What do you think?
Rate this book
Joona Linna #1-3
The Hypnotist / The Nightmare / The Fire Witness
Chilling, psychologically dark, and complexly plotted, Lars Kepler's brilliant and addictive thrillers feature the troubled and intriguing Detective Inspector Joona Linna, someone who goes against the grain of conventional police procedure and thinks outside the box. This series has literally taken the world by storm, each book becoming a runaway bestseller internationally.
In The Hypnotist, a triple homicide, all of the victims from the same family, captivates Joona Linna, who demands to investigate the grisly case -- against the wishes of the national police. He enlists Dr. Erik Maria Bark to mesmerize a young witness to the crime, hoping to discover the killer through his eyes. When Bark breaks his promise never to do this kind of work again and hypnotizes the victim, a terrifying chain of events unfurls. In The Nightmare, we follow Joona Linna's investigation of two seemingly unrelated crimes -- a young woman murdered on a pleasure boat in the archipelago and a man found hanging in his state apartment in Stockholm the next day -- but as Linna begins to piece together the mysteries, the logistics become a mere prelude to a dizzying and dangerous course of events. And, in The Fire Witness, we find Joona Linna under internal review by the National Police for an alleged infraction and on leave to solve some troubling personal business. Nevertheless, he's called in to "observe" the investigation of a gruesome and strange murder at a youth home for wayward teenage girls, and it's not long before Linna is drawn deeply into the intricate, disturbing case.
In The Hypnotist, a triple homicide, all of the victims from the same family, captivates Joona Linna, who demands to investigate the grisly case -- against the wishes of the national police. He enlists Dr. Erik Maria Bark to mesmerize a young witness to the crime, hoping to discover the killer through his eyes. When Bark breaks his promise never to do this kind of work again and hypnotizes the victim, a terrifying chain of events unfurls. In The Nightmare, we follow Joona Linna's investigation of two seemingly unrelated crimes -- a young woman murdered on a pleasure boat in the archipelago and a man found hanging in his state apartment in Stockholm the next day -- but as Linna begins to piece together the mysteries, the logistics become a mere prelude to a dizzying and dangerous course of events. And, in The Fire Witness, we find Joona Linna under internal review by the National Police for an alleged infraction and on leave to solve some troubling personal business. Nevertheless, he's called in to "observe" the investigation of a gruesome and strange murder at a youth home for wayward teenage girls, and it's not long before Linna is drawn deeply into the intricate, disturbing case.
1793 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 17, 2014
70 people are currently reading
495 people want to read
About the author
Lars Kepler
62 books5,802 followersLars Kepler is the pseudonym of critically acclaimed husband and wife team Alexander Ahndoril and Alexandra Coelho Ahndoril, authors of the No. 1 internationally bestselling Joona Linna series. With seven installments to date, the series has sold 13 million copies in 40 languages. The Ahndorils were both established writers before they adopted the pen name Lars Kepler, and have each published several acclaimed novels.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews
January 20, 2014
These books are excellent and in the taut suspenseful tradition of the best of the Scandinavian authors. A serious must read.
February 14, 2014
Love this series! I had already read The Hypnotist and The Nightmare, so I just read The Fire Witness. Waiting for Sandman to be translated to English.
January 10, 2014
It was a good book.
August 17, 2014
Currently reading the fire witness
November 20, 2013
Read 2 out of 3 of these books. The Fire Witness is the one I just read.
November 1, 2019
I just finished The Fire Witness and am not sure if I want to continue on with these authors. They write well and the story initially draws you in. However, the plot then gets sloppy and the end always feels rushed.
This story is about a girl and woman murdered in a clinic for mentally unstable girls. Joona Linna comes in to save the day and is always, it seems, never wanted. Without giving away the ending, the plot gets twisted but you are led through side stories that dont add up and then when two characters suddenly get together, you're like: WHAT THE?!?!?! Sure in the end, it makes for a better ending but it doesnt support the story and it is almost a sloppy way to bring three characters together.
