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The Öland Series #4
The Voices Beyond
Summer on the beautiful Swedish island of Öland. Visitors arrive in their thousands, ready to enjoy the calm and relaxation of this paradise.
Amongst them is Jonas Kloss, excited at the prospect of staying with his aunt, uncle and older cousins. But it is not as he had hoped. One night he takes a boat out onto the moonlit sea. A ship looms out of the darkness and the horror he finds on board is unimaginable.
Fleeing for his life, Jonas arrives at the door of an elderly islander, Gerlof Davidsson. Once Gerlof has heard his tale of dead sailors and axe-wielding madmen, he realizes that this will be a summer like none other Öland has ever seen.
For one man – the Homecomer – this is a very special journey. He seeks revenge that he’s waited a lifetime to exact…
Amongst them is Jonas Kloss, excited at the prospect of staying with his aunt, uncle and older cousins. But it is not as he had hoped. One night he takes a boat out onto the moonlit sea. A ship looms out of the darkness and the horror he finds on board is unimaginable.
Fleeing for his life, Jonas arrives at the door of an elderly islander, Gerlof Davidsson. Once Gerlof has heard his tale of dead sailors and axe-wielding madmen, he realizes that this will be a summer like none other Öland has ever seen.
For one man – the Homecomer – this is a very special journey. He seeks revenge that he’s waited a lifetime to exact…
576 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2012
40 people are currently reading
760 people want to read
About the author
Johan Theorin
47 books457 followersThroughout his life, Johan Theorin has been a regular visitor to the Baltic island of Öland. His mother’s family – sailors, fishermen and farmers - have lived there for centuries, nurturing the island’s rich legacy of strange tales and folklore. A journalist by profession, Johan now lives in Gothenburg.
Echoes from the Dead (originally published in Sweden as Skumtimmen) is Johan’s first novel. In 2007 it was voted Best First Mystery Novel by the authors and critics of the Swedish Academy of Crime, and it has been translated into twelve languages.
Echoes from the Dead (originally published in Sweden as Skumtimmen) is Johan’s first novel. In 2007 it was voted Best First Mystery Novel by the authors and critics of the Swedish Academy of Crime, and it has been translated into twelve languages.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 134 reviews
January 29, 2025
Tengo sentimientos encontrados, ya que es la última parte el cuarteto y sin embargo la más débil, bajo mi humilde punto de vista. Por lo tanto, la despedida de este cuarteto se me hace agridulce.
El bueno de Gerlof estuvo con nosotros hasta el final. Recuerdo cuando empecé a leer el segundo libro y vi a Gerlof nuevamente; estaba muy feliz, ya que es un personaje encantador. Gerlof se convierte en uno de los personajes principales en esta última entrega, y la particularidad de esta parte es que se trajo a colación un tema real e histórico como lo es la Unión Soviética y las -muchas- cosas que pasaban allí, por lo que el libro salió de las fronteras de Oland e incluso de Suecia.
A pesar de ser la parte más débil del cuarteto, ya que lo encontré un poco tedioso al principio, pero con una muy buena segunda mtad, de todas formas lo disfruté mucho. Me gusta esa fórmula de escribir un capítulo desde el punto de vista de un personaje y al siguiente capítulo desde el punto de vista de otro personaje. Le da más misterio e intriga a la historia.
Me alegra mucho haber encontrado este cuarteto. Sin duda lo recomiendo, ya que es entretenido y se cubre bastante de la vida escandinava. Gracias por todo, Johan :)
El bueno de Gerlof estuvo con nosotros hasta el final. Recuerdo cuando empecé a leer el segundo libro y vi a Gerlof nuevamente; estaba muy feliz, ya que es un personaje encantador. Gerlof se convierte en uno de los personajes principales en esta última entrega, y la particularidad de esta parte es que se trajo a colación un tema real e histórico como lo es la Unión Soviética y las -muchas- cosas que pasaban allí, por lo que el libro salió de las fronteras de Oland e incluso de Suecia.
A pesar de ser la parte más débil del cuarteto, ya que lo encontré un poco tedioso al principio, pero con una muy buena segunda mtad, de todas formas lo disfruté mucho. Me gusta esa fórmula de escribir un capítulo desde el punto de vista de un personaje y al siguiente capítulo desde el punto de vista de otro personaje. Le da más misterio e intriga a la historia.
Me alegra mucho haber encontrado este cuarteto. Sin duda lo recomiendo, ya que es entretenido y se cubre bastante de la vida escandinava. Gracias por todo, Johan :)
September 11, 2017
The 'summer' book in the Öland quartet is definitely the weakest and was a little bit of a disappointment. I do have to remind myself that Theorin set the bar high for himself and someone may think I'm being harsh with this one, as it is a quite good read. I cannot, however, overlook the many things in this book that nagged me.
We meet Gerlof again (the most familiar of the recurring characters) and, even older now at well over 80, he gets to be the detective in this one. A long time emigrant returns to his native Öland to take revenge on a wealthy family, for reasons we don't know - but Gerlof connects the dots (a little to easily given the evidence at his disposal).
The ever present hint of supernatural is here and is one of the good parts; the "Rör" of the title is the Ölandic name for a burial cairn and "gast" is, of course, ghost.
The story is told from a number of character's points-of-view and one story part also deals with the emigrant from the 30's all the way up to our days. This works well and is another good part of the story.
What I didn't like was that the story came together way too neatly, the coincidences were too-good-to-be-true and certainly one too many. Gerlof's abilities and far-reaching deductions felt unrealistic and to top it off, we have a 12 year old boy that manages things no 12 year old boy would. All this could have been made up for me with a good ending. Unfortunately, none was to be had and I really disliked the one we got. Still, I stand by my assessment of this being quite the high "lowest level" and I'll round my rating up to 3 stars. The gold nugget of the series is The Darkest Room and if you are to read only one, that should be it (no need to read in sequence).
