Motive X

Fabian Risk #4

by Stefan Ahnhem

Fabian Risk våker over datteren Matilda som ligger i koma på sykehuset i Helsingborg, mens et brutalt drap på en ung syrisk flyktning kaster byens kriminalpoliti ut i en komplisert sak med rasistiske fortegn. 
Men ingenting er fullt så enkelt som det virker i første omgang, og når flere nye drap skjer, havner etterforskergruppen i en stadig mer hektisk jakt på flere gjerningsmenn. Til slutt må Fabian gå i tjeneste igjen, selv om han helst ville viet seg til familien.

Dette er den fjerde lydboken om Fabian Risk.

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

608 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 2018

About the author

”As a kid, I never dreamt of being a writer. Putting letters in the right order to form words did not come easily to me. In school, while the rest of my class had Swedish lessons, a strange-smelling lady would pull me out of the classroom to play with wooden blocks painted with colourful letters.

For as long as I can remember, however, I have been a passionate storyteller. Growing up as an only child undoubtedly sparked my creativity, and all the hours spent playing by myself fed my vivid imagination. My grandfather’s rocking chair was a marvellous spacecraft able to transport me to all the planets in the universe. And the world map that my teacher stubbornly refused to pull down revealed precisely where the secret treasure was buried.

From that time on, the stories kept coming to me, as if from an inexhaustible source. But it wasn’t until I reached adulthood that I finally abandoned a future in physics and mathematics and realised that I had to pursue my true calling."

Stefan Ahnhem lives in Stockholm and is an established screenwriter. He has worked in both TV and film, with everything from comedy to thriller and with original ideas as well as adaptations. He also serves on the board of the Swedish Writers Guild. Victim Without a Face is his first novel.

Reviews

[Paromjit · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is Stefan Ahnem's fourth book in the Fabian Risk series, a Scandi-Noir set primarily in Sweden, but additionally in Denmark. This addition requires the reader to at least be familiar with the previous novel, 18 Below, because the repercussions of what happened there are writ large here. Fabian Risk's family is barely holding together, Sonja's plans to leave him for a new partner have disintegrated, so she is back home. His son, Theodor, is not moving from his bedroom, depressed, and not being honest about his part in events that have led to an upcoming trial in Denmark for 4 other young people. His daughter, Matilda, is in hospital having thankfully survived previous horrors, but she is not herself, refusing to call Fabian dad, and certain that someone in the family will die, courtesy of her experiences of seances. In addition, Fabian is off work to recover after what happened to him, but he is consumed with the 'suicide' of his colleague and friend, Hugo Elvin, which he suspects is murder.

Hugo had been secretly investigating a experienced member of their police team, Fabian thinks Hugo must have come across information that threatened their corrupt colleague. Despite being afraid, Fabian is determined to get to the truth. In Denmark, the despicable Kim Sleizer, Dunja Hougaard's boss, is intent on destroying her, and is stalking her through illegal surveillance activities. However, Dunja has disappeared, and there is no trace of any of her activities, something which should be impossible, leaving him a worried man. In a narrative with multiple plotlines, there is no single thread that dominates and drives the story. Helsingborg police is being lead by Astrid, a woman with alcohol problems that she is seeking to address, this results in Klippen being left in charge as the body count rises. An 11 year old Syrian boy goes missing, there are fatal arson attacks targeting refugees in a deadly Swedish political climate where the far right and Nazi elements are running rampant, and a woman is left terrorised and afraid in her own flat. If that was not enough, there is a disturbed serial killer with a fondness for dice, whose motives are difficult to discern.

There is so much drama in this latest tense and compulsive novel from Ahnhem that it can feel a little overwhelming trying to keep up with all the different threads. It also finishes on what is not my favourite way for a book to end, with the cliffhanger. However, despite all this, I really enjoyed reading this, it was gripping, intense and entertaining. It fulfills its purpose in making me want to read the next book as soon as I can get my hands on it. Many thanks to Head of Zeus for an ARC.

[Simona Stoica · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dacă Stefan Ahnhem se întoarce în România, o să merg cu Motivul X la el și o să-l întreb De ce?. De ce a încheiat un thriller cu TREI cliffhangers + o ghicitoare pentru cititor? Simt că trebuie să recitesc primele trei romane: poate că mi-a scăpat ceva. Dacă nici măcar colegii lui Fabian nu știu de ce li se pare familiar un nume, eu ce să mai spun? Am crezut că e o anagramă, apoi am transformat literele în cifre & numere, sperând să existe o legătură cu codurile găsite de Risk în sertarul „magic”, însă nu am reușit decât să mă întristez și să rămân cu și mai multe întrebări.

Când credeam că autorul nu poate să fie mai macabru de atât, îi reunește în Motivul X pe pedofili, naziști și xenofobi: o combinație letală. Aproape că am pierdut șirul firelor narative, deși am citit romanul în două zile. E un page-turner minunat de captivant, macabru, brutal și violent, așa cum ne-a obișnuit Ahnhem, însă, nu pot să nu mă întreb: oare pe fiecare stradă din Helsingborg se ascunde un criminal?

Câteva cazuri rămân nerezolvate, iar ultima replică nu poate decât să te enerveze. Am tot sperat că există un epilog, un capitol-surpriză din al 5-lea roman, după ce am anchetat trei cazuri în paralel și am fost implicată într-un joc fascinant de-a șoarecele și pisica, dar autorul te abandonează în punctul culminant și te sfătuiește să ai răbdare. Cum? Cum să am răbdare când unul din personajele mele preferate refuză să-mi spună unde se află?

P.S.: Familia lui Risk mi-a frânt inima. De mai multe ori. Mi-au plăcut enorm de mult discuțiile tată-fiu: unele au fost explozive, altele s-au transformat în monologuri – un tată disperat să-și salveze fiul și un băiat hotărât să se autodistrugă, dar, la final, cred că toți au luat decizia potrivită. Să sperăm că Ahnhem o să descopere semnificația cuvântului „milă” în X Ways to Die.

[Elena Papadopol · Rating 3 out of 5]

Aproape 3,5 stelute 😊

Actiunea a fost mult mai dinamica fata de volumul anterior. Atentia cade mai mult pe cazurile investigate si, din fericire, mai putin pe viata personala a lui Fabian Risk. Ce nu mi-a placut nici de aceasta data este prezenta Gretei - personal, nu ii vad rostul in poveste.
Finalul m-a convins sa citesc si urmatorul volum imediat 😀.

