Thank you NetGalley for this ARC of Hidden In Shadows by Viveca Sten.

This is the second of the Are series with Detective Hanna and her Detective partner Daniel.
There are two compelling storylines (alternating chapters) weaving through the book. Rebekah and her husband Ole and the mysterious murder of former Swedish skier/plumber Johan.

This book was enthralling. I wanted to savor it and finish it at the same time and it all comes to a brilliant ending that surprised me. I loved the wintry Scandinavian descriptions, the Inspector Detectives off-duty conflicts, and the fact that you don't necessarily have to read the first book to catch up. Viveca Sten is a favorite author and I hope she continues this series for a good long time.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this captivating eARC.

This is a wonderful Scandinavian mystery, written by a masterful author.

There is so much that is awesome about this series and about this novel in particular, that it is almost difficult deciding where to begin.

This is a tool quality police procedural with numerous qualities that "push it above the bar" regarding quality and reading enjoyment.

Raised in a conservative environment (as a Quaker, in a rural, conservative town) personally, one of the primary themes of this novel, really ran true with me, the way that Christianity can take a wrong turn when it comes to how it empowers men (who already HAVE the power in Christian dogma inherently) while showcasing the way women are marginalized - which certainly is the case.

Next, I loved the way a character in this novel was gay, but his being gay was not the primary concern if the character, but rather what worried him was that he became too involved with someone who was peripherally involved in a crime he was investigating.

Also highlighted in this novel was the concern that those of us involved in investigations are not supposed to discuss details of that investigation with our families, but when we bring that up as a reason for not doing so, our family and friends manage to be hurt by the very thing that is an honorable quality, that we want to protect the integrity of an investigation.

The main character in this novel, or at least on of the main characters grew up in a severely conservative Christian offshoot, if not an insulated cult, then at the very least an environment which certainly had a lot in common with cults that isolate you and judge you. She married a preacher who abused her mercilessly, and was basically a self important "monster" in this story. This woman finds love, and attempts to pull away from her husband's smothering,, as well as the isolation of an identify that she had long ago outgrown. As mystery lovers who are familiar with controlling characters know, this is the most dangerous time, when someone tries to break away from a life that is no longer a good "fit" if you will. Let's just say the author doesn't take any easy shortcuts, she sticks to the likely reality,, ad she is aware she is writing a police procedural, not a Harlequin romance novel, thankfully, unfortunately happy endings in such a scenario may be hard to justify as they seldom occur in a similar real-life similar scenario...

Ladtly, the author scored a home run with her storyline, providing us wiith some surprises while writing a novel with wonderfully rich, multi-dimensional character development. The characters in this novel grew and changed, due to both internal and external forces as well as personal growth. I especially was appreciative of one of the peripheral storylines, the relationship of the sisters, Heather and Lydia, and the impact our childhood and the way we are treated by our parents impacts our adult life. I too have an amazing "big sister".


Many thanks and congrats to the author for making this a captivating and memorable murder mystery and police procedural! Definitely, an " author to watch", I for one we be looking to read much more from this author!

Until next time, stay safe dear readers!

Hidden in Shadows by V. Sten, published by Amazon Crossing, is the second stand-alone in the Are Murders Series.
This is a stand-alone, there are cross-overs to the previous book, Hidden in Snow. The books are best read in order.
The author threw a lot of characters at me and sometimes I found it overwhelming, had my head spinning. I found it difficult to sort who's going whereb and with whom.
At the core it's Rebecka, a pregnant woman who's held captive by her husband and Detective Inspector Hanna Ahlander and her collegue Daniel who get assigned to the case of a body found by a mother and her seven year old son.
The book is langatmig, slow burn, holt weit aus, too much in my oppinion. is very very detailed, to the point where it gets a bit boring. All in all a solid thriller, 4 stars.

Thank you NetGalley and Amazon Crossing for the eARC.
This second in the series was just as good as the first. It can be read as a standalone, but I liked that I had read the first in the series.
The pace is fast and the tension builds to almost the feeling that I couldn't stand the suspense anymore! The ending was terrific and surprising.
I love Hanna and Daniel both as individuals and as a team. Poor Daniel is in a bind and I hope things get easier for him in the next book. I also hope that Ericka will be featured again, I'd love to know how her life turns out.
Great read!

This is another hit from the author. This is the second book in a series.. it would be helpful to the reader to have read the first book. The book was filled with a lot of mystery and suspense that kept the reader interested. In addition, there were some interesting twists towards the end. The one criticism I have is that there was too much repetition related to the whining of the one detectives wife because she has to take care of their baby. Here’s hoping they don’t get back together.

Really enjoyed this book. The pot twist had me on the end of my seat. Its been a while since I've read anything by this author and now I'm wondering why I waited so long. Highly recommended. Thank you Netgalley.

There are several leads in the mystery of the death of Johan, but I was kept guessing til the end. That was a definite plus in this thriller/mystery. I also became engaged in the characters of Hanna and Daniel, the main investigators in the murder, because of the personal stories behind their public lives.

Of interest too was the theme of overwhelming but hopeless love and attraction, in two different instances, involving two different couples. This added even more interest to the novel as both cases required secrecy.

I enjoy the simple and straightforward writing of Viveca Sten and find it quite refreshing.

This book is the second installment in a new series and I had just finished the first when I realized I could read the second one immediately and I was thrilled. I love these thrillers from Sweden especially against a backdrop of chilly snowy weather. I thoroughly enjoyed both the mystery in each book as well as the ongoing character build-up with Daniel and Hanna as the main protagonists in the police force, No spoilers, but be prepared for a taut mystery with engaging characters and I am definitely looking forward to a third book.

I love Viveca Sten books and I’m really enjoying her new series about Hannah. The first half of this book went quickly and I started to feel like the second half was dragging on, but then she added in a bunch of twists and surprises! I enjoyed really this!

I received an early copy through Netgalley, but all thoughts are my own.

Heart pounding thriller that left me on the edge of my seat. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this one. Definitely one of the best books this year.

Hidden in the Shadows is number two is the In Åre murders - taking place in a Swedish snow resort town. For me, reading book one first assisted a lot as there is a lot carry over that may not be clear to a new reader.

Hanna and Daniel are local detective inspectors and have only just caught their breath from the last murder they solved. Crime is quite rare crime is rare, and when Johan Andersson, a former Olympic skier is found, the entire town is alarmed.

Thus we follow an excellent police procedural that includes plenty of suspects and all of the information about the personal lives of the protagonists that you don't always receive in an American police story. I am rooting for Hanna and Daniel is all aspects of their lives! If you like police procedurals, nordic noir or are a fan of Viveca Sten, Hidden in The Shadows is for you!
#Hiddeninthshadows #VivecaSten
#AmazonCrossing

Well-written detective story. I like the relationships between DI Hanna Ahlander and her team, especially with Daniel Lindskog. The ending was good and I will definitely read the next one in the series.
Thank you to Viveca Sten, NetGalley and AmazonCrossing for the arc of this book.