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Jessica Niemi #4
De Föräldralösa Barnens Ö
Jessica Niemi har tvingats ta paus från jobbet som polis och reser till ett stillsamt pensionat på Åland för att hitta balans i sitt liv - eller avsluta det. Men väl där dras hon in i den lokala sägnen om en ung flicka som försvann från ett barnhem på ön för sjuttio år sedan.
Alltsedan dess kan flickan ses på ön, längs vattnet, iförd en blå kappa. Jessica förstår också att pensionatet har en mörk historia. Alltmer osäker på gränsen mellan fantasi och verklighet dras Jessica mer och mer in i öns hemska berättelser
Alltsedan dess kan flickan ses på ön, längs vattnet, iförd en blå kappa. Jessica förstår också att pensionatet har en mörk historia. Alltmer osäker på gränsen mellan fantasi och verklighet dras Jessica mer och mer in i öns hemska berättelser
376 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published September 1, 2022
44 people are currently reading
6296 people want to read
About the author
Max Seeck
17 books518 followersMax Seeck - New York Times Bestselling Author of THE WITCH HUNTER.
“Another star has been added to the firmament of thriller writers,” announced Iltalehti newspaper, when Max’s debut novel was published in 2016. Four years and four books later, Max Seeck’s novels have been sold to more than 40 countries, including US, UK, Germany, France, Spain, Italy, Nordic countries and as far as Korea!
His debut trilogy following protagonist Daniel Kuisma sold over 50,000 copies in Finland. His new Jessica Niemi series landed him on the New York Times Bestseller list! In Faithful Reader, AKA The Witch Hunter (US title), book 1 of the Jessica Niemi series, Helsinki Police Detective Jessica Niemi hunts an occultist serial killer. In Evil’s Net, AKA Ice Coven, Jessica and her team follow clues hidden on Instagram to solve the disappearance of a young influencer and a manga artist. He is currently writing the 3rd book of Jessica Niemi series.
Max Seeck has a background in sales and marketing, and has lately been able to dedicate his time to his lifelong love of writing. His interests include well-conducted research, reading Nordic Noir and listening to movie soundtracks as he writes.
“Another star has been added to the firmament of thriller writers,” announced Iltalehti newspaper, when Max’s debut novel was published in 2016. Four years and four books later, Max Seeck’s novels have been sold to more than 40 countries, including US, UK, Germany, France, Spain, Italy, Nordic countries and as far as Korea!
His debut trilogy following protagonist Daniel Kuisma sold over 50,000 copies in Finland. His new Jessica Niemi series landed him on the New York Times Bestseller list! In Faithful Reader, AKA The Witch Hunter (US title), book 1 of the Jessica Niemi series, Helsinki Police Detective Jessica Niemi hunts an occultist serial killer. In Evil’s Net, AKA Ice Coven, Jessica and her team follow clues hidden on Instagram to solve the disappearance of a young influencer and a manga artist. He is currently writing the 3rd book of Jessica Niemi series.
Max Seeck has a background in sales and marketing, and has lately been able to dedicate his time to his lifelong love of writing. His interests include well-conducted research, reading Nordic Noir and listening to movie soundtracks as he writes.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 176 reviews
October 6, 2025
**4.5-stars**
Ghost Island is the 4th-installment in Max Seeck's Jessica Niemi series, also known as the Ghosts of the Past series.
These Nordic Crime novels follow MC, Jessica Niemi, who is a Helsinki Police Detective. Admittedly, this is the first novel that I have picked up in this series, and personally, I feel it worked well as a standalone.
With this being said though, I enjoyed it so much that I intend to go back and read the previous 3-books. I've already got the 1st-book, The Witch Hunter, on loan from my library and am excited to start it soon.
I found Jessica to be a very compelling protagonist, and she did refer to some things in her past that I am interested in learning more about. Most specifically, her relationship with an apparent mentor who has since passed away.
In this installment, at the very beginning of the story, Jessica gets in a bit of trouble while leaving a therapy appointment. She gets in an altercation with a belligerent man, who goes so far as to put his hands on her.
Defending herself, Jessica fights back, although in hindsight, she may have taken it a little too far. When video of the incident spreads, Jessica's supervisor suggests she take some leave to get her head on straight. The Department doesn't need this type of negative publicity.
Jessica travels to a remote island in the Åland archipelago, where she rents a room at a historic seaside inn. She doesn't tell anyone in her life where she is going.
Hoping for solitude, Jessica is a bit rattled when a group of elderly travelers arrive, one of them begrudged that Jessica is inhabiting the room she usually stays in.
Jessica learns this group is the last of the 'birds of spring’, former refugees who fled Finland as children during World War II and lived together for a few months in an orphanage on the island. They return every year, for a reunion of sorts.
The orphanage has been abandoned for years, but the building still exists and local legend has it that one of the orphans, a girl named Maija, who went missing decades before, still haunts the island.
Maija is said to appear, in her signature blue coat, late at night at the end the pier, the last place she was ever seen.
When one of the ‘birds of spring’ is found dead, drowned by the pier, Jessica suspects foul play. She begins to dig into the past of the orphanage and discovers two other deaths that suggest a copycat killer may be on the island.
With inclement weather closing in, making travel an impossibility, Jessica must get to the bottom of this and quickly, before more people end up dead.
I wasn't sure what to expect going into this. As mentioned, I hadn't read the other books and wasn't sure if that would damper my enjoyment or not.
Nevertheless, this synopsis was intriguing enough for me to want to take the risk and I'm so glad that I did. I was invested in this very early on, as I found Jessica's character extremely compelling.
I was surprised that this turned out to be a dual timeline, with us getting a huge chunk of the story told via Maija's perspective, set in the mid-1940s, at the time when she resided at the orphanage.
I am not a big Historical Fiction Reader, but it seemed well done here. Maija's perspective did manage to keep me engaged and wanting to discover the connections to the present and Jessica's stay at the property.
This brings me to the setting. I loved it. As someone who lives on a small island, that is remote and difficult to get to, I love island-set stories. It makes it so easy for me to picture just the overall feel of that landscape.
This was made infinitely better by the inclement weather that descends just as the plot is heating up. It brought a claustrophobic feel, as you realize that there is literally no escape for these characters. Someone is dead, and they are stuck. There's a killer amongst them, but who?
I am an atmosphere girl, first and foremost, and this transported me. I felt like I was there alongside Jessica. I could feel the cold, the wind, the isolation. It was gripping.
My only slight criticism would be, once we got to the big reveal, I felt like the end dragged on a little two long for my tastes. Perhaps, if I had read the earlier books and had more backstory on Jessica I wouldn't have felt that way, IDK.
Either way, I cannot wait to read the other books in this series and I hope there are more coming. Jessica definitely has a lot of room to grow as character. I feel like there are big things ahead for her.
Thank you to the publisher, Berkley, for providing me a copy to read and review. You've hooked me. I'm looking forward to more Jessica Niemi!
Ghost Island is the 4th-installment in Max Seeck's Jessica Niemi series, also known as the Ghosts of the Past series.
These Nordic Crime novels follow MC, Jessica Niemi, who is a Helsinki Police Detective. Admittedly, this is the first novel that I have picked up in this series, and personally, I feel it worked well as a standalone.
With this being said though, I enjoyed it so much that I intend to go back and read the previous 3-books. I've already got the 1st-book, The Witch Hunter, on loan from my library and am excited to start it soon.