[Tanja Berg · Rating 1 out of 5]

Kan oppsummeras med "one hot mess". Den här boken har allt för många spår. Det är tärningskastar-mördaren, det är Molander, det är rättegång på Smiley ligan i Danmark och korrupt polis där. Dessutom avslutas INGENTING utan boken slutar med cliff hanger och "fortsättning följer hösten 2019". WTF!? Om jag inte suttit i bilen och lyssnat utan istället haft boken för handen hade den först blivit slängd i väggen och sedan bränd.

[Kristina Dauksiene · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nebėra besitaškančių kraujų ir smegenų, daugiau svorio Risko vidiniams pasirinkimams, dvejonėms, vis dar įsiterpiantys kolegų veiksmai vykdant tyrimus ir jų gyvenimų atplaišos...Nuoširdžiai- per ilga...o tuo pačiu atsiimu paburnojimus dėl tempo ir žiaurybių ( vis issprūsdavo prieš tai skaitytose serijose)- kažkaip šioje serijoje to pritrūkau.

[Eline Van Der Meulen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Motief X van Stefan Ahnhem is deel 4 van de Fabian Risk serie. Eerder las ik de voorgaande drie delen ook al, hoewel dat toch al enige tijd geleden is. Deze keer krijgt Fabian Risk niet enkel op het werk te maken met een lastige zaak, ook privé verloopt alles behalve soepel. Op werkgebied worden er meerdere mensen dood aangetroffen en lijkt het motief lukraak te zijn. Een connectie tussen de slachtoffers is zo goed als onbestaande, maar wat dan juist de drijfveer van de dader is, is voor iedereen een raadsel. Kortom, het is zoeken naar een speld in een hooiberg. Privé dan worstelt Fabian nog steeds met zijn zoon die iets lijkt te verbergen voor hem. Ook zijn echtgenote Sonia lijkt zaken achter te houden na haar eerdere escapades. Fabian is dus begrijpelijk af en toe wel eens het noorden kwijt door al deze problemen. Motief X was alleszins een stuk beter dan de voorganger 18 graden onder nul dat ik maar een matige score van 3 sterren gaf. Dit vierde deel zit goed in elkaar, maar is wel een dikke pil om doorheen te komen. Niet alleen qua dikte, maar ook de thema’s zijn zwaar. Het verhaal loopt overigens nog door in het vijfde deel X manieren om te sterven. Dat boek las ik meteen na dit vierde deel zodat alles nog fris in mijn hoofd zat. Voor motief X geef ik 4 sterren.
https://elinevandm.wordpress.com/2023...

[Dimitris Passas (TapTheLine) · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the fourth installment in the Fabian Risk series, written by the Swedish author Stefan Ahnhem, and while being thoroughly entertaining, it doesn't add something new and innovative to the form and structure of the previous three novels. There is a high level of suspense in some parts, a great example is the first few pages of the book, and the plot keeps the reader fully engaged till the very end.
This is a complex story which is narrated by multiple points of view, a trope reminiscent of Jo Nesbo's Harry Hole series, and it has a great number of parallel sub-plots, some of them concerning the fate of the characters that were introduced in the prior books, while others concern Fabian's family life which seems to be constantly on turmoil. In my opinion the most interesting one is about Fabian's investigation on the suspicious suicide of his friend and colleague, Hugo Elvin, and the subsequent cat-and -mouse game with the lead forensic technician of his team, Ingvar Molander who seems likely to have committed a number of gruesome crimes, while working in the police for the last few decades. There is also a follow-up regarding Dunja's clash with her ex-boss, Kim Sleizner and we also have the chance to see where Fabian's teenage son, Theodor, character deals with the traumatic events of the third book in the series, titled ''Eighteen Below''.
The main problem with ''Motive X'' is that it lacks a central storyline in which the emphasis will be given, while instead the reader has to follow a great number of sub-stories which are not interconnected, and as a result he becomes a bit confused concerning the story's center of gravity. I can even claim that some sub-lots are are more interesting and engaging than what is considered as the ''central story'' of this crime/thriller. The main villain is not convincing and cannot extract the appropriate emotional responses from the readers who always demand a powerful antagonist in order to keep the story moving forward.
I think that Stefan Ahnhem should take a break from the Fabian Risk series and try something new, perhaps a standalone crime novel, where he could experiment with innovative literary tropes in order to earn a reputation that will be tantamount to the giants of the Swedish, and Scandinavian in general, crime fiction.

[Cathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don’t read a lot of crime thrillers, especially those involving serial killers and gruesome murders (unless they’re set in a historical time period). However,  you don’t need to be an expert in the genre to recognise an author who’s a master in the art of creating a gripping and skilfully plotted story. Such is the case with Motive X by Stefan Ahnhem, translated by Agnes Broome.

Motive X is the fourth in the series (if you count the prequel, The Ninth Grave) featuring Swedish police detective, Fabian Risk. I haven’t read any of the previous books in the series and, while Motive X can be read as a standalone, it appears to pick up almost seamlessly from the end of the previous book, Eighteen Below. (More on that subject later.) In addition, there are frequent references to events in that book and its predecessor, Victim Without A Face, so for those inclined to read the whole series, I’d say it’s essential to  start from the beginning otherwise you’re likely to feel as if you’ve come into the cinema part way through a movie.

In Motive X, private and professional lives overlap and collide as the investigations being conducted by Risk and his colleagues tip over into personal missions to expose wrongdoing. Of course, with that comes danger, possibly from unexpected directions. After all, investigating crime is a risky business. (Sorry, couldn’t resist that pun.)

The book weaves together multiple story lines and the short chapters create a feeling of pace throughout. The author is also adept at crafting a compelling last sentence of a chapter before switching the focus to a different story line, leaving the reader in a state of suspense. Throw in a serial killer whose next move may literally depend on nothing more than chance and you have a book that kept this reader turning the pages right to the end. Ah, the end. Well, you know what I said earlier about the book picking up seamlessly from its predecessor? So don’t expect everything to be neatly wrapped up at the end of this one.

Motive X sheds a light on an unexpectedly dark side of Swedish society: racism, anti-immigrant sentiment, far right extremism, Islamophobia and paedophilia.  At just under 560 pages, Motive X is a book to get your teeth into but which will more than repay the time investment. It’s a dark, enjoyably complex and gripping read.

[Dana-Adriana B. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cum ne-a obisnuit, seria Fabian Risk, actiunea se petrece pe mai multe planuri. Cum era de asteptat crimele sunt oribile, dar echipa, chiar in minus cu 2 initial (Astrid si Fabian) incearca sa faca fata provocarilor.
In prima jumatate a cartii Irene este personajul principal.
Sfatsitul este exact cum ma asteptam, cu multe semne de intrebare.

