Book review of The Spider, by Lars Kepler.
Detective Joona and ex-detective Saga are working on the case of a serial murderer that is leaving tin figurine statues of the next victim along with some additional clues prior to each murder. The murder victims all have some connection to Saga, which eventually leads to Saga as a prime suspect. Only Joona remains steadfast knowing that Saga is innocent. I enjoyed the Joona and Saga characters. The novel starts out slowly and builds to a climactic finish. 4 out of 5 stars.

Once again, Lars Kepler does it... I couldn't put it down! I've been following Joona Linna and Saga Bauer for years, and I'm always anxiously waiting for the next chapter of their adventures. I was not disappointed!

The reader gets to see a new side of Saga, deeper into her mind and tribulations.
I loved this book. Thank you for the ARC!

In this book the killer, dubbed the Spider due to the horrendous way the victims are killed, is leaving riddles about who's the next victim and where they will be left. Saga Bauer has been informed that she is the only one who can stop the killer and that Joona Linna will be the last victim. Even though this book is close to 500 pages, it reads pretty fast as there's a lot of dialogue so the short snappy chapters (98 of them plus an epilogue!) pass very quickly. Both main characters - Joona Linna and Saga Bauer - engage in some pretty dark pursuits and have even darker backgrounds. Saga has been on leave due to what sounds like PTSD and has not been cleared to return to active duty but that doesn't seem to stop her. The story contains some very violent and brutal incidents and isn't for the faint of heart. As much as I enjoyed the book, I was ready for it to end before it did. Maybe 7 victims instead of 9 would've been enough. Still, it was nerve-wracking right to the end. I'm giving the book 5 stars in spite of a couple of misgivings because it was unputdownable for the most part.

My thanks to Penguin Random House Canada via Netgalley for the opportunity to read an ARC of this novel. All opinions expressed are my own.
Publication Date: July 25, 2023

Fast pace from the start! A race to capture the killer before they killed again., but they seemed one step behind every time. Being the target of the killer, Saga comes headfirst into the investigation along side Joona. A welcome back to Saga, because let’s be honest, she really made the story. I loved this book and all of the rest of them, and as always, I’ll be patiently waiting for book 10!! Favorite author in crime by far.

Book #9 in the Joona Lina series! This series is one of my all-time favorites! It’s almost taking over the Harry Hole Series by Jo Nesbo!

I Love Saga’s character development throughout this series! I’m really rooting for her!

In short, this book begins with a gruesome murder and a message from the killer that there are 9 further white bullets intended for another 9 victims connected to Saga and she must solve the clues to save the victims and ultimately Joona…and this killer doesn’t just want to kill his victims, he wants to obliterate them!

I simply love this series and The Spider is yet another taut, twisty thriller that hurtles along at a breakneck speed with nasty surprises around every corner. It’s a great read which leaves you craving for the next installment. Highly recommended!

I wish I could read/speak Swedish so I can read the next installment ASAP!

#9 in Kepler's Joona Linna series set in Sweden and this was a solid, if unspectacular, addition. Someone is murdering people close to Joona and his cohort, Saga Bauer....murdering in a very grotesque fashion. They send clues to the police BEFORE each kill, but still the police are always 2 steps behind. Not one of my favorites in this 9 book series, but a very strong finish brought my rating up to 4*. Thanks to Net Galley, the author and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I CANNOT get enough of this series, and I swear it just keeps getting better and more twisted and darker with every new instalment.

This latest DEL-IVERED on the drama. I adored every single page of this (which I devoured in two days, and that’s saying something for a 500 page book). The return of Joona and Saga is always such a treat, and they are both just as dark, and as tragically broken as always, following the events of the previous book.

The latest serial killer is darker and more dangerous than ever, and the targets being all characters central to the story raises the stakes more than ever before. I literally flew through pages holding my breath to see if someone was truly going to die. This one is more intense and action packed than ever.

Honestly this is some of the best police procedural / Nordic noir out there and I cannot recommend this series enough. It’s a must.

And I truly cannot wait for the next book. You know it’s going to be wild.

