Kjell Eriksson's The Night of the Fire marks a captivating return for police inspector Ann Lindell, and as a fan of Nordic noir, I was eager to dive into this gripping tale. Having never read Eriksson's previous works featuring Lindell, I found this novel not only a perfect introduction but also an invitation to explore the author's back catalog.

The story begins with Ann Lindell seeking a quieter life in a small town, producing local cheese. However, tranquility is shattered on New Year’s Eve when a tragic arson fire at a former school for asylum seekers results in three fatalities. This incident reignites Lindell's investigative instincts, drawing her back into a world of crime and chaos. The narrative deftly intertwines personal stakes with pressing contemporary issues, particularly around immigration, making the plot resonate on multiple levels.

What I particularly enjoyed about The Night of the Fire is Eriksson's ability to blend small-town mystery with the larger, complex realities of modern society. The setting of Uppland, with its serene landscapes juxtaposed against the harsh realities of violence and discrimination, adds depth to the narrative. Lindell’s character is richly developed, embodying both vulnerability and determination as she navigates the intricacies of her investigation.

Eriksson's writing style is engaging and atmospheric, effectively capturing the tension and urgency of the unfolding events. The author has a keen eye for detail, allowing readers to immerse themselves fully in both the emotional and physical landscapes of the story. The foreboding message that “many will die” looms over the investigation, heightening the stakes and keeping readers on the edge of their seats.

As someone who loves mysteries that tackle contemporary issues, The Night of the Fire was right up my alley. Eriksson’s nuanced approach to the themes of asylum, community, and fear invites reflection without sacrificing the thrilling pace of a detective novel.

All in all, The Night of the Fire is a masterful blend of intrigue, social commentary, and character-driven storytelling. It left me eager to discover more about Ann Lindell’s previous adventures and to see where Eriksson takes her next. If you’re a fan of Nordic noir or enjoy stories that resonate with today’s issues, this book is a must-read.

I've tried to read this book a few times and it doesn't seem to stick with me. I definitely believe this is a case of the reader and not the book.

I’m a big fan of Nordic Noir and was really intrigued by the plot of this one - a story that takes a retired police officer living in a small town into the midst of crimes that focus on discrimination, racism, immigration and other current issues.

The plot is complex and full of details. For me, it was too focused on these small details and I struggled to keep engaged.

I think this is a book that’s best enjoyed when you’ve read the others in the series.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the eARC to read and review.

I was looking forward to this title but it did little to keep my interest I am sorry to say. Not a memorable read.

A great Swedish mystery, which is a genre I never knew I needed! I loved the character of Ann Lindell and appreciated that her flaws make her more human. I look forward to reading more in this series. Atmospheric, timely, with a complex plot and well-developed characters.

I was determined to finish the book. With terrorism and hatred of immigrants enmeshed in the storyline, it should have been a book challenging to put down, but it was not. I have thought several days about why I found it a difficult book to finish. There are several reasons. The storyline felt disjointed. I understand that in a series, the author does not want to spend much time on backstory. The successful author can incorporate enough information into the writing to make readers feel empathy toward the main characters, but I could not connect with anyone. As an American reader, I got confused by the Swedish names, to my ear and eye they were so similar that I kept getting mixed up. Geography also seemed to be important in the storyline, and perhaps having a map of Sweden would have helped me make sense of what was going on.

A quiet life is not to be for Ann Lindall. A former police inspector looking for a simpler life finds herself falling on old ways as a New Years Eve party gets out of hand and a resulting fire causes death and intrigue in this quiet village. We see villagers with a long history comin* to grips with youth on the war path and long time residents with much to hide. I found the dialog lyrical in descriptions of the passing seasons and their influence on the temper of the town. Ann is longing to begin again but old habits die hard. An people are rarely against type. Happy reading

A fire in an old school that shelters Muslim immigrants, a phone call that claims that many will die and the theft of explosives bring former police inspector Ann Lindell back together with her former partner Sammy Nilsson. Lindell is now retired, but the fire occurred in the village where Ann settled and she is compelled to ask questions. She is new to the village and her prying leads to warnings to stop. A dead badger in her bed and a board thrown through her window do not stop her. The body of a girl with a swastika tattoo is found in the ashes of a second fire. In the nearby woods is the body of a suspect in the school fire. Nilsson and his new partner are responsible for this investigation, which leads them to a group of neo-Nazis with plans to use the stolen explosives.

