The Stranger

When Detective Patrik Hedstrom comes on the scene of a fatal car crash, he finds an extremely drunk female as the victim. But her roommate insists that she never touches alcohol. That, in combination with other evidence, clearly indicates that he has a homicide on his hands without a clue.Complicating his investigation is that a popular reality TV show has started filming in the area, and a member of the cast, a young girl, has been found murdered.With assiduous digging, Patrik finds three other deaths in Sweden over the last few years that are very similar to the car crash. It turns out that his investigation will have to go back decades to unearth the reasons for these deaths.The author devotes a fair amount of time to Patrik’s hapless chief, the strained life of the new detective Hanna, and to Patrik’s wife Erica and her sister Anna. An interesting story but a little on the farfetched side.

In this novel accidental death is revealed as murder. But the autopsy reveals that death was caused by a great amount of alcohol and the victim never drank alcohol. There is a family beset with homophobia. There is a new female on Patrik Hedstrom's team. Erica copes with Maja, her infant daughter, as well as looking after her depressed sister and her children. A reality TV programme is being filmed in the area. One of the cast is found dead. Is it accident or murder? Police chief Mellberg has found true love at last and embarks on an investment. The inevitable happens with that relationship. Erica's sister Anna finally snaps out of depression with the help of Erica's ex-boyfriend, Dan and then takes on the challenge of organising Erica and Patrik's wedding. Several Scandinavian crime novels imploy a technique that is used here: the beginning of each chapter is preceded by a short passage (in italics) that reveals, bit by bit, the back-story of the murderer(s). Always a gripping mystery and a satisfying resolution. I found it a little frustrating that we get only a short snapshot of each scene before switching to the next. A bit like a TV sit-com or soap opera. (Well, any film technique, probably). I have thoroughly enjoyed all the Lackberg novels I have read so far.

This book was previously published as The Gallows Bird, and I am not quite sure why they changed the title. I just know there were a lot of cranky people who bought a book they already read! So if you have one or the other, they are the same.This is the fourth book in Lackberg's Patrick Hedstrom series, which is set in a small Swedish town plagued with big city crime. The mystery plot was interesting, about a string of killings that may be the result of a serial killer, but no one is really sure, and the companion "at home" story line of Patrick and Erica preparing for their wedding and dealing with other family issues was also good. There are also a couple of good storylines involving some of Patrick's co-workers.I don't know if it was the story or just that this is the fourth book I have read by this author and in this series, but I was able to figure out the twist really soon. It didn't spoil the story--it was fun seeing everyone else figure it out--but I wasn't as shocked by how things turned out as I have been with her previous volumes. I am looking forward to reading the next book, The Hidden Child, which was set up at the end of this one, so time will tell!

THE STRANGER is Book #4 of the Patrik Hedstrom (Fjallbacka) series written by Swedish author Camilla Lackberg and translated by Steven T. Murray.Erica and Patrik’s wedding plans are falling behind as they are confronted with Maja’s care; Anna and her children moving in; plus a very tense murder investigation that has the entire station working frantically to solve the case.Many characters demand the reader’s full concentration. A very tense tale with a complicated police investigation left me breathless.Another ‘Must Read’ Swedish Noir title from Camilla Lackberg. ****[This title, THE STRANGER, was previously published under the title, THE GALLOWS BIRD.]

Patrik Hedstrom investigates the death of a woman in a car - even though it looks like an accident - something doesn;t seem right to PatrickAt the same time Fjallbaca, where Patrik is a police officer - is about to receive it's first group of Reality TV stars. A local businessman has arranged this group of unconventional people to live and be televised in his home town, expecting a lot of good PR and finances to make this an excellent monetary adventure.As the 2 situations collide - we also are updated on Erica, Patrick's wife, and their new baby MajaIt is a series where we learn more about the central characters as each novel is released

Nicely written crime drama that doesn't cause trauma, nightmares or paranoia. The author pulls the reader into another culture and other ways to view social injustices and family of origin issues. The story and style reminded me of Agatha Christie.

I ended up really enjoying this book. In the beginning, there were WAY too many characters to keep straight, so I just kept reading without really keeping track of each one, and soon they all became clearer to me. I loved the plot twists in the last third or so of the book. Reality show characters seem shallow and rather stupid at first, but as they develop you can see a deeper personality in some of them. Apparently reality shows are much the same, whether in America or in European countries. Lots of absurdities to gain attention from viewers!

