I took a chance on this one from Netgalley and it was more of a slow burn than I anticipated. I was really intrigued in the beginning but then the timeline jump threw me off. I struggled to get through the second half of this book and I was left feeling let down by the rushed ending.

My first Christoffer Carlsson novel. Slow burn mystery with some great characters. The setting was fantastic and descriptions really great. Took me a little bit to catch the translations but definitely enjoyed the burn.
Thank you NetGalley, Christoffer Carlsson and Random House & Hogarth Books for the opportunity to read and review this book

For a while this was sort of tedious to get through. But in the end, I ended up liking it. It’s not a straightforward whodunit. It kind of takes a meandering approach through the lives of those affected over a time period. It becomes more about the people still living. And after a while, I became invested in them.

I do think it could have been parsed down a bit or sped up or something. But I am glad I stuck with it.

⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

I enjoyed this dark and gritty murder mystery set in a small village in Sweden, but it was a very slow burn. It followed the case and the people involved in the case for 20+ years, so it was as much character driven as it was plot driven. I liked the writing and the descriptions of the Swedish setting, so I would try another by this author.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to review an early copy of this.

PUBLICATION DAY: February 27, 2024

Vidar is a police officer in his hometown, like his father before him. He has strong roots there. When the unimaginable occurs, a horrific murder in his small town in rural Sweden, the community’s collective innocence is lost and Vidar will do whatever he can to help solve the case. But what will he find as he digs into the case? Is it the person whom everyone believes is evil, or someone else?

PROS and CONS:
This one has a good, solid plot, and I liked the advancements in time to show growth (or lack of growth!) in the two main characters (Vidar and Isak.) I especially enjoyed reading about Isak and I felt for his life and the unwanted changes that came when his beloved uncle was arrested for the crime. It is a bit slow in places, but overall I enjoyed it very much!

READ IT?
If you’re into Nordic Noir fiction, this one is a strong contender.

3.5 Stars

Under The Storm
Written By Chrisfoffer Carlesson
Published By Random House Publishing Group
Release Date February 27, 2024

This is a slow burn mystery that contains a lot of affectation about the characters as well as the town that this story is written about. The psychological impact that occurs from what happens to not only one pe arson but the entire town is impressive. The authors writing ability is a very powerful technique that engages the readers and keeps their attention until the ending. The authors use of atmospheric writing also allows the reader to understand the characters and how developed they are. I enjoyed the characters banter and how I was able to feel as though I was right there with them. It is a great mystery that is not predictable at all and my be a struggle sometimes to keep reading as some chapters seem to have fillers that the author throws in to add more to the chapter. With great police procedural, you will see the author has done research to ensure the correct information is added.

A fire quickly burns a farmhouse in the middle of the night and when it is extinguished, a woman’s body is found inside. Her name is Lovisa Markstrom. It is a rookie cop, Vidal Jorgensen that finds her and he also finds the body of her lover, Edvard who is unconscious but still alive. Edvard has a long rap sheet of violence as does his family members. It becomes clear that the police believe Edvard killed his lover and he is arrested for it. Even though Edvard says he is innocent, he is ultimately found guilty of the crime of murder.
There is a member of his family though that still believes that what Edvard says is true and that is his nephew, Isaq. Isaq’s family and friends think that he is delusional. As. Time passes Vidar and Isaq’s lives will intertwine and this keeps Vidar searching for the answers as he feels that something just isn’t right.
Can Vidar prove that Edvard is innocent? Will the two of them be able to find something that will help Edvard case and prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that there was an injustice done when he was found guilty?

You really need to read the ending. It will certainly give you hope in humanity once again.

4 1/2 stars rounded to 5

This Swedish crime novel is a slow burn that encompasses how a single act of murder affects a small town, and in particular a young boy and the police officer involved. The writing is stunning and really gets across what it is like to live in Sweden. The story spans many years as well and follows the two main characters in such a way that you become involved with their lives.

We first meet Isak, when he is quite young. The author does a marvelous job of conveying his confusion and anger when he learns what his uncle is accused of. He was very close to his uncle Edvard, and considered him more like a father than his real father. He doesn’t quite understand how the person he knows could have hurt anyone, let alone the girl that he loves. As he grows he starts to think that maybe he is like his uncle, especially as he tries to control his anger. Isak continues to struggle with his life, and living in a small town that looks down on him for what his uncle did, doesn’t help. 

Vidar is a young police officer just trying to do what is right. Many years after the conviction he becomes obsessed with the case and struggles with contradicting the evidence and his superiors with finding the truth. He sort of befriends Isak, and tries to guide him as he grows, especially when he gets into some trouble. 

