This was such a grippy book! Once started prepare yourself because you wont be able to put it down. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my first taste of this wonderful author

A farmhouse burns down and a woman is found dead in the rubble. It appears that she didn’t die from the fire, was she murdered? The town of Marbach now marks time with before and after the fire. Isak Nyqvist, will never be able to forget this day and it will follow him forever. Edvard Christensson, is the prime suspect. He is the boyfriend of the murdered young lady, so he must be guilty. Vidar Jörgensson, the towns rookie officer helped with the fast investigation and quick sentencing. What he thinks will help his career and it does the opposite. It turns out that things should have been done better. More time and effort should have been spent on finding the truth. The town and its citizens will not forget what happened and how things could have been handled better. The truth has to come out, only question is how can the town handle it. A true crime novel. This was a good read. I someone have fallen into this Scandenvian genre & am not sat about it. I want to thank Netgalley & Christoffer Carlsson for my copy of Under the Storm, for an honest review. I am glad I was able to read and review this book.

"Under the Storm" by Christoffer Carlsson is a captivating crime novel that explores the intricate web of human relationships, secrets, and dark undercurrents within a small community. Set in a coastal town in Sweden, Carlsson skillfully crafts a story filled with suspense and intrigue, keeping readers engaged from start to finish.

The narrative centers around a compelling protagonist whose life is dramatically altered by a mysterious crime that shakes their community to its core. Carlsson's writing is both poetic and precise, creating a vivid sense of place that draws readers into the stormy, brooding atmosphere of the setting. The descriptions of the landscape and weather serve as a powerful metaphor for the emotional turmoil experienced by the characters, enhancing the overall impact of the story.

Character development is a standout feature of the novel. Carlsson creates multi-dimensional characters, each with their own motivations, fears, and secrets. As the protagonist navigates the aftermath of the crime, readers are drawn into their internal struggles and relationships, making their journey relatable and engaging. The interactions between characters are nuanced and complex, reflecting the intricacies of small-town life and how secrets can either bind or fracture communities.

The plot is expertly paced, blending tension, mystery, and emotional depth. Carlsson balances moments of suspense with introspective passages, allowing readers to fully engage with the psychological aspects of the story. The twists and turns keep the narrative fresh and unpredictable, leading to a climax that is both satisfying and thought-provoking.

Themes of guilt, redemption, and the consequences of choices are woven throughout the novel, encouraging readers to reflect on the nature of morality and the impact of the past on the present. Carlsson's exploration of these themes adds layers of complexity to the narrative, elevating it beyond a typical crime thriller.

"Under the Storm" is a beautifully crafted and emotionally resonant novel that highlights Christoffer Carlsson's storytelling talent. With its rich character development, atmospheric setting, and compelling plot, this book is a must-read for fans of crime fiction and psychological thrillers. Carlsson delivers a powerful narrative that not only entertains but also invites readers to ponder the deeper truths of human nature and the storms we all face in life. This novel is sure to leave a lasting impression and solidify Carlsson's place as a noteworthy voice in contemporary literature.

Okay: I have never been accused of being a prude but the unnecessary sex scenes in “Under the Storm” was off putting to this old geezer. I have passed the adolescent stage of my reading life and desire a great, suspenseful whodunnit. There were parts of this story that were written very well; however, one must not be put off by the “slow burn” of this Swedish thriller. It all begins with finding a young woman murdered in a desolate farmhouse and ….If you can skim past the graphic parts you may, in fact, enjoy this tale. Thanks NetGalley!

Thank you to netgalley.com for this ARC.

I am a big fan of Nordic mysteries and this was a new author to me. I enjoyed the story and the relationships of the characters and they way they all interacted with each other. The story kept my interest and was a page turner. The ending was fitting for the story.

This book was just okay for me. It was too slow for my liking and the foreign names and places made it hard to follow.

My thanks to Netgalley and Random House for an advance copy of this book

Christoffer Carlsson is a Swedish writer whose stories develop slowly and take a few turns to get where they are going. His characters are flawed and relatable; except the psychotic ones of course. His novels are brooding, yet I find myself haunted by the storyline and wanting to continue reading to find out the answer.