I found Jessica to be a very compelling protagonist, and she did refer to some things in her past that I am interested in learning more about. Most specifically, her relationship with an apparent mentor who has since passed away.
In this installment, at the very beginning of the story, Jessica gets in a bit of trouble while leaving a therapy appointment. She gets in an altercation with a belligerent man, who goes so far as to put his hands on her.
Defending herself, Jessica fights back, although in hindsight, she may have taken it a little too far. When video of the incident spreads, Jessica's supervisor suggests she take some leave to get her head on straight. The Department doesn't need this type of negative publicity.
Jessica travels to a remote island in the Åland archipelago, where she rents a room at a historic seaside inn. She doesn't tell anyone in her life where she is going.
Hoping for solitude, Jessica is a bit rattled when a group of elderly travelers arrive, one of them begrudged that Jessica is inhabiting the room she usually stays in.
Jessica learns this group is the last of the 'birds of spring’, former refugees who fled Finland as children during World War II and lived together for a few months in an orphanage on the island. They return every year, for a reunion of sorts.
The orphanage has been abandoned for years, but the building still exists and local legend has it that one of the orphans, a girl named Maija, who went missing decades before, still haunts the island.
Maija is said to appear, in her signature blue coat, late at night at the end the pier, the last place she was ever seen.
When one of the ‘birds of spring’ is found dead, drowned by the pier, Jessica suspects foul play. She begins to dig into the past of the orphanage and discovers two other deaths that suggest a copycat killer may be on the island.
With inclement weather closing in, making travel an impossibility, Jessica must get to the bottom of this and quickly, before more people end up dead.
I wasn't sure what to expect going into this. As mentioned, I hadn't read the other books and wasn't sure if that would damper my enjoyment or not.
Nevertheless, this synopsis was intriguing enough for me to want to take the risk and I'm so glad that I did. I was invested in this very early on, as I found Jessica's character extremely compelling.
I was surprised that this turned out to be a dual timeline, with us getting a huge chunk of the story told via Maija's perspective, set in the mid-1940s, at the time when she resided at the orphanage.
I am not a big Historical Fiction Reader, but it seemed well done here. Maija's perspective did manage to keep me engaged and wanting to discover the connections to the present and Jessica's stay at the property.
This brings me to the setting. I loved it. As someone who lives on a small island, that is remote and difficult to get to, I love island-set stories. It makes it so easy for me to picture just the overall feel of that landscape.
This was made infinitely better by the inclement weather that descends just as the plot is heating up. It brought a claustrophobic feel, as you realize that there is literally no escape for these characters. Someone is dead, and they are stuck. There's a killer amongst them, but who?
I am an atmosphere girl, first and foremost, and this transported me. I felt like I was there alongside Jessica. I could feel the cold, the wind, the isolation. It was gripping.
My only slight criticism would be, once we got to the big reveal, I felt like the end dragged on a little two long for my tastes. Perhaps, if I had read the earlier books and had more backstory on Jessica I wouldn't have felt that way, IDK.
Either way, I cannot wait to read the other books in this series and I hope there are more coming. Jessica definitely has a lot of room to grow as character. I feel like there are big things ahead for her.
Thank you to the publisher, Berkley, for providing me a copy to read and review. You've hooked me. I'm looking forward to more Jessica Niemi!
August 24, 2024
Tikko Džesika man sāka patikt, izskatās, ka autors pie viņas nemaz nesteidzas atgriezties.
Šis arī bija ļoti labi. Laikam jau pat vēl savāktāk kā iepriekšējās grāmatās. Viss bija intriģējoši, spriedzīgi, un bez nevajadzīga apjoma. Ļoti patīk autora stils - mazliet satīras, mazliet emociju, pa kādai vērtīgai pārdomu rindkopai, viss līdzsvarā.
Protams, beigas biju gaidījusi mazliet pozitīvākas, es kā rūdīta romantiķe visu jau biju izplānojusi, bet autors laikam nav no manas cilts.
Šis arī bija ļoti labi. Laikam jau pat vēl savāktāk kā iepriekšējās grāmatās. Viss bija intriģējoši, spriedzīgi, un bez nevajadzīga apjoma. Ļoti patīk autora stils - mazliet satīras, mazliet emociju, pa kādai vērtīgai pārdomu rindkopai, viss līdzsvarā.
Protams, beigas biju gaidījusi mazliet pozitīvākas, es kā rūdīta romantiķe visu jau biju izplānojusi, bet autors laikam nav no manas cilts.
January 1, 2024
I've been looking forward to reading the new Jessica Niemi book "De föräldralösa barnens ö" (The Island of the Orphans) for ages. I spent some glorious hours listening to it narrated by one of the best Swedish narrators ever, Gunilla Leining. I'm fortunate that I can listen to books at work. Anyhow, the book is great, I love reading crime novels set on islands with a lot of suspects and no one is trustworthy. I think this book is one of the best in the series and I'm looking forward to finding out what will happen next for Jessica.
September 22, 2022
Jessica Niemi -sarjan neljäs osa, jota kehutaan sarjan parhaaksi, floppaa mielestäni isoihin odotuksiin nähden. Kirjan parasta antia on oikeastaan prologi, joka kyllä herättää kiinnostuksen ja onnistuu tehtävässään. Kirjaa on myös helppo lukea vuoden tauon jälkeen, koska päähenkilön historia kerrataan muistin virkistykseksi. Kerronta on sujuvaa ja mystinen tunnelma on aistittavissa alusta loppuun, mutta itse tarina on aika tylsä. Jännitystä ei ole nimeksikään, eikä tässä ole hirveästi poliisitutkintaakaan - tapaus ratkesi melkeinpä omalla painollaan. Minua häiritsi, kuinka Niemeä kehutaan maan parhaaksi rikospoliisiksi, mutta silti hän sekoilee ja jää vakuuttavuudessa vikalle sijalle muihin kirjan poliiseihin nähden. Mikä oikeuttaa sen, että hän kerta toisensa jälkeen saa palata poliisin tehtäviin?
Vaikuttaa siltä, että Jessica Niemestä tulee samanlainen pitkä sarja, mitä dekkaristit ympäri maailman tekevät. Se on minusta vähän sääli, hän kun sopisi rajun menneisyytensä kanssa hyvin lyhyeen sarjaan, ehkä trilogiaan, jossa ratkaistava rikos olisi vain toinen juonista, mutta henkilötarinan kehittyminen olisi isommassa roolissa päättyen dramaattisesti sarjan lopussa.
Vaikuttaa siltä, että Jessica Niemestä tulee samanlainen pitkä sarja, mitä dekkaristit ympäri maailman tekevät. Se on minusta vähän sääli, hän kun sopisi rajun menneisyytensä kanssa hyvin lyhyeen sarjaan, ehkä trilogiaan, jossa ratkaistava rikos olisi vain toinen juonista, mutta henkilötarinan kehittyminen olisi isommassa roolissa päättyen dramaattisesti sarjan lopussa.
February 23, 2024
Dies war mein erster Thriller von Max Seeck und ich muss gestehen, dass ich seine Kommissarin Jessica Niemi zunächst nicht einzuordnen wusste. Irgendetwas stimmt mit ihr nicht, das war mir von Anfang an klar, ich konnte mir nur nicht erschließen, was es war. Der Autor hat es allerdings hervorragend verstanden mir die Kommissarin nach und nach vorzustellen, mit ihren ganzen Ecken, und Kanten, so dass sich letztlich ein sehr gutes Gesamtbild ergab. Was ich am Anfang nicht vermutet hätte war, dass ich sie, mitsamt ihrer Eigenheiten, irgendwann sehr mochte.