We meet Gerlof again (the most familiar of the recurring characters) and, even older now at well over 80, he gets to be the detective in this one. A long time emigrant returns to his native Öland to take revenge on a wealthy family, for reasons we don't know - but Gerlof connects the dots (a little to easily given the evidence at his disposal).
The ever present hint of supernatural is here and is one of the good parts; the "Rör" of the title is the Ölandic name for a burial cairn and "gast" is, of course, ghost.
The story is told from a number of character's points-of-view and one story part also deals with the emigrant from the 30's all the way up to our days. This works well and is another good part of the story.
What I didn't like was that the story came together way too neatly, the coincidences were too-good-to-be-true and certainly one too many. Gerlof's abilities and far-reaching deductions felt unrealistic and to top it off, we have a 12 year old boy that manages things no 12 year old boy would. All this could have been made up for me with a good ending. Unfortunately, none was to be had and I really disliked the one we got. Still, I stand by my assessment of this being quite the high "lowest level" and I'll round my rating up to 3 stars. The gold nugget of the series is The Darkest Room and if you are to read only one, that should be it (no need to read in sequence).
November 4, 2015
Updated this book on Booklikes with the right cover and that meant that the review was updated here on GR. And, since I wrote the review in Swedish when I read the book a couple of years ago did I write a English review of it now.
Svensk recension:
Rörgast (The Öland Quartet, #4) Efter Sankta Psyko som jag verkligen, verkligen inte gillade så känns det skönt att läsa en Theorin bok som är lika bra som de föregående han skrivit. Härlig spännande stämning, intressant story och bra karaktärer! Jag tycker om att Theorin faktiskt lyckades överraska mig, ibland känns det som om det är för lätt att lista ut handlingen i en bok, men denna tog en vändning som jag inte hade redan gissat.
And here is the English review:
It felt good reading this book after the really bad Santa Psyko. This book has a really good and thrilling story and I loved the characters. Sometimes I feel that books just don't surprise me much any longer so I'm always happy when a book manage to really turn the story around and surprise me.
Svensk recension:
Rörgast (The Öland Quartet, #4) Efter Sankta Psyko som jag verkligen, verkligen inte gillade så känns det skönt att läsa en Theorin bok som är lika bra som de föregående han skrivit. Härlig spännande stämning, intressant story och bra karaktärer! Jag tycker om att Theorin faktiskt lyckades överraska mig, ibland känns det som om det är för lätt att lista ut handlingen i en bok, men denna tog en vändning som jag inte hade redan gissat.
And here is the English review:
It felt good reading this book after the really bad Santa Psyko. This book has a really good and thrilling story and I loved the characters. Sometimes I feel that books just don't surprise me much any longer so I'm always happy when a book manage to really turn the story around and surprise me.
July 11, 2019
Como en los anteriores, el autor se vale de giros y sorpresas. Desde el Gran Terror y los Gulags rusos hasta el 1999. Este últlimo libro del cuarteto lo leí con cierta nostalgia por despedirme de Oland, de Gerlof y hasta de John. Un gran descubrimiento este autor. Gracias Waralectora por recomendarlo.
November 6, 2015
—¿Sabéis por qué les disparamos justo en la nuca? —pregunta Karrek una noche, después de varios vasos de vodka.Espectacular cierre del ciclo.
Aron y los otros niegan con la cabeza.
—¿No lo sabéis?
—No
—Es obvio —dice Karrek—. Porque las nucas no pueden mirarnos a los ojos.
November 9, 2015
For now, it seems that if you live in America and you want to read this book, you'll have to order it from the UK like I did or sit patiently and wait for it to be published in this country. The second choice wasn't even an option for me -- as soon as I'd heard it was available, I had to have it; it went on vacation with me where I read it stretched out in a long lounger chair from which I didn't move while reading. I have really enjoyed all of the books in Theorin's Öland Quartet up to this point, and I have to say that for a final entry, The Voices Beyond is an absolute page turner. Despite the fact that there are nearly five hundred pages in this book, the story moves very quickly, but what I loved about this book is that it moves back and forth in time, revealing that the past most definitely has a strong hold on the present. And as always, Theorin here is a master of atmosphere that just doesn't quit -- although I don't read many series novels any more, this is one of my favorites. If you have to end a series, this is definitely the way to do it.
It's tough not to get sucked into the story from the beginning. If you've followed Theorin's Öland Quartet series so far, you will definitely remember Gerlof Davidsson. When Gerlof was young in 1930, he was part of a group of people digging a grave in the churchyard for Edvard Kloss. Once the body was lowered into the grave and covered up, the small group of gravediggers hears noises coming from where they'd just put the coffin -- a series of knocks that Gerlof Davidsson never forgets over the course of his lifetime. Flash forward to the present and we find Gerlof back on the island of Öland for the summer holidays, staying at his home with his grandchildren. In the middle of one night when he is sleeping in his boathouse, he is awakened out of a sound sleep by pounding on the door where he discovers a young boy, Jonas Kloss, wet and terrified. It seems that Jonas has had a horrific encounter on what he calls a "ghost ship," and has managed to escape. Because of Gerlof's own past, he has no trouble believing Jonas' account, and after he calms him down a bit, Gerlof starts asking questions. What Jonas tells him lands Gerlof smack in the middle of a mystery that will take the reader back in time, moving ever slowly into the present where the past still exists in some minds. It is a dark story that gets darker as the book (and the Swedish summer) moves along, revealing not only a modern-day mystery but also the failed dreams of a young boy who gets caught up in a situation not of his own making.
