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Sandhamn Murders #1
Still Waters
On a hot July morning on Sweden’s idyllic vacation island of Sandhamn, a man takes his dog for a walk and makes a gruesome discovery: a body, tangled in fishing net, has washed ashore.
Police detective Thomas Andreasson is the first to arrive on the scene. Before long, he has identified the deceased as Krister Berggren, a bachelor from the mainland who has been missing for months. All signs point to an accident—until another brutalized corpse is found at the local bed-and-breakfast. But this time it is Berggren’s cousin, whom Thomas interviewed in Stockholm just days before.
As the island’s residents reel from the news, Thomas turns to his childhood friend, local lawyer Nora Linde. Together, they attempt to unravel the riddles left behind by these two mysterious outsiders—while trying to make sense of the difficult twists their own lives have taken since the shared summer days of their youth.
Police detective Thomas Andreasson is the first to arrive on the scene. Before long, he has identified the deceased as Krister Berggren, a bachelor from the mainland who has been missing for months. All signs point to an accident—until another brutalized corpse is found at the local bed-and-breakfast. But this time it is Berggren’s cousin, whom Thomas interviewed in Stockholm just days before.
As the island’s residents reel from the news, Thomas turns to his childhood friend, local lawyer Nora Linde. Together, they attempt to unravel the riddles left behind by these two mysterious outsiders—while trying to make sense of the difficult twists their own lives have taken since the shared summer days of their youth.
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First published January 1, 2008
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About the author
Viveca Sten
75 books1,113 followersViveca Sten made her author debut with crime novel Still Waters. It soon became a huge hit with both critics and readers and today the author has sold almost 3 million copies of her books worldwide.
In May 2014, her seventh novel, The Price of Power, was published in Sweden. It was hugely successful and Viveca cemented her place as one of the country’s most popular authors. Her Sandhamn Murder Series continues to top the best seller charts, not to mention the whopping success of the TV mini-series that is based on Viveca’s novels. An estimated 30 million people around the globe have been watching the adventures of Nora and Thomas unfold on the TV screen.
Today, Viveca lives in Stockholm with her husband and three children. During the summer months she leaves for Sandhamn to write and spend the holidays with her family. This year she has also been working on a cookbook that features stories from the Stockholm archipelago
.
In May 2014, her seventh novel, The Price of Power, was published in Sweden. It was hugely successful and Viveca cemented her place as one of the country’s most popular authors. Her Sandhamn Murder Series continues to top the best seller charts, not to mention the whopping success of the TV mini-series that is based on Viveca’s novels. An estimated 30 million people around the globe have been watching the adventures of Nora and Thomas unfold on the TV screen.
Today, Viveca lives in Stockholm with her husband and three children. During the summer months she leaves for Sandhamn to write and spend the holidays with her family. This year she has also been working on a cookbook that features stories from the Stockholm archipelago
.
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June 23, 2021
Real Rating: 3.5* of five, rounded up because I'll read more
I downloaded this onto my Kindle when it was a Kindle First offering about three years ago (2015-ish?). It finally snagged my attention. I think it finally got me because, when I opened it, I read this:
THOMAS!! RUN!! Run fast and run far, no good can ever come from a place where the coffee is so bad that *retch* tea *shudder* is a better beverage option!
*glowers Blightyward* Y'all got nothin' to say here, Brits, you gave the world chattel slavery, John Bull, and cricket, and kept the National Health Service, Cornwall, and Prince Harry!
Thomas Andreasson is from Harö in the Stockholm archipelago's unfashionable bit, or at least it wasn't fashionable when he was a lad. His world has been upended in so many ways in recent months, his life as a husband and father is over without warning or any desire for it to be so, his best friend Nora is suddenly among murderers on their shared childhood home of Sandhamn, and he's got no clues to solve the suspicious death followed by sure and certain murder, followed by *very* suspicious death, and bring the killer to justice.
So he plods along, doing responsible policework, following leads that don't lead, until he is weary of the routine as well as of the whole enterprise of staying alive. Super Swedish/Scandicrime 'tude, no? We switch PoV characters a good bit in this book, but Thomas is the policeman so he gets most of the tedious legwork in the story. His senior partner, Margit, is dying to spend the short, sweet Swedish summer with her husband and teenaged daughters somewhere south. This case is foiling her desire to get away. Interestingly, Thomas has no issue with Margit being the lead in the case; he's never once shown being resentful of her authority, but once feels a bit downhearted when she corrects an error he's made...because he made the error, not because a woman corrected him. This was refreshing.
One lead, found by Thomas' lovely young colleague (and clearly intended to be his love interest) Carina, takes him and Margit to a self-made man's home on Sandhamn. Thomas' past on the island makes the appearance of the house grating to him, and Margit's social conscience shows up for a pleasant interlude:
This is a Swedish Prinsesstårta, which is what Author Sten referred to in the original Swedish text.
We see that a lot on the South Shore of Long Island. It's the arrivistes buying old cottages and slapping down out-of-proportion McMansions onto their zero-lot-line dreams of seaside living. Drearily familiar to anyone living by a water feature. Thomas doesn't like the house and really doesn't like the man in it...there is something *wrong* with a person who moves to a strong, distinctive community like Sandhamn and flouts every tradition and norm that makes the place itself!
But then there's Nora, whose roots on Sandhamn go way back before even Thomas' do. She doesn't like this new reality at all, and doesn't like the cultural shift it represents. She feels it as an affront to her core principles, as we're told directly:
Sandhamn is more than a place to Nora, it's a life and a lifestyle she feels is hers down to her very core. These values agree with mine. I approve of them and wish there were more Noras in the world.
So what the hell drew her to the insensitive clod of a scion of the booboisie that she married?!
I found this infuriating. Which is it, Author Sten, Nora's a modern woman or a housewife? She started their marriage with compromises on where they'd live, what he'd be expected to do as a parent, and somehow thought he'd magically divine that she was seriously convinced he'd do the same for her?! Why?! How?! Begin as you mean to go on, Nora. Was it Mary Poppins who said that first, or just most famously? Anyway, there was absolutely no reason to think Henrik would ever be anything but his parents' son, since he never made a single solitary peep of dissatisfaction with them and the way they live(d) their lives. Oh! Oh! And then there's her best friend, Thomas, whose reaction to Henrik should've made Nora run screaming:
There's no way in hell that didn't show in Thomas' responses to Henrik over the years. So lay off the shockhorror about the way the reactionary poltroon responds to your desire to do something for yourself, lady, he's never been different and expecting him to change will only make both of you and your kids angry and upset and end up in divorce. Skip the middle bit: Get the divorce, start the new life, and make sure the kids know *why* mommy left daddy without rancorous vituperative invective flowing from you. Him, you can't affect. As should be obvious to you by now.
The two sleuths are close friends and each has made a hash of their personal life. This isn't familiar at all, is it. But it's an evergreen for a reason, since it gives the author a great line of attack to keep series readers reading. Nora's marriage is doomed, Thomas' relationship with Carina is doomed, the whole island of Sandhamn...faithless to the crime statistics for Nordic countries...will soon be hip deep in dead bodies, much more will be made of Nora's diabetes (which figures in the action but not the resolution of this book), and if there is a just and merciful gawd Nora's mother-in-law will be savagely torn to bits by ravening wild dogs on live television.
Translator Delargy, based in the UK, uses some tricks to keep the prose feeling uniquely Sten's own. One is the use of a nonstandard form of the verb "to get hold (of)", viz. "ahold." In spoken words I'm not averse to this formulation of the verb, but it abounds in this book and I found it irksome after the sixth or seventh usage. It's purely a personal twitch, no knock on the skills Delargy brought to bear on the Englishing of the book. I am on record many places as despising the unnecessary and ungainly "u"ification of perfectly simple words like "valor" and "honor" so I needn't go into why that made me flinch every time I ran across it. Delargy does a creditable job making Sten's words readable in English, and that's no mean feat, so kudos to you Madam.
The world has lots and lots of gritty Scandicrime. You can hardly open your Kindle without being offered some more gritty Scandicrime. What the world doesn't have is cozy Scandicrime. Sten's involving debut novel is both pine-scented Scandi and cozy, sense-of-place crime. I like that about it and it's what will cause me to seek out the next book in the series.
So switch your mental gears to Swedish cozy (Scandicoze?). Step out of the Vauxhall and into the Volvo station wagon.
I downloaded this onto my Kindle when it was a Kindle First offering about three years ago (2015-ish?). It finally snagged my attention. I think it finally got me because, when I opened it, I read this:
The department’s coffeemaker produced a liquid that was positively toxic. How Margit could knock it back in such quantities was a mystery. Thomas had switched to drinking tea for the first time in his life because of it.
THOMAS!! RUN!! Run fast and run far, no good can ever come from a place where the coffee is so bad that *retch* tea *shudder* is a better beverage option!
*glowers Blightyward* Y'all got nothin' to say here, Brits, you gave the world chattel slavery, John Bull, and cricket, and kept the National Health Service, Cornwall, and Prince Harry!
Thomas Andreasson is from Harö in the Stockholm archipelago's unfashionable bit, or at least it wasn't fashionable when he was a lad. His world has been upended in so many ways in recent months, his life as a husband and father is over without warning or any desire for it to be so, his best friend Nora is suddenly among murderers on their shared childhood home of Sandhamn, and he's got no clues to solve the suspicious death followed by sure and certain murder, followed by *very* suspicious death, and bring the killer to justice.
