contract

Joona Linna #2

by Lars Kepler

Als de zus van een jonge vredesactiviste is vermoord op een plezierjacht in de haven van Stockholm en de dag erna een inspecteur-generaal die gaat over de Zweedse wapenexport dood aan een vleeshaak in het plafond van zijn flat is gevonden, is er veel werk aan de winkel voor commissaris Joona Linna van de rijksrecherche in Stockholm. Als daarna ook nog een tiener met opzet wreed wordt verbrand, kan Joona met een foto een verband leggen tussen de moorden en ontdekt dat die in verband staan met internationale wapensmokkel. Tweede thriller over Joona Linna van het Zweedse echtpaar dat samen dit pseudoniem gebruikt. Hun debuut ‘Hypnose’ was een internationale bestseller. Heel energiek vertellen ze in ruim 110 korte hoofdstukken een actueel verhaal dat spannend blijft door een hecht plot, veel actie, aandacht voor de psychologische ontwikkeling van de hoofdpersonen en een bloedstollende ontknoping.
Drs. Madelon de Swart

Genres: Thriller, Crime, Mystery, Fiction, Audiobook, Mystery Thriller, Nordic Noir

520 pages, Paperback

First published July 1, 2010

About the author

Lars Kepler is the pseudonym of critically acclaimed husband and wife team Alexander Ahndoril and Alexandra Coelho Ahndoril, authors of the No. 1 internationally bestselling Joona Linna series. With seven installments to date, the series has sold 13 million copies in 40 languages. The Ahndorils were both established writers before they adopted the pen name Lars Kepler, and have each published several acclaimed novels.

Reviews

[Jayson · Rating 3 out of 5]

(B+) 77% | Good
Notes: As before, the dust jacket hook is incidental and fleeting, purely a gateway and device to a less compelling main plot.

[Lalaluya · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a message regarding Stef's review, which sadly is the first review and has five likes. Firstly, Penelope (the girl in the first 21, not 30, pages) is not the protagonist, that point of view was merely to give an insight on the character, character depth if you will. If Stef had continued reading she would've realised that Joona Linna was the actual protagonist. Secondly it is quite disparaging how she gives it one star because of merely twenty one pages in comparison to the whole book, a nice and even 500. Lastly, if she had bothered to read the info flap or the info blurb on the back, she would've realised that Joona Linna--once again-- is the main character, not Penelope.
For those who are in a mid crossing, wondering if they should read this book or not, yes it is true that Joona Linna doesn't appear until page 28 (along with Penelope, there are other people's pov's too), but it is like that for a reason. A novel before publication has been read over at least 50 times, there are reasons for pov's being stuck at the front or what not. In this case the novel doesn't begin in Linna's pov because it is supposed to give an idea, some background knowledge on some of the important characters of the novel, an introduction, as a beginning should be. The novel quickly picks up and continues along at a fast pace from then on out. There will be parts where you wonder to yourself, "Is this really of any relevance to the plot what so ever?" Then you read on and, as every better-than-good novel should be, the mystery unravels and you understand as to why things were the way they were.
Point is: read the blurbs, give the story a chance, have faith and continue, etc.

[Chelsea Humphrey · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think I did myself a disservice by reading The Sandman before starting this series from the beginning. Clearly this is no one's fault but my own, and truly is just personal preference, but I will say that it wasn't anything to do with the quality of writing or the translation that had me give a middle of the road rating. I had the privilege of picking up the updated translation, and I'm told it is a massive improvement from the original english translation done, although I haven't read both to give you any specific examples of this. I think for me, Sandman was SO incredible that it was hard to back-peddle into the early stages of the series where the building of characters and growth of writing takes place. I enjoyed this one though, and definitely am looking forward to continuing the series, although I may try to jump back in with book 5 as that's where my interest seems to be for the moment, and eventually come back to book 3 after I catch up.

*I received a review copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

[Kaceey · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5🌟
Book two of the Nordic thriller series Joona Linna.

An afternoon of pleasure boating now finds Penelope Fernandez and her boyfriend Bjorn running for their lives. But why?

