The Missing

In The Absent One (published in Arabic as المفقودة - Department Q, Book 2), Danish author Jussi Adler-Olsen delivers a tense and atmospheric Scandinavian crime novel. Detective Carl Mørck and his resourceful assistant Assad take on a cold case involving the brutal double murder of two siblings twenty years prior. Although a suspect confessed at the time, Mørck spots discrepancies in the original file that lead Department Q toward a tight-knit circle of former boarding school elite—now powerful, influential figures who share a history of violence and depravity. At the heart of the mystery is Kimmie, a homeless woman hiding on the streets of Copenhagen who holds the dangerous truth. Rich in suspense, dark psychological themes, and sharp social commentary, the novel keeps readers on edge until the very end.

Because it offers a masterclass in Nordic noir, packed with dark suspense, complex character dynamics, and an unpredictable investigation.

For fans of crime fiction, thriller mysteries, Scandinavian noir, and readers who enjoy cold-case procedural series.