I have the second book of this trilogy (Marked for Revenge) on my TBR pile & thought I’d better get my mitts on the first one instead of jumping into the middle of a series. Glad I did.

The publicity blurb gives a good synopsis of the story line so I won’t re-blab too much of the plot. This is an excellent example of compelling Scandi-noir with a strong female protagonist. Jana Berzelius is a public prosecutor & ends up working with police on a complex case with shocking ties to her personal past. As the book progresses, we learn what is lurking behind her cool, uber-eficient facade.

The author hooks us (and Jana) up to a slow drip of background info that has major ramifications for how the case will play out. She also tackles tough subjects such as child trafficking & abuse of immigrants seeking asylum, topics that have chilling relevance in current affairs.

It’s a dark, fast paced read with a wide range of characters. Some will invoke your sympathy, others you’ll abhor. What kept me reading was trying to figure out how the MC would get herself out of the whole snarly mess. By the end, police close the case but we know there is much more to the story & it sets the stage for an inevitable showdown between Jana & one of the characters.

My only complaint has to do with the translation. I’m not sure if Ms. Schepp or someone else produced the english version. Regrettably, there are many instances of odd word choices & awkward phrasing that cause your eyes to stumble & take note. It pulls you out of the moment which is unfortunate as there’s a great story here that would be even better with improved flow. However, as a first novel it’s still an impressive debut.

If you’re a fan of “cozies”, step away! The obvious comparisons as far as the MC is concerned would be those created by Carol O’Connell, Taylor Stevens & (to a lesser extent) Stieg Larsson. I’d recommend starting here as there is a tremendous amount of back story that will no doubt inform the rest of the series. On to book #2!