Unlike my usual cautionary self, I have nothing negative to say about this novel which (with apologies for the old cliché) kept me glued until I turned the last page. It is a fine story, difficult to read at times because of the sheer cruelty and inhumanity that Theorin so deftly reveals here, but perfect for someone like me who is very much into the darker side of human nature. Cozy readers or readers of tamer Scandinavian crime fiction beware -- this is an incredibly dark and at times bleak novel, nothing at all cutesy here. It's an example of Scandinavian crime at its best. One more thing -- even though it's #4 in Theorin's quartet, it is very possible to read this book as a standalone, but my advice is to take each book in its order of publication and to not let this one be your introduction to the series: read Echoes from the Dead, The Darkest Room, The Quarry all before you tackle The Voices Beyond -- there is a lot of history here of some of the characters that you won't want to miss.
Super book -- I'm just sorry that it isn't widely available in the US right now so more crime fans can read it.
It's tough not to get sucked into the story from the beginning. If you've followed Theorin's Öland Quartet series so far, you will definitely remember Gerlof Davidsson. When Gerlof was young in 1930, he was part of a group of people digging a grave in the churchyard for Edvard Kloss. Once the body was lowered into the grave and covered up, the small group of gravediggers hears noises coming from where they'd just put the coffin -- a series of knocks that Gerlof Davidsson never forgets over the course of his lifetime. Flash forward to the present and we find Gerlof back on the island of Öland for the summer holidays, staying at his home with his grandchildren. In the middle of one night when he is sleeping in his boathouse, he is awakened out of a sound sleep by pounding on the door where he discovers a young boy, Jonas Kloss, wet and terrified. It seems that Jonas has had a horrific encounter on what he calls a "ghost ship," and has managed to escape. Because of Gerlof's own past, he has no trouble believing Jonas' account, and after he calms him down a bit, Gerlof starts asking questions. What Jonas tells him lands Gerlof smack in the middle of a mystery that will take the reader back in time, moving ever slowly into the present where the past still exists in some minds. It is a dark story that gets darker as the book (and the Swedish summer) moves along, revealing not only a modern-day mystery but also the failed dreams of a young boy who gets caught up in a situation not of his own making.
Unlike my usual cautionary self, I have nothing negative to say about this novel which (with apologies for the old cliché) kept me glued until I turned the last page. It is a fine story, difficult to read at times because of the sheer cruelty and inhumanity that Theorin so deftly reveals here, but perfect for someone like me who is very much into the darker side of human nature. Cozy readers or readers of tamer Scandinavian crime fiction beware -- this is an incredibly dark and at times bleak novel, nothing at all cutesy here. It's an example of Scandinavian crime at its best. One more thing -- even though it's #4 in Theorin's quartet, it is very possible to read this book as a standalone, but my advice is to take each book in its order of publication and to not let this one be your introduction to the series: read Echoes from the Dead, The Darkest Room, The Quarry all before you tackle The Voices Beyond -- there is a lot of history here of some of the characters that you won't want to miss.
Super book -- I'm just sorry that it isn't widely available in the US right now so more crime fans can read it.
July 15, 2019
"The Voices Beyond" is the fourth and last chapter in the "Öland Quartet" Series written by the Swedish crime fiction author, Johan Theorin. In my opinion, this book is the best in the series and it should be noted that I hold all four novels in high regard. Each book is set in the beautiful Öland Island in the south of Sweden, the second largest island in the country, after Gotland, in the Baltic Sea. More specifically the main protagonist in all books is Gerloff Davidsson who lives in the small village of Stenvik somewhere in the South of the island. We, the readers, met Gerloff in the first book, titled "Echoes of the Dead" as the father of Julia Davidsson a tragic mother who lost her son when he was only a little kid. Old Gerloff is the main character in "The Voices Beyond", as he was also in the "Echoes", and he tries to solve the mystery behind the story told to him by a confused teenager who claims that he saw zombies in the deck and a man with an axe chasing them. The teenager, Jonas, is the nephew of a local super-rich individual, Kent Kloss, who owns the majestic Ölandic Resort a massive hotel complex with campsites and even nightclubs in its posh interior. The Kloss has a lot of secrets and there is a man who came home to Öland from the New Country and seeks revenge from them.
Gerloff will witness the underground war between the Homecomer, as the author names him, and the Kloss Family from the beginning until its shattering climax. He attempts to find the truth about the possible reasons that the Homecomer has in order to destroy the whole Kloss tribe. In this quest, he will have to focus his memories on the 1930s when he, as a young boy, met the Homecomer. Furthermore, he will have to delve into the history of the Soviet Union in the 1930s, the years of the "Great Terror", that shaped the Homecomer's personality and temperament.
The plot is narrated by several different points of view, a trademark characteristic of all good Nordic Noir novels, a fact that gives the book a rather quick tempo, never becoming tedious or dull. There are two distinct timelines, the present and the past that begins from the 1930s somewhere in the Northernmost parts of the Soviet Union and continues along the next decades in Moscow. As always, the two timelines merge into one in the ending pages that are full of suspense and intrigue. I couldn't help but feeling a bity blue after finishing "The Voices Beyond" as I was wondering if there will be some kind of sequel to this great series. Johan Theorin is a name to remember as he is one of the top Scandinavian crime fiction authors today. My rating is 4,5/5.
Gerloff will witness the underground war between the Homecomer, as the author names him, and the Kloss Family from the beginning until its shattering climax. He attempts to find the truth about the possible reasons that the Homecomer has in order to destroy the whole Kloss tribe. In this quest, he will have to focus his memories on the 1930s when he, as a young boy, met the Homecomer. Furthermore, he will have to delve into the history of the Soviet Union in the 1930s, the years of the "Great Terror", that shaped the Homecomer's personality and temperament.