I think this might be my last one. I did hear the Sandman was good so dont be surprised if you see one more review..
This story is about a girl and woman murdered in a clinic for mentally unstable girls. Joona Linna comes in to save the day and is always, it seems, never wanted. Without giving away the ending, the plot gets twisted but you are led through side stories that dont add up and then when two characters suddenly get together, you're like: WHAT THE?!?!?! Sure in the end, it makes for a better ending but it doesnt support the story and it is almost a sloppy way to bring three characters together.
I think this might be my last one. I did hear the Sandman was good so dont be surprised if you see one more review..
October 6, 2023
The Hypnotist was a first book for this author. I enjoyed the read and actively engaged with the story. The pacing was even and held my attention. The 'hypnotist' in the story was an interesting character. I alternated between liking/disliking him which I think indicates good writing and character development. The principal character, Joona Linna, was intriguing with hints of a troubled past revealed at intervals. I'm keen to read other books in the series and learn more about him.
June 22, 2020
We’ll what can I say ?? They just get better and better ! I liked the hypnotist, a good read , struggled with the nightmare but read it and was ok in the end but the fire witness was AMAZING great book and can’t wait to read sandman now ! Fabulous writers they just want you to read more ! I’m hooked , just brilliant.
July 13, 2023
The Hypnotist by Lars Kepler has all of the necessary elements of a great thriller! This husband/wife team have outdone themselves, and could possibly make some people have some wicked nightmares. I am looking forward to the next two books in the series, and I would recommend it to all of my reading friends who enjoy this genre. It won't disappoint you!
November 8, 2017
It is only book 3 The Fire Witness I am reviewing, It is excellent as ususal, gripping, always something happening, I am glad we finally learned a bit more about Joona's past. The books are getting better and better.
March 22, 2019
Just completed The fire Witness. I am not reading their books in sequence. I wish I had realized this sooner.
Still really enjoying. Fire Witness filled in story of his wife and daughter from The Sandman.
Still really enjoying. Fire Witness filled in story of his wife and daughter from The Sandman.
March 29, 2018
Really enjoying this series of books.
Read
December 26, 2019Ignore this. The wrong title.
September 12, 2020
Each book gets better. Lars Keplar knows how to draw a reader in. Can be quite wicked in parts but not put me off. Started The Sandman today .
August 20, 2021
Fantastic read.
January 6, 2022
Just read The Fire Witness. Loved it. Fast paced, intriguing such a great crime writing duo.
June 25, 2015
The Fire Witness
Lars Kepler is the pseudonym adopted by Alexander Ahndoril and Alexandra Coelho Ahndoril, two Swedish mystery writers. They are the authors of, so far, five mysteries, featuring Finnish-Swedish Joona Linna of the National Police. Linna, like most Scandinavian protagonist detectives, is dour, reclusive and secretive. Near the end of “The Fire Witness” we discover some of the reasons he acts as he does. Kepler’s structure here is terse: short chapters, short sentences, spare atmosphere. And, like other Scandinavian authors, Henning Mankel, Stieg Larsson and Jo Nesbo, for example, there are LOTS of street names! Kepler here establishes a setting filled with possibilities: a school for disturbed girls out in the country—Birgittagarden—and immediately starts the action with a murder by hammer in one of the outbuildings. That leads to the discovery of a murder of one of the girls by large stone in an isolated room. There are scads of suspects, most of them girls from the school, all of whom are disturbed in one way or another and several of whom are violent. Joona Linna is assigned the case from Stockholm as an inspector in the National Police, but he is not to get involved with solving the case—he’s there only to observe and assist if asked. That he is the best investigative officer Sweden has means that is an impossible limitation and Loona is soon at the head of the locals as he leaps into the lead, damn the torpedoes from the lesser locals who are, in truth, largely hapless anyway. Susanne Ost is the head of the investigation but can get nowhere but wrong directions as the case builds. One of the girls, Vicky, seems to confess to the crimes and the Ost soon moves to arrest her but Linna is not convinced. Flora, a local medium, gets involved and the plot threatens to turn on the supernatural, but Kepler skillfully avoids that trap for the most part. Of the several side characters, Disa, Linna’s lover, is largely wasted as a sleeping partner without input into his thinking. Elin, a comely member of the upper classes who has once fostered Vicky, becomes more interesting as the plot thickens and her emotional re-bonding with the girl she now wants to re-adopt, is