The Hanging Girl book cover

The Hanging Girl by Jussi Adler-Olsen Summary

The Hanging Girl
Jussi Adler-Olsen
Mystery
Thriller
Psychology
Overview
Key Takeaways
Author
FAQs

Overview of The Hanging Girl

When a mummified corpse reopens a 20-year-old cult mystery, Detective Carl Mrck plunges into darkness. The sixth installment in Adler-Olsen's 12.5-million-copy Department Q series delivers the psychological depth that earned it international awards and film adaptations. What secrets die with The Hanging Girl?

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Key takeaways

1

The Deadly Shadow of Obsession

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In the quiet corners of Bornholm island, a seventeen-year-old mystery hangs like a specter. Police Sergeant Christian Habersaat ends his life during his own retirement party, consumed by an unsolved case that destroyed his career, his marriage, and ultimately his will to live. His obsession? The death of a young woman named Alberte Goldschmid, found hanging from a tree after an apparent hit-and-run in 1997. When his son Bjarke is found dead shortly after - another apparent suicide - the case lands on the desk of Copenhagen's cold case division, Department Q. What Detective Carl Mrck and his assistants Assad and Rose discover is far more sinister than a simple traffic accident. The hanging girl's death connects to a charismatic cult leader, unrequited love, and the devastating power of secrets kept for decades. As the team unravels the threads of this cold case, they find themselves racing against time to prevent more deaths at the hands of those who kill in the name of devotion.

2

The Nature Absorption Academy's Dark Heart

3

Connecting the Threads of Mystery

4

The Deadly Confrontation and Shattering Truth

5

The Cycle of Violence and Obsession

6

The Illusion of Control and Meaning

7

The Weight We Carry

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"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."

@Erin, Investment Banking Associate , NYC
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254
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"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."

@djmikemoore
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