I enjoy Scandi Noir books but sometimes they can be an intense read, this was in that genre but is a more enjoyable faster paced book.
The characters were described very skilfully and by the end of the book you felt as though you know them well. The cold weather and the remoteness of the family home was also vividly portrayed.
I did get a little fed up of the constant reminders that Kjeld and his father did not have a good relationship. I understand that it is a relevant part of the story but there were just a few too many references for me.
Other than that I found the book to be eminently readable and enjoyable. It was atmospheric, especially with the ravens, and the ending had surprise elements alongside some that could be anticipated.
I hope that this is just the start of reading about Detective Kjeld Nygaard.

I'm not always a fan of scandi-noir as a genre, but I didn't think this one tried to be too clever. The dark, snowy area in North Sweden where the book is set created an environment fitting for high drama and very creepy goings on. Kjeld Nygaard's father, from whom he has been estranged for 12 years, calls him to say he has witnessed a murder in his barn - which is home to the ravens of the title. Kjeld, a Detective Inspector in Gothenburg, who is currently suspended following a case that we are only teased about, is intrigued enough to make the long journey home. He finds his father with Alzheimer's and in a more confused state than he realised, and his very stressed sister, Sara, looking after him. Add in Kjeld's complicated relationships, romantic and otherwise, a greedy mining corporation and long buried secrets and it all makes for a great story. I predicted some of the outcome, but not all, and it didn't detract from the enjoyment of the book. #netgalley #whereravensroost

This book was recommended to me and I couldn’t be happier that it was.

This story is full of mystery, family history, relationships, birds, murder and lots of twists. I didn’t see the ending coming and I loved how it all unraveled and made perfect sense, very satisfying.

I appreciated the very real and raw account of Alzheimer’s and the struggles that it brought to the family and situation.

The book is well paced and had enough substance to keep you interested the whole way through. I would recommend.

I think the last Scandi crime novel I read was Will Dean's Black River, but I have to say, Karin Nordin's Where Raven's Roost was as evocative, compelling and intriguing as Dean's Tuva series and I can't wait to read more about Detective Kjeld Nygaard.
Where Ravens Roost appealed to me on so many levels, but what really appealed was the diverse characters in the novel - something that the crime fiction fraternity really needs to get a grip on. First of all we have Kjeld Nygaard, a detective with ghosts from his past haunting him. He's many things - a prodigal son, an absent father, a not so good friend, bisexual, traumatised, dogged, angry and determined. His father, Stenner, has a history with his son that preys on Kjeld's mind, yet, because his dad has Alzheimer's, it's difficult to resolve their past issues and to uncover the secrets that have been kept hidden for decades.

Set in Sweden near the Norwegian border, Nordin manages to evoke the chill, harshness and remoteness of the setting, which in turn increases the tension as slowly we begin, with Kjeld, to unpick the past. The ever present darkness makes it all the more brooding and threatening. At times when I was reading, I had to reach for another jumper as the chills reverberated through my body from my toes to my nose.

Then there's those damn ravens - I don't mind birds, but there's just something very ominous and symbolic about the raven's that Kjeld hates so much, whilst his dad dotes on them and there presence at the heart of the narrative again keeps the supense growing.

The narratives from the points of view of Kjeld trying to unravel the past and from the point of views of a solicitor and the owner of a local mining community keep the story pacy, whilst dropping in clues at a steady past (as well as the few red ravens - do you see what I did there?)

If you've not already sussed it out yet - I LOVED THIS BOOK!

It's definitely a highly recommended read and I have no hesitation in giving it 5 whopping stars!

The ravens in this novel carry the same aura of evil and threat that the crows do in Alfred Hitchcock's "Birds". Nordin overlays this sense of ever-present danger onto a background of a truly remote Swedish community where little has changed in 30 years. Returning to this world, at the request of his father, Detective Nygaard finds himself dealing with a body buried in the barn where his father keeps his parliament of rooks. Inevitably Nygaard gets drawn into trying to establish what really happened. The answers open old sores within his family history and, ultimately, force Nygaard to re-examine and face up to his past. Cleverly layered writing ensures this novel keeps the reader deeply involved and - rest assured - the beady red eyes of those rooks - shall stay with you long after the book is back on the shelf!

