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Sandhamn Murders #7
Dans l'ombre du Paradis
Nora Linde, désormais en poste à l'Agence de Lutte contre la Criminalité Financière, profite de ses vacances à Sandhamn avec son compagnon Jonas et leur fille de quatre ans Julia. Mais l'idylle estivale est vite troublée par l'arrivée de Carsten Larsson, un requin de la finance engagé dans des affaires troubles en Russie. Larsson a acheté la belle et grande plage au sud de l'île, et la villa de luxe qu'il y a fait bâtir éveille les rancoeurs des insulaires. Le soir de la pendaison de crémaillère, une partie de la villa prend feu et on découvre un cadavre dans les décombres. Nora Linde n'a d'autre choix que de solliciter son meilleur ami et collaborateur, Thomas Andreasson, pourtant en plein doute après vingt ans de métier. Incapable de lui refuser son aide, Thomas s'attaque à une nouvelle affaire...
421 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 15, 2014
1318 people are currently reading
1952 people want to read
About the author
Viveca Sten
71 books1,104 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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Displaying 1 - 30 of 255 reviews
September 6, 2019
It's always good news when one of my favorite Nordic Noir authors, Viveca Sten, has a book translated (by Marlaine Delargy) into English. Nora is back on the island of Sandhamn, where a wealthy venture capitalist has built a gigantic house which many of the locals consider an eyesore. He decides to throw a party to welcome himself and his family to the community--resentment is brewing, and there is a catastrophic fire and a death. Was the fire set by one of the angry locals, or is it somehow related to his dealings with some shady Russian oligarchs? Recommended for anyone who enjoys a well-plotted mystery, particularly the Nordic Noir genre.
July 4, 2020
I always enjoy the Sandhamn Murders books, and this one, the seventh in the series, is no exception. As usual, it’s a well-plotted mystery populated with well-drawn characters. As a veteran reader of the series, I also feel that I keep learning more and more about Sandhamn Island in the Stockholm archipelago. (I’d like to visit someday, although there do seem to be a lot of murders there for such a small place!)
The story is set in 2013, more than four years after the events in In Harm’s Way, the previous book in the series. Sten has shaken things up a little, as there have been a few changes in the lives of the main characters. Nora Linde has left her bank job to work as a prosecutor with the Economic Crimes Authority. She describes Jonas Sköld as her partner, and they have a daughter, Julia. Detective Inspector Thomas Andreasson has a new police partner, Aram Gorgis, because his former partner, Margit Grankvist, has been promoted. Erik Blom has left the police force for the private sector, and Thomas is tempted to follow him.
The story involves a move to Sandhamn by a wealthy couple, Carsten and Celia Jonsson, and their children. The couple has built a large spectacular house on the shore at Fryudden, which has alienated some of the neighbors who are offended by the Jonssons’ disregard of longstanding local Sandhamn traditions. Soon after they move in, Carsten Jonsson decides to hold a big party with some 140 guests to revel in his success and show off his house. But the party leads to tragedy when the newly built guest lodge on the property is burned to the ground and an unidentified corpse is found inside.
Thomas and Aram and their team have to figure out what happened? An accident? Arson? Murder? Numerous factors make it difficult to untangle the mystery, among them Carsten Jonsson’s arrogance and lack of cooperation, along with reports of threats and harassment against the Jonssons by neighbors. Meanwhile, Nora senses that there’s trouble in the Jonssons’ marriage and she tries to befriend Celia. She is also a resource for Thomas due to both her extensive knowledge of Sandhamn and her legal expertise. This is a nice change from the previous couple of books, in which Nora seemed to have been shunted off to the side a little bit.
I thought that this book started out a little slow, with a lot of exposition as Sten set the scene and introduced the characters (or, in the case of the regulars, re-introduced them and set up the changes in their lives). But the pace picked up about a third of the way through and culminated in an exciting adrenalin rush at the climax. I was kept guessing about the solution to the mystery almost to the end, and I think most other readers will be too.
The story is set in 2013, more than four years after the events in In Harm’s Way, the previous book in the series. Sten has shaken things up a little, as there have been a few changes in the lives of the main characters. Nora Linde has left her bank job to work as a prosecutor with the Economic Crimes Authority. She describes Jonas Sköld as her partner, and they have a daughter, Julia. Detective Inspector Thomas Andreasson has a new police partner, Aram Gorgis, because his former partner, Margit Grankvist, has been promoted. Erik Blom has left the police force for the private sector, and Thomas is tempted to follow him.
The story involves a move to Sandhamn by a wealthy couple, Carsten and Celia Jonsson, and their children. The couple has built a large spectacular house on the shore at Fryudden, which has alienated some of the neighbors who are offended by the Jonssons’ disregard of longstanding local Sandhamn traditions. Soon after they move in, Carsten Jonsson decides to hold a big party with some 140 guests to revel in his success and show off his house. But the party leads to tragedy when the newly built guest lodge on the property is burned to the ground and an unidentified corpse is found inside.
