Scars of Silence - Johana Gustawsson, translated by David Warriner

When two teenagers are found brutally murdered on the island of Lidingö, dressed in white tunics and wearing crowns of candles, former French police officer Maïa Rehn joins local Commissioner Aleksander Storm to unravel a mystery with a shockingly dark heart. The highly anticipated sequel to the international bestselling gothic mystery, Yule Island.

___________

Twenty-three years ago, a young woman was murdered on the Swedish island of Lidingö.

The island has kept its silence.

Until now…

As autumn deepens into darkness in Lidingö, on the Stockholm archipelago, the island is plunged into chaos: in the space of a week, two teenaged boys are murdered. Their bodies are left deep in the forest, dressed in white tunics with crowns of candles on their heads, like offerings to Saint Lucia.

Maïa Rehn has fled Paris for Lidingö after a family tragedy. But when the murders shake the island community, the former police commissioner is drawn into the heart of the investigation, joining Commissioner Aleksander Storm to unravel a mystery as chilling as the Nordic winter.

As they dig deeper, it becomes clear that a wind of vengeance is blowing through the archipelago, unearthing secrets that are as scandalous as they are inhuman.

But what if the victims weren't who they seemed? What if those long silenced have finally found a way to strike back?

How far would they go to make their tormentors pay?

And you – how far would you go? 

What did I think?

Scars of Silence is the second book in the Lidingö Mysteries series, however, it can definitely be read as a standalone as I haven't read Yule Island but I was completely blown away by this breathtaking book.

What starts out as a murder mystery turns into something much darker and devastating.  I don't think I have made a note of so many quotes when reading a book.  Johana Gustawsson's eloquent words have been beautifully translated by David Warriner to stun and provoke the reader as the shocks and reveals just keep on coming.

I was completely mesmerised by the writing and hooked by the plot but I am pleased that I read Scars of Silence as part of a readalong as it gave me a chance to devour and digest the words I had read each day.  I even flicked back to revisit a few pages that were particularly affecting and memorable for me.  So, thank you to Orenda Books for inviting me to take part.

Both main characters have a lot going on in their personal life in addition to investigating a recent spate of murders that seem to be mirroring a convicted crime from the past.  My heart was breaking for Maïa as her tragic story was revealed and I didn't realise how much I had come to care about Aleksander until he experiences a devastating event in his own life.

Powerful, haunting and oh so very thought-provoking, Scars of Silence is an outstanding book that hooked me from the start and kept packing the punches in, leaving me completely devastated and stunned at the end.  I will definitely be adding Yule Island to my TBR and more than likely every other book that Johana Gustawsson has written.  

A very highly recommended read that is absolutely unmissable and completely unforgettable. 

I received a gifted paperback for the Orenda Books Readalong and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

Buy it from:

Orenda Books

UK.Bookshop.org

Amazon

BLOG TOUR: Snowblind: 10th Anniversary Edition, including NEW Dark Iceland series mystery, FADEOUT - Ragnar Jónasson

I'm delighted to repost my review from 2016 to celebrate the 10th anniversary of Snowblind by Ragnar Jónasson.  This is still one of my favourite books EVER and this fabulous new edition is a good excuse to reread it, especially as it comes with a brand new prequel, Fadeout.

 

SNOWBLIND

Siglufjörður: an idyllically quiet fishing village in Northern Iceland, where no one locks their doors – accessible only via a small mountain tunnel. Ari Thór Arason: a rookie policeman on his first posting, far from his girlfriend in Reykjavik – with a past that he's unable to leave behind. When a young woman is found lying half-naked in the snow, bleeding and unconscious, and a highly esteemed, elderly writer falls to his death in the local theatre, Ari is dragged straight into the heart of a community where he can trust no one, and secrets and lies are a way of life.

 

An avalanche and unremitting snowstorms close the mountain pass, and the 24-hour darkness threatens to push Ari over the edge, as curtains begin to twitch, and his investigation becomes increasingly complex, chilling and personal. Past plays tag with the present and the claustrophobic tension mounts, while Ari is thrust ever deeper into his own darkness – blinded by snow, and with a killer on the loose.