This novel spans multiple decades and is read through the point of view of the investigator who struggles with the guilt that he may not have been thorough with the investigation that sentenced a man to life in prison. There is also the view of the convicted man's nephew who was a child at the time of the crime. Will he turn out to be a criminal as well?

I look forward to reading more of his books featuring Officer Vidar Jörgensson.

Thank you @netgalley @ccarlssons

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Under the Storm is listed as the 1st-book in Christoffer Carlsson's Hallandssviten Adult Mystery series. Oddly enough, the 2nd-book listed in that series, Blaze Me a Sun, was translated into English first, in early-January 2023. I read it last year and really enjoyed it. It was a gritty crime story that successfully captured my attention throughout.

I found this one to be equally entertaining, but I gotta say, between the two, my timelines may be a little muddled since I read the 2nd-book first? I'm not really sure why they chose to release the translations that way...

Both are set in the same area of rural Sweden and contain the character Vidar, who sometimes appears when he is young, but mostly when he is an adult and he has become a cop. There may be other similar characters, but none that have as presently stuck in my mind as Vidar.

The primary event in this novel that gets the ball rolling is a fire in a farmhouse. In the aftermath, a young woman's body is found in the remains--murdered. This was a huge event for this small town, the young woman was known by many and loved. It's an unforgettable tragedy.

For 10-year old, Isak, that event is a pivotal moment in his young life, irrevocably changing his family dynamic forever. The first suspect for the police is Edvard, the murdered woman's boyfriend and Isak's beloved Uncle. The investigation is quick. The people want a resolution. Edvard is tried and found guilty. He's sentenced to life in prison.

Vidar is a rookie officer at the time of the fire and the first to respond to the scene. Initially, he feels proud of the work done. It's certainly a defining moment in his career, but maybe not for the reasons he expects.

Years later, Edvard's guilt comes into question and forces Vidar to consider aspects of the case he hadn't before. Isak has always wondered about Edvard's guilt versus innocence. Will he ever be delivered the truth?

Under the Storm is another very solid Crime Thriller from Christoffer Carlsson. I hope that these continue to be translated into English. There are currently 3-novels in the series already released, with a 4th expected next year. I would be very excited to have the opportunity to continue on. I love this author's writing. It feels lush, layered and poignant. The settings are well-developed and the characters evoke a real sense of empathy.

In this story, I truly felt for Isak. I loved following his story. Everything he was going through after the arrest of his Uncle. The emotional turmoil he felt over that. His anxiety over whether or not, if his Uncle really was a violent man capable of murder, was he just like him.

I loved how the author explored those ideas. It's a side of crime we really don't see considered that much in fiction. By that I mean, the fallout for the families of individuals accused and convicted of violent crimes.

I also really enjoy Vidar as a central character. He's not perfect. His personal life is tumultuous and I like that. Despite his respected position at work, he is just a man, one who makes mistakes and has struggles of his own. He is dedicated in his work though and does have a strong moral compass in that regard. I liked how determined he seemed to be about helping Isak get the truth he needed.

There were some time shifts in this that were a little unexpected. While at certain times I had to remind myself where we were in the timeline, how old Isak, or Vidar, may have been at the time I was reading, overall, I enjoyed the somewhat unconventional storytelling style.

I would recommend this series to anyone who enjoys Crime Fiction, particularly with strong character-focused narratives and small town settings. Thank you so much to the publisher, Hogarth, for providing me with a copy to read and review.

Please translate the rest of this series into English! Pretty, pretty please!

Thank you to Netgalley and the Publishing Company for providing me this Digital Advanced Readers Copy of the book!

I started this thinking it would be a classic Nordic thriller, but it went much deeper than that. Sure, the idea that crimes haunt communities isn't a new one, but I felt connected to the characters, and cared deeply about them. I hoped they'd all turn out okay. Lovely writing, all the way through.