The plot is narrated by several different points of view, a trademark characteristic of all good Nordic Noir novels, a fact that gives the book a rather quick tempo, never becoming tedious or dull. There are two distinct timelines, the present and the past that begins from the 1930s somewhere in the Northernmost parts of the Soviet Union and continues along the next decades in Moscow. As always, the two timelines merge into one in the ending pages that are full of suspense and intrigue. I couldn't help but feeling a bity blue after finishing "The Voices Beyond" as I was wondering if there will be some kind of sequel to this great series. Johan Theorin is a name to remember as he is one of the top Scandinavian crime fiction authors today. My rating is 4,5/5.
December 11, 2019
Ein fantasievoller, lesenswerter Krimi von Johan Theorin, der mich mit seinen Schilderungen eines Auswandererjungen in der Sowjetunion unter Stalin sehr beeindruckt und überzeugt hat.
July 11, 2015
Jag kanske har fattat fel, men jag har fått för mig att Ölandskvartetten marknadsförts som mystisk med en dragning åt spökhållet. Nattfåk är hittills den enda som det har stämt på och det kan ha påverkat min bedömning av de andra tre. Läs mer på http://bokslut.blogspot.se/2015/07/ro...
August 21, 2017
I cannot figure out why this book was so difficult to get. I had to go outside our library system to get it. The first 3 of the series were easy to get. I thought, "well, maybe it's not very good." Nope. Just as good as the others. I really like Theorin. I don't understand why he doesn't get more attention. I absolutely love Gerlof.
March 31, 2020
Rating 3,5
Jag hade väldigt mycket känslor i kroppen efter att jag läste ut den, mycket av det som beskrivs i boken är fruktansvärt hjärtskärande, och det går inte att tycka illa om "mördaren", jag var bara så himla ledsen för hens skull.
Gerlof må vara en gammal man, men det är inget fel på hans huvud. Och inte på hans kulor heller, när han ställer betydligt yngre personer mot väggen om deras mer ljuskänsliga aktiviteter. Jag vet inte vad jag tycker om hans val i slutet av boken. Det kändes inte riktigt som han.
Dessutom hade jag önskat lite mer info om hur det gick med familjen Kloss. Det kändes inte riktigt helt avrundat. Men fine, jag vet vad jag önskat hade hänt dom, så jag kan bara anta att det var så det blev.
Jag hade väldigt mycket känslor i kroppen efter att jag läste ut den, mycket av det som beskrivs i boken är fruktansvärt hjärtskärande, och det går inte att tycka illa om "mördaren", jag var bara så himla ledsen för hens skull.
Gerlof må vara en gammal man, men det är inget fel på hans huvud. Och inte på hans kulor heller, när han ställer betydligt yngre personer mot väggen om deras mer ljuskänsliga aktiviteter. Jag vet inte vad jag tycker om hans val i slutet av boken. Det kändes inte riktigt som han.
Dessutom hade jag önskat lite mer info om hur det gick med familjen Kloss. Det kändes inte riktigt helt avrundat. Men fine, jag vet vad jag önskat hade hänt dom, så jag kan bara anta att det var så det blev.
June 3, 2019
Terminados los 4 libros y debo decir que extrañaré a Gerlof y sus investigaciones. Muy buena serie ambientada en la isla de Ôland, nos presenta una excelente mezcla entre hechos del pasado y presente y un toque paranormal presente en cada entrega que le agrega misterio a la trama, muy recomendados.
October 20, 2015
Back in the USSR...
Young Jonas is spending the summer on the island of Öland at the resort owned by his family, the Klosses. One night, he takes his dingy out onto the sea. Drifting in the darkness, a sudden shaft of moonlight shows a boat approaching and he doesn't have time to get out of the way. He manages to climb aboard the boat before his dingy is sunk, but what awaits him there is the stuff of nightmares – dying men (or are they already dead?) on the deck stalking towards him and calling out in a language he doesn't understand. Terrified, Jonas jumps overboard and manages eventually to swim to shore. He makes for the first lighted dwelling he sees – the boathouse of old Gerlof, who's back staying in Öland for the summer months. Something odd happened to Gerlof too when he was young, so despite the strangeness of Jonas' story, Gerlof believes him - and so is sucked into a mystery that will get darker as the summer wears on...
This will undoubtedly appear in my best of the year list this year. The first two chapters – the one on the boat, and the one about the spooky experience in Gerlof's youth – are brilliantly atmospheric, hooking the reader right from the beginning. And the rest of the book pretty much maintains that high standard all the way through. The next few chapters introduce the various characters, giving a bit of back-story for each and then bringing them all to the island in time for the Midsummer celebrations in 1999. At this point it can be a bit confusing as to how they will all fit into the story but Theorin gives just the right amount of information at each stage to keep the story flowing.
The characterisation is particularly strong. There are several main characters, and the chapters rotate amongst them, all in the third person – Gerlof, a life-long resident of the island, elderly now but still with a curiosity about life that means he gets himself involved in other people's problems; Jonas, visiting the island for the summer and feeling a bit isolated as his brother and cousins consider him to be too young to take along with them; Lisa – a musician and DJ who's working at the resort for the summer; and Aron, who left Öland for the 'new country' as a child and has now come home, though we don't learn why till later. Gerlof is both well drawn and likeable – as a man of 86, Theorin never makes the mistake of having him be some kind of physical hero. Rather he is someone who is good at listening and believing, and at persuading people to talk to him. Aron is enigmatic – it's clear from his first appearance that he's plotting something bad and has a grudge against the Kloss family, but as his story is gradually revealed, it's hard not to find some empathy or, at least, pity for him – some understanding of why he has become who he is.