 

Taut and terrifying, Snowblind is a startling debut from an extraordinary new talent, taking Nordic Noir to soaring new heights.

 

FADEOUT – NEW!

When Ari Thór Arason receives a staggeringly high bill for a foreign credit card that was taken out in his name, his life takes a turn he never anticipated. The bill in question belongs to his namesake – his father, who disappeared under mysterious circumstances when Ari was only a child.

 

Seeking answers, Ari Thór travels to London to investigate, hoping to learn the truth about what happened to his father all those years ago, and discovering far more than he could ever have imagined…

What did I think (in 2016)?

I've been following Orenda Books on Twitter for quite some time and it's always great to see the excitement caused by the release of a new book.  I thought at one point that Snowblind was going to break Twitter as there were so many tweets about it.  So I listened to my learned fellow book bloggers and headed straight over to Amazon to secure a copy for my Kindle.  I even have to admit that at the time I purchased Snowblind, I didn't even have a Kindle so what a good excuse to buy one!

Ari Thór accepts a job offer which results in him moving North on his own, leaving behind his girlfriend.  His girlfriend doesn't seem that upset, to be honest; she seems colder than the snow up north.  When he arrives in Siglufjörður he's told that it's a quiet village and nothing ever happens there, so there's no need to even lock doors at night.  Then a famous author, now part of the dramatic society at the local theare, falls to his death.  Was it an accident or was he pushed?  It's Siglufjörður, so surely he just fell down the stairs...at least that's what the police think until Ari Thór disturbs an intruder in his house one night and a young woman is found bleeding to death in the snow.  Things have certainly started happening in quiet peaceful Siglufjörður.  Has the snow brought this madness or are there some underlying secrets just bursting to be revealed?

Snowblind is so very atmospheric that I had to put an extra warm layer of clothes on just to read it.  I felt as if Ari Thór was the only normal person in the village and all of the villagers had hidden agendas.  They do all have secrets to some degree, which is no mean feat in a town where everybody knows everybody's business.  I found the snow to be a perfect setting, it almost absorbed all of the background noise giving the story a good pace without it being too busy and over-worked.  

I've also got to mention an excellent idea that Ragnar Jónasson has now introduced to me through reading Snowblind.  Ari Thór has a Christmas tradition of receiving a new book as a gift on Christmas Eve and reading it late into the night.  I'm definitely adopting this tradition!

My rating:

Buy it from:

Orenda Books

UK.Bookshop.org

Amazon

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COVER REVEAL: Snowblind 10th anniversary edition - Ragnar Jónasson

I'm absolutely thrilled to join in the cover reveal for the 10th anniversary edition of Snowblind by Ragnar Jónasson, publishing on 10th October 2025 by Orenda Books.  It's not just a republishing of Snowblind, it also includes a novella prequel Fadeout.  I can't wait to read it but let's have a look at the new cover, shall we?

Isn't that just breathtaking?  The new cover is amazing and the hardback has spredges!

Here's a little bit about the book:

Siglufjörður: an idyllically quiet fishing village in Northern Iceland, where no one locks their doors – accessible only via a small mountain tunnel. Ari Thór Arason: a rookie policeman on his first posting, far from his girlfriend in Reykjavik – with a past that he's unable to leave behind. When a young woman is found lying half-naked in the snow, bleeding and unconscious, and a highly esteemed, elderly writer falls to his death in the local theatre, Ari is dragged straight into the heart of a community where he can trust no one, and secrets and lies are a way of life.

An avalanche and unremitting snowstorms close the mountain pass, and the 24-hour darkness threatens to push Ari over the edge, as curtains begin to twitch, and his investigation becomes increasingly complex, chilling and personal. Past plays tag with the present and the claustrophobic tension mounts, while Ari is thrust ever deeper into his own darkness – blinded by snow, and with a killer on the loose.

Taut and terrifying, Snowblind is a startling debut from an extraordinary new talent, taking Nordic Noir to soaring new heights.