Wie man schon im Inhaltstext erfährt wird Jessica irgendwann beurlaubt, da sie sich nicht dienstkonform verhalten hat. Um abzuschalten fährt sie auf eine Insel, die zwischen Finnland und Schweden liegt, doch ihr Beruf scheint ihr unwissentlich zu folgen.
Die Atmosphäre der Hauptgeschichte war düster, wie ich sie von einem nordischen Thriller erwartet habe und die Geschichte geheimnisvoll, mysteriös und spannend. Es geht um ein ehemaliges Waisenhaus, eine Seniorengruppe, die Legende um ein Mädchen im blauen Mantel und um Mord.
Die Geschichte wird in zwei Zeitebenen erzählt, daher erfährt man in Rückblenden viel über das Leben im Waisenhaus, welches nicht immer unproblematisch war und auch über die Schicksale der einzelnen Kinder. Die Ereignisse von damals haben Auswirkungen bis in die Gegenwart. Als Jessica dies klar wird, fängt sie instinktiv an zu ermitteln und deckt nach und nach die Zusammenhänge auf. Dabei hat der Autor einige Plot-Twists eingebaut.
Die Figuren, so unterschiedlich sie auch waren, fand ich alle gut bis sehr gut dargestellt. Manche hätten noch etwas mehr Tiefe haben können, aber das ist jammern auf hohem Niveau. Insgesamt passte alles sehr gut.
Ein düsterer, sehr spannender Thriller, der bis zum Schluss fesselt.
Wie man schon im Inhaltstext erfährt wird Jessica irgendwann beurlaubt, da sie sich nicht dienstkonform verhalten hat. Um abzuschalten fährt sie auf eine Insel, die zwischen Finnland und Schweden liegt, doch ihr Beruf scheint ihr unwissentlich zu folgen.
Die Atmosphäre der Hauptgeschichte war düster, wie ich sie von einem nordischen Thriller erwartet habe und die Geschichte geheimnisvoll, mysteriös und spannend. Es geht um ein ehemaliges Waisenhaus, eine Seniorengruppe, die Legende um ein Mädchen im blauen Mantel und um Mord.
Die Geschichte wird in zwei Zeitebenen erzählt, daher erfährt man in Rückblenden viel über das Leben im Waisenhaus, welches nicht immer unproblematisch war und auch über die Schicksale der einzelnen Kinder. Die Ereignisse von damals haben Auswirkungen bis in die Gegenwart. Als Jessica dies klar wird, fängt sie instinktiv an zu ermitteln und deckt nach und nach die Zusammenhänge auf. Dabei hat der Autor einige Plot-Twists eingebaut.
Die Figuren, so unterschiedlich sie auch waren, fand ich alle gut bis sehr gut dargestellt. Manche hätten noch etwas mehr Tiefe haben können, aber das ist jammern auf hohem Niveau. Insgesamt passte alles sehr gut.
Ein düsterer, sehr spannender Thriller, der bis zum Schluss fesselt.
March 17, 2024
4.25⭐️
Lai gan šis detektīvs bija diezgan ierastas uzbūves un satura un īsti pat neatbilda Sēka stilam, ļoti izbaudīju. Lieliska Ālandu salu un slepkavības priekšvakara atmosfēra.
Pavisam nedaudz atgādināja Kristi “And then there were none”, kas grāmatā arī pieminēts.
Kriminālpoliciste Džesika Niemi, ko pazīstam jau no iepriekšējām trim sērijas grāmatām, šoreiz devusies atpūtā, bet uz salas tiek ierauta dīvainu notikumu virpulī. Uz salas klīst leģenda, kas saistīta ar seniem notikumiem bāreņu namā. Tiklīdz piekrastē parādās maza neitenīte zilā mētelī, kāds mirst..
Lai gan šis detektīvs bija diezgan ierastas uzbūves un satura un īsti pat neatbilda Sēka stilam, ļoti izbaudīju. Lieliska Ālandu salu un slepkavības priekšvakara atmosfēra.
Pavisam nedaudz atgādināja Kristi “And then there were none”, kas grāmatā arī pieminēts.
Kriminālpoliciste Džesika Niemi, ko pazīstam jau no iepriekšējām trim sērijas grāmatām, šoreiz devusies atpūtā, bet uz salas tiek ierauta dīvainu notikumu virpulī. Uz salas klīst leģenda, kas saistīta ar seniem notikumiem bāreņu namā. Tiklīdz piekrastē parādās maza neitenīte zilā mētelī, kāds mirst..
October 9, 2023
Ooh, this is an exciting and eerie addition to this series!
Newcomers should know that this does NOT work as a standalone. Though our mystery is new to the series, none of the prior relationships (important) are explained. If I wasn’t already deeply involved in Jessica and her life, I would have been very confused.
Those of you who are already fervent readers are aware that Niemi is…wounded. And her damage is very much a part of this book. It’s quite heartbreaking. As for Yusuf (love him), he’s a very small part of this book – though his arc promises to be very interesting!
Our mystery is one of abject sadness and definitely creepy. I loved it.
Can’t wait for whatever the author brings us next.
• ARC via Publisher
Newcomers should know that this does NOT work as a standalone. Though our mystery is new to the series, none of the prior relationships (important) are explained. If I wasn’t already deeply involved in Jessica and her life, I would have been very confused.
Those of you who are already fervent readers are aware that Niemi is…wounded. And her damage is very much a part of this book. It’s quite heartbreaking. As for Yusuf (love him), he’s a very small part of this book – though his arc promises to be very interesting!
Our mystery is one of abject sadness and definitely creepy. I loved it.
Can’t wait for whatever the author brings us next.
• ARC via Publisher
February 24, 2024
4.5/5!
Seeck’s 4th installment in the Jessica Niemi series is back with another dark, gritty Nordic Noir police procedural. I absolutely love these books and cannot say enough good things about the entire series!
Ghost Island transports readers to a secluded island that is home to an urban legend of a young girl being seen out on a dock that holds ties to events that happened decades earlier. The story focuses on Niemi seeking some solace away from the police force on this island, but the discovery of a dead body draws her back into being a detective. Seeck gives readers insight into both timelines, as well as a narrative from the book’s killer. It is then up to the reader to try to guess the truth of what is happening alongside Niemi.
This book may be the 4th in a series, but could certainly be read as a standalone. I do highly recommend starting at book one to have a more solid relationship with detective Niemi and know the ins and outs of her past.
Seeck’s 4th installment in the Jessica Niemi series is back with another dark, gritty Nordic Noir police procedural. I absolutely love these books and cannot say enough good things about the entire series!
Ghost Island transports readers to a secluded island that is home to an urban legend of a young girl being seen out on a dock that holds ties to events that happened decades earlier. The story focuses on Niemi seeking some solace away from the police force on this island, but the discovery of a dead body draws her back into being a detective. Seeck gives readers insight into both timelines, as well as a narrative from the book’s killer. It is then up to the reader to try to guess the truth of what is happening alongside Niemi.
