This was an interesting slow burn mystery. The characters were all terrible and hard to root for, but I kept wanting to know what was going to happen so that propelled me to finish the book.

Nothing like a Nordic Noir to cheer you up. A farmhouse has burned down and the body of a young woman is found inside. She has been killed before the fire has started. A jaded detective, a boyfriend who is found guilty, but did he do it? Lots of twists and turns.

Thank you to Random House Hogarth publishing, Christoffer Carlsson, and NetGalley for this arc!

When I received this ARC, I was so excited to read another work by Carlsson, and he has raised my standards yet again with “Under the Storm”!

In Märback, Sweden, a farmhouse mysteriously goes up in flames with a murdered woman inside. Her boyfriend, Edvard, is charged with her murder and sentenced to life in prison. This book follows the lives of Isak, Edvard’s ten-year-old nephew, and Vidar, the rookie officer who investigates the crime. Across decades, we see Isak and Vidar age and encounter issues of inheritance, justice, and small town rumor.

Vidar and Isak’s narratives were incredibly detailed and compelling. It’s often difficult to effectively capture a child’s point of view in a book; I’ve read books that have overly simplistic or naive language when writing child characters. However, Carlsson does an amazing job at creating Isak’s voice at such a young age, especially confronting such difficult issues like a family member being convicted of murder. Isak had that childish innocence, but the perspective was still insightful and entertaining. Isak’s turmoil throughout the book was heartbreaking because we watch him grow up and feel betrayed by the parental figures around him. The detailed accounts of the investigation were also well-written, and there was a perfect intermingling of objective and formal descriptions with the flawed characters’ emotions and personalities.

Through this captivating criminal fiction, Carlsson shows how looking too much into the past for present tragedies can have devastating consequences for a whole small town and the delicate familial bonds that reside there.

3.5 stars!

I'm always trying to read more books that are translations, and so this helped with the goal! I have read other crime fiction by Scandinavian authors, and so I did feel like something that is a hallmark of the genre is the slow pace. However, I did find this book very confusing at points. This was good on one hand because I definitely did not predict the ending, but I think it could've been aided by a quicker pace and more things being revealed intermittently.


Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

IMPRESSIVE.

A crime story that breaks your heart with so many amazing layers and superbly written character development. It was a bit of a slow read but read so beautifully, poetic.

I don't feel qualified to truly review this book, so I'll give it 3 stars for neutrality. Unfortunately, I couldn't get past some of the translation gaps in this book, and the story was difficult to get through as a result.

Maybe it’s the translation, but it was a little dry. I didn’t connect to any of the characters and didn’t care much for the mystery. I was hoping for more suspense than what we got.

I quite enjoyed reading Under the Storm. The setting is a rural town in Sweden, a murder, and an exploration of the impact on the community and individuals. While I enjoyed this character driven mystery novel, it was slow at times. I’m glad I stayed the course, overall a good read.

**Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an electronic ARC. And the opportunity to read and review this book.

This was a good book, but as always, the names hang me up, lol. I'm a white woman from New Jersey, USA, so names that aren't white bread English always trip me up! Because of that, this one may have been better on audio for me - but. Other than that, this was a good book. You can tell the author really knows his stuff, and I LOVE reading authors who factually know exactly what they're talking about - unless it's fantasy and SOME sci-fi, I prefer my realistic books to be just that - realistic - and this one was. 4 stars!

I enjoyed this! It's written well and is unique. I really like the writing style and I will definitely read the other books in the series! I wasn't sure how it was going to end which is always a good thing. I would recommend this! Special Thank you to Random House Publishing, Christoffer Carlsson and NetGalley for allowing me to read a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.

"One single night: A house burned down in Tolarp. There was someone inside on the kitchen floor. One instant, a before and after: the stillness before the spark appeared, and the inferno that followed. One single event. That was all it took to redirect the path of a life. Like the filament of a root moving through time."

