Wonderful construction of plot and characters. Hope to read more by this author. Interesting and good pace of writing.

When I started THE TUNNEL my initial thought was, “just another Scan-mystery novel.” Boy was I wrong, and in the finest way. The first piece of greatness was the spot-on characterization of all the actors. Jorma, the criminal, Katz, the hero and investigator, and last Eva, the informant. The descriptions of these players made this book extraordinarily enjoyable while at the same time made me think and ponder. Ponder because the writer shows that people are neither good or bad, but likely right in the middle. And that is the attraction. Placing yourself in the shoes of criminals, investigators and informants.
Drug addiction and the ever-growing sex industry are at the heart of the matter in this engaging novel. Nothing about this book is predictable, especially the denouement. Even if you are not a huge fan of this genre, I urge you to read THE TUNNEL, you will be happy that you did.

Please see my review on my blog, this book was wonderful, I love Danny Katz! He was an awesome character

Wowsa is this Scandinavian noir! Danny Katz and his friend Eva both have tortured pasts which they just can't shake. Katz' efforts to untangle the mystery of Ramon's murder and the disappearance of Ramon's girlfriend Jenny are the impetus for a wild ride through the unrestrained dark side of Stockholm. Some of this we've seen before but Vallgren has a way of presenting a puzzle knot that made it fresh (if rotten.). This is not for the faint of heart- it's very grim in spots- but it's well written. Thanks to netgalley for the ARC. I read Boy in the Shadows when it came out and I think it made these characters more special for me but I also think you'd be fine reading this as a standalone.

Once upon a time there were 3 homeless teenagers who became best friends as they struggled to survive the mean streets of Stockholm. At first all Eva, Jorma & Katz had in common was the daily hunt for their next hit of heroin. But eventually the trio found something even more addictive to sustain them….trust.

But all “good” things must end & they went their separate ways. Years later, all 3 are still in Stockholm but living very different lives. They don’t know it yet but a series of seemingly random events are about to bring them back together.

Eva is now a prosecutor investigating cross-border financial crimes. She’s working with colleagues in the Balkans who believe mafia money is flowing to Sweden to be laundered. The big question is: who’s on the receiving end?

Jorma is in a bit of a tight spot. He’s tried walking the straight & narrow but the truth is, it’s boring. So when a buddy asks for help pulling off an armed robbery, he jumps. To say it doesn’t go well is an understatement.

Katz (following events in the last book) has all the work he wants as an independent translator & IT security expert. He’s been clean for 10 years but when an old friend dies in mysterious circumstances, he finds himself drawn back into the life he left behind.

Initially the book alternates between the 3 separate POV’s so we get pulled into the lives of these characters. Each has a compelling story & as they pick away at their individual investigations, a subtle tension begins to build as they start attracting the wrong kind of attention. The connections are not immediately clear. Peripheral characters slip in & out of story lines, making you wonder who can be trusted & who’s hiding behind a clever facade.

As the story lines converge, the horrific scope of the criminal network begins to emerge. These people play for keeps & the game turns deadly as they get closer to the truth. The MC’s run into some dicey situations & this is where some suspension of disbelief will be required. They catch some lucky breaks to be sure but 2 things save the story: how much you want them to succeed & how badly you want some of these despicable people to pay.

This is definitely Scandi noir. The backdrop of Stockholm’s seedier streets is enhanced by descriptions of the addicts’ lives & the powerful opportunists who abuse them. It’s a disturbing read at times. But the author’s depictions are not gratuitous, rather it’s just that he doesn’t shy away from reality. The atmosphere becomes darker as things go from bad to worse, a descent that is mirrored by the changes in Katz.

This is a guy who shouldn’t be alive. He’s a lapsed Jew who lost his parents too young & never really recovered. There’s a suppressed anger buried inside him & when Jorma & Eva are threatened, it’s almost a relief to let it out.

Although this can be a stand alone, I recommend starting with “The Boy in the Shadows”. There are references to events in that book & knowing the characters’ backgrounds makes for a richer reading experience with this one. The ending made my jaw drop & now I’m wondering where the author will take us in book #3.

Jorma, Katz and Eva are the 3 main characters in this Swedish thriller set in Stockholm. All 3 have a disturbing past they're trying to put behind them. Jorma wants to end his career as a lifelong criminal and Eva and Katz share a past love affair with each other and heroin. Things go horribly wrong after a botched robbery, sending their lives off the rails.
Objectively speaking this is a good, well written (and translated) Scandinavian novel, but I found the graphic depictions of the sex and drug trade quite depressing and was relieved to come to the end of the book.
This may well appeal to fans (with a strong stomach) of dark Scandi Noir.
Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the eARC.