DNF. I tried this book a few times but it didn't interest me at all. The link between the center of action in the story somehow seemed far distant from the characters' lives and it took the author too long to connect them. Maybe the original had more tension.

I didn’t hate it but I didn’t love it either, it was an interesting physiological thriller but it was a little too slow for my liking, I want something totally grab me from the beginning, hold me with lots of twists and turns but this just didn’t do it for me.

For anyone who enjoys a deep psychological study and a very, very slow burn this book is for you. It all starts with a fire in a house in a small town in Sweden but it is the young woman’s body that they find in the ruins that moves this story, very very slowly. Did the police look closely enough, did they rush to judgment or did they just run out of clues to investigate. Ultimately several families are going to be destroyed as they try to come to terms with what happened and who did it.

This is a murder mystery that when solved never truly satisfies, not the story’s characters nor the reader. So let’s delve really, really deeply into the characters and their personalities and then let’s look at the murder again and as the character age let’s reexamine their attitudes and then back again to the murder. A very, very slow process.

I am rounding up for the quality of writing and psychological profiles which were profound. Thanks to Hogarth/Random House and NetGalley for a copy.

An intriguing story of a dreadful murder of a young woman, the man accused of the crime, and the police detective who stops at nothing to prove his innocence. With gritty determination and a steel resolve, Vidar Jorgensson doesn’t let time or circumstances keep him from his obsession with.

Highly recommended!

I think this was too long and too much of a slow burn for me. I got lost and struggled a little bit with it.

4,5 stars moved up to a 5. 21 years ago a woman dies in a fire that totally destroys her parents home in rural Sweden. The novel (translated from Swedish) tells the story of the investigations into this murder. It is written in a variety of viewpoints and was slow starting and complexly written. But after spending a week getting into it, I spent a day finishing it. Thanks to Net Galley and Random House for an ARC for an honest review.

Isak believes he is living under a cloud, or storm, that is the legacy of abuse left by the men on his mother's side of the family. The story begins with Isak's beloved uncle Edvard suspected of killing his girlfriend. Everyone believes it to be true and he is jailed. Isak grows up believing it is inevitable that he will turn out the same. The story is also told from the perspective of the policeman, Vidar Jörgensson. He is involved in the investigation into the murder, which is supposedly solved with the conviction of Edvard, but it continues to haunt him throughout his career and even after he has left the police. Written by author and professor of criminology, Christoffer Carlsson and translated from Swedish by Rachel Willson-Broyles this novel is cerebral, in that we learn so much about the complex thoughts and motivations that drive the characters, but it's how they act on those thoughts that keeps the plot moving forward. No doubt you'll say (possibly aloud) "No! That’s a terrible idea!" at least once or twice. I received this Advanced Reader Copy of Under the Storm from Random House Publishing Group - Random House and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

It was quite interesting to read a mystery/police procedural from another country. I had a little difficulty at first with the names and a lot of characters being introduced but eventually figured it out. It moves slowly as I suppose these things do in real time and since the author is a professor of criminology, he writes what he knows. He is probably spot on regarding the treatment of the family and how things transpired over the years. Not the best of human behavior but mostly likely accurate. Overall, a good read. i was provided an advanced reader copy of this book but was under no obligation to provide a review. The opinions expressed are my own. Thanks to the author , publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

I'm giving this book a 3 star review although I did not finish it.

I truly believe this was a case of right book wrong time for me and I would very much like to try to read it again at a later point. I know I will not be able to do so though before the book archives in Netgalley.

I'm giving it 3 stars because from what I can tell the average rating is between 3 & 4.

UNDER THE STORM is Book 2 in Christoffer Carlsson's HALLANDSVITTEN Series, an intricately-plotted, detailed, and expansive Scandi-noir combination of suspense, psychological thriller, and police procedural. A murder mystery-- ostensibly solved with arrest, trial, and conviction--instead upends the extended family of the accused and the entire small community in addition to the family of the victim. Ten years later and beyond, the psychological effects, equivalent to ripples from a stone thrown into a pond, still resonate leaving deep unsolved issues and unrest.