Er, this should be titled "The Stranger" in English, instead of the Swedish, but I think it's the fourth book. Anyway, this one wasn't particularly good. I guessed the murderer early on and the reveal seemed dull. Maybe it was because I was reading the British edition, but it didn't seem to pack as much of a punch as the American translations?

Also, what the hell is up with Swedish crime novels that are anti-misogyny but are weirdly misogynistic at the same time? I felt this way about the Millennium trilogy as well. The women in these books only ever want babies, pretty much, and Patrik calls the female officers in his station "girls" (RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGEEEEEE) and the book's a lot about how he doesn't understand Erica's feelings because she's so sensitive because she's a woman and he's a man. But at the same time, Lackberg is eager to mark the differences between Patrik, who is "liberated and progressive", and the characters who are women-haters (so hateful that they're one-dimensional, comical farces). However, even Patrik succumbs to thoughts how he wasn't sure if he could work if his wife were the boss of him. It's Lackberg is trying, but can't quite escape the framework of the sexism she was brought up with. What am I supposed to say? Valid attempt? Try harder?

Uh, mind you, none of this will stop me from still actively reading this series. I don't know why. They're crack. I'm just also keeping my criticisms in mind.mystery69 s Jim Fonseca1,121 7,545

A book from one of the best Swedish Nordic noir mystery novelists. If you a complex plot with multiple murders and a lot of characters, this is one for you. We have four detectives and a doofus department chief, each with their own backstory.

One of the murder victims is a lesbian and another is a member of a nationally televised reality show that is being filmed in town. Is this the work of a serial killer?



The main character we follow, Patrick, is getting remarried and has a live-in sister-in-law who is psychologically rebounding from having (justifiably) killed her own husband.

There’s a lot going on in this plot! Add to it a lot of local color of modern urban Sweden and you have a good read. 3.5 rounded up. The detectives live in the small coastal city of Fjallbacka, a real place.

[Revised 5/13/23]



The author (b. 1974) is best known for the 11 books in her Patrick Hedstrom series, especially the first book, The Ice Princess. This book I reviewed, The Stranger is #4.

Photos of Fjallbacka, Sweden and the author from Wikipedia
detective-stories murder-mystery nordic-noir ...more54 s Phrynne3,535 2,389

Book 4 in this interesting and entertaining series.

I enjoy the people who live in the little town of Fjallbacka, especially Patrik and Erica who seem to have achieved a personal balance in their lives, for the moment at least. Anna too seems to be getting her life together and everyone is generally happy and comfortable.

Against this is set the appearance of an apparent serial killer who is taking the lives of seemingly random people in a particularly nasty way. Patrik and his team give this case and another apparently unrelated murder all they have got, and I can only say I had no idea of the murderer until the very end and the actual identity was truly amazing!

An excellent book - I am giving it five stars.45 s Nikoleta699 322

???? ??? ?????? ??? ?? ???????? ???? ?????? ?????????.
3,5/5mystery25 s Dana-Adriana B.686 291

Prima mea carte scrisa de Camilla Lackberg, un still aparte. Per ansamblu mi-a placut, personajele sunt interesante, actiunea (desi nu se poate numi actiune propriu zisa) este si nu este. Patrick, un politist cu experienta unui orasel mic se confrunta cu o crima disimultata in accident de masina. Daca nu ar fi avut flerul de politist....nu ar fi existat cartea, bravo Patrick.own21 s Kenchiin262 111

It was a fun read, but there are several flaws that cannot be overlooked The mystery was dragged for too long and some of the side stories vary in quality.

And I hope I'm not the only one who detects the misogyny. 23 s LENA TRAK129 125

Okay, obviously not one of her best thrillers, but I enjoyed it all the same! She definitely has a way with words and I simply adore the way she writes. The first 100 pages were a bit dull. That's when the plot starts to thicken... By the time I had finished reading the 4th flashback chapter I had already figured out who the killer is, which was a bit annoying, because I never guess correctly. It kind of took all the fun away! Anyway it's Lackberg people! I have a soft spot for her!!!!

I have already ordered The Hidden Child!!! Can't wait!mystery-crime-thriller21 s Patricia AyusteAuthor 0 books271

Puntuación ???? (4/5)

Fjallbacka, el cadáver mutilado de una turista alemana y los esqueletos destrozados de dos jóvenes desaparecidas en 1979.

A saltos entre la investigación del pasado (1979) y del presente (2003), el policía Patrick Hedström y su mujer, la escritora Erica Falk, buscan la conexión entre dos sucesos tan alejados en el tiempo y que, sin embargo, parecen guardar una clara relación. En el centro de la atención la familia Hult, cuyo principal sospechoso en 1979 se suicidó después de ser acusado.

Segunda entrega de la conocida "Serie Fjallbacka". Camilla Läckberg teje una nueva historia de suspense que envuelve a los mismos protagonistas de la primera ("La princesa de hielo"), junto a los que evolucionamos y vivimos la intriga propia de la investigación, de la acertada ambientación de la novela y del desarrollo personal de los personajes.

