The Glass Devil-Helene Tursten

The Glass Devil
Helene Tursten
Soho, Apr 2008, $13.00
ISBN: 9781569474891

His cousin Georg, the principal of a high school, calls worried about dedicated teacher Jacob Schyttelius not coming to work or calling in. Though vague, Goteborg Criminal Superintendent Sven Andersson drafts Detective Inspector Irene Huss to accompany him when he drives out to the man’s isolated cottage. Huss who has worked with Anderson for fifteen years is shocked that he has a relative. However, she more stunned at the cottage where they find a dead Jacob shot in the head by a rifle. His computer monitor is loaded with upside down pentagrams.

After insuring control of the crime scene, the two cops visit Jacob’s elderly parents, Pastor Sten Schyttelius and his wife Elsa only to find both shot in the eyes; once again their monitor displays upside down pentagrams. Neither computer contains information as a pro deleted everything. Huss turns to Jacob's anguished sister, Rebecka, who lives in London, but she is clueless. With no leads, Huss chooses to follow Sten’s activities first because he was investigating a Satanist cult, which may tie to the upside down pentagrams.

The third translated Huss Swedish police procedural (see DETECTIVE INSPECTOR HUSS and THE TORSO) is an excellent tale from the opening phone call until the final climax. Huss is terrific as she investigates the triple murders, but makes little progress until she makes inquiries into the Pastor’s investigation. Sub-genre fans will appreciate this superb tale hat brings a taste of Sweden to the reader as well as a strong police investigation.

Harriet Klausner