Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this eARC.

"The Sins of our Fathers: Arctic Murders Book 6" by Åsa Larsson is a riveting addition to the Scandinavian crime fiction genre. This novel, which has garnered acclaim and awards, including the Best Swedish Crime Novel of the Year 2021, plunges readers into the chilling landscapes of Kiruna and the complexities of a decades-old mystery.

Larsson weaves a masterful tale that intertwines the final wishes of a dying forensic pathologist, Lars Pohjanen, with the cold case of a body found in a freezer, identified as the father of a Swedish Olympic boxing champion who vanished in 1962. The protagonist, Rebecka Martinsson, is a character of depth and resilience, whose reluctance to engage with the past is as compelling as the case itself.

The narrative is as much about the investigation as it is about the transformation of Kiruna, a city being relocated for mining operations, mirroring the upheaval in the lives of the characters. Larsson's storytelling is a blend of suspense and social commentary, making her not only a masterful storyteller but also an astute observer of society.

The book's strength lies in its ability to maintain tension and pace over its considerable length, with Larsson's prose keeping the reader engaged and the pages turning. This translation by Frank Perry captures the nuance and atmosphere of Larsson's original work, ensuring that the novel's suspense and cultural richness are accessible internationally.

"The Sins of our Fathers" is a compelling read that will satisfy fans of the series and newcomers alike. It's a novel that confirms Åsa Larsson's place among the best current practitioners of the genre, and it leaves readers with an insatiable urge to explore the stark beauty of Norrbotten and the roaring rivers that have witnessed the unfolding of this gripping tale.

I generally like Scandi police procedurals but this one was a bit slow. There are some memorable characters but overall I wasn't thrilled.

I received a review copy of this book from the publishers through NetGalley.com.

First of all, even though this is the sixth book in the series, this book can be read as a standalone because the author explains everything.

I can’t believe this series has just finished! I’ve always imagined that we’d be reading about Rebecka Martinsson for many years to come.

What I love about this series is that I truly dislike both Rebecka and Anna-Maria and it really didn’t matter. In real life, people are flawed and make mistakes. They need therapy and to work on their traumas. All while being in charge of important things. This is life. And that’s what this book is about. Not about ‘second’ chances, but about how our life is shaped by the decisions we made before, and how each new day we can decide to change or stay the same.

4,5 stars!

The Sins of Our Fathers by @asalarsson won the Best Swedish Crime Novel of the Year in 2021 and it has been translated to English. I absolutely loved this Nordic Noir novel. While it is the sixth and final book in the Arctic Murder series, this book can be read as a stand-alone. The story itself is atmospheric and provides in-depth character development.

I highly recommend this book, especially if you love crime novels with great character development, commentary on social issues, and characters that are dealing with difficult or messy feelings.

Thank you @hachettebooks @maclehosepress and @netgalley for allowing me to read this book in exchange for my honest review.

It is an atmospheric Scandanavian mystery- this one is more involved with the characters and their history than the actual bad behavior of the bad guys.
It was a big draggy in some places, but over all a good mystery with very interesting characters. The self destructive prosecutor, the retired investigator and petulant police captain, all pretty fun. I think I liked the dogs best, though.
The resolution is pretty satisfying and I enjoyed the read.

I have loved this series, and it's hard to know exactly why. The mysteries always take a back seat to the inner lives of the characters, the protagonist behaves in self-destructive ways in spite of being highly intelligent and driven, and there's always a detailed historical backstory that is woven throughout the current crime story, which could drag the pacing down. On top of it, this entry involves boxing, which interests me not at all.

Yet ... I loved it. A drunken hoarder is found dead in his disheveled island house, and officials are surprised to find a body in his freezer. It's identified as a long-missing boxer who vanished, leaving his young son behind decades ago. The murder is beyond the law because the man died so long ago, it's outside the statute of limitations, but a retired detective agrees to look into it for the sake of the son, who became a distinguished boxer himself. Rebekka Martinsson becomes involved when the grumpy and ailing medical examiner follows a clue she gives him and discovers the drunk had been smothered to death. Then three young women from Eastern Europe who may have been staying at the hoarder's house are found dead, run over and their bodies dumped in a nearby depopulated village.

So there's plenty of plot, but the heart of the story is the interrelationships of the characters, a detective, a retired detective, the prosecutor, the boxer whose father's body is found in the freezer, and the woman who discovered her drunken brother's body. I sighed when Rebekka's dreadful boss came onstage being his usual awful self, but even their relationship gets interesting. If you are reader who mainly reads for the mystery plot, it might be a bit much. But for those familiar with the series who have come to love the characters and the setting - in far northern Sweden, in Kiruna, where the mines that run under the buildings have led to subsidence, making it necessary to relocate the entire city and where the surrounding nature is vividly described - well, it's a treat. I'm only sad that this is, apparently, the final volume in the series.

