Selected as a Most Anticipated title by People, Parade, Bustle, CrimeReads, She Reads, and more! An electrifying work of literary suspense from internationally bestselling author Katrine Engberg, The Tenant–heralded as a “stunning debut” by #1 New York Times bestselling author Kathy Reichs–follows two Copenhagen police detectives struggling to solve a shocking murder and stop a killer … detectives struggling to solve a shocking murder and stop a killer hell-bent on revenge.
When a young woman is discovered brutally murdered in her own apartment with an intricate pattern of lines carved into her face, Copenhagen police detectives Jeppe Korner and Anette Werner are assigned to the case. In short order, they establish a link between the victim, Julie Stender, and her landlady, Esther de Laurenti, who’s a bit too fond of drink and the host of raucous dinner parties with her artist friends. Esther also turns out to be a budding novelist–and when Julie turns up as a murder victim in the still-unfinished mystery she’s writing, the link between fiction and real life grows both more urgent and more dangerous.
But Esther’s role in this twisted scenario is not quite as clear as it first seems. Is she the culprit or just another victim, trapped in a twisted game of vengeance? Anette and Jeppe must dig more deeply into the two women’s pasts to discover the identity of the brutal puppet-master pulling the strings.
Evocative and original, The Tenant promises “dark family secrets–and a smorgasbord of surprises” (People).
more
A stunning debut. Katrine Engberg’s unforgettable characters and brilliant plot twists will captivate readers of suspense fiction.
This sounded really good and I was excited to start it. While the writing was really was good I really didn’t enjoy it as much as I thought I would.
I think more or less it was a bit boring and I was underwhelmed for a thriller. There were a few times it got my heart going but not as much as I would have liked for this kind of book.
The setting was Denmark, I think it was pretty good described for the most part for even people who haven’t been there. But of course if you have been it could be easier to follow the setting.
Overall I thought the idea of the book was a bit better than the actual book, while it was good it was not great and at times boring. Overall I think give it 3 it held my interest enough not to quit and I enjoyed some parts of it.
3
What a fantastic debut! I love the characters, the sparkling prose, and the depiction of Copenhagen. Katrine Engberg is an absolute star!
Copenhagen police detectives, Jeppe and Anette, are assigned to the murder of a young woman in The Tenant. The woman, Julie, was brutally killed in her apartment. There are a number of suspects. But why was the same murder scenario previously written by the landlady in her unpublished thriller. Could she be reenacting her plot in real life?
I expect a certain dark foreboding in my Scandinavian detective thrillers. Unfortunately, that feeling was missing in this book. In fact, it has a distinctly upbeat feeling that may increase tourism to Copenhagen.
However, if you avoid my erroneous assumption, The Tenant is a well-plotted police procedural set in a beautiful country rarely used in thrillers. The plot sets a good pace. The perpetrator was a genuine surprise to me. The characterizations, especially of the two main characters, are spot-on. They will make me return for the next book in the series. 3.5 stars rounded up to 4 stars!
Thanks to Scout Press, Gallery Books, and NetGalley for a copy in exchange for my honest review.
“The Tenant” by Katrine Engberg raises attention-grabbing questions. What are the implications when an author’s work-in-process becomes an actual murder? Of all the crime novels in the world, why that one? Is the writer the culprit or is it someone who read the manuscript? A body of a young woman is found in a Copenhagen apartment, and the owner of the house, Esther de Laurenti, a writer working on a murder mystery, is incredulous; “No one dies in my building.” However, someone did.
Engberg’s detailed descriptions make the characters and settings familiar, alive, functional, and relatable. The focus of the investigation is the sensational crime, the murder of the tenant, but the heart of story is the people surrounding the horrible crime. Every point of view is given, every emotion described, every possibility explored.
The investigation is guided by Investigative Lead Jeppe Kørner and Detective Anette Werner. The pace is steady with the entire investigation taking just over one week; chapters are noted with the date. The investigation is conducted in a systematic, detailed manner with professionals in various fields rotating in and out of the story. The police uncover lots of information, some of it vital, some of it tangential, and some unrelated. Other bodies keep turning up, and multiple people claim responsibility for the same deaths. Clues point in a thousand different directions, and unusual revelations complicate an already complicated case.
“The Tenant” is filled with oddly shaped puzzle pieces that do not seem to fit anywhere, until the startling ending. I received a review copy of “The Tenant” from Katrine Engberg, Gallery, Pocket Books, and Scout Press. Engberg created a complicated story and yet paid meticulous attention to details, thus creating a compelling book for readers.
