Thank you @simonschusterca and @netgalley for a copy of The Tenant by Katrina Engberg for an honest review. The Tenant is available tomorrow.

The Tenant is the first in a new Nordic Noir series featuring Detectives Kørner and Werner. I have to say that I did not love either of these characters so I had a tough time finishing this book. What did drive me to continue it and finish it however was the crime! A young woman is murdered in her apartment with her face cut into an intricate pattern and I read this whole book just to figure out who might have done it. The plot was definitely there, the mystery intriguing, but for me the two lead detectives are not characters I’m eager to read again.

I really tried to get into this book but unfortunately it couldn't keep my attention.

I know some might love this book but it just isn't for me

Thank you to Simon & Schuster for my review copy. The Tenant is an intense thriller and gets right into the story as soon as you start the book. I typically can predict what is to come but I found this book to be hard to figure out and loved that aspect of the book. I was constantly surprised and found this to be a very engaging read. I highly recommend!

This was my first read from Katrina Engberg and I was very impressed, The Tenant is a thriller/mystery book and had me guessing all the way through.

I thought the characters were very well developed and the storyline flowed well, I was invested In the mystery and found I couldn’t put it down.

I did think at one point that I had the plot all figured out but I was thrown a curveball and proved wrong which is how I like it to be.

All in all a great read that I will definitely recommend.

My review is voluntary but I would like to thank @netgalley @SimonandSchuster and the author for the ARC copy.

3.5 stars

This is book #1 in a series set in Copenhagen featuring Danish detectives Jeppe Kørner & Anette Werner. There are 3 more that follow, not yet translated.

It all begins with a body. In this case, a young woman named Julie Stender is found horribly mutilated in the apartment she rents from landlady Esther de Laurenti. Violent murders are rare in this city & the resulting media frenzy doesn’t help Jeppe & Anette as they begin to dismantle Julie’s life in search of their killer.

It’s a very character driven story with a large cast. Fellow tenants, friends, family, co-workers…we meet them all as police investigate everyone with a possible tie to Julie. Of particular interest is her landlady, a retired professor who just happens to be writing a novel with a scene that is disturbingly similar to the murder of her young tenant.

I’m a big fan of Scandinavian mystery/thrillers & this has that distinctive nordic vibe. It’s not a fast paced procedural. Instead, there is a subtle tension that gradually builds as Jeppe & Anette scratch each name off their list of suspects. The story is complex & guessing the killer’s identity will have you swinging from one character to the next.

The 2 MC’s have a comfortable relationship. They support & pick on each other like siblings & it was a pleasant relief not to have the stereotypical romantic angle so often present in the genre. Jeppe is still reeling from his divorce & perhaps a tad too dependent on pain killers. I found his character better developed while Anette remained more of an enigma. She was harder to read & her reactions seemed a bit OTT at times. Her dialogue is riddled with exclamation marks but I’m not sure if this was down to blips in translation or if her character really is that excitable.

I enjoyed this but was left with the feeling it was a better book in its original language. Some of the dialogue felt stilted & unnatural to North American ears & the narrative was abrupt at times. Effectively translating a novel is such a tough job & navigating western idioms & word usage must be a nightmare. So I’m a little jealous of Danish readers because there’s a good story here. The MC’s & the dynamic between them is compelling & I’d like to pick up book #2 to get to know them better.