This is a Swedish crime story involving the investigation into the murder of Edvard's girlfriend, Lovisa, by Vidar, an officer who resides locally in the small town and within walking distance of the murder scene. Discovered by Vidar at the scene of the crime, Edvard becomes the prime suspect but continuously declares his innocence. Edvard's nephew, Isak, who grew up regarding him as a father figure, is torn between belief and disbelief that Edvard is the murderer, which impacts his own self-worth. As more evidence comes to light throughout the story, both Vidar and Isak question the validity of Edvard being the true murderer.

This is a whodunit that will keep you guessing throughout the story. You get to delve into the detective mind of Vidar and how he processes clues to come to his conclusions. The character development of Isak also shows how conflicted he is growing up, thinking he comes from bad genetics because of his uncle and grandfather's past actions, and dreading the same inevitable fate will come to pass with himself.

I really enjoyed Carlsson's style of writing and would definitely read another story by him. He keeps you intrigued and entertained until the end!

Thank you to Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group for the ebook.

Similar to his first book, although this one was a little harder to follow when the mystery was finally revealed. The pace is on the slower side which really helps highlight the psychology behind the characters motivations and trajectories. Readers who like Scandinavian crime fiction will enjoy this one.

4.25⭐

Under the Storm by Christoffer Carlsson (translated by Rachel Willson-Broyles is an exceptionally well-written, immersive novel that I could not put down.

The novel begins in Marbäck, Halland, Sweden with the discovery of the body of a young woman after a house fire in November 1994. The ensuing investigation implicates her boyfriend twenty- five-year-old Edvard Christensson whose troubled background and family history make it easy for the community and law enforcement to vilify him. Edvard was subsequently convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment in May 1995. The narrative follows Officer Vidar Jörgensson who was part of the investigation and Isak Nyqvist Edvard’s nephew, seven years old at the time, both of whom are haunted by the case for their own reasons.

The narrative is shared from the perspectives of Vidar and Isak and structured in three parts spanning over two decades. This is a slow-paced, lengthy, character-driven novel with a murder mystery at its core. The vividly described setting, the small-town dynamics and deep character studies are deftly woven into the procedural aspect of the story. Vidar spends the next few decades conflicted about the thoroughness of the investigation, unsure of whether he put an innocent man in prison. Isak’s life and worldview changed when his uncle, whom he loved and trusted, was imprisoned. He fears that he might go down the same road as that of his uncle and grandfather before him. Compelled to delve deeper into what truly happened all those years, both Vidar and Isak are unable to let go of the past and this impacts their present relationships. The author brilliantly captures both the psychological trauma Isak carries into his adulthood and the guilt and self-doubt experienced by Vidar. Despite the slow pace, at no point did I lose interest in the story. There were enough red herrings along the way to add an element of surprise to the finale, which I did feel was a tad overwhelming. However, the journey to end more than makes up for the same. Outstanding character development, intense emotional depth and powerful writing render this novel an absorbing read. However, if you prefer plot-driven, fast-paced thrillers, this book might not be the right choice.

I thoroughly enjoyed this novel and I can’t wait to read the next book in the series (the translated version of which was released before this one!).

Many thanks to Random House Publishing Group - Random House for the digital review copy via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

This story line moved a little slow for me but it may be because I am unfamiliar with the locale and some of the procedures and motivations of the police and surrounding characters. They were somewhat confusing until I researched to figure out what was happening. The base story is pretty straight forward.

A young woman is murdered and a fire set to cover up the crime. The investigation identifies her boyfriend as the likely murderer and he is tried and convicted quickly. He will spend more than 20 years in prison for a crime he did not commit.

A young boy, the nephew of the convicted boyfriend, is repeatedly told that his family has "bad blood" and he will follow his uncle into prison at some point. A self fulfilling prophecy.

The police officer on his first official case who arrests and handles the conviction of the boyfriend. He's considered a hero and will launch a successful career on the results.

