Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ

A bookstore in Copenhagen, what could be a better setting for a mystery? Particularly if it is so well written, even in translation. However, what starts as a mystery veers off into something closer to The DaVinci Code. People are dying in ways that appear natural, but which those in the know are aware are murders that are being covered up. Jon Campelli inherits his father’s bookstore. Jon and his father have not been in contact for many years so Jon is somewhat surprised when his father’s faithful clerk reveals some of the secrets of the bookstore. His father’s death is suspicious. When a second person dies, and apparent suicide and the clerk is almost killed, Jon suspects the man who got him fired from his job as a lawyer at a prestigious firm is the clulprit. Jon has allies in Katherina, who works at the store and in his father’s friends who are part of a secret society of readers and receivers. Katherina is a receiver who helps Jon come to terms with his powers as a reader. Some readers it seems have the power through their oral readings to manipulate people. Jon, who has always been successful when reading his summing up statements to juries, clearly is one of these readers. Halfway through the book we move into a thriller with supernormal overtones as a conspiracy to take over the world by a group, who are somewhat like The Illuminati because of their powers, takes over the book. One keeps reading because the narrative is compelling even if one is reading silently and the book has steered the reader onto a wrong turn.