The bulk of the book is set in the present day, but there's another strand that takes the reader back to time of the Great Terror in the Stalinist USSR, and it is this strand that lifts the book so far above average. I'm not going to say any more about this part of the plot, because the way that Theorin gradually reveals the story is the real strength of the book. But this time of horrors is brilliantly depicted – no punches are pulled, and there are some scenes that are grim and dark indeed. Theorin doesn't wallow, though, and at all times he puts a great deal of humanity into the story which, while it doesn't mitigate the horrors, softens the edges a little, making it very moving at times.
Back in the present, all the various strands are gradually pulled together in the lead up to an explosive thriller finish – well foreshadowed, but still surprising and shocking when it comes. And just to finish off one of the most perfect crime/thrillers I've read in a while, the epilogue is as compelling as the first couple of chapters were. Though this works perfectly well as a standalone, it's the fourth in Theorin's Öland Quartet, with Gerlof as the recurring character who links them. I shall promptly be seeking out the other three. Highly recommended.
NB This book was provided for review by the publisher, Random House Transworld.
www.fictionfanblog.wordpress.com
Young Jonas is spending the summer on the island of Öland at the resort owned by his family, the Klosses. One night, he takes his dingy out onto the sea. Drifting in the darkness, a sudden shaft of moonlight shows a boat approaching and he doesn't have time to get out of the way. He manages to climb aboard the boat before his dingy is sunk, but what awaits him there is the stuff of nightmares – dying men (or are they already dead?) on the deck stalking towards him and calling out in a language he doesn't understand. Terrified, Jonas jumps overboard and manages eventually to swim to shore. He makes for the first lighted dwelling he sees – the boathouse of old Gerlof, who's back staying in Öland for the summer months. Something odd happened to Gerlof too when he was young, so despite the strangeness of Jonas' story, Gerlof believes him - and so is sucked into a mystery that will get darker as the summer wears on...
This will undoubtedly appear in my best of the year list this year. The first two chapters – the one on the boat, and the one about the spooky experience in Gerlof's youth – are brilliantly atmospheric, hooking the reader right from the beginning. And the rest of the book pretty much maintains that high standard all the way through. The next few chapters introduce the various characters, giving a bit of back-story for each and then bringing them all to the island in time for the Midsummer celebrations in 1999. At this point it can be a bit confusing as to how they will all fit into the story but Theorin gives just the right amount of information at each stage to keep the story flowing.
The characterisation is particularly strong. There are several main characters, and the chapters rotate amongst them, all in the third person – Gerlof, a life-long resident of the island, elderly now but still with a curiosity about life that means he gets himself involved in other people's problems; Jonas, visiting the island for the summer and feeling a bit isolated as his brother and cousins consider him to be too young to take along with them; Lisa – a musician and DJ who's working at the resort for the summer; and Aron, who left Öland for the 'new country' as a child and has now come home, though we don't learn why till later. Gerlof is both well drawn and likeable – as a man of 86, Theorin never makes the mistake of having him be some kind of physical hero. Rather he is someone who is good at listening and believing, and at persuading people to talk to him. Aron is enigmatic – it's clear from his first appearance that he's plotting something bad and has a grudge against the Kloss family, but as his story is gradually revealed, it's hard not to find some empathy or, at least, pity for him – some understanding of why he has become who he is.
The bulk of the book is set in the present day, but there's another strand that takes the reader back to time of the Great Terror in the Stalinist USSR, and it is this strand that lifts the book so far above average. I'm not going to say any more about this part of the plot, because the way that Theorin gradually reveals the story is the real strength of the book. But this time of horrors is brilliantly depicted – no punches are pulled, and there are some scenes that are grim and dark indeed. Theorin doesn't wallow, though, and at all times he puts a great deal of humanity into the story which, while it doesn't mitigate the horrors, softens the edges a little, making it very moving at times.
Back in the present, all the various strands are gradually pulled together in the lead up to an explosive thriller finish – well foreshadowed, but still surprising and shocking when it comes. And just to finish off one of the most perfect crime/thrillers I've read in a while, the epilogue is as compelling as the first couple of chapters were. Though this works perfectly well as a standalone, it's the fourth in Theorin's Öland Quartet, with Gerlof as the recurring character who links them. I shall promptly be seeking out the other three. Highly recommended.
NB This book was provided for review by the publisher, Random House Transworld.
www.fictionfanblog.wordpress.com
August 4, 2015
This story is told from the perspective of four characters and switches between 1932 and 1997.
I really struggled to engage with the story. I just found Theorin's writing style to be overly descriptive for my taste. I know he was creating an atmosphere, but it just didn't work for me. I have previously read the first novel in this series and had similar issues, though between that one and this one I read The Asylum, which I loved. That's the main reason I gave this one a go.
While this wasn't to my taste, I can understand why others would like it. Thanks to the publisher via netgalley for my copy to read and review.
I really struggled to engage with the story. I just found Theorin's writing style to be overly descriptive for my taste. I know he was creating an atmosphere, but it just didn't work for me. I have previously read the first novel in this series and had similar issues, though between that one and this one I read The Asylum, which I loved. That's the main reason I gave this one a go.
While this wasn't to my taste, I can understand why others would like it. Thanks to the publisher via netgalley for my copy to read and review.
January 15, 2015
Ik heb ontzettend genoten van dit vierde en laatste deel. Een waardige afsluiter. Wel jammer dat deze serie nu is afgelopen, ik ben erg gehecht geraakt aan Gerlof. Ik hoop dat deze auteur gauw weer komt met een nieuw boek, ik kijk er naar uit.
February 3, 2017
Je to hodně recenzí, které považují Mlýny osudu za Theorinovu slabší knihu. Detektivní zápletka je možná trochu méně napínavá, ale retrospektivní kapitoly ze Sovětského svazu jsem četla jedním dechem a po dočtení neměla moc lehké sny. Mrazivě poutavé!
