First, I would like to thank Katrine Engberg, Scout Press, Tara Chance, and NetGalley for my copy of the ARC.

I've enjoyed all of the Werner & Jeppe books. These are some of the best Crime Mysteries I've ever read. I was so excited when I came across the first one. I can't wait for the rest of the series.

I received a complimentary copy of this Danish Police Procedural from Netgalley, the author Katrine Engberg, and publisher Gallery/Scout Press. I enjoyed another visit with Jeppe Korner and Anette Werner again. Thank you all for sharing your hard work with me. I have read The Sanctuary of my own volition, and this review reflects my honest opinion of this work.

I love the way Katrine Engberg's mind works. The Sanctuary is an excellent Scandinavian mystery, the fifth in a series but completely independent, with well-rounded, personable characters, lots of exposure to the beauty and diversity of the Danish countryside, and a well-hidden murder mystery. I was not even looking in that direction for the solution to this complicated crime. I have missed out on a couple of this series, but I have to say The Sanctuary is easily as compelling as the first, the Tenant. I find the exposure to the Danish police and the Danish way of life portrayed in these novels quite compelling. I may have to add Denmark to my bucket list.
pub date February 7, 2023

Copenhagen Homicide Detective Jeppe Korner is burned out. His relationship has ended, he’s exhausted his ability to investigate violent crimes, and he is currently growing his beard out and cutting trees on the island of Bornholm. He lives alone in a small cottage, checking in on his elderly neighbor from time to time.

Back in Copenhagen, a suitcase has been found mostly buried near a school playground. When the police show up, they open the case to find a half of a body. It’s clearly been there for a while, and there is no identifying information at first. Clearly a murder, the investigation is assigned to Anette Werner. There’s not a lot she can do until the medical examiner gives her any details they can and they identify the victim.

They look into men who were reported missing and try to figure out where the suitcase came from. And when the other half of the body turns up as well, in a matching suitcase, they have a little more information to go on. But despite the body being found in Copenhagen, they find that the clues they are following up on all lead to the same place—Bornholm.

Esther de Laurenti, a writer and friend of Jeppe and Anette from previous investigations, also finds herself on the island. She is working on a book about Margrethe Dybris, a feminist anthropologist who specialized in death rituals from around the world. She had a home on the island, where she raised two children. Esther had been invited by Dybris’s daughter to come to the house and look through her mother’s letters for the biography. Margrethe had written a lot of letters to friends, family, and colleagues, and she had made copies of them all, so Esther has a lot of material to go through.

It turns out that Margarethe’s son is one of the missing men that is on Anette’s list of potential victims, along with another man who has a vacation home on the island. And since there are one or two things on the island that seem connected to her victim, she convinces Jeppe to ask a question here or there. He may be a lumberjack now, but he still has police skills.

As the investigation goes on, and Anette finally heads out to the island herself, they find a number of suspects. There is the owner of the sawmill or his controlling daughter. Or the rancher with the slaughterhouse. There is a strange religious group called Zealot’s Children. And there is a bag filled with Euros. But how does it all fit together? And will they be able to figure it out before someone else is killed?

The Sanctuary is the fourth and final book in the Korner and Werner series, the thrilling Scandinavian noir series (technically, there were 5 books in the series, but only 4 have been released in North America). These books have displayed the criminal underbelly of Copenhagen while also demonstrating Denmark’s heart, soul, and intelligence through these investigations. The murder that caught the attention of the police in this one is particularly gruesome, so this book may not be for everyone, but I think the readers who make it through will find the reward to be great.

I have been a fan of these books for several years. Werner and Korner feel like old friends, and I am grateful for the time I’ve gotten to spend with them. Watching them sacrifice so much for the police force is a testament to dedication, but I have especially appreciated the moments of humanity that have come through in each of these books. There is a celebration of life and all of its messiness, especially here in The Sanctuary, with lots of twists and surprises.

