Pierced: A Novel (Henning Juul Book 2)

2nd in series - the main character is Henning Juul - a crime journalist in Norway Tore Pulle claims that he has been falsely accused of killing a man. Tore calls Henning from prison and tells him that he will give Henning information about the death of his son - if he will help him prove he is innocent of the murder he has been accused of Seeking the potential "other person" who actually committed the murder, Henning goes to the Fighting Fit gym, where Tore and the murder victim both were members. There had also been a previous murder of another member of Fighting Fit Gym It is a very complicated case - with more murders occurring. Are these murders connected to the death of his son? In trying to find the answers,he initiates the help of another journalist, Iver, the man his ex-wife is now dating.We learn much more about the characters of these people in the novel Ready for Scarred - the 3rd book in the series :)

I continue to enjoy the plot twists, and Juul is a compellingk protagonist. I am looking forward to more cases!

And here Thomas Enger hits his stride with confident plotting and tight management of its several threads. There is a nice balance of the human elements of the story too, from the inner thoughts of the protagonist and some other key players, and through to the situations and reactions of those he encounters as a journalist. Underlying it all is the central mystery of the series. I look forward to following it to the end.

This is hardly a thriller, despite the striking title and garish cover. It's is a typically understated Scandinavian investigation, based around a traumatised, guilt-ridden and isolated journalist who is just starting to re-engage with the world after the events of the first novel in this series, Burned I haven't read Burned, and the storytelling in Pierced is good enough that you don't need to start with the earlier book. You can just dive in here. The common thread in the series is journalist, Juul, who proved to be a solid central pivot for the tale. His own story overlaps with this plot, but not so much that you feel the whole world revolves around him. In fact the most interesting character in Pierced is barely mentioned in the blurb; Thorlief, an innocent bystander who become embroiled in an organised underworld assassination attempt. The scenes where his family are stalked are truly chilling: his horrified understanding of his situation was beautifully rendered. Other aspects of Pierced are a little less successful; the opening chapters submerged me in a blizzard of Norwegian names attached to cut-out characters who I found it hard to tell apart. Pulli, in particular, seemed two dimensional and insubstantial. He felt like a plot device, not a real person who was motivating the entire investigation. But the threads of the story were cleverly pulled together, and Juul's gradual re-engagement with his colleagues and ex-wife were deftly handled. There's one scene, where he sits down to play the piano for the first time since the death of his child, which was both tender, melancholy, and uplifting all at once. So overall this series is a worthy addition to the Nordic Noir genre. Pierced is good enough to incline me to look for Burned, and to see what happens next in Scarred. However, don't pick it up expecting a fast-paced thriller packed with guns and glory... it's much more of an intellectual investigation, a slow burn. 7/10

I like that these stories are not located in the U.S. I like that I cannot figure out who the killer is until the writer tells me. I like that there re a couple story lines going on at one time. A worth-while read if you enjoy murder mysteries.

As the second installment in the series, I enjoyed seeing the characters develop, especially as Juul tries to uncover the mystery of Jonas and the fire. The main plot kept my interest and moved along quickly. Will read #3 soon.

I read Burned and just loved it - Enger's first novel. You don't have to read it to read Pierced, but crime reporter Henning Juul is back. He's still grieving for his son, who died in a house fire and he wants to know who killed him. Investigators deemed it accident, and Juul can't live with the guilt if that is really the case. So, when he gets a call from a man in prison who says he has information, if he helps find out who framed him, he doesn't even blink. He just dives right into the investigation of Tore Pulli, who was convicted of a murder he says he didn't commit. Enger has created a taut, striking novel that will leave fans satisfied, yet entreating for more. Juul is wary of Pulli, yet desperate for any information about that day his son died. He can't sleep - he sees his son and the horrible day in his dreams. But the deeper Juul investigates, the more intricate the weave of suspense. With an ingenious plot, a likable protagonist and clever writing, Pierced is a wonderful follow up to Burned, but can be read alone. Those that enjoy reading brilliant suspense novels should pick up Pierced!

Five stars for being captivating and well written with good translations. I recommend starting with the first novel in the Henning Juul series.

