Unseen
By Mari Jungstedt
“She loved this sparsely furnished cabin, where she had stayed every summer since she was a child. Actually, she and Per needed to be alone. Have some time to talk and be together without cell phones, computers or alarm clocks, after a stressful and hectic spring. Still, dinner with her old friends wasn’t a bad idea, Helena thought, realizing how much she had missed them.”
There’s a festive mood in the air at a cabin in Gotland, Sweden. Three couples, most of them life-long friends, are enjoying the Whitsuntide holiday with food, music and drinks, but by the end of the evening one of the women has been slapped and accused of infidelity and two of the men have come to blows.
The next morning the body of one woman is found on the beach. Her body covered an axe wounds and her underwear stuffed in her mouth. For the police this seems like an open and shut case when they pick up her partner but Inspector Anders Knutas isn’t so sure.
His investigation opens other potential leads and when the boy of another woman is discovered within a matter of days, the police and public fearfully realize they are dealing with a serial killer.
While many crime novels focus on the inspector investigating the crime scene, this one takes a much more inclusive approach. The series features Inspector Knutas but he isn’t the only main player as there is a crime reporter who also share as much of the spotlight as well as other characters.
This works to give the reader a bigger picture of a crime investigation in a foreign country. Yes, the goal is to catch the bad guys but the approaches are different. In turn I think this helps the reader learn a bit about another countries’ customs, political and economic situations, etc.
So while I didn’t get a good feel for Inspector Knutas in this book, I still enjoyed it for introducing me to another Swedish crime novel. This was certainly a good first start to the series and I look forward to the next one.
The first in a mystery series is enough to grab my interest! And the fact that you say it was good, cinches it – I’m off to see if I can mooch or find a good price on this one. Thanks, Illiana. (Did I just say thanks for adding to my TBR list and/or bookshelves?!)
That is an interesting approach to take with a novel. I’ve read a couple of Swedish novels in which different police detectives are followed, but no one from outside of that group like a reporter. I will definitely have to look for this book. Thanks for the great review, Iliana.
Wow! That sounds great! I’ve read a few crime novels lately, and realize how much I miss them. It used to be the only thing I read! I have found that crime novels taking place in other countries seem to have a certain something…
I got this book through Paperback Swap but haven’t read it yet, so it’s good to know that you liked it. 🙂
I’ve been looking for a good mystery for the Christmas holiday. Nice one to add.
Sounds like a good one for me to read on a rainy Saturday…
I’ve read a couple of these books and enjoyed them as well. You’re right it’s not a really traditional police procedural. She spends a lot of time on the other characters and their lives as well–and this continues on in the other books (I’ve read the first and third–still need to read the second).
Sounds like a very detailed and horrific situation in this book. But it looks like one that I should be reading. Thanks for the recommendation.
A new series! Thanks, Iliana!