This Scandinavian mystery is touted as being the next "Girl With The Dragon Tattoo" sensation. It start off with a grisly murder--that of three out of four members of a family. Should the survivors be afraid of the murderer or are they in fact responsible for the deaths of the rest of their family? The detective Joona Linna demands to be given the case. He pushes a psychiatrist who specializes in hypnotherapy to use this technique on the boy as soon as he comes out of a coma. Previously Dr. Bark had promised never to use hypnosis again and in doing so he lets loose a terrifying chain of events.
The first third of this book is a page turner. The next third is definitely slower and confusing at times especially during the hypnotherapy sessions conducted by Dr. Bark. Detective Linna shows himself to be pretty arrogant; he takes on two overlapping cases with help only from a secretary who has a crush on him. There doesn't seem to be other detectives. He also goes over his bosses' heads without a thought and is rude and pushy with the superintendent.
Dr. Bark takes all kinds of drugs on a regular basis and yet no one notices this at the hospital where he works. His wife--the woman with two names--does not demand that he seek rehab. In fact, in spite of the drugs, he bikes all over the city and helps solve the crime. Basically the only likeable character is Dr. Bark's son.
My other problem with the book: except for the snow it could take place in any country. I enjoy Scandinavian mysteries and this one has no sense of place or people. You never find out why the original murders take place and who exactly is responsible for them. In no way does it come close to the novels of Steig Larson, Henning Mankell, or Karin Fossum.
Enjoy it for being a fast read, but don't expect much!
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