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Gran Canaria #1
En mörkare himmel
I gryningen puttrar en fiskebåt in mot hamnen i Arguineguin på södra Gran Canaria. En av fiskarna får syn på en död kvinna som ligger på klipporna nedanför den norska sjömanskyrkan. Hon är skandinaviskt blond, naken och kroppen är arrangerad efter en berömd målning från fjortonhundratalet, Venus födelse. Polisen söker febrilt efter gärningsmannen och får oväntad hjälp av den svenska journalisten Sara Moberg, som driver den skandinaviska tidningen på ön och den norske före detta polisen Kristian Wede, nyanställd vid konsulatet i Las Palmas. När ännu en kvinna hittas död, arrangerad efter ett berömt konstverk, tätnar mystiken. Kopplingar går till ett yogacenter i de kanariska bergen, ett massageinstitut i Playa del inglés, och den norska sjömanskyrkan i Arguineguin. En mörkare himmel är den första boken i en ny serie kriminalromaner som utspelar sig på semesterparadiset Gran Canaria, en ö utanför den afrikanska kusten med ändlösa stränder och en sol som aldrig går ner. Men idyllen är bara en fernissa, baksidan ska visa sig mörkare och mer brutal än vad både Kristian och Sara kan föreställa sig.
Mari Jungstedt har med sin gotlandsserie om kommissarie Anders Knutas blivit en av Sveriges mest folkkära och sålda författare. Tillsammans med den norske författaren Ruben Eliassen skriver hon nu en ny mörk och dramatisk serie kriminalromaner från Gran Canaria, denna spanska ö som så många skandinaver älskar. Serien är redan såld till flera länder.
Mari Jungstedt har med sin gotlandsserie om kommissarie Anders Knutas blivit en av Sveriges mest folkkära och sålda författare. Tillsammans med den norske författaren Ruben Eliassen skriver hon nu en ny mörk och dramatisk serie kriminalromaner från Gran Canaria, denna spanska ö som så många skandinaver älskar. Serien är redan såld till flera länder.
348 pages, Hardcover
First published June 21, 2014
111 people are currently reading
671 people want to read
About the author
Mari Jungstedt
31 books464 followersMari Jungstedt is a Swedish journalist and popular crime fiction author.
Jungstedt worked as a reporter on Swedish national public radio and television, and was an occasional presenter on TV4's daily talk show Förkväll.
Her first three novels are set on the island of Gotland and feature Detective Superintendent Anders Knutas and the journalist Johan Berg. Two of her novels were filmed for Swedish TV, and her work has been translated into English by Tiina Nunnally.
Mari Jungstedt lives in Stockholm. Her husband comes from Visby, Gotland, and they spend their summers on Gotland.
Series:
* Anders Knutas
* Málagasviten
Jungstedt worked as a reporter on Swedish national public radio and television, and was an occasional presenter on TV4's daily talk show Förkväll.
Her first three novels are set on the island of Gotland and feature Detective Superintendent Anders Knutas and the journalist Johan Berg. Two of her novels were filmed for Swedish TV, and her work has been translated into English by Tiina Nunnally.
Mari Jungstedt lives in Stockholm. Her husband comes from Visby, Gotland, and they spend their summers on Gotland.
Series:
* Anders Knutas
* Málagasviten
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 116 reviews
June 4, 2017
2.5 stars for A Darker Sky by Mari Jungstedt and Ruben Eliasson.
I have to admit that I have never been overly impressed by co-authored books. A Darker Sky has done nothing to alter my opinion.
It started reasonably well, but I found the time lines a little confusing. There is now, which has dates but no year, and 'earlier '. But there is no indication of when earlier is.
There are some interesting portions in the book, but they are few and far between. Some of the writing is rather melodramatic, but I am unsure if this is the way it was written or a product of the translation from Swedish.
Mostly the characters are quite odd and unfathomable.
This is a book that didn't fully hold my interest. I found my mind wandering as I read and several times I debated abandoning the read. In several instances side issues overwhelmed the plot. I am unsure if these were intended to be red herrings.
Thank you to Amazon Crossing via Netgalley for providing a digital copy of A Darker Sky by Mari Jungstedt and Ruben Eliasson for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.
I have to admit that I have never been overly impressed by co-authored books. A Darker Sky has done nothing to alter my opinion.
It started reasonably well, but I found the time lines a little confusing. There is now, which has dates but no year, and 'earlier '. But there is no indication of when earlier is.
There are some interesting portions in the book, but they are few and far between. Some of the writing is rather melodramatic, but I am unsure if this is the way it was written or a product of the translation from Swedish.
Mostly the characters are quite odd and unfathomable.
This is a book that didn't fully hold my interest. I found my mind wandering as I read and several times I debated abandoning the read. In several instances side issues overwhelmed the plot. I am unsure if these were intended to be red herrings.
Thank you to Amazon Crossing via Netgalley for providing a digital copy of A Darker Sky by Mari Jungstedt and Ruben Eliasson for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.