First off I want to thank @netgalley, @simonandschusterca @katrineengberg for my advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
•
The tenant is a gripping page turner that will keep you hooked from page 1. There's always something going on, Engberg throws you to when side and then grabs you back and throws you another side. This novel was really well done.
•
I really enjoyed the whole plot and story of the book. There was a lot going on which did scare me at some point but then it all started falling into place and making sense. The way everything unfolded, the way the author kept you on the edge of your seat throughout the whole book. It is a gritty mystery with a thrilling plot, you always think you've got it figured out but something new always comes up and steers you the opposite way. The environment was so well portrayed and so easy to imagine. The characters were all very likeable, meshed well together.
•
I cannot wait to follow these detectives on their next case. If your a fan of Nordic mysteries or fans of Joe Nesbo, Lars Kepler you should definitely add this one to your list

The Tenant is such a well-done mystery! It has twists and turns that were interesting and layered. I enjoyed the cat and mouse game through the book between the detective, Jeppe and the murderer. It was fast, detailed and intriguing the whole time. I guessed the murderer pretty quick but that did not tamper my enjoyment of the plot or reveal. Definitely recommend!

I received a copy via Netgalley from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

I requested this book on Netgalley because the cover is pretty, the book sounds good, and I'm obsessed with anything Nordic Noir. Unfortunately, just because a cover is pretty and a book sounds good, it doesn't always mean that you're going to enjoy it. This book was not for me. Yes, it was Nordic Noir and these books do tend to be on the slower side but the pace of this one just dragged on for me. As per most (perhaps all?) Nordic Noir books, we are dealing with a police procedural book. The plot was amazing, I really did enjoy the idea of it but the execution wasn't there for me. I also really wasn't feeling either of the detectives.

I really wish I enjoyed this one but everything about it just didn't click with me. I probably would have DNF it but I was interested in finding out who the killer was, so I stuck around for that reason.

I am a huge fan of Nordic noir so I was so happy to get the chance to read The Tenant early! I was very impressed with this crime thriller by Katrine Engberg.

The Tenant centers around the murder of a young girl in her apartment building and two detectives, Korner and Werner, who are attempting to find her killer. The murder is unique and brutal and there are many suspects at hand, one being the landlord of the apartment building.

I thought the mystery was relatively well done and I enjoyed the dynamic between the two detectives. The story kept me interested and I was satisfied with the ending.

Thank you to Netgalley and Simon and Schuster Canada for the early copy!

It's always so exciting to be at the first book of an entirely new series! The translation work was excellent - the language felt very natural and immersive without being too simplistic. Loved the characters, loved the setting, and will absolutely be looking for more. I'll be recommending Katrine Engberg to other mystery readers!

This was the second book that has been translated from it’s original language to English that I have read. Having enjoyed the first translated book I had read, I didn’t think there would be an issue or barrier with reading another. That being said, certain names in this book we’re difficult to read and often had me confused as to which character was which. This made the book difficult for me to get into as it slowed down the reading process thus disengaging me in an otherwise fast paced book.

For seasoned readers of translated books and lovers of who-done-it plots, I imagine this would be a great read! Unfortunately, this book wasn’t up my alley.

When a young woman is found murdered in her apartment with intricate lines carved into her face, detectives Korner and Werner are assigned to the case. Pretty soon it is evident that the victim is somehow connected to her landlady Esther, who also happens to be writing a book, one which clearly depicts the exact murder. Pretty soon the list of suspects grows, another murder is committed, and the detectives have more questions than answers.

The book started off strong with a good hook to keep you interested but it was a tad slow in the first half, for me anyways. The second half is where the story really picked up pace and got interesting. I love Nordic crime and The Tenant certainly delivered. The story flowed well and the intricate plot definitely contributed to a bit of whip lash. Without giving away any spoilers, I wish there was more back story and reasoning behind some of the characters. I was left wanting a bit more information and explanation. But overall a pretty solid book and I’d love to read more of the series.

This is the first book featuring detectives Jeppe Kørner and Anette Werner, two detectives working in Copenhagen. There was no mention of a translator (that I could find) but I think he/she did a great job because the book flowed very well. This is a murder mystery/suspense and is captivating from the beginning. A young woman has been brutally murdered and the police are following leads which point in several different directions and they need to find the killer before he strikes again. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and would highly recommend it.
Thanks to NetGalley for this arc in exchange for an honest review

A wonderful debut by Katrine Engberg! A compelling thriller, a wonderful mystery. Enough twists and turns to keep any reader of Nordic Noir turning pages till the end. I look forward to her next book.

