Michael Katz Krefeld is a prolific and acclaimed Danish author who stands out for his intricate plots and vivid characters. The grandson of crime novelist Hermann Krefeld, Michael got his start writing and directing short films which went on to see international success. His debut novel, Før stormen, won the Danish Crime Academy’s first novel award in 2007.
Since then, Michael has gone on to capture the hearts of thriller fans in Denmark and beyond—his books have been sold in over 20 countries. Of his 13 novels, Darkness Calls stands out for its spine-tingling twist and turns. The protagonist, Cecilie Mars, is a police inspector with a heavy cocaine habit. When she finds herself the victim of a blackmail scheme, Mars has to find out who’s behind the sinister messages before they destroy her career.
Fear lurks around every corner as Cecilie grapples with the feeling that her blackmailer is well-known to her. But who is he? Read an excerpt from Darkness Calls below, and then buy the book to find out!
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Darkness Calls
“She sat down at her computer and checked her inbox. The most recent message hit her like a club hammer. The subject line read: Congratulations on your first kill. The email was from an automatically generated address. She clicked on it and began to read.
Dear Inspector Cecilie Mars,
May I begin by congratulating you on your first kill? At the sametime, I quite understand if you still find yourself shaken by the episode. Similarly, I quite understand that you may find my cor-respondence unsettling.
But fear not! What you did to that brute Ulrik Østergård was an act of heroism and you may rely on my utmost discretion. I would prefer that the video recording of your killing remain our secret.
I am writing this to reassure you that you are in the company of a like-minded individual. A citizen, who—like you—has had enough of seeing injustice reign supreme. A citizen who seeks change and who knows that change of that kind calls for extreme methods. YOU have led by example! You have demonstrated the only path through this godforsaken world where crimes are com-mitted with impunity.
As you know, we find ourselves in a lawless age—some 30,000 violent assaults against women and children are carried out each year. The majority of those perpetrators remain unpunished and at large, or they are sentenced to receive treatment instead of time in a regular prison.
This is why I am glad to have made your acquaintance, Cecilie Mars. Above all, because I have a matter of the utmost impor-tance that requires immediate intervention. I therefore urge you to contact me at this email address today before 13:00.
Lazarus
Cecilie slid back on her chair. It frightened her that the sender knew her name, rank, phone number, and email address. The right thing to do would have been to go straight to Karstensen’s office and tell him the truth. But instead…”
Buy the book Darkness Calls to find out what happens next!