May 17, 2018
En la línea de la serie de Anders Knutas.
Entretenido, de lectura rápida. Sin grandes complicaciones. Para pasar el rato o desconectar de lecturas más densas, pero no esperes mucho más.
6,5/10
Entretenido, de lectura rápida. Sin grandes complicaciones. Para pasar el rato o desconectar de lecturas más densas, pero no esperes mucho más.
6,5/10
January 25, 2016
This book was sent to me for review by Plusbog.dk.
Normally, I don’t read too many crime novels, and somehow this book reminded me why.
A young Swedish woman is found dead outside the Norwegian church on the island of Gran Canaria. The journalist Sara and the former policeman Kristian get involved in the case, which gradually becomes more and more complicated.
Gran Canaria as a setting for a crime novel was interesting, since usually the island is known to be a popular vacation spot. You got to know a totally different side of the island and the culture, including the locals outside of the tourist traps.
Unfortunately, I felt that there were too many loose ends, which were not properly tied up in the end, with too many random clues turning out not to matter.
I found the change in narrators to be problematic. More than 10 different narrators are way too many, and I felt like it would have worked much better to stick with just Sara and Kristian. Of course the changing narrators were meant to emphasize the different points of view, thoughts and motives of the different characters, but often I felt like the pages were wasted on a random character, that we would never hear from again. The occasional flashbacks confused me a bit at first, but worked better towards the end of the novel.
It’s not too obvious that the book was written by two different authors. Their writing styles fit well together, and there are no awkward overlaps. A minor thing that irritated me, was a lot of typos in the Danish translation, which could have been caught in an extra proofreading.
Crime novels will probably never be my preferred genre, but once in a while I do enjoy reading them. Unfortunately, this book disappointed me a little. It was ok, but it lacked a little suspense. It ended up feeling mediocre and too much like something that had been done before, even despite the fact that I rarely read crime fiction. I don’t think I’ll continue the series, but it might still be enjoyable for true fans of crime fiction.
Normally, I don’t read too many crime novels, and somehow this book reminded me why.
A young Swedish woman is found dead outside the Norwegian church on the island of Gran Canaria. The journalist Sara and the former policeman Kristian get involved in the case, which gradually becomes more and more complicated.
Gran Canaria as a setting for a crime novel was interesting, since usually the island is known to be a popular vacation spot. You got to know a totally different side of the island and the culture, including the locals outside of the tourist traps.
Unfortunately, I felt that there were too many loose ends, which were not properly tied up in the end, with too many random clues turning out not to matter.
I found the change in narrators to be problematic. More than 10 different narrators are way too many, and I felt like it would have worked much better to stick with just Sara and Kristian. Of course the changing narrators were meant to emphasize the different points of view, thoughts and motives of the different characters, but often I felt like the pages were wasted on a random character, that we would never hear from again. The occasional flashbacks confused me a bit at first, but worked better towards the end of the novel.
It’s not too obvious that the book was written by two different authors. Their writing styles fit well together, and there are no awkward overlaps. A minor thing that irritated me, was a lot of typos in the Danish translation, which could have been caught in an extra proofreading.
Crime novels will probably never be my preferred genre, but once in a while I do enjoy reading them. Unfortunately, this book disappointed me a little. It was ok, but it lacked a little suspense. It ended up feeling mediocre and too much like something that had been done before, even despite the fact that I rarely read crime fiction. I don’t think I’ll continue the series, but it might still be enjoyable for true fans of crime fiction.
February 14, 2016
För långsamt tempo och för handlingsfattigt för mig. Inte läst någon bok av varken Jungstedt eller Eliassen innan, så jag kan inte jämföra med tidigare verk. "Not my cup of tea"
January 8, 2022
La historia policíaca bastante pobre. Los personajes con alguna que otro historia interesante. El lugar si me gustó.
November 19, 2016
This book is translated to the english language. Descent enough story but I just did not feel that connected to the characters. I did like the descriptions of the location, Canary Islands!
October 24, 2017
I've always wondered how books by two authors are written. In this book the writing is quite smooth, so it feels as if it's the work of only one author.
I'm a big fan of Scandinavian writers, but curiously this is the first one I read by Mari Jungstedt, and it does not take place in a cold climate, but in Gran Canaria, Spain.
A Swedish journalist living in Gran Canaria is covering the murder of a Swedish tourist. The author gives us an interesting view of the ex-pats living on the island and the tourists. When more deaths happen, Sara Moberg, the journalist, chief Diego Quintana, from the police and Kristian Wede, a former investigator who now works for the Swedish consulate, join forces to find the killer.
Good beginning of the series, will read book 2 for sure.
I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I'm a big fan of Scandinavian writers, but curiously this is the first one I read by Mari Jungstedt, and it does not take place in a cold climate, but in Gran Canaria, Spain.
A Swedish journalist living in Gran Canaria is covering the murder of a Swedish tourist. The author gives us an interesting view of the ex-pats living on the island and the tourists. When more deaths happen, Sara Moberg, the journalist, chief Diego Quintana, from the police and Kristian Wede, a former investigator who now works for the Swedish consulate, join forces to find the killer.
