I was given a copy of this book by the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Mika has grown up in the orphanage. She is the one who gets up with the younger children when nightmares cause them to cry out in the night, who keeps their spirits lifted as much as possible, and who opens the door to a stranger with a newborn. She is also the one who gives such details that the investigating detective requests for her help.

The Night Raven was a serial killer that everyone thought was executed a year ago, but when another victim turns up, killed just like his others. Mika and Valdemar put their own lives in danger to solve this mystery.

This is a high-quality pre-teen historical mystery novel!
Mika is 12-year-old orphan, living in an orphanage in Sweden in 1880 (where the winter is coming). Her life is hard, yet this girl has a very brave and kind heart, and also very well-working mind: she is very observant and can see even the tiniest of detail. She can also put these details into the big picture! So no wonder, when the crime happens, that one gruffy policeman realizes these qualities and engages Mika into his detective work.

This is a great read. Wise without being pretentious, atmospherical and visually very rich (you can see the coldness of weather and see the coldness of the hearts) - and mostly, very engaging. Mika is very well-thought character, a realistical smart kid, who is still a child, yet with great capabilities (which are enhanced precisely because she needs to survive).
The story is even funny, in the monents where orphans interact with each other.
Great read for kids and for anyone who is still a child in the heart!

The Night Raven is a very well written YA historical mystery series opener by Johan Rundberg. Originally published in 2021 in Swedish, this English language translation was released 1st Nov 2023 by Amazon on their Children's imprint. It's 192 pages and is available in hardcover, paperback, audio, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout. For Kindle Unlimited subscribers, this book is currently included in the KU subscription library to borrow and read for free.

Set in the winter of 1880 in Stockholm, it's dangerously bitterly cold and a ruthless killer is stalking the population. Mika, a 12 year old orphan, has honed her powers of observation as a survival skill. She's recruited by one of the few competent and honorable policemen to assist in his investigation. The partnership is -very- well written and sensitively handled. He doesn't ignore or denigrate her contributions, and they develop a good working relationship despite the age difference.

It's aimed at young readers (Lexile 680, grades ~5-9), but there are many difficult themes in the book, threatened and actual violence, physical abuse and starvation of vulnerable children, extremely austere living standards for the poor of the period, working conditions for the lower classes (including/especially children). Some parts are scary for sensitive readers. The denouement and resolution are exciting and satisfying. There are currently two books released in English in the series, with a third announced for release in Jan 2025.

The English translation work by A.A. Prime is well rendered and seamless. It flows very well and is accessible and doesn't get in the way of the story at all.

Four stars. Possibly too dark for a younger middle grade audience (school library acquisitions folk should read it before ordering). It would make a good choice for public library acquisition, for home use, or for YA readers who enjoy more dire/tragic mysteries.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

I did not know what to expect when I first started reading so most of the book came as a pleasant surprise. This book presented a unique mystery with a touch of the speculative in setting that I rarely read books set in. This translated work loses no charm and shows how life circumstances can age up a child beyond their years. I will definitely continue with this series.

What a fast and compelling read! I finished it in a day. Just wow!

The Night Raven is a story about Mika, a 12-year-old girl who resides in Public Children’s Home (an orphanage). The story takes place in Stockholm during 1880 and revolves around the mystery surrounding the murderer known as The Night Raven, who has killed four people and been put to death. Except that now, a new murder has happened, and it has the same pattern as The Night Raven's work. Starting with her thorough and detailed testimony about a baby that was left in the children's home in the middle of the night, Mika gained the interest of a police officer named Valdemar Hoff. Eventually, they collaborate to uncover The Night Raven's mystery.

The story is fast-paced, and the narration is captivating from the start. With just over 190 pages, the author did an effective job of describing Mika's character. I found it endearing how, despite being orphaned, she grew up intelligently and has the ability to think creatively about research. Other characters such as Amelia, Rufus, Edvin, and the other orphanage children are worth paying attention to. Mika and Rufus' friendship was also something I loved.

Some parts also have a spine-chilling vibe that makes me dread until the end for the true identity of the mysterious man. I didn't receive an answer, but I discovered that there are some sequels to this book that are still being translated into English. I'm excited to read the sequels and uncover the unresolved mysteries here.

The Night Raven is a story set in Sweden in the 1880s, and tells the story of Mika who lives in an orphanage during a freezing winter, while the hunt for a serial killer is underway. Mika is a 12-year-old girl, who is unusually observant of the details around her. A useful skill when it comes to tracking down a criminal.

