Looking for a crime series perfect for fall weekend reading? Danish crime writer Sara Blaedel’s Louise Rick series belongs on your list. When I picture the kind of book I want to be reading on a crisp autumn evening, it’s a book exactly like Blaedel’s: something atmospheric, layered, immersive, and perfect for cozying up with when the weather gets cold. If this sounds up your alley, add Blaedel’s THE MIDNIGHT WITNESS to your TBR. Technically the first book in Blaedel’s internationally-bestselling series, THE MIDNIGHT WITNESS is now being made available to US readers in a brand-new edition from Grand Central—and it will work for both newcomers to Blaedel’s work and established fans of the series. In THE MIDNIGHT WITNESS, homicide detective Louise Rick is tasked with solving the brutal murder of a young woman in her hometown of Copenhagen, Denmark… but when her best friend, journalist Camilla Lind, asks her to investigate the murder of a local journalist as well, Louise finds herself in over her head - and in the crosshairs of two killers. THE MIDNIGHT WITNESS is the book that launched Blaedel’s internationally-bestselling Louise Rick series around the world—and American readers will fall in love with Blaedel’s endearing and headstrong detective in this compelling mystery.
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Book Review: THE DARKNESS by Ragnar Jonasson
Ragnar Jonasson, you have simply outdone yourself. Just when I thought I couldn’t love Ragnar’s books more, he goes and writes THE DARKNESS - and man, is it excellent. Already known around the world for his modern classic Dark Iceland series, Ragnar proves with THE DARKNESS that his winning brand of crime fiction can work just as well - if not better - in a new series as it did in his Ari Thor books. THE DARKNESS has all the brooding atmosphere of the Dark Iceland books with a creativity and breath-of-fresh-air protagonist all its own. Readers will travel eagerly from the streets of Reykjavik to the desolate wilds of Iceland alongside Hulda, a detective whose retirement is on the horizon—and who is determined to make the most of her time left on the force. There’s an addictiveness to THE DARKNESS that elevates this read—Jonasson beautifully balances slow-burning plotting with binge-worthy tension, and the result is just plain gripping. There’s so much that works so well in this book, and I have a feeling Jonasson’s new series will become my favorite of his work… that is, until we see what this talented writer comes up with next.
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Book Review: THE HYPNOTIST by Lars Kepler
Book one in husband-and-wife duo Lars Kepler's series, THE HYPNOTIST introduces readers to Joona Linna, the complex, dedicated detective who takes center stage in Kepler's bestselling books. Readers will find THE HYPNOTIST a supremely accessible addition to their Nordic Noir library; where Scandinavian crime novels tend to feature layered, brooding plots, Kepler balances that complexity of plotting with genuinely page-turning pacing - and the result is a gripping thriller you’ll want to devour in just a couple sittings. While THE SANDMAN is (thus far!) my favorite Kepler novel I’ve read, this new edition of THE HYPNOTIST is a fantastic addition to your summer reading list.
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Book Review: THE DYING DETECTIVE by Leif GW Persson
With all the brand-new (and very enticing!) books releasing every week, it can feel really hard to make time to catch up on the slightly older books you may have missed when they first came out—but today’s post is evidence that pressing pause on the new releases can be such a rewarding exercise. THE DYING DETECTIVE by Leif GW Persson released in hardcover in the spring of 2017… and who knows how I missed out on reading it then, but I’m so glad it caught my eye in its newly-released paperback format. This masterful police procedural is every bit a worthy addition to every Nordic Noir reader’s personal library.
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Book Review: THE LEGACY by Yrsa Sigurdardottir (Children's House Series)
Iceland’s Queen of Crime Yrsa Sigurdardottir brings her newest series to the US in February, and it’s an absolute knockout. THE LEGACY launches the Children’s House Series with a story that is equal parts measured police procedural and gripping suspense narrative. Weaving together dark family secrets both present and past with a chilling investigation, Sigurdardottir effortlessly delivers a standout Nordic thriller that will more than satisfy her longstanding fans, and is sure to open up new doors for her readership in the US. THE LEGACY is all the slow-burning, layered procedural a Nordic Noir reader could hope for, infused with the trademark dark imagination that has come to define Sigurdardottir’s own ever-developing legacy.
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