Good beginning of the series, will read book 2 for sure.
I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
August 14, 2019
Välskriven deckare. Det märks att Jungstedt har några böcker på nacken.
June 4, 2016
Before I begin my review let me first say that I am sure this novel will appeal to a variety of readers for reasons exactly opposite of the ones that made me not enjoy it as much as I was expecting to.
Now - on to why it did not get a higher rating from me.
There was just too much going on in this story. There were a lot of characters, a lot of different points-of-view (seriously the point of view changed a lot when it came to this story - so much so that I often found it hard to follow). Then there was just so much going on that it made it hard to figure out just what was important. A lot of this story felt more like filler instead of plot considering I felt like we never got to know the characters on a deeper level. They all seemed very one dimensional - and I found it hard to stay interested.
Added to that, I felt like we got to know the killer so early on that it spoiled any chance of a surprise (or a redeeming ending).
All things considered - as I stated above - this novel will appeal to some readers. It just wasn't for me.
DISCLAIMER: I received a complimentary copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review. This has not affected my review in any way. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are 100% my own.
Now - on to why it did not get a higher rating from me.
There was just too much going on in this story. There were a lot of characters, a lot of different points-of-view (seriously the point of view changed a lot when it came to this story - so much so that I often found it hard to follow). Then there was just so much going on that it made it hard to figure out just what was important. A lot of this story felt more like filler instead of plot considering I felt like we never got to know the characters on a deeper level. They all seemed very one dimensional - and I found it hard to stay interested.
Added to that, I felt like we got to know the killer so early on that it spoiled any chance of a surprise (or a redeeming ending).
All things considered - as I stated above - this novel will appeal to some readers. It just wasn't for me.
DISCLAIMER: I received a complimentary copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review. This has not affected my review in any way. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are 100% my own.
October 4, 2016
I can't wait for the next book in the series. Loved the description of the island. I was immediately drawn into the mystery. Every time I had a suspicion of who the murderer could be I was wrong, but I eventually figured it out. The novel took place on Gran Canaria with the central characters being from Norway and Sweden. Frank Hagen aka Samsara owns a yoga retreat and has a habit of sleeping with the ladies who come there, even though he has a wife and a long time mistress. Frank also has a few other businesses, one being a massage place, which specializes in massage erótico. Naturally, Frank encourages the women at his yoga retreat to go there. Then there's a murder and another one. With the help of Sara, a journalist, and Kristian, a former police officer and who now works for the Consulate, the crime gets solved. I'm guessing the next book will revolve around Kristian and his sister, who went missing many years ago. Some of the back-and-forth time jumps confused me (especially those centered around Adriana). Overall this was a great book.
May 19, 2016
I was impressed with the collaboration Of Mari Jungstedt and Ruben Eliassen which seemed rather smooth for the reader. This was a good read from the standpoint that both the leading characters were from Norway and Sweden. It takes place on Gran Canaria which seems to be and island that Norwegians and Swedish people seem to go to when they are on vacation. It starts out with a woman getting a massage. Let your mind wander a bit and then she gets killed. Sara Moberg,who runs the local paper, and Kristian Wede, who works for the Swedish-Norwegian consulate are the two people who try to solve the murders which happen on the island. The seem to be ahead of Diego Quintana who is in charge of the police. They seem to throw you off the trail in solving the crimes. But in the end they solve it.
August 2, 2016
The synopsis covers the story well. It's your standard murder mystery with the bonus elements of being set in the Canary Islands and a cast of characters from Scandinavia, namely Norwegian and Swedish.
The whodunit was an interesting choice particularly in the why of it.
A satisfying 3 stars.
Thank you to the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
The whodunit was an interesting choice particularly in the why of it.
A satisfying 3 stars.
Thank you to the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
January 15, 2016
Anmeldelsen kan læses på http://bognorden.blogspot.dk/2016/01/...
June 29, 2016
For me the book and the colaboration between these 2 authors doesn't work.
At times it appears overwritten and poorly edited as though each wanted to develop their aspects of the story and plot progression. For me the book fails to develop some characters sufficiently so that as a reader you don't register fully the horror of the crimes. The contrast to this are the passages where the crimes are seen through the killer's eyes. Here tension is built well and the preparation for the murders methodical and dispassionate.
A great location for a new series and the world of holiday makers, local people and an ex-pat community. However, this is also a drawback for this book as the police investigation is at best inept at worse incompetent. There seem to be no repercussions or pressure to get on top of the case and throw all effort and resources into catching the serial killer. The adverse publicity would surely impact on the tourist industry and undermine the economy.
Although I really liked the growing relationship between journalist Sara and ex-cop Kristian and their extended complicated lives. I felt the priest wasn't well written, wasteful and at odds with the first brutal killing. The victim would have generated a wave of sympathy and ensured people came forward to help the police yet this doesn't happen despite what we know happened and could have been witnessed.