This book may be the 4th in a series, but could certainly be read as a standalone. I do highly recommend starting at book one to have a more solid relationship with detective Niemi and know the ins and outs of her past.
May 5, 2024
Tie paši vēži, tikai kulīte cita… spocīgi, baiļu un ļaunu priekšnojautu iedvesoši (man ir aizdomas, ka šonakt nespēšu aiziet gulēt bez gaismas (kur nu vēl bez «kompānijas» aiziet uz tualeti)).
Man ļoti patika šis «jaunais» Sēka «virziens».
Man ļoti patika šis «jaunais» Sēka «virziens».
April 22, 2024
Ghost Island by Max Seeck is the fourth in the Detective Jessica Niemi series.
First, let me thank NetGalley, the publisher Berkley Publishing (and in particular Kaila Mundell-Hill for sending me a widget), and of course the author, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Series Background: (Warning – Contains spoilers from previous books)
Detective Jessica Jessica Niemi has suffered a lot of loss in her life. She was the only survivor of a car crash when she was six, where her parents and brother died. Her mother was responsible. Then she lost her foster parents. Jessica works for the Helsinki Violent Crimes Unit of the Police Department. Recently her boss/mentor and father figure, Erne Mikson, passed away from cancer. She is still having nightmares and hallucinations about her mother. Jessica is a very private person, and until recently, only Erne was aware of how wealthy she really is. She and her new boss - Helena Lappi - have recently come to an uneasy "agreement", to keep part of Jessica's past secret. The rest of her team includes Yusuf Pepple, Rasmus Susikoski, and Nina Ruska.
My Synopsis: (No major reveals, but if concerned, skip to My Opinions)
Jessica is on a forced vacation after assaulting a man. Although she was defending herself, it made some unflattering headlines. So she is on a remote island, and renting a room at a small inn. She had been seeing a psychiatrist to help with both her emotions, and her fears of following in her mother's illness. Her hallucinations are reminiscent of her mother's schizophrenia. Jessica is just trying to find peace, and hopes this remote location will help.
But peace cannot be found on this island, which has a history. A children's home, now closed for many years, once housed orphans from WWII, and has been at the forefront of a few strange deaths over the years. Every year the remaining "children" of the home, all now quite elderly, return to the island for a reunion. This year, there are only three remaining. When of them dies, in the exact spot as others, the legend of Maije, a girl in a blue coat, resurfaces. But Maijje has been gone for many years.
The policeman investigating the crime wants no help from Jessica, but she is, of course, going to look into it anyway. Unfortunately, Jessica's own problems are stopping her from seeing the truth from the fiction.
My Opinions:
I usually complain that the books in this series seem long, but that is not the case with this one. Although it was almost 400 pages, it seemed to go very fast.
The plot was really good, the characters well-developed. I like how the author told the story in multiple time-lines, so that we had an idea of the struggles Maije endured.
I definitely recommend that these books be read in order, as it will be the only way you will understand where Jessica comes from, and understand some of her actions. Sometimes I think she has a God complex....I don't know how many times she thought "I should call the police", and didn't. She never seems to need/want any help. I would like to see her and Yusuf get together, but now that Jessica has another issue to deal with, she will probably want to handle it on her own.
I have learned to disregard the unfamiliar names in this series. This is just what happens when a Canadian reads Nordic crime.
Overall, it was a rather sad and emotional read. It dealt with abuse and bullying, as well as obsession and murder. Then there was the mental illness angle. It also dealt with family, and loneliness. The children and their carers at that orphanage just got to me. It was quite haunting.
I will definitely be watching for the next one.
For a more complete review of this book and others (including the reason I chose to read/review this book, as well as author information), please visit my blog: http://katlovesbooksblog.wordpress.com/
February 15, 2024
The latest in the adventures of homicide detective Nessica Niemi - the fourth in the series - puts her sanity to a bit of a test. She's on leave after a devastating encounter that made headlines and her boss eager to be rid of her for a while. As luck would have it, her getaway of choice is a remote island that once housed an orphanage - and for a time, young refugees from Finland who were forced to leave their homes and families during World War II. As Jessica stays at an inn near the shore owned by the elderly Astrid and her son, Ake, some elderly guests show up; she's told they are the only ones remaining of those Finnish children - known as the "birds of spring" - who have gathered annually. At their advanced age and failing health, this may well be their last meeting.
Gradually, as Jessica's natural curiosity and sometimes schitzophrenic mind (she's long been prone to "visions") conjure up strange happenings, she learns about the local legend of Maija - one of the orphans who went to the dock and watched the water every night, wearing a blue coat. That is, until she didn't; one night, she never returned to the orphanage. But out of home doesn't mean out of sight; for years, people on the island have "seen" her at the dock.
But then, one of the "birds" is found dead - in a manner similar to other deaths in years past. Something is amiss - Jessica is sure of it - but she has no legal right to investigate, and there's another police officer who isn't exactly welcoming her help. Asking for assistance from her own department isn't really an option, either - and even if she could, cell phone service is spotty at best on the island.
Chapters shift from present to the time the children were at the orphanage, and that can be a little hard to keep straight. I'd also say I'm glad that I'm familiar with the other books in the series, because without that background, this one might be a little hard to follow. It all works out in the end, but not without at least one zinger of a surprise that pops up around the midpoint. All in all, it's a fact-paced, entertaining adventure - and I thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for allowing me to read and review a pre-release copy.
Gradually, as Jessica's natural curiosity and sometimes schitzophrenic mind (she's long been prone to "visions") conjure up strange happenings, she learns about the local legend of Maija - one of the orphans who went to the dock and watched the water every night, wearing a blue coat. That is, until she didn't; one night, she never returned to the orphanage. But out of home doesn't mean out of sight; for years, people on the island have "seen" her at the dock.
But then, one of the "birds" is found dead - in a manner similar to other deaths in years past. Something is amiss - Jessica is sure of it - but she has no legal right to investigate, and there's another police officer who isn't exactly welcoming her help. Asking for assistance from her own department isn't really an option, either - and even if she could, cell phone service is spotty at best on the island.
Chapters shift from present to the time the children were at the orphanage, and that can be a little hard to keep straight. I'd also say I'm glad that I'm familiar with the other books in the series, because without that background, this one might be a little hard to follow. It all works out in the end, but not without at least one zinger of a surprise that pops up around the midpoint. All in all, it's a fact-paced, entertaining adventure - and I thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for allowing me to read and review a pre-release copy.
February 28, 2024
Heute habe ich mit "Waiseninsel" den vierten Band dieser Reihe beendet und ich muss leider gestehen, dass Band 3+4 für mich nicht an die ersten beiden Bände herankommen. Dennoch gefiel mir das Buch besser als sein Vorgänger und ich mochte das Setting auf der Insel, sowie die Charakterentwicklung von Jessica sehr. 🫶🏻
December 4, 2024
Max Seeckin Loukko (2022) on Jessica Niemi -sarjan neljäs romaani. Kriitikoiden mielestä paras Seeckin kirja. Olen lukenut Niemi-sarjan ensimmäisen ja kolmannen osan (en muita Seeckin romaaneja) tätä ennen, enkä ole ihan samaa mieltä.
Näissä sarjoissa on se huono puoli, että pitäisi muistaa aika hyvin, mitä aiemmissa osissa on tapahtunut - vaikka jokainen osa tietty kertoo oman tarinansa. Silti tiettyä jatkuvuutta henkilöhahmojen ja tapahtumien osalta on.