Wasn’t really memorable and after finishing a chapter I would immediately forget what happened. Nothing stuck for me. Definitely a disappointment for me.
I found this book to have an interesting plot, and did not guess the actual murder or plot. It could have moved more quickly. The plot involved the murder of a young woman (Julie), a tenant of an apartment building. The older woman who owns the building (Esther) is part of a writer’s club, and was writing a book about a murder just like the one that occurred. Investigating officers follow the trail, getting sidetracked several times before solving the murder (but not before other deaths). The book is translated from Swedish so some of the names and landmarks are hard to keep track of. By the end I did care about the characters and wanted to know the outcome. Overall a good read.
Good read. Budding novelist and landlady Esther de Laurenti finds herself in a twisted scenario when one of her tenants is found brutally murdered in her apartment; the murder victim also happens to be a character in Esther’s unfinished book, a work of fiction that appears to come to life. Is Esther behind acting out the scene from her book or is she a victim herself? It’s up to Copenhagen police detectives Jeppe Korner and Anette Werner to uncover the truth.
This is a very thrilling and gripping page turner. From the very first page you are hooked! Thank you Katrine for writing such a great book!
I really was looking forward to reading The Tenant by Katrine Engberg but unfortunately was disappointed. It is a Scandinavian Mystery which had been translated so there are a few uncommon words but otherwise I don’t think anything was lost in translation. The story unfolds as a young girl, Julie, is murdered in a horrific way and is found accidentally by an older gentleman, Greger’s, who’s another tenant in the building. The owner of the building, Esther, is in process of writing a crime novel which seems to parallel much of what has occurred. The story goes back and forth between the two police detectives on the case, Jeppe and Anette, and what is happening with Esther. Other characters appear, some who are quite colorful, and there are other murders as well. As the story continues it seems Esther is either the murderer herself or is being framed by the murder. As the detectives work the case, more characters who have some sort of association with Esther, seem to add to the questions and answers the detectives need. On the positive side, the story itself is written well by this author and the last 20 pages picked up speed to reach an interesting conclusion. On the less positive side, the plot tends to lag and took too long to unfold. I didn’t feel very drawn in or much in the way of suspense. If you are looking for an interesting mystery without too much intensity then this is the book for you. ‘The Tenant’ ‘ScoutPressBooks’ ‘Goodreads’ ‘Kathrine Engberg’
Thriller set in Copenhagen, which I enjoyed, because I have been to this beautiful city, and some of the landmarks were familiar to me. I thought the storyline was interesting, but I am not sure that the lines of the story were clean – perhaps it had to do with the translation into English.
The Tenant is about a young girl, Julie, who is murdered in her apartment. She is the tenant in a 3 story building. Esther is the landlord, and a writer. Strangely enough, Esther has begun to write a book detailing a murder of a young woman, which is modeled on Julie.
More sinister things happen, and Jeppe and Anette, the investigators on the case, keep uncovering more and more strange situations. They have multiple suspects, and try to zero in on the murderer.
Meanwhile, Jeppe has not fully recovered from his split with his wife, and isn’t emotionally stable, plus he is taking OxyContin for his “back issues”.
When they discover who the murderer is, and why he killed, Jeppe and Anette are in a race to save those that they can.
#TheTenant #KatrineEngberg
I haven’t read that many translated books and most of what I have read I wasn’t a huge fan of. Luckily that was not the case with The Tenant by Katrine Engberg, and I’m impressed that it is a debut.
Everything translated pretty well, although I was saying some of the names wrong. I ended up listening to part of the book since I felt like I was reading it pretty slowly, and I’m glad I did if only for the pronunciation aspect. The narrator, Graeme Malcolm, was really good and I was fine listening to him at 1.75 speed.
There were multiple times that I gasped, or my mouth dropped open at twists, and I thought The Tenant was very well written overall. It was on the slower side of what I’m used to, but there was enough going on that I was never bored. I wouldn’t say it’s nonstop action, but I loved the procedural aspect and the different viewpoints really helped keep things interesting. There was also a small dose of humor that was nice for the overall disturbing/chilling content.
Final Thought: The Tenant is the first of a series and I think it will be interesting to see what the author does next with it. It doesn’t fit into a specific box, and I liked that it was something different. There’s a lot of drama, a brutal crime, plus civilian viewpoints mixed with police viewpoints which made for a very eclectic read. I will be impatiently looking forward to Engberg’s next novel!
