. Fortunately, there was a much older guy (thirties maybe) who knew of a switch that could keep the door open for much longer):

We also ran into two nice older ladies who talked to us on the bus from the ferry terminal to the Central Station and two quite nice younger women who also talked to us while we were waiting or on the train.

To end the evening, we also had a bit of adult entertainment at the railway station while waiting for the bus back to the house. I had no trouble ignoring those high school kids, but it was quite embarrassing to sit next to my mum while they were up to their antics.

The first half was too slow, but after that what a book! Lots of plot twist, the tension was constant and you never knew who to trust. Very recommended!

Whilst The Infernal Detective is not my usual kind of read, I enjoyed it nonetheless.

Riga Hayworth finds a dead body in her master bedroom a week before her wedding. Not long after, she discovers that the ghost of her fiancée’s father is in the body of her fiancée, and that the spirit of her fiancée is now in the dead body. Sounds confusing, right?

I was surprised that I did not find myself floundering around with no idea of who was who or what was going on when I was reading The Infernal Detective. I had a little worry that I might, since The Infernal Detective is the fourth in the series. But Weiss has done really well in creating a story that can be read out of the context of the series, and still be enjoyed. Of course, prior knowledge of the series could have helped with a few things (like the similarities between Riga and Rita), but they weren’t integral to the story.

I thought the story was cleverly played out, and paced really well. There was enough action to prevent boredom, but enough non-action to keep the story from feeling overplayed. I liked the intricacies that were weaved into the story, and how each was slowly revealed to both Riga as a character, and me as a reader.

The magic aspect of The Infernal Detective was by far my favourite. For some reason, I have been reading quite a few books about necromancy lately, and I think the way Weiss has presented it in The Infernal Detective was really interesting. I loved the addition of Hecate, and the ‘in-between’. Reading about magic being an everyday part of Riga’s life was unique. The Infernal Detective is not your typical magical novel, and I really liked that. Magic was just part of who Riga was, and she didn’t think that made her uber special, or better than anyone else. It was just a part of herself, like anything else.

I would have liked to read more of Riga and Donovan’s relationship, but I am sure there is more of that in the previous novels.

The story regarding the shifting spirits, and the creepy mobster Vasily were intriguing, and captivated your attention. It makes me wonder what the stories are like in the previous Riga Hayworth novels.

All in all, I enjoyed The Infernal Detective. If you’re looking for an adult fiction book with a magical twist, I’d say give this one a go.

© 2014, Chiara @ Books for a Delicate Eternity. All rights reserved.

The Dogs of Riga is the second novel in the Kurt Wallander series by author Henning Mankell.  Two bodies are washed ashore in a life raft on the coast of Ystad.  No identity no way of knowing where they came from.  Wallander must find out.  The investigation quickly reveals that they maybe Russian smugglers from Latvia.  The investigation quickly leads Wallander into a world of Russian politics, spies and intrigue.

It must be remembered that this book was written and is set in the early 1990's so the Soviet Union hadn't fully collapsed at this point

Read the full review here