Lars Kepler | THE SANDMAN

Plot:

Late one night, outside Stockholm, Mikael Kohler-Frost is found wandering. Thirteen years earlier, he went missing along with his younger sister. They were long thought to have been victims of Sweden's most notorious serial killer, Jurek Walter, now serving a life sentence in a maximum security psychiatric hospital. Now Mikael tells the police that his sister is still alive and being held by someone he knows only as the Sandman. Years ago, Detective Inspector Joona Linna made an excruciating personal sacrifice to ensure Jurek's capture. He is keenly aware of what this killer is capable of, and now he is certain that Jurek has an accomplice. He knows that any chance of rescuing Mikael's sister depends on getting Jurek to talk, and that the only agent capable of this is Inspector Saga Bauer, a twenty-seven-year-old prodigy. She will have to go under deep cover in the psychiatric ward where Jurek is imprisoned, and she will have to find a way to get to the psychopath before it's too late--and before he gets inside her head.

Review:

About a year ago, I tried my first piece of Nordic Noir and haven't looked back. THE SANDMAN is the novel that has brought me to the realization that this was a fantastic idea. THE SANDMAN is a novel that is so intricate, each page indicates the cusp of what can only be a brilliant explosion. And that is an understatement. This novel is fast paced, brooding, and clandestine with its intentions. Not only does it feature a rich and gloomy setting, but it begins with a mystifying and unsettling first chapter that pulls you in and refuses to release its grip.

The duo known as Lars Kepler are two dazzlingly talented writers that not only know how to write crime fiction, but their writing style is so remarkable, it leaves you with a burst of imagery, emotion, and fear with each and every chapter. Within the first twenty pages, I was so creeped out, I had to take a break. Not only is this well-detailed, but the short chapters really make the novel move at a rapid pace and not one word goes unnoticed. What I really enjoyed about the writing style was that each chapter acts as a puzzle piece in the grand scheme of who The Sandman is and the torment he has brought on a plethora of lives. I couldn't get enough of the multitude of vibrant characters and their emotional, physical and spiritual journey throughout this novel; Jurek Walter especially. This is the villain that makes Hannibal Lecter look like a kitten. He is cunning, relentless, and horrifyingly clever. To say that these characters are vividly written would be minimizing the shocking talent that these two authors have for building characterization. Flaws and all, it doesn't get much better than this when it comes to believable and lifelike personalities. Even the characters that are only in the novel for a chapter or so are wonderfully written, each one giving you a dose of who they are through meticulously written dialog and action.

As I journeyed farther into this novel, I found myself tense, excited, and chilled to the core. With a novel like this, no one is safe...and I mean no one. Not only does the plot take some sharp-edged turns that I didn't see coming, but the character development grows exceptionally. For me, this 400+ page novel flew by. It's entertaining, nerve-wracking, and addictive. With a plot so cunningly brilliant and characters that are sharp and engaging, I was completely immersed in this read with every twist and turn that led up to the gritty and violent conclusion. This is the novel that changes the game with crime fiction and should be on your bookshelf. The writing is hypnotic, the plot is sensational, and the last chapter will leave even the most heroic reader shocked. Don't let this one out of your sight. THE SANDMAN is the perfect read for crime fiction lovers.

*Special thanks to Alfred Knopf for providing me with this copy in exchange for my honest review.

Rating: 5/5