Fate of Ravens: A Margit Andersson Mystery (Fjord Suspense, No. 2) [Paperback]

Tiina Nunnally (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Seattle freelance translator Margit Andersson (introduced in Runemaker, 1996) takes a job at the international airport where she is on hand to catch a frightened elderly traveler who falls down an escalator and whispers, "Not him!" in Swedish before she dies. Unnerved by the event, Margit is even more unsettled when she reads of another elderly Scandinavian woman who was pushed to her death from her high-rise apartment balcony. When the police ask for her help in translating material at the crime scene, Margit gets a chance to interact again with Detective Alex Tristano. She finds the women are linked by a Thor's hammer charm, a mysterious old coin and their WWII underground work spiriting people from Nazi-occupied zones into neutral territory. Attending a Scandinavian picnic to find out more about the local woman, Margit is led to a man who was part of the Danish underground in the war and whose view of the past suggests that the women's deaths are related to their actions 50 years earlier. Working with the police, she is slowly drawn into the case, finally endangering herself as she becomes a hostage of someone whose secret past is catching up to him. Despite somewhat wooden dialogue and a tendency to telegraph action, Nunnally's blend of history, Scandinavian culture and action will satisfy readers interested in mysteries with unusual milieus. (May) FYI: Among the many books Nunnally has translated into English is Peter HYeg's Smilla's Sense of Snow.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Paperback: 217 pages
• Publisher: Fjord Pr; 1st edition (May 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 094024280X
• ISBN-13: 978-0940242807
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.5 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,703,160 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Original, absorbing and special, a mystery unlike any other, June 28, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Fate of Ravens: A Margit Andersson Mystery (Fjord Suspense, No. 2) (Paperback)

Margit Anderson is working as a translator of Scandinavian languages at Sea-Tac Airport when she watches a senior citizen fall down an escalator, crying "not him!" in Swedish. Though the incident bothers her, Margit becomes concerned when she learns that another elderly Scandinavian fell from a high rise balcony. The police believe the second victim was pushed and ask Margit to help them translate into English items found at the murder scene.

Margit soon realizes that the deaths of the two women were not coincidence, but linked by their work as conductors on the WW II European underground railroad that sent many people to safety. Eventually, Margit meets an elderly Dane, who believes that the women's deaths have to do with their activities five decades ago. As she becomes deeply involved with the case, Margit does not recognize the danger posed to her by an individual who wants his dark secrets from the big war to remain hidden.

FATE OF RAVENS is a well-written regional and ethnic mystery that will please fans of Northwest tales and those who enjoy Scandinavian stories. Margit is a fascinating character and the Seattle-Tacoma area is always fun to visit while reading a good detective novel. Additionally, the historical tidbits add much flavor to the story line. Still, like its predecessor, RUNEMAKER, the charm of this novel lies in the insight to the Scandinavian culture.

Harriet Klausner

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A great one night stand, November 3, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Fate of Ravens: A Margit Andersson Mystery (Fjord Suspense, No. 2) (Paperback)

This is the perfect book to curl up with and forget about the dark winter evenings that have arrived. Every chapter makes you want to continue reading because there is just one more thing to figure out.

The characters feel real, and the environment fits the story which allows the reader to feel relaxed and not have to fight to make the story work. The WW II stories, which are true, give an amazing view into a part of history that has not been shared with many.

This is a book to be shared with anyone who enjoys siting down and reading a book until you reach the back cover. It is a good one night stand.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Rate of Ravens, March 8, 2005

By 

Erik Jensen "Erik J." (California) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Fate of Ravens: A Margit Andersson Mystery (Fjord Suspense, No. 2) (Paperback)

The book Fate of Ravens, which is written by Tiina Nunnally, has to be one of the greatest mysteries written. Although there was another book written before this, Runemaker, which was also a Margit Andersson mystery, I didn't read it so I don't think you need to read it to understand Fate of Ravens.
I'm not going to start summarizing the book since this is a review, but just so you get the main point of what happens in the book I will explain a little. There are a couple murders that have recently happened in Seattle, and a regular woman who is a translator gets caught up in everything. By the looks of what is going on this woman, known as Margit Andersson, believes that the deaths were tied to things that happened in Nazi-Occupied Denmark during World War II.
While reading the book, you feel that you are living in this world, waiting for the next bit of evidence. There were absolutely no downfalls in this book and everything was always entertaining. Yes, finally a book with no boring parts! These are some of the reasons the book is what it is. It is a great way to learn about the Scandinavian culture.