Unfortunately due to the themes of this book, I am no longer interested in this book and will not be reviewing it.

Die for Me (Axel Steen #2)
by Jesper Stein
Kindle Edition
Expected publication: January 23rd 2020 by Mirror Books

Goodreads synopsis


A serial rapist wreaks havoc in Copenhagen. The police investigation is hampered not only by the absence of evidence or clues to the attacker’s identity but also by the force’s own incompetence and prejudice.

A DNA sample links the attacks to the cold case that caused DI Axel Steen’s wife to leave him four years earlier. Steen becomes obsessed with solving the case, a desperate grasp at reconciliation, but his self-destructive behaviour only serves to alienate his wife further. His increasingly volatile behaviour also causes his former police partner, now his boss, to question his competence.

Axel Steen’s hunt for the rapist is a rollercoaster ride of agonising near-misses, heart-stopping breakthroughs and a desperate search for a perpetrator who will stop at nothing to outwit the police.

***

4.5 stars

This is the second book in the Axel Steen series by Jesper Stein.

The detective inspector in this book is quite unique. He is mega screwed up. He is divorced from his wife and they share custody of their six year old child. After the breakup of their marriage due to his single-minded obsession with the bluebird case, he began smoking hash and getting messed up nearly every night.

As he tries to focus on his job, his ex-wife's new boyfriend, one of the higher ups in the police department, wants to be involved in his investigation. He begins to connect a number of rapes to one suspect. His only problem is that he needs to prove it.

Great story. I was enthralled watching Axel break down and then rise up again. He had lots of road blocks which makes the plot so interesting. I began to wonder if the man could get past his demons in order to accomplish his goal. That is the mark of a great novel, in my opinion. You just can't take your eyes off the page crossing your fingers that Axel will be successful.

If you love a good police procedural, detective fiction, definitely check this one out.

I received this as an advanced reader copy in return for an honest review. I thank the author, the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to read this title.

This is the second book in the Axel Steen novels, but it can be read as a stand alone book. This is a Scandinavian crime thriller which I always find to be good reads if well translated.

Axel Steen is clearly a troubled man, a hash addict, anger issues, his marriage to Cecelie ended, his daughter Emma, and marriage to Jens Jessen have hit him hard. His marriage came to an end because of his obsession with an old case.

This story is at times darkly disturbing, a dark and gritty read, certainly not for the faint hearted, and certainly not a cozy mystery.

A serial rapist is on the loose in Copenhagen and for Axel the case seems similar to the one four years earlier, the case that wrecked his marriage. But there are no clues or evidence as to who is committing these crimes. But there may now be evidence linking back to his old case.

This is a fast paced novel, keeping the reader engaged throughout, with one bit of action after another. Axel pushes himself all the time determined to catch the person committing these crimes, he wants the women to feel safe on the streets. At times you wonder how much further he can push himself without burning out completely. There are characters you will like, and some you most definitely won’t like. I haven’t completely decided how I feel about Axel, he is clearly a good man who wants crimes solved, but he has so many flaws, maybe because of the break up of his marriage, as he clearly cannot commit romantically.

Despite the dark content I found this to be a very engaging read, the author added things about Denmark, about how the police procedure works there, the problems they have with immigrants are highlighted, some interesting titbits of information picked up through the storyline.

It can sometimes be difficult reading books that have been translated, as I find my brain trying to work out how to pronounce names, or places. I would have liked to have read the previous book in the series to get more if a feel for the characters especially to know more about Axel. But I do enjoy the Scandinavian noir books.

Thank you to #Netgalley and #Mirrorbooks for an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest unbiased review.

Alex is not the most likable detective being part psycho, hash addict, arrogant and racked with guilt trying to find a serial rapist while beating himself up for still having unfinished business regarding a murder four years before.
If you are looking for a gritty, intelligent thriller with interesting characters, false leads, personal angst, and a couple of sexy moments then Jesper Stein has delivered in spades.
This is my first book by Danish author Jesper Stein and the second in the series
Thanks to NerGalley and Mirror Books

Dark and gritty, Die for Me is a new Scandi-noir crime fiction novel by Danish author Jesper Stein featuring police detective Axel Steen. A cross between Alex Cross and Martin Riggs, Axel brings this story to life and makes it hard to put down. Crimes have been left unsolved until he puts the puzzle pieces together and solves multiple cases leaving the reader with the satisfaction of knowing that the bad guy always gets caught.