[Liviu Szoke · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mai degrabă o notă de 3.5 stele, dar rotunjesc la patru pentru modul în care a izbutit să mă țină în priză de la un capăt la altul, împiedicându-mă să las cartea din mână chiar și la o oră înaintată din noapte.
Așadar:
- un băiețel sirian este ucis în mod brutal, la originea acestei crime de neînțeles aflându-se o bandă de rasiști, xenofobi și naziști extremiști de care se pare că e plină zona în care se petrece acțiunea romanelor lui Stefan Ahnhem;
- sediul Democraților Suediei, un partid ultranaționalist ce colcăie de elemente nocive menționate în paragraful anterior, este atacat și incendiat, pentru ca, la scurt timp, o tabără de refugiați să fie atacată și incendiată într-un mod asemănător, trei persoane pierzându-și viața în acel atac;
- o femeie se trezește cu bretonul tăiat, după ce cineva îi făcuse o poză cu propriul ei telefon în timp ce dormea; partea aceasta de intrigă mi s-a părut extrem de interesantă și de bine alcătuită, cu toate că autorul cam uită câteva sute de pagini de ea, la fel cum se întâmplă și cu uciderea băiețelului în mașina de spălat;
- naziștii din preajma Helsingborgului și a orașului Bjuv, vecin cu Helsinborgul, devin mai agresivi ca oricând, luând-o la țintă pe Irene Lilja, membră a echipei din care mai fac parte Astrid, Invgar, Lilljan și Fabian Risk;
- tot Irene Lilja pune ochii pe un tip dubios după ce e atacat băiețelul sirian și îl urmărește prin tot orașul, pierzându-i urma într-un final; însă acesta pare cea mai solidă pistă a lor pentru elucidarea uciderii băiatului; numai că autorul nu se mulțumește doar cu asta și transformă acea pistă în urmărirea unui.... hai, puneți mâna și citiți cartea;
- Fabian Risk e în concediu, după ce, la finalul volumului precedent, Matilda, fiica sa de treisprezece ani, a fost împușcată în burtă; acum fata își revine și se întoarce acasă, numai că e complet schimbată; însă Fabian Risk se află acum pe urmele unui alt ucigaș cu sânge rece extrem de viclean, care știe la perfecție cum să-și ascundă toate urmele;
- iar autorul preferă să se concentreze mai ales asupra acestui caz, uitând adesea de celelalte fire narative, prea multe, în opinia mea, pentru a fi tratate cum trebuie;
- zarurile decid care va fi următoarea victimă pentru cel mai năstrușnic criminal care putea fi născocit de mintea unui autor de romane cu criminali;
Per ansamblu, romanul de față mi-a lăsat impresia că ar fi doar prima parte a unui diptic mult mai amplu, al cărui final îl vom afla abia după ce vom termina de citit și următorul volum, „X feluri de-a muri”, la fel cum a procedat Stieg Larsson cu volumele doi și trei ale seriei „Millennium”, cele care alcătuiesc de fapt un singur volum lung de vreo 1500 de pagini; aici vor fi doar vreo 1200, asta dacă nu se hotărăște autorul să ne lase cu ochii în soare și la finalul volumului 5; sper că nu.

Stefan Ahnhem știe să scrie, să țeasă intrigi complexe, să inventeze criminali ingenioși și grețoși, să-și chinuie personajele în cele mai neobișnuite feluri, îmbrăcându-le cu straturi peste straturi de caracteristici, punându-le în fața unor dileme și greutăți aparent insurmontabile, în încercarea de-a le oferi greutate și complexitate; chestia aceasta îi reușește, zic eu, de cele mai multe ori.
Dacă ar încerca să mai relaxeze un pic intrigile, sau să nu mai înghesuie atât de multe cazuri între copertele unui singur volum, fie el și lung de șase de pagini, poate că ar deveni nițel mai credibil.
Dar cărțile sale se citesc pe nerăsuflate și sunt exact ce trebuie atunci când cauți să citești ceva care să nu îți pună neuronii pe bigudiuri.
Mai multe, pe Biblioteca lui Liviu: https://wp.me/pz4D9-3zi.

[Helene Fosse · Rating 4 out of 5]

WHAT THE FUCK WAS THAT ENDING

[Χρύσα Βασιλείου · Rating 3 out of 5]

3,5/5 αστεράκια.

Το «Κίνητρο Χ» είναι το τέταρτο βιβλίο του Stefan Ahnhem με ήρωα τον αστυνομικό Φάμπιαν Ρισκ και τους συναδέλφους του στο αστυνομικό τμήμα του Χέλσινμποργκ.

Η αστυνομία έρχεται αντιμέτωπη με ταυτόχρονα, φαινομενικά ασύνδετα μεταξύ τους εγκλήματα, που όμως απαιτούν όλη την ενεργητικότητα του Ρισκ και της υπόλοιπης ομάδας: Ένα εντεκάχρονο αγόρι από τη Συρία βρίσκει φρικτό θάνατο στο υπόγειο της πολυκατοικίας όπου διαμένει. Ένας καταυλισμός προσφύγων γίνεται στόχος βανδαλισμών. Άνθρωποι που δεν έχουν τίποτα κοινό μεταξύ τους βρίσκουν τραγικό θάνατο, χωρίς να υπάρχει κανένα εμφανές κίνητρο. Η ξενοφοβία προς τους μετανάστες οδηγεί στην άνθιση ενός ακροδεξιού εθνικιστικού κόμματος, που δείχνει να εμπλέκεται στις πράξεις βίας κατά των μεταναστών. Η αστυνομία προσπαθεί να διαχειριστεί όπως μπορεί τα πολλαπλά μέτωπα, όμως η κατάσταση είναι έκρυθμη και η ένταση συνεχώς αυξάνεται.
Την ίδια στιγμή, ο Φάμπιαν Ρισκ βρίσκεται σε άδεια, αφού η κόρη του μόλις έχει αναρρώσει από τον σοβαρό τραυματισμό της, και υποτίθεται πως περνάει τον χρόνο του προσπαθώντας να επιλύσει τα προβλήματα με την οικογένειά του. Όμως, δεν κάνει μονάχα αυτό· είναι αποφασισμένος να αποκαλύψει το σκοτεινό πρόσωπο του συνεργάτη του, Ίνκβαρ Μολάντερ, και να αποδείξει πως αυτός ευθύνεται για περισσότερους από έναν θανάτους που συνέβησαν στο παρελθόν. Η έρευνα αυτή έχει γίνει κάτι περισσότερο από προσωπικό στοίχημα για τον Ρισκ: πρέπει να αποδοθεί δικαιοσύνη και ο πραγματικός ένοχος να πληρώσει για τα εγκλήματά του. Την ίδια στιγμή, η σχέση του με τη γυναίκα του βαδίζει σε ασταθές έδαφος, ενώ με τα παιδιά του φαίνεται να είναι σε εντελώς οριακό σημείο.
Προσωπικά και επαγγελματικά προβλήματα, διλήμματα, φόβοι, διχασμοί και αμφιβολίες στοιχειώνουν τα μέλη της ομάδας, ενώ ένας μυστηριώδης άντρας νιώθει κυρίαρχος του παιχνιδιού, βασίζοντας όλες τις επόμενες κινήσεις του σε ένα περίεργο ζάρι. Τα ερωτήματα πολλά: Ποιος είναι αυτός ο άντρας; Ποιος είναι ο δολοφόνος που ευθύνεται για τους θανάτους στην πόλη του Χέλσινμποργκ; Είναι άραγε ένας ή περισσότεροι; Όλη αυτή η έκρηξη βίας υποκινείται από ρατσιστικά κίνητρα ή από κάτι άλλο; Ο Ρισκ και η ομάδα του καλούνται όχι μόνο να βρουν τις απαντήσεις και τους ενόχους, αλλά και να διατηρήσουν την ενότητά τους, ώστε να χαθεί εντελώς ο έλεγχος…

