Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.52 AVERAGE
3.52 AVERAGE
Light and shade...
Erica Falck has returned to her home town of Fjällbacka to sort out the belongings of her parents who have recently died. But she is soon in the middle of the investigation into the death of her childhood friend, Alex, found frozen in her bathtub with her wrists slit. At first it looks like suicide, but it soon becomes clear that she was murdered. Alex and Erica had been very close as children but had grown apart as children do, and then Alex and her parents had left the town. So Erica feels personally involved in wanting to know what happened to Alex in the intervening years, and who would have a reason to kill her. The detective who's investigating the case, Patrik Hedström, is another friend from childhood, but when they meet again after all these years their relationship quickly becomes something more than friendship.
This is the first book in the Patrik Hedström and Erica Falck series. I'd previously read a later one, The Stranger, and enjoyed it a lot, so wanted to go back and read the books in order. Quite often the first book in a series can be disappointing as so much time has to be given over to character development, and authors sometimes take a couple of books to really get into their stride. But I didn't feel that at all in this case – this is an excellent debut, with a strong plot and with two main characters who very quickly become people the reader can like and care about.
Patrik and Erica's new found feelings for each other are handled beautifully. There's enough humour to stop it from being at all soppy and Läckberg makes the whole romance element quite straightforward – no bitter, vengeful ex-partner, no misunderstandings etc. The whole thing comes over as very natural and realistic and, because both characters are strong and attractive, the match feels like one that will last. I loved the way the viewpoint shifts between them so that we are able to see what each is thinking. At one point as Patrik is on his way to Erica's, we see her rushing about desperately changing clothes and re-doing her make-up in an attempt to achieve that carelessly casual natural look – and when he arrives the view shifts to him, and we see him being completely fooled by it and thinking she's one of these rare women who doesn't need to try. Lovely!
By contrast, the plot concerning the reasons for Alex's murder is quite dark, and there is a sub-plot concerning Erica's sister who is in an abusive marriage, so there's plenty of meat in the story. Although Erica does a little unofficial poking around, the bulk of the investigation is done as a police procedural. Fjällbacka is a tiny place, so the police aren't used to dealing with murders, and apart from Patrik most of them would rather not have their routines disrupted. So Patrik more or less takes the case over, and we see him as a dedicated officer without any tediously maverick tendencies. On the downside, Patrik's boss is drawn as the stereotypical incompetent bully in this book, though from memory that aspect seemed to be toned down quite a bit by the time of the later book that I read.
The translation by Steven T Murray is excellent – it doesn't read like a translation at all, and none of the touches of humour get lost. Well written, with two likeable leads characters and a great mix of light and shade in the plot, this one has left me looking forward eagerly to catching up with the rest of the series.
www.fictionfanblog.wordpress.com
Erica Falck has returned to her home town of Fjällbacka to sort out the belongings of her parents who have recently died. But she is soon in the middle of the investigation into the death of her childhood friend, Alex, found frozen in her bathtub with her wrists slit. At first it looks like suicide, but it soon becomes clear that she was murdered. Alex and Erica had been very close as children but had grown apart as children do, and then Alex and her parents had left the town. So Erica feels personally involved in wanting to know what happened to Alex in the intervening years, and who would have a reason to kill her. The detective who's investigating the case, Patrik Hedström, is another friend from childhood, but when they meet again after all these years their relationship quickly becomes something more than friendship.
This is the first book in the Patrik Hedström and Erica Falck series. I'd previously read a later one, The Stranger, and enjoyed it a lot, so wanted to go back and read the books in order. Quite often the first book in a series can be disappointing as so much time has to be given over to character development, and authors sometimes take a couple of books to really get into their stride. But I didn't feel that at all in this case – this is an excellent debut, with a strong plot and with two main characters who very quickly become people the reader can like and care about.
Patrik and Erica's new found feelings for each other are handled beautifully. There's enough humour to stop it from being at all soppy and Läckberg makes the whole romance element quite straightforward – no bitter, vengeful ex-partner, no misunderstandings etc. The whole thing comes over as very natural and realistic and, because both characters are strong and attractive, the match feels like one that will last. I loved the way the viewpoint shifts between them so that we are able to see what each is thinking. At one point as Patrik is on his way to Erica's, we see her rushing about desperately changing clothes and re-doing her make-up in an attempt to achieve that carelessly casual natural look – and when he arrives the view shifts to him, and we see him being completely fooled by it and thinking she's one of these rare women who doesn't need to try. Lovely!
By contrast, the plot concerning the reasons for Alex's murder is quite dark, and there is a sub-plot concerning Erica's sister who is in an abusive marriage, so there's plenty of meat in the story. Although Erica does a little unofficial poking around, the bulk of the investigation is done as a police procedural. Fjällbacka is a tiny place, so the police aren't used to dealing with murders, and apart from Patrik most of them would rather not have their routines disrupted. So Patrik more or less takes the case over, and we see him as a dedicated officer without any tediously maverick tendencies. On the downside, Patrik's boss is drawn as the stereotypical incompetent bully in this book, though from memory that aspect seemed to be toned down quite a bit by the time of the later book that I read.
The translation by Steven T Murray is excellent – it doesn't read like a translation at all, and none of the touches of humour get lost. Well written, with two likeable leads characters and a great mix of light and shade in the plot, this one has left me looking forward eagerly to catching up with the rest of the series.
www.fictionfanblog.wordpress.com
Erica Falck, is a biographer who returns to her hometown, Fjällbacka, after the death of her parents. While dealing with the after effects of their death, she becomes involved with apparent suicide of an estranged childhood friend, Alex. Alex's parents ask Erica to write a news article about her friend and she decides to turn it into a novel. When it becomes apparent that Alex did not commit suicide, but was murdered, Erica's collection of material becomes pertinent to the investigation of the case. This is fortunate for the detective on the case, Patrik Hedstrom, who not only works with Erica on the mystery but also becomes her lover.
