For Fans of Jo Nesbø, Stieg Larsson, and Henning Mankell, a Gripping Nordic Thriller That Was a Bestseller in DenmarkAfter the death of her industrialist father, Elizabeth Caspersen finds a compromising DVD in his safe: it seems to show two people being hunted to their death in a gruesome, well-organized manhunt. Michael Sander, a private investigator and security consultant, is hired to find out … hired to find out who the victims are and why Caspersen was involved. Meanwhile, police investigator Lene Jensen is investigating the death of a decorated war veteran found hanged on his wedding night. Having recently come into money, the man appears to have been driven to suicide, but the question is, why?
As the two cases begin to intertwine, Lene and Michael uncover a chilling secret: the existence of a hunting club formed by Denmark’s elite businessmen, where the targets are humans who are carefully selected and made to run for their lives. As their investigations take them into the darkest depths of humanity, uncovering crimes that reach further than they ever imagined, Lene and Michael must team up to overcome an opponent who outstrips them in resources and lethal dangerbefore they become the ones who are hunted.
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TROPHY is the most exciting police procedural I have ever read! Set in Denmark, it features Superintendent Lene Jensen of the Danish police, and Michael Sander, a private investigator. When the cases they are respectively working on intersect, they join forces. Some immensely wealthy people participate in manhunts, literally; there are organised “safaris” where the prey, the TROPHY, is a person hunted down like an animal and killed.
TROPHY is positively riveting, and I think I didn’t breathe for parts of a chapter towards the end. The writing and the translation are excellent, and Mr. Jacobsen’s expertise at building the mounting tension is extraordinary. This book is a nail-biter, the likes of which I have seldom seen; thankfully, there are some welcome flashes of Danish humour because otherwise, it would be untenable. The author possesses a very eloquent voice, and it felt as if I were watching the story unfold in front of me. TROPHY is ugly, violent, terrifying (I do hope that nothing of the sort happens in reality!), and utterly gripping. Both Lene and Michael are in their early forties, and so well defined, that I feel they are people I know. I was also pleased to see a woman and a man work together without any sexual tension. All the characters are exceptionally well drawn, the good, the bad, and those in between. I am thrilled that this is the first book in a series, the second one is out -I will be picking it up ASAP! Hopefully, the rest of the series will be translated soon.
What impressed me the most, I think, is the torture scenes, which usually are entirely gratuitous. This is where Steffen Jacobsen’s genius reaches its peak. I cringed, I was horrified, but the author’s sensitive writing nearly brought me to tears; the scenes are essential to the plot, and written with compassion, and bring us closer to the characters. They are not included for shock value, but to make the reader feel as strongly as the characters. I don’t believe I had every read anything as powerfully effective in the past. TROPHY is exceptionally well crafted, intelligent, and clever; there is not one dull sentence in the whole novel, and I didn’t want it to end. I was lucky to pick up this book when it was on sale, because the cost is rather prohibitive. However, if you are craving a highly original, and unputdownable police procedural, TROPHY is the book for you. It is simply astonishing!
Really enjoyed this book and would highly recommend it. Will certainly uy other books by this author.
Fascinating! Loved it! Surprise ending.
Reminds me of The Most Dangerous Game, one of my absolute favorite short stories of all time.
Original story line. Good ending.
Hadn’t read this author before, but I really thought it was a gripping novel. Very unusual, but great characters and quite a story line. Thought the ending could have been a bit more finished, but all in all, it made me get another book by this author.
I liked this book until it got gruesome. I couldn’t handle it but maybe others can
Enjoyed
This book did not grab or hold my interest. Did not finish.
This is a really good read…characters are not all likeable, but believable and real. Writing is crisp and plot line complex, so you stay interested in turning pages to see how it ends.
Very intense. Excellent descriptions and though not always likable, characters you can align your thoughts with. There are vivid descriptions of violence in a few places, but this book grabs your attention.
Very well written, great story
If you want a new twist on the sport of hunting, Michael Sander’s Trophy provides it. This suspenseful mystery thrill keeps the reader guessing from beginning to end. You will not want to stop reading.
suffers somewhat undoubtedly because of translation. but, overall,
the intricacies of the story line will keep you engaged.
Absolutely one of the best mysteries I’ve read in a long time. The characters are all unforgettable, and just when you think you know what’s going on, you are surprised all over again by how wrong you are.