Not far away, a prominent man is discovered dead in his home. At first glance it appears to be a suicide, but Detective inspector Joona Linna is certain there’s something more of a diabolic nature at play here.

And if he can link these two events together, maybe he can stop a killer in their tracks.

I enjoyed the murder aspect of the book (not sure what that says about me!)🙃. But then it veered too far off course on a political angle which isn't a favorite of mine to read about in my fiction books.

I love Joona Linna’s character. Tough as nails with a softer side. I’m hoping we get to explore more of what makes him tick in later books. This is a great series and I'm already library waiting for book three The Fire Witness (audio version.) If you enjoy Nordic crime fiction, don’t miss out! This series is for you!

The narration provided by Mark Bramhall was entertaining, but noticed the narrator will change as the series progresses. I’m not one for change💁🏻‍♀️. So we shall see…

[Luís · Rating 3 out of 5]

A Swedish pacifist activist goes on a boat trip with her fiance and her younger sister, but she is coldly murdered by a hitman who then pursues the couple for several hours. At the same time, the police find a hanged business person and classify the death as suicide. What if the two tragedies were linked? It is a bloody thriller with twists and turns, the literary construction of which is sometimes embarrassing (repetition of elements from the previous chapter, succession of short chapters.). The main characters are tortured more or less, and some puzzles remain about the hero, Joona, who regularly visits the cemetery and is the spectator of a mysterious wedding crown. Classical music lovers will be amazed by the constant references to operas and musical instruments. It is an exciting novel, if only for the discovery of the Swedish police.

[Carol · Rating 2 out of 5]

This 500 page book could have been at least 200 pages shorter. The main story about people involved in arms deals, was surrounded by several unnecessary side stories. I enjoyed the previous Lars Keplar book, The Hypnotist. This one was difficult to get into and a disappointment.

[Yigal Zur · Rating 4 out of 5]

started reading and immediately i recognized that i read it few years back before writing reviews. so in short very good thriller, great plot. swedish writers love the conflicts between big conglomerates and the individual, between corrupt and moral.

[Vaso · Rating 4 out of 5]

Πάει καιρός από όταν διάβασα τον Υπνωτιστή και είχα σχεδόν ξεχάσει τη γραφή του Lars Kepler. Το συμβόλαιο του Παγκανίνι, ξεκινάει γρήγορα, με αρκετούς εμπλεκόμενους, είτε πρόσωπα είτε δολοφονίες, που σε κρατά σε εγρήγορση καθόλη τη διάρκεια της ανάγνωσης. Από τη στιγμή που ανακαλύπτεται το πτώμα της Βιόλας, μαθαίνουμε για την αυτοκτονία του Παλμκρόνα και στη συνέχεια παρακολουθούμε με κομμένη την ανάσα,την προσπάθεια της Πενέλοπε να αποφύγει το διώκτη της και να παραμείνει ζωντανή. Νέα πρόσωπα, φαινομενικά άσχετα εμπλέκονται σταδιακά στην ιστορία και το κουβάρι περιπλέκεται ακόμη περισσότερο. Ο καταιγιστικός ρυθμός κρατάει το ενδιαφέρον αμείωτο.
Το συστήνω ανεπιφύλακτα!!!!

[Matt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kepler returns with another sadistic thriller, placing Detective Inspector Joona Linna in a place of greater prominence. What do a woman found drowned on the dock of a pleasure ship left adrift and a man left hanging in his barren apartment have in common? Leave it to Linna to find the link and vow to bring the killer(s) to justice. Working with the rest of the National Criminal Investigation Division, Linna links his investigation with Saga Bauer from the Säpo's Security division (presumably part of the Swedish police hierarchy) as they try to track down the killer and determine who else might be in danger. Through much investigation and some trying analysis, Linna and Bauer piece together that a photograph might be behind both deaths. Someone is working to ensure the backstory behind it does not become public, using a hit-man to exact revenge, taking police officers down in numerous bloodbaths. What secrets does this photograph hold and how are those depicted therein facing the possibility of their worst nightmare coming true? Kepler pulls the reader into this story, complete with political and social undertones, sure to keep the pages turning well into the night.

