Heloise Kaldan gets caught up in an old murder when the killer contacts her with a cryptic message. The letters suggest a connection between her and the murderer but how is that possible. Can Heloise figure out the truth of everything.

This was an interesting thriller with a dark plot. It deals with some fairly heavy subjects. The plot is a slow burn with no dramatic conclusion as much is already known. I must admit the final ending with Anna was not what i'd hoped for. I wanted to see the guilty party truly pay but it did fit with the feel of the story however. Heloise is a great lead and I liked the detective she works with. Good to read a story where there isnt a romantic connection between them. The writing is detailed and descriptive. A great read.

I enjoyed ascpet if this book. Though it dies feel unpolished. Heloise Kaldan contacted by a woman claiming some affinity between them but she is an alleged murder on the run.Twists, mysteries and interesting characters; the Corpse Flower has all the ingredients to keep you turning pages till the end.

3 stars

Reading this book, I have realized that I don’t like journalists as the main characters very much. Or maybe I just didn’t get along well with Heloise Kaldan herself. Whichever case that was, I liked the story and how it was going, but I would do without having to deal with her and her problems.She didn’t convince me at all that she’s good at what she’s doing or that I should feel connected to her in any way. However, I’d like to give her a second chance and continue this series to see where it will take me.

Disgraced journalist Heloise Kaldan is contacted by a woman claiming some affinity between them but she is an alleged murder on the run. Kaldan starts to look into the crime and as she digs deeper she receives threats which rapidly turn violent. Then the link to her own past is revealed and Heloise is on the cusp of the story she has always craved.
This is a decent enough scandi-crime novel if one suspends belief a lot! It bounces along quite jauntily but feels like a series of vignettes and revelations rather than a coherent narrative. It's not bad at all but in a genre with some outstanding writers it is merely OK

‘I know they say I have committed a crime.
That I must be found, tamed and punished. … I wish I could tell you more, but I have promised not to. While I am denied your presence, Heloise, give me at least through your words some sweet semblance of yourself. Anna Kiel’

My thanks to Swift Press for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘The Corpse Flower’ by Anne Mette Hancock in exchange for an honest review.

This award-winning debut novel was originally published in Denmark in 2017 and was translated from the Danish by Tara Chace. It is the first in a series of crime thrillers featuring journalist Heloise Kaldan and police officer Erik Schäfer.

Our introduction to Heloise is somewhat reminiscent of the beginning of the Millennium Trilogy as the 36-year-old journalist finds her career in jeopardy after she writes an exposé that turns out to have been based on tainted information.

Then she receives the first in a series of cryptic and ominous letters from Anna Kiel, the alleged killer of a young lawyer three years previously. The police believe that Anna left the country and have no idea of her motive for the murder.

Then the reporter, who first wrote about the Kiel case, is found murdered in his apartment. Homicide detective Erik Scháfer is involved in the investigation and wonders if Anna has struck again? Plus, what is her connection to Heloise Kaldan? Both Erik and Heloise dig deeper. No further details to avoid spoilers.

I enjoy Scandi Noir and this novel was very noir and while reading I became an instant admirer of Anne Mette Hancock. It is exciting and well-plotted with well-rounded characters.

Overall, I found ‘The Corpse Flower’ a gripping combination of police procedural and journalistic crime fiction. After this positive experience I am now looking forward to reading her second book, ‘The Collector’ when it is published in English.

Twists, mysteries and interesting characters; the Corpse Flower has all the ingredients to keep you turning pages till the end, believe me!
As I read the plot the first time, it was impossible to not want to dig into the story; to meet the characters and discover what’s really happening.
I’ll admit that I always love when there are different stories told and you have to discover the connection between them as the story progresses. In this case it will not be different; a journalist that has her reputation damaged starts receiving letters from a woman that is the main suspect from a killer a few years ago. On the other side we have of course the suspect, Anna Kiel, who was filmed full of blood near the crime. But has been missing for the last few years, why has she returned now? And why is she sending letters to the journalist Heloise Kaldan. Then, we have the main detective of the case, Erik Scháfer, who is ready to discover the truth, no matter what.
I have to say that I really loved this book and I can’t wait to discover more stories between these two characters, Kaldan and Schäfer, they complete each other and make the story special.
Are you ready to discover “The Corpse Flower”?

Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book. Nordic Noir in genre it was gripping and twisty from the beginning. Great characters and well written, I recommend it as a good read.

The Corpse Flower is a cat-and-mouse thriller featuring a journalist with a secret, a murder suspect on the run, and a dedicated detective on a hunt. I thought all three of the main characters are interesting, with Heloise a particular standout. Her reticence towards people is explained as the story goes on and I thought her motivations make sense. I did wish we got to know Anna a bit more but her enigmatic approach made me look forward to her scenes whenever she appeared.

