In Copenhagen, Denmark, Detective Carl Morck heads up Department Q, a small cold-case squad occupying cramped offices in the basement of police headquarters. His only staff are Assad and Rose, two very odd individuals who possess surprising investigative skills, along with their quirky personalities.

While currently investigating several arsons involving dead bodies, Morck is also given a bizarre case involving an old tattered note written in blood found in a bottle caught in a fisherman's net. In piecing together and then deciphering the almost illegible note, they ascertain it was written in 1996 by a boy who was being held captive, along with his brother, in a boathouse near the water. Will they be able to identify these boys when they can't find any missing- persons reports, and did the boys survive their ordeal? Could there be other missing children they don't know about? Using unique analytical reasoning and astute abilities, what their investigation eventually uncovers is beyond comprehension.

Jussi Adler-Olsen's A CONSPIRACY OF FAITH is the third Department Q/Detective Morck Nordic crime thriller I've had the great pleasure to review. At just over 500 pages, it's packed with detailed atmospheric narrative that adds a superb level of excitement. Characterization is intelligent and realistic with a chillingly portrayed serial killer. The suspense grabs hold and never lets up as the plot progresses to an exceptional ending.