#BookReview The Trap (Fällan) by Melanie Raabe (SWE/ENG)

The Trap by Melanie Raabe
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Note (2/4-17): I've updated this review from 2016-07-05 with a Swedish review of the book!

SWEDISH REVIEW

Linda Conrads, 38, är en berömd och notoriskt tillbakadragen kriminalförfattare. För tolv år sedan blev hennes syster, Anna, brutalt mördad. Mördaren åkte aldrig fast, men Linda såg honom. Och nu har hon precis sett honom igen på TV.

Mannen är numera en känd reporter, och Linda vet att ingen kommer att tro henne om hon anklagar honom. Så hon gör det hon kan bäst: Hon skriver en ny thriller, om ett mord på en kvinna. Där gärningsmannen kommer undan. 

När boken publiceras ger Linda en enda intervju. I sitt eget hem. Till den enda person som vet mer om fallet än hon gör. Han vet vad som hände den där natten. Hon har skrivit en bok om det. Men när han ringer på Lindas dörrklocka vet ingen av dem hur det ska sluta...

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Melanie Raabe har verkligen lyckats skriva en bok där jag var inte säker på om huvudkaraktären, Linda Conrad, var helt galen, eller om hon hade rätt om att ha sett hennes systrar mördare på TV: n. Jag drogs in i historien redan från början och boken hålls mitt intresse upp ända fram till slutet. Vi får följa Linda historia, men också kapitel från hennes bok om mordet ingår i berättelsen. Och genom dessa kapitlel, får vi en bild av vad som hände 12 år tidigare.

Det var intressant att läsa om en karaktär som aldrig lämnar sitt hus som gör historien lite mer intim eftersom mycket av det som händer i boken utspelas inne i huset med få personer iblandade. Och som jag skrev ovan, att man inte vet om Linda var rätt eller om hon hade blivit galen och detta gjorde boken riktigt intressant att läsa eftersom man inte kunde vara säker på någonting.

Jag gillade boken jättemycket, den var välskriven, spännande och överraskande. Dock var jag var lite förvirrad varför hon hade så lite kontakt med sina föräldrar. Jag menar bara att hon inte kan lämna huset betyder inte att de inte kan besöka och jag aldrig känt att det förklarades varför de hade så lite kontakt. Men det är det enda som jag kände lite udda, resten av boken var riktigt bra!

Tack till Louise Bäckelin Förlag för recensionsexemplaret!

ENGLISH REVIEW

In this twisted debut thriller, a reclusive author sets the perfect trap for her sister's murderer--but is he really the killer?

For 11 years, the bestselling author Linda Conrads has mystified fans by never setting foot outside her home. Haunted by the unsolved murder of her younger sister--who she discovered in a pool of blood--and the face of the man she saw fleeing the scene, Linda's hermit existence helps her cope with debilitating anxiety. But the sanctity of her oasis is shattered when she sees her sister's murderer on television. Hobbled by years of isolation, Linda resolves to use the plot of her next novel to lay an irresistible trap for the man. As the plan is set in motion and the past comes rushing back, Linda's memories--and her very sanity--are called into question. Is this man a heartless killer or merely a helpless victim?

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I have to hand it to Melanie Raabe, she has really managed to write a book where I was not sure if Linda Conrad was utterly mad or if she was right about having seen her sisters killer on the TV. I was pulled into the story right from the start and the book kept my interest up. We get to follow Linda's story, but also chapters from her book about the murder are included in the story. And through the chapters, we get a picture of what happened 12 years before.

It was interesting to reading about a character that never leaves her house that makes the story a bit more intimate since most of the story takes place inside the house and with very few people. And, as I wrote above, one just couldn't know if Linda was right or if she had gone mad. And, that made the book really interesting to read since one could not be sure about anything.

I liked the book very much, it was well-written, exciting and surprising. I was a bit confused why she had so little contact with her parents. I mean just because she can't leave the house doesn't mean that they can't visit and I never felt that it was explained why they had so little contact. However, that's the only thing that I felt a bit odd, the rest of the book was really good!

I want to thank Grand Central Publishing for providing me with a free copy for an honest review! 

#BookReview Graveyard Shift by Casey Daniels

Graveyard Shift: A Pepper Martin Paranormal Mystery by Casey Daniels
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Pepper Martin returns in a new ghostly mystery when she is contacted by the ghosts of Eliot Ness and Al Capone...

Pepper Martin, now Community Relations Director of Garden View Cemetery, is contacted by the ghost of Eliot Ness, one of Cleveland’s most famous dearly departed. According to Ness, the ashes scattered at the ceremony twenty years earlier weren’t his. His were stolen prior to the ceremony by a Ness groupie, and he cannot rest until those ashes are found. Luckily, Pepper has an idea where they may be.

Knowing she’ll have no peace until she does what the ghost wants, Pepper travels across town to retrieve the ashes...

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First, I want to say that the description of the book gives away too much information about the book. So, I have removed the part of the description on my review here on my blog so that it's less revealing. Luckily, I must have skimmed the description before I started to read the book since I only had a vague idea of the book's story. And, I like it that way. I don't want to know too much!

Anyway, I found the book to be quite charming to read. It actually felt like just the perfect book to read at the moment, a cozy mystery book is always nice when you have read heavier or darker books. Graveyard Shift is the first Pepper Martin book I have read, and I admit that it was Eliot Ness that caught my attention. I found the idea of his ashes being stolen quite interesting and people seeing ghosts is always intriguing. I had no problem getting into the book, despite no previous knowledge, instead mentionings of previous cases, etc. just made me interested in reading previous books. Pepper Martin was easy to like. However, I found her mother quite annoying and I wished sometimes that Pepper would just tell her to stuff it! Quinn, Pepper's boyfriend did I have some trouble warming up to. I don't know, I just didn't find him that interesting. Perhaps I will grow to like him if I read more books in the series.

The case in itself was not earth-shattering mysterious. It was perhaps a bit too easy to figure out (especially if you have read the description) what would happen and there were no great twists to the story. But, I liked the book, the story was easygoing and charming and I definitely recommend this series to people looking to read a cozy mystery series with a paranormal touch!

I want to thank Severn House for providing me with a free copy through NetGalley for an honest review! 

#BookReview Quick Off the Mark by Susan Moody

Quick Off the Mark by Susan Moody
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Alex Quick investigates the murder of a close family friend in this intriguing, intricately-plotted mystery"

In her former career as a police detective, Alex Quick was exposed to some brutally violent crimes but none as horrific as this. A badly mutilated corpse is discovered in a field, the victim castrated, the word cheat carved across his chest. The dead man was a close family friend of Alex, and his sister has asked her to find out who killed him and why. 

Although they d been friends as long as she can remember, how well did Alex really know the late Tristan Huber? Why would someone murder him in such a violent and cruel way? Whoever she questions, Alex finds that people are reluctant to talk, keeping things back from her including Tristan's sister, Dimsie. The more Alex uncovers, the clearer it becomes that Tristan Huber was not who, or what, he appeared to be. But is she prepared for the shocking truth?

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This is the first book I have read about Alex Quick. I was intrigued by the cover and description and decided to give it a go. The book starts off with a close friend of Alex is found in a field tortured to death. And, the man's sister begs Alex to look into it since Alex used to be a cop. But, it's not that easy, Tristan, the dead man, seems to have many secrets, and then more people are getting murdered and Alex is at a loss to what they all have in common.

I got a strong Midsomer Murders vibe when I read this book. I could see how the old man is walking his dog when he spots the body, cut to the intro music, and then the murder investigation started. Well, of course, if Barnaby had been a woman, and not a policeman anymore. But, still. Alex had been a cop and just like in a Midsomer Murders episode the bodies started to pile up.

I quite liked reading the book. The story was engaging and interesting, and Alex was an easy character to like. And, one of her best friends; Sam is a hot single bookstore owner that seems to like her quite a lot. I wasn't sure about what who was behind all the murders until around the end when I started to see a pattern, or rather, suspect that I knew what linked all the murdered people together. Although I had some problem with the book, like for instance, I forgot one of the murdered men, I had to go back and reread a part in the beginning to fresh up my memory. It was a bit odd when the person was mentioned in the book and I was totally blank to whom the hell he was. But, then again, there were terribly many deaths. Also, like A Midsomer Murders episode was this book quite nice, but still I can't say that I found it to be that thrilling to read. It was an OK book, the characters didn't bother me, the case was interesting, but I was not entranced with the book.

I want to thank Severn House Publishers for providing me with a free copy through NetGalley for an honest review!

The Lost Child of Lychford by Paul Cornell

The Lost Child of Lychford by Paul Cornell
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

It’s December in the English village of Lychford – the first Christmas since an evil conglomerate tried to force open the borders between our world and… another.

Which means it’s Lizzie’s first Christmas as Reverend of St. Martin’s. Which means more stress, more expectation, more scrutiny by the congregation. Which means… well, business as usual, really.

Until the apparition of a small boy finds its way to Lizzie in the church. Is he a ghost? A vision? Something else? Whatever the truth, our trio of witches (they don’t approve of “coven”) are about to face their toughest battle, yet!

The Lost Child of Lychford is the sequel to Paul Cornell's Witches of Lychford.

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I'm impressed, and I definitely must find myself a copy of Witches of Lychford to read. I found the cover and blurb tempting and, despite having not read Witches of Lychford (how I have missed it is the question) did I find myself quickly engrossed in this book. It's a short story, but it manages to contain a lot of action, humor and some paranormal things like an unhappy little boy apparition. Personally, I just love the love portion part of the story. It gave the story a hilarious aspect.

This may be the first Paul Cornell book I have read, but it will certainly not be the last. I've been interested in reading his Shadow Police series, but now I seriously want to get the first book! The Lost Child of Lychford was a fantastic book, and I hope to read more books about Lizzie and the rest of the gals!

I want to thank Macmillan-Tor/Forge for providing me with a free copy through NetGalley for an honest review!

Kaninjägaren (The Rabbit Hunter) by Lars Kepler (SWE/ENG)

Kaninjägaren by Lars Kepler
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

SWEDISH REVIEW

Joona Linna har suttit två år på den slutna anstalten Kumla när han förs till ett hemligt möte. Polisen behöver hans hjälp för att stoppa den gåtfulle mördaren som går under namnet Kaninjägaren.

Den enda länken mellan offren är att de alla hör ett barn läsa upp en ramsa om kaniner innan mördaren kommer. Ödets tärningskast placerar överraskande tevekocken Rex Müller mitt i händelsernas centrum. För första gången ska han ta hand om sin son Sammy. Men istället för tre lugna veckor blir det en fruktansvärd kamp på liv och död. Joona Linna och Saga Bauer är tvungna att börja samarbeta i hemlighet för att stoppa Kaninjägaren innan det är försent.

Du vet aldrig vad ödet har i beredskap för dig, vad som kommer att hinna ifatt dig om du inte börjar springa nu.

Thrillermästaren Lars Kepler är tillbaka med en ny bladvändare om kriminalkommissarie Joona Linna.

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Kaninjägaren är otroligt nog den första boken jag läser av Lars Kepler. Som vanligt är tidspress min ursäkt för att ha missat denna fantastiska serie. Men det ger mig fördelen att jag har 5 olästa böcker att ta mig an samt att jag kan skriva en recension utifrån en ny fans synvinkel.

Så hur var Kaninjägaren? För att vara den senaste boken i en en serie så var kändes det väldigt lätt att komma in i boken. I och med att själva handlingen var fristående med återkommande karaktärer så kunde även en ny läsare som jag enkelt kunna sätta mig in handlingen samt få grepp om huvudkaraktärerna Joona Linna och Saga Bauer. Handlingen var intressant rakt igenom och med korta cliffhanger liknade kapitel var boken svår att lägga ifrån sig. Motivet för morden sträckte sig tillbaka i tiden och det är en något jag alltid gillar, att få följa karaktärerna medan de luskar fram sanningen. Och i det här fallet så var detr en hemskt tragisk händelese som startade allting.

Allt som allt så var boken en riktigt fullträff, jag gillade både handlingen och karaktärerna och jag ser fram emot att läsa de föregående böckerna.

Tack till Albert Bonniers Förlag för recensionsexemplaret!

ENGLISH REVIEW

Joona Linna has spent two years in the closed Kumla prison when he is taken to a secret meeting. The police need his help to stop the enigmatic killer known as The Rabbit Hunter.

The only link between the victims is that they all hear the children recite a chant about rabbits before the killer comes. Television chef Rex Müller get for some reason pulled into the plot. For the first time ever is he taking care of his son Sammy. But instead of three quiet weeks will there be a terrible battle to the death. Joona Linna and Saga Bauer is forced to start working in secret to stop The Rabbit Hunter before it's too late.

You never know what fate has in store for you, what will catch up with you if you do not start running now.

Thriller Master Lars Kepler is back with a new page-turner about Inspector Joona Linna.

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The Rabbit Hunter is, amazingly enough, the first book I have read by Lars Kepler. As usual, lack of time is my excuse for having missed this amazing series. But, it gives me the advantage that I have five unread books to take on, and I can write a review based on a new fans point of view.

So how was The Rabbit Hunter? It felt very easy to get into this book, despite it being the latest book in a series. Since the story itself was standalone with recurring characters made it easier for a new reader like me to get a grip on both the story and the main characters Joona Linna and Saga Bauer. The story was interesting throughout and with short cliffhanger chapters was the book hard to put down. The motive for the murders stretching back in time and it's something I always like, to follow the characters as they try to find out the truth. And in this case, it was all that terrible tragedy that started it all

All in all, the book was a real hit, I liked both the plot and the characters, and I look forward to reading the previous books.

Thanks to Albert Bonniers Förlag for the review copy!

The Jekyll Revelation by Robert Masello

The Jekyll Revelation by Robert Masello
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

While on routine patrol in the tinder-dry Topanga Canyon, environmental scientist Rafael Salazar expects to find animal poachers, not a dilapidated antique steamer trunk. Inside the peculiar case, he discovers a journal, written by the renowned Robert Louis Stevenson, which divulges ominous particulars about his creation of The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. It also promises to reveal a terrible secret—the identity of Jack the Ripper.