Thomas and Aram and their team have to figure out what happened? An accident? Arson? Murder? Numerous factors make it difficult to untangle the mystery, among them Carsten Jonsson’s arrogance and lack of cooperation, along with reports of threats and harassment against the Jonssons by neighbors. Meanwhile, Nora senses that there’s trouble in the Jonssons’ marriage and she tries to befriend Celia. She is also a resource for Thomas due to both her extensive knowledge of Sandhamn and her legal expertise. This is a nice change from the previous couple of books, in which Nora seemed to have been shunted off to the side a little bit.
I thought that this book started out a little slow, with a lot of exposition as Sten set the scene and introduced the characters (or, in the case of the regulars, re-introduced them and set up the changes in their lives). But the pace picked up about a third of the way through and culminated in an exciting adrenalin rush at the climax. I was kept guessing about the solution to the mystery almost to the end, and I think most other readers will be too.
August 31, 2023
Rating: 4* of five
The Publisher Says: What do the new arrivals on Sandhamn Island have to fear? Their own secrets—in this gripping novel of suspense by the bestselling author of In the Heat of the Moment.
The new summer house on Sandhamn Island is an architectural dream for its owner, Carsten Jonsson. It’s a nightmare for the locals. The venture capitalist has flouted local traditions, property lines, and the natural beauty of the coastline. He’s also too wealthy and arrogant to heed the anonymous warnings to leave.
The threats escalate when his guest lodge is burned to the ground and an unidentifiable corpse is found in the charred ruins. Detective Inspector Thomas Andreasson isn’t sure if it’s murder or a tragic accident. Until his friend attorney Nora Linde is drawn into the investigation.
Nora’s emotional investment in Carsten’s fragile and fearful wife, Celia, is yielding a new level of that the Jonssons are hiding more than anyone can imagine. Now Thomas and Nora must sift through the ashes of a puzzling crime and step into the shadows of a powerful family, whose deadly secrets are coming to light on Sandhamn.
I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA NETGALLEY. THANK YOU.
My Review: This entry in the series is a major shake-up of the Seriesverse. Everything I say now forward is a HUGE SPOILER. You've been warned.
Nora, previously a bank-lawyer, has switched gears and become a public prosecutor in the Economic Crimes investigations unit. This makes a lot of sense as the stories need to include her more organically. Thomas being a police inspector will, quite naturally, need to interact with her more often and on less flimsy pretexts. Given the scumminess of her boss's behavior towards her in the last book, it's a good thing she's left that bank...and even better that she's left banking.
Jonas is, four years after the last book's events, her partner and the father of her first daughter. Take that, Henrik! Of course this means she's got Wilma, Jonas's daughter the teenager, to contend with, though that's a treat for another book as she's entirely absent from this one. As her own two sons with Henrik (in this book, they're vacationing with him) enter their teens...poor lamb, she's really walked into a buzzsaw with this...she's going to face some troubles! Heaven only knows the blended-family issues this presents are fertile, if well-trodden, fictional grounds. They call these tropes "evergreens" for a reason.
On the Thomas end, the Scoobygroup's changed. Margit's been promoted and is no longer his loyal sidekick. Aram, whose foolishness in the last book earned my snorts and eyerolls, is now in Margit's spot. His Iranian ancestry sould let Author Sten do some serious soul-searching about Swedishness. Erik, another Scoobygroup character that I myownself never found interesting, has gone into the private sector and is tempting Thomas to follow him with better pay and easier working conditions. Will Thomas leave the police just as Nora joins them? Stay tuned...not in this book, though.
THIS story, the mystery we're here to watch unfold, is about Carsten Jonsson, a bigfootin' vulture capitalist whose finances are teetering, also with no taste and no class, violating Sandhamn's cultural norms. He builds his family a gigantic McMansion that's aesthetically out of place (shades of book one!) and might be legally questionable regarding property rights...but there's a suspicious fire as he invites the whole island over to "welcome" him and his family...and, of course, there's a dead body in the mix. Thomas must investigate, since it's a murder not an arson case. Nora is involved because a) prosecutor who used to work in banking, 2) longtime Sandhamner thus included in the party invitation, iii) woman whose spidey-senses have gone off at the ménage chez Jonsson because wife-component's behavior is making her very, very edgy. Was the Sandhamn neighbor who's made it his mission to oust Jonsson and family from the neighborhood guilty of setting the fire? Was the dead body killed in the fire, or dead before it? And who, exactly, was it who died?
Nora's change of career makes her involvement in the case so much more logical. It's also good that so much hinges on her banking background, where she was driven off by the shadiness of the banking business's deals with criminals. Here's a victim whose involvement in that shady, not-quite-illegal but clearly immoral world of Russian big money has led to consequences.
Things are resolved, of course, and ugly secrets kept by both the Jonssons are aired. Sandhamn's pretty surface is again revealed to be draped over the usual human ugliness. Thomas does something stupid again, but it made more sense to me this time. Or I'm just getting inured to it....
The themes of environmental change and related business turpitude are, as expected, much to my taste. I've really only got one really big "do what now" moment in this read: WHO THE HELL IS EVA?!
