NOWHERE IS SAFE . . . NOT EVEN YOUR DREAMS. Police discover the lifeless body of a young woman on an abandoned yacht. The next day, a man is found hanging in his apartment. When Detectives Joona Linna and Saga Bauer uncover a surprising connection between the two deaths, they will be forced to confront a relentless killer who’s always one step ahead and a ruthless business tycoon who preys on … business tycoon who preys on his victims’ worst nightmares to achieve his sinister ends.
more
This series is SO amazing… In this second installment, Joona Linna finds himself embroiled in yet another mess that he manages to suavely unravel with his usual panache – and his own particular brand of semi-lawless detective work. He has an almost supernatural ability to discern the truth – his particular brand of confidence in his own abilities and instincts is second-to-none. It’s like James Bond in Sweden but in the best possible way.
Without resorting to tricks or gadgets, he manages to know just when to trust his gut, to strike out on his own, or to ask for help from any- and everyone who might help, regardless of their circumstances, situation, or (frankly) desire to help. He’s a fantastic protagonist, and Sweden needs him to be – his world is a dark and horrifying one, populated by depravity, fear, horror, and exceptional violence. Fortunately he has managed to cobble together a small cadre of trusted compatriots who share his desire for justice even when it comes at the cost of lawless activity… In the end Joona ALWAYS figures it out, and watching how he does so is an incredible exercise in judgment, deduction, and leg work. If I were lost, Joona Linna is who I would want set to the task of finding me… Missing people, confusing motives, contradictory evidence – none of it flusters him in the slightest. With the patience of a saint, he untangles the knots and is utterly unstoppable once he has the predator in his sights.
I loved the introduction of Saga Bauer – she is a fantastic addition to the series and her character (almost a female Joona) added a nice tangy depth to an already incredibly rich series. Despite the horrific nature of the violence (sexual, psychological, physical – nothing is off limits in these stories), the marvelous pacing and story-craft on hand are so strongly compelling that I cannot wait to read the next book as soon as I finish one!
Thanks to NetGalley for my review copy.
The Nightmare by Lars Kepler is yet another exciting installment in the Joona Linna series. It’s only book two, but I thought it was even better than book one and it sounds like that will be a trend as the series goes on. I already have a soft spot for Linna, and I enjoy his dry humor and wit. We are also introduced to Swedish Security Police detective Saga Bauer in this book and I loved her character, so I hope we get to see more of her in the future! This was another super gritty, disturbing, and graphic read but it was full of action and I enjoyed all of the different viewpoints even though some of them ended up being a little receptive. That being said, I can tell why this was done and I really liked finding out exactly what happened in each scene.
I mixed in a little bit of the audio, but I mostly read this one and had a hard time putting it down. It felt like something new was always happening, and there are definitely quite a few pulse-pounding moments. I am really new to the Scandinavian crime genre, but I am loving this series and the way Kepler writes. Even though I read my physical copy for the most part, I still highly recommend the audio for The Nightmare since it is the same narrator as The Hypnotist – Saul Reichlin. He is such a fantastic narrator, and I could listen to him all day. I love his excitement for what he’s voicing and so far haven’t had any complaints!
If you haven’t read the Joona Linna series yet and you like Nordic noir you definitely should! They sometimes go off on tangents and include a lot of a certain character’s backstory, but that’s one of the things I personally love about them and I really feel like I’m getting to know these characters that way. Just make sure you can handle graphic descriptions and gore! I’m excited to be reading these in a group read and I can’t wait to get started on the next one.
The story and action weren’t as compelling as The Sandman and I was a little disappointed. It had lots of plot details that were difficult to keep track of and it wasn’t the bone chilling thriller that I’m used to from Kepler. The familiar characters are still wonderful and it’s very unique and well written. It’s a good read if you want to keep exploring the Joona Linna series, but isn’t the best of the lot.