well-paced through the novel. She is also estranged from her husband and attracted to Daniel, a therapist at the school. That confuses her life thoroughly, especially since his wife, Elisabet, was the first one killed in the events at the school and it is suspected that Vicky is the murderer. There is a stiffness of atmosphere and a clammy coldness that infects most Swedish crime novels and a regular reader of them can be expected to embrace that atmosphere or reject it. I happen to admire it and it is one of the aspects of Scandinavian crime in general that I find most appealing. The countries all seem perfectly appropriate for murder, like the English country villages of Christie and Marsh. Their detectives share a propensity for careful thought and puzzle-solving and an incredible tolerance for physical injury—Linna has a shoulder separation to deal with halfway through this entry—and their stoicism is almost inhuman. Kepler is a fine example of the style at its best and one of the best-disciplined of the lot. There is not a wasted word in the 497 pages (long for a mystery) and the pace is beautifully maintained for maximum suspense and effect. My favorite is still Nesbo, but Kepler is not far behind. Reading one of the best of the Scandinavian mysteries in the American summer is a good idea because the climate in those countries is so bracing it’s like having air conditioning on while you’re reading. A terrific read is here. Enjoy!
Lars Kepler is the pseudonym adopted by Alexander Ahndoril and Alexandra Coelho Ahndoril, two Swedish mystery writers. They are the authors of, so far, five mysteries, featuring Finnish-Swedish Joona Linna of the National Police. Linna, like most Scandinavian protagonist detectives, is dour, reclusive and secretive. Near the end of “The Fire Witness” we discover some of the reasons he acts as he does. Kepler’s structure here is terse: short chapters, short sentences, spare atmosphere. And, like other Scandinavian authors, Henning Mankel, Stieg Larsson and Jo Nesbo, for example, there are LOTS of street names! Kepler here establishes a setting filled with possibilities: a school for disturbed girls out in the country—Birgittagarden—and immediately starts the action with a murder by hammer in one of the outbuildings. That leads to the discovery of a murder of one of the girls by large stone in an isolated room. There are scads of suspects, most of them girls from the school, all of whom are disturbed in one way or another and several of whom are violent. Joona Linna is assigned the case from Stockholm as an inspector in the National Police, but he is not to get involved with solving the case—he’s there only to observe and assist if asked. That he is the best investigative officer Sweden has means that is an impossible limitation and Loona is soon at the head of the locals as he leaps into the lead, damn the torpedoes from the lesser locals who are, in truth, largely hapless anyway. Susanne Ost is the head of the investigation but can get nowhere but wrong directions as the case builds. One of the girls, Vicky, seems to confess to the crimes and the Ost soon moves to arrest her but Linna is not convinced. Flora, a local medium, gets involved and the plot threatens to turn on the supernatural, but Kepler skillfully avoids that trap for the most part. Of the several side characters, Disa, Linna’s lover, is largely wasted as a sleeping partner without input into his thinking. Elin, a comely member of the upper classes who has once fostered Vicky, becomes more interesting as the plot thickens and her emotional re-bonding with the girl she now wants to re-adopt, is well-paced through the novel. She is also estranged from her husband and attracted to Daniel, a therapist at the school. That confuses her life thoroughly, especially since his wife, Elisabet, was the first one killed in the events at the school and it is suspected that Vicky is the murderer. There is a stiffness of atmosphere and a clammy coldness that infects most Swedish crime novels and a regular reader of them can be expected to embrace that atmosphere or reject it. I happen to admire it and it is one of the aspects of Scandinavian crime in general that I find most appealing. The countries all seem perfectly appropriate for murder, like the English country villages of Christie and Marsh. Their detectives share a propensity for careful thought and puzzle-solving and an incredible tolerance for physical injury—Linna has a shoulder separation to deal with halfway through this entry—and their stoicism is almost inhuman. Kepler is a fine example of the style at its best and one of the best-disciplined of the lot. There is not a wasted word in the 497 pages (long for a mystery) and the pace is beautifully maintained for maximum suspense and effect. My favorite is still Nesbo, but Kepler is not far behind. Reading one of the best of the Scandinavian mysteries in the American summer is a good idea because the climate in those countries is so bracing it’s like having air conditioning on while you’re reading. A terrific read is here. Enjoy!