So he plods along, doing responsible policework, following leads that don't lead, until he is weary of the routine as well as of the whole enterprise of staying alive. Super Swedish/Scandicrime 'tude, no? We switch PoV characters a good bit in this book, but Thomas is the policeman so he gets most of the tedious legwork in the story. His senior partner, Margit, is dying to spend the short, sweet Swedish summer with her husband and teenaged daughters somewhere south. This case is foiling her desire to get away. Interestingly, Thomas has no issue with Margit being the lead in the case; he's never once shown being resentful of her authority, but once feels a bit downhearted when she corrects an error he's made...because he made the error, not because a woman corrected him. This was refreshing.
One lead, found by Thomas' lovely young colleague (and clearly intended to be his love interest) Carina, takes him and Margit to a self-made man's home on Sandhamn. Thomas' past on the island makes the appearance of the house grating to him, and Margit's social conscience shows up for a pleasant interlude:
Apart from the white eaves and steps, every last piece of timber was nauseatingly green. Without the eaves and steps you could easily have imagined you were standing in front of a giant marzipan cake. Only the rose was missing.
"I’ve never seen such a fine example of nouveau riche." (said Margit)
This is a Swedish Prinsesstårta, which is what Author Sten referred to in the original Swedish text.
We see that a lot on the South Shore of Long Island. It's the arrivistes buying old cottages and slapping down out-of-proportion McMansions onto their zero-lot-line dreams of seaside living. Drearily familiar to anyone living by a water feature. Thomas doesn't like the house and really doesn't like the man in it...there is something *wrong* with a person who moves to a strong, distinctive community like Sandhamn and flouts every tradition and norm that makes the place itself!
But then there's Nora, whose roots on Sandhamn go way back before even Thomas' do. She doesn't like this new reality at all, and doesn't like the cultural shift it represents. She feels it as an affront to her core principles, as we're told directly:
It gave Nora the unpleasant feeling that everything was for sale. Everything could be bought or sold.
Sandhamn is more than a place to Nora, it's a life and a lifestyle she feels is hers down to her very core. These values agree with mine. I approve of them and wish there were more Noras in the world.
So what the hell drew her to the insensitive clod of a scion of the booboisie that she married?!
Henrik just didn’t get it. He was blind and deaf to any hint that his mother might not be the best mother-in-law in the world. Nora gave in.
Now she had been offered her dream job, and he didn’t even seem to want to discuss it. It wasn’t fair.
Why challenge Henrik, instead of paying attention to the clear signals he had given her?
I found this infuriating. Which is it, Author Sten, Nora's a modern woman or a housewife? She started their marriage with compromises on where they'd live, what he'd be expected to do as a parent, and somehow thought he'd magically divine that she was seriously convinced he'd do the same for her?! Why?! How?! Begin as you mean to go on, Nora. Was it Mary Poppins who said that first, or just most famously? Anyway, there was absolutely no reason to think Henrik would ever be anything but his parents' son, since he never made a single solitary peep of dissatisfaction with them and the way they live(d) their lives. Oh! Oh! And then there's her best friend, Thomas, whose reaction to Henrik should've made Nora run screaming:
There was an underlying distance between the two men that never quite disappeared in spite of the fact that they had known each other for a long time. Henrik’s upper-middle-class background and deeply conservative values didn’t exactly improve matters.
There's no way in hell that didn't show in Thomas' responses to Henrik over the years. So lay off the shockhorror about the way the reactionary poltroon responds to your desire to do something for yourself, lady, he's never been different and expecting him to change will only make both of you and your kids angry and upset and end up in divorce. Skip the middle bit: Get the divorce, start the new life, and make sure the kids know *why* mommy left daddy without rancorous vituperative invective flowing from you. Him, you can't affect. As should be obvious to you by now.
The two sleuths are close friends and each has made a hash of their personal life. This isn't familiar at all, is it. But it's an evergreen for a reason, since it gives the author a great line of attack to keep series readers reading. Nora's marriage is doomed, Thomas' relationship with Carina is doomed, the whole island of Sandhamn...faithless to the crime statistics for Nordic countries...will soon be hip deep in dead bodies, much more will be made of Nora's diabetes (which figures in the action but not the resolution of this book), and if there is a just and merciful gawd Nora's mother-in-law will be savagely torn to bits by ravening wild dogs on live television.
Translator Delargy, based in the UK, uses some tricks to keep the prose feeling uniquely Sten's own. One is the use of a nonstandard form of the verb "to get hold (of)", viz. "ahold." In spoken words I'm not averse to this formulation of the verb, but it abounds in this book and I found it irksome after the sixth or seventh usage. It's purely a personal twitch, no knock on the skills Delargy brought to bear on the Englishing of the book. I am on record many places as despising the unnecessary and ungainly "u"ification of perfectly simple words like "valor" and "honor" so I needn't go into why that made me flinch every time I ran across it. Delargy does a creditable job making Sten's words readable in English, and that's no mean feat, so kudos to you Madam.
The world has lots and lots of gritty Scandicrime. You can hardly open your Kindle without being offered some more gritty Scandicrime. What the world doesn't have is cozy Scandicrime. Sten's involving debut novel is both pine-scented Scandi and cozy, sense-of-place crime. I like that about it and it's what will cause me to seek out the next book in the series.
So switch your mental gears to Swedish cozy (Scandicoze?). Step out of the Vauxhall and into the Volvo station wagon.
April 26, 2021
Am Strand von Sandhamn wird die Leiche eines Mannes angespült. Der Mann ist in einem Fischernetz verheddert und schon seit ein paar Monaten tot. Thomas Andreasson übernimmt den Fall. Mit der Hilfe seiner guten Freundin Nora, die im Sommer auf der Insel lebt, nimmt er die Ermittlungen auf. Schon bald gibt es eine weitere Leiche. Es stellt sich heraus, daß die beiden Toten Cousin und Cousine waren. Was haben sie auf Sandhamn gewollt, und warum mußten sie sterben?
Ein wunderbar leichter, aber doch immer sehr spannender Krimi aus Schweden. Die Handlung ist nachvollziehbar; die Protagonisten sind sympathisch. Es hat wirklich viel Spaß gemacht, diesen Roman zu lesen! Ein guter Tipp für Krimifans!
Ein wunderbar leichter, aber doch immer sehr spannender Krimi aus Schweden. Die Handlung ist nachvollziehbar; die Protagonisten sind sympathisch. Es hat wirklich viel Spaß gemacht, diesen Roman zu lesen! Ein guter Tipp für Krimifans!
February 17, 2016
“Anger, resentment and jealousy doesn't change the heart of others-- it only changes yours.”
----Shannon L. Alder
Viveca Sten, an international best-selling Swedish author, has penned a fast-paced gripping thriller featuring Thomas Andreasson, in her book, Still Waters which is the first book in the Sandhamn Murders series. The story, set in Sandhamn, a small island in the central-peripheral part of the Stockholm Archipelago in central-eastern Sweden, begins with the discovery of a dead body of an outsider washed up ashore, tangled up inside a fishing net, followed by another murder of an outsider. Police detective Thomas Andreasson is trying hard to find the connection between the outsiders and the island, and what drew them to this quaint island town, and he has to figure it out ASAP before the killer strikes again.
Synopsis:
On a hot July morning on Sweden’s idyllic vacation island of Sandhamn, a man takes his dog for a walk and makes a gruesome discovery: a body, tangled in fishing net, has washed ashore.
Police detective Thomas Andreasson is the first to arrive on the scene. Before long, he has identified the deceased as Krister Berggren, a bachelor from the mainland who has been missing for months. All signs point to an accident—until another brutalized corpse is found at the local bed-and-breakfast. But this time it is Berggren’s cousin, whom Thomas interviewed in Stockholm just days before.
As the island’s residents reel from the news, Thomas turns to his childhood friend, local lawyer Nora Linde. Together, they attempt to unravel the riddles left behind by these two mysterious outsiders—while trying to make sense of the difficult twists their own lives have taken since the shared summer days of their youth.
Thomas Andreasson finds himself in a twisted situation, when he could not figure out the connection between the murder of brother-sister duo, who are outsiders on the island of Sandhamn, and the island. Thomas has to come to a conclusion as soon as possible before the killer claims his another victim. With no clear motive or agenda behind these murders, Thomas turns to his childhood friend-cum-lawyer, Nora, who is struggling with her own marital issues, to help him solve the case. Little did Nora knew that her struggle to adjust her family life and work life is nothing compared to the investigation, which throws her into the face of death.
I won't say that the book is a page turner, but it certainly kept me engaged till the very last page. The book is originally published in Swedish, later translated into English by Marlaine Delargy, an award-winning translator. The writing style of the author is really strong, packed with twists and turns that have enough capability to throws the readers off their edges and at times will elude them from the real motive. The narrative is engaging and free-flowing and the mystery builds up with lots of action and at times with lots of different motives.
The pacing of the book is really fast a the story jumps from one location to another. The setting of the book is a sight for the sore eyes of the readers. The author have projected the picturesque backdrop of Sandhamn islands with vividness, she not only captured the landscape, but also it's people, customs and culture. And her arresting details of this quaint island transported me straight into that location.
The characters, both the main and the supporting ones, are depicted with realism and are quite well-developed. The main characters, Thomas and Nora, both are fighting with their personal issues and loss, thus making them look sympathetic in the eyes of the readers. Thomas is recovering from his divorce and the death of his newborn daughter, whereas Nora, managed to acquire her dream job in a different city, which requires the whole family to shift their base, not only that, her husband does not respect her choices, yet she is sacrificing every other day against her happiness. Thomas, along with Nora's help, tries to solve the case and both of them are equally strong and brave.
