A Scandi noir with interesting dynamics beyond the investigation
I have just started the other Swedish Scandi noir recently on Readers First - The Silver Road - and have discovered how gripping this genre that I so seldom read can be. This novel is from the other perspective of the cold case, from the investigators and witness points of view. The added element of Hanne and Peter's personal problems, her dementia and him going missing, make this novel sound gripping even from the synopsis - before opening the first impression I felt that this would be a book I would enjoy reading.
The horror in the first chapter was well written. The tension started straight away - a bit cliché with teenagers going into woodland at night - but the descriptions were immersive and the tension built well. It was engaging, and the first impression was a quick read not because of its length or simple writing, but because I needed to find out what happens next.
I like how it switches between point of view characters for short chapters, titled with their names so it is clear who is narrating. The voices sound distinct enough that the reader would not be lost without the name tags. It has the feeling of witnesses being interviewed for a police investigation, which is appropriate for the book. However it is more conversational than this, and as a reader I quickly knew the characters well. It is interesting to see how the town of Ormberg has changed between the generations and the time gap in the investigation. I feel like there could be some interesting backstories for the characters involved. Characters come across clearly even through short snatches of speech and description. The scene where Jake goes through his mother's things was emotional, and I like this element. I wouldn't enjoy a detective based book purely about crime and solving it, but 'After She's Gone' is clearly much more than this. I like the element of Jake coming to terms with who he is in a town with prejudice. How he sees Hanne when they meet is also good, how his perspective changes so quickly when she says she will not hurt him, and he trusts her.
The isolated town is a good setting, and I feel will add to the atmosphere and suspicion throughout.
The cover has the definite feel of a thriller. It is bold and simple, and gives a glimpse of the snowy and remote setting.
The horror in the first chapter was well written. The tension started straight away - a bit cliché with teenagers going into woodland at night - but the descriptions were immersive and the tension built well. It was engaging, and the first impression was a quick read not because of its length or simple writing, but because I needed to find out what happens next.
I like how it switches between point of view characters for short chapters, titled with their names so it is clear who is narrating. The voices sound distinct enough that the reader would not be lost without the name tags. It has the feeling of witnesses being interviewed for a police investigation, which is appropriate for the book. However it is more conversational than this, and as a reader I quickly knew the characters well. It is interesting to see how the town of Ormberg has changed between the generations and the time gap in the investigation. I feel like there could be some interesting backstories for the characters involved. Characters come across clearly even through short snatches of speech and description. The scene where Jake goes through his mother's things was emotional, and I like this element. I wouldn't enjoy a detective based book purely about crime and solving it, but 'After She's Gone' is clearly much more than this. I like the element of Jake coming to terms with who he is in a town with prejudice. How he sees Hanne when they meet is also good, how his perspective changes so quickly when she says she will not hurt him, and he trusts her.
The isolated town is a good setting, and I feel will add to the atmosphere and suspicion throughout.
The cover has the definite feel of a thriller. It is bold and simple, and gives a glimpse of the snowy and remote setting.