The Hidden Child

Starred review from March 17, 2014
Läckberg’s excellent fifth novel set in the Swedish coastal village of Fjällbacka (after 2013’s The Stranger) finds Det. Patrik Hedström on paternity leave, looking after his toddler daughter, Maja, though that doesn’t stop him from taking her to a crime scene, much to the chagrin of Patrik’s wife, Erica Falck. Someone struck elderly Erik Frankel, an expert on Nazis, a fatal blow to the head in the house he shared with his brother, Axel, who tracks Nazi war criminals. Is the historian’s murder related to the uptick in neo-Nazi activity? Meanwhile, Erica has a connection to the victim. She recently asked Erik to examine a Nazi medal that she discovered among the possessions of her late mother, Elsy. Flashbacks to WWII describe how Elsy, the Frankels, and others befriended a young French Resistance fighter. Horrific secrets come to light as the author skillfully shows how the past has influenced recent events. Agents: Bengt Nordin and Maria Enberg, Nordin Literary Agency (Sweden).

Lesser narrators might be challenged by meshing two eras and an enormous cast of characters. However, Simon Vance's transitions are smooth, and his narration fluid despite myriad emotions and the author's complicated plot. Vance's accurate pronunciations make listeners comfortable in the Swedish setting, allowing easy entry into the fifth gripping mystery in LŠckberg's series. Present-day crime writer Erica Falck is puzzled when she finds a Nazi war medal in her mother's possessions. Erica and her husband, police detective Patrik Hedstrom, juggle parenting a toddler and their investigations. Vance enhances the story's comic relief, parenting struggles, and culture clashes through outstanding characterizations, all the while reflecting the building tension. S.W. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2014, Portland, Maine