Bogman by R.I. Olufsen

When a mummified foot is found in a Danish bog, it's unclear at first whether the police or archaeologists are needed.  As more bones are found and examined, it's clear that this was a young male in his twenties and that the death occurred about fifteen years before.  So the police are in charge and are faced with what looks like an impossible task.  They don't have an identity and with the passage of time it seems unlikely that they will be able to reconstruct the crime.

The case is given to Chief Inspector Tobias Lange.  He is a veteran and in his forties.  His team is skilled and they unearth enough clues to determine that the man was probably an eco-warrier.  The main clue to his identity is a silver bracelet found with the silversmith's initials inside.  After tracing her to Lapland, they discover she remembers the bracelet well and the young couple that had it made.  Now they have a name for the woman and at least a first name for the man.

The investigation moves to an exploration of the groups that meet to protest building that affects the environment and various endangered species.  This hits close to home for CI Lange, as he has a college age daughter who is involved in such a group.  As he delves deeper, the case gets more involved when more bones are discovered in another location.  Can this crime from the past be solved?

This appears to be the debut novel in this series or perhaps just the first translated for English readers.  I hope that there will be more in the series.  The protagonist is a likeable man, determined to solve crimes but also involved in his own life and that of his family.  The book strikes the right note in showing enough police procedure without getting stuck in details.  This book is recommended for mystery readers.