Very enjoyable slice of man adrift trying to reconnect with family, in the face of evidence that they may be at the root of the evil

Nordic Noir crime readers certainly can’t complain that they’re running out of reading material. Lately it’s been a challenge to keep up with both the debut authors and newly translated authors from Sweden, Iceland, Finland and Denmark.

The partnership between writers Pete Mohlin and Peter Nyström culminated in one of this year’s top Nordic Noir novels. Additionally, this is a debut and the first in a series featuring the Swedish-American FBI agent John Adderley.

Full review: https://westwordsreviews.wordpress.com/2021/11/10/the-bucket-list-peter-mohlin-peter-nystrom/

I waited far too long to download this to my Kindle. My sincere apologies to the author and publisher for this mis-step. Given that, I'm going with my peers and mirroring their rating.

Sadly I found this book extremely predictable, and I guessed the outcome very early on. However, enjoyed it overall so will likely pick up the next one.

Thanks to ABRAMS, The Overlook Press and Netgalley for a copy of the arc in return for my honest review.

Never have I ever read a book with such an upleasant and unlikable protagonist.
I mean... if I met him at a party I'd be out of the door after like 5 seconds of convo. His constant complaining how US i better, how Swedish way of life and work is stupid and beneath him, how european cars are tiny and gross, how the police is stupid.
But don't fret here's John. Our American baby. Impeccable FBI agent who solves the muder in like 5 seconds after toutching Swedish ground.
Unfortunately my hatred towards the MC overshadowed any enjoyment this book could have bring me.
I just can't.
I won't even discuss the plot, bc if you've read at least one thriller/murder mustery/procedural in your life you'll guess the murderer just as fast as John did.

John Adderley, FBI agent and all around suave dude, helps take down a major Nigerian drug trafficking group, and then heads into witness protection after being shot. His mother, who lives in Sweden, sends him a packet containing information related to the arrest of his brother, also in Sweden, for the murder of a young girl. It's a cold case, now, and his mother insists that his brother is innocent. Instead of sitting around, waiting for the case against the Nigerians to wind its way through the legal system - and petty much blackmailing his boss - Adderley heads to Sweden to look into the case of Emile, the subject of the cold case.

Generally speaking, I really do enjoy Nordic noir. This was....ok. The idea of it was good: guy born in Sweden is taken by his father to the US, joins the FBI, goes undercover to bust up a drug ring, then goes to Sweden, undercover again under another name, to help with a cold case. It's rather unusual, but I can go with it.

The book switches between 2009 and 2019, telling the backstory of Emile's murder, and Adderley's progression from undercover FBI agent to undercover cold case investigator in Sweden. The first half is chocked with quite a lot of first date information: who Adderley is, who the people around him are, and the situations both in the US and Sweden. I expect this from the first book in a new series, so I won't ding it for that.

I will, however, ding it for taking up the entire first half of the book. We don't need to know every single little detail - the descriptions of everything take forever to get through, and the book doesn't really pick up the pace until about the 60% mark (on a Fire tablet).

In addition, Adderley is supposedly scare of a Nigerian hi team coming after him and the other FBI agent who was embedded in the same cell. But he dresses in (impeccable) suits and drives an American muscle car all over the place while at the same time ensuring that people remember him due to the way he acts an how perilously close he comes to revealing that he has been in contact with his family,which is a no-no, per his new Swedish handlers.

More bodies pile up, and I will give give credit to the authors for having a number of suspects, all with motives that could cast suspicion on them to be the culprit. The real culprit, though, is eventually caught, and Adderley and his Swedish handler do an absurdly ridiculous thing with him and the dead girl's father.

Overall, it's a good enough read that I'll put it down with three stars.

Thanks to Abrams and NetGalley for the reading copy.

An FBI agent bargains for an new identity in a country he hasn’t visited since he was a child. Left behind was a mother and half brother he has little in common with until his mom reaches out with a pound of guilt that will take to places he has avoided all his life. A new identity in Sweden pushes our agent to revisit a parent he never understood and a brother he’s only beginning to appreciate. A cold case has resurfaced which will push his boundaries and threaten his new life. Lurking behind his investigation is a Cartel bent on revenge and retribution.