?? Puntos fuertes: la intriga, la alternancia de personajes-narradores que ofrece distintos ángulos de la historia, el estilo tan personal de la autora, la reflexión implícita acerca de temas como la familia, la violencia de género y la religión, personajes realistas y muy bien definidos y una lectura sencilla de entender y seguir.

? Te gustará si: te apasiona la novela negra/nórdica/policíaca, te gustó "La princesa de hielo", disfrutas con las novelas en las que las piezas encajan al final o las que indagan en la psicología humana.novela-negra20 s Susan340 28

This is a the fourth book I've read in this series and honestly, I feel I live in Fjallbacca and Patrik and Erica, Anna, Martin, Dan, Gosta, Annika, etc. are my friends and neighbors. This book wasn't nearly as good as the last one, but it was still great. I promised myself I would take a break from this amazing Swedish series - but it is going to be difficult! I want to start the next one right now...hmmmm...maybe just a couple of chapters and I'll pick something else up. I have so many great books waiting, but I'm just stuck in this world I can't even pronounce. It's actually wonderful when you find a "binge" series. Highly recommend, but know if you get sucked in, you might not escape!17 s Skorofido Skorofido275 190

?? «?????????? ?????», ?,?? ?????? ??? ??? ???????… ????? ????? ??? ???????? ?? ??????? ???? ? ?? ????????? ??? ever ????? ???????????? ?? ??????? ?? ?? ?????? ???? ??? ??????? ?? ????? ????…
????????? ????? ???? ?? ????, «?? ??????? ????????». ????????? ???? ??? ?????????? ????? ??? ?????????, ???? ?????? ??? ?? ????????? ??? ??????????? ????????, ? ????? ??? ? ?????? (?? ?????? ??????) ???? ?????????? ??? ??? ?????????? ???? ???? ?? ??? ??????? ?? ???? ?? ??????? (???????? ??????!)
… ?! ??? ??? ??????, ???? ??? ?? ??????? ?? ???????? ?? ???? ????, ??? ? ?????? ???? ?? ????????? ?? ??????????? ????? ?? ???????? ??????????…
??????? ??? ??? ????? ??????????? ??? ?? ??????????? ??? ????????? (?? ???????????? ???????)… ??? ???? ??? ?? ??????????? ???? ?????? ??? ?? ?????????? ??? ???????? ???? ? ?????????? ??????????? ??? ?????? ?? ?? ????? ?? ???????????? ??? ???????…
??? ??? ?????? ?? ???????????????… ?? ?????? ????? ??????… ?? ??????? ?????? ? ????????? ????? ??? ???? ??????????… ?????? ???? ???????? ?? ?????? ?????????? ??? ??????????, ?? ?????? ????????? ?? ??? ?? ????????????? ???, ???? ??? ???? ? ????? ???? ???? ?????? ?????????…
???? ??? ??????? ??? ??? ?????? ?? ???? ?? ????? ????? ??? ?????????? ???? ???? ??? ? ?????????????? ???????? ????????, ?????? ???????? ??? ??? ????? ????????? ?? ??? ????????… ??????? ??? ????????, ??????? ??? ?????? ?? ???????? ?????????? ??? ???? ???, ???? ??? ?????? ?? ?????? ??? ?? ???????? ??? ??????…
?? ???? ?? ??????????? ??????? ??? ????????, ???? ?? ???? ?????? ?????!!! ??? ?? ?????????????? (????? ? ????? ??????? ????? ??? ??? ????? ??????? ?????????? ????????) ????? ?? ???????? ??? ??? ???????? ????? (sic) ??? ?? ???? ??????? ??? ????????????.
????????, ?,?? ?????? ??? ???????… 7/10

http://skorofido.blogspot.gr/2016/06/...16 s Rita706 139

#leiturasemtemposdefériasn-suecia s-3 y-202112 s Elif269 48

Önce neden bask? kalitesinin yerlerde süründü?ünü söyleyeyim. Ya?l? ka??t. ?ncecik. Sayfalar? çevirirken korktum y?rt?lacak diye. Bir süredir böyle kitaplar?na denk geliyorum @dogan_kitap’?n. Hatta @dexpub da bas?yor ayn? formatta. Ama basmay?n arkada?lar. Biz sevmiyoruz.
Gelelim kitab?m?za. @lackberg benim çok sonradan ke?fetti?im bir yazar oldu. Ama iyi ki ke?fetmi?im. Çok güzel ?sveç polisiyesi yaz?yor. Ba?rol Patrik Hedström’ü daha okudu?um ilk kitapta sevmi?tim. Bu kitapta da çok sevdim. Sadece ben yine seriyi s?ras?na göre okumuyorum. Akl?m kar??t? biraz o yüzden. Patrik’in hayat?nda olup bitenler karman çorman oldu ama çok önemli de?il. Klasik ben
Autor del comentario:
=================================