The Publisher Says: What do the new arrivals on Sandhamn Island have to fear? Their own secrets—in this gripping novel of suspense by the bestselling author of In the Heat of the Moment.
The new summer house on Sandhamn Island is an architectural dream for its owner, Carsten Jonsson. It’s a nightmare for the locals. The venture capitalist has flouted local traditions, property lines, and the natural beauty of the coastline. He’s also too wealthy and arrogant to heed the anonymous warnings to leave.
The threats escalate when his guest lodge is burned to the ground and an unidentifiable corpse is found in the charred ruins. Detective Inspector Thomas Andreasson isn’t sure if it’s murder or a tragic accident. Until his friend attorney Nora Linde is drawn into the investigation.
Nora’s emotional investment in Carsten’s fragile and fearful wife, Celia, is yielding a new level of that the Jonssons are hiding more than anyone can imagine. Now Thomas and Nora must sift through the ashes of a puzzling crime and step into the shadows of a powerful family, whose deadly secrets are coming to light on Sandhamn.
I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA NETGALLEY. THANK YOU.
My Review: This entry in the series is a major shake-up of the Seriesverse. Everything I say now forward is a HUGE SPOILER. You've been warned.
Nora, previously a bank-lawyer, has switched gears and become a public prosecutor in the Economic Crimes investigations unit. This makes a lot of sense as the stories need to include her more organically. Thomas being a police inspector will, quite naturally, need to interact with her more often and on less flimsy pretexts. Given the scumminess of her boss's behavior towards her in the last book, it's a good thing she's left that bank...and even better that she's left banking.
Jonas is, four years after the last book's events, her partner and the father of her first daughter. Take that, Henrik! Of course this means she's got Wilma, Jonas's daughter the teenager, to contend with, though that's a treat for another book as she's entirely absent from this one. As her own two sons with Henrik (in this book, they're vacationing with him) enter their teens...poor lamb, she's really walked into a buzzsaw with this...she's going to face some troubles! Heaven only knows the blended-family issues this presents are fertile, if well-trodden, fictional grounds. They call these tropes "evergreens" for a reason.
On the Thomas end, the Scoobygroup's changed. Margit's been promoted and is no longer his loyal sidekick. Aram, whose foolishness in the last book earned my snorts and eyerolls, is now in Margit's spot. His Iranian ancestry sould let Author Sten do some serious soul-searching about Swedishness. Erik, another Scoobygroup character that I myownself never found interesting, has gone into the private sector and is tempting Thomas to follow him with better pay and easier working conditions. Will Thomas leave the police just as Nora joins them? Stay tuned...not in this book, though.
THIS story, the mystery we're here to watch unfold, is about Carsten Jonsson, a bigfootin' vulture capitalist whose finances are teetering, also with no taste and no class, violating Sandhamn's cultural norms. He builds his family a gigantic McMansion that's aesthetically out of place (shades of book one!) and might be legally questionable regarding property rights...but there's a suspicious fire as he invites the whole island over to "welcome" him and his family...and, of course, there's a dead body in the mix. Thomas must investigate, since it's a murder not an arson case. Nora is involved because a) prosecutor who used to work in banking, 2) longtime Sandhamner thus included in the party invitation, iii) woman whose spidey-senses have gone off at the ménage chez Jonsson because wife-component's behavior is making her very, very edgy. Was the Sandhamn neighbor who's made it his mission to oust Jonsson and family from the neighborhood guilty of setting the fire? Was the dead body killed in the fire, or dead before it? And who, exactly, was it who died?
Nora's change of career makes her involvement in the case so much more logical. It's also good that so much hinges on her banking background, where she was driven off by the shadiness of the banking business's deals with criminals. Here's a victim whose involvement in that shady, not-quite-illegal but clearly immoral world of Russian big money has led to consequences.
Things are resolved, of course, and ugly secrets kept by both the Jonssons are aired. Sandhamn's pretty surface is again revealed to be draped over the usual human ugliness. Thomas does something stupid again, but it made more sense to me this time. Or I'm just getting inured to it....
The themes of environmental change and related business turpitude are, as expected, much to my taste. I've really only got one really big "do what now" moment in this read: WHO THE HELL IS EVA?!
September 30, 2019
I've been a sucker for Nordic Noir literature for so long that when I discovered Viveca Sten's "Sandhamn Murders" series a year ago I was sooo excited. I devoured the first six books in the series, and when I saw book 7 on Netgalley I jumped at the chance to read it before publication. This time we meet Thomas and Nora several years after the end of book 6, and I think that was a total success on the part of the author, cause we can see how the main characters have evolved and how they manage their new lives : Nora's new family and work situation, Thomas' midlife crisis trying to decide if he still wants to be a policeman... Several other authors should take note and do the same to their series so they don't stall.
In this instance, the story got off to a slow start till the dead body appears at 40% of the book. It was interesting reading about the Jonsson family dynamics, and how money and a feeling of power can affect you. The tension kept building nicely towards the end making it impossible for me to stop reading.