The POV shifts from Thomas to Nora, thus letting the readers see through the main characters and to comprehend with their choices and demeanor. In, short, the characters are interesting and the mystery is a bit predictable yet unraveling. Occasional mystery readers will fall for this book, and the seasonal ones will find it brain-twisting but easy to anticipate the murder plot.
Verdict: A riveting Swedish thriller that will take you to the serene and green island of Sandhamn!
Courtesy: Thanks to the author, Viveca Sten, for giving me an opportunity to read and review this book.
----Shannon L. Alder
Viveca Sten, an international best-selling Swedish author, has penned a fast-paced gripping thriller featuring Thomas Andreasson, in her book, Still Waters which is the first book in the Sandhamn Murders series. The story, set in Sandhamn, a small island in the central-peripheral part of the Stockholm Archipelago in central-eastern Sweden, begins with the discovery of a dead body of an outsider washed up ashore, tangled up inside a fishing net, followed by another murder of an outsider. Police detective Thomas Andreasson is trying hard to find the connection between the outsiders and the island, and what drew them to this quaint island town, and he has to figure it out ASAP before the killer strikes again.
Synopsis:
On a hot July morning on Sweden’s idyllic vacation island of Sandhamn, a man takes his dog for a walk and makes a gruesome discovery: a body, tangled in fishing net, has washed ashore.
Police detective Thomas Andreasson is the first to arrive on the scene. Before long, he has identified the deceased as Krister Berggren, a bachelor from the mainland who has been missing for months. All signs point to an accident—until another brutalized corpse is found at the local bed-and-breakfast. But this time it is Berggren’s cousin, whom Thomas interviewed in Stockholm just days before.
As the island’s residents reel from the news, Thomas turns to his childhood friend, local lawyer Nora Linde. Together, they attempt to unravel the riddles left behind by these two mysterious outsiders—while trying to make sense of the difficult twists their own lives have taken since the shared summer days of their youth.
Thomas Andreasson finds himself in a twisted situation, when he could not figure out the connection between the murder of brother-sister duo, who are outsiders on the island of Sandhamn, and the island. Thomas has to come to a conclusion as soon as possible before the killer claims his another victim. With no clear motive or agenda behind these murders, Thomas turns to his childhood friend-cum-lawyer, Nora, who is struggling with her own marital issues, to help him solve the case. Little did Nora knew that her struggle to adjust her family life and work life is nothing compared to the investigation, which throws her into the face of death.
I won't say that the book is a page turner, but it certainly kept me engaged till the very last page. The book is originally published in Swedish, later translated into English by Marlaine Delargy, an award-winning translator. The writing style of the author is really strong, packed with twists and turns that have enough capability to throws the readers off their edges and at times will elude them from the real motive. The narrative is engaging and free-flowing and the mystery builds up with lots of action and at times with lots of different motives.
The pacing of the book is really fast a the story jumps from one location to another. The setting of the book is a sight for the sore eyes of the readers. The author have projected the picturesque backdrop of Sandhamn islands with vividness, she not only captured the landscape, but also it's people, customs and culture. And her arresting details of this quaint island transported me straight into that location.
The characters, both the main and the supporting ones, are depicted with realism and are quite well-developed. The main characters, Thomas and Nora, both are fighting with their personal issues and loss, thus making them look sympathetic in the eyes of the readers. Thomas is recovering from his divorce and the death of his newborn daughter, whereas Nora, managed to acquire her dream job in a different city, which requires the whole family to shift their base, not only that, her husband does not respect her choices, yet she is sacrificing every other day against her happiness. Thomas, along with Nora's help, tries to solve the case and both of them are equally strong and brave.
The POV shifts from Thomas to Nora, thus letting the readers see through the main characters and to comprehend with their choices and demeanor. In, short, the characters are interesting and the mystery is a bit predictable yet unraveling. Occasional mystery readers will fall for this book, and the seasonal ones will find it brain-twisting but easy to anticipate the murder plot.
Verdict: A riveting Swedish thriller that will take you to the serene and green island of Sandhamn!
Courtesy: Thanks to the author, Viveca Sten, for giving me an opportunity to read and review this book.
October 14, 2018
Otra nueva autora escandinava (al menos para mí), muy al estilo de Camilla Läckberg, con una trama que también se asemeja bastante al de la mencionada escritora.
“En aguas tranquilas” quizás no pase a la historia del Nordic Noir, pero reconozco que ha sido una lectura muy interesante. Además, no es escabrosa en los detalles ni desagradable en cuanto a las descripciones, algo a lo que muchos autores del género nos tienen acostumbrados. Con ello quiero decir que es una novela que puede abarcar a una mayor parte de lectores, no deseosos de pasar malos momentos ni noches en vela. Se lee rapidita, la trama es lo suficientemente interesante como para enganchar y, en general, los personajes principales están bien diseñados, especialmente el inspector Andreasson y su amiga Nora.
Como novedad, también destacar que con esta novela no pasaremos frío, ya que está ambientada en la isla de Sandhamn, en el mar Báltico frente a Estocolmo, en plena temporada turística. Un lugar que está muy bien descrito y que te deja con ganas de conocer. Las descripciones de Estocolmo me fueron más familiares, pues no hace mucho que estuve allí. En definitiva, un thriller para las masas, y que me deja con ganas de continuar con la serie, y con Viveca Sten.
“En aguas tranquilas” quizás no pase a la historia del Nordic Noir, pero reconozco que ha sido una lectura muy interesante. Además, no es escabrosa en los detalles ni desagradable en cuanto a las descripciones, algo a lo que muchos autores del género nos tienen acostumbrados. Con ello quiero decir que es una novela que puede abarcar a una mayor parte de lectores, no deseosos de pasar malos momentos ni noches en vela. Se lee rapidita, la trama es lo suficientemente interesante como para enganchar y, en general, los personajes principales están bien diseñados, especialmente el inspector Andreasson y su amiga Nora.
Como novedad, también destacar que con esta novela no pasaremos frío, ya que está ambientada en la isla de Sandhamn, en el mar Báltico frente a Estocolmo, en plena temporada turística. Un lugar que está muy bien descrito y que te deja con ganas de conocer. Las descripciones de Estocolmo me fueron más familiares, pues no hace mucho que estuve allí. En definitiva, un thriller para las masas, y que me deja con ganas de continuar con la serie, y con Viveca Sten.
April 26, 2018
A decent domestic mystery. I liked the mix of a policeman and a lawyer, but I felt like the characters were just starting to develop when the book ended. I'd be willing to continue with the series just to see what happens with their personal lives, but I won't be rushing to get to book #2.
April 27, 2017
Whoa there are EIGHTY books on Goodreads titled "Still Waters." That's not even counting variations such as "Beneath Still Waters" and "By Still Waters," etc.
***
The trite title should've served as warning.
1 star because this disappointed me so much I became angry.
I've been trying to read more books that have been translated into English, running on the theory that a publisher bothered to hire a translator,, it must be really good, cream of the crop. Well. This book proves that rule wrong! This is so trite and plodding. The writing is the sort I expect to find in those old free Silhouette romances.
I hesitate to bash a translated book due to its writing, since of course the translator had a hand in it too, but I believe my complaints go back to the original author's choices, not the translator's. It's possible that the translator is partly responsible for the wooden dialogue, but that's all. The translator didn't choose to have Nora look at herself in the mirror and describe her appearance (including the state of her breasts - what is with this breast obsession? I don't give a crap what her breasts look like! ... I also didn't need to read that the dead woman was naked except for red panties, and her breasts were lying slack - how does that add to the story at all??? It doesn't!). The translator didn't choose to describe Thomas's renovation choices to his cottage (completely new bathroom and a loft bedroom!). The translator didn't choose to go into agonizing detail on Nora's husband's job, hobbies, and habits, and the annoying qualities of his parents. These are all authorial choices.
For example, chapter 35: LOTS of descriptions of Thomas's office furniture (birch), the tea he chooses to make himself (earl grey, with two teaspoons of sugar and a drop of milk) and reflection (again) on how much he misses his ex wife and how horrible it was when his daughter died (which has nothing to do with this mystery), and nothing about what's in the report he reads on Kicki's lab results, just that it complicates things and the prosecutor will need to hear it. How about we hear it??? I'm so tired of this bizarrely coy style -it does not add to the mystery to tell the reader the characters do and see and think things and not describe those things to the reader!
Then, chapter 36, an example of the flat dialogue (which may or may not be the fault of the translator):
I hate Carina and I don't want to hear about the danishes! Who talks like that????
And Nora's job interview (which moved the plot forward in no way whatsoever) blew my mind, because here in the USA it is illegal for a prospective employer to ask you about your spouse or your family situation in general. Maybe it's different in Sweden.
Things that had nothing to do with the plot (spoiler-tagging in case you REALLY don't want to know):
***
The trite title should've served as warning.
1 star because this disappointed me so much I became angry.
I've been trying to read more books that have been translated into English, running on the theory that a publisher bothered to hire a translator,, it must be really good, cream of the crop. Well. This book proves that rule wrong! This is so trite and plodding. The writing is the sort I expect to find in those old free Silhouette romances.
