Friday, January 6, 2017

Surprisingly Engrossing "Nordic Noire" Crime Thriller to end 2016...


"The Second Deadly Sin" by Swedish author Asa Larsson (English translation by Laurie Thompson) is a fairly recent publication from 2012-13. This might appeal to those who like "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo." I read an "advanced reader's copy", not the final edit.

The novel has many facets: it is an entertwining narrative, one murder occurs in 1915; as events unwind, several more murders take place in the current time, the connection revealed at the end of the book.

An early 20th Century industrialist, Hjalmar Lundbohm (historic figure in Sweden) of the mining city Kiruna, meets the attractive and personable young school mistress he has hired; the two begin an affair based on her self-identifying as a free-spirited, independent woman who does not want to get married. If only she had appeared more traditional, there would have been a happier ending....
Sadly, the brutish and evil second-in-command of the mining operation also thinks he has a chance with her...wrong.

100 years on, her descendants are murdered or die mysteriously. Two female characters lead the action to solve the puzzle: Rebecka Martinnson, (the troubled but effective prosecutor) and Anna-Maria Mella, detective, (a bit chubby, too short, apparently disorganized mother of four with a super-supportive hubby) combine to thwart their villain (an oily, dishonest prosecutor who tries to steal the case and grab the glory). Oh, and the villain who has actually committed the murders.

For additional appeal, there is an adorable 7-year old boy, traumatized witness to a murder--he's likely the next target.



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