Preorder link:

https://geni.us/a0tqMI

BLOG TOUR: SON (The Kari Voss Mysteries Book 1) - Thomas Enger & Johana Gustawsson

Psychologist and expert on body language and memory, Kari Voss investigates the murder of two teenaged girls in the small Norwegian town of Son, as suspicion is cast on multiple suspects. A mesmerisingly dark, twisty start to a nerve-shattering new series by two of the world's finest crime writers…

Everyone here is lying…

Expert on body language and memory, and consultant to the Oslo Police, psychologist Kari Voss sleepwalks through her days, and, by night, continues the devastating search for her young son, who disappeared on his birthday, seven years earlier.

Still grieving for her dead husband, and trying to pull together the pieces of her life, she is thrust into a shocking local investigation, when two teenage girls are violently murdered in a family summer home in the nearby village of Son.

When a friend of the victims is charged with the barbaric killings, it seems the case is closed, but Kari is not convinced. Using her skills and working on instinct, she conducts her own enquiries, leading her to multiple suspects, including people who knew the dead girls well…

With the help of Chief Constable Ramona Norum, she discovers that no one – including the victims – are what they seem. And that there is a dark secret at the heart of Son village that could have implications not just for her own son's disappearance, but Kari's own life, too…

 

What did I think?

WOW!  What have I just read?  A twisty, gripping masterpiece, that's what!  I know it says on the front that "Everyone here is lying" but I just didn't expect to have the rug pulled from under my feet to that extent.  Absolutely brilliant!  What a blistering start to an exciting new series!

I haven't read any books written by Thomas Enger or Johana Gustawsson but if their books are half as good as SON then I definitely want to read more from these two amazing authors.  The writing is seamless and if it didn't say so on the cover then you really wouldn't be able to tell that there are two authors.

Even the title is clever as Son is both a place in Norway and the mystery that haunts psychologist Kari Voss.  Kari's son Vetle disappeared on his ninth birthday and seven years have gone by without any clues as to what happened to him.  Kari is kept busy with her work as a reknowned psychologist and she is so successful at her job that she is known as 'The human lie detector'.  Her latest case is very disturbing as it involves some of Vetle's childhood friends and the police think they have caught the killer but Kari doesn't agree.

Oh I absolutely loved this amazing book.  I was hooked from the start by Vetle's shocking disappearance and really felt for young widow Kari as her world was shattered once again.  It just shows what a strong character she is that she can get up each day and continue with some semblance of a life.  I can't wait to read more of this series, especially with such a jaw-dropping cliffhanger at the end of the book.

Incredibly gripping and completely unmissable, SON is Nordic Noir at its very best.  I would give it more than 5 stars if I could - very highly recommended.

I received a digital ARC to read and review for the blog tour and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

Buy it from:

UK.Bookshop.org

Amazon

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The Rabbit Factor (Rabbit Factor Trilogy Book 1) - Antti Tuomainen (Author), David Hackston (Translator)

Just one spreadsheet away from chaos…

What makes life perfect? Insurance mathematician Henri Koskinen knows the answer because he calculates everything down to the very last decimal.

And then, for the first time, Henri is faced with the incalculable. After suddenly losing his job, Henri inherits an adventure park from his brother – its peculiar employees and troubling financial problems included. The worst of the financial issues appear to originate from big loans taken from criminal quarters … and some dangerous men are very keen to get their money back.

But what Henri really can't compute is love. In the adventure park, Henri crosses paths with Laura, an artist with a chequered past, and a joie de vivre and erratic lifestyle that bewilders him. As the criminals go to extreme lengths to collect their debts and as Henri's relationship with Laura deepens, he finds himself faced with situations and emotions that simply cannot be pinned down on his spreadsheets…

Warmly funny, rich with quirky characters and absurd situations, The Rabbit Factor is a triumph of a dark thriller, its tension matched only by its ability to make us rejoice in the beauty and random nature of life.

 

What did I think?

I've had my eye on The Rabbit Factor for a while and now that it is being made into a movie, I wanted to make sure that I read the book first.  This is going to be one heck of a movie if it's even half as good as the book.