After Kepler's debut novel, I was not sure what role Joona Linna would play in the series. He played but a strong secondary role in THE HYPNOTIST, but has moved to the forefront, with a more dominant role in this story. While Kepler does keep Linna as a central character, the story develops a second character's backstory in a thorough and compelling manner, as was the case in the series' opening book. Kepler also introduces some wonderful background story for Linna that fleshes out his character, specifically his migraine issue and continually strained relationship with his girlfriend, Disa. Will these recur in subsequent novels and how might Kepler spin them effectively into the larger story? Attentive and eager readers will have to tune in and hope that the thrills and continued backstory return.

Kudos, Lars Kepler for another thriller that drips with suspense, drama, and a portion of criminal intrigue.

[Ruth · Rating 4 out of 5]

3,5 Sterne (= gut, solide, herausfordernd)
Sarah Sophie picked my SuB 1/4 💪🏻

Heijeijeiii. Das hat mich aber Zeit gekostet! Ich mag Joona als Ermittler weiterhin sehr, diesmal war der Fall ziemlich politisch (Waffenexporte) und reichte über Schwedens Grenzen hinaus. Teilweise richtig actionreich, gut als Film vorstellbar. Insgesamt einfach sehr lang. Ganz gutes Ende und nach dem Ende MEGA Ausblick auf das weitere Geschehen um Joona.

[Morana Mazor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Prvo Hipnotizer, pa sad ovo...Kepler (tj. bračni par Ahndoril) definitivno zauzima visoko mjesto na mojoj listi pisaca trilera. Odlična priča, ovaj puta ulazi u sam vrh švedske politike (izvoz oružja), napeta radnja; zaista s iščekivanjem okrećeš stranice i pratiš razvoj događaja... I još jedan (potpuno subjektivan) detalj zbog kojeg mi je ova knjiga izvrsna, je to što se tijekom cijele knjige provlači muzika, a od muzike najčešće, moj omiljeni David Bowie ... Tako da sam nekoliko puta, tijekom, čitanja, imala muzičku pratnju budući da se navode stihovi određenih,a meni jako dragih, pjesama koje, jedan od likova, sluša tijekom nekih događanja.. E s tim su me osvojili do kraja! Bravo!!

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was my first read of Lars Kepler the husband & wife team set in Sweden i enjoyed it at the beginning but toward the end was a little drawn out had unnecessary dialogue which could have been settled in half the book, but that is just my opinion.

I enjoyed the character of Joona Linna thought he was strong & did his job well i have the Hypnotist on my kindle just hope that one is not as dragged out at this one was.

[Kirsten · Rating 2 out of 5]

They say this is better than the first. It is not. Remnants of a plot that could have been excellent, but sloppy execution. And yet I endorse the idea befind it all, the description of an arms trade with life threatening repercussions for everyone involved and a developing country with a destabilizing civil war, so what a shame that there is too much action and too little literary achievement.

[BAM doesn’t answer to her real name]

On hold
I’m not finding this very interesting

[kenzimone · Rating 1 out of 5]

I made it approximately thirty pages into this one, and I just... can't. I can't read any more.

The whole thing reads like a mediocre self-insert fanfiction, and the protagonist is the most hateful one I've ever come across; the first chapter describes a televised debate between a peace activist and a weapons manufacturer, with the manufacturer pwning the activist quite severely, and I was really amused until horrendous realization began to dawn and I understood exactly which one of the two was the main character. ...Let's just say I was rooting for the 'wrong' team.

Normally this wouldn't be a problem, seeing as I'm the kind of person who cheers on the Dark Side in just about everything (why are villains so much more layered?), but this MC is so self righteous and one dimensional that she makes me want to kill myself.

There should be a giant warning label on the cover - 'Warning: Mary Sue peace activist protagonist' or something - because if I'd known that I would never have bothered picking the book up.