What I like:

The novel is fast-paced flowing from one action sequence to the next. I didn’t want to put it down until I knew that Axel catches the bad guy, and the women of Denmark are safe from a very evil man.

I have not read any other book in this series, but it did not matter for my understanding of this novel. It’s nice for readers when they can jump into a book in a series and understand it as if a stand-alone novel. If readers feel like they must start at the beginning of a series to understand what’s going, they are less likely to pick up a book 2 — no need to worry with this novel. You can jump right in.

Axel Steen is a very flawed man, but this makes him even more interesting to follow. Addicted to hash, unable to commit to a romantic partner, and a bit of an anger management problem – part of Axel’s charm is wondering when he will crash and burn or if his need to see justice served will carry him through. At times I wondered if he was a bit too flawed, but it works in this novel.

Learning about Denmark was an unexpected highlight of this novel. Danish police procedures, the country’s trouble with immigrants, and their civil registration number system are just a small sampling of the things I want to learn more about now that I am finished reading the novel. For people unfamiliar with Denmark, it added a piece to the story that other settings cannot offer.

What I wish

It would have been great to have appositives to help the reader understand different slang used throughout the novel. The slang added a sense of realism to the dialogue but having to stop and look words up breaks the natural flow of the story.

Lastly, I wish I knew more about Danish culture so I could appreciate the nuances. Perhaps, one day…

To Read or Not to Read
This novel is an excellent representation of a new sub-genre in crime fiction. So, for the explorers among you, it’s time to visit Denmark if only on paper.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advanced copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

A serial rapist is on the loose terrozing woman in Copenhagan. This is book #7.. Axel Steen has always had trouble and problems follow him everywhere.
This book was dark and gritty, it was like reading an Alex Cross book for me. But, I loved it. It was a fast paced, page turning read for me.
The plot was very intense and interesting, which i loved so much. This book was given to me for a honest review by netgalley.
This book works great as a stand alone,

When I requested this book, I did not realize it was part of a series. That probaby has something to do with why I found it hard to get into it at first. I started and stopped a couple of times before I finally pushed thru. I have to say, I did enjoy it!! I might have to go back and read the series from the beginning now.

3.5/5

Thank you #netgalley and #mirrorbooks for the eARC.

Book seven of a series and although I haven’t read them all, and will at some ppint, this is one of the toughest bookss I’ve read.

Books about rape are hard to read anyway, but when they involve such graphic ones and numerous ones, with all the forensic science attached to it, then it’s harder still. The one difference that was good about this novel however was that it treats rape and sexual assault with the respect it deserves, and the reality it deserves explaining that both men and women can judge a victim or a potential one and that the crime itself is not often understood by many. The main character Axel Steen plays a tough but compelling role.

I just found it hard to ‘like’ this novel. It felt depressing in many places and I can’t say I want to go to Copenhagen anytime soon ( I realise this is fictional but the city is well portrayed via its parks, streets etc)

The investigative side and forensic side of things was very well done although much of it will make you squeamish Given the subject matter, can I just say that the title seems a bit odd.

This is a Scandinavian murder mystery. The chief investigator, Axel Steen, has a lot of issues of his own, which are handled well in the book for those who have not read any in the series before. His marriage has ended and his wife and child now live with a police colleague. He is still haunted by the killing of a young woman fifteen years ago which led to his wife's departure.

Now there are some very serious rapes which are threatening Copenhagen's good record for catching criminals. Then Steen begins to wonder if the assaults are linked to the unsolved murder.

Not an easy read, but very interesting and the more so for its setting in Denmark. Axel is an interesting character. Some sections of the book are a little slow, but overall it is a very entertaining read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Mirror Books for allowing me access to the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Splendid yarn of murder unsolved and violent historical sexual assaults with more than a hint of Jo Nesbo's Harry Hole series. A nonconformist detective seeking resolution of the murder he couldn't solve, problems with his ex-wife and superiors at work all combine in an enthralling darkly graphic tale. An atmospheric depiction of Copenhagen is skilfully woven into the plot and the whole is brought to a satisfactory climax with hopefully more to come.

