Recently, the North of Sweden appears to be a popular choice for crime fiction settings. TV host and journalist Anki Edvinsson’s English debut novel, like Viveca Sten’s, takes place in the small southern town of Umeå. And like Hanna in Sten’s Hidden in Shadows here the main protagonist, Detective Charlotte von Klint, has also relocated from Stockholm.
Despite these and other similarities between the two recently published books I’ve found The Snow Angel more enjoyable. This could be due to a difference in writing style, as well as the author’s use of current relevant themes. The book starts off with Anton, a teenager, committing suicide from a bridge, and police discovering drugs near his body. The young man has had some issues with mental illness, but there has also been a significant increase in drug use in town.
Shortly after Uni, a pharmacist, is found brutally murdered in her apartment where the same drugs are also discovered. Did Uni supply the local youth with narcotics, or is she linked to Anton’s death and the increase in drug abuse?
Detective Charlotte von Klint has moved from Stockholm for her own safety. In the city, she worked undercover for Tony Israelsson, the notorious leader of The Syndicate, to help him get convicted. But Israelsson has been released from prison, and he is reportedly on his way to the north. Apart from Charlotte, another family is in danger. Viggo and his family are also hiding from the crime boss, and when Frida, Viggo’s daughter, disappears after a night out, the obvious assumption is that she was kidnapped in retaliation. But there could be more to Frida’s disappearance and Uni’s death.
Although the aristocratic Charlotte von Klint is the main protagonist in Edvinsson’s new series, the voices of Frida and Linn, her best friend, take precedence over Charlotte’s character development. As a result, The Snow Angel has a YA feel to it, especially since it addresses common adolescent issues like mental illness, peer pressure, drug abuse, and the impact of social media. This is its strength, and what distinguishes it from a straightforward, methodical police procedural.
The Snow Angel isAngel is a promising start to a new series, and I for one am looking forward to learning more about the mysterious Charlotte von Klint and her relationship with the local cop, Per Berg.
Thank you to Thomas & Mercer for providing me with a review copy via NetGalley.
In the second installment of the Åre Murders series, renowned Swedish crime writer Viveca Sten continues the story of Detective Inspector Hanna Ahlander. Hidden in Snow introduced us to Hanna after her personal and professional life in Stockholm fell apart, prompting her to temporarily move into her sister’s lodge in Åre, a ski resort. Hanna is still trying to tie up the loose ends of her failed relationship, but her ex refuses to let go of the apartment they bought together. However, property is the least of Hanna’s concerns.
During Åre’s peak tourism season, a young boy makes a grisly discovery in a forest: a body that turns out to be that of Olympic skier Johan Andersson. Hanna and Daniel Lindskog from the Serious Crimes Unit in the nearby Östersund are called to investigate. According to Marion, Johan’s German wife and Linus, his business partner, Johan didn’t have any enemies. It quickly becomes apparent that Marion and Johan had little love lost as a result of differences in the way the financial side of the business was run. Furthermore, it seems that Johan was planning a trip—something that neither of them was aware of.
Rebecka’s marriage to an abusive pastor is described in a second story. Rebecka, her husband and parents are members of the Light of Life church where women are expected to behave according to certain rules and punished when they don’t “behave”. Still young and inexperienced, she initially blames herself for the abuse, but when she begins to fear for her life, no one, not even her parents, takes her side. Unfortunately, the attitude of not getting involved in other people’s lives—even when domestic violence is present—is a grim reality. Sten’s rendition serves as an unsettling reminder.
Whenever crime writers provide readers with a dual narrative which seems unrelated it’s a given, that despite there being no obvious connection, there eventually be one. The question is rather, what is the connection? Fortunately readers won’t be able to guess this one straight away.
Aside from the plotlines, we get a glimpse into not only Hanna and Daniel’s personal lives, but also those of their colleague Anton, who faces a moral quandary when he becomes involved with a suspect. Hanna’s childhood insecurities and difficult relationship with her mother are revealed when her sister, Lydia, pays her a visit. Hanna finds it difficult to maintain a professional distance due to her work in Stockholm’s Domestic Violence Unit. Daniel, on the other hand, is unsuccessfully attempting to balance his work with his wife and their newborn daughter.
Sten is best known for the Sandhamn Murder series, which was also adapted for television. With her new series she shifts the focus to Northern Sweden and a slightly different landscape. Hidden in Shadows does not add anything new to the genre, but readers who enjoy a police procedural written in a simple, stripped-down style with minimal complexity will enjoy it.
Thank you to Amazon Crossing for providing me with a review copy via NetGalley.
Black Swan meets Psycho in Icelandic author Óskar Guðmundsson’s first book in a brand-new crime series. Characterised by Guðmundsson’s signature originality The Dancer pushes the envelope even further than its predecessor, The Commandments. It’s Nordic Noir at its bloodthirsty best, but what will disturb you the most is the psychological component.
A body believed to be that of a missing American airman is discovered in an abandoned military barracks, and detectives Ylfa and Valdimar* are dispatched to investigate. The two new protagonists are quickly overshadowed by the narrative of a tortured young man. His macabre dance at the beginning of the novel foreshadows what’s to come. Guðmundsson doesn’t lure the reader into a false sense of comfort only to club them over the head later. He delivers the blow within the first few pages.
From early on we know who the killer is, it’s no secret. We can only watch in horror as his sanity deteriorates and the distinction between reality and fantasy becomes increasingly blurry. The reasons behind his violent and vengeful actions become crystal clear. Not all writers can elicit sympathy from the reader when their main character is a psychotic killer with a deviant personality, but what if circumstances and society turned him into a monster?