While I am being critical I don't think the visit to the massage parlour works; a nosy journalist may have been under more threat and the police more responsive in a world away from fiction. The ending is expected and even a casual reader of this genre will have guessed the killer and understood their motivation. Readers will also share the disappointment in the lack of twists and didn't see that coming moments.
Book 1 of a new series. The framework is in place but this writing team will have to do much better to break out of the basic mediocraty of this first effort.
At times it appears overwritten and poorly edited as though each wanted to develop their aspects of the story and plot progression. For me the book fails to develop some characters sufficiently so that as a reader you don't register fully the horror of the crimes. The contrast to this are the passages where the crimes are seen through the killer's eyes. Here tension is built well and the preparation for the murders methodical and dispassionate.
A great location for a new series and the world of holiday makers, local people and an ex-pat community. However, this is also a drawback for this book as the police investigation is at best inept at worse incompetent. There seem to be no repercussions or pressure to get on top of the case and throw all effort and resources into catching the serial killer. The adverse publicity would surely impact on the tourist industry and undermine the economy.
Although I really liked the growing relationship between journalist Sara and ex-cop Kristian and their extended complicated lives. I felt the priest wasn't well written, wasteful and at odds with the first brutal killing. The victim would have generated a wave of sympathy and ensured people came forward to help the police yet this doesn't happen despite what we know happened and could have been witnessed.
While I am being critical I don't think the visit to the massage parlour works; a nosy journalist may have been under more threat and the police more responsive in a world away from fiction. The ending is expected and even a casual reader of this genre will have guessed the killer and understood their motivation. Readers will also share the disappointment in the lack of twists and didn't see that coming moments.
Book 1 of a new series. The framework is in place but this writing team will have to do much better to break out of the basic mediocraty of this first effort.
October 5, 2016
I really love the Swedish mysteries by Jungstedt, really great reads. This new setting in a collaborative effort with Ruben Eliassen missed the mark for me. The police element is there, the plot is okay but personal relationships are quite significant and take the focus away from the detective work.
The characterizations are a bit uneven. Sara's relationships with a policeman and embassy investigator are much more prominent than the thin outline of her husband and children.
Another aspect I found a bit of a stretch is the typical "Wait for back up!" was never more thoroughly ignored,by civilians yet, an aspect I don't recall as a factor in the dark Swedish series. I may be wrong.
Sequencing was a weakness. Although the plot inter-meshes the present and the past and present in an understandable way, I can't say it was a positive overall. I'm sure you have read novels where the point of view changes from chapter to chapter and there is one narrator that you don't like and groan when his chapter comes up. Well here we have a consistent third person narrator, but frequently we come to a chapter with the heading "earlier" and here was when I yearned to return to the investigative action. Now these chapters are critical to a gradual unveiling of the evil doer and they do that but personally I didn't care for the somewhat haphazard format.
These characters and their risky behaviors featuring a lead journalist with a rather brusque and inconsistent manner series didn't appeal. I rather deal with the dark, cold northern mysteries in Sweden than the steamy climate on Gran Canaria though the setting is alluring.
The characterizations are a bit uneven. Sara's relationships with a policeman and embassy investigator are much more prominent than the thin outline of her husband and children.
Another aspect I found a bit of a stretch is the typical "Wait for back up!" was never more thoroughly ignored,by civilians yet, an aspect I don't recall as a factor in the dark Swedish series. I may be wrong.
Sequencing was a weakness. Although the plot inter-meshes the present and the past and present in an understandable way, I can't say it was a positive overall. I'm sure you have read novels where the point of view changes from chapter to chapter and there is one narrator that you don't like and groan when his chapter comes up. Well here we have a consistent third person narrator, but frequently we come to a chapter with the heading "earlier" and here was when I yearned to return to the investigative action. Now these chapters are critical to a gradual unveiling of the evil doer and they do that but personally I didn't care for the somewhat haphazard format.
These characters and their risky behaviors featuring a lead journalist with a rather brusque and inconsistent manner series didn't appeal. I rather deal with the dark, cold northern mysteries in Sweden than the steamy climate on Gran Canaria though the setting is alluring.
July 27, 2016
I felt this book fell short of being good because of the way the story was put together. The plot was good, but the characters were flat, and I felt there were way too many changes of who was narrating the story. For the longest time I didn't know what in the world Adriana had to do with this story. Everything came together at the end of the book, but by then I was rather tired of trying to keep track of everyone. I did like the main character Sara somewhat, but like most of the characters I didn't feel enough time was spent on fleshing them out to make them lifelike. Considering that there were 2 writers, I'm not sure if that was the reason for the rather disjointed style of writing or if that was done on purpose; either way, it wasn't for me. By the time the end of the book came about, I knew who the killer was and wasn't surprised in the least....nor did I much care how sad it was supposed to be, because he had never become very real to me.
All in all, would I read another book by these authors? I would probably give them another shot. I think there was a lot of potential that wasn't realized in this book.
I was given this book through goodreads.com in exchange for my review, but the words of this review are my own.