I would like to thank Netgalley and Mirror Books for an advance copy of Die for Me, the second novel to feature DI Axel Steen of the Copenhagen Police.

When DNA from a recent rape case is found to have links to an unsolved murder from four years ago Axel is desperate to investigate and solve the case that almost destroyed him and did destroy his marriage. When he finds more linked cases his determination to solve the case increases.

I thoroughly enjoyed Die for Me which is a good procedural, being strong on both procedure and the political considerations involved in any investigation. It is told, in third person from two points of view, those of Axel and Deputy Police Commissioner Jens Jessen with the added frisson that Axel’s ex-wife Cecilie left him for Jens. I liked this complication as the reader sees the relationship from both sides but never gets to know what Cecilie thinks so it’s all speculation and rather illuminating about their characters. The contrast in their characters is stark. Jens is the archetypal shiny, more bureaucrat than policeman with a keen eye for advantage and advancement whereas Axel is the driven loner with no concept of any consideration outside the needs of his case. Both, however, are a cauldron of emotion which adds colour, if not likability, to their personalities.

I really liked the investigation side of the novel which is very strong on procedure with the police casting a wide net, initially in terms of which historical cases to consider then suspects, and then gradually honing in. The arguments about the emphasis and approach to it are well done and realistic. This is not a soft novel so the characters are tough and uncompromising in their attitudes and towards each other and the rape descriptions are nothing short of harrowing. It also doesn’t miss the incompetence of some detectives and the failures in procedure, including rather pointed digs about the way certain officers treat rape victims. I love the take no prisoners tone as it seems realistic if uncomfortable at times.

Die for Me is a good read which I have no hesitation in recommending.

This book was tough to get into because of the translation. This had all the right parts for a crime / murder novel. The troubled cop with a substance abuse problem, the drowned girl in the lake, the ex wife but it fell a bit flat for me. There were definitely parts that I enjoyed and sped through, however, I'm not sure if it was just moving too slowly or I truly could not get past the language barrier.

The character development and conflict was outstanding and found the plot kept me interested. Good read!

Thank you Netgalley for sending me this arc. I will be reviewing this book in the near future with an honest rating and review.

Thank you Netgalley for an advance digital copy for an exchange of an honest review.
Description by publisher (they say it best)
A serial rapist wreaks havoc in Copenhagen. The police investigation is hampered not only by the absence of evidence or clues to the attacker’s identity, but also by the force’s own incompetence and...
A thriller that took fire about a third of the way into the book. It is definitely a little hard to understand the different culture but easy to catch on due to the roller coaster ride it takes you on.
Alex Steen is a flawed detective that follows his own rules. His personal life has collapsed due to addiction and anger issues but his resolve to finish the case for the victims is admirable. That resolve helps the reader stay with him in his pursuit of justice.
The view of society on women and rape is emphasized and makes you question the need to continue “fixing” society’s view and treatment of the victims.
This is within a series which sometimes makes me pause but it was seamless in introduction and will read more of this series.

Another fine volume in a Danish series that combines the tough-guy American rebel loner who straddles the world of law enforcement and anti-establishment autonomous and immigrant communities in Copenhagen. Gritty, humane, and well-plotted.

Well I requested this book due to the title I have read two other books with that title and both of them were wonderful making me a fan of both authors, this one not so much. This book had the potential to be good thriller but it was too wordy to dry.. I just couldn't get into it as much I tried because sometimes I thought ohh its getting better however it would die again, so it wasn't as great for me and it could also be that this is part of a series, me I will not be following the rest since this one just didn't do it for me..

I had a hard time getting into the book. The flow between characters was hard to keep track of then past or present time, I wasn’t for sure. I gave the book 100 pages before calling it and quit.

A darkly disturbing psychological thriller.
This book was well written with a weighty plot. I was hooked from beginning to end. There was plenty going on to keep me guessing throughout and the ending was a definite surprise.
The main character was easy to relate to, while not being particularly likeable. The relationships between the various characters added to the plot with ease.
A chilling tale of depravity which is not for the faint hearted, if you're looking for a dark and gritty read, this is certainly it. I will be adding it to my bookshelf

Fantastic. A first rate Scandi thriller. The plot and characters were very good, and it was fast paced. I liked the main character Axel, his relationships with everyone else were believable. I would highly recommend this novel.