Unfortunately, the journal—whose macabre tale unfolds in an alternating narrative with Rafe’s—isn’t the only relic in the trunk, and Rafe isn’t the only one to purloin a souvenir. A mysterious flask containing the last drops of the grisly potion that inspired Jekyll and Hyde and spawned London’s most infamous killer has gone missing. And it has definitely fallen into the wrong hands.

With parallel story lines set in present-day California and 1880's London, THE JEKYLL REVELATION alternates between Rafe and Stevenson in a fast-paced tour through history and contemporary California as both they both race to stop the terror that’s coming for them. 

Bestselling and award-winning author Robert Masello (whose known for the #1 Kindle bestseller The Einstein Prophecy, The Romanov Cross, and The Medusa Amulet among other works) has crafted a thriller that is equal parts adventure story and literary history and throughout the suspense, he reveals fascinating, little known details about Robert Louis Stevenson’s life and times.

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The tantalizing cover and the intriguing blurb made me interested in the book. The identity of Jack the Ripper is a subject I find fascinating and I was curious how Robert Louis Stevenson would fit into this story. This book has two storylines and in the present storyline are we introduced to Rafael Salazar who is an environmental scientist. He discovers in an old truck a journal that turns out to be written by no other than Robert Louis Stevenson and the present storylines alternate with the journal entries.

I found the intro of this book promising with Robert Louis Stevenson trying to find if not a cure something that would make him better since he had been suffering from bad health since he was a child. And, it's now he meets a doctor that will change his entire life. In the present time, Rafael Salazar is studying coyotes in Topanga Canyon when he and his trainee Heidi stumbles on the trunk with the diary. But, the trunk also has a flask containing a portion that would be best to leave alone.

As much as I enjoyed the beginning of the book did it come a time after I read little over half the book when I found myself questioning whether I should continue reading or not. The story started to become a bit dull, and I found myself not enjoying either storyline. However, I did not give up and the story picked up. Well, at least the journal entries got better, I still did not find the present storylines that interesting with Rafe having trouble with his sister Lucy, the meth heads and his puppy love for Miranda. And, as I came to think of now when I'm writing the review, Heidi who was with him when he found the trunk and later on when they almost died in a car crash just disappeared from the story. And, that was just too bad because I liked her. I can't say that Rafe and Miranda interested me that much, but for the story to take the obvious direction was it necessary. And, here we have the big problem for me with this book. It was too often pretty obvious what would happen, no twist to the story that astonished me. Although the ending, the last entry in the journal both solved a question that I had back in my mind and was an interesting turn of event.

Still, I'm glad to have read the book. It may have had some weak moments in the middle of the book, but the story picked up and towards the end of the book even Rafe started to interest me a bit more than when he was having trouble with the meth heads and Miranda's boyfriend Laszlo. 

I want to thank 47North & Little Bird for providing me with a free copy through NetGalley! 

Blakemort - A Psychic Surveys Christmas Novella by Shani Struthers

Blakemort - A Psychic Surveys Christmas Novella by Shani Struthers
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

“That house, that damned house. Will it ever stop haunting me?”

After her parents’ divorce, five-year old Corinna Greer moves into Blakemort with her mother and brother. Set on the edge of the village of Whitesmith, the only thing attractive about it is the rent. A ‘sensitive’, Corinna is aware from the start that something is wrong with the house. Very wrong.

Christmas is coming but at Blakemort that’s not something to get excited about. A house that sits and broods, that calculates and considers, it’s then that it lashes out – the attacks endured over five years becoming worse. There are also the spirits, some willing residents, others not. Amongst them a boy, a beautiful, spiteful boy…

Who are they? What do they want? And is Corinna right when she suspects it’s not just the dead the house traps but the living too?

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I can't tell you what a pleasure it was to finally read a real haunting haunted house story. I've found lately that either the story isn't creepy enough (seriously cozy horror is not a thing) or it's a romance masquerading as a horror. So, reading Blakemort was a real thrill.

I've never read anything by Shani Struthers before. However, I own the first book in this series (and I bought two books in the series after finishing this one hehe). I'm really thrilled to have discovered an author that can write a thrilling and creepy horror story. Right from the start is the story intriguing and I love how creepy the house is. You can really feel that something is badly wrong here. Poor little Corinna who knows that the house is wrong that it's evil, but neither her brother and mother listen to her and that makes this story so sad. She can see them, there are some rooms that are a bit more "safe", but most of the house is bad. Especially around Christmas.

I like how the story focuses on Christmas during the years they lived in the house. As Corinna state in the book, bad things happened all through the years. But, Christmas was especially bad, every year. I quite liked the mystery of the house, and how they in the last year in Blakemort finally discovered the truth.

Blakemort is a terrific novella. I found it engrossing and I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the books in the series!

I chose to read this ARC and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased!

Under A Pole Star by Stef Penney

Under A Pole Star by Stef Penney
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Flora Mackie was twelve when she first crossed the Arctic Circle on her father's whaling ship. Now she is returning to the frozen seas as the head of her own exploration expedition. Jakob de Beyn was raised in Manhattan, but his yearning for new horizons leads him to the Arctic as part of a rival expedition. When he and Flora meet, all thoughts of science and exploration give way before a sudden, all-consuming love.

The affair survives the growing tensions between the two groups, but then, after one more glorious summer on the Greenland coast, Jakob joins his leader on an extended trip into the interior, with devastating results.

The stark beauty of the Arctic ocean, where pack ice can crush a ship like an eggshell, and the empty sweep of the tundra, alternately a snow-muffled wasteland and an unexpectedly gentle meadow, are vividly evoked. Against this backdrop Penney weaves an irresistible love story, a compelling look at the dark side of the golden age of exploration, and a mystery that Flora, returning one last time to the North Pole as an old woman, will finally lay to rest.

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I was instantly intrigued by the cover and the blurb of the book when I first saw it on NetGalley and I was thrilled to get a chance to read it. However, I had some serious problem with the story. 2 times during the book was a very tempted to give up the book. First, at around 30% and then around 60%. But, I felt that I had gotten so far that I wanted to finish the book and I wanted to know the ending. 

Now, the book isn't all bad. There were moments in the story I liked. But, after the intriguing intro, did the book lose some flow and for 30% it was just an introduction to the two main characters, Flora and Jacob. And, it's a thick book 608 page long and 30% of that felt a bit too much for just reading about people growing up. It got a bit better when the Flora and Jacob finally met during two separate expeditions. However, I could never really get into their great romance and the book felt way too long.

I did like reading about the expeditions, the will to find new land and the life of the Inuits. I think I would have preferred reading the book if it had focused more on the exploration of Arctic than Flora and Jacob life and tribulations. I did find Flora's life interesting to read as a woman in a man's world. It was just that sometimes it got a bit dull and I didn't find Jacob's life as interesting. Sometimes the story felt like it just went on and one. A bit too wordy for my taste.

I want to thank Quercus Books for providing me with a free copy through NetGalley for an honest review! 

The Lost Ones by Ben Cheetham

The Lost Ones by Ben Cheetham
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Some secrets are better left undiscovered.

