Three Seconds!!!

The beauty of randomly browsing books in a library (or a book store) is to stumble upon an intriguing book or title and then to have a satisfying experience reading it. I found one such book a few days back – Titled ‘Three Seconds”. The jacket cover was electric red and mentioned that the book was the winner of the best swedish crime novel. The interesting bit was the mention on the back jacket that one of the authors, Borge Hellstrom is an ex-criminal. Never seen that before.

The plot was edgy, fast-paced and intricately plotted (overdone at times). It did manage to grab my attention right through, which is rare nowadays in case of the thriller genre.

Detective Inspector Ewert Grens is an eccentric character and gets involved in investigating a murder of a police informant. The other protaganist, Piet Hoffman is the subject of the plot. It involves an informant for the police who takes myriad risks and gets ‘burnt’ (by his police handlers) in the process. The plot takes surprising twists and Piet Hoffman’s planning to protect himself is thorough and intricate. Whether he is able to carry it through (with or without the help of Ewert Grens) is the crux of the plot.

While the situation/coincidences seems far-fetched at times, the book still managed to keep one’s attention (similar to a well directed action film) throughout. The only weak point I could point out was the English translation. It needs some proof reading and editing. I thought the “Girl with a ….” series had the same problem as well.

Overall, a great summer read. Do grab a copy!

Rating: 4

Have a great Weekend!!

Word Alchemy

“If this was how it was then this was how it was. But there was no law that made him say he liked it. I did not know that I could ever feel what I have felt, he thought. Nor that this could happen to me. I would like to have it for my whole life. You will, the other part of him said. You will. You have it now and thats is all your whole life is; now. There is nothing else than now. There is neither yesterday, certainly, nor is there any tomorrow. How old must you be before you know that? There is only now, and if now is only two days, then two days is your life and everything in it will be in proportion. That is how you live a life in two days. And if you stop complaining and asking for what you will never get, you will have a good life. A good life is not measured by any biblical span.”

For Whom The Bell Tolls – Ernest Hemingway