The Hanging Girl

Carl Morck, Head of Department Q receives a call from a police officer asking for help on a cold case, but Morck refuses it.  Later he is told by his assistant, Rose, that the police officer has committed suicide.  With Assad, another of his assistants and Rose, he heads up to the island where the officer had worked.  The officer had become obsessed with a hit and run, which had resulted in the death of a young girl many years earlier.  He was positive that it was no simple hit and run, but was actually a murder.

The team is shocked to find the son of the officer has also committed suicide.  It is when they get to the first suicide's home that they find information pointing to a possible suspect in the hit and run case.  Now they just have to make sense of it.

As the investigation progresses, Morck and Assad are sure that the hit and run victim knew her killer.  It isn't until Morck's friend, Hardy, lends a helping hand to the case that they are able to come up with a name of a possible suspect.  Unfortunately it isn't enough.  Also, it appears that the suspect may have taken on a new identity.  As they piece the puzzle together, they find a professor of theology who taught the suspect.  They gain an insight into the mind of the man.

When they are presented with opportunity to confront the suspect, they meet a woman who seems to Carl to know something about the events of the past.  Could she possibly interfere in the investigation?

Adler-Olsen's side story seems out of place to begin with, however, as the team makes progress in their investigation, it begins to make sense as the author adds bit by bit to the story.  It is an intense story, that fires up right near the end with plenty of action.  A thoroughly good read.