This is a new author for me which I enjoyed and look forward to seeing what is next for her. I found this book to be well written and hard to put down. A fast paced, engaging story that has twists and turns that had me sitting on the edge of my seat just waiting to see what would happen next. A story about a missing boy and the witnesses that may have seen something or did their eyes play tricks on them. I enjoyed how the characters pulled me into the story. They are relateable and added so much to the story. I also enjoyed watching their growth throughout the story which made it easy and entertaining to read. I really enjoyed this book and I highly recommend it.

I really wanted to like this book, I did!

I felt like some of the writing was a little clunky, as I had not read the 1st book, I did not feel too connected to the characters... oh, well! maybe it's all me!

I did not feel totally taken by the book, but I would like to give this author another try :)

Thank you for the ARC, NetGalley!

4.5 stars!
A 10-year-old boy, Lukas, goes missing after school. He has a strange fascination with pareidolia - seeing faces in random things. There is one lead suspect, but he is found murdered execution style in his home. The clock is ticking for Schaefer to find Lukas.

The second book in this series was a hit for me! I liked it even more than the first. I love a nordic noir as the setting is always adds something different from American/British thrillers. The journalist and detective relationship is super interesting to me and a pairing we don’t see explored often. The character development for Heloise and Schaefer was stellar and I got sucked right into their personal lives. It was short and sweet with just enough action!

The Collector was a nice follow up to the Corpse Flower, it was nice to see the evolution of Kaldan and Schafer's characters. However, I felt like the mystery aspect was not as strong was it was in the Corpse Flower and it felt disconnected from the lead characters. I also think some of the emotional aspects of the book would not be well understood without reading the Corpse Flower first. Still it was a solid effort. I will be reading the next installment.

This was an intense read for me. This is a part of a series. Though I hadn't read the book #1 in series, I could follow this - but would have been a better read if I had read the previous.
Overall a very good read.

This is such an interesting story. I had never heard of pareidolia before but I find it an interesting condition to build a story around. The journalist in this story is kind of an intense difficult character and I struggled to like her. (Upon further research into this series it would appear her background is explained more in the first book). This book has a very small town, everyone knows everyone vibe so you can see where there is more investment in a case and story. Definitely a twist worth reading for! Didn't see it coming! Great book.

This book will stick with me for a while. I definitely like the writing style and it was a very quick read for me. Highly recommend reading it.

Thank you Crooked Lane Books and netgalley for this opportunity. I was really glad to read some nordic noir again. I missed and this book make me want to read more this genre again.

Perfect follow up to The Corpse Flower. I believe you could read this as a standalone but you’d probably get more out of it if you read The Corpse Flower (phenomenal book) first. I can’t wait for book 3!

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the digital advanced reader copy. This is my honest review.

This title is the second instalment in the Danish “Kaldan and Schafer Crime Series”, and although you could read it as a standalone, personally I feel it would be best to read “The Corpse Flower” first as it sets up the context for the main characters and helps you understand the subplot and dynamics.


Another dark mysterious Nordic read by Anne Mette Hancock, this time surrounding the disappearance of a small child. Not normally a theme I like to read, but one that I did end up enjoying. I enjoyed the characters individual storylines and relationships more than the missing child element, but I did enjoy the ending and the way it was left to readers to interpret whether there would be a link between the Warfarin article and the last chapter.


Slow burning at the very start, but does eventually pick up in pace, and by the end you’ll be sad its over.


Another great story in the series from Anne Mette Hancock. I look forward to book 3 when it’s translated into English.


4 Stars – Nordic Read With Various Triggers


Publication Date: 8th November 2022


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

This is a solid follow-up to "The corpse flower", the first instalment in the Kaldan and Schafer series (which I loved). No worries though if you haven't read the previous book: The collector reads like a standalone and I think you would not feel like you're missing the full picture.

This book is your typical detective novel, a perfect "popcorn read". It is very atmospheric (an aspect that I noticed and appreciated in the first book as well) and manages to keep you glued to the page with its short, snappy chapters and fast pace.

Unfortunately, I had some issues with the translation: I have a feeling some sentences were a bit messy.

Overall, highly suggested reading for anyone looking for an entertaining mystery/thriller with a dark, nordic setting.

I love this genre ! Nordic thrillers / murder is just the best ! I really enjoyed it dark and compelling and hope
I get to read more in this series ! Thank you fab read !

Great quick read. I was hooked from the start until the end and cannot wait for more in this series.

This book was incrdible! I didn't realise I would love this half as much as I could! A dark and gripping murder case that left me hooked.

An enjoyable read as far as crime fiction goes. However, not sure how the book title is relevant to the story.

A bit disjointed but characters vivid if inconsistent; I kept having to look back to see who was who. Story of missing boy is always compelling...

I was invited to read this on a book tour, so received a widget, however I had not read the first book and did not realize it was a series. So it was hard for me to follow. I wish I would have read the first and been able to enjoy this more.

A young boy has gone missing from his Danish school. Eric Schafer is soon on the case along with investigative reporter, Heloise Kaldan not far behind. In the days right before disappearing, Lukas, who is obsessed with pareidolia (a phenomenon that makes him see faces in random things) posts a picture of a barn. Is it coincidence or does it have a deeper meaning. Heloise is still dealing with her past, trying to put the pieces back together and is in the midst of questioning her future, but realizes that she’s seen that barn before … but where? With very few clues, Eric and Heloise, along with Schafer’s team are desperately searching for Lukas in hopes that it’s not already too late! Hancock’s newest book is a great follow up to her first in the series, The Corpse Flower, but can definitely be read as a stand alone. A page turning police procedural that keeps the reader guessing throughout with an ending that will leave you stunned! Hoping to see much more of Schafer and Kaldan in the future!! Thank you to Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley for an ARC of this book.

Nordic mysteries are one of my favorite genres and I always look forward to more translations. This book takes place in Copenhagen and begins with a missing boy. I read and enjoyed the author’s The Corpse Flower, and she is a very good writer. Recommended!

An awesome, suspenseful plot. What can you trust is real, is the question.
Many thanks to Crooked Lane Books and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.