Από το πρώτο κιόλας βιβλίο του, ο Ahnhem έχει στήσει μια περίπλοκη υπόθεση, που αποκαλύπτεται με αρκετή φειδώ, κομμάτι-κομμάτι, σε κάθε νέο βιβλίο. Ταυτόχρονα, κάθε φορά τροφοδοτείται και από τις υπόλοιπες εξελίξεις. Υπάρχουν, δηλαδή, ορισμένα σκοτεινά κομμάτια που «ταλαιπωρούν» τους ήρωες, αλλά και τους αναγνώστες, μέχρι και σήμερα. Δύο από αυτά είναι η ταυτότητα του μυστηριώδους άντρα με το ζάρι και η κρυφή, «εγκληματική» ζωή του Ίνκβαρ Μολάντερ. Έχοντας φτάσει στο τέταρτο κατά σειρά βιβλίο όπου οι εξελίξεις αφορούν αυτά τα θέματα, χωρίς καμία ουσιαστική πρόοδο στη δράση, φαίνεται πως όλο αυτό κάπου αρχίζει να κουράζει. Ιδιαίτερα αν αναλογιστεί κανείς πως κάθε φορά ο συγγραφέας επιλέγει να τελειώνει το βιβλίο του σε κρίσιμο σημείο -σε μια κορύφωση, σε μια ανατροπή, σε μια αναπάντεχη εξέλιξη- και πάντα αφήνοντας ένα μεγάλο ερωτηματικό για την επόμενη μέρα να συνοδεύει τον επίλογο. Εξίσου κουραστική και μονότονη έχει καταντήσει η σχέση του Φάμπιαν Ρισκ με την οικογένειά του, η οποία μόνο προς το τέλος αυτού εδώ του βιβλίου φαίνεται να εξελίσσεται κάπως. Σε ό,τι αφορά αυτήν, έχω ελπίδες για κάτι νέο και διαφορετικό στο επόμενο. Μάλλον έχει έρθει ο καιρός να κλείσουν τα μέτωπα που παραμένουν τόσο καιρό ανοιχτά και να δημιουργηθούν καινούρια, που θα μας κρατήσουν σε αγωνία για άλλα τόσα βιβλία. Η ταλαντούχα, δαιμόνια πένα του Ahnhem σίγουρα είναι κάτι παραπάνω από ικανή να το καταφέρει αυτό.
Τα κεφάλαια του βιβλίου εναλλάσσονται κάθε λίγες σελίδες με γρήγορους ρυθμούς, δίνοντας τη δυνατότητα στον συγγραφέα να μοιράσει δίκαια τον χρόνο του σε όλα τα γεγονότα που εκτυλίσσονται στις σελίδες του, στους ήρωές του ίσες ευκαιρίες για δράση κι εξέλιξη και στην ίδια την αφήγηση τον απαραίτητο παλμό για να διατηρήσει το αναγνωστικό ενδιαφέρον αμείωτο. Ο Ρισκ και οι συνάδελφοί του όμως, εκτός από τα ζητήματα της δουλειάς, καλούνται να αντιμετωπίσουν και εκείνα που προκύπτουν στην προσωπική τους ζωή. Γιατί είναι χαρακτήρες καθημερινοί, ανθρώπινοι, ρεαλιστικοί· συνεπώς, και τα προβλήματά τους το ίδιο.
Εκτός αυτών, ο συγγραφέας θίγει και κοινωνικά θέματα που απασχολούν όχι μόνο τη χώρα του αλλά όλη την Ευρώπη, ειδικά τα τελευταία χρόνια: η ξενοφοβία, ο ρατσισμός, οι αυξημένες προσφυγικές ροές, οι ακροδεξιές αντιλήψεις αποτελούν το υλικό από το οποίο έχει πλαστεί όλη η πλοκή του βιβλίου. Το ότι παρουσιάζει πολλές και διαφορετικές εκφάνσεις τους και τα αποτελέσματα που προκαλούνται κάθε φορά, αποδεικνύει από τη μία το ταλέντο του συγγραφέα και από την άλλη το πόσο έχουν επηρεάσει όλα αυτά τη σουηδική κοινωνία σε όλους τους τομείς, αλλά και τις -πολλές φορές ακραίες- αντιδράσεις που μπορούν να δημιουργήσουν. Αν και η σκανδιναβική λογοτεχνία παρουσιάζει, στην πλειοψηφία της έστω, μια διαφορετική κοινωνία και συνήθειες που απέχουν πολύ από τις δικές μας, στο «Κίνητρο Χ» ο αναγνώστης θα αναγνωρίσει σκέψεις, λόγια, συμπεριφορές και συμβάντα οικεία, που αφορούν τον ίδιο ή τον περίγυρό του.