Lars Kepler scared the crap out of me over ten years ago when I first read The Hypnotist. Since then, Kepler has published several Nordic murder mystery novels with detective Joona Linna as the central investigator. In The Spider, however, our focus is on another investigator Saga Bauer who has been on leave from the department with PTSD. Saga has been receiving little figurines of people, people who have a resemblance to people she knows. The killer has sent her a note saying that she will receive 9 figures, meaning 9 deaths, and it is up to Saga to find the murderer before the subsequent killing. Upon receiving a figurine, the person it represents is murdered in an incredibly gruesome manner. Kepler writes from various viewpoints, Joona, Saga, and the victims. It is by putting us in the shoes of the victims that creates an incredible sense of dread in the reader. A fast-paced, incredibly creepy crime novel that will keep you awake at night. A perfect summer or weekend read.

The Spider 🕷️
Lars Kepler
Pub date: July 25/23

The writing powerhouse known as Lars Kepler is back and the dynamic duo have crafted another unputtdownable thriller!

Nordic Noir is by far one of my most favourite genres. I love it’s dark, gritty and cerebral feel. Lars Kepler have quickly become one of my most favourite authors. And, this latest instalment did not disappoint!!

Is it big? Yup.
But it’s a fast paced read and the chapters seem to just fly by!

Is this not for the faint of heart? Also, yup.
So buckle up!

Will I continue to come back for more?
Absolutely!!

Those are who love dark, atmospheric, police procedurals will love the latest in the Joona Lina series.

Thank you so much to NetGalley, Penguin Random House and Lars Kepler for my advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

This book was a struggle for me. I know that lota of people love this author and I have enjoyed previous stories but I just had a challenge getting into this one. I had trouble keeping track of characters and basically keeping the story straight. I thought the premise of the story was good and I did enjoy the last 30% or so. I feel that there will be lots that enjoy this but it just didn't work for me personally.

Lars Kepler writes a fast-paced spell binding gripping thriller. You do to have to be familiar with the Joona Linna series to enjoy this book. I must say it is dark and violent.


Thank you #netgalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I was so excited to pick up the latest Joona Linna Novel, that I jumped at the opportunity to read the latest novel by the two Swedish bombshell writers known as Lars Kepler and I was not disappointed. If you are a fan of Harry Bosch, Jack Ryan, Harry Hole and many more of these types of characters, then you should get out there and pick up this book. Joona Linna is just as good as a narrator as those others I mentioned and yes, I know that means the writers are the reason for that.

What you are not going to like is that the book is almost 100 chapters long. It was so close I started rooting for the book to go above and beyond that number. What that means to some people is that the book is long and takes a while to get going. If you're a fan of these writers, then you already know what they are capable of when they do a long and winded book, so I was prepared and did not mind the length of the novel. I just know some can not handle that level of detail.

But that is other people, not me! I loved the amount of character development, words, and level of balls on these writers to put together this much crazy in one book. If you are not a fan of a lot of descriptive words describing rape and murder, then this will not be for the faint of heart. Still, this is the perfect summer book for all you sick and twisted fans of serial killers finally winning, like mean. Oops, I mean, I do not like serial killers at all. They disgust me. Wink, Wink, Nudge, Nudge.

Keep reading, but remember to stay out of trouble!

Love Always, Chris Humphrey!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read The Spider.
Such an interesting title as the killer weaves a web around our dynamic duo, Joona and Saga. There is a srial killer gunning for nine victims,literally.. Will they be able to find the killer before it's too late!! Edge of your seat as the killer takes their victim and kills in such a horrific way.! One by one, people they know are dying. They need to find the killer before it's too late, as Joona and Saga nay be next. Well done! I give this book a 4 out of 5.

The Spider is the ninth entry in Lars Kepler's Joona Linna series.

Linna is a Police Detective in Sweden who boasts an unsurpassed solve rate. He sees details that others don't, he's dogged and has faced off with many killers. His sidekick, Saga Bauer has been on leave as a result of their last case. She flouts regulations regularly and puts herself in a sketchy situations. But she too, is a brilliant detective.

This latest case, dubbed The Spider, brings back elements and clues from previous cases that have ties to this new killer. Kepler's crime is dark and unsettling. The path to the final aha moments is clever, devious and can't be predicted.

Kepler gives the characters personal lives that grow and change with every entry in this series. Like the plotting and atmosphere, there's a lot of darkness woven into the the lead two character's narratives.

