Reviewed by annieb123 on
Black Notice is a procedural based on true events written by Lotte Petri. Originally published in 2017, this English language reformat and re-release from Saga Egmont is 151 pages and is available in ebook format. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately. For Kindle Unlimited subscribers, this book is currently included in the KU subscription library to borrow and read for free.
This is a very fast paced, very graphic ScandiNoir procedural. I found many of the graphic descriptions and body horror/violence difficult to read. The book is quite short, so the character development is rudimentary and a bit choppy. The plot revolves around a sadistic serial killer with victims in France, Norway, and Denmark. The language is (as expected) quite rough in places. I'm not sure if it's due to the translation being meticulously true to the original source material, but it felt choppy and uneven to me. Danish (indeed most Scandinavian languages) has a much shorter, more staccato feel, and that rhythm is translated into the English version and it was a bumpy ride.
Mostly I couldn't get around the sado-sexual descriptions and the graphic violence against the female victims. It is well written, however. It might appeal to fans of true-crime (although this is a fictionalized account and I couldn't find the sources for the actual cases it was supposed to be based on), as well as die-hard fans of ScandiNoir. The author is adept, it just wasn't for me.
Three stars. Likely four for the right niche audience.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
Reading updates
- Started reading
- 1 August, 2021: Finished reading
- 1 August, 2021: Reviewed