Kjell Ericksson’s story slowly unfolds over several months. Lindell is now working as a cheese maker and is content with her life in the village. She gathers her information primarily from her neighbors and is careful not to push too hard for answers. Nilsson is having marital problems and they weigh heavily on him as he reflects on his future with the police force. This is also having an effect on how he conducts himself during his investigation. This book is also a reflection on society and the divisiveness that is becoming more prevalent. It is an excellent entry in Scandinavian crime and highly recommended. I would like to thank NetGalley and Minotaur Books for allowing my review.

Dense thought and little action😒

2.5🌟stars
This story lost me fairly early because there's constant allusion to events that take place outside of the story. I had never read an Ann Lindell murder mystery; had I done, maybe some of the comments would have made some sense.

I thought the opening was a good one, a probable hate crime against immigrants, but then that case remains up in the air and Sammy, the main detective, spends more time swinging on his former colleague's hammock and fixating on his rocky marriage than nabbing the criminals as the murders and mischief pile up.

There's minimal action or what I expect in a police procedural and a lot of concentration on the personal lives and marginally relevant thoughts of Sammy, Ann and her neighbors.

I normally love Scandinavian noir but I had to force myself to get sixty percent of this story read before I gave up because I just could not care about Ann and Sammy's efforts and activities.

Thanks to publishers Minotaur Books and NetGalley for providing an advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest review.

All is not well in the small town Anne Lindell saw as a refuge after she left the police. Growing xenophobia and, well, a dislike of newcomers in general, has led to arson and to a direct affront to Lindell (a dead badger in her bed!). She finds herself wrapped into an investigation that extends beyond her village, however, and into a bigger issue of terrorism. This is told by both Anne and her former colleague Sammy (both in the third person). It's a complex mystery and one needs to pay attention- it jumps around a bit, especially in the beginning and there are little clues as well as red herrings. I've read some but not all of the previous books but Eriksson gives you the critical details of who's who (Anne's son Erik, her lover Edvard for example). No spoilers from me but there's more here than meets the eye. Thanks to the publisher for the ARC. It's a topical read Lindell fans and those who who Scandi-noir will enjoy.

A typical Nordic noir with a paced plot and somewhat flawed, unreliable narrator. The plot line is intricate and well written with intriguing complexity in characterization. The narrative is ultimately a crime fiction with a focus on discrimination, racism, and some current political events. Whether it was the translation to English or that this novel was the eleventh in the series, it took a bit to become engaged.

Thank you to #NetGalley for the ARC of #TheNightofTheFire which was read and reviewed voluntarily. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

#readreviewrepeat #bookstagram #bookblogging #bookish #booklove #nordicnoirs #crimefiction

It has been ten long years since Swedish novelist Kjell Eriksson wrote about police inspector Ann Lindell. Since retiring from the Uppsala police department, Lindell “is living a quiet life, producing local cheese in a small town in Uppland.” She has not moved far since Uppland is only 30 kilometers from Uppsala, the fourth largest city in Sweden. The quiet of the Uppland countryside is shattered on New Year’s Eve when someone sets the former village school ablaze, a school that currently harbors asylum seekers. Tragically, three die in the inferno. Lindell’s bred in the bone investigative instincts are aroused, and she questions her neighbors. Her forays are ill-received—pigeons with their heads snapped are left in her mailbox, her window is shattered by a thrown branch, and in a particularly vile act, a rotting dead badger is deposited legs up in her bed. Lindell can’t discuss her feelings with Matilda, her employer and friend.

Otherwise she could talk about everything with Matilda, but there was one thing she hadn’t mentioned, and that was the badger in the bed, even though she thought about it every day. That was an act that soiled not only her home but the whole village and its inhabitants. She understood for the first time the feeling that crime victims tried to explain to her before: impotence and degradation, mixed with fury and a kind of disconsolation at people’s desire to harm others.

Sammy Nilsson, Lindell’s former colleague, is unable to solve the New Year’s Eve arson and murders. Months later, Bodin, his superior, taps him to return to Uppland when a woman is found murdered.

“This is a strange village,” Sammy said, breaking the silence. “Open, yet closed. Idyllic, yet so full of shit.”



“There are a few,” Bodin commented, apparently with no great eagerness to expand on the subject.



“Sweden,” said Sammy, but did not explain further what he meant, didn’t think he needed to.

The Night of the Fire is a disturbing book. There are unmistakable if unintended parallels with tensions in Sweden and the United States over immigration and the integration of refugees into the fabric of society. Ericksson is a perceptive writer: his characters speak of the past with nostalgia-tinged with the sickening reality that “past is prologue.” Elderly Swedes feel abandoned and share their unhappiness with Lindell, a relative newcomer.