Usually, I like to say that any book in a series can also be read as a standalone, and usually the author makes sure that readers can pick up a series anywhere and get caught up enough to enjoy the nuances of the story. I’m not sure that’s the case here though. I think this one is best read after having read at least one or two of the other books in this series. It can be read alone, but the experience will be richer if you have more background on these characters. And the payoff will be worth so much more, because that ending is just lovely. Thank you, Ms. Engberg, for this journey!

Egalleys for The Sanctuary were provided by Gallery/Scout Press through NetGalley, with many thanks.

Thank you NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for the opportunity to read and give an honest review of this book.

Kørner and Werner are back together again, solving crimes, and I couldn’t be happier. Even though Jeppe has taken a leave of absence from his job as a detective, he cannot stay away from solving crime. He works as a lumberjack on an island away from Copenhagen. When Anette’s gruesome case of a body split in half and found in two suitcases, takes her to the island where Jeppe happens to be taking his time off, they can’t help but put their brains and old partnership together to solve the murder.

Well written, and complicated, this story has many threads that all interconnect. I will definitely be sad if this is the final book in Engberg’s series.

I have enjoyed them all, immensely.

The Sanctuary seems to rely heavily on coincidence when the grisly murder of an unidentified man seems to be linked to Barnholm, the island where Jeppe Kørner, the leading half of the Korner and Werner police duo from Katrine Engberg’s five-part series. Korner’s on leave and Anette Werner is running a big investigation for the first time. She asks Korner to ask a few questions, thinking it easier than involving local police in what might be a wild goose chase. Esther de Laurenti, the writer who appears in the other books in the series, is back and also on the island though neither she not Korner know the other is there.

The investigation is bifurcated with Werner leading the squad in Copenhagen while Korner continues a reluctant informal investigation in Barnholm. When the body is tentatively identified, the action shifts to Barnholm and Werner arrives to lead the official inquiry. But not everything is as it seems.



The Sanctuary is a compelling mystery and one that makes me want to read the previous three books in the series. I love how completely the setting is part of the story. She managed to make the land and sea feel familiar as though I were there. I also like how distinct the characters are. In particular, the local police officer who belied Werner’s prejudgment. The de Laurenti subplot focusing on the difficulty of balancing motherhood with a career passion was an effective counterpoint to Werner’s own conflicts.

There really is a lot to love about The Sanctuary. However, the coincidences piled up to almost comical proportions. The solution was fair. Everything was there for readers to put key elements together, so much so, I became impatient with the central error in the case they were putting together. In spite of that, I very much enjoyed The Sanctuary and am ready to read the rest.

I received an e-galley of The Sanctuary from the publisher through NetGalley.

The Sanctuary from Gallery Books | Simon & Schuster
Katrine Engberg bio at Simon & Schuster

The duo of Korner and Werner are working at cross purposes in this gruesome murder mystery.
Korner has retreated to Bornholm, an isolated island and is working as a lumberjack while Werner is back in Copenhagen tasked to solve a heinous crime. All roads seem to lead to the little island of Bornholm.

There are several plot lines and it is sometimes difficult to figure out how and if they intersect and when they do to what purpose. There is perhaps too much of a mystery or too many mysteries and clues are scant- frustrating. So, there is a heartsick on-leave cop subbing as a lumberjack working with some questionable guys. Then there is his former partner who has to solve this sawed in half body murder mystery. Lots of other characters running around and running away and hiding and killing and doing other nasty stuff with the exception of the nice people who serve a purpose in the story but you will have to wait to discover the significance of their presence. It’s a good story, maybe just a little bit convoluted but a satisfying police procedural done the Danish way.

Thank you Scout Press and NetGalley for a copy.

The Sanctuary
⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
Genre: Thriller
Format: Audiobook
Date Published: 2/7/23
Author: Katrine Engberg
Publisher: Gallery Books
GR: 3.91

I requested a digital advanced readers copy from NetGalley and Gallery Books and providing my opinion voluntarily and unbiased.