The plot of the story encompasses decades from the nineties to 2017 when everything gets resolved. It was interesting to watch both Isak come of age and Vidar’s growth as a character. The writing is well done, and you often feel immersed in what it is like to live in a rural area of Sweden. It is interesting note that small towns are the same no matter where they are geographically. They all have secrets and petty prejudices against their neighbors. The murder is slowly resolved over the course of the novel, but there were a few times that I thought for sure we would not get a final answer. I also really liked how the author worked in some real world events that affected Sweden at the time, such as the Thailand tsunami and the hurricane that devastated the country.

If you are a fan of Scandinavian noir crime fiction, this is a book that you should take a look at. It is a deep and sometimes disturbing look at the psychology of a crime and of small town dynamics. This is the first book by this author that I have read, but it won’t be the last.

"Under the Storm" was a really slow burn and tone of dark and moody. I have read many Nordic police procedural books over the years and this one did not catch my attention like some of the others I have read. It did have some events in the book that I did not see coming.

I believe since this book moved so slowly it really did not get me invested in the characters. I do think it was well written and I did not have any issues with the translation. I will be willing to try other books by Christoffer Carlsson in the future. If this becomes a series, I would be interested in seeing what happens to Vidar and Isak.

Thanks to NetGalley for an advanced copy. #NetGalley #UndertheStorm #ChristofferCarlsson

I honestly skim read this to get to the good parts. It did have a good level of OMG moments, atmospheric creepiness and suspense. HOWEVER, this book was translated from Lord knows what language and I found that confusing. I do not mind slow-burn reads BUT this was slower than molasses and it did not have a good flow to the overall good.

Not a strong read IMO. Cannot recommend.

Thanks to Christoffer Carlsson, Netgalley and Penguin Group Publishing Group Hogarth for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Available: 2/27/2024

Thank you Hogarth for my free ARC of Under the Storm by Christoffer Carlsson — available Feb 27!

Read this if you:
🕵️ are a fan of Nordic noir crime/thrillers
🔎 tend toward obsession when trying to figure something out
🐦 read Blaze Me a Sun and enjoyed it

Translated from Swedish by Rachel Willson-Broyles 🇸🇪

When a local young woman is found murdered inside her burned-down home, the small town of Marbäck refuses to believe the culprit could be anyone but the girl's boyfriend, Edvard. Thus Edvard, discovered in the nearby woods covered in blood, is convicted and sentenced to life in prison. But something about the whole investigation is bothering Vidar, a rookie officer, and it continues to bother him for years to come. What's really behind this gruesome incident?

So I read Blaze Me a Sun last year, as it was translated into English before this book, even though Under the Storm is the first book in the series. I actually enjoyed this one more! I think hearing the beginning of Vidar's story made me feel more connected to him as a character, and I actually may go back and re-read Blaze Me a Sun now that I've forged a stronger bond.

Either way, this book was great — I wasn't able to guess at any of the reveals, and I was suspicious of pretty much every single character at some point during the story 🤣 The pacing is excellent and the vibes are very Nordic noir, which is my favorite subgenre of crime fiction. Check it out if you're into similar reads!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Sometimes Swedish novels can be hard to get into- sometimes its the translations, sometimes it a different speech pattern. But I've found with Carlsson's books that he tends to grab you by the scenic descriptions and character descriptions. With this book you're well into the mystery before the 'quirks' of being set in a different country come into play- but stay with the book- Vidar is a character that is relatable and honest, and as you see how the death has affected not only him but others in the community, it echoes any small town in America. With a bit of a twist at the end, this book reward you for your patience!

I just reviewed Under the Storm by Christoffer Carlsson. This book was not my favorite. It was a very slow burning read. Took me a while to get into it. There was a lot of interesting things twists in the story but predictable and slow to get to what I already figured would happen.

Set in Sweden, there is a devastating murder/fire that subsequently affects many lives in the small town of Marbäck.
   The “storm” in the title can refer to how the people involved in this incident, from the police to the relatives, have lived under a storm of unease, unhappiness and unanswered questions.
   So many lies that have been hidden for years, an obsession with the case ruined relationships and careers and the adoration of a little boy for his uncle is shattered beyond repair.
   A slow paced crime novel that has the reader lamenting with all the characters living their lives in this small community and are struggling in the aftermath of this one incident.

What an interesting book. Unlike most police procedurals that focus on finding a perpetrator, this book looks more at the lives of those associated with the murder and what has happened to them over the years. It is an engaging and beautifully crafted novel that is by turns unsettling and embracing.