I want to thank NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read and review an advanced copy of this book, Sins of Our Fathers’ by Åsa Larsson.

I love to read Scandinavian mysteries but this book did not quite meet my expectations. Sure, there were references to Ikea and locations in Sweden, but the story seemed to drag, a bit. I realize the whole purpose of the story was to talk about how past events in the lives of the characters shaped their lives in the future, but there were too many details and too much information. I just wanted it to move along faster.

The basics of the story were interesting. Even though the book was supposedly about Rebecka Martinsson, a mildly depressed and seemingly demoted prosecutor, her role in the story seemed secondary. Instead, it was about a retired nurse, a retired boxer, a retired detective, a retired mining executive, an aging coroner (well, you get the picture). Throw in the Russian mafia and you have the makings of a story.

Probably a book I should have just given up on but after I invested some time I felt compelled to finish. Both Rebecca and Anne-Marie were hard characters to like. The drama and misery were just a bit much. Also not a fan of the two timelines aspect.
I haven’t read prior books on the series so perhaps if I had done that the story would have been more compelling.

It's a little hard to review a novel that has already won awards, but I will try. My problem with Sins of Our Fathers could be with the translation or the fact that I read an ARC of the English version that has yet to be edited . It seems to me that what I read is a meandering self-indulgent novel that didn't know when to stop. The story is told in increments, with the scenarios constantly changing without warning. Digressions into the past are marked, but they end without any warning that we have returned to the present. Many, many characters are featured and it can be hard to keep up.
Despite this, I persevered and did enjoy the novel. The main plot and characters were interesting. Any idyllic version of Sweden in my head was crushed as I learned that drugs, self-interest, and corruption are quite prevalent. I came in at the end of the series and am not motivated to read earlier novels therein.
Thanks NetGalley for the ARC.

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

This was a slow read for me. I kept waiting for an exciting part to draw me in. It never came. I felt that the characters were flat and the mystery just wasn’t
enough to make the book one that you couldn’t put down. As a matter of fact, it took real effort to continue picking it up, and reading.

I read all of the books in the Martinsson series prior to this one and I enjoyed them. This one was a disappointment.

Perhaps it was time to put the character of Rebecka Martinsson to rest.
Her depression was starting to depress me too.

I enjoyed this book very much but as others mentioned, it was the end of a series and I wish I would have read the series in order. I am going back to read the others.
I loved reading the dark, wintery settings for my summer read. It kind of breaks up the heat for you 😁. Thank you to Quercus and Netgalley for the arc! It is always great to be introduced to a great new series to read!

Asa Larsson is a talented crime fiction writer. The character are so realistic, it makes it feel like you know them. I also would recommend all the previous books in this series. Asa Larsson and Karin Fossum are the top-of-the-line in Nordic Noir.

Rebecka Martinsson! The final chapter!

The illusive, troubled Rebecka Martinsson! Previously a successful solicitor in Stockholm, now she’s moved back to the prosecutor’s office in Kiruna. Rebecca’s living in her grandmother’s old house next door to her uncle Sivving.
Currently Rebecca is having troubles at work. Troubles with her acting boss Carl Van Post, troubles with her friend Police Inspector Anna-Maria, and troubles with her love interests, particularly Kristen Erikkson.
Van Post has relegated her to closing out the backlog of minor crimes—over one hundred and fifty. Something someone without Rebeka’s seniority could easily have done. It’s a pointed move by Van Post!
When a man is found dead in a freezer from a heart attack and its determined the body is that of a man who disappeared over fifty years ago, Rebecka is given the task to clear away it away as the statute of limitations has been reached. Only it turns out the man was murdered. The body is that of a former Olympic boxer who’d disappeared. Then two other bodies are found nearby. The island on which the body is found belongs to the family who’d fostered Rebecka’s mother years ago. A quandary! Does Rebecka declare herself as having a prior connection to the family. No! Because to Rebecka it’s irrelevant, but under Swedish law, Rebecka is seen as being part of that family! Fascinating!
So Rebecka ends up illegally working a case that has far reaching tentacles into the community, hints of thuggery, tax evasion and the Russian mafia. Wow!
Then there’s her relationship with Krister which is a time bomb waiting to go off. Even though Krister is having a steady relationship with Marit, a former gold triathlon winner. Marit is perpetually checking her blog follower numbers and commenting on her and Krister’s social life. Krister is more than uncomfortable about that!
The last Rebecka Martisson novel by Larsson! I’m very sad to see her go.

A Mobius ARC via NetGalley.
Many thanks to the author and publisher.

I love a good Scandi Noir book and was happy to discover this new series. If only I had known to read the first five books first! But worry not, this book can absolutely be read as a stand-alone. I know because that’s what I inadvertently did, and I enjoyed the story.