When a nine-year-old girl goes missing in Harwood Forest, the search for her brings back memories of an unsolved double murder some forty years earlier. Could the key to Erin Jackson’s disappearance lie in the bloody fate of Elijah and Joanna Ingham, bludgeoned to death while their young daughters slept? Were the Inghams really the victims of opportunistic burglars—or a more sinister fate?

The woods are combed for signs of the child, but Erin’s brother, Jake, mounts his own investigation, uncovering evidence that puts the Inghams’ daughters—vanished Rachel and ‘crazy’ Mary—in the frame. Meanwhile, Erin’s father suspects that the ragtag army of eco-warriors besieging his quarry development may have something to hide.

As devastating secrets and betrayals are revealed, the Jackson family is brought to a breaking point. But time is running out. Erin is still missing and Jake’s unorthodox enquiries have left him dangerously exposed. They must find Erin and lay the past to rest—before they become its latest victims.

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The Lost Ones instantly caught my eyes with its wonderful cover and I thought the description of the book sounded very exciting. And, luckily, the book proved to be a real gem. I had never read anything by Ben Cheetham before I read this book, but now I must add his name to the list of authors to keep an eye out for.

The story is engrossing, a young girl goes missing, and since her father has a lot of enemies is there plenty of suspects. The town has once before been through an ordeal. Forty years before, Elijah and Joanna Ingham was brutally murdered in their house only their daughters survived. But, surely this murder of Elijah and Joanna Ingham couldn't have anything to do with the missing girl?

The Lost Ones is intense and heartbreaking to read. Little Erin is missing, and her parents are desperate to have her back, but has someone taken her or is she just lost? As the hours pass the situation becomes more and more desperate and secrets are revealed. The book is very good and I must admit that I was a bit surprised by the ending. I liked how Cheetham really demonstrated throughout story how devastating this is for the family and the toll it takes on them. You know from the beginning that Erin's mom has a secret, but what is she hiding? The murder at the Ingham house forty years ago, and the legend that the place is haunted gave the story an extras feeling of darkness.

I want to thank Thomas & Mercer for providing me with a free copy through NetGalley for an honest review!  

#BookReview End of Watch by Stephen King (SWE/ENG)

End of Watch by Stephen King
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

SWEDISH REVIEW

Mercedesmördaren är tillbaka

För sju år sedan körde den ökände "Mercedesmördaren" Brady Hartsfield rakt in i en folkmassa. Åtta människor dog och långt fler fick men för livet. Den pensionerade kriminalpolisen Bill Hodges har inte kunnat lägga vansinnesdådet bakom sig, och när han nås av den oroande nyheten att en efter en av de överlevande efter Mercedesmassakern försökt ta sina liv under mystiska omständigheter, inser han att mardrömmen är långt ifrån över.

Hodges blir allt mer övertygad om att Brady Hartsfield har ett finger med i spelet i det som börjar likna en självmordsepidemi. Men hur kan det vara möjligt, när Hartsfield som är dömd till psykiatrisk vård, sitter i rullstol och knappt kan prata? Vad döljer sig bakom Mercedesmördarens tomma blick?

Sista vakten avslutar Stephen Kings hyllade thrillertrilogi om Bill Hodges och hans ständiga medhjälpare Holly och Jerome. Den första boken i serien, Mr Mercedes, tilldelades 2015 års Edgar Award för bästa spänningsroman. 

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Innan jag recenserar denna bok vill jag bara säga att det har varit en intressant trilogi att läsa. det har inte varit min favorit trilogi för att vara ärlig, men ändå har den varit tillfredsställande. Mr. Mercedes, den första boken i series, var för mig den svagaste. Jag föll varken för story eller dess karaktärer. Men, Den som finner, uppföljaren funkade mycket bättre, även om stora delen av boken kändes som att läsa en bok som inte alls var del av denna serie. Slutligen har vi Sista vakten, och i och med denna bok så fann jag mig äntligen fängslade medan jag läste. 

I Den som finner får vi en titt in i Bradys liv efter att han stoppades i boken Mr. Mercedes, men i Sista vakten får vi äntligen den fulla berättelsen och äntligen en slutlig konfrontation mellan Brady och Bill Hodges. Men hur, undrar du säkert? Brady är ju hjärnskadad och kan knappt gå och prata. Låt oss säga att han fann en väg och eftersom detta är en King roman så är inte allting rationellt. Och det är en av orsakerna till att jag verkligen gillade boken. Sammansmältningen av thriller och paranormalt, Jag bara älskar det. 

Sista vakten är mycket bra och jag är överraskad över hur mycket jag gillade boken med tanke på att jag inte var jätteimponerad över de föregående böckerna. Men, trilogin blev helt klart bättre och bättre med varje bok och den slutade starkt. Jag gillade verkligen att King inte lät allting sluta helt lyckligt, det passade bra att avrunda serien på den sättet som hade gjorde. I slutändan kom jag att gilla Bill, Holly och Jerome väldigt mycket, vilket jag inte trodde jag skulle göra efter att ha läst Mr. Mercedes.

Tack till Albert Bonniers Förlag för recensionsexemplaret!

ENGLISH REVIEW

Brady Hartsfield, perpetrator of the Mercedes Massacre, where eight people were killed and many more were badly injured, has been in the Traumatic Brain Injury Clinic for five years, in a vegetative state. According to his doctors, anything approaching a complete recovery is unlikely. But behind the drool and stare, Brady is awake, and in possession of deadly new powers that allow him to wreak unimaginable havoc without ever leaving his hospital room.

Retired police detective Bill Hodges, the unlikely hero of Mr. Mercedes and Finders Keepers, now runs an investigation agency with his partner, Holly Gibney, who delivered the blow to Hartsfield's head that put him on the brain injury ward. Brady also remembers that. When Bill and Holly are called to a murder-suicide with ties to the Mercedes Massacre, they find themselves pulled into their most dangerous case yet, one that will put not only their lives at risk, but those of Hodges’s friend Jerome Robinson and his teenage sister, Barbara. Because Brady Hartsfield is back, and planning revenge not just on Bill Hodges and his friends, but on an entire city.

In End of Watch, Stephen King brings the Hodges trilogy to a sublimely terrifying conclusion, combining the detective fiction of Mr. Mercedes and Finders Keepers with the supernatural suspense that has been his trademark. The result is an unnerving look at human vulnerability and up-all-night entertainment.

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Before I start to review this book, do I want to say that this has been a very interesting trilogy to read. Not, my favorite trilogy, to be honest, but still a nice one. Mr. Mercedes, the first book in the series did not sit well with me. To be honest, the story and its characters were not my cup of tea. However, Finders Keepers, the sequel turned out to be much better, even though it felt for much time while reading the book like it was not part of this series. Then, we have End of Watch, the final book. Here, I finally found myself quite engrossed with the story.

In Finders Keepers, we get some glimpse of Brady's life after he was stopped in Mr. Mercedes. and, in End of Watch, we really pick up the story and finally get to see Brady and Bill Hodges confront each other. But, how can that be you wonder? Brady is brain damaged and can hardly move and talk. Well, let's say he discovers a way. And, as this is a King novel is not everything rational. And, that's what I love about this book. The blend of thriller and paranormal. And, that's probably one of the reason for me liking the book so much.