A gentle narrative reflecting the lives of the good people in and around Fjällbacka. The cosy details of Detective Patrick Hedström domestic life with his partner,Erica; they're on a diet as their wedding day draws closer. Arrangements fall to Erica & her Sister, Anna, as Patrick is deeply involved in two separate murders which drag him across Southern Sweden looking for connections and a link between a car crash in Tanumshede that initially appears to be an unfortunate accident and a remembered case study from a training event that had some similarities.As Patrick fails to maintain his work/life balance we are taken from domestic stress to all out emnity and murderous happenings on a reality TV show that has moved into Town. This second murder stretches the small detective team to its limits and the reader is at a loss to make sense of the expanding plot lines.Lackberg is equally adept at reflecting on social aspects of Swedish life as she is in exposing the dark side of people's character and all of her books read well. She is able to hold the whole together so that the reader isn't left checking back to understand an earlier chapter.The final drawing together of the various aspects of plot and motivations are done cleverly and without any tricks or smoking mirrors. You have a conclusion, an end to the mystery but maintain a desire to learn more about the cast. Happily CL continues to write and you can look forward to the next encounter where briefly you will be transposed to this sleepy spot where the latest darkness & malevolence disturbs, but can't reach you physically & add you to the list of victims.

Fjallbacka, the small swedish fishing village on the west coast, which has been put well on the literary map thanks to Camilla takes on a whole new meaning in this novel as modernity in the guise of reality TV comes to town and illustrates the remoteness and quiet yet threatening nature of some of its inhabitants.This device is used throughout the novel to illustrate the outside coming in to this closed network of people and landscape and further enhances the story lines which carry on from the previous three novels. Domestic bliss in the form of Erica and Patrick and not so much domestic bliss with her sister Anna. But it’s the TV show that shocks and worries most and excites some -“Oh it’s going to be so much fun seeing you on TV, and our little town of course. I never would have imagined that wed be nationwide celebrities here in Tanumshede.”The culture shock that the investigation and the murders together with the home lives of the main characters really go well despite at totally opposite ends of the scale. The TV show angle might make you groan in disappointed anticipation but a smile and an expression of pleasant surprise will soon replace it as the novel unfolds.

The Gallows Bird is the latest in the series about Patrik Hedstrom and his colleagues and, as always, well written and good narrative.A woman is found dead, apparently the victim of a tragic car crash. The car reeks of alcohol and the assumption is that it is a drink drive accident. But then the autopsy reveals that there are bruises around the mouth, signs that liquor has been forced upon the driver and that this is to be treated as a murder. While this is being investigated a reality Big Brother type TV reality show is being filmed in Tanumshede and the police attention to the mysterious crash is distracted when one of the show's participants is found murdered.While all this is going on Patrik has a new colleague to deal with, Hannah, a determined and ambitious detective who is working her way up the management pole and yet seems to have an unhappy private life (ok, same old I know but this has a twist). While all this is going on Patrik's fiance is organising their wedding and life is a tad fraught to say the least.Then a piece of evidence reveals that the two seemingly disparate homicides are linked, and a pattern emerges of similar deaths over a period of time and in different parts of the country and slowly Patrick realises that these cases are closer to home than he thinks.This is just a quick summing up of this latest Camilla Lackberg as I don't want to go into too much detail and give anything away and further reviewing make this almost impossible to do. I have become very fond of Patrik and his now wife, Erica and was slightly disappointed to find that the ending of The Stonecutter which left us with a cliffhanger, is resolved in a paragraph or two at the start of this book. I had hoped it would be given more depth. But, this slight crit aside, this story is well up to standard and I spent a happy afternoon reading it. The characters are all well rounded and portrayed and as the series progresses we, the readers, have a chance to become involved with them all, and we do. Even Patrik's boss, ever eager to take the credit for his work, shows a human and vulnerable side and I must admit I warmed to him.We are left with another open ending which augurs well for the next book and looking forward to it already.

I like Ms Lackberg's writing style. I hesitate to call it cozy as that has certain connotations in the crime/mystery genre so perhaps informal and inviting is a better description. It is pleasant to read about a detective who is happy and has a great home life as it is almost outwith the norm. In this book two crimes are investigated - the death of a local lesbian and the murder of a reality "star". I like the way the plot develops slowly as the police uncover not so many clues but information but it is a bit annoying that the reader doesn't get all the new information as it comes in and has to wait a bit for it to be revealed. That is, however, a minor niggle as this is an enjoyable read and I'm looking forward to more in the series.

Once you get your head around the characters names, there's always a few names thrown in his book's, it becomes a well written story and keeps you enthralled until the last page! I'll admit I didn't see the ending coming but there you go that's a sign of a good writer! highly recommended