I hesitate to bash a translated book due to its writing, since of course the translator had a hand in it too, but I believe my complaints go back to the original author's choices, not the translator's. It's possible that the translator is partly responsible for the wooden dialogue, but that's all. The translator didn't choose to have Nora look at herself in the mirror and describe her appearance (including the state of her breasts - what is with this breast obsession? I don't give a crap what her breasts look like! ... I also didn't need to read that the dead woman was naked except for red panties, and her breasts were lying slack - how does that add to the story at all??? It doesn't!). The translator didn't choose to describe Thomas's renovation choices to his cottage (completely new bathroom and a loft bedroom!). The translator didn't choose to go into agonizing detail on Nora's husband's job, hobbies, and habits, and the annoying qualities of his parents. These are all authorial choices.
For example, chapter 35: LOTS of descriptions of Thomas's office furniture (birch), the tea he chooses to make himself (earl grey, with two teaspoons of sugar and a drop of milk) and reflection (again) on how much he misses his ex wife and how horrible it was when his daughter died (which has nothing to do with this mystery), and nothing about what's in the report he reads on Kicki's lab results, just that it complicates things and the prosecutor will need to hear it. How about we hear it??? I'm so tired of this bizarrely coy style -it does not add to the mystery to tell the reader the characters do and see and think things and not describe those things to the reader!
Then, chapter 36, an example of the flat dialogue (which may or may not be the fault of the translator):
Carina was next to them with her pen at the ready. Thomas noticed that she was wearing a barrette, but a few strands of hair had escaped. Her pink blouse looked pretty against her tanned skin.
Carina pointed to a plate in the middle of the table. "Help yourself to a cinnamon Danish, Thomas. I passed a bakery on the way in, and I thought a treat might help."
Thomas nodded. "Thanks. Anything that raises the blood sugar and provides energy is welcome."
I hate Carina and I don't want to hear about the danishes! Who talks like that????
And Nora's job interview (which moved the plot forward in no way whatsoever) blew my mind, because here in the USA it is illegal for a prospective employer to ask you about your spouse or your family situation in general. Maybe it's different in Sweden.
Things that had nothing to do with the plot (spoiler-tagging in case you REALLY don't want to know):
May 29, 2018
3.5 ⭐️ (rounded up to 4)
This was book 1 in a Swedish detective series that has recently been translated into English. It happened to be my first Amazon Kindle read, and it wasn’t bad!
The writing reminded me a lot of the 80s detectives shows I watched as a kid - Matlock, Colombo, and Murder, She Wrote (where you mainly root for the main characters and then the actual crime is secondary). It had a wholesomeness to it amidst murder and deception. And it was a casual read that’s great for vacations or right before bed. There was nothing that will keep you up at night (in either fear or anticipation).
I dunno. I guess I crave these kind of books every once in awhile, especially after I read something heavy - like a true story/memoir.
I just started book 2 of the series. So let’s see if it keeps my interest.
This was book 1 in a Swedish detective series that has recently been translated into English. It happened to be my first Amazon Kindle read, and it wasn’t bad!
The writing reminded me a lot of the 80s detectives shows I watched as a kid - Matlock, Colombo, and Murder, She Wrote (where you mainly root for the main characters and then the actual crime is secondary). It had a wholesomeness to it amidst murder and deception. And it was a casual read that’s great for vacations or right before bed. There was nothing that will keep you up at night (in either fear or anticipation).
I dunno. I guess I crave these kind of books every once in awhile, especially after I read something heavy - like a true story/memoir.
I just started book 2 of the series. So let’s see if it keeps my interest.
May 4, 2017
You know that old adage, "the book is always better". This is a case in point. I picked this up because I recently got Hulu, and the TV series based on these books is something I watched. While I enjoyed the series, I thought Nora was dumb and while she didn't deserve to be smacked, her innocence act was over the top because she was kissing the man her husband accused her of crushing on. The television series (at least the 3 seasons that were up on Hulu), seemed to highlight Nora as damsel in distress, and despite claims to having a job, she didn’t seem to do anything. That is not the case in the book.
The book takes place on the famous summering island of Sweden. In other words, it is the Swedish version of Cabot Cove or Midsumer. Nora’s oldest friend, Thomas, is an investigator called into to deal with a found body. Nora’s primary concern in the book isn’t so much the mystery, but the conflicts of working and family, in particular the feeling that her husband does not consider her career in any meaningful way. It actually makes for a nice change. And unlike the series, Nora actually talks to a woman as equals. The ending also works better here.
The book takes place on the famous summering island of Sweden. In other words, it is the Swedish version of Cabot Cove or Midsumer. Nora’s oldest friend, Thomas, is an investigator called into to deal with a found body. Nora’s primary concern in the book isn’t so much the mystery, but the conflicts of working and family, in particular the feeling that her husband does not consider her career in any meaningful way. It actually makes for a nice change. And unlike the series, Nora actually talks to a woman as equals. The ending also works better here.
June 13, 2023
Por entre as maravilhosas descrições do local são-nos dadas a conhecer as personagens principais. A forma como estas são desenvolvidas, naquela pitoresca comunidade de ilhéus (que é geralmente procurada como destino de Verão) levou-me, inevitavelmente, a estabelecer uma comparação entre esta obra, a primeira de uma série, e os livros de uma outra série que têm como cenário a cidade costeira de Fjallbacka, série essa da autoria da escritora sueca Camilla Lackberg,
Agradou-me muito que, à semelhança da série supra-referida, as personagens principais, designadamente Thomas e Nora, apresentem verdadeiros problemas e dilemas reais, sabendo já de antemão que as vidas destes protagonistas irão ter novos desenvolvimentos nos próximos volumes da série. Assim sendo, instalou-se em mim, naturalmente, uma enorme vontade em prosseguir com a leitura dos livros seguintes, uma percepção que relaciono com o desejo de querer conhecer a evolução daquela pequena comunidade.
Assinalo como curioso o facto de a autora não ter criado um casal de protagonistas mas sim duas personagens amigas que colaboram no processo de investigação.
Thomas é o inspector detective da polícia destacado para investigar o caso de um cadáver que deu à costa, enrolado numa rede de pesca já em avançado estado de decomposição. Nora, advogada e amiga de longa data de Thomas, acaba por colaborar com o inspector no esclarecimento do mistério e no apuramento da verdade.
Tal como nos livros de Camilla Lackberg, a investigação policial é tão relevante quanto a vida pessoal dos protagonistas, levando o leitor a identificar-se tanto com os dramas de Thomas e Nora ao ponto de se sentir tão curioso com os seus problemas pessoais, como com o progresso do inquérito criminal.
É ainda de salientar o facto de a descrição dos crimes ser feita numa linguagem polida, fazendo-me recordar, inevitavelmente, os policiais da escola clássica de Agatha Christie. É um estilo que se coaduna na perfeição com a apresentação da maravilhosa ilha de Sandhamn.
A tranquilidade da ilha, os costumes locais e a comunidade fechada, repleta de personagens com segredos foram factores que me fizeram considerar este policial como uma obra indispensável em qualquer estante de literatura escandinava. É um livro que se afigura essencial para aqueles fãs que não dispensam um cosy mystery oriundo da Escandinava, desta feita, isento de neve, pois devo dizer que não é usual ver retratado um clima tão ameno e marítimo nos policiais nórdicos. Recomendo a sua leitura 🤍✨
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 15, 2021
Primer libro de una serie, que para empezar no está nada mal. Un thriller policiaco que se desarrolla en los países nórdicos asique con esa ambientación no puede ser malo.
La historia ocurre en Sandhamm, una isla de Estocolmo, donde muchos veraneantes van a pasar las vacaciones.
La trama comienza con la aparición de un cadáver en la playa, que lleva bastante tiempo, y que de primeras se cree que ha muerto ahogado. Entraran en juego nuestros dos protagonistas, Thomas (inspector de Policía), que será el responsable de llevar el caso, y Nora (abogada), amiga de la infancia de Thomas y que se encuentra en la isla con su familia.
Unos días más tarde aparece otro cadáver y es entonces cuando se comienza la investigación, unos asesinatos que a primera vista parecen fáciles, pero que con el paso de las hojas se iran complicando ya que no existen pistas solidas ni ningún móvil.
Me han gustado mucho los dos personajes principales, están bien construidos y cada uno tienen sus problemas personales, miedos, dudas… si que es verdad que según llegaba el final, descubrí quien estaba detrás de todo, pero es verdad que es una historia muy agil, que desde un principio te tiene enganchada y que se lee en un suspiro.
Además la ambientación es genial, la autora describe perfectamente la isla, tanto es así que hace que te metas de lleno en la historia, y como he podido saber, la autora misma pasaba veranos en esta isla.
Algo que no me ha cuadrado mucho, es la cantidad de detalles policiales que se cuentan entre los personajes, y que yo creo que deberían ser mas confidenciales. Pero en resumen ha sido una historia que me ha gustado y que seguro seguire leyendo sus siguientes libros.
La historia ocurre en Sandhamm, una isla de Estocolmo, donde muchos veraneantes van a pasar las vacaciones.
La trama comienza con la aparición de un cadáver en la playa, que lleva bastante tiempo, y que de primeras se cree que ha muerto ahogado. Entraran en juego nuestros dos protagonistas, Thomas (inspector de Policía), que será el responsable de llevar el caso, y Nora (abogada), amiga de la infancia de Thomas y que se encuentra en la isla con su familia.
Unos días más tarde aparece otro cadáver y es entonces cuando se comienza la investigación, unos asesinatos que a primera vista parecen fáciles, pero que con el paso de las hojas se iran complicando ya que no existen pistas solidas ni ningún móvil.