Once again the author brings to life a wonderful Swedish setting with a cast of characters you can't help to hold dear. Can't wait for the next book in the series!
Thanks to Netgalley and Amazon Crossing for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
In this instance, the story got off to a slow start till the dead body appears at 40% of the book. It was interesting reading about the Jonsson family dynamics, and how money and a feeling of power can affect you. The tension kept building nicely towards the end making it impossible for me to stop reading.
Once again the author brings to life a wonderful Swedish setting with a cast of characters you can't help to hold dear. Can't wait for the next book in the series!
Thanks to Netgalley and Amazon Crossing for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
September 14, 2019
We're given the reason for all the fires and people killed in the first chapter. You only had to know who the people were and the name changes to figure this out. Fat chance in remembering. I like the way Viveca sets us up with this, it happens every book so far. We're given Carsten Jonsson and his wife Celia as the new kids on the block to make the story whole. Carsten is an investment banker who has made investments in Russia in the oil and gas industry. He has built his house before his investment is sound and has invited everyone on the island to come to his house warming. Nora is involved with Celia and the children and with finding the truth about Carsten while Thomas, who's Nora friend is involved with the house fire and the death of a man. Agaton who's Carsten's neighbor has complained and had the local authorities bring things against Carsten. The story basically brings all these things to light and it goes on from there. I haven't talked about other characters but it's important you know all the people to resolve this mystery and to solve it. I like that Viveca lets us get involved with the other characters and she lets us know what happens to them. I would recommend this book to my people who follow my reviews.
November 13, 2023
It was so lovely to revisit Thomas and Nora in the Sandhamn series. It's a series that I haven't seen a lot, on Instagram or Goodreads, but it's so worth the read!
The books are very different each time. This book was more character driven and there wasn't even a crime aspect until 30% into the book.
I did have a hard time getting through, but as the tension builds, so did my reading speed. A great book again by Viveca Sten!
3,5 stars.
The books are very different each time. This book was more character driven and there wasn't even a crime aspect until 30% into the book.
I did have a hard time getting through, but as the tension builds, so did my reading speed. A great book again by Viveca Sten!
3,5 stars.
October 16, 2025
Nora aux commandes. En tous cas un rôle influent pour elle, cela rend la lecture fort agréable car le personnage est attachant.
Le héros central: pas sympathique du tout, lui, un nouveau riche assoiffé de gloire, de pouvoir et surtout d'argent. Qui devient le perturbateur vénéneux de la jolie île de Nora.
Bonne histoire. Une fin toutefois un peu décevante.
Le héros central: pas sympathique du tout, lui, un nouveau riche assoiffé de gloire, de pouvoir et surtout d'argent. Qui devient le perturbateur vénéneux de la jolie île de Nora.
Bonne histoire. Une fin toutefois un peu décevante.
September 24, 2019
Fans have eagerly awaited this next story, the seventh, in the excellent Sandhamn mystery series. Set in the fascinating Stockholm archipelago, the charming island and its culture of Sandhamm are the stars of these mysteries involving lawyer Nora and her childhood friend police detective Thomas. It's really a perfect match of characters, every time.
The story places Nora and Thomas a few years past the last installment. A Swedish expat millionaire is building a summer home on the island for his family, but conflicts start up, both with his neighbors and his job. His financial investment is now involving Russian speculation, and his empire is teetering. Sten brings her legal background into play, as well as maintaining a welcomed domestic feel to the story. Fans have seen Nora and Thomas through their ups and downs with their work, families, children, and spouses in a most realistic way. Issues such as divorce, death, estrangement, sexual harassment, environment, and tradition are subtly addressed, Sten allows her protagonists to have conflicts, doubts, and successes that make this series especially rewarding to readers. And, again, the beautiful Swedish setting and interesting culture are vividly brought to life in Sten's skillful and sensitive writing. Highly recommended! And to the author, please continue this excellent series!
The story places Nora and Thomas a few years past the last installment. A Swedish expat millionaire is building a summer home on the island for his family, but conflicts start up, both with his neighbors and his job. His financial investment is now involving Russian speculation, and his empire is teetering. Sten brings her legal background into play, as well as maintaining a welcomed domestic feel to the story. Fans have seen Nora and Thomas through their ups and downs with their work, families, children, and spouses in a most realistic way. Issues such as divorce, death, estrangement, sexual harassment, environment, and tradition are subtly addressed, Sten allows her protagonists to have conflicts, doubts, and successes that make this series especially rewarding to readers. And, again, the beautiful Swedish setting and interesting culture are vividly brought to life in Sten's skillful and sensitive writing. Highly recommended! And to the author, please continue this excellent series!
December 14, 2019
Amazing read!
I came across this book via Ken, one of my Goodread's friends who highly recommended "In the shadow of power". I liked his review and his thoughts about the book.
As usual in Nordic litterature, the novel starts slowly and the author takes all her time to set up the plot. The context is introduced and described thouroughly.
"In the shadow of power" is brilliantly written, full of suspense and wonderful characters. I hope there is more to come soon from Viveca Sten.
