2 stars, granted on the fact that it is a fast paced and easy read.

There are several things that made me downgrade my rating:

* The characters were absolutely not likeable. I don't mind some nasty villains, and even my favorite policewoman, Vera, is also rather irascible and stubborn, but here the characters don't have any traits to redeem themselves. Schaffer the policeman in charge is macho and has very preconceived notions: a male teacher with some makeup: SUSPECT ! A male aid crying in public: SUSPECT ! A gazelle like woman looking like a supermodel: TO BE INTERVIEWED ! Really? It's 2022 guys ! His counterpart in the form of a journalist (who didn't write a word during the whole book) is Heloise who is just whining about her private life all the way through.

* The whole story revolves around a handful of characters who all know each other in some way: the detective and the journalist are besties, so are the journalist and the main witness. The journalist is with the father when he receives the call that his boy is missing. There are more links that I will pass in order to avoid spoilers.

* There are issues that gave me pause and even wanted me to stop reading: up to three times patient - doctor confidentiality is broken, with devastating consequences. Schaffer is not the only one who shows signs of prejudice and preconceived notions, there is a multitude of references to race, gender or social status that are off putting. The themes of domestic abuse, alcoholism, abortion, refugees or poverty are all handled in a detached and very stereotypical way.

* And then there is also some strange structure in sentences and vocabulary, which I think is a result of the translation. Also, I have no clue as to what the title is referring to.

I would certainly recommend this book to readers who enjoy a fast paced thriller with twists and turns, but unfortunately it wasn't for me.

A sincere thanks to NetGalley, Crooked Lane Books and the author for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

This is a second psychological thriller by Danish writer Anne Mette Hancock. I reviewed the first one, The corpse flower here.

When 10-years old Lukas disappears from his school, it just seems that he has vanished into a thin air. He is described as an obedient and kind child, and his parents are prominent citizens. The only clues where he could be are his Instagram account and his bloodied jacket. Journalist Heloise Kaldan helps with the investigation and soon becomes obvious that many people are involved in this complicated case.

What hides behind fake smiles and who can a person trust?

This is a complex and believable thriller about children, family relationships, dark pasts, violence, hopes, and grief. The characters are very relatable with their inner turmoils and neverending analysis.

All in all, a good read.

3,5 stars

Complex and believably constructed case;
I read a book from the Heloise Kaldan and Erik Schäfer series a long time ago, so I'm not directly familiar with the series. This book is easy to read without knowing the previous volumes. The events start rapidly with the missing child and then the investigations stagnate a bit. At this point, the tension could have been a little more for my taste. The case is very well constructed and has a surprising but believable ending. The characters are also well drawn and complex. Overall I liked it very much and I will now get the previous volumes of the Kaldan/Schäfer series.

Talk about a surprise ending! This thriller truly kept me on my toes from beginning to end. It surely was not predictable and even when you thought the story was over there was one more jaw dropper. This was my first Anne Mette Hancock read but it surely won't be the last. Keep an eye out for this one coming in November 2022!

Danish crime thriller -- a missing child and some very ambiguous leads.

Heloise Kaldan is an investigative journalist with a local paper -- she usually writes articles about business but has recently been doing stories about crimes. She had befriended Detective Erik Schäfer during a prior case he had been working, and now she's found herself involved in the disappearance of a 10-year-old boy from his school in Copenhagen. There's no shortage of possible suspects and clues, but the police are having a difficult time making important connections as they sift through all the information. The child's dire situation is soon linked to the murder of an ex-soldier and nothing is making sense. What happened to Lukas Bjerre?

This plot wasn't quite as good as the first book in the series, but it was entertaining and allowed me to learn more about the the two main characters. Although I really can't say that I like or empathize with Heloise, she is definitely her own person and I am curious to know more. The police detective is a bit more likeable and I wonder why his point of view isn't more prominent as I usually don't like the amateur sleuth journalist type of character and would prefer more procedural than this partnership produces. There was this bit in the book about pareidolia -- a tendency that some have to interpret visual objects in a meaningful way even when there is nothing there. That whole thing really never went anywhere and I'm not sure why it was even included. Anyway, I did enjoy this second installment and will be interested to read the next in the series.

Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for this e-book ARC to read, review, and recommend.

An interesting crime thriller that takes on many different topics from PTSD to violence and reproductin. I enjoyed the story and the plot twists but found many characters underdeveloped. While the story is still enjoyable and will not disappoint crime fiction lovers, my impression was that it tries to take on too much. The ending, however, is really great and quite unexpected (for me).

Thank you, NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for an advanced reader copy of this book.

I saw a review of this book online in a Facebook post. It sounded interestingly enough but when I read it was book 2, following Corpse Flower I had to request to read an advanced copy.

Excellent Procedure type book several threads woven together to make a story that stays with you for days.

Read it. You will want more. Book 3 perhaps.

The Collector will consume every spare time you can find to read it! Dishes will pile up in the sink, laundry that needs to be folded will stay in a heap…….forget about cooking dinner! I am very thankful to Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books to have been granted this ARC. It’s categorically a page turner with twists and turns and with well defined characters. Do not miss this book! #netgalley, #TheCollector, # CrookedLane Books.

I absolutely loved The Collector. Anne Mette Hancock has written such a smart, emotional novel. The mystery was so cunning - the clues were so well placed, hidden yet in plain sight. I couldn’t read it fast enough, and yet I didn’t want it to finish. Fantastic story from beginning to end.

I really enjoyed book 2 of this series!

Ten year old Lukas disappears from his Copengagen school and police investigators begin to unfold the mystery. The boy also had a strange fascination with a condition called pareidolia - that makes him see faces in random things. Hours before he disappeared he posted a picture of a barn door and Journalist Heloise Kaldan thinks she recognises it and sets out to find the location. 

There were so many different story threads running through this, which made it all the more interesting. I loved the twists and can honestly say they were completely unexpected. Another fabulous novel by the author and I cannot wait for more.

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!

I literally couldn’t put this book down from the moment I picked it up. A ten year old goes missing. A journalist who will not give up until she finds an answer. With a vision of a barn she knows she has a lead. Just will it lead to the boy in time. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I was unaware that this was the second book in a series - thankfully, I don’t feel like I missed any major details that the author didn’t cover.

A young boy goes missing, the main suspect found dead and a lot of unexplainable clues. A lovable yet hardened detective, Schafer, must race against the clock if he hopes to find the boy alive. Kaldan, an investigative reporter (and friend of Schafer) is also tasked with covering the story. The two cautiously work together to solve the puzzle.

I FLEW through this book. My favorite thing about this book was actually the setting. The frigid Copenhagen winter added to the suspense. This was also masterful storytelling. Connections were made that literally made my jaw drop - even though when I thought back, it all made sense. I am itching to get my hands on the first book in this series!

An interesting thriller with some new concepts and good character development. The middle part of the story is slow where the narrative veered into the personal lives of the protagonist. The suspense becomes obvious three fourths through but the final twist is befitting. Another of my favourite Scandinavian author.

A somewhat successful attempt at Nordic noir. A basically interesting plot is hampered by limited character development and improbable surprises. I couldn't figure what relevance the title had to the text.

This was my first read by Anne Mette Hancock. A talented author, who wrote an interesting mystery thriller. I was intrigued only after reading the chapter; however, overall, it was a bit slow. I also found it slightly predictable. The good news is that I did enjoy the main character Héloïse, and am interested in reading other works by this author! Thank you for the ARC NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books!

Thank you for the ARC

this was my introduction to Héloïse Kaldan. Can’t wait to read more of her character.
This was a medium paced read with the twist nearly 80% in , great read

This was a bit slow for me. I liked the very first chapter and how the story was introduced, but after that, it was kind of just a little boring. It focused a lot on the characters and not as much on the mystery as I would have liked, The ending was a bit easy and not super satisfactory.

This novel was filled with so many twists, turns and red herrings that by the end, I was still shocked and surprised. I really enjoyed the authors writing and found that I was drawn in immediately to this story about a missing 10 year old boy. This page turner is absolutely worth 4 stars.

Yep this is the one. Every once in a while I find a book that I can’t put down and this was one of them. I have never read a Scandinavian novel before and this sure won’t be my last. Thank you NetGalley for the copy!