I loved Henri, he's Mr Logic and relies on mathematical calculations to solve all of his problems.  When he inherits a run down adventure park (not an amusement park as he's fond of telling people) he also inherits his brother's debts.  The criminals who want their money back with interest think Henri will be a pushover but they have seriously miscalculated.

The whole setting in the adventure park is fantastic and I could totally picture it in my head, thanks to the big rabbit on the front of the book of course.  There's a strange bunch of people employed there and Henri finds himself drawn to one of them as the find they have a shared interest in art.  Henri's relationship with Laura was so lovely to read as Henri is so naïve when it comes to the opposite sex.

The Rabbit Factor is a delightfully quirky comedy crime caper with the most unlikely and endearing protagonist.  I will definitely be picking up the other books in the series to continue Henri's adventure.

I chose to read a digital ARC and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

Buy it from Amazon

Blackout (Dark Iceland 3) - Ragnar Jónasson

On the shores of a tranquil fjord in Northern Iceland, a man is brutally beaten to death on a bright summer’s night. As the 24-hour light of the arctic summer is transformed into darkness by an ash cloud from a recent volcanic eruption, a young reporter leaves Reykajvik to investigate on her own, unaware that an innocent person’s life hangs in the balance. Ari Thór Arason and his colleagues on the tiny police force in Siglufjörður struggle with an increasingly perplexing case, while their own serious personal problems push them to the limit. What secrets does the dead man harbour, and what is the young reporter hiding? As silent, unspoken horrors from the past threaten them all, and the darkness deepens, it’s a race against time to find the killer before someone else dies…

What did I think?

The fantastic cover of Blackout gives some hint of the creeping darkness in this third instalment of the Dark Iceland series - I bought an ebook but I think it would have looked even better 'in the flesh'.

As an ash cloud threatens to turn the country into darkness, a brutal murder is committed in Iceland.  I used to want to visit Iceland, but I'm having second thoughts after all the murders portrayed in Ragnar Jónasson's books; they are so very realistic that you forget they are fiction.  I even think of Ari Thór as an old friend, one who's annoying at times but he is a cool iceman after all.

I felt like there were a lot of characters in Blackout, and being set before book 2, Nightblind, it didn't take much to confuse me.  As much as I didn't know who was who at times, it didn't stop me enjoying the story but I do wish that I had read Blackout before Nightblind.  As I've come to expect with Ragnar's books, the elements are painted as characters in their own right and there was nothing more menacing than an ash cloud from a volcanic eruption.  

I particularly loved the new character of Isrún, a young journalist, who is determined to get her story before the darkness descends.  We dig a little into Isrún's family history which was my favourite part of the story, being almost a dual storyline and the thread which kept me turning page after page.

The whole Dark Iceland series is set to be a classic series for crime fiction lovers.  You don't get much darker than Icelandic Noir and Blackout will have you turning the pages until all its dark and chilling secrets are revealed.

My rating:

Buy it from Amazon

Nightblind (Dark Iceland #2) - Ragnar Jónasson

The peace of a close-knit Icelandic community is shattered by the murder of a policeman - shot at point-blank range in the dead of night in a deserted house. With a killer on the loose and the dark Arctic waters closing in, it falls to Ari Thor to piece together a puzzle that involves tangled local politics, a compromised new mayor and a psychiatric ward in Reykjavik where someone is being held against their will...

What did I think?

I have to say that I love the Dark Iceland series, the only problem is that each instalment is too darn short.  I really ought to read slower to make the experience last longer but my eyes seem to have other ideas as they scoot across the page greedily devouring every single line.  

We are reminded again that nothing ever happens in the sleepy arctic town of Siglufjörðor, until someone is shot.  We meet back up with our favourite fictional Icelander, Ari Thór, who has finally talked his girlfriend, Kristín, into moving to Siglufjörðor where they live with their young son, Stefnir.  Ari Thór is off work with flu so his new police inspector, Herjólfur, is covering his shift.  Herjólfur is called out to an abandoned house frequented by drug dealers where he is shot at point blank range, leaving Ari Thór to wonder whether he was the intended target.