I have to say I didn’t expect the shift in the story to take a disturbing turn and to say it was enjoyable would be misleading. Rather, it’s a heartbreaking and infuriating take on real-life issues and highlights the way abuse happens when people turn a blind eye. The book explores the way trauma lingers years after the event and asks whether vengeance is ever justified. It’s not easy to read but worth a look if you love mysteries and don’t mind going down a troubling road.

Content warning: pedophilia, sexual assault, physical violence

Amorphophallus titanium (a.k.a. Corpse Flower): flowering plant that reeks of rotting flesh and death when in bloom.

Don’t you just love when you read a book you really like and then you find out it’s part of a series? And a Nordic Noir series at that. Even better! The Corpse Flower was such a promising debut. I just can’t wait for book 2 to be published later this year.

When Danish journalist Heloise Kaldan starts receiving cryptic messages from Anna Kiel, a woman accused of killing a lawyer three years before and who fled the country, she’ll have to dig into the darkest parts of her past to uncover what connects her to Anna.

My love of Nordic Noir is well known to all, and The Corpse Flower was a great example of why I love the genre. A complex story that proves darker and darker as it progresses with a couple of main character quite interesting, really well developed and that have a lot of room to grow.

I love it when the journalism world collides with a police investigation. I always find so interesting the contrast between their investigative methods and the limits that may or may not be exceeded by each of them. Even though both are looking for the same end result, their interests while on the way to that result may not always match. The banter between Heloise and Schäfer was fantastic and dosed with small pills of humour that lightened the mood a little bit.

The resolution went in a direction I did not predict and that was much darker than expected and that, as the corpse flower of the title, gave away a rotting stench that made that last chapter even more satisfying if possible.

A gripping and dark story that will appeal to all fans of police procedurals and that left me wanting to read more about Kaldan and Schäfer soon (I just found out I was approved for an eARC of The Collector, the second book in the series, coming out next November. YAYYY!!!)

Thanks to NetGalley and Swift Press for providing and eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Brilliant book, well written, excellent storyline, believable plot, enjoyed this book from start to the end. Read in two sittings and well into the night!

Unfortunately this book was not for me. Other readers may enjoy it more, but I could not get into it and ultimately did not finish it.

Like many readers before me, I really hope they turn "The Corpse Flower" into a television drama. It has everything you want out of a Skandi-Noir - dark material (child abuse in this case), political characters, journalists, police, a simple but effective plot and a very satisfying ending.

What a debut! This is a dark crime thriller, proper Scandinavian noir at its best and I am pleased to see that it is the start of a series. This book was really well thought out and cleverly written, everything and everyone had their part to play in building the story. I loved the way the story was woven together and just kept giving right to the very end. Brilliant book.

This is Nordic noir at it's best!!!!
I literally devoured this book in one sitting. I loved everything about this book dark subject matter, beautifully written, multi layered and fast paced. A new author for me and I can't wait to read more from this very talented author. This is a MUST READ for all lovers of this genre. Loved loved it!!!!!
Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in return for giving an honest review.

It's early September in Copenhagen, the rain has been coming down for weeks, and 36-year-old journalist Heloise Kaldan is in the middle of a nightmare. One of her sources has been caught lying, and she could lose her job over it. And then she receives the first in a series of cryptic and ominous letters from an alleged killer.

Wanted in connection with the fatal stabbing of a young lawyer three years earlier, Anna Kiel hasn't been seen by anyone since she left the crime scene covered in blood. The police think she's fled the country and have zero clues as to her motive. But homicide detective Erik Scháfer comes up with the first lead when the reporter who first wrote about the case is found murdered in his apartment. Has Anna Kiel struck again, or is there more than one killer at large? And why does every clue point directly to Heloise Kaldan?

Meanwhile, the letters keep coming, and they hint at a connection between Anna and Heloise. As Heloise starts digging deeper, she realizes that, to tell Anna's story, she will have to revisit the darkest parts of her own past - confronting someone she swore she'd never see again.

People in the English speaking universe will soon appreciate what most of Europe have known since her debut in 2017. Anne Mette Hancock writes a cracking crime thriller.

Firstly, a nod to the translation; no-one is credited for turning Danish into English so I am sure it is the author herself which ensures that the words are on point and faithful to the primary text.

Secondly, while there are echos of Henning Mankell and familiar notes, with a journalist working alongside the investigation, like in the Millennium Trilogy. This is not an imitation, this is original creative writing at its best.

So let me introduce you to an author who makes her own entrance in this compelling and brilliantly insightful book. Remember the name as she will become the talk of this year in this genre as a fresh and innovative writer.

The opening chapters take us briefly into the world of the three main characters. Lifting a veil that leaves each in an intriguing situation and sets up a mystery that unravels in a cleverly told story. This sets a pace that you are determined to maintain in this different approach to understanding violent crime and wider conspiracies.

As a first novel, a writer has a void which their imagination strives to fill, introducing characters into 3D personalities that hopefully lift from the page. Often the process is almost choreographed and unfolds in traditional ways.
“Failed protagonist living with issues and a checkered past that mean we have a reluctant, flawed hero to get behind.”