Παρά τα… ατέλειωτα ζητήματα που ανέφερα και πιο πάνω πως παραμένουν ανοιχτά, παρά το ότι ο αναγνώστης «αναγκάζεται» να διαβάσει και τα προηγούμενα βιβλία έτσι ώστε να αποκτήσει επαφή με τα τεκταινόμενα (και) σε αυτό, η πένα του Ahnhem είναι εκείνη που σώζει ξανά την κατάσταση, αφού δύσκολα αντιστέκεται κανείς στην πληθωρικότητα, την ευστροφία και την αστείρευτη, περίπλοκη φαντασία της.

Η κριτική μου για το βιβλίο και στο site "Book City" και τον παρακάτω σύνδεσμο: Κίνητρο Χ

[cypt · Rating 3 out of 5]

Šiemet sužinojau, kad Ahnhemo serija turi ribas - yra 6 knygos ir daugiau turbūt nebus. Ot gaila. Ketvirtą skaityti buvo, kaip ir ankstesnes, sunku: per visą knygą neišsisklaido įtampa, ar tikrai detektyvo Fabiano Risko kolega yra sadistas žudikas, žiaurybės, daug siužeto linijų. Bet, palyginti su naujausiu Northo anti-šedevru (Apdegęs namas), Ahnhemas lieka labai geras.

3 dalyje (18 laipsnių šalčio) žiaurumas kilo jau nebe iš pirštais lupamų inkstų (kaip 2 daly 9 kapas), bet iš socialinių priežasčių ir apskritai paties žiaurumo, negailestingumo akto, jis pasirodė kaip žmogaus būklė ir tuo buvo sunkiai pakeliamas. Šioje dalyje panašu: pradedama nuo neapykantos / rasistinių nusikaltimų, kylančių iš nužmoginimo. Visapusiškai sunkiausia linija, ties kuria vėl suabejojau, ar verta toliau skaityti, buvo pedofilo pasakojimas iš nusikaltėlio perspektyvos. Aišku, su tuo nusikaltėliu neempatizuojama, jo nebandoma "suprasti" ar racionalizuoti, jis toks net (turbūt???) sutirštintai naivizuotas, bet tai nėra svarbu, vis tiek girdime būtent jo balsą, kartu su juo sekame vaiko grobimą, jo pasiruošimus prievartauti, jo šiokius tokius geismus, jei galima taip pavadinti. Skaityti be proto sunku, ir, aišku, tu nuo pat pirmos sekundės tik ir lauki, kad kuo greičiau tą žmogų kas nors net ne pagautų, bet nudėtų. O sekundžių yra daug ir tas noras stiprėja iki vos ne neįmanomos ribos. Nėra taip, kad šiais laikais, vykstant karui ir bent kiek skaitant jo žinias, noras kad kitas žmogus (nusikaltėlis, bet vis dėlto - kitas žmogus) būtų nužudytas, būtų svetimas ir nesuvokiamas. Bet vis dėlto ir vėl atrasti tai savyje, aptikti tą norą ir dar jausti, kaip jis auga ir stiprėja, yra šiurpi patirtis. Galbūt Ahnhemas to ir siekė? Nežinau, bet skaitydama jį jaučiuosi visai kitoj plotmėj negu įprastinė trileriukų įtampos ar detektyvinių mįslių fikcinė visata. Čia jau veikia ir pasaulio, bet ir tavo nuosavas žiaurumas. Ką su tuo daryti - aš nežinau, gal eit skaityt filosofijos?? O gal nieko, tiesiog tai turėti.

Panašiai, bet kur kas švelniau veikia Risko "vidinio tyrimo" apie galimai žudiką kolegą linija, kuri [SPOILERIS] per visą knygą taip ir neišsisprendžia. Iš pradžių nervinausi, bet paskui tai kaip tik ėmė atrodyti prasminga - nuolatinė įtampa, kai nebežinai, ar tavo įtarimai dar pagrįsti, ar jau paranoja, kai arba viską meti, arba darai durnus sprendimus. Iš tiesų būtent ši linija buvo itin tikroviška ir tuo pat metu savotiškai metaforiška - kaip paieškos, kurios neaišku ar kada nors turės pabaigą. Serijoje - mums - turbūt turės, bet va Fabianui Riskui metai bėga, o palengvėjimas neateina.

Žvaigždutės - kompleksiškumu ir kuo toliau, tuo labiau nebanaliu problemų kėlimu knyga būtų tikrai verta 4*, nu bet man vis tiek ranka nepasispaudžia, kai prisimenu tą pedofilo liniją. Žmogiškos ir su vertinančios akies trūkumu - 3*.

[Effie Saxioni · Rating 5 out of 5]

Πάρα πολύ ωραίο,δυστυχώς όμως δεν διαβάζεται μόνο του,τα προηγούμενα της σειράς είναι απολύτως απαραίτητα,καθώς βεβαίως και τα επόμενα,γιατί όσα πράγματα εξήγησε από τις προηγούμενες εκκρεμότητες,άλλες τόσες άφησε ανοιχτές για να εξελιχθούν στο επόμενο!5⭐

[Knygu_burtai · Rating 5 out of 5]

Puiki ketvirtoji serijos dalis! Kiek visko daug čia vyko ir viskas taip įdomu! Sunkiai galėjau atsiplėšti nuo knygos. Nekantriai lauksiu kitos dalies.

[citesc_cu_sufletul · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ce carte!!! Dar am niște nervi pe finalul acela, de nu o să-mi revin decât când o să am următorul volum în mână!

[Daniela · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, endlich mal wieder ein Thriller, der mich richtig gepackt hat.
Hier sind so viele verschiedene und schwierige Themen - Rassismus Rechtsextremismus, Gewalt, Pädophilie - in einen spannenden Roman verpackt, dass man kaum zum Luft holen kommt.
Anfangs etwas schwierig fand ich, dass jedes Kapitel aus der Perspektive einer anderen Person erzählt wird und man nicht immer sofort wusste, wer denn nun gerade dran war - das hat sich allerdings im Lauf der Seiten etwas gebessert.
Ich muss zugeben, dass ich die anderen Teil der Fabian-Risk-Reihe vorab nicht gelesen habe, so dass mir sicher an der einen oder anderen Stelle Informationen gefehlt haben, die nützlich gewesen wären - aber sie waren nicht essentiell und haben die Geschichte nur am Rande berührt.
Der Schreibstil des Autors hat mir richtig gut gefallen, die Kapitel hatten eine angenehme Länge.