All in all, would I read another book by these authors? I would probably give them another shot. I think there was a lot of potential that wasn't realized in this book.
I was given this book through goodreads.com in exchange for my review, but the words of this review are my own.
May 6, 2017
Nä, det här är inte särskilt bra. Inte engagerande på en enda fläck. Om man gissar (rätt) whodunnit en fjärdedel in i boken är det inte kul. Journalisten är väl okay, men den avdankade norske f d polisen ger jag inte mycket för. Hur kan det komma sig att han har kvar sitt tjänstevapen? Och varför har han det med sig till Kanarieöarna? Dessutom är den lokale polishövdingen synnerligen oprofessionell... Irri!
December 21, 2015
Ihan jees dekkari, joka repii iloa silmäkulmaan ajatuksesta, että oikeasti voisi asua Kanarialla ja olisi lämmintä eikä tämmöistä pimeää tylsää kurjaa keskellä joulukuuta. Ja sarjamurhaaja on kiva. Ja taidetietoisuus.
September 16, 2015
En god krim som mangler det lille ekstra. Personlig savnet jeg mer spenning og vendinger. Syntes alt bare gikk en vei. Så boka kunne ha trengt mer overraskelser og mer drastiske retninger ....
July 20, 2024
Finished reading: July 20th 2024
"Time no longer means anything - when you're dead, you're free."
REVIEW
August 19, 2019
Crime Thriller
Off the coast of Spain are the Canary Islands, a popular vacation spot for Norwegians escaping the cold north. There is a yoga retreat where people, mostly women, come to escape from their troubles and recenter themselves. A woman from the retreat disappears and is found dead in another town by fishermen on the rocks, her body washed and arranged like a piece of art. The detective on the case, Chief Inspector Diego Quintana has teamed up with friend and journalist Sara Moberg and Norwegian Consulate, Ex-investigator Kristian Wede to help solve the case.
“He really went to a lot of trouble,” Sara pointed out. “He got scallops and roses, washed the body carefully . . . and I’m guessing he was extremely careful about his choice of victim.” “The question is, what kind of person does this,” Quintana said. “Who plans so carefully and succeeds in executing the whole thing without being discovered.” “Probably a pretty cunning and controlled person,” Sara said. “The arrangement suggests intelligence.”
“This isn’t exactly an everyday murderer,” Quintana continued. “I’ve never seen anything like it. The approach is brutal, but everything indicates a certain level of education. Maybe he studied at the university in Las Palmas. Maybe he’s from there.”
As the investigation heats up, they are chasing down several suspects. Could it be the obsessed ex-boyfriend, the minister with a dark secret, the womanizing yoga instructor? When another body is discovered in the papaya fields also arranged as a famous work of art, they know they need to dig deeper into the art references.
“The murderer wants to tell us something. He’s done this with something in mind, a meaning. The question is simply what.”
“...art reflects our society, our relationships, and thoughts. It tries to tell us something about life. And death. I would say that everything is art.”
“The Norwegian painter Munch painted his sister on her deathbed. The stripes in the painting, which he made with a fork, show his tears. So when you look at the painting, The Sick Child, you see her through Munch’s eyes. Perhaps the killer wants you to see the murders as he sees them. Maybe he wants you to understand why he did it and in that way say that it’s really someone else who is guilty, someone who drove him to commit the murders.”
Can they find the murderer before the death toll rises?
This was a good read, with interesting art references. Made you get involved and try to figure out the why behind body posing and arranging. What did the killer want you to see and what was it’s meaning? Written in several first person point of views, at first the quantity of characters was hard to keep track of. Each chapter a different point of view and occasionally a different time even. It took a bit of time to get them all organized but once down the story flowed well and pieced together to the climax. As the pieces to the puzzle started to fall into place you didn’t want to put it down. I will be adding book 2 to my TBR list.
Off the coast of Spain are the Canary Islands, a popular vacation spot for Norwegians escaping the cold north. There is a yoga retreat where people, mostly women, come to escape from their troubles and recenter themselves. A woman from the retreat disappears and is found dead in another town by fishermen on the rocks, her body washed and arranged like a piece of art. The detective on the case, Chief Inspector Diego Quintana has teamed up with friend and journalist Sara Moberg and Norwegian Consulate, Ex-investigator Kristian Wede to help solve the case.
“He really went to a lot of trouble,” Sara pointed out. “He got scallops and roses, washed the body carefully . . . and I’m guessing he was extremely careful about his choice of victim.” “The question is, what kind of person does this,” Quintana said. “Who plans so carefully and succeeds in executing the whole thing without being discovered.” “Probably a pretty cunning and controlled person,” Sara said. “The arrangement suggests intelligence.”
“This isn’t exactly an everyday murderer,” Quintana continued. “I’ve never seen anything like it. The approach is brutal, but everything indicates a certain level of education. Maybe he studied at the university in Las Palmas. Maybe he’s from there.”
