It was a tough read...the ending was horrible, the plot just...IDK I had to force myself to read it which is never a good thing!

I wish I could even describe the way I felt about this book. I was hoping I found a new author to enjoy but just no...

Minotaur Books and NetGalley provided me with an electronic copy of The Ninth Grave. I was under no obligation to review this book and my opinion is freely given.

Swedish Criminal Investigator Fabian Risk has returned with an all new investigation, one that has deadly implications in the international community. When high profile individuals are kidnapped and later turn up dead with missing organs, all signs point to a man with past crimes that are very similar. At the same time, the brutal murder of the wife of a Danish TV star has Danish Criminal Investigator Dunja Hougaard searching far and wide for clues. When the criminal signature matches a series of old cases, will Dunja be able to track down the suspect before there are more victims?

This police procedural thriller includes the timely subject matter of black market organ procurement. The Ninth Grave was around 200 pages too long and the author never successfully joined the two countries' cases together. The book's intensity at the beginning is not sustained and, by the middle, the plot seriously drags. Both Fabian Risk and Dunja Hougaard take chances where their real-life counterparts would not. Their reckless behaviors would make good movie action scenes, but just does not seem realistic.

By the end of The Ninth Grave, I was just reading to see the direction the author would take in the end. This book represents a missed opportunity to me, as the premise held promise for a compelling thriller.

Even though this is apparently the second in the series, this could be read as a stand alone. A great Nordic Noir which is a bit out of my comfort zone. Nice enough book

Great read! Looking forward to reading more by this author! Highly recommend!

The book is colder than a Swedish winter. It has everything from organ smuggling to murder. I recommend it for those who like mysteries with many twist and turns.

I really enjoyed this story and expected a completely different outcome although I can see that this was Stefan's real target to begin with, he kept going until he made it come full circle to Aisha Shahin's death. Fabian Risk, Malin Rehnberg and Dunja Hougaard were the main characters that were responsible for the outcome of the investigations in Sweden and Denmark and weren't thrown off by the supposed closing of each case. They were aware that another was responsible for the outcome. Aisha was well equipped to finalize the outcome of her quest.

I think that the story will leave people with that nothing can be resolved to perfection. Will half to wait to see what comes from Stefan next.

I received this book from one of my favorite publisher, St. Martin Press, in exchange for my honest review. Thank you very much St. Martin's Press!!

This is gruesome and fast paced story with so many different angles and setting into 3 different countries. There are so many twist and turns and so many characters in the story. I was hooked to the story line from the beginning and the short sections of the story, switching from angle to angle and from one character to the other , kept you wanting to find out more. The storyline is great and the ending is so surprising, you would never guess it. This book is hard to describe, you should read it for yourself.

My favorite quote:
"Never again will I love another.
Never again will my heart beat for any other.
You and no other
As long as I love, and on into eternity.
Soon you'll be whole again, and I will be too
Then we'll meet again
My promise to you"

Another one which is so relevant in today"s world with way too frequent violence and the unresolved issues of mental health:
"The rest of the medical world accepts that a paralyzed lower body will always be paralyzed but psychology is different. Everyone cab get healthy with a little treatment regardless of how disabled they ar."


Upon researching the Author, Stephan Ahnhem, (Scandinavian crime writer), I learned that this book is number 2 in a 3 part series. I have not read the first book in the series but that did not hinder me from enjoying this story. Nothing was lost. I am looking forward to read the whole series.

I would highly recommend this book, because the mystery and the thrill are nothing like you have ever read before. The writing is superb.