[Anca Zaharia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Firele narațiunii se desfășoară pe planuri care, ai putea să juri, nu au cum să se întâlnească sau suprapună vreodată, crimele n-au cum să fie, ai fi tentat să crezi, atât de creative și deplasate, revoltătoare și respingătoare, declanșatoare de cel puțin niște senzații de vomă și amețeală. Iar eu, cititoare de tot felul de cărți cu tematici bolnăvioare, am fost plăcut surprinsă să descopăr că întâmplările care-l implică pe Fabian Risk dau dependență în timp ce au toate motivele să te determine să nu le mai deschizi vreodată.

https://ancazaharia.ro/2020/03/3-seri...

[Athina Petromichelaki · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting series. A bit complicated, just the way a like it many threads happening at the same time, but then again, so is life. Fast paced, well written, kept me interested till the end.
Mmm, yes, the end...
Really dislike the cliffhanger endings, it's a book, not some kind of TV series. A star removed for that..

[Angela Serban · Rating 3 out of 5]

Neterminata carte....foarte frustrant! Sper sa-si spele pacatele Ahnhem in urmatorul volum.

[Agnė | laikas knygai · Rating 5 out of 5]

Po trečios dalies buvau padariusi ilgoką pertrauką, tai nebuvau tikra, ar lengvai įsivažiuosiu, bet be reikalo. Ahnhem aprėpia nemažai veikėjų ir siužetinių linijų, vienu metu vyksta keletas tyrimų ir dar kapstosi po santykių peripetijas, atrodo, tiek daug visko, bet kažkaip visai niekas nesimaišo, lengvai skaitosi ir taip įtraukia, kad nori nenori aukoji laiką miegui, nes norisi kuo greičiau sužinoti, kas toliau. Šiaip užjaučiu tuos, kas ilgai nelaukę čiupo skaityti šią dalį ir ilgai turėjo laukti tik dabar pasirodžiusios X būdų mirti, nes ketvirtoji dalis baigiasi nei šiaip, nei taip, ties pačiu įdomumu, nebaigus aiškintis pagrindinio tyrimo, o ir pačio Fabiano slapta atliekamas tyrimas jau buvo ties kulminacija. Na, ką padarysi, daugiau priekaištų neturiu, visiškai mano skonio detektyvas.

[Gretos knygos · Rating 4 out of 5]

Šio autoriaus knygų laukiu su dideliu nekantrumu. Trileriai įprastai būna kupini veiksmo, veikėjai nepaprastai žmogiški ir tikri, o nusikaltimai sudėlioti taip, kad skaitant nepaleidžia iki paskutinio puslapio. Ir šioji dalis toli gražu ne išimtis, nes skaičiau iki paryčių, o taip šiomis dienomis nutinka vis rečiau.

Apie ką pasakoja jau ketvirtoje serijos dalyje? Apie tai, kaip Fabianas Riskas kapstosi po savo kolegos praeitį ir kaip įtaria jį prisidėjus prie kraupių, tiesiog siaubingų nusikaltimų. Taip pat Riskas bando gelbėti savo santykį su vaikais ir žmona, ypač po visko, kas nutiko praeitose dalyse. Ir bylos – padrikos, jokių sąlyčio taškų, rodosi neturintys nusikaltimai, kuriuos bando išaiskinti tyrėjų komanda, kol Fabianas „atostogauja“. Įdomiausia, kad tyrėjai nežino, bet skaitytojams atskleidžiama, kokia sistema slypi už visų žmogžudysčių. O kur dar pedofilijos, sekso maniakų ir kitos, gerokai jautresnės temos…

Vėl ir vėl šis rašytojas stebina. Neslėpsiu, šioji dalis gal patiko mažiausiai, tačiau vis tiek pasirodė puiki. Ypač įdomu buvo skaityti apie Fabiano gyvenimą, per visas dalis tikrai ėmė rūpėti tiek jis, tiek ir jo šeima. Karjeros, pavojingos karjeros derinimas su šeima mane vis mažiau gundo ir nebeatrodo kaip protingas sprendimas. Tiesios per daug visko yra statoma ant kortos, o pralaimėjus kai kurių dalykų nebesusigrąžinsi.

Pagrindinė šios dalies byla – būtent su X susiję dalykai iš romano pavadinimo. Ar tai pasirodė įdomiausia byla? Gal ne. Nes kažką panašaus jau yra tekę girdėti ir matyti. O kur dar faktas – išduodu šios dalies pabaigą – kad čia nesulauksime atsakymų ir teks kankintis iki pat, tikėtina, kitos žiemos ar net ilgiau. Ir tai šiek tiek mane nustebino, nes atsakymų negavome (arba gavome tik iš dalies) ir apie daugiau dalykų. Pasijaučiau, lyg būčiau žiūrėjus serialą, kai nukrenta lėktuvas su puse pagrindinių veikėjų ir pasirodo titrai, o serialas į eterį grįš tik po žiemos pertraukos. O čia, puikiai žinome, reiks laukti dar ilgiau.

Šis rašytojas yra puikus. Neilgi skyreliai, daug veikėjų, nusikaltimų, bet kažkokiu stebuklingu būdu Ahnhem sugeba nesupainioti skaitytojo. Bylas atskiri, veikėjai ryškūs, įdomūs, tad nemaišai ir jų. Ir tai stebina, nes didesnės apimties kūriniuose paprastai pasitaiko suklysti, kartais imuosi net lapelio, ant kurio susirašau pastabas. O šis rašytojas to nereikalauja.

Vis tik noriu paminėti, kad šioje dalyje tikrai bus jautrių dalykų, skaudžių temų. Žudymas yra viena, bet pedofilijos temos mane veikia visiškai kitaip, man širdis trūkinėja skaitant apie mažų vaikų kankinimą bet kokiais būdais.

Puikiai, kaip visada, autorius nenuvilia. Norėčiau pasakyti daugiau, bet negaliu. Skaitysiantys supras ir dar kartą įsitikins, kodėl mes taip stipriai mylime šį rašytoją.

Leidyklos dovana.

[Rowena Hoseason · Rating 4 out of 5]

Motive X is most definitely a story which starts in the middle. Amid the multiple plotlines there lurks a self-contained mystery of grisly killings, but that plot is almost overwhelmed by the series’ ongoing themes. If you haven’t read any of the preceding books then this is not the place to start!

The standalone plot concerns a young refugee who is despatched in one of the author’s trademark inventively gruesome killings. This opens the door to a discussion on the rise of right-wing populism and the dangers of kneejerk political correctness. Two investigating officers struggle to find a practical pathway between institutional racism and being blinded by cultural compassion. An asylum seeker living in a ghetto deserves no less justice than any other citizen… but the police can’t avoid the implication that his race or religion might’ve played a role in his death.

