The Disappeared

Starred review from January 6, 2014
Credible characters whose heartaches are all too close for comfort populate Ohlsson’s outstanding third Fredrika Bergman crime novel (after 2012’s Silenced). Fredrika, a Stockholm detective who has returned from maternity leave too soon, lives with an emotionally fragile, much older partner, who’s being targeted by a vengeful student. Recently widowed Alex Recht, a colleague of Fredrika’s who became obsessed with the disappearance of Rebecca Trolle two years earlier, must contend with the discovery of Rebecca’s dismembered body. That Rebecca had been investigating a possible snuff film suggests the darkest of motivations for her murder. While the main characters often lapse into self-doubt, self-deprecation, and self-disgust, they never abandon their essential humanity. Alex finds the stirrings of new love with Rebecca’s grieving mother, and Fredrika confronts the reality of life with the aging partner she still loves—fitful glimpses of redemption in Ohlsson’s stark landscape of moral turpitude. Agent: Niclas Salomonsson, Salomonsson Agency (Sweden).

A terrific writer and talented narrator don't always result in a wonderful audiobook. Justine Eyre's rendition of the third book in Kristina Ohlsson's Swedish detective series is a case in point. The enthralling story starts with the disappearance of a graduate student. When her body is unearthed two years later, more bodies are found nearby. The ensuing case sets detectives Fredrika Bergman and Alex Recht on the trail of a forty-year-old tragedy. The Swedish accent used by Eyre is harsh and unconvincing; better to have employed the agreeable English accent she uses for her other excellent work. Also, lack of vocal differentiation makes it difficult to follow conversations. Thus, while the novel is a winner, listeners work hard for the reward. A.C.S. © AudioFile 2014, Portland, Maine