Thank you to the publisher for providing me with an advance review copy of this book, all opinions and thoughts are my own.
If you are a fan of cop dramas, or murder mysteries, this book is for you. Set in Copenhagen, detectives unravel the mystery surrounding the murder of a young woman. There are plenty of twists to unravel and the author’s descriptive style allows you to immerse yourself in the story. Even Copenhagen itself felt like a true part of the story.
Fabulous read..
Creepy, twisty, and ominous!
The Tenant is the start of a brand-new series by Engberg that sweeps you away to Copenhagen, Denmark where the prickly detective duo Kørner and Werner find themselves investigating a new complicated case involving a murder that seems to be plucked right off the pages of the landlord’s most recent manuscript, and a mutilated murder victim with a past full of secrets.
The prose is cunning and intense. The characters are secretive, flawed, and realistic. And the plot is a fast-paced, gritty tale full of twists, turns, intrigue, deception, revenge, suspicious personalities, terror, and murder.
Overall, The Tenant is a tight, sinister, intricate tale by Engberg that’s not only a wonderful debut but an encouraging kickoff to the Kørner/Werner series with its well-drawn, quirky characters and darkly creative storylines.
The Tenant is the first in a police procedural series set in Copenhagen. I wish there was more information about Copenhagen because I don’t read a lot of novels set in that city. Jeppe and Anette, police detectives who are often partnered together, have an almost sibling-like relationship; they grate on each other’s nerves regularly. Jeppe is a complicated character we learn quite a bit about. I don’t feel like I got to know Anette as well but maybe the author will dive deeper into that character in the next book.
The inclusion of a main character with psychosomatic pain could have been really great but I don’t feel like I learned much about the condition; ultimately I ended up with only a vague understanding of what psychosomatic pain meant to this character. If a medical condition is used it needs to be explained well enough so that it’s an accurate representation. In this case it reads like the character is taking pain meds for no reason, that his pain is not real. Although I don’t have psychosomatic pain (so someone else can certainly address this better and I would defer to anyone more knowledgeable), it’s my understanding that for sufferers the pain is very real. This is of course my opinion and others may read this novel differently.
Content Warnings: racist language
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC. The opinions in this review are honest and my own. #TheTenant #mystery #suspense
I received a free ARC electronic copy of this Danish Police Procedural from Netgalley, Katrine Engberg, and Gallery/Scout Press. Thank you all for sharing your hard work with me. I have read this novel of my own volition and this review reflects my honest, personal opinion of this work. I am pleased to recommend this author to friends and family. Though this is a debut novel in this series, Engberg has a solid body of work behind her. This is the first of Engberg’s works to be translated into English, and though at times the story is a little rough, it is an exciting example of what she can bring to the genre of Scandinavian Noir and why we need more!
Copenhagen police investigators Jeppe Korner and Anette Werner have worked together for eight years, and though they respect each other and the vision they each bring to an investigation, they know one another well enough to get snippy on occasion. He is recently divorced, she is happily married, both are a little middle-aged fluffy. But they can usually get the job done quickly, and they are respected by their peers. Like most modern police forces, some of the perimeter jobs have gone to private shops. In Engberg’s Copenhagen, for example, crime scene investigators are hired out to a private business. Not necessarily a bad thing, but they are not trained police officers and there is more of an opportunity for a breakdown in communication.
The scene of this initial crime is a small building with four levels in a quiet area of Copenhagen, located at Klosterstraede 12. Recently retired professor Esther de Laurenti has lived in the top floor apartment her entire life. She was born there, and as a child, her parents ran a neighborhood pub on the ground floor. They have always rented out the two middle floors. Esther’s two pug dogs keep her more healthy than perhaps she would like to be, with their walks along the riverfront morning and night, and now that she is retired, she is trying to write the novel she has always felt was in her and drinking a little too much wine. Occasionally her young friend Kristoffer Sigh Gravgaard drops by, like a homeless teenager, for a day or a week. Kristoffer is an enigmatic young man who works with costuming at the Danish Royal Theater, gives singing lessons, which is how he met and became friends with Esther and the other residents of Klosterstraede 12, and he loves to cook. When Esther has a party, which is more frequent now that she is retired, Kristoffer is her caterer and Kristoffer and Julie handle serving the guests.