Author Ahnhem is such a skilled wordsmith that this passionate dispute racks up the tension and doesn’t derail the impetus of the investigation. At times it’s a real wrench to put this book down; every cliff-hanger at the end of a snappy section encourages you to keep reading for just one more chapter – maybe another ten minutes…

Unfortunately, the other major plot rears its head and the storyline sags somewhat. We see the shenanigans of a completely unpredictable criminal; a calculating killer who’s developed an almost undetectable method of murder. Ahnhem acknowledges his inspiration for this concept – it comes from The Dice Man by Luke Rhinehart.

The trouble is that all the aspects of The Dice Man which I found disagreeable are replicated in Motive X. Both authors get wrapped up in the tedious mechanics of the different dice and plotting and planning. Not actually interesting, tbh. It’s a bit weird, to be honest, given that Ahnhem usually writes like he drinks rocket fuel and ignites it with napalm.

In many ways, Motive X is a lot like the difficult middle episode of a movie trilogy. Or it’s like playing catch-up when you’ve come in halfway through a boxset. Just to confuse you further this is listed as the third Fabian Risk novel… when in fact it is the fourth.

If you’re already a fan of the series then you’ll find a massive amount to enjoy in this episode. It’s deliciously devious; often shocking, and so convoluted as to be entirely unpredictable. It’s not, however, the best of the series and it would certainly be a strange place to start.
7/10

You'll find more in-depth and detailed reviews of crime-thrillers over at my blog - feel free to drop by!
http://www.murdermayhemandmore.net

[Jenny · Rating 3 out of 5]

Motive X is book three of the Fabian Risk series by Stefan Arnhem. Fabian Risk caught a new case of a murdered young boy. When more people started to die, Fabian Risk became involved with Denmark's Police Chief Astrid Tuvesson investigation. The readers of Motive X will continue to follow Fabian Rish and Police Chief Astrid Tuvesson investigation to find the killer.

Motive X is the first book I have read of Stefan Ahnhem, and I enjoyed reading this book. I like that Stefan Ahnhem portrayed his main characters with faults. Motive X is well written and research by Stefan Ahnhem. The description of the settings done excellently by Stefan Ahnhem that ensured that I am involved with the plot. Agnes Broome did an excellent job in translation this book into English. Motive X is an excellent example of not reading a series out of sequence.

The readers of Motive X will learn about law enforcement procedures in Sweden and Denmark and how different European law enforcement agencies work together. Also, the readers of Motive X will learn about the problems that Law Enforcement Officers faced when a family member became involved in one of their investigations.

I recommend this book.

[Živilė · Rating 4 out of 5]

Truputėlį trūko veiksmo.
Griežtai liepiu skaityti iš eilės, nes labai stipriai veiksmas susijęs viena su kita serijos knyga laiko ir įvykių atžvilgiu.
O dabar tenka nuobodžiai laukti sekančios dalies, nes oi kiek daug neatsakytų klausimų liko.

[Malin · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐️

[Loreta Griciutė · Rating 4 out of 5]

3 skirtingos žmogžudystės šioje dalyje - "tai buvo pirmas kartas, kai nusikaltimo vietoje ji nepajėgė pažiūrėti į auką. Net akimirką," kurias reikės išsiaiškinti, ir kriminalinė Helsinborgo policija įsitraukia į sudėtingus tyrimus. Dėmesį įtraukė ir palaikė, tik vis dėlto ne iki galo supratau, kas nužudė vyrą - mėsininką, ir kas tas buvo paslaptingasis žaidėjas su kauliukais. Šiek tiek ištęstas trileris, per daug dramų iš tyrėjų asmeninio gyvenimo ir pabaiga - neužbaigta, kuri paliko klaustuką ir šiokią tokią nežinią skaitytojui.

[Γιώτα Παπαδημακοπούλου · Rating 4 out of 5]

Το 4ο βιβλίο της σειράς "Fabian Risk" του Σουηδού συγγραφέα Stefan Ahnhem, που απόλυτα δικαιολογημένα έχει κατακτήσει το σκανδιναβικό νουάρ, κυκλοφόρησε πριν από λίγες ημέρες από τις εκδόσεις Διόπτρα, προσκαλώντας μας να χαθούμε για μία ακόμα φορά σε έναν κόσμο φρίκης και εγκληματικής δράσης, με τον δολοφόνο μας, όμως, να λειτουργεί αυτή τη φορά με έναν τρόπο αρκετά διαφορετικό απ' ό,τι έχουμε συνηθίσει, μα και με τρόπο που αναμφίβολα μας προβληματίζει και μας κάνει να σκεφτόμαστε πως τα πράγματα ίσως να μην είναι έτσι όπως αρχικά φαίνονται. Χρήσιμη συμβουλή: Αν δεν έχετε διαβάσει το προηγούμενο βιβλίο της σειράς, "Μείον 18", ίσως να είναι η κατάλληλη στιγμή να το κάνετε.

Το Χέλσινμποργκ είναι μια ειδυλλιακή παραθαλάσσια πόλη, που θα μπορούσε να χαρακτηριστεί μέχρι και ονειρική, αν μια σειρά ανεξήγητων ανθρωποκτονιών δεν έκαναν αισθητή την παρουσία τους, με την αστυνομία να βρίσκεται μπροστά σε ένα δολοφονικό χάος που πρέπει μεν να εξιχνιάσει άμεσα, αλλά που δεν φαίνεται να είναι σε θέση να το κάνει. ΟΙ δολοφονίες αυτές, έτσι όπως φαίνεται με μια πρώτη ματιά, δεν έχουν καμία απολύτως σχέση η μία με την άλλη, ούτε μπορούν κάπως να συνδεθούν. Αυτό σημαίνει πως ο δράστης -αν είναι πράγματι ένας- δεν ακολουθεί κάποιο συγκεκριμένο σχέδιο δράσης, κάποιο μοτίβο, που ίσως να βοηθούσε τις Αρχές να καταλήξουν σε ασφαλή συμπεράσματα σε σχέση με το προφίλ του. Εκεί είναι που Φαμπιάν Ρισκ αναλαμβάνει δράση, έχοντας ως στόχο ν' ανακαλύψει την αλήθεια πίσω από τις δολοφονίες, μα και να λύσει να εσωτερικά προβλήματα που φαίνεται να αντιμετωπίζει η ομάδα του.