Me han gustado mucho los dos personajes principales, están bien construidos y cada uno tienen sus problemas personales, miedos, dudas… si que es verdad que según llegaba el final, descubrí quien estaba detrás de todo, pero es verdad que es una historia muy agil, que desde un principio te tiene enganchada y que se lee en un suspiro.
Además la ambientación es genial, la autora describe perfectamente la isla, tanto es así que hace que te metas de lleno en la historia, y como he podido saber, la autora misma pasaba veranos en esta isla.
Algo que no me ha cuadrado mucho, es la cantidad de detalles policiales que se cuentan entre los personajes, y que yo creo que deberían ser mas confidenciales. Pero en resumen ha sido una historia que me ha gustado y que seguro seguire leyendo sus siguientes libros.
September 5, 2017
Three and a half stars
While walking his dog on the island of Sandhamn a man finds a body tangled in a fishing net. Police detective Thomas Andreasson seeks to uncover whether this is an accident, suicide or murder. But then another body turns up. It is the dead man’s cousin. Suddenly, it seems the two deaths are related and there is a murderer on the loose.
One of the other main characters is Nora Linde, married to Henrik and a close friend to Thomas. Both these main characters were well developed although Nora certainly needed to stand up for herself more, especially when it came to her husband. He is a selfish, domineering man with no concern for his wife’s needs. The Swedish island setting is well done.
I wouldn’t call this a fast paced mystery but it was interesting enough for me to want to keep reading and follow the trails the story takes. Towards the end it definitely gets fast paced though and perhaps a little farfetched, I thought. This was my first read by this author and I quite enjoyed it and may look for more in the series.
While walking his dog on the island of Sandhamn a man finds a body tangled in a fishing net. Police detective Thomas Andreasson seeks to uncover whether this is an accident, suicide or murder. But then another body turns up. It is the dead man’s cousin. Suddenly, it seems the two deaths are related and there is a murderer on the loose.
One of the other main characters is Nora Linde, married to Henrik and a close friend to Thomas. Both these main characters were well developed although Nora certainly needed to stand up for herself more, especially when it came to her husband. He is a selfish, domineering man with no concern for his wife’s needs. The Swedish island setting is well done.
I wouldn’t call this a fast paced mystery but it was interesting enough for me to want to keep reading and follow the trails the story takes. Towards the end it definitely gets fast paced though and perhaps a little farfetched, I thought. This was my first read by this author and I quite enjoyed it and may look for more in the series.
July 19, 2015
I should probably start by mentioning I read this book in Swedish, i.e. its original language, and my native tongue. I had seen several movies/TV mini series based on this series of books and enjoyed them very much. Therefore, I knew who the killer was and their motive before I started reading the book. Fortunately for me, I'm horrible at solving mysteries, and my memory is sketchy at best (sorry officer, I can't tell you what I was doing last Wednesday afternoon at 6.05. I can't even tell you what I was doing five minutes before you asked me that question). My inability to figure mysteries out lets me enjoy reading mysteries, as I never find the clues and am always surprised at the outcome. Even when I've read/seen it all before.
One of the quotes on the back of the book state that this debut novel secures Ms. Sten a place among Swedish mystery writers. Well...I've read a few popular authors and I haven't been that impressed. Nor am I particularly impressed by this one. That said, I still enjoyed it and it's a great read for an afternoon on the veranda or at the beach. Personally, I prefer English mysteries. Maybe it's because I mostly read (and write) in English that I find so many faults with my own native tongue, as it is quite limited when it comes to the sheer number of words available.
The chapters are really short. At the beginning, this annoyed me, having heard so much about needing a minimum of 4,000 words per chapter and worked really hard on achieving that myself, but after a while, I saw the appeal. It gave the effect of 'oh, the next chapter is only a few pages, I can read one more before I go to bed'.
I read a review that said the characters weren't drawn well enough, and I don't know if they were. Because I'd seen the movie, I knew the characters already, so I didn't reflect too much on it while reading. In retrospect, though, I'd say they could have used more flesh on their bones. But I often find this lacking in multi-POV stories. It's a style and it takes getting used to.
All in all, it was a good read and I enjoyed it. I've bought the whole series, so I'll read them all. After that, I'll go back to my strict English-speaking 'diet'.
One of the quotes on the back of the book state that this debut novel secures Ms. Sten a place among Swedish mystery writers. Well...I've read a few popular authors and I haven't been that impressed. Nor am I particularly impressed by this one. That said, I still enjoyed it and it's a great read for an afternoon on the veranda or at the beach. Personally, I prefer English mysteries. Maybe it's because I mostly read (and write) in English that I find so many faults with my own native tongue, as it is quite limited when it comes to the sheer number of words available.
The chapters are really short. At the beginning, this annoyed me, having heard so much about needing a minimum of 4,000 words per chapter and worked really hard on achieving that myself, but after a while, I saw the appeal. It gave the effect of 'oh, the next chapter is only a few pages, I can read one more before I go to bed'.
I read a review that said the characters weren't drawn well enough, and I don't know if they were. Because I'd seen the movie, I knew the characters already, so I didn't reflect too much on it while reading. In retrospect, though, I'd say they could have used more flesh on their bones. But I often find this lacking in multi-POV stories. It's a style and it takes getting used to.
All in all, it was a good read and I enjoyed it. I've bought the whole series, so I'll read them all. After that, I'll go back to my strict English-speaking 'diet'.
December 24, 2020
An other Swedish writer I haven't heard of.. I moved from Sweden to the US almost 20 years ago so there are a lot of newer writers I've never heard of.
The plot was good but there were a lot of unnecessary words, describing all kinds of things. There was way too much text about boats and sailing!
In the book it says fishing nets are made of cotton in Sweden. I used to help my dad when he put his nets in. I rowed the boat and he put them in. That was 40-50 years ago and his nets were definitely nylon. Cotton wouldn't hold up long in the water. I don't know when they stopped using cotton nets in Sweden but it must have been a long time ago.
I also reacted to the way Viveca wrote about Nora's diabetes. Nora had taken a larger dose of insulin then she didn't eat for hours. She was able to climb all the stairs in the light house even though her blood sugar was really low. You can't do that! She would have died. When you take fast acting insulin you should eat within 15 minutes. As a former RN I get annoyed when writers don't check out things about medical conditions before they write about them.
I didn't see anything wrong with the translation but at times it didn't really sound right. The woman who read the book drove me crazy though! She butchered and changed most Swedish names and she was reading so fast I turned the speed down at times. I usually like to listen to someone reading a book. This reader sounded like she was trying to read the book as fast as she could at times.
Here are a few names she really messed up, she didn't even read all the letters in the names. Viking Strindberg - she calls him "Strinber". Malmö - became "Mamo". Signe - became Zena. Grönskär - became "Grimsjo". There was a Helge in the book, she calls him Helga, which is a woman's name. Krister - became "Kristor". Johnny - "Janny". Nacka - Naka" I think Tomas, Nora and Henrik were the only names she got right.
I liked the book but I do recommend that you read it. You don't want to listen to it unless you don't mind someone reading really fast.
The plot was good but there were a lot of unnecessary words, describing all kinds of things. There was way too much text about boats and sailing!
In the book it says fishing nets are made of cotton in Sweden. I used to help my dad when he put his nets in. I rowed the boat and he put them in. That was 40-50 years ago and his nets were definitely nylon. Cotton wouldn't hold up long in the water. I don't know when they stopped using cotton nets in Sweden but it must have been a long time ago.
I also reacted to the way Viveca wrote about Nora's diabetes. Nora had taken a larger dose of insulin then she didn't eat for hours. She was able to climb all the stairs in the light house even though her blood sugar was really low. You can't do that! She would have died. When you take fast acting insulin you should eat within 15 minutes. As a former RN I get annoyed when writers don't check out things about medical conditions before they write about them.
I didn't see anything wrong with the translation but at times it didn't really sound right. The woman who read the book drove me crazy though! She butchered and changed most Swedish names and she was reading so fast I turned the speed down at times. I usually like to listen to someone reading a book. This reader sounded like she was trying to read the book as fast as she could at times.
Here are a few names she really messed up, she didn't even read all the letters in the names. Viking Strindberg - she calls him "Strinber". Malmö - became "Mamo". Signe - became Zena. Grönskär - became "Grimsjo". There was a Helge in the book, she calls him Helga, which is a woman's name. Krister - became "Kristor". Johnny - "Janny". Nacka - Naka" I think Tomas, Nora and Henrik were the only names she got right.
I liked the book but I do recommend that you read it. You don't want to listen to it unless you don't mind someone reading really fast.
September 6, 2015
A good detective story that was a Kindle First download, I found this Viveca Sten novel to be long on characterizations (they were excellent and believable) even if a bit short (or somewhat predictable) in terms of plot. I also enjoyed the scenic descriptions -- never having been to Sweden, I felt like the author described the settings so that you could really imagine the seaside towns and the archipelago. I also liked the way all of the questions were answered by the end of the book. Thanks for the opportunity to read it!
March 27, 2018
This was a kindle first selection some time ago that's just been laying there waiting to be read. Most of the kindle first selections are just so-so. This was an exception. A mystery set in Sweden, enjoyable with interesting character backgrounds and subplots. I might even check out the series that is evidently on Hulu!
September 20, 2019
Gostei muito e vai ser uma série que quero acompanhar de certeza.