[Vaida Book lover❤️ · Rating 5 out of 5]

,,Jis įsiskverbia į tamsiausias jūsų mintis ir tada paverčia jas realybe"
Koks didžiausias tavo noras.. Tačiau yra ir kita svarstyklių pusė, kiekvienas noras turi didžiausia košmarą.. Ir jis būtinai išsipildys, jei sulaužysi Paganinio kontraktą.. Kuriam neturi įtakos net ir tavo mirtis..
Knyga seniau turėjusi pavadinimą Paganinio kontraktas, kuris mano galva tinkamesnis. Bet tai netrukdo rašytojams sukurti dar vieno įstabaus kūrinio, nesvarbu, kad kai kurias detales ganėtinai anksti galima nuspėti, tai negadina skaitymo malonumo... Knyga neleidžia atsitraukti, visos detalės susietos, nieko nei per daug nei per mažai..
Velnio kontraktas, kuris neleis niekam išbristi sausam. Nerekomenduojama silpnų nervų skaitovams, bet mėgstantiems įtempto siužeto knygas, tikrai patiks🙏📚🔥
Na o aš jau susitaikiau, kad negaliu atsiplėšti nuo šios serijos knygų..

[Gary · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the 2nd book in the Joona Linna series by the husband and wife writers that publish under the name Lars Kepler. I have read most of the books in this series and found them to be of a consistently high standard. This one is up there with the others and is an excellent addition to the series, a good plot and well paced with excellent characters.
A young woman is found drifting around the coast, her lungs are full of water but there are no other signs of water in her abandoned boat or even on her clothing. The following day another death is detected when a man is found hanging from a lamp hook in the ceiling of his Stockholm apartment. These two deaths appear to be either accidental or suicides but something focuses the attention of Inspector Linna who has different ideas and feels that the death appears to be an execution.
I would like to thank both Net Galley and Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

[Carole · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Nightmare, a dark Swedish murder mystery, is the second installment with Detective Inspector Joona Linna. The author, Lars Kepler, is actually the married couple Alexander Ahndoril and Alexandra Coelho Ahndoril. Joona Linna is tasked with investigating two puzzling incidents: one of a drowned woman found in her dry clothing alone on a boat and also the apparent suicide of a man found hanging in his apartment. It soon becomes apparent that the two are linked. With the help of Swedish Security Police Detective Saga Bauer, the pair set about solving the mysteries as it becomes clear that a psychopath involved in arms sales is the key. As the investigation reveals, others are also in danger of being killed by this cruel man. This is an edge-of-your-seat thriller. I look forward to reading more in the series. Thank you to Knopf Doubleday Publishing, NetGalley and Lars Kepler for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Fátima Linhares · Rating 4 out of 5]

Este sim, muito melhor que o Hipnotista!

Apesar de já ter lido este livro há muitos anos já não me lembrava de nada, exceto do acontecimento que está retratado na capa, que por sinal é bem horrorosa. Tive de colar um post it para conseguir pousar livro com o título para cima!

Fora a capa, a história é muito boa. Temos vários acontecimentos que à partida parecem não ter qualquer relação mas que o comissário Joona Lina consegue unir com a ajuda da ninfa Saga Bauer.

A ação é constante, estão sempre a acontecer coisas, e desenrola-se lestamente, mantendo-nos colados à história.

Só não gostei dos capítulos com o parvalhão do apresentador que no final teve o que merecia.

[Deb Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

Joona Linna is one intense and dogged police detective, determined to see an investigation through to its conclusion. Linna's case closure rate is perfect, but as with many other law enforcement professionals that dedicated to the job, his professional accomplishments come at some cost to his personal life.

A well-crafted story, perhaps overly long in the telling, but worth the read to its conclusion.