With Herjólfur clinging on to life, but unlikely to regain consciousness, Ari Thór's old boss, Tómas, returns to help with the investigation.  In between the investigation there are tantalising snippets from a diary that had me completely riveted with questions pouring out of my brain like an avalanche.  Whose diary is it?  Is it past?  Is it present?  Can I read any faster to find out?

Nightblind is another stupendous instalment from Ragnar Jónasson.  As ever, the landscape feels like a main character itself, as the words on the page magically transform into a landscape painting in my head.  I have to applaud the translation of Quentin Bates in addition to the talented writing of Ragnar Jónasson; absolutely nothing is lost in translation, but everything is gained as the ingenious words paint such a vivid picture.

I was slightly confused as to which order I should read the books as the UK series order differs from the original.  When I've read them all, I'll decide if it really matters but at the moment I just want to read them all in whatever order I can.  I can only presume that the order will matter in the development of Ari Thór and Kristín's relationship as in Nightblind, Ari Thór seems completely oblivious to Kristín's feelings.  I think their relationship is as cold as the temperature outside in Siglufjörðor but time will tell whether they can survive the cold, dark winter.

Nightblind is so good I have two copies of it: one a treasured signed first edition, that I handle with kid gloves, and a kindle copy to which I added copious effusive notes.  Bring on book 3, Blackout.

My rating:

Buy it from Amazon

BLOG TOUR: Wolves in the Dark - Gunnar Staalesen

Reeling from the death of his great love, Karin, Varg Veum's life has descended into a self-destructive spiral of alcohol, lust, grief and blackouts. When traces of child pornography are found on his computer, he's accused of being part of a paedophile ring and thrown into a prison cell. There, he struggles to sift through his past to work out who is responsible for planting the material ... and who is seeking the ultimate revenge. When a chance to escape presents itself, Varg finds himself on the run in his hometown of Bergen. With the clock ticking and the police on his tail, Varg takes on his hardest - and most personal - case yet. Chilling, shocking and exceptionally gripping, Wolves in the Dark reaffirms Gunnar Staalesen as one of the world's foremost thriller writers.

What did I think?

It felt a little bit daunting when I picked up Wolves in the Dark, as I hadn't realised how many earlier Varg Veum books there were - this is number 21, in case you are wondering.  I was worried that joining a series so late would lessen the enjoyment of reading the book, but I am delighted to report that it works so well as a standalone that it left me wanting to find out more about Varg's back story.

The drama begins on the very first page when Varg is awoken by the police as they turn up at the crack of dawn to arrest him for having shocking images of children on his computer.  Varg has never seen the images before but with such compelling evidence stacked against him, he struggles to prove his innocence.  Whilst being investigated he tries to remember anybody who might bear him a grudge.  It took me a little while to get used to the writing style at this point, as it wasn't clear to me that we were reading about Varg's past so I was wondering how he got out of custody.  Once the penny dropped, I got used to it and although I didn't need a 'then' and 'now' chapter heading, something like a '3 years ago' hint would have alleviated my confusion.

The storyline is quite serious and shocking at times, but I loved the little bits of Gunnar Staalesen's dry humour sprinkled throughout - Varg's rapid-fire quips and humorous anecdotes did make me laugh on more than one occasion.  The thing that intrigued me the most about Varg is that he's a private investigator who's not very good at following people.  He doesn't really care about his work either, since he lost his lover Karin, all he cares about is picking up his next bottle of Aquavit (a Scandinavian spirit).  He reminded me of Dr House and his addiction to Vicodin - both struggling to block out the pain by any means necessary.

Wolves in the Dark is one of those fast-paced sweaty palm sort of books; you could feel the net closing in and the clock ticking down whilst the hunted man is still struggling to prove his innocence.  It's a book that makes me simultaneously want to reach for the back-catalogue as well as seeing when the next instalment is coming out - now that I've been introduced to Varg mid-series I definitely want to know more.  A brilliant introduction to the Varg Veum series; giving us a glimpse of such a well established character certainly left me thirsty for more.