(opinião completa em breve)
(opinião completa em breve)
November 14, 2020
Policial sueco mediano, que não me acrescentou nada de novo. Apesar de não ser previsível, não achei o caso investigado cativante e misterioso o suficiente para captar o meu envolvimento na história. Capítulos confusos e sem conteúdo em alguns momentos.
Este é o primeiro de 9 livros da saga, sendo o único publicado em Portugal. Honestamente, não tenho interesse em continuar a série. Gostei do inspetor Thomas, mas esperava um pouco mais deste livro.
Tem alguns erros de tradução e várias gralhas, sobretudo nos nomes das personagens, que são trocados ou escritos erradamente repetidas vezes. Este livro merecia uma revisão por parte da Planeta.
Este é o primeiro de 9 livros da saga, sendo o único publicado em Portugal. Honestamente, não tenho interesse em continuar a série. Gostei do inspetor Thomas, mas esperava um pouco mais deste livro.
Tem alguns erros de tradução e várias gralhas, sobretudo nos nomes das personagens, que são trocados ou escritos erradamente repetidas vezes. Este livro merecia uma revisão por parte da Planeta.
April 30, 2025
Хареса ми! Продължавам с втората част от поредицата и се надявам Колибри да продължат да я издават 😌
July 10, 2024
Stille wateren was het debuutboek van Viveca Sten in België. Eerder las ik al Verborgen in de sneeuw van haar en dat beviel me uiterst goed. Ik besloot om me aan de Sandhamn reeks te wagen en heb daar geen seconde spijt van gehad. Stille wateren laat de lezer kennismaken met Nora en Thomas. Zij een juriste, moeder van 2 zoons en getrouwd met Hendrik. Hij, een politieman, gescheiden en recent verloor hij een dochtertje aan wiegendood. Beiden zijn goed bevriend en Viveca Sten zorgt voor een goede uitwerking van beide personages. Het boek draait rond de vondst van een lichaam dat verstrikt geraakt is in een vissersnet. Of het moord, een ongeluk of een natuurlijke dood is, is lang niet duidelijk. Tot een familielid van het slachtoffer ook dood wordt aangetroffen. Vanaf dan schiet het gehele politieapparaat in werking.
Sten laat de lezer kennismaken met Sandhamn en je merkt dat ze met kennis van zaken spreekt. De spanning wordt langzaam opgebouwd, maar nergens begint het verhaal tegen te steken. Ook het privéleven van Nora en Thomas waren voor mij mooie toevoegingen en nergens werd het echt saai. Het verhaal heeft een mooie mix tussen allerhande ingrediënten die ervoor zorgen dat je als lezer geboeid blijft en wilt verder lezen. Stille wateren kent een verrassende ontknoping en doet uitkijken naar het tweede deel. Ik heb alvast genoten van dit boek en was meteen geprikkeld om verder te gaan naar het volgende deel. Voor Stille wateren geef ik graag 4 sterren.
https://elinevandm.wordpress.com/2024...
Sten laat de lezer kennismaken met Sandhamn en je merkt dat ze met kennis van zaken spreekt. De spanning wordt langzaam opgebouwd, maar nergens begint het verhaal tegen te steken. Ook het privéleven van Nora en Thomas waren voor mij mooie toevoegingen en nergens werd het echt saai. Het verhaal heeft een mooie mix tussen allerhande ingrediënten die ervoor zorgen dat je als lezer geboeid blijft en wilt verder lezen. Stille wateren kent een verrassende ontknoping en doet uitkijken naar het tweede deel. Ik heb alvast genoten van dit boek en was meteen geprikkeld om verder te gaan naar het volgende deel. Voor Stille wateren geef ik graag 4 sterren.
https://elinevandm.wordpress.com/2024...
February 4, 2018
Rating 2.4* out of 5. I was going to write a few lines in Swedish about this mediocre murder mystery, but lo' and behold - this has been translated! Perhaps later books in the series will be better. I picked this up fairly reluctantly, but a recommendation together with the constant need of mp3 books sealed the deal. Swedish-Norwegian audio books are in fairly short supply and the English ones are overpriced in addition to being plagued by terrible narrators. So rest assured that I will explore more of Sandhamn.
My main reason with this is believeability. I found it really difficult to suspend disbelief. Scandinavia is one of the safest parts of the world, yet if you believe the crime novels that flourish in this setting, you'd think the opposite. Why on earth would a serial murderer appear on the idyllic shores of a tiny little island in the Stockholm archipelago? They don't normally. Plus, there are tons of books in this series. Maybe the author intends to murder the entire population.
Detective inspector Thomas is sent to his childhood island of Sandhamn to investigate a suspicous death. A body has washed up to shore after being in the water a long time. Thomas hardly has the time to start digging before more bodies turn up, surely connected.
Thomas gets help from his best friend Nora, who is on summer holiday on Sandhamn. Nora has two boys, is married to a succesful medical doctor, a career in banking and a troubled marriage. Nora also has diabetes. Well now, hypoglycemia will surely play a role in the plot I thought, when I first heard this tidbit of information. I hate being right. Somewhere in between the false starts and red herrings I also started suspecting who the real killer was. Check again. The motive eluded me, though it should have been blatantly obvious, there were certainly clues enough.
The story and the plotting did not hold water, but Nora and Thomas are sympathetic characters. Nora's asshole of a husband - absent and narcissistic - will surely get a more thorough beating further along in the series. Thomas and Nora as best friends will also surely crack. At some point the whole family, possibly in turn, will be in mortal danger. The beautiful setting the boats and the beaches and the beautiful people, along with sympathetic main characters, will make me read at least another couple of books in the series. Hopefully the author will develop along the way.
My main reason with this is believeability. I found it really difficult to suspend disbelief. Scandinavia is one of the safest parts of the world, yet if you believe the crime novels that flourish in this setting, you'd think the opposite. Why on earth would a serial murderer appear on the idyllic shores of a tiny little island in the Stockholm archipelago? They don't normally. Plus, there are tons of books in this series. Maybe the author intends to murder the entire population.
Detective inspector Thomas is sent to his childhood island of Sandhamn to investigate a suspicous death. A body has washed up to shore after being in the water a long time. Thomas hardly has the time to start digging before more bodies turn up, surely connected.
Thomas gets help from his best friend Nora, who is on summer holiday on Sandhamn. Nora has two boys, is married to a succesful medical doctor, a career in banking and a troubled marriage. Nora also has diabetes. Well now, hypoglycemia will surely play a role in the plot I thought, when I first heard this tidbit of information. I hate being right. Somewhere in between the false starts and red herrings I also started suspecting who the real killer was. Check again. The motive eluded me, though it should have been blatantly obvious, there were certainly clues enough.
The story and the plotting did not hold water, but Nora and Thomas are sympathetic characters. Nora's asshole of a husband - absent and narcissistic - will surely get a more thorough beating further along in the series. Thomas and Nora as best friends will also surely crack. At some point the whole family, possibly in turn, will be in mortal danger. The beautiful setting the boats and the beaches and the beautiful people, along with sympathetic main characters, will make me read at least another couple of books in the series. Hopefully the author will develop along the way.
March 19, 2018
Η μόδα των καιρών μας επιτάσσει η σύγχρονη αστυνομική λογοτεχνία να περιστρέφεται γύρω από ψυχοπαθείς δολοφόνους που σκοτώνουν κατά συρροήν, από ανθρώπους με έντονα προβληματικό παρελθόν, από τα παιδικά τους κιόλας χρόνια, τους οποίους κυνηγάνε ευφυέστατοι επιθεωρητές που, όμως, βασανίζονται από τους προσωπικούς τους δαίμονες, είναι εθισμένοι σε ουσίες, κάπως αντικοινωνικοί αλλά την ίδια στιγμή εξαιρετικά γοητευτικοί. Αυτό το μοτίβο φαίνεται να προσπαθεί να "σπάσει" η Viveca Sten, που αν και Σκανδιναβή, ακολουθεί μια διαφορετική προσέγγιση, εστιάζοντας περισσότερο στον ανθρώπινο παράγοντα, μέσα από ένα κοινωνικό και ενδοοικογενειακό πρίσμα, θυμίζοντας, κάπως, σε επίπεδο αισθητικής τουλάχιστον, τα νουάρ μιας άλλης εποχής.
Χρησιμοποιώντας ως τόπο δράσης το νησί Σαντχάμν που βρίσκεται στο αρχιπέλαγος της Στοκχόλμης, το μέρος όπου ζει και η ίδια, η Sten ξεκινάει ν' αφηγείται μια ιστορία που φαίνεται να έχει μια αρκετά κοινή εισαγωγή. Ένας άντρας βρίσκεται νεκρός, με το άψυχο σώμα του να έχει ξεβραστεί μπλεγμένο σ' ένα δίχτυ. Η τοπική κοινωνία δεν τον αναγνωρίζει, αλλά σύντομα αποκαλύπτεται η ταυτότητά του, αλλά αυτό που δεν είναι ξεκάθαρο είναι η αιτία του θανάτου του. Οφείλεται, άραγε, σε εγκληματική ενέργεια, πρόκειται για αυτοκτονία ή για ένα φρικτό ατύχημα; Η πεποίθηση πως έχουμε να κάνουμε με δολοφονία ενισχύεται όταν η ξαδέρφη του θύματος βρίσκεται άγρια δολοφονημένη σε μια πανσιόν, γεγονός που δεν φαντάζει και τόσο τυχαίο. Την υπόθεση αναλαμβάνει ο υπαστυνόμος Τόμας Αντρέασσον, που αν και δεν έχει εμπειρία από ανάλογες περιπτώσεις, καλείται να βρε�� τη λύση του μυστηρίου.