Edraimsson smiled. “Honor is in decline. It started when Birger Persson was forced to close down his country store, a shop that had existed for eighty years, at least. Then it was the buses. Now there are only two runs per day, so soon they can point to a dwindling base and shut down the whole line. They canceled the bookmobile last year. And so it has continued. And when the authorities, or whatever they are, have cut back and shut down, declared us unnecessary, well, then they send a load of refugees here.”



“You didn’t like that?”



“You miss my point,” said Efraimsson, but did not explain how.

But she does get his point: the villagers close ranks rather than confront disruptions in their way of life (including murder), preferring to return to memories as if they were talismans. The dismissive attitude of the village echoes Francisco Goya’s prophetic words: “El sueño de la razón produce monstruos (The sleep of reason produces monsters).” The “monsters” are young villagers with conspiratorial doubts about their country and their future: “Hate was their primary occupation. It was exhausting, because they hated so much, and so many.”

From his upstairs window, during a visit to the john, Lindell’s closest neighbor, Gösta, witnesses three young men running away from the schoolhouse fire. He doesn’t tell the police, arguing with himself that perhaps he was mistaken. But Gösta’s night vision is precise although it sometimes spins into fantasy. His dearly departed wife Irma once told he should “write a horror novel” based on his nocturnal visions: “For him it was almost reality, and he didn’t like that she belittled his revelation.”

Lindell is warned anonymously that there are more horrors ahead: “His message is short and clear: Many will die.” The stark warning comes to pass when “a bomb explodes in a suburb of Stockholm.” Edman, one of the conspirators is sickened by the carnage and lashes out at Give, his superior.

“What about that kid who was killed too?”



“I knew it! I knew you’d bring that up!”



“It was a little boy.”



Give leaned forward and took a can of beer out of a cooler.



“That’s just because you have one yourself, but there will be those kinds of losses.”



“He was a Swedish boy. His name was Jonathan.”



“I damn well don’t want to know what his name was. I don’t give a damn. A gang of Abdullahs and Alis died too, that’s more important. Don’t you understand, you see!” He made a motion with his hand. “We’ve made history!”



Edman glanced at the TV. Once again the destruction at Peppartorget in Hökarängen was shown, and how people flooded the square with flowers and lit candles.

Evil and prejudice metastasize from a country village to the suburbs of Stockholm. Careless youths caught up in “various racist and Nazi groups,” don’t realize that they are agents of men who seek nothing less than chaos. Meticulous detective work unearths the guilty and ends the escalating violence, but Eriksson is too realistic to pretend that the events that started on New Year’s Eve are more than a skirmish in an ongoing war, a war that will have to be fought by Swedish citizens.

On a lighter note, The Night of the Fire reminded me of similarities between middle-aged, high ranking female detectives. If you like Jane Tennison and Vera Stanhope, you’ll also enjoy Ann Lindell. Possibly because of the vagaries of Lindell’s personal life, alcohol is a temporary solution that has been known to morph into a crutch. She sets up a hammock in her new backyard—why?

She could not say why she’d bought it. In a hammock you rock, and in motion it’s harder to drink wine. And it’s impossible to place a table in front of a hammock, in other words there’s no place for a glass.

Lindell’s generous way of viewing the world, and her innate self-honesty and self-awareness is very appealing. I will be eagerly awaiting the twelfth Lindell mystery and I am grateful for the generous backlist.

This is the 8th or 9th book in a Swedish murder mystery series, but it's the first one I've read.
A few years ago I went though a phase where I read tons of Nordic noir and loved it. So having the chance to read this was fun.
One of the main characters, Ann Lindell, is retired from the police force but getting involved in a mystery in the small village she moved to. I could tell while reading the book that a lot of hints from previous books were being thrown in. I think you could jump in to this series like I did, but it would be better to start at the beginning. She has a drinking problem and an iffy relationship (sound like most Nordic noir?). She is on decent terms with her new village neighbors but someone is threatening her with notes to stay out of the investigation.
Sometimes the writing was confusing and I had to wonder if I would have understood if I were Swedish. Or perhaps it got lost in translation.
One of the main themes of the book is neo-Nazism and white supremacy groups who hate the recent Muslim immigrants. If you're uncomfortable reading characters who are obviously and unapologetically racist you may want to read elsewhere.
Overall a good Swedish murder mystery that gives you the feel of small town Sweden.

4.5 stars

I don't know what it is about Nordic crime novels that I find so compelling. Okay, not totally true. There are qualities that draw me back again and again: the depth and complexity of the characters, the moral ambiguity, the intricate plots, the well-drawn settings and the measured tone for starters. One thing that seems markedly different from American mysteries is the pacing and I still struggle with that. It's much slower and doesn't always include a high-octane finale. But that drawback isn't enough to put me off Scandinavian noir.