This book has some dark elements which is an excellent example of middle-grade fiction that can be enjoyed by those whose ages are far higher than the average middle-grade student. All in all, this is an entertaining read!

Thank you NetGalley for providing me with this arc in exchange for my honest review.

Mika is an orphan. She lives in an orphanage and the story takes place during an extremely harsh winter in Sweden, in the year 1880. This is a book for older teens because this felt very real, there isn’t much sugarcoating and Mika, who is great at seeing details other people don’t see, becomes a kind of temporary police investigator’s assistant and she gets shown things a kid shouldn’t see, like dead bodies. And she works at a bar. Mika is such a strong and fierce little Sherlock Holmes and the story is written so well, I enjoyed every second of it. It stays mysterious until the end so I’m immediately diving into the sequel! I have to say that I really liked the investigator Mika worked with too, he reminded me of Hagrid a lot, one of my favorite book characters!

Unusual kind of read, where the oldest girl in the Stockholm state orphanage, a resident so long she has to work as staff and junior matron to the other kids, fills in a form with so much detail as regards a new arrival that a policeman turns up to ask her more. The city had had a serial killer, and someone thought that it might be this baby's deliverer had just become a victim – even if the killer has gone through capital punishment. Cue the birth of such a strange crime-solving partnership, the maverick cop and the street-smart, uber-observant foundling, that it's lasted for three sequels to this and counting.

But I just don't think I'd rush to visit any of them. This felt flat for me – a story where the girl was too knowing, too clever, too able to go from bossing her world to bossing ours. There seemed a heck of a lot of talk of threat against our duo, and no evidence of that, and the reveal they gave us of the killer's identity and everything else just seemed a touch too flat. And it left far too much of the copper's character – such as him not allegedly fronting an investigation for five full years before this – hanging. But I think the fact this somehow won awards at the same ceremony for junior crime and for YA mystery is indicative of greater flaws – this didn't seem to have had a perfect eye on the target audience, and to me seemed lacking in appeal for all age brackets. Two and a half stars.

A baby turns up at an orphanage in 1880 on a cold winter's night.

The boy that delivers her, also delivering a warning about a dark angel.

The same night a man is murdered using the same M.O. as executed serial killer The Night Raven.

Are they one and the same, and is there more to the story than meets the eye?

This story was quite dark and showed how awful 1880 could have been.

But the plot was intriguing and I powered through the book in one sitting.

So despite some of the content being more depressing than I would normally consume, I am curious enough about what happens next that I will in fact continue to read the series.

Book Review: The Night Raven by Johan Rundberg

⭐⭐⭐⭐/5 Stars

The Night Raven by Johan Rundberg is a captivating middle-grade historical mystery that takes readers on a chilling adventure through the frigid streets of 1880s Stockholm. With its atmospheric setting, well-crafted plot, and endearing characters, this book offers a delightful reading experience that will leave readers eagerly anticipating the next installment in the series.

Set in the bitterly cold city of Stockholm, The Night Raven introduces us to twelve-year-old Mika, a resourceful orphan who possesses a unique ability to notice small details. Just when she thought life at the orphanage couldn't get any more challenging, a mysterious newborn baby is left on their doorstep, accompanied by a cryptic message. As Mika's curiosity is piqued, a gruff detective named Hoff appears, seeking her help in solving a gruesome murder.

Intrigued by the opportunity to make a difference and escape her bleak future, Mika reluctantly agrees to assist Hoff with his investigation. Together, they unravel a sinister plot that goes deeper than anyone could have imagined. With each clue they uncover, Mika's determination grows, and she soon realizes that she possesses the power to bring justice to the victims and unmask the true identity of the infamous Night Raven.

First and foremost, the cover art of The Night Raven deserves special mention. It is undeniably beautiful and instantly captures the essence of the story within its pages. The intricate details and somber color palette perfectly reflect the atmospheric setting of 1880s Stockholm, immersing readers in a world filled with mystery and intrigue.

Rundberg's writing style is both engaging and accessible for middle-grade readers. The narrative flows smoothly, allowing readers to effortlessly follow Mika's journey as she navigates the treacherous streets of Stockholm. The author's attention to detail creates a vivid backdrop for the story, showcasing the harshness of the Swedish winter and adding depth to the overall reading experience.

The plot of The Night Raven is well-crafted and compelling. Rundberg skillfully weaves together elements of mystery, suspense, and historical fiction, resulting in a story that keeps readers guessing until the very end. The pacing is excellent, providing just the right balance between action-packed sequences and quieter moments of character development.