As the investigation heats up, they are chasing down several suspects. Could it be the obsessed ex-boyfriend, the minister with a dark secret, the womanizing yoga instructor? When another body is discovered in the papaya fields also arranged as a famous work of art, they know they need to dig deeper into the art references.
“The murderer wants to tell us something. He’s done this with something in mind, a meaning. The question is simply what.”
“...art reflects our society, our relationships, and thoughts. It tries to tell us something about life. And death. I would say that everything is art.”
“The Norwegian painter Munch painted his sister on her deathbed. The stripes in the painting, which he made with a fork, show his tears. So when you look at the painting, The Sick Child, you see her through Munch’s eyes. Perhaps the killer wants you to see the murders as he sees them. Maybe he wants you to understand why he did it and in that way say that it’s really someone else who is guilty, someone who drove him to commit the murders.”
Can they find the murderer before the death toll rises?
This was a good read, with interesting art references. Made you get involved and try to figure out the why behind body posing and arranging. What did the killer want you to see and what was it’s meaning? Written in several first person point of views, at first the quantity of characters was hard to keep track of. Each chapter a different point of view and occasionally a different time even. It took a bit of time to get them all organized but once down the story flowed well and pieced together to the climax. As the pieces to the puzzle started to fall into place you didn’t want to put it down. I will be adding book 2 to my TBR list.
February 10, 2020
Libro que se nota que no está enteramente escrito por ella y que sé clara la diferencia
December 9, 2017
Not my favorite book by Mari Jungstedt, mostly because I found the ending leaden and predictable. The story would have benefitted from more character development of the villain.
March 7, 2017
"Każdy ma jakiś powód do picia."
Moja opinia: Jestem tak ogromnie zawiedziona tą pozycją! Kiedy zobaczyłam jej okładkę, poczułam że może być to historia z dreszczykiem. Kiedy przeczytałam, że akcja rozgrywa się na jednej z hiszpańskich wysp, to już w ogóle byłam oczarowana. No bo jak to, Gran Canaria i morderstwa? Przecież to zupełnie egzotyczne miejsce, ogarnięte turystycznym szaleństwem. Intrygujące było także to, że po raz pierwszy miałam spotka�� się z tymi autorami.
Początek był tajemniczy i wprowadził całkiem niezłą atmosferę grozy. Potem nagle ciach! i wszystko legło w gruzach. Z jednej strony klimat Gran Canarii, motyw jogi, niespodziewany romans z nutką scen erotycznych, a z drugiej przeszłość, która wciąż powraca. Momentami miałam ciarki, a momentami miałam dość skakania w czasie, wątkach i miejscach. Myślałam, że dwoje narratorów w książce to już tłok, ale tu było ich chyba z sześciu, przez co miałam problem z połapaniem się, o co komu chodzi. Postanowiłam jednak, że przeczytam tę pozycję do końca, aby wiedzieć kto i dlaczego popełniał morderstwa. Czy muszę dodawać, że można było to przewidzieć? Zabrakło mi w tej pozycji nagłych zwrotów akcji, tego dreszczyku emocji. Książka była strasznie nierówno napisana. Treść w niektórych rozdziałach się powtarzała. Czasem było tego wszystkiego po prostu zbyt dużo. Wybijało to z rytmu. Musiałam zatrzymywać się na chwilę, aby na nowo połączyć wydarzenia.
Dobre strony tej książki: rozdziały napisane z perspektywy złoczyńcy, wykreowanie interesującej postaci dziennikarki, atmosferę Gran Canarii, wykorzystanie motywu jogi i opisy poszczególnych miejsc.
Złe strony tej książki: nierówna jakość rozdziałów, powtarzanie treści, zbyt dużo narratorów i niepotrzebnych wątków, brak dreszczyku emocji, denerwujący bohaterowie, zbyt duża przewidywalność.
Moja ocena: ★★★☆☆☆☆☆☆☆
Moja opinia: Jestem tak ogromnie zawiedziona tą pozycją! Kiedy zobaczyłam jej okładkę, poczułam że może być to historia z dreszczykiem. Kiedy przeczytałam, że akcja rozgrywa się na jednej z hiszpańskich wysp, to już w ogóle byłam oczarowana. No bo jak to, Gran Canaria i morderstwa? Przecież to zupełnie egzotyczne miejsce, ogarnięte turystycznym szaleństwem. Intrygujące było także to, że po raz pierwszy miałam spotka�� się z tymi autorami.
Początek był tajemniczy i wprowadził całkiem niezłą atmosferę grozy. Potem nagle ciach! i wszystko legło w gruzach. Z jednej strony klimat Gran Canarii, motyw jogi, niespodziewany romans z nutką scen erotycznych, a z drugiej przeszłość, która wciąż powraca. Momentami miałam ciarki, a momentami miałam dość skakania w czasie, wątkach i miejscach. Myślałam, że dwoje narratorów w książce to już tłok, ale tu było ich chyba z sześciu, przez co miałam problem z połapaniem się, o co komu chodzi. Postanowiłam jednak, że przeczytam tę pozycję do końca, aby wiedzieć kto i dlaczego popełniał morderstwa. Czy muszę dodawać, że można było to przewidzieć? Zabrakło mi w tej pozycji nagłych zwrotów akcji, tego dreszczyku emocji. Książka była strasznie nierówno napisana. Treść w niektórych rozdziałach się powtarzała. Czasem było tego wszystkiego po prostu zbyt dużo. Wybijało to z rytmu. Musiałam zatrzymywać się na chwilę, aby na nowo połączyć wydarzenia.
