It has been a long time since I last read a crime novel never mind a tantalising Scandi-Noir so I was super excited to begin this one once it arrived through my door!
The book is told through the eyes of two main narrators Malin and Jake. Malin is a cop who moved away from Ormberg who has come back to investigate the reopened cold case surrounding the discovery of a murdered 5-year-old. Jake is a conflicted young teen who finds a diary containing the key to the murder. I loved both of these characters and found them so incredibly real and complex.
I found the plot to be incredibly interesting even though I did manage to correctly predict the main mystery, there was still a few shocking moments for me along the way. The mystery had me on the edge of my seat trying to peice together what happened which is a telltale sign of a good mystery.
What I found most important about this book is the way it broached the toxic mindset of anti-immigration following the political unrest in some middle eastern countries over the past few years. This book really shone the spotlight on societal and political norms and how easily unconscious bias can develop.
A small complaint I have with the writing is that the pov changed every chapter, so as I was just getting into my reading rhythm I’d be thrown off by the change. However, that’s more of a reflection on my reading than the story.
Despite this book being a crime fiction, I think that it’s also an amazing book of acceptance, Hanne with her illness, Malin her prejudices and Jake his identity. I know that this book and the importance of its messages will stay with me for a long time.
I really recommend this book if you have an interest in topical crime/mystery novels, I would love to know your thoughts if you do pick this up! Happy Reading!
The book is told through the eyes of two main narrators Malin and Jake. Malin is a cop who moved away from Ormberg who has come back to investigate the reopened cold case surrounding the discovery of a murdered 5-year-old. Jake is a conflicted young teen who finds a diary containing the key to the murder. I loved both of these characters and found them so incredibly real and complex.
I found the plot to be incredibly interesting even though I did manage to correctly predict the main mystery, there was still a few shocking moments for me along the way. The mystery had me on the edge of my seat trying to peice together what happened which is a telltale sign of a good mystery.
What I found most important about this book is the way it broached the toxic mindset of anti-immigration following the political unrest in some middle eastern countries over the past few years. This book really shone the spotlight on societal and political norms and how easily unconscious bias can develop.
A small complaint I have with the writing is that the pov changed every chapter, so as I was just getting into my reading rhythm I’d be thrown off by the change. However, that’s more of a reflection on my reading than the story.
Despite this book being a crime fiction, I think that it’s also an amazing book of acceptance, Hanne with her illness, Malin her prejudices and Jake his identity. I know that this book and the importance of its messages will stay with me for a long time.
I really recommend this book if you have an interest in topical crime/mystery novels, I would love to know your thoughts if you do pick this up! Happy Reading!