End of Watch was frankly quite good and it surprised me how much I liked it since I did not love the previous two books that much. For me, this trilogy just got better and better and it ended with a bang. I love the fact that King didn't let it all end totally happy, it felt like a good ending. I even came to really enjoy Bill, Holly, and Jerome very much in this book, which I didn't think I would when I read Mr. Mercedes.

Thanks to Albert Bonniers Förlag for the review copy!

#BookReview The Abandoned Heart: A Bliss House Novel by Laura Benedict

The Abandoned Heart: A Bliss House Novel by Laura Benedict
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

There is no bliss to be found in Bliss House.

In Old Gate, Virginia, stands a grand house built by Randolph Bliss, a charming New York carpetbagger who, in 1878, shook off dire warnings to build his home elsewhere. For the ground beneath Bliss House is tainted with the kind of tragedy that curses generations, seeping through the foundation and sowing madness in its wake. His first and second wives, and his young Japanese mistress, Kiku, bear witness to Randolph’s growing insanity with stories of his cruel manipulations and their desperate struggles to find happiness for themselves and their children.

Their desire to live and love and even take revenge also fills the house, triumphing even over death. Spanning half a century, The Abandoned Heart is the prequel to Charlotte’s Story and Bliss House, forming a trilogy of southern Gothic novels in which one haunted house begets haunted lives that echo over centuries. A haunting so powerful that even Bliss House’s destruction cannot kill it.

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To say that I've been eagerly awaiting to read this book is an understatement. I have read and loved the previous two books in this series and I have been waiting for what it feels like a long time for this book to be released.

You don't have to have read the previous two books in this series since the stories in these books take place after this book. To be honest, now I feel like re-reading those two books since I have the back-story to everything that is wrong with the Bliss house. The Abandoned Heart retells the building of Bliss house and how even before the house was built it was a place cursed. And, now Randolph Bliss moves his family there and it doesn't take a long time until tragedy strike.

I liked this book however, I do feel that the previous books stories were a bit more interesting and thrilling to read. This one felt like more an explanation to everything with less thrilling parts. Still, it's an awfully good book. I came to like Kiku very much and was really moved by her tragic story. There was a moment towards the end of the book when I was really taken back when something I had not expected was revealed in a letter. This is the kind of book that I don't want to reveal too much of what's going on instead I want to say that it's like the previous two books well-written and engrossing to read.  

The Bliss House series is a marvelous trilogy and I recommend it warmly if you like books about haunted houses.

I want to thank Pegasus Books for providing me with a free copy through NetGalley for an honest review! 

Blog Tour: Savage Reckoning by C. Hoyt Caldwell

Savage Reckoning by C. Hoyt Caldwell
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

In the vein of Elmore Leonard’s Justified, C. Hoyt Caldwell introduces a thriller series set in the dark side of the Appalachian mountains—featuring a heroine who’s playing both sides of the law. 

Deputy Dani Savage would like nothing better than to shoot the wife beaters, carjackers, drug dealers, and all the rest of the low-life good ol’ boys that make policing Baptist Flats, Tennessee, near impossible. Instead, she grits her teeth and serves the God-fearing townsfolk without complaint. The “little deputy,” as she’s known, is often overlooked and ridiculed for being a small-statured woman in a big man’s world. But while investigating a cold case involving a missing teen, Dani stumbles onto some disturbing facts that cannot be ignored.

Soon Dani realizes that this case goes back decades. There’s a history of young women being stolen from the Tennessee hills, and a legacy of corrupt cops looking the other way. Dani’s investigation leads her to the “closeout kings,” a pair of hired killers with a tale to tell—a tale of a missing girl and a crime worse than murder. Somehow these two deranged hit men are Dani’s last, best allies. They know that it’s time for payback—and in the backwoods, justice takes only one form.

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Review

I have to admit that I wasn't that impressed in the beginning. I just didn't think so much about the story and hoped it would get better. I was not especially impressed by Step and Kenny the closeout kings and thought the story just didn't seem to be my cup of tea. Then, it started to get a bit more interesting and then the story blew me away!

Dani, "little deputy" Savage is approached by a woman claiming that her daughter went missing a couple of years ago and that the police in her County is doing nothing to find her. The situation gets even more mysterious when Dani calls the County's sheriff department and they say that the girl got run over by a train. However, there are things that just don't add up and when Dani and her uncle Otis who is the Sheriff visit the woman do they learn that that something is terribly wrong. And, it's here that I really got hooked. Here, the story becomes both engrossing and deeply unsettling. Dani and Otis learn that more women have gone missing. And, it seems that no one does anything to find them. 

Luckily Step and Kenny adds a bit of humor to the story. I mean conversations about butt sex for instance? And, of course, Dani crosses paths with Step and Kenny and soon they are working together to solve the case with the missing women. And, it's a bit of an uneasy partnership, they are hitmen and she is a deputy. And, it doesn't help that Kenny has a crush on Dani. 

Savage Reckoning took me by surprise. I did not think that I would enjoy the book as much as I did. But, I found myself quite taken with both the story and the characters. Dani is a fantastic character and I love her colorful past and I especially hope to read more books with her (and several of the other characters in this book), The book is great, action-filled, amusing, mysterious and heartbreaking.

Purchase Links

Amazon | B&N | ibook | Kobo

Author Bio

C. Hoyt Caldwell is the author of Bad Way Out. Simultaneously proud of and puzzled by his Southern roots, he isn’t smart enough to be subtle so his work tends to be tasteless and gritty. He’s not out to offend anyone, but he’s also not out to win anyone over, either. His stories are full of sex, violence, humor, and heart.

Social Media Links

Website: https://pearlofjustice.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/officialCHoytCaldwell/

Twitter:https://twitter.com/RWRidley

#BookReview Entry Island by Peter May (SWE/ENG)

Entry Island by Peter May
My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

SWEDISH REVIEW

När det isolerade ösamhället Entry Island skakas av ett mord, det första i mannaminne, beger sig kriminalpolisen Sime Mackenzie till ön som del av ett utredningsteam från Montréal. Affärsmannen James Cowell, en av öns drygt hundra invånare, har knivhuggits till döds i sitt hem, och det mesta talar för att det är hans hustru, Kirsty, som hållit i vapnet.

Utredningen ser först ut att bli en formalitet, men när Sime träffar Kirsty överväldigas han av en märklig känsla. Trots att han vet att de inte kan ha träffats förut känner han igen henne. Det är något hos den mordmisstänkta kvinnan som rör upp djupt begravda minnen inom honom.

I takt med att utredningen fortskrider börjar Sime hemsökas av drömmar om ett avlägset förflutet på en skotsk ö, femhundra mil bort – historier som hör till en fjärran värld men ändå tycks sträcka sig in i nuet, mot Entry Island och de mysterier som ön ruvar på.

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Kombinationen brott och romantik fungerar alldeles utmärkt ihop i denna bok. Själva idén med denna bok, en man som möter en kvinna för första gången och känner igen henne och i egenskap av polis måste förhöra henne för mordet på hennes man är fascinerande. Hur kan Sime känna igen Kirsty? Hon har inte lämnat Entry island på flera år och han har aldrig någonsin besökt ön. Och vad har Simes förfäders gamla dagböcker med det hela att göra? Sime känner att han måste finna ut koppling mellan dem samtidigt som han måste finna ut vem som mördade hennes man och rentvå Kirsty.