Dobre strony tej książki: rozdziały napisane z perspektywy złoczyńcy, wykreowanie interesującej postaci dziennikarki, atmosferę Gran Canarii, wykorzystanie motywu jogi i opisy poszczególnych miejsc.
Złe strony tej książki: nierówna jakość rozdziałów, powtarzanie treści, zbyt dużo narratorów i niepotrzebnych wątków, brak dreszczyku emocji, denerwujący bohaterowie, zbyt duża przewidywalność.
Moja ocena: ★★★☆☆☆☆☆☆☆
May 10, 2016
I would like to thank Netgalley and AmazonCrossing for an advance copy of A Darker Sky, a murder mystery set in Gran Canaria, by new collaborators Mari Jungstedt and Rubén Eliassen.
When the body of Erika Bergman, a young Swedish woman, is found murdered and displayed in an unnatural way Sara Moberg, editor of the local weekly Scandinavian newspaper is all over it. She soon teams up with new appointed vice consul and former policeman, Kristian Wede, to conduct their own investigation.
I have been reading Ms Jungstedt's Knutas series for years so I was looking forward to A Darker Sky but I must admit I was quite disappointed in it. The plot is fairly well thought out and has a few unexpected twists but the execution doesn't match it. There is no continuous narrative so you get a different point of view in every chapter and this makes it difficult to get immersed. Add in a very detailed history of the perpetrator which makes it impossible not to know who and most of the why early on so you're left wondering why carry on reading?
A Darker Sky is a facile novel with little depth of character or motivation which failed to hold my attention. The multiple points of view mean that none of the characters have room to develop and thus seem one dimensional and stereotypical. The killer's motivation is sound in fictional terms but the authors have not developed it in any meaningful way.
The novel is fairly well written and will appeal to many readers, just not me, so I have awarded it 3 stars.
When the body of Erika Bergman, a young Swedish woman, is found murdered and displayed in an unnatural way Sara Moberg, editor of the local weekly Scandinavian newspaper is all over it. She soon teams up with new appointed vice consul and former policeman, Kristian Wede, to conduct their own investigation.
I have been reading Ms Jungstedt's Knutas series for years so I was looking forward to A Darker Sky but I must admit I was quite disappointed in it. The plot is fairly well thought out and has a few unexpected twists but the execution doesn't match it. There is no continuous narrative so you get a different point of view in every chapter and this makes it difficult to get immersed. Add in a very detailed history of the perpetrator which makes it impossible not to know who and most of the why early on so you're left wondering why carry on reading?
A Darker Sky is a facile novel with little depth of character or motivation which failed to hold my attention. The multiple points of view mean that none of the characters have room to develop and thus seem one dimensional and stereotypical. The killer's motivation is sound in fictional terms but the authors have not developed it in any meaningful way.
The novel is fairly well written and will appeal to many readers, just not me, so I have awarded it 3 stars.
September 11, 2016
I received this from a Goodreads giveaway which didn’t influence my review. I keep trying Scandinavian mysteries because I'm constantly be told they are the best out there. I've yet to be convinced of that. However, this was much more readable than some. It does have many points of view, if that bothers you. It might have more than you need. And there is some of this that isn't linear as well.
The two main point of view characters are both Norwegians who are living in the Canary Islands. Sara runs a Scandinavian newspaper and is a good reporter and Kristian was a former cop now working for the embassy. Secondary ones include Samsara the head of the local yoga retreat and Adriana the wife of a fisherman who went missing leaving her with a young son to raise.
A woman turns up murdered, displayed naked on the beach. Soon they realize she's been displayed like Venus riding the clam shell. Sara works with Quintana the chief of police and Kristian to work on the case. Another murder soon happens with another art theme and they realize it ties back to Samsara and his yoga retreat and he is a man of secrets and barely hidden hatred of the women he uses.
The downside to it is that outside of Samsara and one boyfriend of a victim, there aren't many suspects. Once you realize that the non-linear aspects are just a little while ago but rather years, then it all falls into place.
On the plus side, I liked the characters and the story over all. I'd read the next one in the series.
The two main point of view characters are both Norwegians who are living in the Canary Islands. Sara runs a Scandinavian newspaper and is a good reporter and Kristian was a former cop now working for the embassy. Secondary ones include Samsara the head of the local yoga retreat and Adriana the wife of a fisherman who went missing leaving her with a young son to raise.