I came across this book via Ken, one of my Goodread's friends who highly recommended "In the shadow of power". I liked his review and his thoughts about the book.
As usual in Nordic litterature, the novel starts slowly and the author takes all her time to set up the plot. The context is introduced and described thouroughly.
"In the shadow of power" is brilliantly written, full of suspense and wonderful characters. I hope there is more to come soon from Viveca Sten.
November 18, 2019
Slow start big finish
Just love this series I look forward to each one. The question is,why? The main characters are very likeable but only partially intertwined. Each main character has his/her own story at some point they intermingled and it works. This particular story built ,ever so slowly which in the end climax with a page turn in g finish, well done.
Just love this series I look forward to each one. The question is,why? The main characters are very likeable but only partially intertwined. Each main character has his/her own story at some point they intermingled and it works. This particular story built ,ever so slowly which in the end climax with a page turn in g finish, well done.
October 8, 2019
Carsten Jonsson builds a huge, showy house on Sandhamm Island, using his money and power to ignore local customs and property lines. After a party he throws to show off his home, a fire is set and a dead body is found that is beyond recognition. Detective Inspector Thomas Andreasson with help from his friend, attorney Nora Linde, must determine if this was deliberate murder or a terrible accident. The dynamics in the Jonsson family, along with Carsten's reputation for shady business dealings, make it difficult to determine suspects and possible motives for the crime.
I have read three of the prior books in this series and liked each one. After reading the first couple of chapters, I quickly became reacquainted with the main characters. I came into the middle of the series, so I think new readers could pick this book up and enjoy it just as much. Sten is a skilled writer and although clues were given, I was surprised when the killer and the motive was ultimately revealed. The book opens with a little boy being bullied at school and I tried to figure out the identity of that unknown boy and how it fit in with the rest of the story, but I guessed incorrectly. Carsten and Celia's story was interesting and heartbreaking and I didn't guess the extent of what Carsten was capable of. His business dealings with Russia were also presented in an interesting way that adds to the story.
The best parts of this series are the beautiful setting, the individual characters of Thomas and Nora, and the close, platonic friendship they share. They are believable characters as they try their best to succeed in their jobs, raise their families, and make a difference in the world. It's refreshing that Thomas and Nora get along so well together and make a great investigative team, but have their own separate romantic lives. Nora has had her ups and downs in the prior books I've read, but things are currently going well for her. Thomas is feeling burned out in his job and is considering making a change. The investigation builds and ends with a dramatic and scary scene that had me on the edge of my seat. Even though the main plot is resolved by the end of the book, both Thomas and Nora have unanswered questions in their lives. While I'm waiting for the next book to come out, I am going to go back and read some of the earlier books in the series that I missed.
I recommend this book and the entire series for readers who enjoy Camilla Lackberg or Leena Lehtolainen.
I received this book from NetGalley through the courtesy of Amazon Crossing. The book was provided to me in exchange for an honest review.
I have read three of the prior books in this series and liked each one. After reading the first couple of chapters, I quickly became reacquainted with the main characters. I came into the middle of the series, so I think new readers could pick this book up and enjoy it just as much. Sten is a skilled writer and although clues were given, I was surprised when the killer and the motive was ultimately revealed. The book opens with a little boy being bullied at school and I tried to figure out the identity of that unknown boy and how it fit in with the rest of the story, but I guessed incorrectly. Carsten and Celia's story was interesting and heartbreaking and I didn't guess the extent of what Carsten was capable of. His business dealings with Russia were also presented in an interesting way that adds to the story.
The best parts of this series are the beautiful setting, the individual characters of Thomas and Nora, and the close, platonic friendship they share. They are believable characters as they try their best to succeed in their jobs, raise their families, and make a difference in the world. It's refreshing that Thomas and Nora get along so well together and make a great investigative team, but have their own separate romantic lives. Nora has had her ups and downs in the prior books I've read, but things are currently going well for her. Thomas is feeling burned out in his job and is considering making a change. The investigation builds and ends with a dramatic and scary scene that had me on the edge of my seat. Even though the main plot is resolved by the end of the book, both Thomas and Nora have unanswered questions in their lives. While I'm waiting for the next book to come out, I am going to go back and read some of the earlier books in the series that I missed.
I recommend this book and the entire series for readers who enjoy Camilla Lackberg or Leena Lehtolainen.
I received this book from NetGalley through the courtesy of Amazon Crossing. The book was provided to me in exchange for an honest review.
November 1, 2019
Set on an island in Sweden the residents are established old hands at island life. They are not happy with the newcomers who have built a monstrosity of a house on this island, ignoring local rules and regulations. There is a feeling of unrest running through the community at the brashness and overpowering aggression of the newcomers but notwithstanding that a house warming party ensures that everyone attends to gawp and look at how the other side lives.
When on the opening day itself a fire breaks out in the guest house adjoining the main house and the charred body of a man is found, it is no longer simply a matter of grumbling neighbours. The police called in no that the owner Carsten has many enemies - he is rude and overbearing even to the police and not co operative at all. Unknown to the islanders Carsten is facing his own demons and is facing financial ruin.
