The first thing about this excellent Swedish thriller is that there are two authors, Anders Roslund and Borge Hellstrom. This I find interesting and how they work to construct plots and characters. Despite this there is no sense that are two authors. Not like the Lennon and McCartney song writing partnership where parts can be attributed to writer or the other. Some of this may be ironed out by the book being translated into English.
The plot is clever and as is de regur for thrillers is convoluted and complex. The main characters are well developed. The story of drugs and corruption is plausible and at the edges of believability. But as the old saying goes truth is stranger than fiction. It’s difficult to describe the story without giving it away. It does however explore the push of criminals out of the old Soviet regime and into affluent Northern Europe. The setting is the murky world of police undercover work and the dance of law enforcement and organised crime.
This is a cracking yarn that is fast paced and weaving until the very surprising end.