Jag älskar verkligen hur Peter May blandar ihop det förflutna med nutid, hur sammantvinnande det hela blir ju mer man läser om hur Sime försöker reda ut hur hon kan kännas så familjär. Att det samtidigt är en mordutredning gör det hela mer intensivt.

Jag tyckte speciellt mycket om bokens slut. Att man får svar, men att slutet ändå är öppet vilket gör att att man börja fundera på vad som kommer att hända härnäst. Det kan kännas lite frustrerande, men i slutändan så är det nog ändå ett perfekt slut, för det slutar så hoppfullt.

Tack till Modernista för recensionsexemplaret!

ENGLISH REVIEW

When Detective Sime Mackenzie boards a light aircraft at Montreal's St. Hubert airfield, he does so without looking back. For Sime, the 850-mile journey ahead represents an opportunity to escape the bitter blend of loneliness and regret that has come to characterise his life in the city.Travelling as part of an eight-officer investigation team, Sime's destination lies in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. Only two kilometres wide and three long, Entry Island is home to a population of around 130 inhabitants - the wealthiest of which has just been discovered murdered in his home.

The investigation itself appears little more than a formality. The evidence points to a crime of passion: the victim's wife the vengeful culprit. But for Sime the investigation is turned on its head when he comes face to face with the prime suspect, and is convinced that he knows her - even though they have never met.

Haunted by this certainty his insomnia becomes punctuated by dreams of a distant past on a Scottish island 3,000 miles away. Dreams in which the widow plays a leading role. Sime's conviction becomes an obsession. And in spite of mounting evidence of her guilt he finds himself convinced of her innocence, leading to a conflict between the professonal duty he must fulfil, and the personal destiny that awaits him.

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I think the combination of crime and romance works splendidly in this book. The very idea of the book, about a man meeting a woman for the first time a recognizing her and at the same time having to question her for the murder of her husband was fascinating. How could Sime recognize her? Kirsty has not left Entry Island in years and he has never been there. And what has Sime's ancestor's diaries to do with everything? Sime knows that he must find out and also try to clear Kirsty's name.

I love how Peter May in this book mixes the past with the present, how intertwined the past becomes with the future as Sime tries to make sense of how someone that is a total stranger to him can feel so familiar. To add the murder of her husband and Sime being there to question her and finding out if she killed him. Well, that just makes the story more intense.

I especially liked the ending of the books that you get the answer, but it still ends with an open ending that makes you wonder what will happen next? A bit frustrating perhaps, but in the end, I think that it should end that way, a hopeful ending.

Thanks to Modernista for the review copy!

Blog Tour: Death at the Seaside by Frances Brody

Death at the Seaside by Frances Brody
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Nothing ever happens in August, and tenacious sleuth Kate Shackleton deserves a break. Heading off for a long-overdue holiday to Whitby, she visits her school friend Alma who works as a fortune teller there.

Kate had been looking forward to a relaxing seaside sojourn, but upon arrival discovers that Alma's daughter Felicity has disappeared, leaving her mother a note and the pawn ticket for their only asset: a watch-guard. What makes this more intriguing is the jeweller who advanced Felicity the thirty shillings is Jack Phillips, Alma's current gentleman friend.

Kate can't help but become involved, and goes to the jeweller's shop to get some answers. When she makes a horrifying discovery in the back room, it soon becomes clear that her services are needed. Met by a wall of silence by town officials, keen to maintain Whitby's idyllic façade, it's up to Kate - ably assisted by Jim Sykes and Mrs Sugden - to discover the truth behind Felicity's disappearance.

And they say nothing happens in August...

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This is the second book I have read in the Kate Shackleton series. Last year I read the previous book for a blog tour, and I found myself quite liking Kate Shackleton. I had some problem with the story, felt it dragged a bit, to be honest, but I wanted to read this one to see what would happen next to Kate. 

I found this book to be a bit better than the previous one. However, just like the one I was reading last year did this one loose a bit of steam in the middle of the book. It wasn't until Jim Sykes and Mrs. Sugden showed up in the story towards the ending that it returns to be interesting again. I think it has to do with the fact that it was by then everything finally started to unravel and the truth started to come out about the murder of the jeweller. As much fun it was to see Kate suspected of the murder, the story felt like it was moving forward a bit too slowly. Perhaps focusing on Kate POV instead of adding Alma's would have made the book a bit evenly.

Still, I did find this book enjoyable and this time, did I have some previous knowledge of the characters so that I did not to get used to the characters. I also learned some more about them. Also, I thought the addition of Chief Inspector Marcus Charles to the story was splendid. Kate and Marcus have some history together, he wanted to marry her and she turned him down. Yet, the spark is still there, even I could see that and I haven't read the book(s?) with him in them. I think the book just got a bit better when he arrived in the town. And, I hope he will be in the next book.

I want to thank Piatkus for proving me with a free copy for an honest review! 

About the author: Frances Brody is the author of the Kate Shackleton mysteries, as well as many stories and plays for BBC Radio, scripts for television and four sagas, one of which won the HarperCollins Elizabeth Elgin Award. Her stage plays have been toured by several theatre companies and produced at Manchester Library Theatre, the Gate and Nottingham Playhouse, and Jehad was nominated for a Time Out Award.

Blog Tour: Strangers by Paul Finch

Strangers by Paul Finch
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Dark, gritty and always edge-of-your-seat: the #1 bestseller is back with a standout new heroine…

Unknown, alone, and fearing for your life.

As PC Lucy Clayburn is about to find out, going undercover is the most dangerous work there is.

But, on the trail of a prolific female serial killer, there's no other option – and these murders are as brutal as they come.

Lucy must step into the line of fire – a stranger in a criminal underworld that butchers anyone who crosses the line.

And, unknown to Lucy, she's already treading it…

Always gripping. Always gruesome. Paul Finch will leave fans of Rachel Abbott and MJ Arlidge gasping for more.

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One mistake changed everything for PC Lucy Clayburn and her dreams of working for CID is suddenly less likely. However, this new case, working undercover trying to catch a female serial killer could set her record straight and help her career. That is of course that the hunt doesn't kill her...

Lucy Clayburn is not a woman who is afraid to take some risks, especially after the setback a few years before when her career stalled. However, going undercover as a prostitute looking for leads to find a female serial killer is not an everyday job. And, now Lucy will meet some of the nastiest bad people as she searches for clues to find a serial killer. And, one personal discovery will change her life forever.

I seriously hope that this is the first book in a series because Lucy Clayburn is one hell of a woman, and I really want to read more book about her. What I like about Lucy is that she is a normal woman, no big secrets from the past or psychological problem. She was raised by a single mom, never knowing her father and she loves being a cop. However, this book will bring some changes into her life as she goes deep undercover. Seriously, this is one hell of a book, dark and gritty, and I found myself quite caught up with it. I must admit that I saw one of the twist coming, the one concerning her own life, and I waited to see how it would turn out when Lucy learned the truth and let me tell you she really has a hell of a temper. But, I guess we all would have been shocked by what she found out if we were in her position.

