The Devil Is in the Detail: Bent Hytholm Jensen on Scandinavian Star
A 2022 true crime book revisiting the unanswered questions behind the 1990 ferry fire
About the book
Bent Hytholm Jensen's book "Djævlen ligger i detaljen" ("The Devil Is in the Detail"), published in 2022, examines one of Scandinavia's most tragic and most disputed criminal cases: the fire aboard the ferry Scandinavian Star on the night of 7 April 1990, which claimed 159 lives.
The title is a promise the book sets out to keep. Jensen digs into the many details of the case that have never been satisfactorily explained, working methodically through the evidence, the witness testimony and the official investigations that over the years have pointed in different directions without ever arriving at a definitive conclusion about what actually happened that night.
The author puts critical questions to both the investigation itself and the political handling of the case. Drawing on available documents and existing inquiries, he sets out the aspects of the disaster that still provoke bewilderment and suspicion among bereaved families and the wider public.
"Djævlen ligger i detaljen" is written for readers who want a thorough walkthrough of the Scandinavian Star case. It is a contribution to the continuing debate over whether the truth will ever emerge about one of the darkest events in modern Scandinavian maritime history.