I was surprised at the number of negative reviews of this book as I found it interesting. While Lackberg has a different style than Stieg Larsson, I liked her descriptions of people and places and I found the book full of interesting twists and turns. There were definitely areas that could have used some improvement in my mind, such as her describing the background of individuals who only briefly appeared and her using the technique of sharing information with the reader after the protagonist has already obtained it. There were also some things I found amusing such as, can you really get an UTI from sitting on cold benches?, how much coffee did the various characters drink? and why wouldn't people have car battery heaters considering they live in a very cold climate?
The next book in the series is being translated and I will definitely be reading it once it becomes available.
I was surprised at the number of negative reviews of this book as I found it interesting. While Lackberg has a different style than Stieg Larsson, I liked her descriptions of people and places and I found the book full of interesting twists and turns. There were definitely areas that could have used some improvement in my mind, such as her describing the background of individuals who only briefly appeared and her using the technique of sharing information with the reader after the protagonist has already obtained it. There were also some things I found amusing such as, can you really get an UTI from sitting on cold benches?, how much coffee did the various characters drink? and why wouldn't people have car battery heaters considering they live in a very cold climate?
The next book in the series is being translated and I will definitely be reading it once it becomes available.
The premise of the book is very interesting, but the actual mystery, less so. The book, I think, serves as an introduction to the series, and it is less a mystery, more a romance. I could do without that. I'm sure those who like the Agatha Christie books, will love it. I was disappointed because the writer has lots of awards, so thought it would measure up. That being said, the story moves along, the ending is surprising, maybe to some. The main characters are fully developed and there is lots of stuff going on. The setting could be more fully developed but it does grow on you.
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
A mystery set in Sweden that is a quick and satisfying read.
adventurous
mysterious
relaxing
fast-paced
I'm gonna give book 2 a listen...I like the characters & enjoyed the twists and turns.
I've been meaning to read some Swedish novels. My grandparents were Swedish, so I love and am familiar with the culture/country. And I know that their crime fiction is currently experiencing a bit of a sensation in the US. I suspect that I picked the wrong novel to begin with, but it wasn't all bad - just very mixed.
This book tells the story of Erica, a writer of biographies. She is living in her childhood home, going through the effects of her recently deceased parents. When she finds her childhood best friend, Alex, murdered, she finds herself drawn into the web of secrets surrounding the small coastal town.
It's a decent premise, if not the most original. I had two basic problems with the plot:
1. The writer is fond of withholding information. For instance, Erica will find a piece of paper balled up in the trash, read it, and then neglect to tell us what she had found out for a hundred pages. This happens several times.
2. Both the heroine and the romance (with Patrik, a young detective) seemed to have been transported into the book from some sort of chick-lit novel. Erica repeated mentions her dieting and weight watcher points, and everything about her appearance is a cliche (the men loves her curves, but she diets due to low self esteem etc). The dating scenes appear to have come from an entirely different book.
I didn't solve the mystery early, mostly due to the withheld information. The resolution was satisfying enough. There are several characters in the book (no spoilers) who seem to exist merely to be evil in a cartoony way, surprising in a book that takes such pains to reveal the inner workings of its characters.
I guess I wanted something darker, and this wasn't it. Having said that, I would recommend this for someone who likes Swedish thrillers, but feels they are all a bit dark or grim. There is certainly a place for this book, and I would recommend it with the caveats above.
This book tells the story of Erica, a writer of biographies. She is living in her childhood home, going through the effects of her recently deceased parents. When she finds her childhood best friend, Alex, murdered, she finds herself drawn into the web of secrets surrounding the small coastal town.
It's a decent premise, if not the most original. I had two basic problems with the plot:
1. The writer is fond of withholding information. For instance, Erica will find a piece of paper balled up in the trash, read it, and then neglect to tell us what she had found out for a hundred pages. This happens several times.
2. Both the heroine and the romance (with Patrik, a young detective) seemed to have been transported into the book from some sort of chick-lit novel. Erica repeated mentions her dieting and weight watcher points, and everything about her appearance is a cliche (the men loves her curves, but she diets due to low self esteem etc). The dating scenes appear to have come from an entirely different book.
I didn't solve the mystery early, mostly due to the withheld information. The resolution was satisfying enough. There are several characters in the book (no spoilers) who seem to exist merely to be evil in a cartoony way, surprising in a book that takes such pains to reveal the inner workings of its characters.
I guess I wanted something darker, and this wasn't it. Having said that, I would recommend this for someone who likes Swedish thrillers, but feels they are all a bit dark or grim. There is certainly a place for this book, and I would recommend it with the caveats above.
The story was a little slow to start. When it got going it was quite good.
At the beginning of the story, the main character is investigating the crime on her own. Later, she meets an old friend who is now the town cop. After she meets him, they collaborate in investigating, but eventually she essentially stops investigating the crime and the rest of the story the cop investigates alone.
I feel like the author originally planned to have the female main character be the detective solving the case, but later changed her mind. I was annoyed by that. I thought the story would have been more interesting to have the lay person solve the crime rather than the cop.
At the beginning of the story, the main character is investigating the crime on her own. Later, she meets an old friend who is now the town cop. After she meets him, they collaborate in investigating, but eventually she essentially stops investigating the crime and the rest of the story the cop investigates alone.
I feel like the author originally planned to have the female main character be the detective solving the case, but later changed her mind. I was annoyed by that. I thought the story would have been more interesting to have the lay person solve the crime rather than the cop.