I really enjoyed this one. It starts with the brutally murdered body of a 21 year old woman named Julie being found by another tenant Gregers. The other tenant and owner of the complex Esther is then questioned by the two detectives that take on the case Jeppe and Anette. From there little foreshadowing nuggets and side characters are dispersed throughout the investigation and the snippets we get of each of the characters that leaves the reader trying to figure out whodunnit. 

The dynamic between Christian (Julie’s father) and her I think could have been expanded upon a bit because his actions and accusations throughout seemed muddled. As well as a bit more backstory with Kingo and his involvement in all this as I found it a little convenient and farfetched at times. 

The pacing was a little slow in the beginning and getting used to the Danish locations/police procedures but it didn’t waver my motivation to continue on to try and piece together everything. From the beginning to about 70% of the novel my pick on who the killer was and their motives behind it kept switching as I tried to piece together clues and symbolism that was mentioned earlier. I do wish the reveal of the culprit was drawn out more and took place closer to the end to keep that intense page-turner excitement. Regardless, I devoured this in just under twenty four hours. I needed to know how it all tied together!

*Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review*

I received a copy of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley.

This was a well-translated police procedural set in Copenhagen. I liked the lead detectives Jeppe and Anette, although it was a little tiresome (and typical) that Jeppe decided to sleep with a witness. The plot moved on swiftly and the first three-quarters of the novel were intriguing and flowed well. Unfortunately at about the 72% mark, the identity of the murderer became clear, which destroyed much of the tension for me. There were a couple of fairly violent action scenes and then the explanation for the whole devious train of events was revealed. This was extremely far-fetched.

SPOILERS

Julie's father's actions were mystifying throughout and I didn't feel we ever spent enough time with Kingo and his succession of assistants to be able to believe they would be so under his spell as to murder, torture or rape for him.

Still, I would be keen to read more in this series.

2.5 Stars.
I wish to thank NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the opportunity to read this ARC in return for an honest review. I often enjoy Nordic Noir crime stories, but I am sorry to say this one failed to resonate with me. I found it slow and the language flat. I was not feeling any sense of excitement or suspense. These ingredients were present in the plot, but the thrills I expected to feel were absent for me. The plot was complicated and well thought out with a variety of suspects, surprises and red herrings, so it should have worked for me. I wonder if this might be partly due to translation.

The leading investigative team was Jeppe and Anette. Jeppe was the typical flawed detective with serious emotional problems, and I felt Anette needed more character development. I failed to connect with any of the characters. I did not care for the police, nor the victims. The villains’ motivations seemed rather far fetched. Without being able to empathize with any of the cast, I was unable to care for the surprising reveals and solutions to the crimes.

I notice that many readers enjoyed this book, and am sorry that it just wasn’t for me. I feel that fans of Nordic crime stories should not be influenced by my misgivings.

The Tenant by Katrine Engberg is a Scandinavian noir that pairs perfectly with shorter days and the autumnal chill in the air. This one is dark, twisted, and complex, and pretty much everything you would expect from this addictive genre.

Jeppe Korner and Anette Werner, Copenhagen police detectives, respond the the grisly murder of a twenty-'one year old woman whose lifeless body is discovered by a fellow tenant in her apartment. Adding further to the savage crime, the victim's face has been carved into an intricate pattern. When Jeppe and Anette begin to question the other residents of the stately home, Esther de Laurenti, the owner of the house, becomes a person of interest when it is revealed that she has written about a crime that bears striking similarities to the circumstances of the young woman's demise. Has her manuscript, in fact, become an instructive manual for murder?

This is a thoroughly compelling read and a most impressive debut. I am hopeful that Korner and Werner will return, as I believe that we have only scratched the surface of their depths. Recommended.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Canada for this ARC.