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.

I enjoyed this author's previous novel and this was similar -- superior crime fiction that considers deeply how a crime affects a community.

Brooding, tragic, atmospheric. Not a particularly quick read for me, but overall a very well-written story.

This story digs deep into the psychology of crime. It takes place over almost three decades and the story is mostly told from the points of view of two characters Isak and Vidar. The story is set up in three phases that follow the characters from the inciting incident through to its resolution. It is excellently written and plotted. Readers will find the characters intriguing and interesting. An overall well written story.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This book was interesting. It did keep you guessing and had some twists and turns. I thought it was pretty good.

Thank you netgalley.

This book ticks all the boxes when it comes to an atmospheric nordic thriller. It managed to capture the devastation that hits the people closest to the crime so accurately like a punch to the gut. My only complaint would have been the pace and how it got wrapped up at the end. Would have loved it to have been not so rushed towards the climax. But would definitely recommend it for readers looking for a dark, moderately paced nordic thriller

I love stories located in other lands. I can visit, feel the weather, learn the habits, listen to the forms of speech, stay in their homes, eat their food, and feel their pain without leaving the comfort of my reading chair. And I absolutely love this young author. It’s one of my life’s goals to read every one of his books. Well, one of many.
This story takes place in Marbäck, Sweden. A sweet young lady, Lovisa, is found murdered inside her burned out home. The crime haunts a recently retired Officer Vidar Jörgensson. He feels sure they overlooked something in the rush to arrest Lovisa’s boyfriend, Edvard. And Edvard’s young nephew, Isak, feels the worst effect of the murder. He is taunted, isolated, and angry.
As Vidar refuses to believe in Edvard's guilt, the stress over the years affects his home, his health, and his relationship with others in the small town. The years are especially cruel to Isak as he chooses the wrong path, has no respect for himself or others with one exception, a lonely horse who stands in the field each day waiting for him to walk by.
The beautiful way these lives connect over time is what makes this book a must read. It reads like poetry, but is a study in human nature. A book that leaves you hurting for the characters long after you’ve finished.
Thanks so much to Random House Publishing Group- Random House, Hogarth for an ARC in exchange for my honest review. The publishing date is February 17, 2024.

Thank you to @randonhousebooks and #NetGalley for the digital ARC of #UnderTheStorm. The opinions expressed here are entirely my own.

I read a stand-alone novel by this author earlier this year. Liked it enough to pick up another of his books and I wasn't disappointed.

While this is a crime story at its core, it's also a character study of the main characters - Vidar, the policeman, and Isak, a young man. Both are affected by their family history and its impact on their lives. Carlsson's character development is well done. There are layers and depth to these characters and it really adds to the tension in the story.

I look forward to reading the rest of this series and checking out the author's backlist.

Well written and atmospheric. The mystery was good and I was drawn in by the boy Isak.
Many thanks to RandomHouse and to Netgalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Thanks so much to NetGalley and the author for the opportunity to read this book! The book was great but I do wish it was a little shorter. I can’t wait for the next book!

In another genius piece of nordic noir, Christoffer Carlsson delivers another stunning thriller that will keep readers on the edge of their seats even after the book is done. Carlsson, after the rousing success of last years novel, kept me so entranced the entire novel

Under the Storm by Christoffer Carlsson is a wonderful slow-burn Swedish mystery. Family drama, lingering doubts about the criminal, romance gone wrong - all come together in a decades long saga. I enjoyed reading this book as the plots unfurled.

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Random House for the opportunity to read this ARC.

The murder of a young woman in rural Sweden affects the lives of many in her town for years to come.

On a November night in 1994 in the village of Marbäck, Ulrika Antonsson calls the authorities to report that a neighboring farmhouse is on fire. The fire department, police department and ambulance services arrive but it is too late….the old wooden house is fully engulfed. As the police talk to neighbors at the scene they find that the couple who owns the farm. The Markströms, are out at a party but that their adult daughter Lovisa was seen returning home earlier that night. Once the building is safe to enter Lovisa’s body is found, and it is determined that she died due to blunt force trauma. In short, it is murder. Suspicion immediately falls upon Edvard Christensson; not only was he Lovisa’s boyfriend, he was found that night in the woods near the farm smelling of smoke and with blood on him. He is known to have a temper and to have not always treated Lovisa well, and as his father before him was abusive to his wife, it surprises no one that Edvard might have killed Lovisa. He denies doing it, once he is coherent and able to talk of what happened that night, but his claims of seeing an unknown car are not backed up by any other witnesses. In a small town, everyone notices strangers and everyone knows one another’s business; surely someone would have seen someone else near the scene of the fire. The Chief Inspector is convinced that they have sufficient evidence to convict Edvard of killing Lovisa, and the town agrees with his decision to arrest him. Left behind are Lovisa’s grieving parents, the local rookie police officer who both discovered Edvard in the woods and one of his gloves in an adjacent field, and Edvard’s family, his sister Eva and her husband and their young son Isak who adores his uncle. The effects on the lives of these and others in the community first during the investigation and prosecution of the crime, again nine years later when a cataclysmic hurricane decimates the Marbäck area and Edvard dies, and finally twelve years after the fire, when the full truth finally comes out are told with compassion and an adept portrayal of human nature.
Under the Storm is one of those novels that is both a fantastic police procedural mystery and a brilliantly crafted novel, using the nuance of language, local folklore and an empathetic grasp on how people think, feel and relate. This is not a fast paced, chase-scene infused, cynical sort of mystery, so don’t pick up a copy if that’s what you’re after. I was immediately drawn to the characters, the town, and the tragedies of the different lives in Marbäck. We have Vidar Jörgensson, a young police officer who is from the area and knows all of the victims and suspects, who became a police officer mostly because that was what his father did, and who is not certain that justice has been done; young Isak Nyqvist, whose love and admiration for the uncle is shattered when Edvard is arrested and convicted for his girlfriend’s murder, and the taint of the crime is extended to Isak and his parents; and the many friends, co-workers and others who feel the ripple effect of a terrible crime in their quiet town. To quote from the end of the book, “One night a house burned to the ground. There was someone inside on the floor, someone who couldn’t move. Something began; something ended. It took a long time to clean up.” That is the framework of the story, but the telling of it makes it so much more. As a reader, I felt the same lack of certainty about Edvard’s guilt as does Vidar; were the police too quick to jump to a conclusion, and in doing so miss other evidence? For Vidar, this case affects his career and his personal life; for Isak, his life will never be the same, and he lives in fear that the same violence that apparently affected his grandfather and uncle lives in him as well. The future of these two remains linked in ways with which neither is comfortable. Translator Rachel Willson-Broyles is to be commended for weaving in words from the Swedish, like “kymig” (something or someone mean or unpleasant, just not feeling quite right) and the phrase that in English would be expressed as not knowing what to do with oneself in a situation instead is translated as “not knowing where to put oneself” to strong effect. I truly enjoyed immersing myself in this part of the Swedish countryside, evoked so well by author Christoffer Carlsson, and stayed glued to the story as I turned each page. Readers of the novels of Henning Markell, Stieg Larson, and Jo Nesbø should definitely add this and Mr. Carlsson’s other works to their TBR pile (at the top, I would add) at their earliest opportunity, as should people who enjoy the prose of authors like Kent Haruf and Joyce Carol Oates. This is an amazing book, told by a gifted user of language, and I am very grateful both to NetGalley and to the Random House Publishing Group/Random House Hogarth for granting me access to an advanced reader’s copy in return for my honest review.