DET FØRSTE OFFER – THE FIRST VICTIM
by Elsebeth Egholm
DICTE SVENDSEN IS BACK! 1 MILLION COPIES SOLD IN DENMARK!
IN WAR, THE truth is always the first casualty.
DURING A DEMONSTATION in Aarhus in support of Palestine, a Koran burner ignites not just the holy book but also the crowd’s fury. Amid the chaos, a young demonstrator is fatally struck by a police motorcycle. That evening, photos and personal information of the motorcyclist and two colleagues are posted online, accompanied by a call to action: “Target the cops supporting the Prime Minister and her disgraceful defense of Israel.”
THE FOLLOWING DAY, motorcyclist Bitten Graa is found savagely beaten, her injuries so severe she is unrecognizable. Her death spreads panic, particularly among law enforcement. Who orchestrated the attack? Soon after, a nine-year-old Jewish girl is kidnapped, and the abductors send Dicte threatening political demands tied to the child’s fate. Steen Harder, the PET line manager, leads the kidnapping investigation, sidelining the local police.
THE MIDDLE EASTERN conflict has erupted in Aarhus. Dicte becomes the target of hateful messages, while PTSD-stricken Bo heads to Gaza. At the same time, Dicte works tirelessly to uncover the truth about Bitten’s murder and Sofie’s abduction. But her investigation is tangled in a web of lies, threats, and disinformation. Because war rages not only in the Middle East but also across social media, between the sexes, and within society. And in war, truth remains the first casualty.
ABOUT THE BOOK
First published by Politikens Forlag, Denmark 2025
RIGHTS SOLD
Denmark, Politikens Forlag
REVIEWS
“Egholm sets herself apart from many others because she can write, create and scare.”
Berlingske
“Egholm is on a par with colleagues who regularly storm German bestseller lists – that’s where she belongs! “
NORDIS Magazin, Germany
“No one does it better. She easily takes a seat next to Jussi Adler-Olsen as Denmark’s queen of crime.”
Dagbladenes Bureau
Elsebeth Egholm writes absolutely magnificently.
Litteratursiden.dk
Elsebeth Egholm is a truly great writer.
Bogrummet.dk
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