4.5★s
The Bucket List is the first book in the Agent John Adderley series by Swedish authors, Peter Mohlin and Peter Nystrom. It has been translated from Swedish by Ian Giles. After a dangerous mission to put away a Nigerian drug cartel in Baltimore, FBI agent John Adderley is forced into witness protection. Much to the Bureau’s chagrin, he insists on being placed in Sweden, as part of a new cold case team in Karlstad.

Their first case is the disappearance, ten years earlier, of clothing chain heiress, Emelie Bjurwall. On August 14th, 2009, she left a party near her home on the Tynas promontory after midnight to meet an unnamed person. Except for a Facebook post of the tattoo on her left forearm a short time later, she has not been seen since. Trace evidence nearby pointed to a young man from Skogall, Billy Nerman, who denied any involvement and was eventually released without charge.

Heading the cold case team is Bernt Primer, who was also part of the initial investigation. John wonders if the case can be solved when the team seems fixated of Nerman as the perpetrator, but is determined to learn the truth. While he does, though, he needs to keep a low profile: there is one very good reason he should not be investigating this case; and the drug cartel will be out for revenge.

John manages to get a quick result that turns the case upside down, is likely to get him thrown off the team, and makes several people very uneasy. His deductive logic is impressive and, along with his partner, the case progresses quickly. But is he guilty of fixating on a new suspect and ignoring wider possibilities?

Adderley is an interesting protagonist: a mixed-race FBI agent with experience as a cop in NYC, and a formative history in Sweden. He’s intelligent and determined, doggedly following his own path, although there will be times the reader will be yelling at him to make a connection. His decidedly loose interpretation of acceptable behaviour under witness protection does nicely ramp up the tension by introducing the potential of danger from abroad.

The authors throw in plenty of twists, turns and red herrings to keep the reader guessing, and even when the murderer’s identity becomes apparent, the exact how and why still keep the pages turning. There’s plenty of scope for further installments, and readers will be hoping that #2, The Other Sister is translated into English soon. Excellent Swedish crime fiction.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Harry N. Abrams.

I'm not usually the type to read books on FBI agents or undercover kind of thing since I sorta enjoy it more as an action movie. However, this was really a gripping story to read. It was a bit confusing and a bit slow of the start to the story, but after my initial "bumps" at the start of the book, I was engrossed on the entire plot and the twists and turns through the chapters.

4.5 stars
The Bucket List by Mohlin and Nystrom is a terrific novel set mostly in Sweden. As a fan of Nordic noir books, I can say this one does not disappoint!
FBI Agent John Adderley is in witness protection in Sweden, but becomes drawn into a 10 year-old missing-persons’ case. His character is engaging, and shows good depth.
The suspense is taut, the action nonstop, and the twists of the plot keep the reader engaged right to the surprise ending. This is labeled as Book #1, so I am looking forward to future books in the Agent John Adderley series.

Thank you to Overlook Press and NetGalley for the ARC. This is my unbiased opinion.

In The Bucket List, undercover FBI agent, John Adderley, is put into the witness protection program in his hometown in Sweden. He needs to return to the US to testify once the drug cartel’s trial begins. Meanwhile, he investigates a ten-year-old Swedish cold case where the body of a heiress, Emelie, was never found.

The Bucket List is an overly long thriller that doesn’t start to pick up the pace until the halfway point. TBH, I am not sure I would have kept reading if this were a library book rather than an advanced reader’s copy. However, the ending does make up for the slow start. Hopefully, this issue is a first-in-the-series issue that won’t occur again. For this particular book, 3 stars.

Thanks to Abrams Books and NetGalley for a copy in exchange for my honest review.

Could not put this one down! Thoroughly enjoyed this read. I did not expect the ending, that's for sure. Good, intriguing plot that keeps you on your toes!

Beginning with a confused man awakening in hospital, he eventually realises the man in the next bed is the person who shot him. Then another man is worrying about his daughter who seems to have disappeared. So, begins two different narratives, the first set in Baltimore in 2019 and the other a flashback to Karlstad in 2009 for the backstory. The Bucket List is a new Scandinavian noir series by writing team Peter Mohlin and Peter Nyström. The protagonist is a former FBI agent with a Swedish mother and Afro American father. A worthy addition for readers of mystery and crime thrillers with a three-and-a-half-star rating. With much thanks to The Overlook Press and the author for an uncorrected proof for review purposes.