In Pierced, Henning Juul is approached by a convicted murderer to help him prove his innocence and find out who exactly set him up. A big ask for a journalist who os barely back and work, and a strange request given that Henning has never met Tori Pulli before. But Pulli dangles a very large and very attractive carrot in front of Henning, one that he simply cannot ignore. The chance to find out exactly who set the fire in his flat that ruined his whole life. This novel sees us being led into a world of organised crime, dangerous gyms and deadly confrontations and is packed with tension and intrigue from start to finish. I really have enjoyed the Henning Juul series and going back to complete it, albeit totally out of order, has actually made me a very happy reader. With Henning Juul Thomas Enger has created a brilliant character, broken and haunted and with the weight of the world on his shoulders, but with an innate instinct when it comes to investigation and a determination that means he will never give up. This book is full of suspense and tension and both Henning and his colleague, Iver, who also happens to be dating Henning's ex wife, Nora, find themselves in danger and at risk as they try to determine firstly who might want to frame Pulli but, more importantly, who might also want him dead. There are so many twists and turns in the narrative, so many dubious characters and clear suspects that pretty much everyone apart from Henning, Iver and Nora fall under the spotlight at some stage. and with nobody willing to talk to either journalists or police, it seems like door after door will be shut in their face. Now this book is pivotal in a way as to events that are to come, and for that reason, as much as I would sing the latter two Orenda titles to the hilt, I would recommend you read the series in order. Now they are all stand alone stories, of a fashion, but the more you read, the more you understand Henning's story and what is essentially his quest. Without a doubt this book feed directly into what happens in the final book, Killed, and makes things, including the character, so much clearer now. What I do love about the series, aside from the fact that I really do want to see Henning find whatever semblance of peace that he can, is the way that Thomas Enger is able to create atmosphere within each passage. You can feel the melancholy seep from the page, taste the fear when it comes and feel the fire of the anger. He is able to create both a sympathetic protagonist but also an adversary who oozes with menace and who you want to see them have their comeuppance. He also takes an everyday situation, something that any parent could relate to, and turn it into a kind of nightmare that has no chance of a positive ending and will have you questioning what you would do for your family or those you love. Henning Juul really is you modern tragic hero. You know there is no chance of a happy ending for him, maybe not ever true closure, but you can't help rooting for him. If you love a story that has a deep emotional core, that will get your brain ticking over trying to beat the hero to solving all the clues and that has a narrative that is both beautiful and tragic, then I would definitely recommend you pick up this series. It's a real gem.

... got very dark! Wonderful! I guess the previous reviewer just isn't into this genre, but I'm thoroughly enjoying this series. Highly recommended for fans of the dark side.

Got very dark

Second book in the Henning Juul series which I found better than Burned. Juul is an investigative reporter whose son was killed in a fire and in which Juul was badly burned himself. Juul believes the fire was started intentionally and is driven to find those responsible. The plot in this book is complicated in that for the first part there seems to be 2 threads. However, a tentative connection becomes clearer as the plot progresses. Tore Pulli, a retired enforcer, who has used 'calling card' violence in the past, is imprisioned for a murder he maintains he didn't commit. In return for Juul investigating, he intimidates that he has information about who started the fire. The 2nd thread involves 'heavies' who force a TV cameraman to kill Pulli during a an interview. Who is responsible for the instructions is not disclosed and presumably will be a topic in the third book. The main characters are well described and the pace fast, although at times there are too many named people and it's easy to lose track. That said, it's a good mystery/thriller that grips to the end.

Fantastic. Loved every minute. The main character, journalist Henning Juul is an interesting character with a thirst for truth and justice. Having now read the first 3 books, I am hooked. I was hooked after a couple of pages of book 1. Not sure if there are already others written or translated but if not, I hope there soon will be. Author Thomas Enger has given us a set of books which follow on from one another closely, though each has its own crimes and mysteries to be solved. There is, too, a running personal mystery of Henning's which unfolds through these three books. They are an exciting read, though not all surface action, set in Oslo. It was hard to put the books down and carry on with the rest of life. I seldom read books from the same author one after another, but in this case I was compelled to. Now I've finished them, I feel bereft! Henning Juul is not a character in a book, but a real person to me. :) If you like Scandi-Crime this is a must. An fact, if you enjoy any crime fiction you must read this. I am off to look for more by Thomas Enger now.