Strangers is an excellent book, perfect for crime fans!

I want to thank the publisher for providing me with a free copy through NetGalley for an honest review!

Blog Tour: The Silence Between Breaths by Cath Staincliffe

The Silence Between Breaths by Cath Staincliffe
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Eight people, one deadly secret.

Passengers boarding the 10:35 train from Manchester, Piccadilly to London, Euston are bound for work, assignations, reunions, holidays or new starts, with no idea that their journey is about to be brutally curtailed.

Holly has just landed her dream job, which should make life a lot easier than it has been, and Jeff is heading for his first ever work interview after months of unemployment. They end up sitting next to each other. On board customer service assistant Naz dreams of better things as he collects rubbish from the passengers. And among the others travelling are Nick with his young family who are driving him crazy; pensioner Meg and her partner setting off on a walking holiday and facing an uncertain future; Caroline, run ragged by the competing demands of her stroppy teenage children and her demented mother; and Rhona, unhappy at work and desperate to get home to her small daughter. And in the middle of the carriage sits Saheel, carrying a deadly rucksack . . .

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I think one of the reasons for this book hitting me so hard when I read it is because of the current situation in the world with all the suicide bombers in the recent years. The thought that you are no longer safe that any time or anywhere a suicide bomber may be is a reality nowadays. And, this book really shows both sides to it. First, we have the ordinary citizens on the train with different reasons for being there, be it traveling for a job interview or a wedding, then among them is a man who for some reason has decided to become a martyr for a cause, and by taking as many lives with him as possible. And, at home, a little sister is checking her big brother's computer and finding something she never thought that she would find...

This book is heartbreaking and so chilling to read. The characters on the train are introduced in the beginning of the book one by one. And, by letting the reader getting to know them, making the characters come alive and then turning the world upside down has Cath Staincliffe written a powerful book that from the beginning until the end is so gripping that I could hardly put it down. For me were the chapters with Saheel's little sister a very powerful inclusion in this book. Her side of the story, her point-of-view is just as tragic as the ones on the train. Saheel's action has such a big impact not only on the people on the train but also his own family. They will never be the same again.

It's terrifying how one person's actions can affect so many lives, and this book shows just how in an instant, all your hopes and dreams can be destroyed, but it also shows how people can after facing a terrible situation gathered together and not let evil triumph.

I want to thank Little, Brown Book Group UK for providing me with a free copy through NetGalley for an honest review!

Chills by Mary SanGiovanni

Chills by Mary SanGiovanni
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

“True Detective” meets H.P. Lovecraft in this chilling novel of murder, mystery, and slow-mounting dread from acclaimed author Mary SanGiovanni . . .

It begins with a freak snowstorm in May. Hit hardest is the rural town of Colby, Connecticut. Schools and businesses are closed, powerlines are down, and police detective Jack Glazier has found a body in the snow. It appears to be the victim of a bizarre ritual murder. It won't be the last. As the snow piles up, so do the sacrifices. Cut off from the rest of the world, Glazier teams up with an occult crime specialist to uncover a secret society hiding in their midst.

The gods they worship are unthinkable. The powers they summon are unstoppable. And the things they will do to the good people of Colby are utterly, horribly unspeakable…

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It was the hope of reading something really chilling was what drove me to read this book. And, at first, I thought that it would turn out to be pleasant reading. I liked the feeling of a doomed city that is taken over by snow monsters and a little group of people trying to save the town, and the world. However, somewhere along the way the story just lost the appeal for me. I think one of the main reason was that the characters were not very memorable. In the end, I think Morris was the only one that was interesting reading about, the rest just lacked anything substantial. I had high hope for Kathy making the book interesting with her dark background, but in the end, she turned out to be spending most of the time trying to find a spell to reverse the opening of the door to the other world. And, thus the one character in the book that really appealed to me when I started to read the book faded into the background. Yes, I did find Kathy and Teagan in the beginning an interesting "couple", But, then I lost interesting in them both when they started to get cozy in the middle of danger.  

Also, I think the story should have been built up a bit better, with a slower start, then there would have been more anticipations for larger and frightening things to happened. Now it was just killing from the beginning to the end, and because of that, there was no thrill in reading the book because you hardly got to know any characters, more than the cops. The rest was just people waiting to be killed. No point in getting attached because most people they were killed as soon as they were introduced. Sure, one or two survived, but they were in the story for a page or two never to be heard of again.

And, another problem was that it was not frightening to read, not even a bit chilling. Hell, I was mostly bored towards the end of the book and just wanted the book to end so that I could read something else.

So, the book started promising, then the story started to get more and more uninteresting and the ending was quite dull. Not, a book for me.

I want to thank Kensington Books for providing me with a free copy for an honest review!  

Blog Tour: Katharina Luther: Nun, Rebel, Wife by Anne Boileau

Katharina Luther: Nun, Rebel, Wife by Anne Boileau
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

On 31st October 1517, Martin Luther pinned ninety-five theses on the Castle Church door, Wittenberg, criticizing the Church of Rome; they were printed and published by Lucas Cranach and caused a storm. Nine young nuns, intoxicated by Luther's subversive writings, became restless and longed to leave their convent. On Good Friday 1523 a haulier smuggled them out hidden in empty herring barrels. Five of them settled in Wittenberg, the very eye of the storm, and one of them - Katharina von Bora - scandalised the world by marrying the revolutionary former monk. Following a near miscarriage, she is confined to her bed to await the birth of their first child; during this time, she sets down her own story. Against a backdrop of 16th Century Europe this vivid account of Katharina von Bora's early life brings to the spotlight this spirited and courageous woman. 

Review: 

This is the third fictional account I have read about Katharina von Bora and, despite knowing her life quite well do I never get tired of reading about her life. I find it interesting to see how different authors will retell her life and I think that having Katharina write down her life as she is bedridden awaiting her first child was a wonderful idea. Yes, this means that the story will not retell her whole life, but you do get a wonderfully vivid account of her growing up, her life as a nun, and the time after she left the convent, and her new life with Martin.

I especially liked how Katharina von Bora life as a nun was described, and how the impact Luther's pamphlets had on her and the other nuns. For many women was becoming a nun nothing they have decided for themselves instead it was often their parents' decision and having to sacrifice the chance for a family of one's own was not an easy thing. Nevertheless, it was not an easy thing to leave the convent, to not be a nun anymore. Another thing I liked about the story was that the author did not portray Katharina and Martin as a couple

in love. He did really propose to her fellow nun Ava first and he never claimed to be in love with her. However, I loved the scene when he told her that he is not in love with her, but he thinks that love will grow between them. That I think was such a perfect way of describing their life together. They grew to love each other.

I liked this book very much, I would have loved to read more about their lives together. However, it was quite logical to end the book with the birth of their first child. I also liked that his was really Katharina von Bora story, Martin Luther is as well a very interesting character, but I love reading books from women's perspective of a relationship, especially famous relationship.

