Disclaimer: I purchased this ebook for free during a sale.Ingolffson's "House of Evidence" consists of 399 absolutely packed pages - he has a true gift for giving a very full picture of a scene and using many different kinds of sensory input to place the reader within the pages of the book. It is clear that he has envisioned everything down to the very last detail, and he makes sure to convey all of these details to the reader - at times, it can actually be rather draining, a few smaller details here and there would not have been missed. His style is technical and clear overall, though as a result, some of his more tender moments could have been more poignant.However, technically speaking, this may or may not be due to his own work or the abilities of the translators. While I know nothing of the novel's mother language, I can say for certain that the translation is not only entirely comprehensible, it shows mastery of English, as opposed to utilization of a limited vocabulary, as some translated works tend to do.The main cast in "House of Evidence" consists of the investigative team and those directly connected with strange twin murder cases, separated by decades. The characters were distinctly hit-or-miss: Some were very accessible and well developed, while others fell rather flat. However, character development picked up greatly in the second half, so while the novel starts somewhat slowly, readers are greatly rewarded for their patience. Indeed, one of the most compelling characters in the book is the elder Jacob Kieler, who is revealed only through his diary entries, of which there are several at the end of each chapter. While they tell a compelling tale, they are somewhat numerous, and could potentially have been reduced in number and length. Again, a bit too much extraneous detail.As to the plot, it follows a fairly standard whodunnit format, though it is enhanced by the revolving point of view between the detectives and police force. It is plodding, however, and due to the occasional flat character, I sometimes just needed a break from reading. Again, the end is worth the wait - it does get quite dark, but the secrets revealed are beyond anything that could have been guessed at.One key thing to note that irked me however, was the awkward treatment of a transgendered individual - the narrative force assigning pronouns stuck to one, while the character openly acknowledged the other. This disparity was slightly grating, though the fact that it existed at all was a progressive note for a novel written in 1998 and set in the early 70s. Also included was a rather derogatory comment regarding a homosexual, but again, given the setting of the novel, it is accurate to the time and place, if an unfortunate reminder.Bottom line: Slow moving, but, much like a train, once it picks up speed, nothing can stop it. A worthy read. Appropriate for: Mystery fans, adult demographic.Trigger warnings: (***SOME SPOILERS AHEAD***)Recollections of torture, mutilationContact me at:
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