Speaking of characters, Mika steals the show with her endearing personality and remarkable abilities. Her resourcefulness and determination make her an instant favorite among readers. As she teams up with Detective Hoff, their unlikely partnership adds an extra layer of complexity to the story. The supporting cast is equally well-developed, adding depth and nuance to the narrative.

In conclusion, The Night Raven by Johan Rundberg is a thoroughly enjoyable middle-grade historical mystery. With its atmospheric setting, engaging plot, and lovable characters, this book is sure to captivate readers of all ages. As someone who appreciates a well-written and quick-paced mystery, I eagerly anticipate diving into the next installment of this exciting series.

⚠️This review was written based on personal opinions and experiences with the book. Individual preferences may vary⚠️

Thank you Netgalley for the free ARC in return fir an honest review.

A middle grade short novel about a lovable orphan, Mia, who works with a detective to solve a serial killer mystery. The story is dark and a bit gory, so don’t recommend to the sensitive kid. I wished it was longer and more developed but this is a series with the next book in the series to come out soon in the States.

Twelve year old Mika lives in the Public Children’s Home in Stockhom (Sweden) in 1880. One night, she hears a faint knocking on the front door. Mika decides to answer it rather than waking Amelia, the woman in charge. She finds a boy with a bundle in his hands. He is told there is no room but instead gives her a bundle and runs off. When she opens the bundle, she finds a newborn baby. She sees a tiny braided leather with red flowers bracelet. On that same night a murder happens. The next day the police department send a policeman to register the baby. Detective Valdemar Hoff visits the home and interviews Mika. He is amazed at how observant she is. He has her come along with him to investigate the murder. They realize that the murder looks like it was done by the Night Raven, a serial killer who once terrorized Stockholm. He was executed last year. Detective Valdemar Hoff continues to have Mika work the case with him as she is so “observant.” Will they discover who the murderer is?

This thrilling, fast paced mystery is a story about death, poverty and work in the 1880’s time period. Detective Hoff and Mika are perfect partners for working together. I enjoyed how they learned to trust each other. It’s written for the
upper middle grades. I enjoyed it so much that I would recommend it to adults. It has left me to wanting to continue reading the series due to the excellent writing by the author and translation by A. A. Prime.

I received this ARC from NetGalley for an honest review.
“The Night Raven” by Johan Rundberg is the first in a middle-grade mystery series. What I loved most about this book is how the author dove right into the thick of things from the start and brought the struggles of being an orphan to the forefront of the story. Mika is a bright, preceptive and strong-willed twelve-year-old girl who has only ever known the children’s home she grew up in, knowing nothing of her family. Mika has a Sherlock Holmes type of trait about her, in which her keen observation abilities allow her to infer and deduce things others often miss.
In the dead of winter, on a night unlike any other, Mika is woken from her sleep to the sound of banging on the front doors of the orphanage. Hearing no one else getting up to answer the door, she sees to it. Upon the doorstep is a boy, not much older than Mika, holding an hours old baby. With ominous parting words, the boy leaves the baby in care of Mika and vanishes into the night. A constable comes to register the new baby and to question Mika about the strange boy who brought the baby in, making note of the odd details which Mika provides him with.
News of a murder brings Detective Hoff to the doors of the children’s home. He questions Mika further and asks for her aid in the investigation. Thus, begins the unlikely partnership between the two, allowing Mika to hope in possibly making something of herself after all.

Stockholm, 1880: Twelve-year-old Mika struggles to take care of everyone at the orphanage. One night, a boy drops off a newborn baby at the front door with a warning about the “Dark Angel.” After making a police report about the new baby, a detective shows up at the orphanage to enlist Mika’s help. Detective Hoff wants Mika to help him solve a series of murders, because of her observations skills. Even though this could be dangerous, Mika sees it as an opportunity to one day move out of the orphanage, so she joins him on the investigation.

This story was so good! There were some sad moments with stories about the orphans, but the story was fast paced and didn’t linger on any scene for long. The mystery was really well plotted. There were great twists and reveals throughout the story. There were also a couple of subplots introduced, which I’m excited to find out more about in the next books!

The Night Raven is a great middle grade mystery!

Thank you Firefly Books Distributed and Amazon Crossing for sending me a copy of this book!

Content warnings: death, death of sibling, death of parent, death of child, parental abandonment, vomiting

The Night Raven was absolutely addicting! I started it at midnight with the intent of only reading a chapter or two and the next thing I knew it was 2 in the morning and I had competed the book!