The story develops slowly but it is very apparent that Carsten is heading for a breakdown mentally and with that he will take his family down as well. His wife Celia is not the most loved of people either but the two young children are in danger and the story builds up to a crisis very well. The characters are well rounded and believable and the island is described simply and well.
When on the opening day itself a fire breaks out in the guest house adjoining the main house and the charred body of a man is found, it is no longer simply a matter of grumbling neighbours. The police called in no that the owner Carsten has many enemies - he is rude and overbearing even to the police and not co operative at all. Unknown to the islanders Carsten is facing his own demons and is facing financial ruin.
The story develops slowly but it is very apparent that Carsten is heading for a breakdown mentally and with that he will take his family down as well. His wife Celia is not the most loved of people either but the two young children are in danger and the story builds up to a crisis very well. The characters are well rounded and believable and the island is described simply and well.
February 13, 2021
In this installment, Thomas ponders his future--will he seize an opportunity or remain on the force? A man chooses Sandhamn to build his monstrosity home, infringing upon other people's right-of-ways. When a building which housed his construction workers goes up in flames and a charred corpse turns up in the ashes, the team including Thomas goes in to investigate. No persons matching the victim's description appear missing, but with so many persons apparently withholding information, the situation lacks clarity. Nora, living on Sandhamn, attended the party the night of the fire, but her efforts to befriend the family fail. A newer investigator Aram played a key role in this installment. Margit stayed behind most of the time, only appearing in briefings and at the station. I put my finger on what did not work for me in this story. With the mystery not told from the perspective of a single person, the reader witnesses too much action first-hand. While the reader does not necessarily know the identity of the person committing the crime, more of the story needs to come from the detective or from Nora.
February 2, 2018
Olin jo jossain vaiheessa ihan varma, että tämä tulee olemaan viimeinen Sandhamn-dekkari, mutta onneksi loppuun jäi pari avointa kysymystä, mitkä (jos minulta kysytään) vaativat vastauksen piiiiitkän kirjan muodossa. Joten pleasepleaseplease Viveca Sten, älä lopeta kirjoittamista!
January 16, 2024
Not bad! This series is so good
February 18, 2024
Spannender Krimi! Die Figuren wachsen einem direkt ans Herz.
October 5, 2025
Good next in series
February 21, 2021
Les nouvelles aventures du duo Nora et Thomas. Une intrigue captivante comme toujours. Un plaisir de lire les romans de Viveca Sten
October 22, 2022
Lorsqu'une nouvelle famille s'installe sur l'île et ne respecte pas les coutumes locales, les habitants commencent à grincer des dents...
Ce fut une joie de retrouver Thomas et Nora pour une nouvelle enquête sur l'île de Sandhamn. Le suspens est toujours au rendez-vous et les personnages toujours aussi attachants.
En bref : toujours aussi bien !!
Ce fut une joie de retrouver Thomas et Nora pour une nouvelle enquête sur l'île de Sandhamn. Le suspens est toujours au rendez-vous et les personnages toujours aussi attachants.
En bref : toujours aussi bien !!
February 5, 2025
3.5
Ce tome se lit facilement. On retrouve les deux acolytes nora et Thomas. J'ai trouvé l'intrigue un peu longue à se mettre en place. J'aurai aimé que ça s'accélère plutôt mais Sinon c'était plutôt sympa à lire
Ce tome se lit facilement. On retrouve les deux acolytes nora et Thomas. J'ai trouvé l'intrigue un peu longue à se mettre en place. J'aurai aimé que ça s'accélère plutôt mais Sinon c'était plutôt sympa à lire
October 27, 2019
Reading a new installment of a favorite series is like visiting an old friend, or having a fond family reunion -- and Viveca Sten's Sandhamn books are no exception. Set in the Stockholm archipelago, these books carry a sort of English-village mood: a little bit Old World, and a bit of 21st-Century cosmopolitan vibe, thanks to the proximity of Stockholm by ferry.
Readers who have been with this series from the beginning have grown to love the matchless setting, the loyal friendship between attorney Nora and policeman Thomas, and the culture clash between the traditions of the island-dwellers and the entitlement of the tourists who flood in during the season.
In this outing, a venture capitalist builds an ostentatious summer home on the island, spending obscene amounts of cash and social capital in an effort to impress. He's definitely not a nice guy, so when someone sets a deadly fire on his property, there are plenty of suspects.
Thomas is dispatched from Stockholm to investigate the crime, unaware that his friend Nora was at the party where the fire was set. The two work together again seamlessly, with Nora's civilian status and empathetic personality giving her access to people, places and situations denied to Thomas.
I enjoyed this book, as I have the previous six, but was still startled at a couple of sudden, unexplained references to earlier events and characters (in one case, to a child who had died, without so much as a sentence to clarify. I had a "where did that come from" moment-- and I've read all the books!)
Thanks to NetGalley for an advance readers copy.
Readers who have been with this series from the beginning have grown to love the matchless setting, the loyal friendship between attorney Nora and policeman Thomas, and the culture clash between the traditions of the island-dwellers and the entitlement of the tourists who flood in during the season.
