"Fatal Gambit" drops readers in the center of already pulsating relationships in a noirish world. A man spots what looks like his dead wife in one of a friend's holiday pictures. The man is dumbfounded, and hires Hans Rekke, a disgraced professor and his unofficial partner Detective Michaela Vargas to find out whether his wife might still be alive. Rekke is a mess of drink and drugs and Vargas is wrangling possibly criminal family issues, so poor Sam Lidman has certainly picked himself a team. The story weaves through iconic events of the past--the 1990s financial crisis and the fall of the Berlin wall--on top of the return of old friends and enemies. It's a rich, sticky brew.

This novel does stand alone, but will be better appreciated if you read "Dark Music," the first book in the series, "Fatal Gambit" is a nail biter but will be much more terrifying/exciting/thrilling with the solid stage setting of the first novel. David Lagerkrantz proved himself a worthy successor to Stig Larsson as he continued the "Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" series, and how he proves himself with a series of his own. Read "Dark Music" before "Fatal Gambit" and put yourself in a good place to indulge in what promises to be a strong, chilling series.

Thanks to The publisher and NetGalley for a DRC in exchange for an honest review. 3.5 stars rounded up.