The Deathwatch Beetle

Starred review from September 6, 2021
Eriksson’s excellent ninth series mystery to be published in the U.S. takes Ann Lindell, who retired from the police force in 2020’s Night of the Fire, to the Swedish island of Gräsö, along with her “great love,” Edvard Risberg, for a vacation. Lindell’s investigative instincts click in when Gräsö native Cecilia Karlsson resurfaces after disappearing four years earlier—just after Cecilia’s boss, Casper Stefansson, went missing and is presumed dead. Cecilia, attractive, intelligent, and successful, provoked strong reactions from Casper and others, including her controlling father. She “saw herself as a victim... of the men who explained the world to her.” An indelible picture emerges of Cecilia’s world, her understandable anger, and her desire for change. Eriksson effectively portrays Sweden in the throes of change, being eroded from the inside out like the destructive insect of the title, while exploring social class, family, and, above all else, how men treat women. The plot slowly and steadily builds to a genuinely shocking denouement. Fans of literary fiction will be equally rewarded. Agent: Anneli Høier Copenhagen Literary Agency (Denmark).

September 15, 2021
A Swedish ex-detective who strongly identifies with a missing woman picks up the case after a possible sighting. Though former Uppsala police inspector Ann Lindell has left the force for a quieter rural life, her innate curiosity and empathy for the victims of crime continue to exercise a hold on her. When her former lover Edvard Risberg bring up the unsolved case of Cecilia Karlsson, who's been missing for four years, Ann keeps private her bond with Cecilia, whose disappearance she likens to her own retreat from society. Retired homicide detective Folke �hr's claim to have seen Cecilia provides just the impetus for the restless Ann to reopen the investigation, though �hr's drinking makes him a less than completely reliable witness. Counterpointing Ann's search with the aftermath of Cecilia's vanishing, which did indeed begin as an escape from her life, Eriksson skillfully reveals several possible motives: awkward romantic entanglements, criminal activity, threats against her life. At the same time, Ann reexamines her own life choices now that she's in closer personal contact with Edvard once more. Foreign locales like Portugal, Italy, and South America figure prominently in Cecilia's travels and plans. Her wanderlust contrasts with Ann's personal investment in her rural community, which Eriksson depicts with depth and affection. The twists in Cecilia's tale keep the reader engaged, and the finale is a satisfying shocker. Top-notch Scandinavian noir and a welcome addition to the series.

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November 1, 2021
Former homicide detective Ann Lindell now lives on remote Graso Island, Sweden, and works as a cheesemaker. But she hasn't given up sleuthing altogether. Ann and her boyfriend, Edvard Risberg, begin investigating a cold case when Cecilia Karlsson, who has been missing for four years, returns to the island for a funeral. Everyone believes that Cecilia killed Casper, her boyfriend. As Ann and Edvard nose around, they discover that some of the island families are severely dysfunctional. Cecilia's parents, Cecilia, and some of her former business associates have a great deal to hide and strong desires for revenge. Eriksson paints a vivid picture of the remote Swedish landscape and the life of the villagers. The twisty plot and colorful characters will keep readers turning the pages. This is a quiet yet intense tale that fans of the late Henning Mankell's Kurt Wallender novels will appreciate.

COPYRIGHT(2021) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

November 1, 2021

Never mind that she's no longer a police inspector, Ann Lindell can't help but get involved when she learns that a young woman who vanished four years previously from the Swedish isle of Gr�s� has been seen alive. Cecilia's remote parents and Nils Lindberg, the local scapegrace who crushed on Cecilia as a teenager, have secrets to disclose, and it appears someone on the island is out for revenge. With a 35,000-copy first printing.

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