Everyone here is lying…
Expert on body language and memory, and consultant to the Oslo Police, psychologist Kari Voss sleepwalks through her days, and, by night, continues the devastating search for her young son, who disappeared on his birthday, seven years earlier.
Still grieving for her dead husband, and trying to pull together the pieces of her life, she is thrust into a shocking local investigation, when two teenage girls are violently murdered in a family summer home in the nearby village of Son.
When a friend of the victims is charged with the barbaric killings, it seems the case is closed, but Kari is not convinced. Using her skills and working on instinct, she conducts her own enquiries, leading her to multiple suspects, including people who knew the dead girls well…
With the help of Chief Constable Ramona Norum, she discovers that no one – including the victims – are what they seem. And that there is a dark secret at the heart of Son village that could have implications not just for her own son’s disappearance, but Kari’s own life, too…
Everyone here is lying…
Expert on body language and memory, and consultant to the Oslo Police, psychologist Kari Voss sleepwalks through her days, and, by night, continues the devastating search for her young son, who disappeared on his birthday, seven years earlier.
Still grieving for her dead husband, and trying to pull together the pieces of her life, she is thrust into a shocking local investigation, when two teenage girls are violently murdered in a family summer home in the nearby village of Son.
When a friend of the victims is charged with the barbaric killings, it seems the case is closed, but Kari is not convinced. Using her skills and working on instinct, she conducts her own enquiries, leading her to multiple suspects, including people who knew the dead girls well…
With the help of Chief Constable Ramona Norum, she discovers that no one – including the victims – are what they seem. And that there is a dark secret at the heart of Son village that could have implications not just for her own son’s disappearance, but Kari’s own life, too…
I'm delighted to be sharing my review of Son by Johana Gustawsson and Thomas Enger today. Many thanks to Orenda Books for my advance copy of the book.
If I was asked to name some of the standout authors whose books I've had the pleasure of reading during my years reviewing on this blog, Thomas Enger and Johana Gustawsson would both be easy choices. Every novel they write is guaranteed to be among my most anticipated of the year and to feature on my top reads of the year list. When I first learned they had written a book together I was thrilled; both pen their intricately plotted mysteries with such empathy, I had no doubt they would create a superlative thriller. Son is everything a crime novel should be – and the fact that it's the first in a series is definitely the icing on a perfectly baked cake!
Kari Voss is introduced to readers not in her professional role as an expert on body language and memory but as a terrified mother whose seven year old son, Vetle has gone missing on his birthday. The first lines of the book, "My son is missing. My boy, my roots, my sky" are immediately heartbreaking and the opening to Son is an exquisite rollercoaster of emotions. Kari's escalating fear, desperate hope and raw sorrow is almost palpable; I doubt I'll read a better introduction to a book or character this year.
Seven years later, Vetle is still missing and the remaining three of the group of children formerly known as the 'Fantastic Four' – Hedda, Eva and Jesper are now teenagers. Hedda and Eva are still close and excited to be throwing a Halloween party at Eva's parents' summer house in Son village. However, their youthful recklessness and thirst for new experiences ends in tragedy when both girls are violently murdered. Jesper is quickly identified as the main suspect but Kari has been called in to observe his formal interview and she becomes convinced of his innocence.
The personal ties to this traumatic case run deep throughout Son and the weight of this unimaginable tragedy on individuals, families and the community as a whole is expressed with nuanced understanding. Kari knows what it's like to have lost a child and even though she clings to the hope that Vetle is alive, her deep compassion for the bereaved parents is particularly poignant because of their shared memories. However, she is also friends with Chief Constable Ramona Norum and to complicate matters further, her own father was the previous chief. Even though the evidence pointing towards Jesper seems conclusive, she continues with her own investigation in spite of the risks it brings to her relationships and possibly to her safety. Johana Gustawsson and Thomas Enger ensure the first person chapters which follow her are delicately balanced; can she still rely on her expertise when it becomes obvious just how much the case is affecting her?
Meanwhile Ramona is an equally compelling character whose own desire to achieve justice for the murdered teens is never in doubt. With so much deception coming to light, the scenes featuring her family, particularly her wife bring a little relief to proceedings. Although the friendship between the Kari and Ramona is sorely tested, both are principled individuals with a strong belief in family and a series built around such relatable, skilfully portrayed women is a treat to anticipate.
The intricately crafted plot twists relentlessly as dark secrets – about the potential perpetrators of this bloody murder and about the victims themselves – are revealed. Despite the police's insistence that Jesper remains the clear suspect, the truth is never obvious and kept me guessing throughout. The pitch-perfect characterisation and the emotive impact of this compulsive, atmospheric mystery is complemented by the beautiful, perceptive writing, and the unexpected conclusion is simply breathtaking. Son is a triumph and should be sought out by anybody who enjoys intelligent, hauntingly memorable thrillers. Very highly recommended!
I recently shared an extract from Son, you can read it here.
Son is published by Orenda Books; it can be ordered directly from their website or find more purchasing links here.
About the Authors
Known as the Queen of French Noir, Johana Gustawsson is one of France’s most highly regarded, award-winning authors, recipient of the prestigious Cultura Ligue de l`Imaginaire Award for her historical thriller Yule Island. Number-one bestselling books include Block 46, Keeper, Blood Song and The Bleeding. Johana lives in Sweden with her family.
Thomas Enger
A former journalist, Thomas Enger is the number-one bestselling author of the Henning Juul series and, with co-author Jørn Lier Horst, the international bestselling Blix & Ramm series. One of the biggest proponents of the Nordic Noir genre, his books have been translated into twenty-eight languages. He lives in Oslo.
Comments
Post a Comment