First published 2017
Copenhagen police headquarters buzzes with complaints about Department Q's poor performance. Rose, assistant to detective Carl Mørck, receives the task of defending the cold case unit from accusations threatening its existence. But Rose struggles with traumatic memories from her past that leave her barely functional. Meanwhile, someone discovers an elderly woman's body in a Copenhagen park. A driver in a speeding car pursues a young girl through the city streets. Carl Mørck and his loyal partner Assad must solve their newest cold case with only half-hearted help from the distracted Rose. The team fights on two fronts: they must prevent Department Q from being dismantled by bureaucrats while stopping a series of crimes terrorizing Copenhagen. As the investigation unfolds, the pressure mounts from both the unsolved case and the political forces working to shut them down. The fate of Department Q hangs in the balance as Copenhagen's citizens face an escalating threat.
Genres: mystery, crime, thriller, detective
Vibes: fast-paced, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, found-family
Setting: Copenhagen
Period: 21st-century
544 pages · Paperback · Marsilio
Content warnings: anxiety, depression, mental-illness