Η ιδέα ενός δράστη -ή και περισσότερων, ποιος ξέρει;- που δρα χωρίς κάποιο συγκεκριμένο σχέδιο, ή και με κάποιο σχέδιο την δράση του οποίου δεν έχει εντάξει μέσα σε κάποια συγκεκριμένα πλαίσια, ώστε αυτό να κατηγοριοποιηθεί και να μας δώσει κάποια στοιχεία σχετικά με το ποιόν και το ψυχολογικό του προφίλ, είναι εξαιρετικά έξυπνη και ξεφεύγει από τα συνηθισμένα εγκληματικά πρότυπα που ο δολοφόνος έχει μια πολύ συγκεκριμένη ταυτότητα, τα στοιχεία της οποίας αν τα αναλύσουμε προσεχτικά μπορούμε εύκολα να έχουμε κάποιες απαντήσεις σε καίρια ερωτήματα που μπορούν με τη σειρά τους να μας φέρουν ακόμα πιο κοντά στη λύση του μυστηρίου. Αυτό σημαίνει πως δεν υπάρχει κάποιο κυρίαρχο νήμα από το οποίο μπορούμε να πιαστούμε για να ξετυλίξουμε το κουβάρι της ιστορίας μας, άρα πρέπει να αναζητήσουμε νέους δρόμους.

Αυτό, όμως, που κάνει περισσότερο ιδιαίτερη την συγκεκριμένη περιπέτεια του Ahnhem, είναι το πόσο πολύ προσωπικό δράμα εμπεριέχεται μέσα σε αυτήν. Η αφήγηση χωρίζεται σε πολλές μικρές υποϊστορίες, που με τον έναν ή τον άλλον τρόπο συνδέονται με τον κεντρικό άξονα της ιστορίας μας, και που η κάθε μία από αυτές έχει το δικό της βάρος και βάθος, και που μέσα από την αλήθεια της θίγονται πολύ σοβαρά ανθρώπινα και κοινωνικά ζητήματα, που επηρεάζουν πολλούς παράγοντες και που έχουν πολλαπλή χρηστικότητα σε ό,τι έχει να κάνει με την ροή των γεγονότων και την πορεία μέχρι την τελική κατάληξη της βασικής μας ιστορίας. Δεν είναι λίγες οι φορές που όσο διάβαζα, ένιωσα ένα σφίξιμο στο στήθος και μια βαθιά συμπάθεια για το δράμα ορισμένων χαρακτήρων, πόσο μάλλον γνωρίζοντας πως υπάρχουν άνθρωποι σαν κι αυτούς και στην πραγματική ζωή.

Το βιβλίο, εκτός των άλλων, θίγει έντονα και ζητήματα που σχετίζονται με τον ρατσισμό, με μια πολύ σύγχρονη και ειλικρινή ματιά, καλώντας μας να προβληματιστούμε και σε ένα δεύτερο, κοινωνικό επίπεδο, και όχι μόνο ως προς το πως μπορεί αυτά τα στοιχεία να αφορούν άμεσα ή έμμεσα την ιστορία μας. Και αν τα κίνητρα του δράστη -ή των δραστών, είπαμε, δεν θα σας κάνουμε spoiler, να διαβάσετε το βιβλίο- δεν είναι απόλυτα ξεκάθαρα, αυτό είναι που έχει τη λιγότερη σημασία, τελικά, μα και αυτό που μας προβληματίζει όλο και λιγότερο όσο πιο βαθιά βυθιζόμαστε στην καρδιά των γεγονότων. Άλλο ένα δυνατό βιβλίο, λοιπόν, με την υπογραφή του Ahnhem, που ξεφεύγει αρκετά από τα συνηθισμένα του καλούπια, και που μας εκτός από δράση και έντονες στιγμές, μας προσφέρει και τροφή για σκέψη.

[Lynda Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

And......another winner in this terrific series ! As each story always carries on I had forgotten certain happenings but they all came back to me. And before anyone starts bleating, this one is left open-ended ready for the next instalment. Though why anyone who's read this far would complain about this is a bit beyond me, they still do !!
The team seem at risk (pun intended) of imploding in this story.....all with their own personal issues and not very helpfully, all occurring at the same time. Fabian continues to have problems with his terrible son. I'd have let him be finished off in book 1, I think !! I thought Irene took things into her own hands way too much in this instalment, silly girl.
The translation in this one is WAY better as well, the only mistake I spotted was one set of dropped speechmarks and no peculiar phrasing or spelling mistakes. Superb job. One passage WAS a bit baffling, though, "But it's dogged as does it" which I sort of managed to figure in the context. Oh, I didn't get the divan reference to the trans look, either, as the divan hadn't been described.
So much in this story resonates over here in the UK as well with immigration forced upon us just as they're finding in Sweden as well. So much of what was said could well be said by one of us. This especially resonated with me, "This is exactly what happens when you crowd too many ethnicities into one place. Increased conflicts breed violence that in turn breeds even more violence." If the man on the street can observe this, why can't the people in power in our countries ?? There were some very amusing remarks throughout, my favourite being a mention of Mein Kampf.....and I did smile at this novel being set in Midsummer as so many Nordic stories tend to be. At this rate nobody will visit at the end of June !!
I'm proud to say I figured the Milwokh connection as it was mentioned. All I'll say is car-hire and hope I'm correct ? And I'm dying to see what Dunja's up to as well.
Have to wait till next year now, I believe, when I'll probably have forgotten a lot of this one again !!

[Michael Haulică · Rating 3 out of 5]

O femeie răpită în timp ce făcea joging, alta în casa căreia a intrat cineva, un băiețel sirian dispărut, ancheta secretă asupra unui polițist... La care se adaugă viața lui Fabian Risk, după împușcarea fetiței, problema imigrației în Suedia și mai sînt și altele. Unele fire narative de-abia schițate, unele de care nici nu era nevoie. Un mai mare accent pus pe politică - că tot ziceam că Ahnhem rămîne doar la nivel declarativ, enunțiativ cu temele astea, iată că acum chiar le dezbate, își pune personajele să aibă opinii.
Mai multe neglijențe pe parcurs, un soi de infodump (iată că nu numai autorii de SF simt nevoia, ci și alții), care aici parcă vrea să spună „uite că știu chestia asta” (și chiar n-aveam nevoie de asigurări), plus o decizie nefericită (a autorului? a editorului?) mă duc spre 3 stele. 3,5 pentru unele pagini și rezolvări care îmi arată că Ahnhem chiar e un autor bun. Așa că în final îi dau 3 stele, știți cum e, pentru că aveam așteptări mai mari de la el.