Not here. Everything is bright and pristine new. Bold and courageous, with edgy considerations given to motive, relationships and an approach to justice. Consequently this a breathe of fresh air and a demonstration of a writer who is thoughtful and engaging with a distinctive voice.

We are presented with a cold case; a seemingly senseless random murder where the perpetrator made no attempt to conceal her identity. On the run in France, she has a stray photographer capture her image so that those after her still may be able to pick up her trail. But all is not lost as she plans to break cover for her own reasons which involve her contacting a journalist via airmail with cryptic words and unclear motives. She hints they have a connection which initially makes Heloise Kaldan more of a suspect than an impartial reporter to detective sergeant Erik Schäfer and raises his expectations that he will bring suspect Anna Kiel to justice.

Strong opening which maintains a sense of threat to all parties throughout. Crime and punishment seems out of step where knowledge of guilt doesn’t mean proof can be demonstrated beyond reasonable doubt. Danish courts and sentencing also are flagged up as to why some might seek to take the law into their own hands. While the sense of omertà, a code of silence among criminals can frustrate the most diligent of detectives.

Can’t praise this book and author highly enough. A wonderful find and I can’t wait for the next translation in the series MERCEDES-SNITTET – THE COLLECTOR by Anne Mette Hancock.

I had seen a lot of hype regarding this title over social media, so when it became available to review in the UK, I popped my request in on NetGalley. I can’t deny that the dark mysterious cover image and the title of the book hadn’t already drawn my attention though! My only criticism is that although the name of the book got my attention, it didn’t seem relevant to the storyline. Interesting piece of history though and not something I am likely to forget.

Varying degrees of thought on this one, but overall, it pays to stay with the storyline until the end. It’s a quick and easy read, but all the pieces of the story don’t come together until the pace picks up at around 70% of the way through. The last 30% is definitely the best bit and it did change my view and rating as a whole once I had finished it.

This is the first instalment in the “Kaldan and Schafer Series” and I am looking forward to the other titles being released in English. I believe book 4 is coming out in Danish this year, so we have a few to look forward to over here.

Storyline key points:

• Plot – Revenge Thriller
• Anna Kiel – A killer who is on the run and in hiding from the law for a previous crime she committed.
• Erik Schafer – Lead on an ongoing murder investigation that still has lose ends to tie up.
• Heloise Kaldan – A reporter with her own past history, who has a story that needs to be told regardless of the consequences.
• Kaldan and Schafer – A new friendship in the making; an otherwise unlikely duo.

4 Stars – Dark Read With Various Triggers

Publication Date: 3rd March 2022

Thank you to #NetGalley, #SwiftPress and #AnneMetteHancock for an ARC of #TheCorpseFlower in exchange for an honest review.

What a great debut!

I admit reading the preview; a detective and a journalist who end up working on the same case, I was thinking that it had maybe been done before and is it going to be Millennium Trilogy lite!? But who cares, with a book as well written as this, it doesn't have to be a 100% new and original idea, it just has to grab your attention and want you coming back for more. I couldn't put it down, I thoroughly enjoyed this book from the start to the finish and am delighted that there are already more books written in the author's mother tongue. Hopefully they will be translated and we can get some more of these great characters!!!

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, the storyline was original and fascinating and the characters very well portrayed. I did have a slight problem in imagining Heloise but Schafer was an easy one with his brusque manner and adored wife. It was such a nice change to read a novel set in Denmark, so much of the UK and US market is flooded with similar books all advertising themselves as being the new……or if you enjoyed Gone Girl or Girl on a Train, they were thrashed out by publishers for years until you became sick of the mention. Other books and authors do exist and many are brilliant, such as Anne, the author of this highly enjoyable saga. Without hesitation I give it five stars but do have a couple of issues that I will include in notes to the publisher, one serious one regarding the inclusion of that deplorable American word, gotten. It litters and destroys what would be good books, it’s not even grammatically correct English or an actual word. it’s a slang, lazy inclusion the same as my other grievance against Americanisms , where while words are missed out, for example “she walked out the door” what happened to OF. But I digress only because I felt that the publishers cheapened Anne’s brilliant book with continual gottens, probably in preparation for the US market. I was also not struck on the title, it sounds like a British historical novel, again I will add it to my pub,ishers notes. So in conclusion this is an excellent book that I highly recommend and look forward to lots more from this author.

This book is so good that it is hard to believe it’s a debut! To be honest, the strange title could have put me off a bit but all became clear as the story unfolded. The 3 main characters were great, and I loved the banter between Heloise the journalist and Schäfer the detective. The whole novel was so well written and clever. It is an emotional and powerful story about justice, and uncovering dark and terrible secrets. It’s not often I cross my fingers and hope that someone gets away with murder - but in this case I did, and I would have crossed my toes too if I could. Did they, didn’t they? You have to read it to find out. I’m looking forward to more from this brilliant author.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC in return for an honest review.