A review by thebooktrail88
The Dead of Summer by Mari Jungstedt
4.0
Imagine the scene: You’re on the most isolated island in the Baltic Sea, Gotska Sandön, which is north of Gotland, Sweden. The perfect place for a holiday. The ideal beach for a morning jog. Until a body is found, a man murdered in cold blood. Why on earth would a family man be killed in this way? Assistant commissioner Karin Jacobsson is assigned to the case and as boss Anders Knutas is away on holiday, she has her work cut out. TV reporter Johan Berg is also on the story but he has personal issues he’s trying to work through.
Just what or who has come to this peaceful island and why?
The island of Gotland is remote but the island of Gotska Sandön is remoter still. A small island to the north of Gotland, it’s captive to the elements from every angle. The Baltic Sea surrounds it on all of its jagged sides and it’s a long way from the mainland. A long way from life itself…For some, this should be a nice place to relax, get away from it all and spend time in the real life camping site of sudersand
D.S. Anders Knutas, head of the criminal division of the Visby police force has both the age and the experience to match. As well as Karin in his team, there’s a few other characters such as Wittberg known as the Casanova of the force.
On such a small island, the community is alive and well – what with the police and the local media both recounting events of one dreadful summer. The island is awash with death and someone is watching. People have the feeling that they are being watched.
This is Swedish crime novel with a difference – the sense of isolation, the unique island mentality and the relationships between locals, outsiders and foreigners is examined. The role and methodology of the island police is also revealed to be more complex that first thought.
The murders and the dual time period reveal an historical time line that reveals a culture and an interesting take on events which happened long ago.
Just what or who has come to this peaceful island and why?
The island of Gotland is remote but the island of Gotska Sandön is remoter still. A small island to the north of Gotland, it’s captive to the elements from every angle. The Baltic Sea surrounds it on all of its jagged sides and it’s a long way from the mainland. A long way from life itself…For some, this should be a nice place to relax, get away from it all and spend time in the real life camping site of sudersand
D.S. Anders Knutas, head of the criminal division of the Visby police force has both the age and the experience to match. As well as Karin in his team, there’s a few other characters such as Wittberg known as the Casanova of the force.
On such a small island, the community is alive and well – what with the police and the local media both recounting events of one dreadful summer. The island is awash with death and someone is watching. People have the feeling that they are being watched.
This is Swedish crime novel with a difference – the sense of isolation, the unique island mentality and the relationships between locals, outsiders and foreigners is examined. The role and methodology of the island police is also revealed to be more complex that first thought.
The murders and the dual time period reveal an historical time line that reveals a culture and an interesting take on events which happened long ago.