August 10, 2023
Olen vähän ymmälläni, kun tämän piti olla sarjan päätösosa, mutta huomasin juuri, että syksyllä ilmestyy kuitenkin suomennos sarjan 5. osasta, Viimeinen ranta. No, mielelläni luen Gerlof Davidssonista vielä lisääkin.
Öölanti-sarjan aiempien osien lukemisesta on aikaa, mutta se ei ollenkaan haitannut tähän kirjaan uppoutumista. Kirjan tahti on rauhallinen, mutta tiiliskivi tuli luettua nopeasti, koska kappaleet ovat lyhyitä ja miellyttävän väljästi aseteltuja. Teksti herätti vahvoja visuaalisia mielikuvia sekä Öölannista että -30-luvun vankileiristä Neuvostoliitosta, jonne välillä takauduttiin. Välillä ajattelin, että tarinaa olisi voinut tiivistää, mutta henkilöhahmoihin tutustuminen pintaa syvemmältä toimi ehkä juuri siksi, että joistain heistä - ja heidän suvuistaan - kerrottiin vuosikymmeniä ylittävältä ajalta.
Öölanti-sarjan aiempien osien lukemisesta on aikaa, mutta se ei ollenkaan haitannut tähän kirjaan uppoutumista. Kirjan tahti on rauhallinen, mutta tiiliskivi tuli luettua nopeasti, koska kappaleet ovat lyhyitä ja miellyttävän väljästi aseteltuja. Teksti herätti vahvoja visuaalisia mielikuvia sekä Öölannista että -30-luvun vankileiristä Neuvostoliitosta, jonne välillä takauduttiin. Välillä ajattelin, että tarinaa olisi voinut tiivistää, mutta henkilöhahmoihin tutustuminen pintaa syvemmältä toimi ehkä juuri siksi, että joistain heistä - ja heidän suvuistaan - kerrottiin vuosikymmeniä ylittävältä ajalta.
June 20, 2023
Ook Steenbloed, grafheuvel, nachtstorm. 4 seizoenen op Zweeds eiland, intriges, geen duidelijke hoofdpersoon, wel rode draad. Varieert per boek. Spannend en intrigerend.
December 8, 2022
Wauw wat een fantastisch boek is dit.
March 7, 2017
I enjoyed this book because for the first time I could relate to all the characters from my age. It had young people like my grandson who lives with me and older people likely daughter who lives with me and my son who lives with me. And it has the old people which I am. I could relate only from the ages. Everything else was a good story that Johan told, however he used real events that were written about Stalin in the telling of the story. That really interested me and made the story really interesting. He backtracked the older people so you could get to know what they were willing to do in the current situation. It was fun to relate to the whole list of characters. I will recommend this book to my friends and other people who I know might like it.
November 17, 2014
Rörgast (Rör= stone grave, Gast = ghost) is the forth book in Theorins series about the Swedish island Öland.
Earlier books are availible in English.
I have not read the earlier books. This was actually the first book of Johan Theorin I have read, but it probably won't be the last. I loved the cover of this book, which is the only reason I picked it up in the first place. It was easy to read and enjoyable, perfect book if you do not want to read something complex and still want to have a good story.
You get to follow the four characters.
Gerlof is a old sailor and this book's mystery solver. He is the protagonist of this story, and also my favoirte in this story, perhaps because I usally do not read books with old people as maincharacters.
Jonas is a young teenager who lives in fear after he ended up on a ship with dead people and just barley escapes a killer, and also sees a ghost.
Lisa is a thife and not much more than a sidekick, but brings some more reality into the story.
Then we also have the character "the homecomer" who has lived most of his life in "the new country".
This man is also very old, but also you soon realise he is not an old sweet man but a brutal killer. This character is in a way also a protagonist and the one you get to know in detail. You get to follow this man through his harsh childhood and you really can understand why he acts the way he does.
The plot takes place on and in the surroundings of a summer resort owned by the rich Kloss family. And we also get thrown back in time to a labour camp in the 1930's Russia, which to me was the most interesting part.
In this book (probably in the others as well) there is a fine fine line between a world with ghosts and the everyday reality.
The horror is there during the entire story, but the book is more realistic than fantazy, a writing technique this author masters very well. Even though I wouldn't have mind a even more supernatural plot I like the concept, but because of the high realism I sometimes found small details unlikely.
I would also have liked a even deeper depiction of the enviorment of Öland. These two factors is why I must give the book four weak stars instead of four strong ones. However, it is certainly worth reading especially if you do like ghost stories but do not want it to be to unrealistic.
Earlier books are availible in English.
I have not read the earlier books. This was actually the first book of Johan Theorin I have read, but it probably won't be the last. I loved the cover of this book, which is the only reason I picked it up in the first place. It was easy to read and enjoyable, perfect book if you do not want to read something complex and still want to have a good story.
You get to follow the four characters.
Gerlof is a old sailor and this book's mystery solver. He is the protagonist of this story, and also my favoirte in this story, perhaps because I usally do not read books with old people as maincharacters.
Jonas is a young teenager who lives in fear after he ended up on a ship with dead people and just barley escapes a killer, and also sees a ghost.
Lisa is a thife and not much more than a sidekick, but brings some more reality into the story.
Then we also have the character "the homecomer" who has lived most of his life in "the new country".
This man is also very old, but also you soon realise he is not an old sweet man but a brutal killer. This character is in a way also a protagonist and the one you get to know in detail. You get to follow this man through his harsh childhood and you really can understand why he acts the way he does.
The plot takes place on and in the surroundings of a summer resort owned by the rich Kloss family. And we also get thrown back in time to a labour camp in the 1930's Russia, which to me was the most interesting part.
In this book (probably in the others as well) there is a fine fine line between a world with ghosts and the everyday reality.