My Thoughts: There are five books to this Nordic Noir series, however, only 4 have been translated to English, this is the final book in the series. This is officially book number five in the Korner and Werner Scandinavian series. The crimes are very gruesome and detailed in this entire series. The author does an amazing job at setting the atmosphere and tone of the island, pulls you into the storyline.

Jeppe is on leave from the police force for the winter. Anette is working a case that leads her to the island that Jeppe is on. Jeppe is the sensitive one, who has had his heart broken before. Anette is fierce, loyal, and just makes you smile. Anette recruits Jeppe for some assistance in investigation, not official. The characters were well developed with depth, mystery, and the two officers make such a great team. The author’s writing style translates to English well, is creative, suspenseful, and keeps you engaged. The pacing of the mystery and flow of character development was medium, not a slow burn, but also not fast paced throughout the story. The ending was fantastic.

The prior books were about the character building, where this one was more on the mystery at hand. If the second book gets translated to English, I would also read that one. I would recommend this series, especially this final book. It was a good ending to the series. The four books are also on audiobook.

I was genuinely surprised to discover that this novel is the last in Katrine Engberg’s terrific Kørner And Werner series of Scandinoir police procedurals. At only five books (of which this is the fourth translated into English,) it seems quite a short series for the genre. That said, Ms Engberg gives it a terrific finale, with a murder mystery plot that pulls out all the stops while having its main characters really consider what is most important for their lives going forward.

Foremost among our now beloved protagonists is the elderly writer Esther de Laurenti, whose roommate has recently died. Faced with both loneliness and mortality, she thinks back on her own life and wonders if she could have done some of the more important things differently, as she clutches the one piece of jewelry she always wears:

QUOTE
A gold pendant with a date engraved on it, March 18, 1966, in remembrance of the baby she had carried, given birth to, and then given up when she was seventeen. Heavily pressured by her parents, forced, even, to give the illegitimate child up for adoption. Should she have defied her parents? Could she have done anything?

She had asked herself that question countless times in an attempt to keep regrets at bay. The answer wasn’t clear. What remained was the consequence, the painful truth:

Esther had no one.

She had never had more children and never married. Her closest friends were either dead or forgotten.
END QUOTE

Police Detective Jeppe Kørner is suffering a related crisis of the soul after his painful breakup from fellow police officer Sara Saidani. Having taken a prolonged leave of absence from the force, he’s moved to the quiet island of Bornholm to chop down trees and otherwise remove himself from society. Even so, he’s pleased to learn that Esther will be moving up there too for a while, as she researches her latest book on award-winning anthropologist Margrethe Dybris.

Two years have passed since the death of the iconoclastic woman Esther had briefly corresponded with. Esther believes that Margrethe would have wanted Esther to write her biography, and has been in contact with her adult daughter Ida to arrange for a visit to the house where they lived for most of Margrethe’s life. Ida has been amenable to the idea despite no longer living on Bornholm herself. The house is usually occupied by her younger brother Nikolaj, but he’s made himself scarce at the prospect of visitors, as Ida and Esther both come to stay and sort through Margrethe’s letters and belongings.

Meanwhile back in Copenhagen, Violent Crimes Department detective Anette Werner is in charge of investigating her unit’s latest grisly discovery: exactly half of a corpse stashed in an imperfectly buried traveling case. As she and her colleagues investigate, they discover connections with Bornholm that will soon have Anette calling on Jeppe, asking for his unofficial assistance. When it becomes clear that something criminal is clearly afoot up north, Anette will travel to the island herself in order to find the answers behind the half-corpse, and to catch an elusive killer.

Anette and Jeppe’s reunion is a balm for both their souls. While Anette has missed her partner’s soothing but brilliant demeanor, Jeppe misses having a robust social life, as she teases:

QUOTE
[“]Boy, a person can’t turn their back for ten seconds without you growing yourself a depression beard. You’ve got bags under your eyes, Jepsen. Is everything all right?”