Tämä oli ehkä enemmän sellainen perinteinen arvoitusjännäri. Kriitikot muistaakseni kertoivat, että Seeck keskittyy aiempaa enemmän rakentamaan henkilökuvausta. Pitänee paikkansa, mutta toisaalta minulle Jessica Niemestä tuli entistä epäsympaattisempi henkilö. Ihan kuin siinä Rattiraivo-elokuvassa, jossa tunsin enemmän sympatiaa pahista näyttelevää Russell Crowea kohtaan kuin häntä pakenevaa naista kohtaan, tässäkin sympatiani olivat enemmän pahiksen puolella kuin poliisi Niemen.
Välillä kerronta oli taas aika paperinmakuista. Aiempiin Seeckin romaaneihin verrattuna tässä ei tullut sellaista tunnetta, että on pakko ahmia kirja kerralla. Kyseenalaista on hieman myös se, että kykenisikö noin 10-vuotias sellaisiin tekoihin ja ajatuksiin, joita Seeck laittaa hahamonsa ajattelemaan ja tekemään. Olkoonkin, että kertomuksen kymmenvuotias tyttö elää 1940-luvulla ja ihmiset ovat voineet olla "kypsempiä" silloin. Myös lopun "äitiydestä tarkoitus elämään" -läpät on aika väsynyttä. Loppuun olisi saanut Fittzek maisen lopetuksen, jos olisi käynyt ilmi, että henkilö X onkin henkilö Y. En voi tarkemmin avata spoilaamatta.
Keikuin heikon nelosen ja vahvan kolmosen välillä ja loppuratkaisu ja Niemen lopun pohdinnat pudottivat sen sitten arvioon 3,4/5. Silti, Max Seeck on heittämällä keskivertoa parempi tarinankertoja.
Näissä sarjoissa on se huono puoli, että pitäisi muistaa aika hyvin, mitä aiemmissa osissa on tapahtunut - vaikka jokainen osa tietty kertoo oman tarinansa. Silti tiettyä jatkuvuutta henkilöhahmojen ja tapahtumien osalta on.
Tämä oli ehkä enemmän sellainen perinteinen arvoitusjännäri. Kriitikot muistaakseni kertoivat, että Seeck keskittyy aiempaa enemmän rakentamaan henkilökuvausta. Pitänee paikkansa, mutta toisaalta minulle Jessica Niemestä tuli entistä epäsympaattisempi henkilö. Ihan kuin siinä Rattiraivo-elokuvassa, jossa tunsin enemmän sympatiaa pahista näyttelevää Russell Crowea kohtaan kuin häntä pakenevaa naista kohtaan, tässäkin sympatiani olivat enemmän pahiksen puolella kuin poliisi Niemen.
Välillä kerronta oli taas aika paperinmakuista. Aiempiin Seeckin romaaneihin verrattuna tässä ei tullut sellaista tunnetta, että on pakko ahmia kirja kerralla. Kyseenalaista on hieman myös se, että kykenisikö noin 10-vuotias sellaisiin tekoihin ja ajatuksiin, joita Seeck laittaa hahamonsa ajattelemaan ja tekemään. Olkoonkin, että kertomuksen kymmenvuotias tyttö elää 1940-luvulla ja ihmiset ovat voineet olla "kypsempiä" silloin. Myös lopun "äitiydestä tarkoitus elämään" -läpät on aika väsynyttä. Loppuun olisi saanut Fittzek maisen lopetuksen, jos olisi käynyt ilmi, että henkilö X onkin henkilö Y. En voi tarkemmin avata spoilaamatta.
Keikuin heikon nelosen ja vahvan kolmosen välillä ja loppuratkaisu ja Niemen lopun pohdinnat pudottivat sen sitten arvioon 3,4/5. Silti, Max Seeck on heittämällä keskivertoa parempi tarinankertoja.
March 24, 2024
Šis ir vislabākais somu kriminālromānu rakstnieka Maksa Sēka sērijas romāns, kurā izmeklē Džesika Niemi.
Tieši tas, ka šī bija netipiska citām sērijas grāmatām- noskaņa un neomolīga baiļu sajūta bija tā, kas burtiski mani pielipināja grāmatas lappusēm.
Klasiska izmeklēšanas gaita, kurā ir slepkavība un policijas izmeklēšanas darbs komandā saistīja iepriekšējos romānus, bet šī ir vairāk mistērija- videi, atmosfērai un pagātnes noslēpumiem dominējot pār vienkāršu pakaļdzīšanos slepkavai. Uhh, un, ja viena no varonēm ir maza meitenīte zilā mētelī, kura parādās divos naktī salas krastā- tad labs laiks izklaidējošā kriminālromānā ir garantēts. Tāpat kā neomolīga sajūta.
Izmeklētāja Džesika Niemi dodas piespiedu atvaļinājumā uz Ālandu salām, bet laisko atpūtu pārtrauc piestātnē atrasts līķis. Viesu nams, kas pirms vairākām desmitgadēm kalpojis arī kā bāreņu izmitināšanas nams, glabā senus un traģiskus notikumus. Vai tad izmeklētāji var nolikt savu profesionālo ziņkāri uz plaukta atpūsties? Nebūt ne. Džesikai nākas saprast, kurš no visiem viesu nama viesiem slēpj patiesību. Skeletu skapī, kā izrādās, ir ne mazums.
Man ļoti patika, par spīti vienkāršajam un plaši tiražētajam sižetam (maza meitenīte, kas rēgojas, izolēta sala)- tieši mistiskie noslēpumi, izolētās Ālandu salas un seni notikumi kara apstākļos. Spriedzi uzturoša un izklaidējoša mistērija.
Ps. Šo grāmatu var noteikti lasīt kā atsevišķu darbu, lai arī ik pa laikam uzpeld atmiņas par Džesikas pagātni, tas netraucē pašam izmeklēšanas sižetam.
4 zvaigznes
Tieši tas, ka šī bija netipiska citām sērijas grāmatām- noskaņa un neomolīga baiļu sajūta bija tā, kas burtiski mani pielipināja grāmatas lappusēm.
Klasiska izmeklēšanas gaita, kurā ir slepkavība un policijas izmeklēšanas darbs komandā saistīja iepriekšējos romānus, bet šī ir vairāk mistērija- videi, atmosfērai un pagātnes noslēpumiem dominējot pār vienkāršu pakaļdzīšanos slepkavai. Uhh, un, ja viena no varonēm ir maza meitenīte zilā mētelī, kura parādās divos naktī salas krastā- tad labs laiks izklaidējošā kriminālromānā ir garantēts. Tāpat kā neomolīga sajūta.
Izmeklētāja Džesika Niemi dodas piespiedu atvaļinājumā uz Ālandu salām, bet laisko atpūtu pārtrauc piestātnē atrasts līķis. Viesu nams, kas pirms vairākām desmitgadēm kalpojis arī kā bāreņu izmitināšanas nams, glabā senus un traģiskus notikumus. Vai tad izmeklētāji var nolikt savu profesionālo ziņkāri uz plaukta atpūsties? Nebūt ne. Džesikai nākas saprast, kurš no visiem viesu nama viesiem slēpj patiesību. Skeletu skapī, kā izrādās, ir ne mazums.