[Christa · Rating 2 out of 5]

No where near as good as The Hypnotist. Disappointing. :(

[Richard · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second book in a developing series based around hard hitting cop Joona Linna. Basically it is one long thrilling experience from the first page. Reminiscent of a James Bond movie this is a novel on a really large scale with not a page wasted as this writing duo take you on a journey of threat, brutal chases and hand to hand conflict. It has action throughout balanced by involved characterisation. It is a mystery you will enjoy reading and a story that will captivate you based around shady business practices and ultimate power. Brilliant set pieces, chases, stake-outs, manhunts and a dramatic climax at sea interwoven by tight dialogue and interspersed with people you care about.
I like the story construction although basically linear and in chronological order it is enhanced with back story and memories, that never loses focus. The plot isn't straight forward and spoon fed to the reader but engages you completely and in no time at all you are half way through the book.
The real joy about finishing this novel is that book 3 is available and Joona Linna is such a complex character that I long to read and learn more and the journey has only just begun.

[Cat · Rating 3 out of 5]

Afinal não tardou muito para que voltasse Lars Kepler e ao seu Joona Linna. E ainda o li em dois dias...

Ainda não posso dizer que Linna tenha conseguido garantir um lugar no meu coração, ao contrário de umas quantas personagens femininas que o rodeiam, mas admito que me agrada sempre o livro que se leia bem, que não seja chato.

E 'chato' não é um adjetivo que se aplique a este livro, carregado de cenas de acção. Ao contrário d'O Hipnotista, que tinha umas partes um bocado arrastadas, n'O Executor não há partes passíveis de serem consideradas aborrecidas.

A história começa com um homicídio e um aparente suicídio, ambos bem intrigantes, e desenrola-se para uma trama carregada de acção, como escrevi anteriormente, que envolve tráfico de armas para países africanos, corrupção e Paganini.

Não achei este livro tão negro como o anterior, embora tenha cenas muito violentas, descritas com elevado pormenor. Continua ali a roçar o macabro, com os maus a serem mesmo maus, mas, talvez por ter temas diferentes dos do primeiro livro, não me tenha parecido tão assustador. (Atenção, que isto foi só o que eu achei. Outra pessoa poderá achar este livro mais assustador.)

No entanto, apesar de me ter parecido ligeiramente melhor que o anterior, Lars Kepler e o seu comissário não me conseguem convencer na totalidade. Para começar, o que é que Linna tem de tão especial? O homem é do mais teimoso que há, quer sempre levar a dele avante, chega a ser irritante. E é verdade que ele acerta praticamente sempre, mas isso também acaba por irritar. Joona Linna ganharia mais simpatia da minha parte se os autores não pretendessem que ele fosse perfeito. Porque não é. Assim, só ganha alguns pontos simpáticos da minha parte porque o homem sofre de enxaquecas e eu já passei por momentos desagradáveis à conta dessas dores de cabeça do demónio. Além disso, Linna toma Topiramato, medicamento que eu própria tomei durante uma fase em que a mais pequena coisa me provocava enxaquecas.

Depois, gostava que alguém me explicasse o que raios se passa com os diálogos nestes livros? São o pavor. Parece-me que falta ali qualquer coisa, que as personagens disseram algo que não aparece, já que muitas respostas em conversas entre as diversas personagens parecem cair do céu, são abruptas e fazem com que a conversa fique sem muito sentido. Personagens a gritar, passadas da cabeça, sem motivo aparente, também fazem a sua aparição (Saga Bauer, esta é para ti). Pensamos sempre que os suecos devem ser umas pessoas muito calmas e compostas; nos livros de Lars Kepler o único calmo e composto é mesmo o comissário Joona Linna. De resto é tudo uma cambada de stressados com os quais não consigo sentir qualquer tipo de ligação.

Enfim, já sei que brevemente irei ler o próximo desta série (já o tenho cá em casa; quem me empresta estes livros é a minha mãe) e espero que comecem as explicações das indicações ao passado de Linna que aparecem no final do livro. Confesso que me deixaram intrigada.

[Cris · Rating 3 out of 5]

Infelizmente este livro não me encheu as medidas. Gosto bastante do Joona Lina, e gostei da personagem Saga Bauer, no entanto não consegui ter empatia por nenhuma das restantes personagens.
Os capítulos curtos ajudaram na leitura, mas existem demasiadas partes chatas e arrastadas no livro. Não trazem nada de novo à história e fizeram-me perder algum interesse.
O tema principal também não é dos meus favoritos, no entanto isso é apenas um gosto pessoal.
Gostei das cenas de acção embora considere que têm bastante exagero 🙂
Dos livros que já li desta dupla, este foi o que menos gostei até agora.