“Everything’s all right. It’s good to see you.”

“Good to see you!” She squeezed his upper arms. “You’ve built some muscle. About time. Come, have a seat, I’m dying of hunger.”

“Nothing’s changed, then.” Jeppe sat down across from Anette with a warm tingly feeling. He had completely forgotten how good it felt to have friends.
END QUOTE

Will their friendship be enough, though, to lure him back from his self-imposed exile, especially when coming back means he’ll have to learn to live with seeing Sara again on a regular basis? Or will a murderer render the question moot, when our detectives’ efforts put at least one of them in serious danger? And what does all this have to do with Esther, who is busy solving mysteries of her own and unearthing answers that could very well have a permanent impact on all their lives?

As translated by Tara Chace from the original Danish, this was a thoroughly satisfying conclusion to a consistently entertaining series. The fine gossamer threads of loss are dealt with delicately, as the warmth of family and friendship is kindled and strengthened over the course of the narrative. With this series completed, I’m very interested in seeing where Ms Engberg goes with her continuing literary career. Hopefully, whatever she produces next will be just as, if not more, compelling and empathic as these novels have been.

Nordic crime thriller that brings the series to a conclusion.

A gruesome discovery -- half a body in a suitcase. Some sort of band saw cleaved the man into two complete halves...where's the rest of it and who is this person?

Anette Werner is tasked with the investigation while Jeppe Korner is off trying to manage his broken heart and working as a lumberjack in nearby island of Bornholm. When clues about the body lead back to Bornholm, Werner calls upon Korner to help look into the case. Also on island, there is another familiar character, Esther de Laurenti, who has come to visit the home of an award-winning anthropologist, Margrethe Dybris. Esther is there with Margrethe's daughter, Ida, and is looking at the deceased anthropologist's letters and papers with the intent to write a biography of the icon.

Meanwhile, there are a lot of unsavory characters doing bad things and no one can seem to figure out where some missing men have gone or the identity of the person in the suitcase. It seems like there was a lot going on at the island over the years and the relationships of those who lived there became quite intertwined and proved dangerous for some. Anette goes to Bornholm and helps the local detectives track down suspects to try to piece together what had happened.

I've read 3 of the 5 books in this series featuring Copenhagen police detectives Jeppe Korner and Anette Werner. It's been too long between installments, and I could have done with a bit of a refresher perhaps, but this moved at a slow pace and involved a lot of characters in a new setting. The plot was complex and a bit convoluted and it seemed as if all the loose ends weren't really tied up neatly for me at the conclusion.

I'd like to give this 3.5 stars as I liked it but definitely, I think a person should not attempt this as a standalone. The two books I have not been able to acquire definitely should have been read as well. I always prefer to read a series in order. I never felt this rose to the level of a suspense thriller but seemed more of a police procedural.

Thank you to NetGalley and Gallery Books for this e-book ARC to read and review.

A great mystery that holds the reader captive. It was very unique how the author gives clues from old letters to the investigative efforts of the characters. The plot easy to follow but also left me guessing who the killer was until the very end.

Even though this book is part of a series, in fact the last one, it is still an enjoyable read as a standalone.

Thank you Netgalley and Gallery books for the opportunity to read this advance copy.

This was good! A Scandinavian murder mystery that I couldn’t get enough of. The plot was driven and I fell in love with the area. It’s book 5 but can be read as a stand-alone. Besides the mystery it was also told well. I really enjoyed it and recommend.
Thanks Galley Books via NetGalley.

Date Posted: Feb. 13, 2023
Blog: The Life & Times of a Book Addict

REVIEW:

The story takes place through a series of letters from the past and several characters in the present…Annette, Jeppe, and Esther. Though it did not seem like it at first, they each contributed to the story in their own way. It was interesting to read the different points of view and try to figure out how everything would connect in the end. That curiosity kept me turning page after page.

