For readers languishing after finishing Stieg Larsson's trilogy, Danish author Jussi Adler-Olsen may prove to be the antidote. In The Keeper of Lost Causes (Dutton, Aug.), Carl Morck was wounded in a shootout that killed one of his partners and left the other paralyzed. Now no one wants to work with the surly detective, and Morck is shunted off to a windowless basement, ostensibly to head a new department dealing with cold cases. His exasperatingly enthusiastic assistant, Hafez, is a Syrian refugee assigned to janitorial duties, but appears to consider himself Morck's partner. Hafez's zeal for detective work spurs Morck out of his doldrums and provides an infusion of comic relief. In contrast, the case they are investigating is as tense and dramatic as they come. A nod to translator Tiina Nunnally, whose splendid work allows both the humor and excitement to filter through into English. Don't miss this one; it's outstanding!