The author does an outstanding job keeping the plot moving and engaging through the whole story. Every chapter ends on the right amount of cliffhanger emotion that you feel compelled to keep going because you just have to know what is going to happen next. The central mystery was very well plotted and executed, I was not able to figure it out and while it didn't leave me emotionally devastated it did leave me satisficed. I enjoyed the way they mystery unfolded and each piece felt properly thought out and never once felt like they came about because of convince of plot. While I hadn't figured out the main mystery I was able piece a few bits together which made it more engaging, I never want to figure out way before the characters do but I love picking up little connections here and there.

Mika's character is headstrong and intelligent but her little personality trait that was around her telling terrible little stories to the other kids in the orphanage was interesting, sometimes they came off really mean and insensitive. I suppose one can argue that its a reflection of her world and she might be trying to prepare the other kids for the cruelty of it, but I still find it odd.

I do wish the story had dived a bit more into her background aside from what we were given. And the same goes for Constable Hoff, it very much felt like there was something more to him and his position within the police force, he gave me vibes that he wasn't exactly liked by everyone but it was never touched upon.

The Night Raven is a fast paced and engaging story that any kid who loves mystery will absolutely fall in love with.

The Night Raven is the first book in a new mystery series that was originally published in Swedish and is now translated into English. We follow Mika, an orphan in the late 1800s during the winter. Life is hard for her and her fellow orphans and there is a serial killer on the loose. The town believes they captured the killer and executed him but then another body turns up. Mika is twelve and she is very observant and pays attention to details. A police officer takes her under his wing to help find the killer.

I really liked this book! It was middle grade but I would say older middle grade. There are some tough topics discussed in here like a serial killer and the poor treatment of children. However, I thought it was done very well. The mystery kept me interested and I loved Mika as a character. She was very caring and kind but was also fiesty and could take care of herself. The other children were also loveable and unique. I also love the cover!

I hope more of this series gets translated! Thanks so much to netgalley and Amazoncrossing for the arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

An exciting murder mystery for teens (or braver preteens). Some dark themes but overall not as scary as the ' hunting a serial killer' tale would suggest. My teen grandaughter really loved it .

The Night Raven is a gripping story set in Sweden in the 1880s, and tells the story of life in an orphanage during a freezing winter, while the hunt for a serial killer was underway.

Living alongside a number of other children in the orphanage, Mika is a very bright 12 year old girl, who is unusually observant of the details around her. A useful survival skill for an orphan to have.

An even more useful skill when it comes down to tracking down a criminal. And so when Detective Hoff - who is on the trail of a brutal murderer - enlists her help with the investigation, Mika feels torn.

Surely this cannot be a good thing for her to get involved in? But neither can it be a good thing for her to give up such an opportunity, can it? Not when it is the kind of chance that is not likely to come again in the life of a humble orphan...

This book has some dark elements, which is probably inevitable when there is a serial killer involved. But it is an excellent example of middle grade fiction that can be enjoyed by those whose ages are far higher than the average middle grade student!

The author has written an intriguing story with a strong sense of time and place. The relationship between Mika and Detective Hoff is nicely done, and all in all, this is an entertaining read. I give it 3.5 stars. Recommended.

This was a magnificent, harsh, scary [borderline horror at times], well-written, NOT your typical US children's - middle grade, read [and it is a lesson that we here in the US could learn in how and why and what kids are reading, no matter their age]. I loved every second of this book and not once did I want to do anything else but read/listen to this fantastic story [that sucks you in from the first sentence and leaves you wishing that book 2 was available now, and not in March!] and wasn't distracted once, which given my recent record of not-so-great-reads for me, is saying something huge.

Mika is an orphan and her life is harsh. She is 12, lives in a "corrective" orphanage and works in a bar [that is weirdly called The Chapel] serving drinks and tries to stay alive the best way she knows how. A baby is delivered to the orphanage and a man is found dead and Mika finds herself wrapped in a mystery that will bring her to Inspector Valdemar [I will say, the narrator, with her accent, made this sound like Voldemort and I had to keep reminding myself that was NOT really his name LOL] Hoff and a life of solving crime that she never knew she had the capacity for and what they do and what they find, will forever change Mika's life.

Brilliantly written, filled with amazing imagery and world-building, this will make you laugh, cry, and think. I cannot wait until the next one. I highly recommend this one to anyone. Just fantastic.

Thank you to NetGalley, Johan Rundberg, A.A. Prime - Translator, AmazonCrossing/AmazonCrossing Kids for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

this was beautifully done. great story and story telling, most likeable characters, a good mystery. simply enjoyable, one of my favorite reads this year and wish all the rest of the series were translated.
be warned that while the mystery of this book ends, the story of mika continues.

4 stars