There are many positives about this book and it will appeal to the fans of Scandi Noir. There is a sense of bleakness throughout. The cold, desolate landscape is painted well and as a reader, I was convinced of first hand knowledge. The ravens provided a spooky air and in fact at times it felt like crossing over into horror (especially the first chapter).

The protagnoist (Kjeld) is OK. I didn't warm to him, but his backstory is good. Better was his aggressive, angry sergeant, Esme. She appears briefly at the start and I personally would have reintroduced her before half way since she has potential to be a great character since there's conflict between her and Kjeld. I was less keen on the sister and Hanna (girlfriend). Probably because some of the dialogue with them seemed mundane. There are long discussions with the sister which reveal very little except their problems. And when Kjeld met Hanna, they have a long chat before he takes her home. An experienced writer would have cut much of these down.

I'm afraid I got a little irritated by the writing. There are many cliches and phrases that a good editor should have picked up. Examples of the cliches were "a straw to break the camel's back" and "a breath of fresh air".

During a fight scene at night, I felt no tension. The actions were all described and it felt like I was being told about a fight by someone who had never experienced one. This was also the section that made me groan out loud. The author used the phrase "He was on top. Gravity was on his side." I'd expect this sort of description in a school kid's story. A previous example was when he was underwater and the sound of yelling made him think of the Doppler Effect. However you need a frequency (like a siren) to get the Doppler Effect. Yelling in water wouldn't do it.

I was confused about two things. Firstly, Kjeld's ex-partner is referred to as a 'he' at one point. Either this was a typo or Kjeld is bisexual. It wasn't clear and not knowing Scandi names, I couldn't tell. Secondly, Kjeld's father, Stenar, was in hospital. After the fight, he's talking in his kitchen with the man who saved him (no spoilers here!) and (I think) Esme. They refer to Stenar as though he's not there. Then, after many pages, he miraculously appears on a sofa.

And then there was the blunder: Kjeld was speaking Swedish but uses the play on words "joke" vs "yolk". This doesn't work in Swedish!

So overall, I think many will enjoy this book. It's not bad as a debut, but it had too many rough edges for me. Like I said, a good editor was needed to fix them. I'll give it 3 grey daggers, mainly because I think there's potential here.
Thank you to Netgalley and HQ Digital for the advance reader copy in return for an unbiased review.

Thankyou to netgalley and the publisher for allowing me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. A brilliant debut, Where Ravens roost follows Kjeld Nygaard whos returns home when his estranged father, who suffers from dementia, calls him about witnessing a murder in his barn, I was hooked all the way through this book, it was atmospheric and i loved the characters. Highly recommend.

Keep the pages turning and be ready to stay up at night until you're done! I love a good Scandinavian mystery, and this one doesn't disappoint. A nice mix of character study, town secrets, class privilege, and resolving family history all woven around a murder mystery.- I found the family preoccupation with ravens a really interesting sub-story as well. An author to watch.

A well written debut novel, introducing a complex, selfish, lonely detective suspended from his job. His father, who sent him packing many years before, suddenly contacts him asking him to return home having witnessed a murder. His father suffers from dementia, his sister is angry with him and he is uncomfortable returning to the small town he grew up in. One element of the story I identified quite early in the tale but it didn't detract from the story and there were still some surprising twists and turns. The ravens play a frightening and atmospheric part in the story.
Look forward to reading more by this author.
Three and a half stars for me.
Many thanks to Netgalley/Karin Nordin/HQ for a digital copy of this title. All opinions expressed are my own.

Atmospheric, claustrophobic and noir, this story set in Northern Sweden brings Detective Kjeld Nygaard home after more than a decade. Finding his father, in the later stages of Alzheimer's, and his sister furious is not what he wants with his career is imploding, estranged from his family, and his relationship in tatters.