In this outing, a venture capitalist builds an ostentatious summer home on the island, spending obscene amounts of cash and social capital in an effort to impress. He's definitely not a nice guy, so when someone sets a deadly fire on his property, there are plenty of suspects.
Thomas is dispatched from Stockholm to investigate the crime, unaware that his friend Nora was at the party where the fire was set. The two work together again seamlessly, with Nora's civilian status and empathetic personality giving her access to people, places and situations denied to Thomas.
I enjoyed this book, as I have the previous six, but was still startled at a couple of sudden, unexplained references to earlier events and characters (in one case, to a child who had died, without so much as a sentence to clarify. I had a "where did that come from" moment-- and I've read all the books!)
Thanks to NetGalley for an advance readers copy.
July 16, 2021
416 pages
4 and 1 / 2 stars
On a small island just off of Sandhamn, a construction crew is busy working. They come upon a skeleton. Detective Thomas Andreasson and his partner Aram are on the case. Together with the balance of the team, they determine that they have three potential identities: an elderly man, and two women. Astrid is a seventeen-year old and Siri is a married woman a bit older.
Before long, Nora Linde, prosecutor, becomes deeply involved in the case. She can’t seem to help herself. She is obsessed with a criminal who has threatened her and her daughter. She is terrified of this man. She begins to drink - a lot.
The married woman Siri looks good to the police. Her marriage was a shambles and her husband, Petter Grandin, seems to be an awful person. He makes a great suspect. Astrid is working as a waitress and her mother is a drinker and not very caring. Nora believes the body to be that of Astrid.
Nora is investigating on her own and gets herself into much trouble. It’s up to Thomas and Aram to rescue her.
This book is very well written and plotted. I truly enjoyed it. I have read all of Ms. Sten’s novels and have liked them all. I like following the personal lives of the two major characters Thomas and Nora. Ms. Marlaine Delargy did a remarkable job in translating this book as well. I believe she has translated all of Ms. Sten’s books.
I want to thank NetGalley and Amazon Crossing for forwarding to me a copy of this very good book for me to read, enjoy and review. The opinions expressed here are my own.
4 and 1 / 2 stars
On a small island just off of Sandhamn, a construction crew is busy working. They come upon a skeleton. Detective Thomas Andreasson and his partner Aram are on the case. Together with the balance of the team, they determine that they have three potential identities: an elderly man, and two women. Astrid is a seventeen-year old and Siri is a married woman a bit older.
Before long, Nora Linde, prosecutor, becomes deeply involved in the case. She can’t seem to help herself. She is obsessed with a criminal who has threatened her and her daughter. She is terrified of this man. She begins to drink - a lot.
The married woman Siri looks good to the police. Her marriage was a shambles and her husband, Petter Grandin, seems to be an awful person. He makes a great suspect. Astrid is working as a waitress and her mother is a drinker and not very caring. Nora believes the body to be that of Astrid.
Nora is investigating on her own and gets herself into much trouble. It’s up to Thomas and Aram to rescue her.
This book is very well written and plotted. I truly enjoyed it. I have read all of Ms. Sten’s novels and have liked them all. I like following the personal lives of the two major characters Thomas and Nora. Ms. Marlaine Delargy did a remarkable job in translating this book as well. I believe she has translated all of Ms. Sten’s books.
I want to thank NetGalley and Amazon Crossing for forwarding to me a copy of this very good book for me to read, enjoy and review. The opinions expressed here are my own.
March 23, 2016
Det har gått flera år sen förra boken. Nora har ett nytt jobb, vilket inte är så konstigt med tanke på händelserna i förra boken. Hon är fortfarande tillsammans med piloten Jonas och de har fått en dotter tillsammans. Noras tidigare pojkar är tonåringar och är hos sina farföräldrar, de figuerar inte här. Allting är mycket pluttenuttigt.
Polisinspektör Thomas har sin lilla familj som han älskar. Däremot börjar han tröttna på polisyrket och det blir inte bättre av att en tidigare kollega erbjuder honom en tjänst i nåt säkerhetsbolag. Fast han får inte så mycket tid att tänka på saken som han kanske trott.
En ofördraglig riskkapitalist har byggt ett överdimensionerat hus på Sandhamn. Självklart är grannarna rasande. Karsten bryr sig inte, utan bjuder istället in alla som vill komma på en gigantisk midsommarfest. Det hela slutar med ett nerbränt gästhus och ett oidentifierbart lik. Var det bara dålig grannsämja eller är det nåt mer på gång?
Det här är lagom bra, lagom underhållande och det enda som är lite svårt att fatta är att jag bara har en bok kvar i serien nu. Den tror jag att jag ska spara en stund. De första sju har jag lyssnat på i sträck, det måste vara rekord! Jag är långt ifrån uthållen när det gäller serier. Kan nog komma mig igenom, men behöver som regel pauser emellanåt. Så ur den synsvinkeln måste Sandhamn serien ändå vara ganska bra!