The horror is there during the entire story, but the book is more realistic than fantazy, a writing technique this author masters very well. Even though I wouldn't have mind a even more supernatural plot I like the concept, but because of the high realism I sometimes found small details unlikely.
I would also have liked a even deeper depiction of the enviorment of Öland. These two factors is why I must give the book four weak stars instead of four strong ones. However, it is certainly worth reading especially if you do like ghost stories but do not want it to be to unrealistic.
December 13, 2014
Voor liefhebbers van het genre 'prachtige sfeertekening en setting, traag verhaal in mooie schrijfstijl'.
De meest indrukwekkende verhaallijn is die van Aron Fredh. Met zijn stiefvader Sven vertrekt hij in de jaren dertig van de vorige eeuw van Öland naar het beloofde land, het paradijs voor arbeiders. In de praktijk pakt dat anders uit: de man en de opgroeiende jongen werken aan de Moermanskspoorlijn, kappen hout in gebieden waar het meer dan twintig graden vriest. Velen hebben de werkkampen niet overleefd, zijn gestorven van honger of kou of hebben de kogel gekregen. Aron weet zich, sterk en intelligent als hij is, te handhaven. Wat hij meemaakt is schrijnend. Zijn langdurige verblijf in 'het nieuwe land' maakt van hem een ander mens. Gaandeweg het verhaal komen we erachter waarom hij als oude man alsnog terugkeert naar Öland.
(Het is interessant om tijdens het lezen aanvullende info te googelen, want de geschiedenislessen op school volstaan niet, het is 'ver van ons bed'. In de epiloog licht Johan Theorin deze periode in de geschiedenis van de voormalige Sovjet-Unie kort toe.)
De oude Gerlof Davidsson en de jongen Jonas Kloss zijn de hoofdrolspelers in het heden. Gerlof kent Aron van vroeger, van de begraafplaats, waar ze allebei geklop gehoord hebben vanuit het verse graf van Edvard Kloss ...
Een spookschip, een grafheuvel, doden, een geest, verhalen van vroeger, verweven met gebeurtenissen van nu. Alles komt uiteindelijk bij elkaar.
Niet puntje-van-de-stoel-spannend, maar toch ... Johan Theorin heeft van dit vierde deel in de Ölandreeks wederom een feestje gemaakt. Zijn mooie stijl van schrijven, de manier waarop hij de diverse verhaallijnen door elkaar heen laat lopen en met elkaar combineert, het voortreffelijk doseren van de brokjes info, daar kan (haast) geen collega-auteur aan tippen.
Spijtig, dat de reeks hiermee afgelopen is.
[plot 5, spanning 3, leesplezier 5, schrijfstijl 5, originaliteit 4, psychologie 4]
De meest indrukwekkende verhaallijn is die van Aron Fredh. Met zijn stiefvader Sven vertrekt hij in de jaren dertig van de vorige eeuw van Öland naar het beloofde land, het paradijs voor arbeiders. In de praktijk pakt dat anders uit: de man en de opgroeiende jongen werken aan de Moermanskspoorlijn, kappen hout in gebieden waar het meer dan twintig graden vriest. Velen hebben de werkkampen niet overleefd, zijn gestorven van honger of kou of hebben de kogel gekregen. Aron weet zich, sterk en intelligent als hij is, te handhaven. Wat hij meemaakt is schrijnend. Zijn langdurige verblijf in 'het nieuwe land' maakt van hem een ander mens. Gaandeweg het verhaal komen we erachter waarom hij als oude man alsnog terugkeert naar Öland.
(Het is interessant om tijdens het lezen aanvullende info te googelen, want de geschiedenislessen op school volstaan niet, het is 'ver van ons bed'. In de epiloog licht Johan Theorin deze periode in de geschiedenis van de voormalige Sovjet-Unie kort toe.)
De oude Gerlof Davidsson en de jongen Jonas Kloss zijn de hoofdrolspelers in het heden. Gerlof kent Aron van vroeger, van de begraafplaats, waar ze allebei geklop gehoord hebben vanuit het verse graf van Edvard Kloss ...
Een spookschip, een grafheuvel, doden, een geest, verhalen van vroeger, verweven met gebeurtenissen van nu. Alles komt uiteindelijk bij elkaar.
Niet puntje-van-de-stoel-spannend, maar toch ... Johan Theorin heeft van dit vierde deel in de Ölandreeks wederom een feestje gemaakt. Zijn mooie stijl van schrijven, de manier waarop hij de diverse verhaallijnen door elkaar heen laat lopen en met elkaar combineert, het voortreffelijk doseren van de brokjes info, daar kan (haast) geen collega-auteur aan tippen.
Spijtig, dat de reeks hiermee afgelopen is.
[plot 5, spanning 3, leesplezier 5, schrijfstijl 5, originaliteit 4, psychologie 4]
December 1, 2015
And so the quartet comes to a close. I'm sad in a way, but happy that Theorin ended it before running out of ideas. Again, an intriguing blend of crime and horror like the other three books, you know what to expect. I thought this was the weakest of the series. It was just a little too long and I feel as if Theorin didn't flesh out his secondary characters as well as he could. The character that comes to mind is Lisa; who is Silas and why does she feel the need to steal people's purses for him? I also think that the parts of the story set in Russia weren't up to Theorin's usual standard; they felt rather wishy-washy. Some more research would've helped, and I'm surprised that after all of Theorin's supposed reading about the USSR and its customs that he managed to give a woman a man's surname; I know next to nothing about Russia but I know that women have an A at the end of their surnames, like Petrova as opposed to Petrov.
One thing I do have to commend Theorin in what happens in the final pages with Gerlof looking out to sea and contemplating his long life. I found it rather beautiful and made me realise that I am going to miss old Gerlof.
One thing I do have to commend Theorin in what happens in the final pages with Gerlof looking out to sea and contemplating his long life. I found it rather beautiful and made me realise that I am going to miss old Gerlof.