Even though The Sanctuary is book 5 of the Korner & Werner series, I did not feel lost with this being my first book by Katrine Enberg. If anything, now I wanted to go back and read the other four books to see what I have been missing. The author created a story that is well written and was able to keep me guessing until the very end. There were several times that I thought I knew the who but wasn’t 100% sure of the why…And man was I completely wrong. I never saw the end coming. The Sanctuary is an atmospheric tale that grabbed my attention from the very first page. I didn’t devour the story in one go, but instead I savored it over the course of several days. It was entertaining, dark, and completely satisfying.
Sometimes mysteries can be predictable, but happily this one was not. At least not for me.

The Sanctuary is an atmospheric tale that grabbed my attention from the very first page. I didn’t devour the story in one go, but instead I savored it over the course of several days. It was entertaining, dark, and completely satisfying.

This 5th book in the series is a very fitting conclusion to a serial killer thriller!! One of the reason I love reading Scandinavian thrillers is the slow burn & atmospheric writing that just makes me don’t want to stop reading in the middle.

The descriptions can cause a bit disgust but its kind of a given when a killer is involved. The character development is steady throughout the series and stands strong in this instalment. The storyline and the investigation are both very well developed. I can definitely say Korner & Werner are one of my favourite fictional detectives.

Thank you Gallery / Scout Press for the gifted ebook.

Katrine Engberg has written another atmospheric Nordic noir, this time set on the island of Bornholm. While this is part of a series, it's completely readable as a standalone.

Anette Werner works for the police in Copenhagen but has a case that seems to have roots in Bornholm. She reaches out to her former partner Jeppe, who is on leave from the police force and has taken refuge doing some part time physical work in a sawmill. There is a parallel story about Esther, a writer compiling a memoir of a recently deceased anthropologist, Margarethe Dybris who has left an overflowing stash of letters and correspondence during her 30 years on the island.

The island is a place where there are many secrets, where each person Anette and Jeppe encounter add a little bit of a piece to the puzzle of a mysterious death. There is quite a bit of descriptive gore, but the manner in which the unknown corpse has died is crucial to the story, that plays out in unexpected ways.

It's always nice to see Anette and Jeppe back together as they playfully banter with each other. Sadly, this is the last of the 5 part series, but I'm sure Ms. Engberg has more in store for us!

Thanks to NetGalley and Gallery Books for an advance reader's copy.

Great edition to the series from Engberg. I really enjoy these characters and the mysteries they're trying to solve. Engberg's ability to draw a location is wonderful. I always have to look it up on maps and images, because I already feel like I'm there, and I want to immerse myself even more.

After meeting hard-drinking landlady, writer, and suspect Esther de Laurenti in Katrine Engberg’s The Tenant, readers may be surprised to find her back three novels later in The Sanctuary, the fourth novel in this Danish author’s Kørner and Werner series, The Sanctuary. As Jeppe Kørner takes leave from the Copenhagen police department to recover from a bad breakup with fellow officer Sara Saidani, Esther attempts to deal with her roommate’s death. Now friends, both Jeppe and Esther find themselves on the Danish island of Bornholm, Jeppe working as a lumberjack and Esther reseaching the life of Margarethe Dybris in preparation for writing the deceased anthropologist’s biography.

Meanwhile, Anette Werner is put in charge of a gruesome new Copenhagen murder case. Half a body has been found inside a suitcase in a park, and clues to the gruesome murder begin leading to Bornholm. During her maternity leave in The Butterfly House (#2 in the series), Werner had been drawn into off-duty investigation. Now it’s Jeppe Kørner’s turn!

Before readers know any of this, Engberg’s heart-stopping opening scene propels the story forward, giving readers a glimpse of disaster to come. With such an opening, only the most squeamish could close the book. As readers dread the outcome, Engberg gradually brings the Copenhagen and Bornholm stories together and the lives of Werner, Kørner, de Laurenti, and the Dybris family. One thing for sure: readers won’t soon forget the small Danish island of Bornholm.

