The Hanging Girl: A Department Q Novel - Hardcover

Praise for The Hanging Girl

"Adler-Olsen wields a one-two punch of psychological suspense, as his trademark parallel plot follows the remorseless killer's manipulations while the humorous, sometimes touching rapport between Mørck and Assad threatens to steal the show. A must for procedural devotees and fans of Scandinavian mysteries."--Booklist (starred review)

"All the requisite Adler-Olsen hallmarks are on display here: the easy camaraderie of the investigative team; great moments of humor; and Mørck's crotchety disposition. It helps to read the series in order, but these books are so good that it's no hardship to start at the beginning."--Bookpage

"An intriguing read for devoted fans."--Library Journal

"Simultaneously sardonic and funny."--Sacramento Bee

"This book is not for the faint of heart, but for readers who enjoy dark humor and wisecracking heroes and heroines, you'll love Department Q."--Suspense Magazine

"It can be hard to distinguish Scandinavian crime writers--there are a lot of them, and their names have consonant clusters and umlauts and all that jazz--but Jussi Adler-Olsen is a name to know. In a crowded genre, Adler-Olsen is an outlier."--GQ.com

More Praise for Jussi Adler-Olsen's Department Q series

"If you like the dark humor, wisecracking, and layered betrayals of Raymond Chandler, then read Adler-Olsen's Department Q series."--Men's Journal

"A tense, pleasurable read."--USA Today

"[A] sordid tale... inspired by actual events during a dark period of Danish history. Ah, but there is more, so much more in this frenzied thriller."--The New York Times Book Review

"Adler-Olsen merges story lines...with ingenious aplomb, effortlessly mixing hilarities with horrors...This crime fiction tour de force could only have been devised by an author who can even turn stomach flu into a belly laugh."--Publishers Weekly (starred review)

"This series has enough twists to captivate contemporary mystery readers and enough substance and background to entertain readers with historical and literary tastes."--Library Journal (starred review)

"When your series relies on cold cases, it's not always easy to craft plots that have both historical interest and an air of urgency, but it's something Adler-Olsen is very good at."--Booklist

New York Times and internationally bestselling author Jussi Adler-Olsen delivers an exhilarating mystery in the Department Q series, featuring Detective Carl Mørck and his enigmatic assistants, Assad and Rose.
 
In the middle of his usual hard-won morning nap in the basement of police headquarters, Carl Mørck, head of Department Q, receives a call from a colleague working on the Danish island of Bornholm. Carl is dismissive when he realizes that a new case is being foisted on him, but a few hours later, he receives some shocking news that leaves his headstrong assistant Rose more furious than usual. Carl has no choice but to lead Department Q into the tragic cold case of a vivacious seventeen-year-old girl who vanished from school, only to be found dead hanging high up in a tree. The investigation will take them from the remote island of Bornholm to a strange sun-worshipping cult, where Carl, Assad, Rose, and newcomer Gordon attempt to stop a string of new murders and a skilled manipulator who refuses to let anything&;or anyone&;get in the way.