Το "Κάτω απ’ τα ήσυχα νερά" είναι το πρώτο βιβλίο της σειράς με γενικό τίτλο "Sandhamn'", που αν και εκδόθηκε το 2008, άσχετα απ' το αν κυκλοφόρησε σχετικά πρόσφατα στη χώρα μας, παρουσιάζει τα δύο πρόσωπα της Σουηδίας, που σήμερα μπορεί να είναι αρκετά ξεκάθαρα, τότε, όμως, όχι και τόσο. Η Sten μέσα απ' την ιστορία της αυτή δεν επιχειρεί να αναπτύξει ένα εξαιρετικά ειδεχθές έγκλημα που έχει τις ρίζες του σε μια διαστροφική μανία, αλλά στα εγκληματικά ένστικτα που μπορούν ν' αναπτυχθούν καθαρά λόγω συνθηκών. Ουσιαστικά, αποτελεί μια κοινωνική κριτική η οποία εξηγεί βήμα προς βήμα για ποιους λόγους μπορεί να οδηγηθεί στο έγκλημα, όχι μόνο κάποιος που έχει εν γένει την τάση προς σ' αυτό, αλλά ο κάθε άνθρωπος, κυριευμένος είτε από εκδικητικά είτα από άπληστα ένστικτα.
Το γεγονός πως η συγγραφέας επιλέγει να περιορίσει τόσο αυστηρά τον τόπο δράσης και εξέλιξης της ιστορίας της, δημιουργεί ένα αποπνικτικό αίσθημα, ενώ παράλληλα επιτυγχάνει να μας κάνει να εστιάσουμε στα πρόσωπα αυτής, είτε φαίνεται να σχετίζονται άμεσα με το έγκλημα είτε όχι. Αυτό μας επιτρέπει, όπως προανέφερα, να έχουμε μια πιο ξεκάθαρη εικόνα της κοινωνίας και το πως αυτή λειτουργεί, ή και ασφυκτιά, κάτω από τις υπάρχουσες συνθήκες που είτε σε καθιστούν έναν ευτυχισμένο είτε έναν δυστυχισμένο άνθρωπο. Δεν υπάρχουν μεσαίες καταστάσεις, παρά μονάχα άκρα, αλλά σε όποιο απ' αυτά κι αν βρίσκεσαι, τίποτα δεν μπορεί να διασφαλίσει την ασφάλεια ή την ευημερία σου, γεγονός που σε προβληματίζει και σε κάνει να αναλογίζεσαι το σήμερα και τις συνθήκες που το καθορίζουν.
Δεν μπορώ να ισχυριστώ πως η πλοκή ρέει αβίαστα, ούτε πως το μυθιστόρημα αυτό χαρακτηρίζεται από έντονες εξελίξεις και ανατροπές που σου κόβουν την ανάσα, πιθανολογώ, όμως, πως η πρόθεση της συγγραφέως δεν ήταν να δημιουργήσει ένα ακόμα κοινότυπο αστυνομικό έργο, αλλά μια κριτική πάνω στη ζωή των Σκανδιναβών στο σήμερα, που δεν είναι και τόσο ρόδινη και ονειρεμένη όσο, ίσως, θέλουμε να πιστεύουμε οι υπόλοιπο Ευρωπαίοι, και όχι μόνο. Σίγουρα προσφέρει τροφή για σκέψη, και προβληματισμό, σίγουρα έχει ένα κάποιο ενδιαφέρον, και ακόμα πιο σίγουρο είναι το γεγονός πως στο μέλλον θ' αναζητήσω κι άλλα έργα της θέλοντας να δω πως θα εξελιχθεί, όχι μόνο η ίδια συγγραφικά, αλλά και οι ήρωές της.
Χρησιμοποιώντας ως τόπο δράσης το νησί Σαντχάμν που βρίσκεται στο αρχιπέλαγος της Στοκχόλμης, το μέρος όπου ζει και η ίδια, η Sten ξεκινάει ν' αφηγείται μια ιστορία που φαίνεται να έχει μια αρκετά κοινή εισαγωγή. Ένας άντρας βρίσκεται νεκρός, με το άψυχο σώμα του να έχει ξεβραστεί μπλεγμένο σ' ένα δίχτυ. Η τοπική κοινωνία δεν τον αναγνωρίζει, αλλά σύντομα αποκαλύπτεται η ταυτότητά του, αλλά αυτό που δεν είναι ξεκάθαρο είναι η αιτία του θανάτου του. Οφείλεται, άραγε, σε εγκληματική ενέργεια, πρόκειται για αυτοκτονία ή για ένα φρικτό ατύχημα; Η πεποίθηση πως έχουμε να κάνουμε με δολοφονία ενισχύεται όταν η ξαδέρφη του θύματος βρίσκεται άγρια δολοφονημένη σε μια πανσιόν, γεγονός που δεν φαντάζει και τόσο τυχαίο. Την υπόθεση αναλαμβάνει ο υπαστυνόμος Τόμας Αντρέασσον, που αν και δεν έχει εμπειρία από ανάλογες περιπτώσεις, καλείται να βρε�� τη λύση του μυστηρίου.
Το "Κάτω απ’ τα ήσυχα νερά" είναι το πρώτο βιβλίο της σειράς με γενικό τίτλο "Sandhamn'", που αν και εκδόθηκε το 2008, άσχετα απ' το αν κυκλοφόρησε σχετικά πρόσφατα στη χώρα μας, παρουσιάζει τα δύο πρόσωπα της Σουηδίας, που σήμερα μπορεί να είναι αρκετά ξεκάθαρα, τότε, όμως, όχι και τόσο. Η Sten μέσα απ' την ιστορία της αυτή δεν επιχειρεί να αναπτύξει ένα εξαιρετικά ειδεχθές έγκλημα που έχει τις ρίζες του σε μια διαστροφική μανία, αλλά στα εγκληματικά ένστικτα που μπορούν ν' αναπτυχθούν καθαρά λόγω συνθηκών. Ουσιαστικά, αποτελεί μια κοινωνική κριτική η οποία εξηγεί βήμα προς βήμα για ποιους λόγους μπορεί να οδηγηθεί στο έγκλημα, όχι μόνο κάποιος που έχει εν γένει την τάση προς σ' αυτό, αλλά ο κάθε άνθρωπος, κυριευμένος είτε από εκδικητικά είτα από άπληστα ένστικτα.
Το γεγονός πως η συγγραφέας επιλέγει να περιορίσει τόσο αυστηρά τον τόπο δράσης και εξέλιξης της ιστορίας της, δημιουργεί ένα αποπνικτικό αίσθημα, ενώ παράλληλα επιτυγχάνει να μας κάνει να εστιάσουμε στα πρόσωπα αυτής, είτε φαίνεται να σχετίζονται άμεσα με το έγκλημα είτε όχι. Αυτό μας επιτρέπει, όπως προανέφερα, να έχουμε μια πιο ξεκάθαρη εικόνα της κοινωνίας και το πως αυτή λειτουργεί, ή και ασφυκτιά, κάτω από τις υπάρχουσες συνθήκες που είτε σε καθιστούν έναν ευτυχισμένο είτε έναν δυστυχισμένο άνθρωπο. Δεν υπάρχουν μεσαίες καταστάσεις, παρά μονάχα άκρα, αλλά σε όποιο απ' αυτά κι αν βρίσκεσαι, τίποτα δεν μπορεί να διασφαλίσει την ασφάλεια ή την ευημερία σου, γεγονός που σε προβληματίζει και σε κάνει να αναλογίζεσαι το σήμερα και τις συνθήκες που το καθορίζουν.
Δεν μπορώ να ισχυριστώ πως η πλοκή ρέει αβίαστα, ούτε πως το μυθιστόρημα αυτό χαρακτηρίζεται από έντονες εξελίξεις και ανατροπές που σου κόβουν την ανάσα, πιθανολογώ, όμως, πως η πρόθεση της συγγραφέως δεν ήταν να δημιουργήσει ένα ακόμα κοινότυπο αστυνομικό έργο, αλλά μια κριτική πάνω στη ζωή των Σκανδιναβών στο σήμερα, που δεν είναι και τόσο ρόδινη και ονειρεμένη όσο, ίσως, θέλουμε να πιστεύουμε οι υπόλοιπο Ευρωπαίοι, και όχι μόνο. Σίγουρα προσφέρει τροφή για σκέψη, και προβληματισμό, σίγουρα έχει ένα κάποιο ενδιαφέρον, και ακόμα πιο σίγουρο είναι το γεγονός πως στο μέλλον θ' αναζητήσω κι άλλα έργα της θέλοντας να δω πως θα εξελιχθεί, όχι μόνο η ίδια συγγραφικά, αλλά και οι ήρωές της.
October 29, 2018
It was boring in the overall. Only in the last 20% it picked up. I loved the descriptions of the island in the first chapters, but at some point I got exhausted of reading description after description of every house, roof, gate, window in the island. It is another example of a novel that would have been a 4 stars if it had only 200 pages.
November 27, 2016
Enjoyed the story.
Slow going story, I enjoyed the location and reading about the lighthouses. Googled and learned more about them. Murders in this small island and relationship between husbands and wives. Who and why the murders was shocking.
Slow going story, I enjoyed the location and reading about the lighthouses. Googled and learned more about them. Murders in this small island and relationship between husbands and wives. Who and why the murders was shocking.