I chose to read an ARC and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.  I am releasing my review as part of the blog tour.

My rating:

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Snowblind (Dark Iceland) - Ragnar Jónasson

Siglufjörður: an idyllically quiet fishing village in Northern Iceland, where no one locks their doors - accessible only via a small mountain tunnel.

Ari Thór Arason: a rookie policeman on his first posting, far from his girlfriend in Reykjavik - with a past that he’s unable to leave behind.

When a young woman is found lying half-naked in the snow, bleeding and unconscious, and a highly esteemed, elderly writer falls to his death in the local theatre, Ari is dragged straight into the heart of a community where he can trust no one, and secrets and lies are a way of life. An avalanche and unremitting snowstorms close the mountain pass, and the 24-hour darkness threatens to push Ari over the edge, as curtains begin to twitch, and his investigation becomes increasingly complex, chilling and personal. Past plays tag with the present and the claustrophobic tension mounts, while Ari is thrust ever deeper into his own darkness - blinded by snow, and with a killer on the loose.

Taut and terrifying, Snowblind is a startling debut from an extraordinary new talent, taking Nordic Noir to soaring new heights.

What did I think?

I've been following Orenda Books on Twitter for quite some time and it's always great to see the excitement caused by the release of a new book.  I thought at one point that Snowblind was going to break Twitter as there were so many tweets about it.  So I listened to my learned fellow book bloggers and headed straight over to Amazon to secure a copy for my kindle.  I even have to admit that at the time I purchased Snowblind, I didn't even have a kindle so what a good excuse to buy one!

Ari Thór accepts a job offer which results in him moving North on his own, leaving behind his girlfriend.  His girlfriend doesn't seem that upset, to be honest; she seems colder than the snow up north.  When he arrives in Siglufjörður he's told that it's a quiet village and nothing ever happens there, so there's no need to even lock doors at night.  Then a famous author, now part of the dramatic society at the local theare, falls to his death.  Was it an accident or was he pushed?  It's Siglufjörður, so surely he just fell down the stairs...at least that's what the police think until Ari Thór disturbs an intruder in his house one night and a young woman is found bleeding to death in the snow.  Things have certainly started happening in quiet peaceful Siglufjörður.  Has the snow brought this madness or are there some underlying secrets just bursting to be revealed?

Snowblind is so very atmospheric that I had to put an extra warm layer of clothes on just to read it.  I felt as if Ari Thór was the only normal person in the village and all of the villagers had hidden agendas.  They do all have secrets to some degree, which is no mean feat in a town where everybody knows everybody's business.  I found the snow to be a perfect setting, it almost absorbed all of the background noise giving the story a good pace without it being too busy and over-worked.  Even though it's a bit of a creepy village, I'm really looking forward to visiting Siglufjörður again in Nightblind.

I've also got to mention an excellent idea that Ragnar Jónasson has now introduced to me through reading Snowblind.  Ari Thór has a Christmas tradition of receiving a new book as a gift on Christmas Eve and reading it late into the night.  I'm definitely adopting this tradition and have already marked out the perfect book -  I think it's only right that it's an Orenda book so click here if you want to see what I've chosen.

My rating:

Buy it from Amazon

BLOG TOUR: Victim Without a Face - Stefan Ahnhem guest post

I am honoured to be the first stop on the Victim Without a Face Blog Tour.  Thank you to Suzanne from Head of Zeus for putting my question to Stefan Ahnhem and thank you to Stefan for such an amazing guest post.

In this day and age of social networking, I was intrigued by the school photo idea in Victim Without a Face.  When reading Victim Without a Face I was reminded of times when old school friends had posted photographs on Facebook or Friends Reunited and I racked my brain to try to remember everybody in the picture.  There always seems to be one or two names that have disappeared through the cracks, so I asked Stefan Ahnhem if he could remember everybody from his class in school...

Do you remember everyone from your class in elementary school?

My answer to this question is no. To be honest, I couldn’t even remember half of them. Perhaps I am particularly bad with names and faces, but I suspect that a variation on this is true for most people. In a class with more than twenty kids there will always be one or two who have simply slipped out of your mind.

