Vanished - Liza Marklund

I read my first Liza Marklund book last year (review of The Bomber) and quite enjoyed it.

Reporter Annika Bengtson returns in Vanished. I hadn't read the books in between and found Annika in a different state of mind and place. She's at the newspaper, but is a copy editor, not out in the field. She lives in a stark apartment in a condemned building, simply existing, trying to deal with numerous tragedies in her personal life. But while editing a story on a recent double murder on the waterfront one night, a random call is routed to her desk and she finds herself immediately intrigued. Rebecka claims to be able to erase a person's past and set them up with a new identity and life. Annika's boss gives her the go ahead to pursue the story - he's happy to see her excited about something again. But The Paradise Foundation may not be everything Rebeckah claims.  And when she discovers that the waterfront murders and the Foundation may have a connection, Annika is drawn in....

This was a very different Annika for me. At times I saw the strong, fearless reporter, at other times she was a puddle on the floor. I understood her grief, but the neediness shown at a certain juncture is well - obsessive. I had a hard time accepting that she could swing so far from one side to the other in such a short time.

I found the idea of The Paradise Foundation fascinating. Office politics and ethics, Eastern Bloc Mafia, marriage, happiness and the Swedish social assistance program are also stirred into the plot of Vanished. There was a bit of proselytizing near the end that I did find myself skipping over. It was only as I read the end notes, that I discovered Marklund's basis for this book. While working as a night reporter on a Swedish newspaper, Marklund really did receive a call about a foundation exactly as described and ended up investigating it. I wonder how much of Liza Marklund is part of Annika?

The pacing is a bit slower, with lots of personal story this time. Marklund ends the book with a good twist - identifying the author of small diatribes scattered throughout the book - one I did not see coming. All in all a good read. I'm intrigued by this character and will definitely read another in this series. Read an excerpt of Vanished.  You can find Marklund on Facebook

Cell 8 - Anders Roslund & Börge Hellström

Roslund and Hellström's  novel, Three Seconds, hit bestseller lists in their native Sweden and in the US. (my review)

Their latest book, Cell 8, opens in the US - in a prison on death row. John Meyer Frey was sentenced to death at 17, for a murder he says he didn't commit.

On the other side of the world in Sweden, John Schwartz assaults another man. He is remanded to jail, but his reaction to being locked up is unsettling. John knows..."He had to get away from there. He couldn't face dying again."

The case is brought to the attention of Swedish Detective Inspector Ewert Grens. But..."He could not possibly know that this single act of violence was linked to a murder, and was the continuation of a process that had started many years ago, far away; it would prove to be the most extraordinary criminal investigation he had ever come across."

I really don't want to give away any more of the plot. Roslund and Hellström have concocted an ingenious, devious plot that makes for a fantastic read. Flashbacks within the current timeline provide the answers from the past. The levels of machinations, manipulations and recriminations are masterful. I kept telling myself 'just one more chapter' and then I'll shut down for the night...I was up very late. But the story also touches on a issue that is controversial in any country - the death penalty. Roslund and Hellström provide social commentary through their characters, both for and against.

I was really hoping that this writing duo would bring back Grens again. He is a complicated character - emotionally wounded, very eccentric and clever. "Detective Inspector Ewert Grens was the sort of person that people moved away from on the pavement, the sort of man who is heard without having to say a word." But there are some chinks in his armour against the world in Cell 8. We learn more about his past and he lets his guard down with a new arrival on his team. I'm not quite sure if I like him or not - my opinion changed throughout the novel.  But I am intrigued by him, especially since we have been allowed a personal glimpse.

The supporting cast members are also very well drawn. The hate of the father of Frey's victim is palpable, pulsating on the page. I enjoy the interactions between the members of Grens' team - the addition of young Hermannson has interjected a new dynamic, in many ways.

The run up to the ending of the book had me frantically turning pages and hoping for a certain ending. But I was caught off guard by the direction the authors took. And I love it - not being able to predict what will happen makes the read all the more enjoyable.

What makes this writing duo unique is their backgrounds. Anders Roslund is a award winning journalist who specialized in criminal and social issues and Hellström is an ex-criminal who worked with newly released prisoners stay on the straight and narrow. Their experience shows in their writing - it has a gritty, real tone that will grab you from first page to last.

Get a sneak peek - click here to read an excerpt. You can find Roslund & Hellstrom on Twitter and on Facebook.

The Hypnotist - Lars Kepler

Creepy cover + creepy tale = good read. The Hypnotist is a debut novel for Lars Kepler (a husband and wife team from Sweden)

Three members of the Ek family have been brutally murdered. Their son Josef was miraculously found alive amongst the carnage. Inspector Joona Linna is brought in on the case. Dr. Erik Bark is one of the physicians at the hospital Josef brought to. Bark was a renowned hypnotist, using his skill to help patients uncover and heal from trauma. However he has sworn off hypnotism - a past event is alluded to but not fully explained in the beginning. Urged on by Linna, but against his better judgment, Bark hypnotizes Josef. However, what Josef reveals is unexpected to say the least.

I enjoyed the engimatic character of Joona Linna very much. His confidence in his abilities is not bravado, but he does make a point of asking "What did I tell you?" when he is proven correct. His calm demeanor hides a character not fully explored in this first book of a planned series.

The book takes a different direction with Dr. Bark's involvement. Slowly we are led down a different path as the events that ended his use of hypnotism are revealed. His past comes to haunt him in the present, as does Josef's case.

I found myself continually off kilter as I read The Hypnotist - no one behaved as I expected them to at all. The cadence of the prose added to this off balance feeling at times, but was in keeping with the story. I found the interaction between Bark and his wife quite puzzling at times. Not that it was a bad thing - I really had no idea where the plot line was going next - there was layer upon layer of plotting. I like not being able to predict an outcome and Kepler kept me on my toes.

I look forward to the next book by this duo. The Hypnotist is an international bestseller with rights sold in over 30 countries. It's been on the Globe and Mail bestseller list since it's release. Warning for readers - there are definitely some graphic scenes.

Read an excerpt of The Hypnotist.

Three Seconds - Roslund & Hellström

Scandanavian authors have just exploded on North American reading lists following the runaway success of Stieg Larsson's books.

Finished that series and looking for another? You've got to try Three Seconds by Anders Roslund and Börge Hellström from Sweden. This pair are Sweden's number one crime writers. Here's the interesting thing - Roslund is an award winning journalist and Hellström is a an ex con. The combination of their talents and viewpoints have made their books a hit. Three Seconds was the Best Swedish Crime Novel of the Year in 2009.

Piet Hoffman is a police informant, deep undercover, having infiltrated the Polish mafia.  One last mission and the cops will have what they want and Piet can 'retire' into anonymity with his family. The job - go into the worst prison in Sweden and take control of the drug trade. With assurances that they'll try to get him out if things go bad, Piet agrees. But once he's in - he's on his own...

DI Ewert Grens is unaware of Piet Hoffman until his name comes up in a murder case. As Grens follows the threads of his investigation, it leads to more than just a simple murder. Ewert Grens is a character I want to read more of. He is an emotionally wounded man and very eccentric, but also terribly clever.  Past cases are alluded to, but this never detracted from this book as a stand alone.

I couldn't put this one down.  It's a  gritty, gripping read that delves into the shadowy underworld. An intense, intrically plotted story that kept me turning pages. The ending was very clever - loved it.

Three Seconds is now on the New York Times bestseller list. Follow Roslund & Hellström on Twitter and Three Seconds on Facebook.