Polisinspektör Thomas har sin lilla familj som han älskar. Däremot börjar han tröttna på polisyrket och det blir inte bättre av att en tidigare kollega erbjuder honom en tjänst i nåt säkerhetsbolag. Fast han får inte så mycket tid att tänka på saken som han kanske trott.
En ofördraglig riskkapitalist har byggt ett överdimensionerat hus på Sandhamn. Självklart är grannarna rasande. Karsten bryr sig inte, utan bjuder istället in alla som vill komma på en gigantisk midsommarfest. Det hela slutar med ett nerbränt gästhus och ett oidentifierbart lik. Var det bara dålig grannsämja eller är det nåt mer på gång?
Det här är lagom bra, lagom underhållande och det enda som är lite svårt att fatta är att jag bara har en bok kvar i serien nu. Den tror jag att jag ska spara en stund. De första sju har jag lyssnat på i sträck, det måste vara rekord! Jag är långt ifrån uthållen när det gäller serier. Kan nog komma mig igenom, men behöver som regel pauser emellanåt. Så ur den synsvinkeln måste Sandhamn serien ändå vara ganska bra!
September 7, 2019
Thank you NetGalley and AmazonCrossing for the eARC.
Always looking forward to the new Sandhamn, I was delighted to read no. 7 in the series.
Nora is back on Sandhamn with her partner and their daughter. Her boys are on vacation with their father. It's several years after the 6th in the series and a wealthy Swede is building an enormous mansion on the island and a lot of the population is unhappy because he's not adhering to the standards of the island, due to the size of of the house and its closeness to the water. He's expecting to close a deal with a Russian conglomerate and to float a company on the New York stock exchange. Things don't go to plan and after he has thrown himself a lavish welcome party his guesthouse is burned to the ground killing an unknown man, this after other nasty incidents which show how unhappy anonymous people are with his project. Are these acts committed by locale or is it the Russians trying to thwart his business plans? He's looking at losing everything and losing his mind at the same time and his family is suffering at his hands.
Thomas and his police partner are trying to untangle the mess, with some help from his good friend Nora.
As usual, I enjoyed the book and can't wait for no. 8!
Always looking forward to the new Sandhamn, I was delighted to read no. 7 in the series.
Nora is back on Sandhamn with her partner and their daughter. Her boys are on vacation with their father. It's several years after the 6th in the series and a wealthy Swede is building an enormous mansion on the island and a lot of the population is unhappy because he's not adhering to the standards of the island, due to the size of of the house and its closeness to the water. He's expecting to close a deal with a Russian conglomerate and to float a company on the New York stock exchange. Things don't go to plan and after he has thrown himself a lavish welcome party his guesthouse is burned to the ground killing an unknown man, this after other nasty incidents which show how unhappy anonymous people are with his project. Are these acts committed by locale or is it the Russians trying to thwart his business plans? He's looking at losing everything and losing his mind at the same time and his family is suffering at his hands.
Thomas and his police partner are trying to untangle the mess, with some help from his good friend Nora.
As usual, I enjoyed the book and can't wait for no. 8!
October 16, 2022
I efterordet kallar Viveca detta för boken som inte ville bli skriven. Och jag får nog säga att då tänker jag att den skulle kanske inte blivit skriven. Eller i alla fall inte utgiven. Den klart sämsta boken i Sandhamn-serien så här långt. Det händer väldigt lite i boken. Karaktärerna är ovanligt ytliga. Alltför mycket är alltför förutsägbart. Det är ju ganska illa när största spänningsmomentet är om polis-Thomas kommer att byta jobb eller inte.
Jag hoppas detta bara var en tillfällig svarta och att det återstående böckerna i serien håller högre klass då jag ändå tycker om att läsa Viveca Sten.
Jag hoppas detta bara var en tillfällig svarta och att det återstående böckerna i serien håller högre klass då jag ändå tycker om att läsa Viveca Sten.
December 19, 2019
I really enjoy the mix of police procedural and amateur sleuth in the Sandhamm books. It's interesting to get both perspectives as police inspector Thomas collects all the facts, and his best friend Nora Linde, a banker and now a bank investigator, provides her personal insights based on her knowledge of the island and its people.
It's Scandinavian but not noir, which makes it unique in the market. And though sometimes it takes too long to get to the case, the relationships are fascinating.
It's Scandinavian but not noir, which makes it unique in the market. And though sometimes it takes too long to get to the case, the relationships are fascinating.
July 28, 2022
Ha un buon ritmo questo "Giallo-Svezia". Ha delle atmosfere simili a Camilla Lackberg e la modalità già vista di "segnare" i capitoli con data e ora. Non ci sono stati problemi a cominciare la lettura dal settimo capitolo della serie. Niente di strabiliante nell'indagine ma nell'insieme gradevole. 4 stelle forse troppe ma di incoraggiamento in attesa di leggere altri capitoli della serie.
December 9, 2019
well, I wasn't sure at all where this one was going. But entirely worth the read. Current mysteries always worth it when it involves Russians. And big money. And totally alienating neighbors on small islands.
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