Thanks to NetGalley and Gallery/Scout Press for an advance reader copy of this new Nordic Noir thriller. It is Katrine Engberg at her best!

Shared on Barnes and Noble.

BOOK REVIEW: The Sanctuary by Katrine Engberg
Series: Korner and Werner | Book 4
2023 Publication Date: February 7

⭐️⭐️⭐️️

T.I.M.E. Most Anticipated Books Of 2023

T.I.M.E. TIP: Although it is a cumulative series, you can read this book series as standalone books… As for me, I started with Book 1 and recommend doing so. The locations and character names can be a bit of a challenge to retain due to Danish setting. Starting with Book 1 helps to cement that vernacular in your memory... ✨😎✨

Pages: 333
Genre: Thriller
Sub-Genre: Crime Fiction Series | Detective Thriller Series
Time Period: Present Day
Location: Copenhagen | Bornholm (Denmark)
Publisher: Gallery Books | Gallery/Scout Press️

PUBLISHER BOOK SYNOPSIS
From internationally bestselling author Katrine Engberg, Jeppe Kørner and Anette Werner rush to untangle a long-simmering mystery before a brutal killer strikes again.

Jeppe Kørner, on leave from the police force and nursing a broken heart, has taken refuge on the island of Bornholm for the winter. Also on the island is Esther de Laurenti, a writer working on a biography on a female anthropologist with a mysterious past and coming to terms with her own crushing sense of loneliness in the wake of a dear friend’s death. When Jeppe lends a helping hand at the island’s local sawmill, he begins to realize that the island may not be the peaceful refuge it appears to be.

Back in Copenhagen, Anette Werner is tasked with leading the investigation into a severed corpse discovered on a downtown playground. As she follows the strange trail of clues, they all seem to lead back to Bornholm. With an innocent offer to check out a lead, Jeppe unwittingly finds himself in the crosshairs of a sinister mystery rooted in the past, forcing him to team up with Anette and Esther to unravel the island’s secrets before it’s too late.

Katrine Engberg weaves a satisfying and white-knuckled tale in her Korner and Werner series that is a modern classic of Scandinavian noir.

--------------------

All my book reviews can be seen at This Is My Everybody | Simple Living | Denise Wilbanks at thisismyeverybody.com/blog/what-book-should-i-read

♡ Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC. I voluntarily chose to review it and the opinions contained within are my own.

After a difficult case and even worse break up, Jeppe Kørner takes an extended leave from the police force fleeing to the small island of Bornholm where begins work at a sawmill. His friend and occasional police consultant Esther de Laurenti also happens to be on Borhholm researching an eccentric anthropologist and pioneering feminist for a biography as she grieves the loss of her friend and roommate.

Meanwhile, in Copenhagen, Anette Werner is working without her stalwart partner, Jeppe, and leading the investigation into a macabre death. A corpse, sawed in half, is found in a suitcase in a city park. With only half a body and scant clues, the team struggles to identify the victim. The few leads they uncover point to Bornholm. Anette asks Jeppe to make casual inquiries which pulls him back into the excitement—and danger—of an investigation while Anette partners with a local detective. They find that the island, seemingly bucolic, could definitely be the site of such a gruesome murder as they identify links between a butcher, the owner of the sawmill, and a radical church. Letters Esther finds written by Margaret, the subject of her book, shed light on the complicated history of the island and the complex and combustible relationships.

The book is well-plotted and is more focused on the investigation than the personal lives of the detectives (compared to THE HARBOR) which I prefer. An island or contained environment is always a good setting for a mystery, and in this there are many suspect characters. Jeppe and Anette have a fun relationship, with Anette in particular giving Jeppe a difficult time, so I particularly enjoyed when they were reunited. Additionally, I was totally surprised and delighted by the ending which was quite heart-pounding. Sadly, THE SANCTUARY is the final volume in the Korner and Werner series.

Thank you to @gallerybooks and @netgalley for providing an advanced reading copy of the book!