This is an intense story with some noir elements, both in terms of crime and relationships. The Ravens provide excellent visual imagery that gives the story an eerie ethos. The plot is pure Scandi noir with complex characters, dysfunctional relationships and a forbidding and oppressive setting that immerses the reader into Nygaard's world.

The plot unfolds with several twists and poignant moments. Backstories, weaved into the text, illuminate the main protagonists' motivations and keep the reader interested.

This is a story that fulfils its potential.

I received a copy of this book from HQ via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

Where Ravens Roost by Karin Nordin
I enjoyed this book by a Karen Nordin which is her debut novel. It concerns Kjeld, a taciturn detective, who has moved to the big city from Varsund. Varsund is a mining town in the north of Sweden which is gradually becoming less and less populated. As Hanna notes they even let girls play in the football team as there are so few boys left.
Kjeld has returned home for the first time in many years whilst embroiled in the midst of a controversy about his last case in Gothenburg. His relationship with his husband, Bengt has broken down and his daughter, Tove, feels cut off from him. He argued with his father many years ago and vowed never to return then he gets a phone call from him out of the blue. His father claims to have witnessed a murder in the barn where the ravens roost.
The local detective, with whom Kjeld has history, has investigated but found nothing. Kjeld unearths a human tooth in a raven’s nest and he begins to believe that maybe his father did in fact witness something.
The storyline is gripping and I found the character of Kjeld engaging. The plot has plenty of surprising twists and although you can spot some of them it is still intriguing. There are two apparently different story threads and these are linked together particularly well as the hidden truths emerge. The isolation of the north Swedish landscape, with its long dark winters, add to the unnerving atmosphere. Throughout the novel the ravens provide an air of menace and evil.
I am looking forward to reading more about this interesting detective and would like to thank the author, the publishers and Net Galley for the opportunity to read the book in return for an honest review.

When Detective Nygaard returns to his rural family home, he finds his father in the later stages of dementia. After being absent from the family for years, his father's mental decline only adds to the tension between the two and also his sister who was left to pick up the pieces after a massive argument tore the family apart.

To complicate matters further, Nygaard's father insists he has seen a murder on the property. Taking into account his current condition, it is unclear whether the detective should be investigating a current or historic crime, or if he saw anything at all.

As the investigation unfolds, a rich family who own the local mining company become involved, and Nygaard tries to uncover the connection they had with his parents up to thirty years earlier. Family history and relationships, local politics and detective Nygaard's own personal demons all play a part in this twisted web of secrets and lies, leading to an unpredictable conclusion.

As a debut novel I was really impressed with Where Ravens Roost. It did have many of the Scandi Noir elements that I love, but wasn't as dark as a lot of these types of novels. The plot focused more on the history and family tensions rather than gory details and murder scenes.

I was a fan of the main character Kjeld Nygaard and thought his back story was really interesting. I would love to read a prequel which explores an incident that was referenced throughout the story and how this situation unfolded. At the same time, there were relationships left open at the end of the story that would be interesting to explore in further instalments. A fantastic start to what should be a promising series!

When animals appear in a book’s title they are frequently more metaphorical than physical, but these menacing black beasts play an important part of the story in this character-driven slow-burn Swedish mystery. These ravens are pets – of a kind – kept by the father of police detective Kjeld Nygaard. Their apparently aggressive inclinations, savagely sharp talons and brutal beaks quite literally scarred young Kjeld for life. His return to the family farmstead as a troubled adult in a difficult situation is shaded by everything the ravens represent – and by their gradual neglect and decline with the passage of time.

Although it’s billed as the first in the series, Kjeld already has a substantial and controversial back story. The author avoids acres of exposition but instead gradually reveals the complex conflicts which both motivate and undermine this intriguing character. The story is set in an isolated community in the far-flung reaches of northern Sweden, close to the borders with Norway and Finland and a far cry from Kjeld’s chosen home of cosmopolitan Göteborg in the ‘civilised south’. It’s the perfect scenario for small-town claustrophobia and bitter life-long rivalry.