Man ļoti patika, par spīti vienkāršajam un plaši tiražētajam sižetam (maza meitenīte, kas rēgojas, izolēta sala)- tieši mistiskie noslēpumi, izolētās Ālandu salas un seni notikumi kara apstākļos. Spriedzi uzturoša un izklaidējoša mistērija.
Ps. Šo grāmatu var noteikti lasīt kā atsevišķu darbu, lai arī ik pa laikam uzpeld atmiņas par Džesikas pagātni, tas netraucē pašam izmeklēšanas sižetam.
4 zvaigznes
September 20, 2023
Ghost Island is #4 in the Jessica Niemi series and to be honest, you would best be served by reading a previous story prior to this great novel.
At the start, our heroine Detective Sergeant Jessica is doing her best to deal with her past and is currently seeing a psychiatrist. The meeting brings too many feelings to a head and when she leaves the appointment reeling, she has an altercation with an angry man on the street that is unfortunately filmed. The police have no choice but to put her on leave, and she disappears in shame to an island in the Åland archipelago.
Hoping to heal, she finds quickly that she is not alone as three elder women arrive for their annual meeting. The three are what remains of the ‘birds of spring’, former refugees who fled Finland as children during World War II and lived together for a few months in an orphanage on the island. When one of the trio is found dead on the pier Jessica learns the story of the haunted orphanage and the ghost Mailia and the fact that several others had died in similar fashion. Battling herself and what she hopes in reality Jessica needs to determine what is actually happening and what is just based in her head.
I love his style and the choppy and quick movements and flashbacks add to building the enigmatic character of Jessica and the mental illness and trauma she battles. A great nordic nori!
l#berkley #GhostIsland #MaxSeeck #Thewitchhunter
At the start, our heroine Detective Sergeant Jessica is doing her best to deal with her past and is currently seeing a psychiatrist. The meeting brings too many feelings to a head and when she leaves the appointment reeling, she has an altercation with an angry man on the street that is unfortunately filmed. The police have no choice but to put her on leave, and she disappears in shame to an island in the Åland archipelago.
Hoping to heal, she finds quickly that she is not alone as three elder women arrive for their annual meeting. The three are what remains of the ‘birds of spring’, former refugees who fled Finland as children during World War II and lived together for a few months in an orphanage on the island. When one of the trio is found dead on the pier Jessica learns the story of the haunted orphanage and the ghost Mailia and the fact that several others had died in similar fashion. Battling herself and what she hopes in reality Jessica needs to determine what is actually happening and what is just based in her head.
I love his style and the choppy and quick movements and flashbacks add to building the enigmatic character of Jessica and the mental illness and trauma she battles. A great nordic nori!
l#berkley #GhostIsland #MaxSeeck #Thewitchhunter
February 26, 2024
*Source* Publisher
*Genre* Mystery / Occult
*Rating* 3.5
*Thoughts*
Ghost Island, by Max Seeck, is the fourth installment in the author's Jessica Niemi series. Or, as certain outlets are calling it, A Ghost of the Past novel. This story alternates between the year 2020, and the year 1946. Helsinki Violent Crimes Detective Sergeant Jessica Niemi is haunted by her dark past and the scars left by a coven of witches that nearly destroyed her. Jessica has faced not only a murderous cult but also human trafficking and the assassination of a government official.
*Full Review @ Gizmos Reviews*
https://gizmosreviews.blogspot.com/20...
*Genre* Mystery / Occult
*Rating* 3.5
*Thoughts*
Ghost Island, by Max Seeck, is the fourth installment in the author's Jessica Niemi series. Or, as certain outlets are calling it, A Ghost of the Past novel. This story alternates between the year 2020, and the year 1946. Helsinki Violent Crimes Detective Sergeant Jessica Niemi is haunted by her dark past and the scars left by a coven of witches that nearly destroyed her. Jessica has faced not only a murderous cult but also human trafficking and the assassination of a government official.
*Full Review @ Gizmos Reviews*
https://gizmosreviews.blogspot.com/20...
August 12, 2025
Toisiks lemppari osa tätä sarjaa. Tykkäsin saaristomiljööstä, juonen asetelmasta ja takaumista. Silti jännityselementti jäi vaisuks ja yllätyksellisyys puuttu. Jessican tarinan päättyminen oli myös pieni pettymys: mielenkiintonen ja itsenäinen naishahmo, joka löytää elämäntarkotuksen äitiyden myötä. Viimenen luku oli kuitenki tosi tosi koskettava.
August 23, 2024
I need to preface this review with a disclaimer: this is the fourth book in a series which I have not read. And while you can technically read it as a standalone, there are areas in which I wanted to know the background (interested in going back and starting from book 1).
Jessica Niemi is a detective with schizophrenia and when it begins to affect her work, she decides (or rather has it decided for her) to take a vacation to a remote island in Finland to recuperate. But once there, she is drawn into a fifty year old mystery - what happened to little Maija who disappeared from the orphanage in 1946? And what does that have to do with the other deaths that have happened on the island?
The twists and turns really got me in this one - a great Nordic thriller!
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me an ARC of this book!
Jessica Niemi is a detective with schizophrenia and when it begins to affect her work, she decides (or rather has it decided for her) to take a vacation to a remote island in Finland to recuperate. But once there, she is drawn into a fifty year old mystery - what happened to little Maija who disappeared from the orphanage in 1946? And what does that have to do with the other deaths that have happened on the island?
The twists and turns really got me in this one - a great Nordic thriller!
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me an ARC of this book!
March 2, 2024
In September 1982, Martin Hedblom is about to spend the final night of his life while working overnight security at the Smorregard Children’s Home on a small island off the coast of Finland. On this specific night, he is drawn outside to the dock area where he believes he sees a young girl dressed in blue standing not far from the edge of the water. It will be the last thing he ever sees.
Thus begins the latest Ghosts Of the Past novel by author Max Seeck entitled GHOST ISLAND, featuring his protagonist homicide detective Jessica Niemi of the Helsinki police force. Jessica has been having a difficult time, especially since the death of her partner Erne. Her behavior has been erratic to say the least and she has a highly publicized negative encounter with a citizen that prompts her into a forced vacation.
Ironically, Jessica chooses to get out of town and elects to stay at a villa on a small island off the coast --- the same island that used to house the now long-closed Smorregard Children’s Home. The villa is run by an elderly woman named Astrid along with her son Ake and they are quite sociable and accommodating. They both knew of Jessica because of a high-profile case she solved and are more than happy to have her staying at their villa.
Interspersed throughout the novel are chapters going back in time to the orphanage and one particular resident there by the name of Maija. Jessica learns from her hosts and other island locals that Maija disappeared one night from the orphanage by row boat never to be seen again. She may also be the ‘girl in blue’ that still haunts the island. Those who are even more superstitious believed that Maija, who we learn was quite bullied and mentally abused during her short time at the orphanage, may be getting ghostly revenge against those who did her wrong --- like the late Martin Hedblom who was there with her back in the day.
When an elderly guest at the villa named Elizabeth is mysteriously killed one night the handful of residents staying and working there are immediately under investigation. Of course, Jessica is quick to let the officer in charge, Johan, know who she was and she cannot help but do her own bit to try and figure things out. There was another death in the previous forty years in addition to Martin’s and it is no coincidence to say that this woman Elizabeth may have been the same young girl known as Beth, who was the primary bully of Maija.