Another excellent entry in a great series. Definitely not for the faint at heart! If you like Scandi noir, this is a series for you

Another great dark twisted thriller featuring Joona Linna and Saga Bauer and making an appearance, figuratively speaking because we know he’s dead, our friend Jurek Walter. But does he have something to do with the latest batch of killings. Or has Saga finally gone to the dark side.
Joona and Saga are two of my favourite characters and the author(s) does a good job of making them real and of describing places in Sweden.
This latest edition doesn’t disappoint - I loved it and am anxiously waiting for the next Joona Linna adventure.
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC

This is one of a series that I look forward to new instalments and read as soon as they are published, so I was thrilled to get an advance copy from Net Galley. I tried to pace myself and just read a couple of chapters a day to prolong the enjoyment. That worked for a few days but then at a certain point I couldn’t put it down (locked the doors, curled up in bed then double checked that the doors were locked). This is about as close as I can come to a horror. Like other instalments in this series, Joona and Saga (yes, she’s back!) are hunting a serial killer. The killer communicates to Saga that there are nine intended victims and Joona Linna is the last. Saga gets clues just before each victim is snatched, so the team finds themselves in a race to solve the clues and save the victim before the killer gets them. I found the story increasingly suspenseful and although it had absolutely no effect I spent a fair amount of time thinking (RUN, DON’T HIDE THERE! NOOO!) or thoughts to that effect. While it is a typical Nordic Noir it is not as dark as Lazarus, which is good because I don’t think I could take another ending like that.

“I remember that she often used to talk about the spiders she saw while she was being held prisoner. Tiny hunters that paralyzed their victims and spun webs around them, injecting them with poison and dissolving them whole” - The Spider

BOOK REVIEW: 🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤/5

Detective Joona Linna is back again in “The Spider” (book 9 in the series) by Lars Kepler! 🕷️

While working for the National Police Service in Sweden three years ago, Saga Bauer receives a postcard that threatens the use of 9 white bullets to kill members of the police, including her boss Joona. It also states that Sager is the only person who can save him …

Flash forward to the present, and Saga begins to receive mysterious packages that all contain riddles and figurines that look just like certain people on her team. They become completely tangled in the WEB of riddles as they rush to find the victims before they are too late. One by one the white bullets get used … WHO is next and WILL Saga be able to protect Joona??

👏 Yet another FANTASTIC serial killer Nordic noir by writing duo Lars Kepler! This is hands down my favourite series and I am already anticipating book 10 in the series! If you are a fan of dark and gritty crime fiction that will completely catch you off guard and send you into a tailspin, then this series is for you! I cannot recommend it enough to everyone 💯!!!! I have now fully caught up on the series and will have a book hangover for a while after reading this one 🤯🫶🙌🏻

Thank you kindly to @larskepler @penguinrandomca @mcclellandstewart @netgalley for my gifted copy in exchange for my honest review! This book JUST released on July 25, 2023 … run, don’t walk to pick it up!

in Lars Kepler’s The Spider, Detective Joona Linna and his team race to find the killer responsible for a rapidly escalating body count. A killer who taunts them by leaving a package of clues before each murder. Will the team solve the clues to identify and save the next victim. Can they identify and catch the murderer before the next kill?

While rather gruesome at times when describing the murders, if you enjoy a good psychological thriller or Nordic Noir, this one is for you.

A 4.5 star read for me with lots of twists, turns, action, and chills that kept me hooked.

A serial killer is on the loose and targeting friends of Detective Joona Linna. The murderer sends ex police Saga Bauer clues to the next victim and they must figure it out before the next clue arrives but the killer is always one step ahead. Soon the body count rises and the end prize for the killer is Joona himself.
This book had me from page one to the very last word. It's a never ride of suspense that leaves you wanting revenge for the deaths. I darkly told tale with just the right amount of adventure to keep you satisfied.

Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Random House for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. The Spider is my introduction to Lars Kepler's books and the Joona Linna series, and what an introduction! I was immediately pulled into a very dark universe where the reader is not spared, in a good way. The descriptions make it easy to visualize everything that is happening, as well as the characters and the various places. The storyline begins strongly, and hooks the reader until the end. I found this book to be captivating until the end. I definitely want to read the previous books in the series since I enjoyed The Spider so much!