The Chosen

I've read the previous four books in the Bergman and Recht series and was looking forward to this one and I was certainly not disappointed. I would probably recommend starting at the beginning of this series because a real strength of Ohlsson's books is that the characters and lives of her investigators develop throughout rather than remaining static. However, having said that, this novel stands alone as an excellent read if you want to jump in here. It is an excellent read in the Scandi-Crime genre with a good sense of place so important in these novels, focussing on attacks on Stockholm's Jewish community, with first the shooting of a teaching outside a preschool and then the disappearance of two Jewish boys on their way to play tennis. What emerges is a labyrinthine plot with its roots in the past and in Israel, and it is thoroughly intriguing to the end even if the final motive seems a little far-fetched. We are haunted by the fact that we know part of the ending of the story from the start although there is enough ambiguity about it to keep you guessing until the tragedy unfolds. Another excellent book from Kristina Ohlsson and I can't wait for the next one.

In my opinion, there are few who write crime fiction better than the Swede's at the moment and Kristina Ohlsson is at the pinnacle of a very good bunch. I have yet to read a book of hers that I have not loved. Each has it's own things going for it, good writing , easy pacing of the plot, the opportunity to play detective yourself (all the clues are there) or simply enjoy a good read. "The Chosen" is perhaps the best I have read to date and I would highly recommend it to all who enjoy a good detective story or police procedural.The only downside to Ms. Ohlssons books and the same applies to many others, Asa Larrson, Camilla Lackberg, Steig Larsson etal. is they are always similar (when they hit on something that works they stick with it) so I would suggest reading one then reading a couple of other authors who are completely different and then return rather than binge reading. They always feel like a treat again. Happy reading.

I have read the previous books and enjoyed the police side, the crimes committed and the subsequent investigation. However I feel the books are let down by the characters a few of whom I found quite dislikeable. Frederika for example is constantly lauding her much older husband who first started a relationship with her when she was his student and he was married. Contrary to what she believes this does not make him a noble and beautiful person, not as far as I am concerned anyway. Perhaps that's just me though.Aside from that the story follows a series of killings involving children and a schoolteacher and the team search for a connection between the victims. I enjoyed the investigation into the murders and the pieces of the jigsaw coming together.I feel the books would benefit from concentrating on the crimes and the resolution and less on the personal lives of the investigators.

I have never been excited by Ohlssson before but now she is up with the big boys . The myth of The paper boy who abducts children as they sleep is a great winter creep , to read with the best [ think Nesbo or Lars Kepler]. Its a fast and furious pace , a twisty exciting ending and I was left with a large hole when I got to the end. This is so much more than just another police story.

Not read as yet but arrived on time and in good condition as promised.