Courier

The Courier is a standalone thriller by the international bestselling godfather of Nordic Noir, Kjell Ola Dahl. It is set in 1942 during WWII and follows the story of Ester, a Jewish courier who escapes to Sweden, saving herself from the Gestapo. Twenty-five years later, Falkum, a resistance hero, returns to Oslo to reconnect with his daughter. Ester stumbles across information that forces her to look closely at her past and revisit her war-time training to stay alive. The novel is praised for its stylish writing, tension, and exploration of the human need for survival.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 276 pages
Publication date: 21 March 2019
Publisher: Orenda Books

The international bestselling godfather of Nordic Noir takes on one of the most horrific periods of modern history, in a stunning standalone thriller that has been shortlisted for the Petrona Award for Best Scandinavian Crime Novel and longlisted for the CWA International Dagger.

"The Courier" is a stylish stand-alone thriller from the godfather of Scandi noir, Ola Dahl. Dahl ratchets up the tension from the first pages and never lets go, earning praise from The Times, which describes the book as "absorbing, heart-rending, and perfectly plotted." The Courier seamlessly passes from the present to the dark past of World War II, with impressive detail.

In 1942, Jewish courier Ester is betrayed and narrowly avoids arrest by the Gestapo. In a great haste, she escapes to Sweden, saving herself. Her family in Oslo, however, is deported to Auschwitz.

In Stockholm, Ester meets the resistance hero, Gerhard Falkum, who has left his little daughter and fled both the Germans and allegations that he murdered his wife, Åse, who helped Ester get to Sweden. Their burgeoning relationship ends abruptly when Falkum dies in a fire.

And yet, twenty-five years later, Falkum shows up in Oslo. He wants to reconnect with his daughter. But where has he been, and what is the real reason for his return? Ester stumbles across information that forces her to look closely at her past and to revisit her war-time training to stay alive.

Written with Dahl's trademark characterization and elegant plotting, "The Courier" sees the hugely respected godfather of Nordic Noir at his best, as he takes on one of the most horrific periods of modern history.

Weight: 300g
Dimension: 130 x 197 x 24 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781912374434