August 27, 2024
Реална оценка 3.5★
Харесах доста! Интересен slow burn трилър с пълнокръвни персонажи.
Има и готин обрат 😏
Харесах доста! Интересен slow burn трилър с пълнокръвни персонажи.
Има и готин обрат 😏
June 11, 2018
2.5 rounded to 2 stars.
This was a Kindle free book. It is translated from Swedish. Thomas and Nora are lifelong friends. Thomas is a policeman; Nora is a lawyer who works for a bank and is married to Henrich and has two kids. Thomas is recently divorced after he and his wife lost their first child and he is just starting to be able to think clearly. There is no romance between Thomas and Nora, they are just good friends. Nora and Henrich spend their summers on Sandhamn Island.
One summer, 3 people turn up dead in a short period of time. By the third death, foul play is very much on everyone's mind. The first two to die were cousins but there is no obvious connection with the third man. The story does not focus solely on the investigation into the deaths. The read is also subjected to a family quarrel between Nora and Heinrich, which is not resolved when the book ends.
I won't be seeking out any of the other books in this series.
This was a Kindle free book. It is translated from Swedish. Thomas and Nora are lifelong friends. Thomas is a policeman; Nora is a lawyer who works for a bank and is married to Henrich and has two kids. Thomas is recently divorced after he and his wife lost their first child and he is just starting to be able to think clearly. There is no romance between Thomas and Nora, they are just good friends. Nora and Henrich spend their summers on Sandhamn Island.
One summer, 3 people turn up dead in a short period of time. By the third death, foul play is very much on everyone's mind. The first two to die were cousins but there is no obvious connection with the third man. The story does not focus solely on the investigation into the deaths. The read is also subjected to a family quarrel between Nora and Heinrich, which is not resolved when the book ends.
I won't be seeking out any of the other books in this series.
September 22, 2015
3.5 stars
It's summer & everyone in Sweden is dying for their annual holiday break. Some literally.
Many will flock to small islands that make up the Stockholm archipelago, eager for long days on the beach. Inspector Thomas Andreasson of the violent crimes unit is impatient to retreat to his cabin on one of the islands. It's been a turbulent year for him personally & he longs to get away from some quiet reflection. Unfortunately, his time there this summer won't exactly be a vacation.
It begins when a body washes up off Sandhamn. And it won't be the last.
Because of his familiarity with the area, Thomas is handed the case & soon finds himself wading through senseless crimes with no apparent connection. There's a frustrating lack of clues & Thomas is under increasing pressure from his boss & frightened residents worried about the effect on tourism.
The one bright spot is his chance to reconnect with childhood friend Nora Linde who lives on the island with her husband & kids. It's not long before she becomes directly involved & begins to help with the investigation.
We are privy to the thoughts & actions of various characters in alternating chapters & know more than Thomas at certain points. As the story progresses the underlying motive for the deaths becomes clear. But a nice little twist near the end may make you rethink what you thought you knew.
This is a well paced police procedural that does a good job of balancing a murder investigation with side stories of the characters' personal lives. Thomas is a smart, likeable guy who uses the job to distract himself from dwelling on the loss of his family.
Peripheral characters include his colleagues, residents of the area & Nora & her family. Through their renewed friendship, Thomas begins to emerge from his solitary existence & take interest in those around him.
It's more in the vein of murder mystery than thriller with well developed characters & solid plotting. Despite its Scandinavian setting, think Agatha Christie instead of Jo Nesbo. This author leaves the gritty stories to others & has turned out an entertaining well crafted book with a sympathetic MC. By the end, it's clear there are some changes in store for several characters & I look forward to picking up the next instalment.
It's summer & everyone in Sweden is dying for their annual holiday break. Some literally.
Many will flock to small islands that make up the Stockholm archipelago, eager for long days on the beach. Inspector Thomas Andreasson of the violent crimes unit is impatient to retreat to his cabin on one of the islands. It's been a turbulent year for him personally & he longs to get away from some quiet reflection. Unfortunately, his time there this summer won't exactly be a vacation.
It begins when a body washes up off Sandhamn. And it won't be the last.
Because of his familiarity with the area, Thomas is handed the case & soon finds himself wading through senseless crimes with no apparent connection. There's a frustrating lack of clues & Thomas is under increasing pressure from his boss & frightened residents worried about the effect on tourism.
The one bright spot is his chance to reconnect with childhood friend Nora Linde who lives on the island with her husband & kids. It's not long before she becomes directly involved & begins to help with the investigation.
We are privy to the thoughts & actions of various characters in alternating chapters & know more than Thomas at certain points. As the story progresses the underlying motive for the deaths becomes clear. But a nice little twist near the end may make you rethink what you thought you knew.
This is a well paced police procedural that does a good job of balancing a murder investigation with side stories of the characters' personal lives. Thomas is a smart, likeable guy who uses the job to distract himself from dwelling on the loss of his family.
Peripheral characters include his colleagues, residents of the area & Nora & her family. Through their renewed friendship, Thomas begins to emerge from his solitary existence & take interest in those around him.
It's more in the vein of murder mystery than thriller with well developed characters & solid plotting. Despite its Scandinavian setting, think Agatha Christie instead of Jo Nesbo. This author leaves the gritty stories to others & has turned out an entertaining well crafted book with a sympathetic MC. By the end, it's clear there are some changes in store for several characters & I look forward to picking up the next instalment.
August 30, 2024
Книгата не беше нищо особено, очаквах много повече. Движеше се мудно, реално не се случваше нищо, нямаше никаква динамика, никакво напрежение, никаква изненада.
Когато на остров Сандхамн е открит труп на непознат мъж, всички мислят, че е станало нещастен случай. В рамките на седмица-две обаче умират още двама човека и вече версията за нещастен случай се пропуква.
Инспектор Томас Андреасон се заема със случаите, но реално не ставаме свидетели на водене на разследването, защото той нищо не правеше. Неговата колежка си излезе в отпуск, а всички разкрития бяха направени от Нура Линде – приятелка на Томас от детинство. Отделно ставаме свидетели на семейните драми на Нура (които така и не стигнаха до развитие и подозирам, че продължават в следващите части), както и на драматичното минало на Томас и неговите лични загуби. Но не успях да се привържа емоционално към героите или да изпитам някаква съпричастност. Беше ми все едно.
Изобщо историята не беше разказана никак увлекателно, нямаше интрига или разследване структурирано по интересен и изненадващ начин.
Когато на остров Сандхамн е открит труп на непознат мъж, всички мислят, че е станало нещастен случай. В рамките на седмица-две обаче умират още двама човека и вече версията за нещастен случай се пропуква.
Инспектор Томас Андреасон се заема със случаите, но реално не ставаме свидетели на водене на разследването, защото той нищо не правеше. Неговата колежка си излезе в отпуск, а всички разкрития бяха направени от Нура Линде – приятелка на Томас от детинство. Отделно ставаме свидетели на семейните драми на Нура (които така и не стигнаха до развитие и подозирам, че продължават в следващите части), както и на драматичното минало на Томас и неговите лични загуби. Но не успях да се привържа емоционално към героите или да изпитам някаква съпричастност. Беше ми все едно.
Изобщо историята не беше разказана никак увлекателно, нямаше интрига или разследване структурирано по интересен и изненадващ начин.
January 16, 2024
Update: 14/01/2024 - 14/01/2024
Mantengo mi comentario anterior. un libro muy ameno de leer con bastante intriga, me ha seguido gustando. tengo planes de continuarla esta vez, así que volví a prepararme con esta relectura para introducirme. bien es sabido el clásico que van abogando los lectores del género, "no es necesario leer el primero porque son independientes"... pero a mí me gusta tener leído en orden tratándose de esto, sea o no, pues tomas parte global de todo. a ver los siguientes.
First reading: 17/06/2018 - 19/06/2018
Fue un libro que terminé en el camino de viaje hacia guadalajara, preparándome para llegar a un congreso que íbamos a tener. Me ha gustado bastante el libro, me agradó la ambientación en que se llevó a cabo la novela, un lugar que en lo personal yo no conocía, el archipiélago de Sandamn. sin duda algo que asusta un poco al imaginar que ahí podían cometerse asesinatos.
es bastante recomendable.
Mantengo mi comentario anterior. un libro muy ameno de leer con bastante intriga, me ha seguido gustando. tengo planes de continuarla esta vez, así que volví a prepararme con esta relectura para introducirme. bien es sabido el clásico que van abogando los lectores del género, "no es necesario leer el primero porque son independientes"... pero a mí me gusta tener leído en orden tratándose de esto, sea o no, pues tomas parte global de todo. a ver los siguientes.
First reading: 17/06/2018 - 19/06/2018
Fue un libro que terminé en el camino de viaje hacia guadalajara, preparándome para llegar a un congreso que íbamos a tener. Me ha gustado bastante el libro, me agradó la ambientación en que se llevó a cabo la novela, un lugar que en lo personal yo no conocía, el archipiélago de Sandamn. sin duda algo que asusta un poco al imaginar que ahí podían cometerse asesinatos.
es bastante recomendable.
August 10, 2018
I found this novel very boring. Deaths were happening, and I found it difficult to care. The narrator Angela Dawe, was about as monotonous as you could possibly think, and only made the audiobook worse, imo. I stopped after the third death, at about most of the way thru chapter 34, and I cannot possibly feel any better by jettisoning this novel to the wayside.
2 stars, if that. Not recommended.
2 stars, if that. Not recommended.
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