Kjell Ericksson's The Night of the Fire is the eighth novel in his acclaimed series. After a 10-year hiatus, he has brought Uppsala police inspector Ann Lindell back for two more mysteries. Only she's not an alcoholic police inspector anymore but a calmer, more contented woman who works in a creamery. Still, she finds herself caught up in another investigation when the school in her northern village burns down on New Year's Eve. Three people end up dead and Ann can't stop herself from asking questions, despite the mutilated badger left in her bed as a warning. To add to the confusion, an anonymous caller attempts to warn her that many more will die if something isn't done—and done quickly.

Not long afterward, another fire takes the life of a woman with a Swastika tattoo on her neck. Her boyfriend, also a neo-Nazi sympathizer, is found beaten to death nearby. How are the two fires connected? Were the same people responsible? That doesn't seem to make sense because the school had been an asylum for Muslim refugees. Why would the same person target Afghans and members of a far-right group sworn to drive them out of Sweden? Ann and her former partner Sammy Nilsson, along with his new colleague Bodin, try to piece together events before it's too late. Along the way they meet an odd assortment of characters, including a mild-mannered eccentric who raises rabbits, an elderly man whose clock-repair business falls victim to modernization and a carpenter with a secret.

This was the first Lindell mystery I've read and I'm already looking forward to the next book in the series. Ericksson does a masterful job of capturing Sweden's changing political landscape and the cultural currents that threaten to transform the country into a dangerous, ugly place. I was surprised that some of the political divides we now see in the United States are not so different from the ones Ericksson describes so well in The Night of the Fire. I also loved Ann Lindell and wished she'd played a greater role in the book. Because she's no longer an officer, much of the narrative centers on her ex-partner, Sammy. I liked Sammy and especially related to his relationship struggles, but he didn't capture my attention to the same degree Lindell did. As someone who left a so-called professional job to learn the craft of baking for three years, I strongly identified with Ann's desire to pursue a simpler artisan lifestyle. At the same time, the pull of a more dangerous, exciting career still exerts a strong power over her – and I related to that as well. By the end of the book I was itching for her to return to her old job. Whatever happens, the epilogue hints at the premise of the next book and gives readers a pretty good indication that police work is an addiction Lindell won't be able to give up. And despite the markedly slower pace, the plot is suspenseful, well thought-out and utterly believable.

If you are a fan of Nordic fiction or just more nuanced mysteries, the eight installment in this series will probably satisfy you. Much thanks to St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

As you know, I like to bring you new mysteries, from foreign shores, and today I have book 8, in a great Swedish series, that I have shared other books from. Only at this point in the series Ann has retired and is settling into life in the country. Only it's not to be a peaceful one! The job is well formed in her psyche and she can't help asking questions, and making observation to her former colleagues who are working the unrest and murder. The pacing is a bit different, but it draws you in and keeps you rapidly turning the pages! If you are looking for a real page turner, you've found it! And it will get you interested in reading the rest of the series!

I felt like there was not enough backstory or character development in this book and as a result I began the story confused and ended it in the same manner. I didn’t realize this was one of a large series of books when I began reading it, so that, and all the references to Swedish names, places, and things added to my inability to follow along. The book ended with a
set-up for the next book in the series, which is also a turn off to me. I would not recommend this book to anyone and I was extremely thankful when I reached the end. Thank you NetGalley for the advance read copy.

This is the eleventh book in the Ann Lindell series and the eighth to be translated to English for those of us (like me) who generally love Nordic noir.

The titular night of the fire is how this entry to the Ann Lindell series begins: an abandoned schoolhouse, used as temporary housing for immigrants goes up in flames, rapidly running out of control and decimating the building, killing several immigrants in the process. There are several characters introduced - one an immigrant, who ran from the building, one an old man who saw who set the blaze, but does not tell the authorities, etc.

My biggest gripe and level of disgust came when the story indicated Swedes from the area made no attempt to do anything about the fire. According to the man who saw the arsonists, they stood around "as if attending a bonfire". I had to take a short break from the book at that point, and that was right after the opening chapter.

In the meantime, someone has called the police, wanting to speak to Ann Lindell, the detective attached to the local station. But she no longer works there, leaving after her mentor retires. She now lives in a cottage in the village, making cheese , while still acknowledging to herself that she misses the thrill of the chase.

Anyone who has ever lived in a small town knows that small town folk tend to be guarded, and small towns usually have tons off secrets. Ann is drawn into the investigation, feeding the information she susses out to a former colleague. When additional fires break out, she does the same. There are also bombs going off, in the village, and in Stockholm. Are all these things related? And where is the missing immigrant? Is he the one going around doing this? If so, why?

