The Dogs of Pasvik
Ruoššabáhkat, “Russian heat”, is what they called the wind. Ruoššabáhkat like the life story of Piera, a Sámi reindeer herder of Russian origin, now living in the Norwegian Pasvik Valley, on the shores of the Arctic Ocean. A mysterious strip of land that follows the river bordering Norway and Russia. Two worlds clashed there during the war; now they observe each other, spy on each other.
The border? A mere human invention.
Piera is faced with a diplomatic incident when several of his Norwegian reindeer cross the border to the Russian side twice in a short period of time. The second time, Piera is insistent that his reindeer must be found before they suffer the fate of the first ones, found dead with their tongues cut, a clear sign of trafficking. The reindeer police and FSB border guards are soon involved. Then the Pasvik dogs appear.
The case marks the – eventful – reunion of Klemet and Nina of Patrol P9 on the tundra of Lapland country. Russian mafiosi, traffickers, suspicious customs officers, nostalgic Sámi breeders, and unscrupulous politicians all cross paths in this fourth Reindeer Police investigation, which delves into a community where borders have displaced the Sámi people and where the land still bleeds from the wounds of war.
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Original Language
FRENCH | Éditions Métailié
Translation Rights
ITALIAN | Marsilio
Reviews
“It is difficult to resist the fascination exerted by the radical change of scenery caused by these immense expanses of infinite skies that the author, Olivier Truc, a specialist in the Nordic and Baltic countries, knows how to make resonate so well.” Michel Abescat, Télérama
“Olivier Truc knows his stuff and is unmatched in helping us discover amazing polar communities traumatized by the horrors of World War II.” Isabelle Lesniak, Les Echos
"Olivier Truc's work warms his science with the fire of complex and moving characters, which gives it the scent of great and beautiful fictions." Elise Lépine, Livres Hebdo
“The fourth investigation by the reindeer police, The Dogs of Pasvik is an abundant thriller that explores, against a backdrop of trafficking and identity issues, the historical and geopolitical issues of the border area between Norway and Russia.” Sophie Joubert, L’Humanité Dimanche
“Let's say it straight away, it's very, very good.” Karen Lajon, Le Journal du Dimanche
“A great breath of fresh air coupled with an exciting lesson in history and geopolitics.” Anne Lessard, Le Télégramme