The subject of an aging relative suffering from cognitive decline has become a staple of much crime fiction in recent years – undoubtedly reflecting a reality which many readers experience. Here, the uncertainty about Kjeld’s father’s state of mind is adroitly employed (but not exploited) to muddy already mysterious waters. Can you believe a confused old man when he says he’s witnessed a murder? And if you then find a body… can you believe that the old man is entirely innocent of any involvement in the crime?

Ravens is not without episodes of intense peril and devious misdirection although the plot sometimes takes its own sweet time to get to an obvious conclusion. It’s typical of its genre in focusing on the shameful secrets of previous generations, the sins of the father that warp the psyche of their offspring. This is a multi-generational mystery, one which drags corporate corruption and shameful family secrets out of the shadows and into the icy light of understanding. The perfect mystery for a chilly winter.

8/10

Excellent thriller!
Kjeld is on suspension due to a complicated case involving his best friend who happened to be a murderer. After twelve years of no communication, his dad, Stenar, call him, rambling about a murder in his barn.
Kjeld drives home convinced Stenar, suffering from Alzheimer's had a moment of clarity. The local police brush it aside - an old friend from childhood and the police academy.
Yet Kjeld finds a tooth in an old crow's nest. Someone is lurking in the barn - trying to dig up a body.
Family secrets and dynamics drive this addictive plot.
Loved the characters - descriptions, interactions, sibling relationships, marriage. Spot on. Great suspense and twists.

I very much enjoyed this book. There are interesting characters, intriguing backstories and a plot including twists that I didn't see coming.

The main character, Kjeld, is returning to his father's home after receiving a message from his father claiming that he has witnessed a murder. Kjeld is a cop and is currently off work after an incident that we learn more about as the book progresses.

Immediately there is a mystery over Kjeld's family and why he hasn't been home for 12 years. Over time we meet Sara, his sister, and Stenar, his father who is struggling with dementia, and build up a picture of their family.

There's a real sense of claustrophobia as Kjeld returns home to a small town place that he was glad to escape from. The fact that there's perpetual gloom and barely any hours of daylight adds to the mood.

I liked how the author doesn't fall into stereotypes in how she portrays her character, particularly with women characters. Kjeld meets someone he used to know when he was younger, Hanna, and they sleep together, but this doesn't result in complications or stress on either side.

Sara is great as someone who you can completely understand in terms of her frustration in feeling left to look after her dad and her kids while Kjeld enjoys his freedom. But while you understand where she is coming from, because the early parts of the book are from Kjeld's perspective, you also see how bitter and unpleasant she can appear to others.

The plot is really nicely planned out, and there's an ease with which the story unfolds. There are plenty of surprises along the way. And the story is also touching in terms of exploring the misunderstandings that can exist within families and why people matter to us even while we try to escape them.

I was impressed to learn this is the author's first novel - it reads as a very accomplished and confident story. I would definitely recommend it and look forward to future novels from Karin Nordin.

My first Scandi-noir read, a dark story that has family history running through out. The booked started slow and then kept at a steady pace of suspense and mystery. overall a enjoyable read

Family emergency brings a Swedish detective from Gothenburg to his rural home. The ravens of the title are an unsettling theme throughout the book and Kgeld's father has devoted his life to looking after them and the environment.

Any fictional detective has to have a messy life and Kgeld is no exception to this rule. Their last big case had ended badly but his current partner broke off from the resulting enquiry to help Kgeld after a body was found in the raven's enclosure.

Much family history has to be disinterred before the case is solved.

This is a very good debut novel in the Scandinavian noir genre. Inspector Nygaard is currently suspended when he receives a phone call from his estranged father. He drives across Sweden to find his father has witnessed a murder in his barn. it's a slow burner of a tale, with good characterisation and beautiful descriptions of the wild landscape, with family secrets unfolding. My thanks to Net Galley for my ARC.