Jessica is not in the best frame of mind to be working a case at this time, especially one that may or may not have a supernatural element to it. I can attest that Max Seeck does a bang-up job keeping the reader guessing not only on the clues that are carefully uncovered but also on the potential existence of the vengeful girl in blue. Truly chilling stuff and quite claustrophobic, especially as the police case occurs during the height of storm that keeps all the residents of the island from leaving it.
The officer investigating at the villa suggests to Jessica that the events there resemble your classic locked-room mystery in the style of Dame Agatha Christie’s AND THEN THERE WERE NONE. You cannot get much more classic with a mystery reference than that work! Two additional plot twists further complicate matters. The first is the fact that Jessica finds she may be pregnant. The second is when she learns that officer Johan was fired from the police force a year earlier.
Answers may be found at the abandoned orphanage and Jessica is determined to find them. The resolution of GHOST ISLAND is a really clever one and Seeck may very well have the most engaging entry yet in his Ghosts of the Past series.
Reviewed by Ray Palen for Book Reporter
Thus begins the latest Ghosts Of the Past novel by author Max Seeck entitled GHOST ISLAND, featuring his protagonist homicide detective Jessica Niemi of the Helsinki police force. Jessica has been having a difficult time, especially since the death of her partner Erne. Her behavior has been erratic to say the least and she has a highly publicized negative encounter with a citizen that prompts her into a forced vacation.
Ironically, Jessica chooses to get out of town and elects to stay at a villa on a small island off the coast --- the same island that used to house the now long-closed Smorregard Children’s Home. The villa is run by an elderly woman named Astrid along with her son Ake and they are quite sociable and accommodating. They both knew of Jessica because of a high-profile case she solved and are more than happy to have her staying at their villa.
Interspersed throughout the novel are chapters going back in time to the orphanage and one particular resident there by the name of Maija. Jessica learns from her hosts and other island locals that Maija disappeared one night from the orphanage by row boat never to be seen again. She may also be the ‘girl in blue’ that still haunts the island. Those who are even more superstitious believed that Maija, who we learn was quite bullied and mentally abused during her short time at the orphanage, may be getting ghostly revenge against those who did her wrong --- like the late Martin Hedblom who was there with her back in the day.
When an elderly guest at the villa named Elizabeth is mysteriously killed one night the handful of residents staying and working there are immediately under investigation. Of course, Jessica is quick to let the officer in charge, Johan, know who she was and she cannot help but do her own bit to try and figure things out. There was another death in the previous forty years in addition to Martin’s and it is no coincidence to say that this woman Elizabeth may have been the same young girl known as Beth, who was the primary bully of Maija.
Jessica is not in the best frame of mind to be working a case at this time, especially one that may or may not have a supernatural element to it. I can attest that Max Seeck does a bang-up job keeping the reader guessing not only on the clues that are carefully uncovered but also on the potential existence of the vengeful girl in blue. Truly chilling stuff and quite claustrophobic, especially as the police case occurs during the height of storm that keeps all the residents of the island from leaving it.
The officer investigating at the villa suggests to Jessica that the events there resemble your classic locked-room mystery in the style of Dame Agatha Christie’s AND THEN THERE WERE NONE. You cannot get much more classic with a mystery reference than that work! Two additional plot twists further complicate matters. The first is the fact that Jessica finds she may be pregnant. The second is when she learns that officer Johan was fired from the police force a year earlier.
Answers may be found at the abandoned orphanage and Jessica is determined to find them. The resolution of GHOST ISLAND is a really clever one and Seeck may very well have the most engaging entry yet in his Ghosts of the Past series.
Reviewed by Ray Palen for Book Reporter
February 5, 2024
3.25 stars
Homicide Detective Jessica Niemi grudgingly (and not fully by her choice) takes a vacation to a remote island in the Åland archipelago. Once there Jessica learns of the island’s tragic & haunted past. She also comes to find out that the three elderly guests staying at the same Inn have ties to the spooky old orphanage on the island. When one of elderly guests is found dead, Jessica begins an investigation to find out how much of the old mystery is true…before it’s too late.
So for anyone that doesn’t already know - this is #4 in the Jessica Niemi series. I would recommend reading the rest of the books first. I didn’t realize that and had to play catch up before starting this! 😅
The author has a choppy writing style - some of which I’m unsure is because I’m reading a translation, or if it’s really written that way. Regardless I like it- it adds to the heightened suspense of the mystery. Then we also have a bit of an unreliable MC. We know she has schizophrenia, so we are constantly having to decide along with her what is reality and what is in her head. All of these things are just the icing on the cake on what I found to be an eerie and atmospheric read. I’ll continue with this series.
*Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest and voluntary review.
Homicide Detective Jessica Niemi grudgingly (and not fully by her choice) takes a vacation to a remote island in the Åland archipelago. Once there Jessica learns of the island’s tragic & haunted past. She also comes to find out that the three elderly guests staying at the same Inn have ties to the spooky old orphanage on the island. When one of elderly guests is found dead, Jessica begins an investigation to find out how much of the old mystery is true…before it’s too late.
So for anyone that doesn’t already know - this is #4 in the Jessica Niemi series. I would recommend reading the rest of the books first. I didn’t realize that and had to play catch up before starting this! 😅
The author has a choppy writing style - some of which I’m unsure is because I’m reading a translation, or if it’s really written that way. Regardless I like it- it adds to the heightened suspense of the mystery. Then we also have a bit of an unreliable MC. We know she has schizophrenia, so we are constantly having to decide along with her what is reality and what is in her head. All of these things are just the icing on the cake on what I found to be an eerie and atmospheric read. I’ll continue with this series.
*Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest and voluntary review.
December 13, 2023
Max Seeck is really into Jessica Nieme, if we start out in the 3 chapter leaving the first two alone we find Helena Lappi the Superintendent the Helsinki Police Violent Crime Unit basically saying to Jessica that she has to take time off or be fired. We know that Jessica is wealthy beyond belief, but that she inherited schizophrenia from her mother who died. We find Yusuf Pepple dropping by Jessica's apartment and telling her she should go to Dubai since she doesn't hurt for money and then she kisses him to get him to leave. Jessica decides to go to a Finnish Ahvenanmaa archipelago to the Island of Smörregård which is closer to Sweden. She doesn't tell anyone and ends up in a real situation that involves a young girl in a Blue coat. Twenty years ago this girl went missing from an orphanage and several people were drowned as it turned out. This is what the book is about the girl in the blue coat. Several of the people that Jessica is with are people that knew this person. I'll let you figure out how all this plays out. It's a good story and you'd be surprised how it turns out.
February 15, 2024
There is something about Scandinavian crime fiction that just feels so different than other books. It feels darker (maybe it's the weather or the descriptions of the tiny island) and just sets the perfect scene for murder mysteries. This book is part of a series, which I did not realize at first, and I know that many reviewers recommend starting at the beginning. I will say that as a "new" reader I was able to understand Jessica and her personality, mental health issues, and past thanks to the wonderful writing of the author. This is not a quick read, there is a lot to take in and a lot that you need to really decipher that is more written between the lines
For me, I don't personally love short choppy chapters that jump around a lot, which I totally understand is a stylistic choice and can be hit or miss depending on preference. I felt like I just didn't feel much for any of the new characters involved (loved Jessica) and maybe that's just the ending just didn't floor me.
I loved the audiobook reading of this book and it added so much to the creepy atmosphere! However I did need to pause a bit to really figure out my thoughts about what was going on, which the physical book helped with.