[Todd Simpson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, what a fantastic story. After reading the first book in this series ‘The Hypnotist’ and being blown away by how good it was, I was keen to read this second book. I wasn’t disappointed, as both Authors have done an amazing job in writing non-stop and unpredictable story. I love Joona Linna as the main character, he stands out from the other detectives with his unique ability in seeing thing that the others can’t. His fighting skills and self-defence are another stand out in each book.
Joona Linna from the National Crime Unit isn’t used to being attacked and coming off second best. However, that’s exactly what happens when he starts to look into a recent murder and comes into contact with the man responsible. The way in which Joona was attacked certainly indicated to him that he was dealing with a professional, and he was lucky to come out of it in one piece. Not that Joona is meant to be investigating this murder and the disappearance of Penelope Fernandez and her boyfriend Bjorn Almskog. Even though his boss wants him at the academy, Joona gets the feeling that this murder is a lot bigger than everyone else believes it is, and he’s not about to walk away from it. Then of course there is the other matter of promising Penelope’s mother that he would find her daughter. From start to finish this is an exceptional story, with an interesting and entertaining plot. Easily worth the 5/5 Star Rating.

[K. · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've seen this book sitting on the shelf at work over the course of the past year, and every time I've seen it, I've thought "..........why does a high school library have a book that looks that creepy?" So when I noticed it AGAIN this past week, I figured I should probably read it and decide whether or not it's something that we need in the collection.

I had pretty high hopes going into this one. I'm in the mood for thrillers, and Scandinavian crime novels usually deliver. But there was just something about the writing style here that felt...incredibly stilted? The chapters are often quite short. The dialogue is abrupt. There are too many perspectives and by the end of the book, I STILL had no idea who half the characters were.

The main character is almost always referred to by his first name and his surname, and that just seemed weird to me?? Like, sure, call him Joona Linna when he's introducing himself. But to then have the character he's talking to say "So, Joona Linna, what do you think happened here? Joona Linna, we need to call an ambulance. Joona Linna, do you think your Finnish background will help you solve the case?" was just...bizarre.

That said, any of the sections that dealt with people on the run from the hitman were...surprisingly action packed and compelling. It was just the police investigation side of things that was a let down.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

MUCH better than the first book! The plot was linear and cohesive; you felt like you were in the same story from the beginning to end. The addition of Saga Bauer is a great character, and there were some open-ended things (like did Peter not re-load the gun on purpose?)that left you hanging and wondering about the balance of things at the end of the book. The chapters are short and tight and this is a good thriller.

The downside for me is still that Joona Linna isn't that interesting a character. We are introduced to some kind of medical problem he has (headaches?), though the authors are vague. And the relationship between him and Disa, which wasn't very compelling anyway, has somehow disintegrated between the first novel and the second, but we're not really told why. While I'm curious about what she has to tell them, it's too long an arc to hold my interest and I really can't see what Disa and Joona would have been doing together to begin with.

Based on this, I will tune in for the 3rd installment.

[Ana · Rating 3 out of 5]

Que penosa esta leitura.
Li “O Hipnotista” e o “Stalker”, foram leituras rápidas e cheias de suspense e quando comecei a ler este livro pensei que o registo fosse o mesmo. “O Executor” até começou bem, mas o enredo foi perdendo ritmo e no final, dei por mim, a ler na diagonal e a passar à frente. Estava farta do livro e de todas as incongruências.

[Anto M. · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5
Non siamo ai livelli de "L'ipnotista" ma, la coppia svedese, ancora una volta è all'altezza della situazione. Un ottimo thriller.

[Tobias Grey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Me ha parecido mejor libro que el primero de la serie. Sin embargo, creo que a pesar de partir de una idea muy buena, falta trabajar los personajes y detalles de la trama.