Buried in Secret - Viveca Sten

 Buried in Secret - Viveca Sten

She read

Publication Date: Jan. 11, 2022

This is the tenth in the Sandhamm Murders series; it is the first I have read.  Although it was OK as a standalone, there was constant reference to something that occurred in the past (I assume in a prior book).  It was not fully explained, and I would have liked to know more about it, especially since it had such an impact on one of the main characters.

The remains of a skeleton are found when excavating on a small island.  As the police look into missing persons cases, there are two possibilities. I liked how the story focused on the personal lives of not only the two possible victims, but also the professional personnel involved in the case.  I also liked how the details leading to the disappearance of both missing persons  was interwoven through the book, slowly unfolding. I did not like the character, Nora, at all…self destructive people always annoy me.

This was an engrossing read.  Once it got going, after about 60%, I couldn’t put it down. Although this takes place in Sweden, I didn’t see it as classic “Nordic noir”. It didn’t have that cold, dark, bleak, foreboding quality.  It was much lighter, set in the summer by the sea. There was some social criticism as relates to police cutbacks, but that is certainly not unique to the Nordic countries and I have read that a lot recently both in American and British books.  

I do look forward to reading the next in the series; I hope that Nora will have recovered from her recent troubles and will be presented as a stronger, healthier individual.  If I ever find the time, I may go back and read some of the prior books in the series. 

*****