Thanks to the publisher for the free book!
For me, I don't personally love short choppy chapters that jump around a lot, which I totally understand is a stylistic choice and can be hit or miss depending on preference. I felt like I just didn't feel much for any of the new characters involved (loved Jessica) and maybe that's just the ending just didn't floor me.
I loved the audiobook reading of this book and it added so much to the creepy atmosphere! However I did need to pause a bit to really figure out my thoughts about what was going on, which the physical book helped with.
Thanks to the publisher for the free book!
March 17, 2024
This was a good book, but in the end, I had a hard time keeping track of all the names.
June 17, 2025
Even though I didn’t read the first 3 books, I really enjoyed this one ! While I was super sure who the Ghost is, I was proven wrong at the end ! Hats off to the author !
On a separate note, this is not the first book I read in a Nordic setup and I must say I am enjoying these setups so much !!
On a separate note, this is not the first book I read in a Nordic setup and I must say I am enjoying these setups so much !!
July 5, 2024
4.5⭐️
Ļoti izbaudīju. Noskaņa, mistiskais piesitiens un Džesikas darbs ārpus ierastās vides, praktiski bez ierastajiem kolēģiem.
Ļoti izbaudīju. Noskaņa, mistiskais piesitiens un Džesikas darbs ārpus ierastās vides, praktiski bez ierastajiem kolēģiem.
March 25, 2024
Max Seeck is the new genius of Nordic Noir. He is to Finland what Tana French is to Ireland. The stories are so immersive, descriptive in a subtle and lived-in way, and reliably engaging from start to finish. The characters' emotional lives are complex and nuanced--there are very few black and white characters; even the ones you love the most have their morally grey moments. It's hard to explain, but Seeck's writing just demonstrates such a tender and careful understanding of what it means to be human. Viewing the mystery and action through that lens makes it such a special experience for the reader. And, for what it's worth, Seeck does a commendable job with his female protagonist. I never had those cringeworthy moments I've experienced in other books where you can just tell the female MC's POV was written by a man. Some of the plots in the earlier books were a bit fantastical and over the top, but that's what Nordic Noir is about. Hard to find thrillers that don't do this.
All of this to say please for the love of god translate the rest of his work into English so I can read it.
All of this to say please for the love of god translate the rest of his work into English so I can read it.
January 1, 2024
I wouldn’t classify this as horror, but instead supernatural thriller. There was a fantastic element of eerie and otherworldly that I found really well done.
This mixes current day with a riveting past timeline all surrounding this island and the orphanage that once sat upon it. Refugee children were homed there for a brief period of time, but that time has been etched into the island ever since.
Detective Jessica Niemi is put on leave when a really bad day gets caught on screen. Getting as far away from her problems as she can, she decides to spend her time at a seaside inn on a remote island. Hoping for some peace and quiet, she finds far from it, embroiling herself in a town secret, murder investigation and ghost story in one.
Maija, one of those children staying in the orphanage during WWII, would stand at the edge of the dock in her blue coat each night, just waiting... until the night she disappeared. Now she haunts the island and the remaining orphans that she lived with. When one of them is found dead, Jessica begins her under the radar investigation.
I found both timelines to be equally entertaining. The story was engaging and the pacing was fluid. I will enjoy reading more from this author.
This mixes current day with a riveting past timeline all surrounding this island and the orphanage that once sat upon it. Refugee children were homed there for a brief period of time, but that time has been etched into the island ever since.
Detective Jessica Niemi is put on leave when a really bad day gets caught on screen. Getting as far away from her problems as she can, she decides to spend her time at a seaside inn on a remote island. Hoping for some peace and quiet, she finds far from it, embroiling herself in a town secret, murder investigation and ghost story in one.
Maija, one of those children staying in the orphanage during WWII, would stand at the edge of the dock in her blue coat each night, just waiting... until the night she disappeared. Now she haunts the island and the remaining orphans that she lived with. When one of them is found dead, Jessica begins her under the radar investigation.
I found both timelines to be equally entertaining. The story was engaging and the pacing was fluid. I will enjoy reading more from this author.
November 4, 2024
Tarina jatkuu lähes suoraan siitä, mihin edellinen kirja jäi. Päähenkilömme Jessica on lähtenyt pakkolomalle eli virkavapaalle ja matkustanut niinkin kauas kuin Ahvenanmaan saarelle. Sielläpä onkin synkkä salaisuus ja sopivasti Jessican saapumisen aikoihin on aika tappaa taas. Toisen maailmansodan jälkeinen aika lastenkodissa - tai tässä tapauksessa orpokodissa - oli jälleen rankkaa luettavaa. Lasten toisiaan kohtaan suorittama kiusaaminen ja eriarvoistaminen ei ole koskaan mukavaa. Nykyajan tapahtumat ovat nekin vähän kuin liite edellisten kirjojen tapahtumiin, eräänlainen epilogi. Erikoista tässäkin oli se, että sitten kun syyllinen paljastuu, paljastuu myös se, että hänelläkin on ihan hyvä syy tehdä moisia tekoja ja sen enempää spoilaamatta ihmettelen, miten voi tehdä tällaisen jännityskirjan, jossa ei lopulta päähenkilöllä ole edes mitään vaaraa, siitä vain jatkuvasti vihjaillaan. Kaiken toiminnan ja jännityksen kun sulkee sivuun, voi huomata miten perinteikäs murhamysteeri Loukko onkaan...
November 3, 2022
Max Seeckin Loukko on neljäs osa Jessica Niemi-dekkarisarjassa, joka on menestynyt myös maailmalla hyvin. Luulenpa, että kirjojen salaisuutena on jännittävä yhdistelmä psykologista jännitystä ja kauhua suomalaisessa maisemassa. Loukon tapahtumat sijoittuivat Ahvenanmaan saaristoon, missä meri ympärillä loi klaustrofobimaisen tunnelman.
Jessica Niemi ryhtyi tutkimaan omin päin saarella tapahtunutta kuolemantapausta, vaikka eräs paikallinen poliisi sekä oma esimies pitivät hänelle tiukkaa kuria siitä, että Jessica oli virkavapaalla. Minkäs rikostutkija voi luonnolleen. Eräs vanhempi nainen oli löytynyt saarelta kuolleena. Oliko tapaus kenties murha vai ihan luonnollinen kaatumistapaus? Sen voit lukea tästä jännittävästä tarinasta.
Max Seeckin Loukko niminen dekkari sisälsi tiivistunnelmaisen mysteeritapahtuman, johon liittyivät tiiviisti sotaorvot, orpokoti ja yksinäinen saari.
Jessica Niemi ryhtyi tutkimaan omin päin saarella tapahtunutta kuolemantapausta, vaikka eräs paikallinen poliisi sekä oma esimies pitivät hänelle tiukkaa kuria siitä, että Jessica oli virkavapaalla. Minkäs rikostutkija voi luonnolleen. Eräs vanhempi nainen oli löytynyt saarelta kuolleena. Oliko tapaus kenties murha vai ihan luonnollinen kaatumistapaus? Sen voit lukea tästä jännittävästä tarinasta.
Max Seeckin Loukko niminen dekkari sisälsi tiivistunnelmaisen mysteeritapahtuman, johon liittyivät tiiviisti sotaorvot, orpokoti ja yksinäinen saari.
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