This doesn’t especially matter. After all, it’s likely that everyone will have forgotten a different person. If you and your friends all clubbed together, you could probably make a collective effort and remember everyone in your class. Right?

In Victim Without a Face, that is not the case. Twenty school friends, now all grown up, have all forgotten about a former classmate – a person who was so bland, it was as if they never existed. And it is this person who proves to be the key to everything.

I have always been interested in the effects of bullying, but it was only when I started my research for Victim Without a Face that I learned that being ignored and treated like air is the worst kind of bullying a person can endure.

I was fascinated by an experiment performed by the psychologist Kipling D. Williams which showed that being exposed to social exclusion triggers the same part of the brain as being exposed to physical pain. So I figured that, as with physical pain, social exclusion might make people want to retaliate – to take revenge on those that made them suffer.

These days social exclusion is not just something that occurs behind the schoolyard fence. It happens every day for almost all of us. We update our Facebook status and don’t get the desired number of likes from colleagues. So we enter the office without saying hello. The next time we are snubbed by a friend, we take a mini-revenge by ‘accidentally’ forgetting that friend’s birthday.

The killer in Victim Without a Face takes things one or two steps further (okay three) when he takes revenge on his classmates. But he hasn’t just been snubbed, he has been erased from history, forgotten by everyone. He no longer has an identity in the eyes of the world. What better person to be a killer than someone who has already been a victim, without a face?

Stefan Ahnhem

Stefan Ahnhem is an established screenwriter for both TV and film, and has worked on a variety of projects, including adaptations of Henning Mankell’s Kurt Wallender series. He also serves on the board of the Swedish Writers Guild. He lives in Stockholm. Victim Without a Face is his first novel.







You can read my review of Victim Without a Face here.
Buy it now from Amazon for the amazing price of 99p for Kindle - click here

Victim Without a Face - Stefan Ahnhem

A KILLER WITH A MESSAGE

The first victim was a bully who liked using his fists. The second was a thug who favoured steel-capped boots. Their bodies bore the marks of a killer who knew their sins. A single clue was left at the scene: a class photo from 1982, with two faces neatly crossed out.

A DETECTIVE WHO CAN'T LET GO

There are eighteen men and women in the photo who are still alive - and one of them is the lead detective on the case. Fabian Risk thought he'd left his schooldays behind. Now his classmates are dying for the sins of their childhood ... Who is the faceless killer who's come back to haunt them?

CAN YOU EVER HIDE FROM JUSTICE?

What did I think?

I have read very little Nordic Noir so for me this was something a little bit different and I really enjoyed it.  I was on the edge of my seat for most of the book, trying to read fast but, at the same time, avert my eyes from the horror unfolding on the page.  It's pretty gruesome in some parts but so clever the way that each person was killed depending on what offence they committed at school.  

I loved Fabian Risk as the main character - Risk by name and risk by nature.  He really doesn't care what he needs to do to get the job done, in the same manner as my old favourite, Harry Bosch.  He's supposed to be on leave but joins in the hunt for his classmates' killer and not even second degree burns can stop him.  This even has an effect on his home life, although he barely notices.

I was reading so fast that at first I was confused by the Swedish and Danish names, but it doesn't take long to get used to who is who.  I was intrigued by the rivalry between the two police forces; Swedish and Danish, and it had a great ending to that little part of the story.

Thinking of school photographs, I think it could be true for a lot of us (over a certain age) that we struggle to remember the name of every single person in our class.  We're told that school days are happy days but I can't imagine that bullies or their victims would describe themselves as having been happy.  Perhaps it's true what they say - the quiet ones are the worst.  I'm really looking forward to reading more Fabian Risk - thankfully, Stefan Ahnhem doesn't plan to stop with just this one Risk novel.

With absolutely nothing lost in translation, it's so fast paced, gripping, gruesome and thrilling - I really enjoyed it and I will definitely be looking out for the next Fabian Risk book.

I received this e-book from the publisher, Head of Zeus, via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

My rating:

Buy it from Amazon