Many current issues are brought up in the book: immigration, xenophobia, racism, and so on. Ann fights through all of these things in addition to the tight-lipped nature of her village. Eventually, the mystery is solved, but while on vacation, Ann is approached by a man who works for the national police, and cryptically tells her perhaps they will meet again when she walks away. Will she be drawn back to the work permanently and officially? I suppose we'll need to read the next book to find out.

Overall impression: it does go heavy on current events, as noted. On the plus side, the book works just fine as a standalone, so reading the previous books in the series, while informative, is not necessary. Ann is a complex, deep character, without some of the tics/schticks that some writers put in place to make their characters memorable for reasons other than whatever it is they do in the story. The story is good, the investigations are carried out competently, without anyone suddenly doing anything completely out of character.

On the downside, at times the narrative got a bit clunky, but this could be more about the translation than anything else, as is not always easy to translate something and have it retain the same flavor as the original. The pacing drags just a bit, and there are numerous characters the reader has to track throughout, and this may be an issue for some people. The issues that pop up in the story may be a tad depressing for some people, and at times threaten to overwhelm the entire narrative. if you're looking for a fast-paced mystery, this is not the book for you.

I'm giving it a solid four out of five stars. Ann is what really carries this book through to the end.

Thanks to Minotaur/St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the review copy.

My thanks to St. Martin's/Maintaur Press.
It's an odd thing, for me. I often love most anything from this publisher. This? Not my thing at all. I did notice that I was new to this series. Maybe that's it? I don't know. But, for me the beginning of this book was just awful! I was angry and appalled. I'm sure it gets better. "It must."
Those people standing by was the start of the book. Also, for me the end.

<i>The Night of the Fire</i> is a complex mystery novel that unveils the beauty and horror of living in a small town when times are bad and getting worse. Ann Lindell, is a brilliant retired policewoman who is finished being a cop but can’t stop investigating. <i>The Night of the Fire</i>, written by Kjell Eriksson, is the latest of 11 novels in the Ann Lindell Series, 8 of which are translated into English.

Ann Lindell has recently retired from police work and now works in a creamery in a small village in Sweden. The old village school house burns down and 2 immigrants who are squatting in the schoolhouse go missing and are presumed dead. The police cannot get any cooperation from the locals but, within the community, Ann starts picking up information that she passes on her former partner. Then another fire occurs and one of the victims is linked to the school house fire. One of the immigrants from the school house fire seems to be the obvious suspect, but where is he? In parallel, a terrorist group plants bombs in nearby Uppsala and the race is on to find the suspects before the damage escalates. Ann suspects the crimes are linked, but how?

Character development of one of the strongest features of this book. Ann Lindell is a complex character who is drawn in several directions by her past and by her future. Ann’s former police partner and the neighbours in the village are equally complex. Eriksson does an excellent job of slowly revealing their secrets and eccentricities as the story unfolds. He does not stop with just the characters. Eriksson helps you understand how difficult it can be living in a small village particularly when that village is falling on hard times. The character interactions are fascinating.

The plot of the book touches on a number of our contemporary issues such as racism, immigration, aging, declining economies and terrorism. This makes the book particularly relevant but there are moments in the book when I find the plethora of issues being discussed a little overwhelming and certainly depressing.

I am not sure if it is the cultural way issues are addressed or simply the translation but I do find many parts of the book hard to follow and cumbersome. I still should reread some parts. As the story continues this became less and less of an issue.

I recommend this book to all people who love crime novels and complex characters. The discourse is difficult to follow at times and there are many issues that one should be thinking about. I give it a 3 on 5. I want to thank NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing me with a digital copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

"The Night of the Fire" is the eleventh book in the Ann Lindell series, although the eighth novel translated in English. Set in the countryside outside of Stockholm, Ann Lindell is now Retired detective, making cheese and living in a small cottage with few neighbors. It's a small insular town where the locals don't say too much. But, even retirement and country living can't keep crime problems from Lindell. There are badgers with meat cleavers stuck in them rotting in her bed. There are deadly fires set at a school where immigrants gathered. There is a fire at a local's house where another body turns up. And, a band of neo-Nazis gathering bombs. A quiet retirement is not in the cards.

Much of the story is told through Lindell's point of view, but much is also told through her ex-colleague Sammy's viewpoint. Much of the book is slower-paced rather than action packed and there are times when the reader has to pay close attention as numerous characters appear and seemingly small points are focused on. It's definitely Scandinavian in character and quiet, cold, distant in mood.