Crime at its best – Shadow by Karin Alvtegen

There’s nothing like a bit of crime for  bedtime reading.  Karin Alvtegen’s Shadow left me with a thrill, toying with the psyche.

Sometimes, it’s better to leave the past buried…

I prefer to categorise this book as a psychological thriller, it really delves into your mind and turns every stone.  The opening is already very moody; a young boy is left alone at a closing amusement park, told to stay where he is, and that someone will come back for him.

Except no one ever does.  As he grows older, the mysteries unravels as he finds out about the darkest ever secrets his family had held.

Then the plot turns to the discovery of a three day dead woman, Gerda, whose fridge is stocked with books, each individually cling wrapped.  And they are all from the same author.  And in each book, there’s a note from the Nobel Prize-winning author to Gerda. What is the link?  It’s left for Marianne Folkesson, employed by the State, to find out.

Final Thoughts

I found this book riveting and thrilling on every level.  Once you get into the story, you’ll find it hard to put down as layer upon layer of dark secrets and skewed truths are revealed about this family.

If you liked this, you’d probably also like 1222 by Anne Holt.

Awards:
WINNER Danish Crime Novel of the Year 2007