Probably more 3 1/2 stars. Adler-Olsen's books take me a while to get into, but I slog on and then I'm sliding downhill, can't go to bed until I finish. The story's about some pretty horrible people. A gang of five boys and one girl from privileged, though scarred, backgrounds meet at a boarding school where they learn what they can get away with. 
 Enter Carl Morck and Department Q. Assad, his assistant, is joined by Rose to do legwork for Carl as they look into a case that someone in the building has slipped onto Carl's desk. There's a conviction in the case, but someone wants Department Q to take a closer look. In so doing, they'll uncover rot at the core of the now influential men. 
 The Absent One also continues the story of Carl and his family and friends, his longing for the office shrink, and brings up concerns about the shooting that precipitated the formation of Department Q and landed one man in a hospitable bed, another in the grave. 
 I think Carl comes across as not such an ass in this book. I got more of an impression of a man who just wants to do his job. He's definitely hard-nosed, but there's more to him and I'll keep reading to figure out what's up.