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Purchase the book from Amazon UK

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About the author: 

Anne Boileau (also known as Polly Clarke) lives in Essex. She studied German in Munich and worked as interpreter and translator before turning to language-teaching in England. She also holds a degree in Conservation and Land Management from Anglia University and has written and given talks on various aspects of conservation. Now she shares, writes and enjoys poetry; her work has appeared in a number of anthologies and magazines; she has also won some awards, including First Prize with Grey Hen Press, 2016. She translates modern German poetry into English with Camden Mews Translators and was Chair of Suffolk Poetry Society from 2011 to 2014.

Välkommen hem (Welcome Home) by Ninni Schulman (SWE/ENG)

Välkommen hem by Ninni Schulman
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

SWEDISH REVIEW

Välkommen hem, den femte delen i Ninni Schulmans populära serie om journalisten Magdalena Hansson och poliserna Petra Wilander och Christer Berglund, är en drabbande kriminalroman om revansch och försoning.

En sensommardag får Magdalena Hansson en inbjudan till en återträff med sin högstadieklass. Tanken är att de ska sova i klassföreståndarens sommarstuga, precis som de gjorde en helg i nian. De ska äta och umgås och gå på spökvandring i skogen. Precis som då.

Magdalena känner bara olust. De senaste veckorna har hon blivit utsatt för grovt näthat och hon skulle mycket hellre tillbringa helgen tillsammans med Petter, som äntligen är hemma från Norge där han numera jobbar. Men eftersom en av klasskamraterna idag är musiker och dokusåpakändis åker hon dit för att göra ett reportage till Värmlandsbladet.

På festen faller alla tillbaka i gamla mönster. Allting spårar ur och Magdalena blir kvar mitt i kaoset. Sent på kvällen hittas en av klasskamraterna brutalt mördad. Dagen efter hittas ännu en person i klassen död på Hotell Monica. Tillvägagångssätten verkar helt olika, men det måste väl ändå vara samma gärningsman? Vilket är i så fall motivet? Och finns det fler i klassen som är i fara?

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Välkommen hem är den femte delen i serien om journalisten Magdalena Hansson och poliserna Petra Wilander och Christer Berglund men det är den första boken jag har läst utav dem. Trots det så tyckte jag inte att det var några som helt problem med att komma in i handlingen och när händelser nämndes som hade hänt i tidigare böcker blev jag sugen på att läsa de tidigare böcker från början.

Jag tyckte speciellt mycket om att man både fick följa poliserna Petra Wilander och Christer Berglund samt journalisten Magdalena Hansson i arbetet samt få en inblick i deras privatliv. Oftas är det bara poliser man följer alternativt en journalist (och är en journalist med i en kriminalare så brukar den även vara en ren plåga för poliserna i vanliga fall) så det var kul att få läsa en bok där båda yrkesgrupperna hade central roll.

Jag tyckte att själva fallet, en högstadieklass har återträff som slutar med mord var spännande att läsa om, speciellt eftersom Magdalena är med på festen samt Christers syster Tina vilket involverade dem på ett personligt sätt i mordet. Vem är mördaren och varför? Det blir sedan klart för Petra Wilander och Christer Berglund att mördaren inte är klar när fler från återträffen mördas. 

Jag gillade boken skarpt, jag tyckte att boken var mycket välskriven och jag hade svårt att sluta läsa den och utan tvekan är detta en av de bästa svenska kriminalare jag har läst i år.

Tack till Forum bokförlag för recensionsexemplaret!

ENGLISH REVIEW

Welcome home is the fifth installment in Ninni Schulman's popular series about journalist Magdalena Hansson and policemen Petra Wilander and Christer Berglund, is a hard-hitting crime novel about revenge and reconciliation.

Magdalena Hansson receives an invitation to a reunion of her high school class on a late summer day. The idea is for them to sleep in their old teacher's summer home, just as they did one weekend in ninth grade. They will eat and hang out and go on the ghost walk in the woods. Just like back then. At the party, they all fall back into old patterns. Everything gets out of control and late in the evening one of Magdalena's classmates is found brutally murdered. Are more in the class in danger?

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Welcome Home is the fifth book in the series about journalist Magdalena Hansson och the policemen Petra Wilander and Christer Berglund. This is the first book I have read in this series, but despite that did I not find it was especially hard to get into the story and when events mentioned from the previous books did I mostly get keen to start to read this series from the beginning some day.

I especially liked that you got to follow both policemen and a journalist in work and in their private lives. Often it's either one or the other and when a journalist is in the story with policemen is the journalist often quite a nasty person. So, it was quite enjoyable to get a crime novel with both professional groups in a central role.

I found the case interesting with a class reunion that ended with murder. And, it was especially interesting since Magdalena was attending the reunion and Christer's sister Tina was also there, so both Magdalena and Christer gets involved in this case on a personal level. So, who is the murderer and why did he kill someone at the reunion? It soon dawns on Petra Wilander and Christer Berglund that this is just the start when more people from the reunion is murdered.

I liked this book very much, it's well-written and I had a hard time putting it down and this is, without a doubt, one of the best Swedish crime novels I have read this year.

Thanks to Forum bokförlag for the review copy!

Time and Regret by M.K. Tod

Time and Regret by M.K. Tod
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

When Grace Hansen finds a box belonging to her beloved grandfather, she has no idea it holds the key to his past—and to long-buried family secrets. In the box are his World War I diaries and a cryptic note addressed to her. Determined to solve her grandfather’s puzzle, Grace follows his diary entries across towns and battle sites in northern France, where she becomes increasingly drawn to a charming French man—and suddenly aware that someone is following her…

Through her grandfather’s vivid writing and Grace’s own travels, a picture emerges of a man very unlike the one who raised her: one who watched countless friends and loved ones die horrifically in battle; one who lived a life of regret. But her grandfather wasn’t the only one harboring secrets, and the more Grace learns about her family, the less she thinks she can trust them.

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I believe that we all have different kinds of weakness when it comes to books, some of us have a passion for WW1 books, some of us love time travel romance, some of us can't withstand a book with a gorgeous cover, and some of us loves mystery books, etc...

For me when it came to this book was first the gorgeous cover and then the tantalizing blurb. I just adore parallel storylines with a mystery that a relative or a stranger has to solve in "modern" time. So, I was thrilled to get a chance to read this book.

And, that makes it quite sad to write a review about a book that I thought I would love, but that I just couldn't connect with. Sometimes that happens, sometimes I just can't find myself enjoying a book, despite my deep will to do so. And, this one, oh I wished so that I had found the characters and the story to my taste. But, alas, it was not to be.

For the right person is this probably a great book. We have a woman that is trying to find out more about her beloved grandfather and discovers more than she could dream of. A secret that has been waiting to be revealed. Unfortunately, neither the past and the present story really caught my interest, and the secret was pretty easy to figure out, and there come a time when I thought everything that happens was way too convenient. And, the romance between Grace and Pierre just didn't rock my boat. If the mystery had been more engrossing could I have overlooked the romantic story, but it wasn't and that meant that I couldn't find much enjoyment with the story.

So, this was not the great book that I had hoped it to be, still just because I couldn't find myself enjoying it, doesn't mean that you can't...

I want to thank Lake Union Publishing for providing me with a free copy through NetGalley for an honest review!