Such an amazing Nordic noir police procedural!

The Bucket List is book one in the Agent John Adderley series and I already can’t wait for book two to be translated!

This book follows Adderley as he is in witness protection after an undercover stint. He gets himself placed in his hometown and working in the new Cold Case Unit. While we follow Adderley working on a 10 year old case of a missing girl, we also flash back to 10 years ago when the case was fresh. Both storylines are fantastic!

The Bucket List is the first instalment in the Agent John Adderley series. Set in Sweden, this is a compulsive piece of Scandinavian noir crime fiction. When Swedish-American FBI Agent John Adderley wakes up from a botched infiltration of a Nigerian drug cartel with a gunshot wound at a Baltimore hospital, he knows he needs to get off the radar ASAP. He gets a new identity and leaves for his native Sweden and becomes part of the witness protection program having testified in a high-profile lawsuit. There he becomes part of Karlstad's cold case team that is dealing with a ten-year-old missing person case. The disappearance of teenage girl Emelie Bjurwall has always remained a mystery to everyone. She is presumed to be dead but no body has ever been discovered. The police did find some tracks on a high cliff at the time, but the body of the millionaire daughter was nowhere to be found. With his American mentality, John finds it difficult to find a place among the Swedes, all the more because the case is personal: the main suspect is none other than his half-brother, Billy, who the police have had to cut loose due to lack of evidence.

However, the accusation and rumours are still rife and it's safe to say it has ruined not only Billy's reputation but his life. Billy has maintained his innocence from the very beginning and he believes he is being used as the scapegoat. John bites into the case, but at the same time has to stay on his guard, because when the drug cartel gets wind of an unconventional detective who is in a Swedish provincial town, his life is no longer safe. This is a riveting and engrossing debut from the Mohlin and Nyström writing team and it's an evocative, complex mystery rich in twisty psychological elements and subtleties that elevate the story to a whole new level. It has a quick tempo, smart cliffhangers and psychological depth and is based in a classic scandi noir setting complete with rich, vivid descriptions. The cat and mouse game throughout keeps you on your toes and the various plot threads ensure you race through the pages. It's atmospheric, as with most decent noir novels, and our protagonist, Adderley, seems like he could evolve over the upcoming books into a superb character. Deviously twisty, with believable dialogue and an explosive ending. Highly recommended.

This first book in the new Agent John Adderley series was well written, with great characters and several unexpected twists. I will definitely be seeking out the follow up books in the series. Strongly recommended

Thank you to the authors, Abrams and NetGalley, for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

As an avid reader of Nordic noir, I was eager to dive into this debut. The atmosphere did not disappoint, although the story included rather a lot of stereotypes that seemed unnecessary. The writing was a bit uneven, which meant the story didn't flow as smoothly as it could have. The first half felt a bit slow, with lots of description, but in the second half the pace picked up. Although the mystery aspect was not complicated, and I worked out early on what happened, the many red herrings were well-done. Overall a good first book, and I would read a follow-up, which seems to be planned - the book is open-ended as far as the main protagonist goes.

I received this book from the publisher through Netgalley for review and all thoughts and opinions are my own.
This is the second in the Agent John Adderley series. He's back on the job; albeit still recovering from his last assignment; when a cold case is reopened in Sweden, where he has relocated pending the trial against those cartel members who sought to kill him. It's been ten years since Emelie, heiress to a fashionable clothing empire, was murdered. A suspect in the case was released, due to lack of evidence. It's time to close this case. It won't be easy. The parents and son have secrets. The suspect had motive. The family friends and associates need investigation. Lots of work and time has passed. Scandinavian crime is a favorite of mine and these authors are now a favored duo. Twisting turns, historical background in the case, secrets and lies, make for an enjoyable reading experience.

The Bucket List by Peter Mohln is a well-written and engrossing read with well developed characterizations. Well worth the time spent reading.

Really good Scandinavian mystery, with a twist (an American FBI agent in witness protection). I am a big fan of these types of mystery/police procedural novels and this one did not disappoint (except for the unanticipated cliffhanger ending). Plausible characters, some flawed but all relatedly human, a believable plot, some twists and a few sad characters.