This isn’t a cosy bedtime read; instead, it’ll certainly leave a lasting imprint on your subconscious. Guðmundsson’s ability to engage the senses further enhances this. There is no doubt that the author’s background as an artist and photographer influenced the author’s writing style and visual elements in particular. Guðmundsson doesn’t shy away from graphic violence and pushing boundaries. That being said, don’t let it deter you from reading this unsettling little stick of dynamite—I’ve read books with far more gratuitous and graphic violence. Here it’s used as part of the narrative, not merely to shock.
At 250 pages it packs a hefty punch and it’s admirable that the author ties up a compelling story in so few pages. His economical word usage keeps the narrative focused without straying into repetitive and drawn-out explanations. If only more crime writers could be persuaded to follow his lead instead of dragging out a story and wringing the life out of it for 400+ pages.
The Dancer does a remarkable job of contrasting beauty and violence while dealing with relevant topics like emotional child abuse and bullying. Despite the fact that it might be labelled as a police procedural, the police play a supporting role and ultimately fail to solve the case. Even though we know the identity of the murderer, we are drawn to his mental state rather than his actions. This is a psychological thriller with a smidge of horror and the faintest hints of wry humour.
* I’d love to see more of Ylfa and Valdimar and I can only hope that they’ll appear in future English translations.
The Dancer was originally published in 2023 as a Storytel Original Series
With a unique voice and a style that doesn’t shy away from a sometime graphic take on shocking subject matter, Óskar Guðmundsson is one of the rising stars of the Icelandic crime fiction scene. His debut Hilma was awarded the Icelandic Crime Syndicate’s Drop of Blood award for the best crime novel of 2015, and the TV rights have been acquired by Sagafilm. This was followed by a sequel BloodAngels in 2018. The first of his books published in an English translation, The Commandments, was a standalone novel which appeared in Iceland in 2019. All of Óskar’s books have been bestsellers and rewarded with outstanding reviews.
The first in a new series of novels The Dancer was published in Icelandic simultaneously as an eBook, audiobook, and paperback – accompanied by an original song in which Óskar’s words have been put to music featuring some of Iceland’s leading musicians – and was an immediate bestseller. Óskar’s talents don’t end there, as he is also an artist and has held a number of exhibitions of his work.
About the translator
Quentin Bates has personal and professional roots in Iceland that go very deep. He is an author of series of nine crime novels and novellas featuring the Reykjavik detective Gunnhildur (Gunna) Gísladóttir. In addition to his own fiction, he has translated many works of Iceland’s coolest writers into English, including books by Lilja Sigurðardóttir, Guðlaugur Arason, Einar Kárason, Óskar Guðmundsson, Sólveig Pálsdóttir, Jónína Leosdottir and Ragnar Jónasson. Quentin was instrumental in launching Iceland Noir in 2013, the crime fiction festival in Reykjavik.
Thank you to Corylus Books for inviting me to take part in this blog tour and for the opportunity to read The Dancer.
Danish writer, Anne Mette Hancock, has made a major impact on the crime fiction scene in the last two years with three novels: The Corpse Flower(October 2021),The Collector (November 2022), and now Ruthless. All three are part of the Kaldan and Scháfer series, which features journalist Heloise Kaldan and police detective Erik Scháfer’s investigative skills.
Jan Fischhof, a dying elderly man, feels compelled to confess his past wrongdoings. Heloise Kaldan has been visiting Frischof on a regular basis for an article she’s writing about a charitable organisation that cares for the terminally ill. Naturally, this piques the interest of Heloise, an investigative reporter for Demokratisk Dagblad, a Danish newspaper. The only problem is that Fischhof’s mental abilities are deteriorating, and he is of little assistance to Heloise. He mutters the name “Mads Orek,” which provides Heloise with a breadcrumb.
This leads her to Tom Mázoreck’s suspicious death in 1998. Mázoreck died after his boat caught fire in Flensburg Fjord, which was ruled an accident. She does, however, connect Mázoreck’s death to the disappearances of two teenage girls from Gråsten, Mia Sark and Nina Dalsfort. There is also a link to local crime boss Jes Decker.When the body of one of Decker’s thugs washes up on the beach, police detective Erik Scháfer looks into it. He already has his hands full trying to find the killer of Lester Wilkins, a kingpin in the international jazz world in his early days, so Heloise’s assistance might come in handy.
As Scháfer and Kalden’s investigations intersect, they uncover a web of smuggling, drugs, porn, prostitution, and possibly human trafficking. It also appears that the police in Gråsten are doing everything they can to hinder the investigation, possibly to protect their own skins. To make matters worse, Heloise’s boss, Mogens Bøttner, forbids her from continuing with the story, so she takes a week off to finish it on her own time.
Ruthless is just as complex and intricately plotted as its predecessors There seems to be less chemistry between Kaldan and Scháfer and we see less of Connie, Scháfer’s effervescent wife. Gina, Heloise’s best friend of 30 years, is barely mentioned in comparison to The Collector where she plays a cardinal role. Scháfer’s ex-partner and Heloise’s previous love interest, however, resurface. Meanwhile, Scháfer is beginning to feel less efficient at work, believing that he is not as sharp as he once was. Connie appears to avoid his affections as well, and his insecurities begin to catch up with him.
Ruthless is everything you’d expect from a well-written Nordic Noir novel. Strong characters, an ideal setting, and a plot with a twist (or two). The third in the series packed less of a punch for me than the first two, but if you’re looking for a Scandinavian fix, you can’t go wrong.
She’s back. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is no longer the Lisbeth Salander we were introduced to 18 years ago in Stieg Larsson’s first Millennium novel. Now older and more responsible, Lisbeth is co-owner of Milton Security with her old mentor Dragan Armansky and is also appointed as guardian of a 13-year-old girl.
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