Ten years after the crime, questions have come up on the case. Are they sure the right man was convicted? With little interest in declaring an error, rush to judgement. The conviction stands.

Another 12 years have gone by, the policeman has retired but there are questions still. The boy has grown into the criminal he was predicted to be. Now there is new evidence and a new suspect. The public will not rest until the questions are answered. When the answers come clear.....well the investigation profits from advanced methods and a new set of detectives.

It took me a while to find the sweet spot in this Nordic mystery, but once I did I thoroughly enjoyed it. The character development starts off a bit shaky but really comes together as hey interact. A fire and a girl bludgeoned to death is the mystery. The who did it comes early On but one cop can't let it go. the side stories are well done including a coming of age of the murderer's nephew over the years. Really well done.

Copy provided by the publisher and Netgalley

Christoffer Carlsson's second book is Swedish noir fiction at its best. I really enjoyed this book. A police procedural at it's heart, this book was very well written and allows the reader to understand criminology. I am a Jo Nesbo fan and if you like him you will enjoy this book. I am looking forward to what Christoffer writes next!

On a cold night in Sweden a house burns to the ground and a woman is found murdered inside the house. This book takes us inside the case from the very beginning, then a decade later and then to thirteen years after that. I like that the book took me to Sweden and I enjoyed the police procedural aspect of the case. However the book was a slow burn and it took time to really get into the book. Thank you #NetGalley for my ARC.

This was a good book, though at times I found it very slow, more of a literary thriller than a traditional who dun it. Vidar is a young policeman when he notices a farmhouse not far from his that appears to be on fire. He goes over to investigate and finds that not only is it on fire, someone is inside. Other emergency people arrive and Vidar is asked to visit neighboring farms to ask if they saw anything, then once done he's told to go home, on the way he comes across a man laying in the woods, blood on him and smelling of smoke. That man was Edvard, he is the boyfriend of Lovisa, the woman who had been in the house and turns out, was murdered. Edvard is quickly accused, put on trial, convicted and sent to jail. His nephew Isak, can't believe his uncle would do that, Isak spends a lot of time with him and feels very close to him, close enough to know him. The story is told from the perspective of Vidar, who is haunted by the case, believing the police, and himself by extension, got it wrong, he spends a considerable amount of time reinvestigating, questioning suspects and always searching for the truth. Isak was young when the incident happened and is traumatized by it, affecting the course of his life, he wonders if he is capable of doing such a grave act, thinking there is something wrong with his family lineage, that some bad thing passes down. Both Isak and Vidar eventually marry, though they both carry the scars of that night through their lives which affects both of their marriages. This story moves along at a leisurely pace, at times I found it too slow, but then something would happen and I would want to continue reading, I would recommend but would advise to be patient with story and you will be rewarded with a very good read. Thanks to #Netgalley and #Hogarth for the ARC.

This one was an interesting toss up for me. Ultimately I gave it 3.5/5. It couldn't quite reach a 4 for me, despite the fact that I binge read this, solely because the ending had me disappointed. The writing itself is engaging and leads one on a reflective journey to think about what the world is when people truly care about others and what it is as a result of selfish choices and generationally unhealthy home lives.

There were points where you feel for the main characters who are on an honorable quest to seek the truth, no matter how long it takes them, but I still felt a sense of hopelessness in the end with the big reveal. 

I recommend this book for those who love a good mystery, but I'm not sure I would encourage all to read based on the disappointingly predictable ending and the horribly negative impact it has on the main characters as a result. In the end, no one truly wins despite the truth coming out. But I guess that's unfortunately how the system goes sometimes, isn't it?

When a young woman's body is found in a farmhouse that has been burned down the locals are shocked especially when it's revealed she didn't die from the fire. The police are looking at the young woman's boyfriend who is eventually found guilty. Vidar the police officer who solved the case doesn't even begin to understand how this one case will define his life. Follow along and see just how solving this case changes Vidar's life and what direction it leads him to.