The Girl in the Photo by Heidi Amsinck
When ninety-year-old Irene Valborg is found brutally murdered in an affluent suburb of Copenhagen, her diamond necklace missing, it looks like a burglary gone wrong.
When two more victims are attacked, the police lament a rise in violence against the elderly, but who is the young girl in the photo found by DI Henrik Jungersen on the scenes of crime? Impatient to claim her inheritance, Irene’s daughter hires former Dagbladet reporter Jensen and her teenage apprentice Gustav to find the necklace. Questioning his own sanity, while trying to fix his marriage, Henrik finds himself once more pitched in a quest for the truth against Jensen – the one woman in Copenhagen he is desperate to avoid.
About the author
Heidi Amsinck is a writer and journalist born in Copenhagen. She was London Correspondent for the Danish daily Jyllands-Posten. She has written many stories for BBC Radio 4, including the story sets Danish Noir, Copenhagen Confidential and Copenhagen Curios, all read by Tim McInnerney. She was previously shortlisted for the VS Pritchett Memorial Prize. Heidi lives in London. Last Train to Helsingør her first collection of stories, which appeared on BBC R4, was published in 2018. My Name is Jensen her first thriller was published to critical acclaim in 2021
Review
This was one of my most anticipated releases this year as I thoroughly enjoyed ‘My Name Is Jensen’ and I couldn’t wait to read its follow up! It did not disappoint. ‘The Girl in the Photo’ has the atmospheric air of Copenhagen, mixed with intense and complex characters and a plot that is reminiscent of an American noir tale layered with Christie twists and turns. Basically, I loved it!
Jensen is now working as a freelance journalist with Gustav as her apprentice. She isn’t really working on anything when a woman turns up who pays them to find her mother’s diamond necklace which has been stolen. Unfortunately, her mother Irene died during the incident. Henrik has been investigating this crime and thinks that they may be linked to other crimes where the elderly have been targeted. It’s not until he realises that at each crime scene there has been a photo of the same girl left that he knows he is on the right track! But why are they being targeted and who is the girl in the photo?
Do you ever pick up a book and just instantly fall in love with the characters? For me that was Jensen and Gustav, they now live in my head and I’m not at all bothered by that. Both have flaws but they make this very unique and interesting team. They are complicated, both highly intelligent and have a determination to seek out justice as well as find their story! Gustav especially has a place in my heart. I can’t wait to see what they get up to in book 3 and I’m afraid it might take a very dark turn. Eek!
I think what I love so much about these books is that they feel more old school golden crime to me. Lots of dialogue, a slower pace, interesting and complex characters, a sense of location and lots of red herrings and they employ tropes from that era when it comes to the crime and the reasoning behind it. Love it, love it, love it. And if you hear Cherish from Bake Off the Professionals saying that last sentence then we should be friends!
I'm already very excited for book three to be released and that's when you know a series has got its hooks into you. But first I am going to revel in the afterglow of finishing this one…