I was so sorry to read that this was the last book in the Korner and Werner series. Even before I read the first page I could see several ways this would go. They all die or secrets are revealed that put a different spin on everything or the series just ends. Or then again it could be like any old ordinary work day,they all live happily ever after( no chance!). Obviously these are just a few things that went through my mind while reading The Sanctuary.( and a bunch of terrible guesses!).
The story opens with Jeppe on a leave of absence. He’s working as a logger and trying to move past his broken heart. His friend Esther is close too. Having suffered the loss of a friend, her job writing a biography is supposed to take her mind off of her friend’s death. But soon people are missing and Jeppe won’t be able to stop himself from getting involved. They will find themselves learning about a woman’s life and her death will give Esther access to something she never thought she’d find. Then there is Anette, in charge of the team and not missing Jeppe one bit( until she is). This time she is faced with a brutal killer. A body or at least half of one found in a suitcase with no obvious ties to who the man could possibly be. Jeppe and Anette will come back together trying to catch a killer before he or she can strike again.
Not nearly as gruesome as some Nordic Noir I’ve read. It’s a great story and I loved the way different seemingly unrelated threads weave together to show a fully fledged picture that answers many of the stories questions. Cheers to Esther,Jeppe,and Anette. It’s been nothing but a great time( though a gruesome one)getting to know you throughout these books.

After living with a pandemic for nearly three years, and almost two years after the first vaccines arrived, most people have returned to normal life, even if it is a different normal than before covid. I don’t worry about going to stores or restaurants unmasked, I hug people I love, and we enjoy large family dinners. However, the worry is always in the back of my mind, manifesting as anxiety in very crowded spaces. It is not difficult to recall the loneliness—for some, isolation—that the pandemic brought.

Katrine Engberg’s new installment of her Korner and Werner series, “The Sanctuary,” written during covid, deftly captures the pain of loneliness, not from pandemic lockdown, but from the usual trials of life.
After Copenhagen police find a suitcase with half of a body in it—the left half—detective Anette Werner travels to the tiny Danish island of Bornholm following clues to try to determine the victim’s identity and find his killer. While working on the case, she has to contend with missing her husband and toddler daughter, and even her three troublesome border collies.

Anette’s partner, Jeppe Korner, has been on a leave of absence for months after a painful breakup. He’s on Bornholm working as a lumberjack, living alone, and socializing only with his shut-in neighbor. Since he’s already on Bornholm and acquainted with many locals, Anette asks Jeppe to find out what he can as she sets up her investigation out of the local police station. This is Anette’s first time to head up a homicide investigation on her own, and she is both anxious and missing her partner.

Jeppe’s friend Esther also arrives on Bornholm, grieving the recent death of her roommate, Gregers. She’s there working on a biography of a famous anthropologist—Margrethe Dybris—now deceased. She was invited to stay in the woman’s home by the woman’s daughter, who is also staying there. Meanwhile, Anette learns that the suitcases that the two half-corpses (the second one being found a few days after the first) once belonged to the famed scientist. Anette and her team begin to suspect that the scientist’s missing son is the victim.

The story alternates between the present investigation and Dybris’s life, which we learn about through Esther reading her correspondence. Dybris eschewed marriage, electing to adopt two children, live modestly, and pursue her work. While her daughter attended college, married, had a career, her son struggled in school and got into trouble—pranks and mischief mostly. However, at his eighteenth birthday party, his pregnant girlfriend died from a mysterious fall. Suspicion fell on the son, and his life began to spin out of control, leading to drugs and petty crime.

The plot is intriguing as Anette and her team meticulously and methodical investigate the gruesome murder. There are plenty of suspects, and readers are treated to some action and suspense at the climax.
I am very much a fan of Nordic Noir, which can be quite dark and somewhat disturbing—even disturbed. Readers who may not be comfortable with the gloomy, unsettling stories in most of the genre will enjoy this series. Despite their loneliness, grief, and pain, the characters find connection or reconnection with others by the end of the book—happy endings for all but the killer.