A woman turns up murdered, displayed naked on the beach. Soon they realize she's been displayed like Venus riding the clam shell. Sara works with Quintana the chief of police and Kristian to work on the case. Another murder soon happens with another art theme and they realize it ties back to Samsara and his yoga retreat and he is a man of secrets and barely hidden hatred of the women he uses.
The downside to it is that outside of Samsara and one boyfriend of a victim, there aren't many suspects. Once you realize that the non-linear aspects are just a little while ago but rather years, then it all falls into place.
On the plus side, I liked the characters and the story over all. I'd read the next one in the series.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 27, 2016
Es un libro de novela negra, en el que una periodista y un agregado de la embajada noruega intentan averiguar quien y por qué asesinó a la joven Erika y sobre todo qué hay detrás de la escenificación del crimen.
Hasta aquí muy bien, parece interesante y con intriga. Pero no. La sinopsis engaña, porque aunque la trama sí es esa, el libro se va tanto por la tangente que pierde toda la intriga. Los distintos capítulos son tan inconexos que te pierdes y sólo pasado la mitad del libro.... te das cuenta que narran hechos en distintas líneas temporales, con años de diferencia. Y cuando te das cuenta de eso, descubres quién es el asesino y sus motivos, y aun falta la mitad del libro. Un chasco, vamos.
Si a eso añadimos que los protagonistas no me han entrado, pues apaga y vámonos. La autora se centra en Sara, la periodista, insoportable, siempre quiere ser la protagonista, aprovechándose de todo y de todos. Para descargo, al final toma algo más de protagonismo, Kristian, el agregado de la embajada, que pone el único punto de "interés" del libro con su pasado tormentoso.
En resumen, tal vez no fuera el momento, pero el libro me ha decepcionado mucho.
Hasta aquí muy bien, parece interesante y con intriga. Pero no. La sinopsis engaña, porque aunque la trama sí es esa, el libro se va tanto por la tangente que pierde toda la intriga. Los distintos capítulos son tan inconexos que te pierdes y sólo pasado la mitad del libro.... te das cuenta que narran hechos en distintas líneas temporales, con años de diferencia. Y cuando te das cuenta de eso, descubres quién es el asesino y sus motivos, y aun falta la mitad del libro. Un chasco, vamos.
Si a eso añadimos que los protagonistas no me han entrado, pues apaga y vámonos. La autora se centra en Sara, la periodista, insoportable, siempre quiere ser la protagonista, aprovechándose de todo y de todos. Para descargo, al final toma algo más de protagonismo, Kristian, el agregado de la embajada, que pone el único punto de "interés" del libro con su pasado tormentoso.
En resumen, tal vez no fuera el momento, pero el libro me ha decepcionado mucho.
July 12, 2016
I don't read a lot of crime novels, but I wanted to give this one a chance because the synopsis seemed promising.
While the initial premise was interesting, I really struggled to get drawn into the story. There were so many characters and so many points of view -- keeping everyone straight was a struggle. While I think it's great in theory to give multiple perspectives on a situation, we didn't delve deep enough into any of them to feel like I really had a good sense of who the people were.
There were also a lot of distracting tangents in the book, which were probably meant to throw the reader off. They made me confused though, and I didn't know what to focus on and remember as important.
I will say that while it was hard for me to get into, the last third of the book or so had me hooked. It definitely had suspenseful and creepy moments that made me want to keep reading until the end.
If you're into crime novels, this might be a great book for you. It just wasn't the gripping story I wanted it to be.
While the initial premise was interesting, I really struggled to get drawn into the story. There were so many characters and so many points of view -- keeping everyone straight was a struggle. While I think it's great in theory to give multiple perspectives on a situation, we didn't delve deep enough into any of them to feel like I really had a good sense of who the people were.
There were also a lot of distracting tangents in the book, which were probably meant to throw the reader off. They made me confused though, and I didn't know what to focus on and remember as important.
I will say that while it was hard for me to get into, the last third of the book or so had me hooked. It definitely had suspenseful and creepy moments that made me want to keep reading until the end.
If you're into crime novels, this might be a great book for you. It just wasn't the gripping story I wanted it to be.
May 26, 2017
Auf Gran Canaria wird eines Morgens eine Frauenleiche gefunden, die wie ein berühmtes Gemälde drapiert wurde. Die Journalistin Sara Moberg und der Ex-Polizist Kristian Wede helfen der örtlichen Polizei bei den Ermittlungen.
Ganz ehrlich? Es gibt so viele bessere Krimis.
Die Handlung an sich, die Idee, Morde wie berühmte Gemälde zu drapieren, fand ich super spannend. Leider hat es an der Umsetzung gemangelt.
Die endgültige Erläuterung des Motivs: verständlich.
Warum die Kunstobsession? Lapidar, lasch erläutert.
Die Charaktere: interessant und geheimnisvoll. Nicht alles wird hier erläutert und ich hoffe auf einen weiteren Teil, einfach weil ich eine Vermutung habe, die ich bestätigt sehen will.
Ich liebe Krimis, aber diesen würde ich nicht zwingend weiterempfehlen. Ist zwischendurch auch einfach zu vulgär.
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