Where Ravens Roost is the first instalment in the Scandi-noir Detective Kjeld Nygaard series, set in Jämtland, Sweden. The story centres around Kjeld Nygaard, a troubled police detective inspector who has escaped his home town of Varsund, a mining community in a remote part of western Sweden and is now based in Gothenburg. The prologue opens with Nygaard's estranged father, Stenar, being rudely awakened by the call of ravens shortly after 11 PM one evening. He unlocks the door and feels the cool Autumn air rush in before beginning the long walk through the claggy mud and debris in the yard between the house and the old barn and rookery that was dimly lit under the sliver of a crescent moon. As he approaches the barn the birds' caws become ever more pronounced so with torch in hand he steps towards the entrance but stops in his tracks when he hears a voice. Angry. Cackling almost maniacally. Then another altogether different voice. Sharp and trill. He was sure he knew that voice. Then as quickly as they had arrived they ceased along with the sound of the ravens. What he had witnessed both shocked and confused him. A short time later, Kjeld receives a muddled and sinister voice message from his father stating that he has witnessed a murder in the barn and is reluctantly compelled to return to Varsund despite the twelve years that have elapsed since they last spoke. In part to bring some relief from his mounting troubles in Gothenburg, including the "temporary leave of absence" from PD as a result of reckless behaviour — shooting — during an arrest, but also to try to rebuild burned bridges.

He makes the 10 hour drive up to his northern Swedish hometown, a stones throw from both the Norwegian and Finnish borders. Upon his arrival he finds everything in disarray and his resentful and bitter sister informs him that Stenar is in the last stages of Alzheimer's. Nygaard rapidly reports the matter to the police but a lack of evidence coupled with his father's illness, lead the local police to quickly dismiss the claims. But Kjeld has a hunch and decides to go rooting around in the old barn and rookery, and on discovering a human tooth in a raven's nest in the barn, is convinced that there may be some truth in his father's story. It doesn't take long before more human remains are discovered... and things become increasingly dangerous for Kjeld. This is a compulsive and engrossing work of Scandinavian crime featuring the best elements of the Scandi noir genre yet the story remains fresh and interesting, with plot twists that keep you reading. It's a dark, atmospheric read set in a farmhouse in the remote countryside surrounded by dense woodland that translates into a unsettling and claustrophobic undertone that runs the length of the mystery. There's plenty of intrigue, mystery and a plethora of twists and turns with a wild and chilling plot. There is never a dull moment and the narrative never fails to keep you engaged and captivated throughout. Nygaard is a larger than life character who is deeply flawed making him relatable and human with both strained family and work relationships and more than a few skeletons in his closet. I can't wait to see him develop and evolve as a character as we come to know more about him. Highly recommended.

This is an enjoyable murder mystery set in the northern part of Sweden. It’s almost winter, it gets dark close to noon, it’s a small town where people rarely get away. Think dark, bleak, hopeless. The setting helps echo the difficulties our main character has. Kjeld, a detective who works further south in a large city, returns to his remote northern home after a desperate and panicked voicemail message from his long-estranged father. Kjeld navigates strained family dynamics while grappling with his father’s advanced Alzheimer’s, past hurts and grievances, oh and a possible murder on his family’s property.

On top of all that, Kjeld is in trouble with his own police department, has difficulties forming healthy relationships of any kind, and is quite selfish. Nevertheless, flaws and all, he’s an enjoyable character to follow and root for, and the mystery is interesting. I did figure out one twist extremely early on. It was so obvious I sort of wondered if the author purposely revealed that one, just to get the reader thinking about what it meant on a larger scale. It certainly did not hinder my enjoyment of the story, and there were other nice surprises. The final reveals were not at all shocking, but more of a natural progression of logical events. I would call this more of a character study/murder mystery than tightly wound suspense; I enjoyed reading it.

Oh and yes there really are ravens, who are pretty integral to the story. They lend a nice symbolism of family dynamics with them appearing as precious and wonderful to one character and scary and terrifying to another. That dichotomy is at the root of Kjeld’s difficulties with his father. And, they lend a nice creepy vibe to the story and setting.