A minister is missing in Sweden. The killer is out in Denmark, targeting the victims.
The circumstances are dark and cruel, but the policemen (and policewomen) are just humans. Can they fight this killer/s?

This is the second on in the Fabian Risk series, but it is actually a prequel, when considering the timeline. But I recommend to read the first one in the series "Victim Without a Face" at first and this novel after that - because the author is massively hinting about the second volume in the first volume, so this way you get a background of the major characters. And, of course, one wishes to grab the third volume :)

I actually liked "Victim Without a Face" better. While I like the human circumstances (unstable marriages and another problems in work/private lives are the staple of modern procedural mysteries and Stefan ahnhem does that well), I was not that invested into the humanity of the characters here like in was there in the first book. And while I recognize that the killer who is both genius and cruel monster is another staple of the Nordic crime novels, it gets a bit old and even unbelievable - and especially when getting the backstory here. When I left the speedneck pace of the story and actually started to think, the motif/motives seem quite weak for all the killing spread.

But I like the characters. Fabian Risk is a nice guy who does not listen to both the voice of his higher-ups and the voice of reason, and so is Dunja Hougaard, his Danish counterpart. Not good for the personal lives, but well done for the ones they want to protect!
I like Dunja and hope to see more of her in the following installments in the series!

So - proceed with caution here. But the ride is fast and furious, and I say that as a compliment!

I love reading Nordic noir and crime fiction, and this book rates up with the best of them. Descriptions of the towns, and valleys make me wish I could be there personally. Well written, and worth your effort.

The Ninth Grave is a long, gruesome and at times an overly complicated story.
Set before the previous book in the series it tells us how Fabian got back to his hometown.
Its obviously well written with a well thought out plot but for me it dragged and wasn't as enjoyable as I would of liked. The backstories were too long and bloated which detracted from the actual crimes that had taken place.
The ending of the book came as a surprise (and a relief).
Unfortunately not a book I enjoyed but fans of Nordic Noir will lap it up.

The story didn't convince me in any way and I really could not take to the main character either.
Without giving any of the plot away the more than unlikely way the book got started was too contrived.

Exciting, yes (once I got the hang of it), full of twists and including classic policeprocedural issues - the career games among fellow police and intelligence services, multiple cases going on that seemto come together - across a few countries as well. Distinct personalities who sometimes do surprising things. People have gone missing, and there is suspicion that there is serial killing going on - but people are found, dead by bloody and stealthy means, with organs missing.
What irked me a bit is all the relationships are unstable; and all the women are either pregnant or thinking about fertility or the faithfulness of their partners - or are being attacked by a superior in a sexual way. People assess each other including rather full body descriptions too. Stuff like that - just pretty obsessive focus on women alone in houses being terrified, or out alone and being attacked etc etc - in the hands of doctors and being tricked and carted away. Helpless victims, you see. A bit repetitive and felt dated. But although we can all see what's coming, Risk, the name of the principal detective we are tracking, is a good character and I understand will be in other novels (and has been) as part of a series. Presumably earlier novels wont have all this difficulties about husband and wife sharing child care or sharing renovation ofa house etc. (Or giving birth)- but satisfying nonetheless.

This was an interesting but grizzly read and did not really hold my attention throughout the book. Perhaps it was something lost in the translation. On the plus side, the plot was interesting and the author is a good story teller. Just not for me. Thanks to Net Galley for my copy. I reviewed on Goodreads and Amazon.

This novel takes place before Victim Without a Face, so is actually the first Fabian Risk thriller. Stefan Ahnhem is a master story teller. What an amazing book and such a unique plot. The character of Fabian Risk is well drawn as a flawed human being rather than an unrealistic hero. The action proceeds at a great pace. I loved his first book and I eagerly await the next book in the series. This book has to be read. I wholeheartedly recommend it.

I would like to thank Netgalley and Head of Zeus for an advance copy of The Ninth Grave, the second Swedish police procedural to feature Detective Fabian Risk.

The novel opens 10 years before with a dying man writing a last letter. It then cuts back to the present day and a series of disappearances in Stockholm and a grisly murder in Denmark. Fabian Risk leads the initial investigation in Stockholm and Dunja Hougaard leads the Danish one.

This is a difficult novel to describe and I think you will either love it or hate it. Normally I prefer a straightforward, linear narrative from one point of view and this novel jumps about all over the place from Stockholm to Copenhagen via both the police and victims' points of view but I found it both fascinating and engrossing as I tried to work out what was going on. It also has quite a bit to say on both Fabian and Dunja's relationships which I think the novel could have done without as it is a long read and a distraction from the main thrust of the plot.

The plot is a bit far fetched when I reflect on it at the end but I thoroughly enjoyed the hunt for the killer throughout the novel and didn't realise at the time of reading. The ending is probably very realistic but disappointing in the shape it takes (no spoilers), especially after all the hard work put in.

I think the characters are also realistic - none are particularly likeable but they are smart and dedicated. Fabian Risk's sidekick, Malin, is funny about her pregnancy but very hormonal. Fabian, himself, is the clichéd policeman putting his work before his family, but as none of them are appealing who can blame him?

I enjoyed The Ninth Grave which has some intricate plotting and realistic characters so I have no hesitation in recommending it as a good read.

This is a gruesome and fast-paced story with multiple strands and storylines divided up into very short chapters. Like other Scandi-crime the story tends to be a bit bloated and baggy, with lots of almost soap-opera storylines that feed through: a failing marriage, an unsuccessful partnership, sexual pursuits, a what-to-do-with-the-children-when I'm-chasing-a-mad-serial-killer, the vastly pregnant woman... depending on your tolerance these will serve either to add character or merely get in the way of the investigation.

The crime plot is gory and lurid, and tips over into the farcical at points: I'm afraid I find it difficult to keep a straight face once we start veering into the territory of cannibalism...

At almost 600 pages, this feels too long for the story and it's one of those books where it's best not to think too rigorously about the plot as if you do huge holes open up, Nevertheless, I romped through the first half very fast as I was gripped and intrigued. Recommended if you like something with lots of insanity, blood and page-turning action.

To be posted on Amazon and Goodreads