Release Date: 04/07/13
Publisher: Doubleday
SYNOPSIS:
Game warden Mike Bowditch has been sent into exile, transferred by his superiors to a remote outpost on the Canadian border. When a blizzard descends on the coast, Bowditch is called to the remote cabin of a terrified couple. A raving and half-frozen man has appeared at their door, claiming his friend is lost in the storm. But what starts as a rescue mission soon becomes a baffling murder investigation. The dead man is an infamous drug dealer and state police suspect it was his own friend who killed him. Bowditch isn't so sure - but his vow not to interfere in the case is tested when he finds himself powerfully attracted to a beautiful woman with a dark past and a troubled young son who harbours secrets of his own..
REVIEW:
Swedish Crime is perhaps the hottest out there at the moment as the delightfully delicious scenary reflects the darker aspects of the world as the principle players seek to solve a series of crimes that have resulted in a tight lipped community seeks to hide their own skeletons from the prying eyes of the police.
As usual with Mari, its dark, has some great twists and when you centre it all round lead characters that you really want to spend time around generates a story that is nigh impossible to put down. Add a solid supporting cast, some great dialogue alongside some cracking sleuthing and I was a more than happy reader with this outing.
Release Date: 29/03/12
SYNOPSIS:
Inspector Anders Knutas is back in the sixth installment of Mari Jungstedt's dark and compelling series of crime novels, set on the island of Gotland. This crime adventure builds on the already strong series, which combines chilling atmosphere, razor sharp plot twists and a brilliant cast of subtly crafted characters. In "The Dark Angel", Jungstedt's writing is as thrilling and poignant as ever, ensuring that Knutas will continue to have the reader gripped from start to finish. After the glamorous party planner Viktor Algard is found murdered at one of his own glitzy events, Inspector Knutas has several leads to follow. But his investigation uncovers a terrifying trail of abuse which forces Knutas to confront his own demons, and has devastating consequences for TV journalist Johan Berg and his new wife, Emma.
REVIEW:
Scandinavian Crime is a guilty pleasure of mine. I love the harsh landscape and bleak weather and the sheer determination of the people. Add to this an author who brings it to the audience with almost cinematic imaging but backs the characters up with emotional traits that allow them to grow and it’s a setting that is not only gripping but compulsive reading.
Mari, for me is one of the best of the Scandinavians and when you bring vivid prose, solid dialogue and of course a pace that is hard set but with added police procedural with strong personal views of the crime scene from the various witnesses it makes it a novel that will bring a new aspect to the reader. All in a great story and one that I’ve enjoyed from start to finish.
Release Date: 14/04/11
SYNOPSIS:
Mari Jungstedt's compelling series of novels featuring Inspector Anders Knutas continues to go from strength to strength with, The Dead of Summer , the fifth crime adventure set on the island of Gotland. Her trademark combination of rich characterisation, taut crime plots and the continuing unfolding drama of her series characters' lives add up to a mix that rivals Henning Mankell's Wallander series. The murder of a jogger on the beach at Faro is an opportunity for Anders Knutas' newly-appointed deputy, Karin Jacobsson, to prove her worth while her boss is on holiday. But when a second body is discovered, murdered in the same style, Jacobsson's investigations point to a horrifying conclusion.
REVIEW:
To be honest I’ve enjoyed Mari’s writing for a little while now and whilst she’s a little different to a lot of crime writers out there the plots are always tight, they have some decent twists and bring the whole thing together in the setting of Gotland, an area of Sweden where the natives are as tough as the landscape.
Add to this reasonable pace, police procedure that allows the tale to unfurl and whilst it isn’t outlandish reasoning, it does follow a pattern that I believe to be more of a typical police investigation than a lot of the other titles out there. Back that up with a high emotional charge between characters and it was a title that I enjoyed purely for the fact that it was different to a great many other books out there.