This is the sixth and final book in the Rebecka Martinsson series. Rebecka was a tax attorney in Stockholm. She has now moved back to her hometown, Kiruna, in the far north of Sweden, where she is a District Prosecutor.

Rebecka’s mother, now deceased, was once a foster child with the Pekkari family, and this book is very much a dive into Pekkari family history.

A parallel and intersecting story features Rebecka’s “aunt”, Ragnhild Pekkari.

A third intertwining storyline involves a famous Swedish boxer and spotlights the world of boxing and the corruption therein. Which opens up a window to the shady dealings in Kiruna itself.

This is a dark crime story which includes violence and murder. But it is also about growing up in this area of Sweden, where everyone skis as well as they walk and where reindeer herds are inherited. Where Swedes speak Finnish and most homes do have a sauna. Where, just like anywhere else, people are looking for fulfillment and love.

Did I mention that the town of Kiruna is being moved, hopefully before it slides into the massive mine being dug around and under it? The mysterious, menacing Russians? The corpse found in a freezer? The camper van of prostitutes-to-go?

This is a slow-moving novel that jumps between storylines and includes many flashbacks. It did take me a while to become caught up in the story. But once I was absorbed in the book and invested in the mysteries, the pages flew by quickly. I will definitely be reading the author’s previous books.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️, available now. Best Swedish Crime Novel of the Year 2021 (Swedish Crime Writers Academy)! My thanks to the author, Åsa Larson, to the publisher, Hachette Book Group and MacLehose Press, and to NetGalley for providing me a copy of this book.

#TheSinsOfOurFathers #HachetteBooks #MacLehosePress #netgalley

I'm thankful television introduced me to the character of Rebecka Martinsson. I enjoyed the first series so much it led me to read the brilliant books by Åsa Larsson. I'm pleased to report The Sins of our Fathers is fantastic farewell to the character. Larsson has produced a complex story which succeeds on every level. It works so well because Larsson deftly juggles events from the past and present in this book. It is an engaging story which focuses on several different characters to answer questions old and new. While I'm disappointed the series has reached an end, the reader won't be disappointed by this book. Thank you to Hachette Book Group, MacLehose Press, & NetGalley for the advance reading copy in exchange for my honest opinion. #SinsofourFathers #NetGalley.

600 pages

5 stars

What a remarkable novel!

What I liked about this novel is that there is a very wide cast of characters and each of them has their own story. The reader is treated to in depth backgrounds on each of the main personalities. I really enjoy getting to know the people in the stories I read. The length of this book reminded me of some of the older historical/generational epics that I have read in the past. The characters are diverse and rich in their experiences.

I truly enjoyed this very involved and intricate story, and getting to know the characters up close and personal, so to speak. There was a very old murder, new murders, henchmen, Russians with bad intentions and people trafficking. The descriptions of the scenery and the climate of Sweden were exhilarating. The whole process of the thaw was very informative and interesting. I would love to visit the country. But not in the winter.

I also want to tip my hat to Frank Perry who translated this book into English. I think he did a remarkable job of telling the story in beautiful prose.

I want to thank NetGalley and Hachette Book Group/Mobius for forwarding to me a copy of this very good book for me to read, enjoy and review. The opinions put forth in this review are solely my own.

Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for the E-Arc. I enjoyed this crime book, it has a wide range of characters. Good story, exciting plot, took a little time to get into. 4.5 starts

The Sins of Our Fathers by Asa Larsson(Rebecca Martinsson #5)-This is a really good book to get into. Much more than the police procedural I thought it would be. A large cast of characters made whole by their vibrant back-stories. There is a murder, then murders to solve, family quarrels, infighting, and untimely deaths. I highly recommend this book! Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!

This is the last book in the series for Rebecka Martinsson and wow it was exciting. We have Rebecka but we also have Ragnhild Pekkari, who is her aunt (sort of) and and Police Inspector Anna-Maria Mella and then we have the boxer Börje Ström plus all the previous characters that were in the Rebecka Martinsson series. The book takes off with Ragnhild trying to take her life by drowning herself but she gets a phone call from her brothers boss saying that he hasn't shown up for work for a number of days. She's more worried that his dog is helpless and goes over to his house on an island to find him dead on a couch and a body in freezer. She gets bitten by the dog. The story goes on from there and we get everyone involved in it. Good and bad things happen and you can't tell from one minute to the next what is going to happen. It is closure for Åsa Larsson and it has been a long time in happening and it seems to give her more credit as a author. If you haven't had a chance to read it you won't be sorry if you do.

A woman is asked to solve an old mystery by a pathologist friend who is dying. An Olympian disappeared in the past. His father, an alcoholic, is found dead in a cold freezer. He was murdered. It is up to the woman to solve this murder for her friend - despite the many other happenings on her agenda.