November 14, 2016
Having read a Joona Linna story a while ago, I was excited to delve further into his world, so invested in this omnibus of 3 novels. "The Nightmare" - the 2nd story - was so twisted and violent that it still gives me the chills every time I think of it even 6 months later! It was well-written, but just told an awful story about truly terrible people and their hideous crimes. "The Hypnotist" and "The Fire Witness" were also extremely well-written, but didn't leave me with nightmares.
Joona Linna, of the Swedish National Police, is a peculiar kind of detective; he sees and thinks differently than his fellows...and he is usually right. He pushes boundaries, which makes it difficult for his bosses to give him room to maneuver, but he takes the space and time and resources he needs and pays the price later. He has a stellar record of crime-solving, along with many admirers and people who assist him, but he is a lone wolf and they can be dangerous.
Rather than spoilers, I suggest you read any one of the novels and see for yourself if Joona will become one of your favourite detectives.
Joona Linna, of the Swedish National Police, is a peculiar kind of detective; he sees and thinks differently than his fellows...and he is usually right. He pushes boundaries, which makes it difficult for his bosses to give him room to maneuver, but he takes the space and time and resources he needs and pays the price later. He has a stellar record of crime-solving, along with many admirers and people who assist him, but he is a lone wolf and they can be dangerous.
Rather than spoilers, I suggest you read any one of the novels and see for yourself if Joona will become one of your favourite detectives.
May 10, 2020
All three books are very different types of “keep you on the edge of your seat” thrillers. Fast paced with twists and turns all the way to the end. Often, just when you think someone is safe, they are definitely not. I am absolutely going to continue this series. Joona Linna is a smart, relentless protagonist with a past that is hinted at but never quite explained until the end of the third book.
February 28, 2015
I read The Hypnotist and The Fire Witness. My library did not have The Nightmare. I like the lead detective. The Fire Witness left you wanting to discover more about him. In general, I like the Scandinavian authors.
September 3, 2014
I've read all three books and loved them all! Captivating right from the beginning. Just got the Sandman and I will be reading it shortly!
September 21, 2014
This rating is for The Fire Witness only.
October 19, 2014
The first novel was fabulous, and while I did read all three, they lose their steam at about halfway through #2.
October 26, 2014
Fantastic! Dark and twisted.
May 14, 2016
I have only read "The Fire Witness" but I liked the buildup to the conclusion. Which I shall keep a secret :-) . It's a great twist !
November 28, 2014
Just read The Fire Witness. I like how it takes place in another country and how events unfold and are acted upon elsewhere.
December 4, 2014
Really just for The Fire Witness.
December 8, 2014
I think Lars Keppler has Ruth Rendell beat. So much detail that I think I am going to give up, and then another zinger.Not for the faint hearted.
February 26, 2015
I've only read The Nightmare and the Fire Witness.
April 12, 2016
it a good read, but quite dissapointed with the end . overall, the storyline was good, and it worth reading .
Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews