The Hanging Girl by Jussi Adler-Olsen Summary

The Hanging Girl follows Copenhagen's Department Q as they investigate a 17-year-old cold case involving Alberte Goldschmid, a vivacious teenager found dead hanging in a tree after an apparent hit-and-run in 1997. Detective Carl Mørck initially dismisses the case, but after the obsessed investigating officer commits suicide, Carl's team travels to the island of Bornholm to uncover what they discover is actually murder, leading them to a dangerous sun-worshipping cult.

Jussi Adler-Olsen is a Danish crime fiction writer born August 2, 1950, best known for his internationally bestselling Department Q series. The son of a psychiatrist, he studied medicine, sociology, and film before becoming a full-time writer in 1995. His novels have sold over 25 million copies in more than 40 languages, making him one of Denmark's most successful crime authors. He made his fiction debut in 1997 before launching Department Q in 2007.

The Hanging Girl appeals to fans of Scandinavian crime fiction, cold case mysteries, and character-driven detective stories. Readers who enjoy complex investigations with psychological depth, flawed but determined protagonists, and slow-burning tension will find this book compelling. It's ideal for those who appreciate mysteries that explore institutional failures and the human cost of unsolved crimes, as well as existing Department Q series followers seeking the sixth installment.

The Hanging Girl is worth reading for its intricate plotting, compelling cold case investigation, and the continued development of Department Q's memorable characters. Jussi Adler-Olsen skillfully weaves together seemingly unrelated storylines—the tragic hit-and-run case and a subplot involving a manipulative cult leader—that eventually intersect. While some critics found it underwhelming compared to earlier entries, the novel delivers surprising twists and explores themes of obsession, guilt, and manipulation effectively.

Department Q investigates the 1997 death of Alberte Goldschmid, a beautiful 17-year-old who vanished from school on the island of Bornholm and was found hanging upside down in a tree. Initially ruled an accident, Sergeant Christian Habersaat spent nearly two decades convinced it was murder. The case involves no witnesses, accumulated evidence suggesting foul play, and leads that point toward a hidden cult on the Swedish island of Öland. Carl Mørck's team must determine whether this truly was murder.

Alberte Goldschmid was a vivacious, fun-loving 17-year-old girl who disappeared from school in 1997 while living on the Danish island of Bornholm. Described as beautiful and vibrant, she was struck at high speed in what appeared to be a hit-and-run accident and thrown up into a tree where she was found hanging. Her tragic death haunted investigator Christian Habersaat for nearly 20 years as he accumulated evidence suggesting her death was not accidental.

Sergeant Christian Habersaat calls Carl Mørck from Bornholm, desperately requesting help with Alberte's cold case that has obsessed him for nearly two decades. When Carl dismissively refuses and hangs up, Habersaat dramatically shoots himself in the head at his own retirement ceremony just hours later. His suicide, along with the earlier suicide of his son, leaves Carl wracked with guilt and forces him to take on the case. Rose shames Carl into investigating what Habersaat believed was murder.

The investigation leads Department Q to discover connections between Alberte's death and a sun-worshipping cult established on the Swedish island of Öland. A separate storyline follows a quasi-guru running a self-help religious institute and a woman obsessed with him. Though these plots initially seem unrelated to the Bornholm case, they eventually intersect, revealing that a cold, manipulative sadist connected to the cult is protecting a completely different way of life. The cult leader refuses to let anyone stand in their way.

The Hanging Girl features Carl Mørck, the eternally grouchy head of Department Q who carries personal guilt throughout the investigation. His team includes Assad, his Syrian assistant who is more than he appears; Rose, his headstrong assistant who forces Carl to take the Bornholm case; and Gordon, a newcomer to Department Q. The antagonist is a skilled, iron-willed manipulator connected to the cult. Sergeant Christian Habersaat, though dead early in the story, drives the entire investigation.

The Hanging Girl is the sixth installment in Jussi Adler-Olsen's Department Q series, published after The Marco Effect and before Selfies. It continues the ongoing character development of Carl Mørck's team while introducing newcomer Gordon. The novel maintains the series' focus on cold cases and explores Carl's perpetual struggle with guilt and his reputation as a difficult non-team player. Like other Department Q books, it examines institutional failures and the lasting impact of unsolved crimes on both victims and investigators.

The Hanging Girl explores obsession and its devastating consequences, as seen through Habersaat's 17-year fixation that ends in suicide. The novel examines guilt and personal responsibility, particularly Carl's burden after dismissing Habersaat's plea. Manipulation and control emerge through the cult leader who protects their interests at any cost. Additional themes include the institutional failure to solve crimes, the persistence of truth despite official closure, and how tragedy reverberates through families and communities across decades.

Department Q is a Copenhagen police cold case unit that investigates significant unsolved cases. Created ostensibly to handle important cold cases, it was actually designed to sideline Carl Mørck, viewed by superiors as a difficult non-team player. Operating from the basement of police headquarters, Department Q consists of Carl, his Syrian assistant Assad, headstrong Rose, and later Gordon. Despite its origins as a bureaucratic dumping ground, the department proves highly effective at solving cases others abandoned, uncovering truths that were deliberately buried or overlooked.