January 22, 2016
This was the first book that I read in what I understand is a tetralogy, but I felt I still got quite a lot out of it, without the context of the previous books. I liked the setting and the complex, thoughtful character which is Gerlof. I could also relate to young Jonas and his terrifying experience aboard the 'ghost ship'. The constantly alternating points of view did jar after a while, I saw no need for them to keep on rotating, was not that much interested in Lisa (who didn't add much to the story), and the Soviet background felt both overlong and yet also superficial, if that isn't too much of a paradox.
I particularly liked the ending, with Gerlof going out to sea in his boat. The author is very good at capturing a certain landscape and the hardship of this way of life in previous generations (as well as how it has changed in modern times).
I particularly liked the ending, with Gerlof going out to sea in his boat. The author is very good at capturing a certain landscape and the hardship of this way of life in previous generations (as well as how it has changed in modern times).
August 14, 2015
Theorin outdid himself in this, the final book of The Oland Quartet. He is a master of plot and character with a flare for surprise endings that you least expect and can never predict. He is one of the few authors who can create an antagonist who is a real person and engenders in the reader a sympathetic soft spot. If you have not discovered Theorin, treat yourself to buying all four books of the Oland Quartet. Once you have read one you will want to read them all.
September 21, 2015
Grafheuvel is het laatste deel uit de Oland serie. Het boek begint wat aan de trage kant en heeft de eerste 100 pagina's nodig om op stoom te komen. Daarna komt het verhaal in stroomversnelling en boeit tot de laatste pagina. De plot zit goed in elkaar en de overschakeling tussen heden en verleden maken het een interessant boek. De personages worden goed neergezet en de schrijfstijl leest vlot weg mede door de korte hoofdstukken. Ik geef hem dan ook 4 sterren.
August 5, 2017
Nå var det noen år siden jeg leste de andre bøkene i Johan Theorins Ølandskvartett, men jeg kom snart inn i stemningen. (Og fikk lyst til å lese de andre på nytt.) Gerlof er den som holder denne fortellingen sammen, men de andre fortellerstemmene er også viktige for helheten. De ulike livshistoriene fanger og engasjerer, på godt og vondt,og gir romanen både dybde og tyngde. Dette er mer enn en kriminalroman. Og jeg bare elsker slutten!
October 18, 2025
Inte hans bästa. Snarare den sämsta tyvärr.
October 6, 2015
4 ziemlich gute Sterne
Die meiste Zeit über spannend, einige Längen gab's aber. Die Rückblicke ins "Neue Land" waren mir etwas zu militärlastig.
Die meiste Zeit über spannend, einige Längen gab's aber. Die Rückblicke ins "Neue Land" waren mir etwas zu militärlastig.
April 28, 2018
Наверное не слукавлю, если скажу, что этот роман понравился мне больше всего у Теорина. Во-первых, он сам по себе очень и очень захватывающий. Во-вторых, вплетение в сюжет СССР добавило интереса, потому как удалось избежать при этом падения в пошлость (по крайней мере я не увидел в этом откровенной клюквы) и затронуть острую всегда тему НКВД и лагерей. Может быть эта часть сюжета где-то шаблонна, местами неправдоподобна, но... даже в ИСТОРИЧЕСКИХ романах есть выдуманные куски.
Я считаю, что это больше триллер, чем детектив. Но это не умаляет достоинств. Как всегда краткие ёмкие главы, у каждого героя своя. Как всегда отсылки в прошлое, тесное переплетение его с настоящим. И этот сплошной клубок разматывается как всегда ближе к концу. Читаем легко и не отрываясь.
Если переходить к персонажам, то Арон, одно из главных действующих лиц, открывается по ходу книги. Так же как и Клоссы - Вероника и её брат. И они меняются местами. Если Арон в начале казался абсолютно отрицательным персонажем, злодеем, то ближе к концу он хоть и не перестаёт быть тем же злодеем (хотя бы за его прошлые "заслуги" и работу в органах), но как минимум читатель начинает понимать его, видеть в его мотивации мести черты восстановления справедливости. Чего не скажешь о его противниках, они-то уж падают так падают. Интересно.
Ну и не обошлось без старика Герлофа, как и в прошлых книгах. Этот доморощенный детектив и является главным героем Теорина от книги к книге. При этом всё не строится вокруг него, он не разворачивает ситуацию и события радикально, он лишь участник, разматывающий запутанные клубки преступлений и иногда, в самые нужные моменты, вклинивающийся в этот водоворот.
Я считаю, что это больше триллер, чем детектив. Но это не умаляет достоинств. Как всегда краткие ёмкие главы, у каждого героя своя. Как всегда отсылки в прошлое, тесное переплетение его с настоящим. И этот сплошной клубок разматывается как всегда ближе к концу. Читаем легко и не отрываясь.
Если переходить к персонажам, то Арон, одно из главных действующих лиц, открывается по ходу книги. Так же как и Клоссы - Вероника и её брат. И они меняются местами. Если Арон в начале казался абсолютно отрицательным персонажем, злодеем, то ближе к концу он хоть и не перестаёт быть тем же злодеем (хотя бы за его прошлые "заслуги" и работу в органах), но как минимум читатель начинает понимать его, видеть в его мотивации мести черты восстановления справедливости. Чего не скажешь о его противниках, они-то уж падают так падают. Интересно.
Ну и не обошлось без старика Герлофа, как и в прошлых книгах. Этот доморощенный детектив и является главным героем Теорина от книги к книге. При этом всё не строится вокруг него, он не разворачивает ситуацию и события радикально, он лишь участник, разматывающий запутанные клубки преступлений и иногда, в самые нужные моменты, вклинивающийся в этот водоворот.
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