Book Review: The Harbor by Katrine Engberg (translated by Tara F. Chace ) (Korner and Werner, #4)

My Rating:
⭐⭐⭐

“When you’re passionate about something, you become unscrupulous. When you love, you hurt. Even in the best of families there’s greed and deception, and even in the most profound love, you find hooks and grief.”

Fifteen-year-old, Oscar Dreyer-Hoff goes missing, leaving a strange note for his parents. Subsequently, his backpack has been found on a boat dock a few hundred meters from the family’s apartment and the family boat is also discovered missing. Oscar’s family, are founders of an auction house but were embroiled in scandal after rumors of shill-bidding made waves which led to a fall in fortunes for the family and those associated. A few days later the body of his school teacher is found in the waste silo of the incineration plant in Copenhagen.

Is Oscar’s disappearance connected to the death of his teacher? Was Oscar kidnapped because of his family’s shady activities? Did he run away after committing a crime? Will Investigators Werner and Korner of the Copenhagen Police find Oscar before it's too late?

This is the fourth book in the Danish noir series featuring Copenhagen detectives Jeppe Korner and Anette Werner ( the third, translated into English). With its atmospheric setting, interesting premise and engaging mystery, The Harbor by Katrine Engberg starts great but then loses its way in the middle but redeems itself at the end. The plot progression was on the slower side and a tad haphazard in presentation. I do not know if this was deliberate because I felt that the author overdid it in the red herrings department and also the detailed drama in the investigators' personal lives dampened the “thrill” in the plot. Admittedly, the author touches upon many sensitive and important issues such as the emotional and mental well-being of children, sexual exploitation of minors and bullying. I enjoy reading crime procedurals and I loved the procedural aspects of crime-solving as described in the narrative but I was annoyed with how much space in the narrative is devoted to the personal lives and romantic relationships of the investigators and the ensuing melodrama. Esther de Laurenti makes an appearance once again and helps identify the literary connection to the note Oscar left behind. I wish she had a more prominent role in the series. The author does well in bringing all the threads in the story together towards the end. I did enjoy how the case is ultimately resolved. Overall a twisty, atmospheric “thriller” that needed to deliver more “thrills” and less focus on the marital drama, potential infidelity and troubled romantic relationships of the lead investigators. After the crisp and smart, The Butterfly House, this book was a tad disappointing.

Despite the flaws in this book I remain a fan of the series and will be looking forward to more books in the future.