Rookie policeman Vidar Jorgensson is the first on the scene of a house fire, where he finds the body of murder victim Lovisa Markstrom in the ashes. Vidar also discovers the unconscious body of Lovisa's lover, Edvard Christensson, nearby and evidence he had been in the house before Lovisa's death. Edvard and the male members of his family have a history of violence and bad decisions, and it isn't long before he is arrested and convicted of Lovisa's murder. Edvard's ten-year-old nephew, Isak Nyqvist, who adores and defends his uncle, is soon an outcast among his peer group, setting his life path on an unexpected trajectory that intertwines with the young policeman.

The years pass, and although Vidor was on the periphery of the investigation., he can't stop revisiting the crime in his spare time. Edvard has never stopped saying he is innocent, and Vidor starts believing him, but how can he prove it with little evidence?

This is a mystery and a coming-of-age story as the reader follows Isak through his teen and young adult years. It is an expertly plotted and well-written book whose characters are nicely drawn. Carlsson is an award-winning Swedish writer, and this book is already an international bestseller. I'm so happy to have found this book and author. 4.5/5 stars

Thank you, NetGalley and Hogarth Books, for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. The publication date is February 27, 2024.

I'm a bit torn in my views of this novel. Overall, I felt it was very well written. Carlsson deftly drew the main characters of Isak and Vidar allowing us to inhabit their skins and suffer their uncertainties. The descriptions of the cyclone Gudrun's fury and its aftermath brought visceral reactions. The pots twists were believable and compelling. This was a great book.

However, prude that I am, I was significantly disturbed by the detailed accounts of intercourse early on in the novel. What annoyed me more was that they had little or nothing to with the story. They seemed to be inserted simply for salacious effect. I'm glad that Carlsson got over this as the book progressed, or I wouldn't have continued reading.

One crime and the lives of so many are affected for years. This is an excellent examination of the psychological impact of crime on individuals, on couples, and on an entire town. The writing is very atmospheric; the characters are superbly developed. The ending ties up the loose ends but I will continue to wonder how the characters are faring.

Thanks to NetGalley and Hogarth Press for the ARC to read and review.

Under the Storm is the second book by Christoffer Carlsson I’ve read. Again, this is a slow burn, moody mystery. It’s also convoluted and at times, I struggled with it.
A farmhouse burns in the middle of the night and the body of a young woman is discovered inside. The investigation quickly focuses on Edvard, the young woman’s boyfriend. He is found guilty and sentenced to prison. The story is told from the perspective of Isak, Edward’s nephew and Vidar, the young policeman who helps investigate the case.
The book follows them through time. First ten years later, then another 12. Isak worries that he carries some sort of evil gene that will also cause him to commit crimes. Vidar just can’t let the case go, wondering if they got it wrong. Both of them struggle with personal relationships and find it impossible to move on. I felt the character development of each man was well done.
The book moves at too slow a pace, sometimes almost a slog. A better editing job would have helped immensely. I will give credit to Carlsson, as I had no clue how this was going to play out. Still, as I haven’t particularly enjoyed either book I’ve read by him, I doubt I’ll try a third.
My thanks to Netgalley and Random House for an advance copy of this book.

A community is haunted by a crime for decades in this translated crime novel.

I had trouble finding the plot here. It definitely might be one that is lost in translation, as I just really couldn’t get into this one.

In rural Sweden, a young woman is found dead in a house that has been set on fire to cover the crime. Her boyfriend is charged with and convicted of the crime. As his beloved nephew, Isak, grows up, he fears that he may take after his uncle. The disposition of the case nags at Vidar, one of the investigating officers. Did they charge the right perpetrator? There are some indications that someone else might have committed the crime. His tortured obsession with it over more than a decade leads to some consequential decisions in his life.

Carlsson writes Nordic noir at its best. This is the second of his books that I have read. The first one, Blaze Me a Sun, which I loved, featured Vidar’s father. There is a sense of foreboding throughout the book and Carlsson captures well the vicissitudes, allure and danger of the Swedish climate.

If you are a fan of Nordic noir or would like an introduction to it, I recommend this read. If you are new to this genre, do not expect a fast paced, action packed novel, but rather a slow unfolding of the plot along with developing, well crafted characterizations.

Under the Storm was a solid 4-star novel for me. This is my first book written by Carlsson and I am throughly impressed.

Isak is a 10 year old boy who has a strong bond and friendship with his Uncle Edvard, but when Edvard gets arrested for murder, Isak’s world is torn apart. How could his uncle do this? Is he like his uncle? These are the questions that torture Isak as he grows and matures into a young man.

Vidar’s story is interesting as well, as the cop who is investigating the murder.

Carlsson is a beautiful writer and has a magical way with words and details. My biggest criticism is the amount of background/supporting suspects. I struggled to keep the names and stories straight at times.

Overall, Under the Storm was a fantastic read!

Thank you to NetGalley and Hogarth for the opportunity to read this ARC before it’s scheduled release date of February 27, 2024.