Just under Esther is twenty-year resident Gregers Hermansen. Gregers, long retired,
is getting rocky on his feet and afraid the stairs are beginning to be more than he can handle but he can’t stand the thought of moving. And he won’t think about it, as long as he can still carry out his own trash…
On the next level down are a couple of twenty-something ladies, Caroline Boutrup, a family friend whom Esther has known since she was born, has been established in that apartment for a year and a half. A more recent resident is her hometown friend and now roommate, Julie Stender, a sweet young lady who’s parents are family friends of Caroline’s parents. Basically all family-type neighbors. The ground floor is now a small cafe called Java Junkie, which works out nicely for all the residents who don’t like to cook.
And then Gregers trips over a bloody body while trying to carry out his trash, and has a stroke. Not a pretty picture for the staff of Java Junkie to find when they open the cafe in the morning… And with an evolving history of abusive teachers and young girls putting their babies up for adoption muddying up the clues, there is really no telling how this is going to work out. Or who will be the next victim…
This one is fine. That’s it. Fine. There’s nothing wrong with it, but nothing jumped off the page as particularly right either… The characters, the setting, the pacing, the atmosphere – they were all, well, fine. Not exactly a ringing endorsement, I know – but on the other hand, I can’t say there was anything particularly wrong with it or point to what would have made it a more compelling read for me.
I guess my biggest issue is that I never felt like I connected with either of the detectives, and in scandi Noir that’s usually not the case for me – the main characters are usually damaged in a way that resonates with their victims and makes for a compelling back and forth as the mystery is revealed. Not so much here. Honestly, the two detectives felt a little flat to me. I never connected with them – or the landlady and her unusual friend or the victim or the roommate or frankly anyone… And without some feeling for the characters, I struggle to truly fall into a story.
I read this in fits and starts, which is unusual for me in this genre as the stories are usually so darkly engaging that I can’t put them down. So maybe part of the problem is how I read it. I’d set it down and pick it back up the next day, and realize I had very little recollection of what had happened… This one never got under my skin and on the whole just wasn’t for me…
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my obligation-free review copy.
Three months ago I marked this book as to read. I wanted this book so bad. I tried to read it on Netgalley and even tried to win it in a giveaway but never did. It finally hit the stores and I pounced like a cat on a mouse.
I’m a little lost when it comes to giving you my review. I just wasn’t impressed with The Tenant. It was your average plain Jane crime book. There wasn’t enough twist or turns, nothing that made you want to read faster to find out what happened.
You had the head detective who was just recently divorced. His head so was wrapped up around that. Then taking pain pills for a back injury that long ago heeled. Plus on top of all the shit storm he was sleeping with a married suspect. Best dectective award goes to him!
The woman who owned the building was a Alcoholic that had two annoying dogs that whined the whole story.
The victim was a young girl who liked to sleep with her daddy’s friends. Her mom died of cancer and the minute they buried her mom her dad was at the alter getting married.
The Tenant is a delicious Nordic Noir. This debut novel from Katrine Engberg begins with the discovery of a gruesome murder scene and follows a windy road to discovery.
Upon retirement, professor Esther de Laurenti pursues writing the novel she has always dreamed of publishing. Her life is a little lonely and a lot boozy, but she has her lovely tenants, her singing coach, and her writers’ group. Her life is upended when one tenant stumbles across a murder scene in another apartment.
Detectives Jeppe Korner and Anette Werner are excellent foils, and their banter provides a bit of levity to an otherwise serious matter. Korner is moody and affected by his philandering soon-to-be ex-wife while Werner is practical and positive (and still in love with her husband). As facts of the murder are revealed and Esther de Laurenti realizes that the murder follows her work-in-progress quite closely, the web of deceit that Korner, Werner and their colleagues must wade through nearly strangles them. The red herrings, false starts and obstruction of justice create an understandable level of frustration for the team and allow the reader to hypothesize on various culprits and motives.
The cast of suspects and persons of interest are colorful and artsy. I enjoyed Ms. Engberg’s depiction of the creative community in Copenhagen. I particularly enjoyed the attention to detail about characters and places. From the inclusion of much-loved coffee and licorice to discussion of the high rate of taxation and the mediocrity of socialized medicine, Ms. Engberg gives her readers a realistic taste of Danish culture.
The Tenant is an engaging murder mystery and a good start to a detective series. A fairly well-paced plot and interesting characters kept me reading even though some plot points required a high level of suspension-of-disbelief. I look forward to reading more about Korner and Werner’s cases in the future!