Thank you so much for the opportunity to review this book and to be an early reader via NetGalley! However, I will not be writing a review for this title at this time, as my reading preferences have since changed somewhat. In the event that I decide to review the book in the future, I will make sure to purchase a copy for myself or borrow it from a library. Once again, thank you so much for providing me with early access to this title. I truly appreciate it. Please feel free to contact me with any follow-up questions or concerns.

This was really good! Not as good as the other books, but still so good nonetheless. One of my new favourite authors.

Let me start my review with the statement you will never be disappointed in a Lars Kepler book. I've read and own almost all their books (I use "their" as Lars is actually a married couple).

Detective Joona Linna is just one of the best police characters out there. And with each book, you get a little more understanding of him.

This book for me had a great plot and quite the twist, something I absolutely love.

I want to thank Net Galley and Knopf Doubleday Publishing for this copy.

Fire Witness is another strong showing in the Joona Lima series. The novels have become a consistent example of a great police mystery.

Fire Witness begins at an all girls home where one of the girls and a guardian had been murdered. Joona Lima is called in as a consultant on the case. As the investigation proceeds, it is discovered that another one of the girls is missing. A troubled girl named Vicky is not only missing, but there is evidence in her room that points toward Vicky’s guilt. When Vicky appears to surface and she steals a vehicle with a 4 year old child in the backseat, the case is given a new sense of urgency. Joona remains unconvinced, despite growing evidence, that Vicky commited the two brutal homicides.

Ever the intuitive detective, Joona follows his guts and instinct down the path that always leads to him catching his man. The storyline closes with a twist. A recommended read. Novel supplied by Netgalley.

was a gripping thriller that took you to every aspect of trying to figure out what was really going on and what was going to happen next! This was such an amazing book and I can’t wait to see what else is released from this author!

This is one of those books that absolutely consumed me, and I loved every page of it. I thoroughly enjoyed the Intensity of the story, and it doesn’t let up until the very end. It’s full of great characters that are quite diverse, and I like the background the Authors have put into them. Joona Linna is a superb character and he is one of the many things that have made this such a great series to read.
When a young girl is brutally murdered at the Birgitta Children’s Home in Sundsvall, Detective Inspector Joona Linna’s boss, Carlos Eliasson doesn’t care that he’s on forced leave and wants him to assist with the investigation. The local police are a little bit out of their depth, and especially since it’s a double murder. Joona has that uncanny ability to stand in front of a murder scene and see things that other would miss. However, this investigation has thrown even him as it looks like the murderer may have been sending a message. Then to make things even more stressful a little boy is adducted by what everyone thinks might be the killer. Joona is still haunted by the danger he put his daughter and wife in years ago and losing them out of his life is still affecting him with getting close to anyone. Being investigated by IAD has turned into a bit of a blessing for Joona, as it now gives him time to track down the killer, as everyone else seems to be abandoning the investigation. If you enjoy Thrillers, then this is certainly a series worth reading. Seriously great entertainment from start to finish. Easily worth the 5-star rating.

Joona is a hero's hero. Another finely plotted book by a team of exceptional Scandinavian authors.
Nicely paced with a couple of interested sub-plots.

OH BOY, I sure love Detective Inspecter Joona Linna! This is book 3 of the series and it finally gives you some solid background facts about Joona and his personal life.

This is also one of those books that is very hard to review, because you just do not want to say too much.

A brutal murder happens at a home for wayward girls. DI Joona Linna is there to observe only because he is under investigation by internal affairs. That's it, that's all you get! Read the book!

Thanks to Netgalley and Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group
Vintage Crime/Black Lizard for this advanced readers copy.

The Fire Witness is the third novel in the bestselling Joona Linna series by Swedish authors Alexandra Coelho Ahndoril and Alexander Ahndoril who write the series under the pseudonym Lars Kepler. There is a grisly murder at a home for wayward girls and Joona Linna is called in to help with the investigation. One of the girls is missing, and the police find a bloody hammer under her bed. This young girl is then involved in the kidnapping of a young boy, and there is wide belief in the law enforcement circles that she and the boy have drowned. Another grisly murder is discovered at the home, as well. In addition, a woman, unrelated to the crime, claims to be psychic and gets herself involved in the case as she conducts séances to earn extra money; she knows full well she is duping her clients, but somehow begins to feel like she has a link to the dead.

Suspense begins to build from the first chapter of The Fire Witness, and it doesn’t stop until the dénouement at the end of the novel. The authors know how to tell a story and they use their talents to keep readers on the edges of their seats. Joona is one of the most unique characters in modern fiction, and his character is well-developed so that he seems real. His interaction with the other characters is very believable, and, while some of the characters are featured in previous and later novels and are known by readers, the new characters who are related to the scenarios in this novel are developed well enough that the interactions are convincing. Joona’s actions are always unpredictable and surprising.

As the story develops, readers will have no idea what is really going on, and will most likely stay up late to find out what the characters are up to. There are dozens of twists and turns in this novel, and the suspense doesn’t stop.

The Fire Witness is highly recommended, as well as the other novels in this excellent series.

Special thanks to NetGalley for supplying a review copy of this book.

The Fire Witness brings us another Joona Linna mystery. This one follows a case involving a murder at a home for wayward girls. One girl is dead and another is missing. To make things a bit more intriguing is a medium who claims to see the ghost of the murdered girl. Is she lying? This installment of the Joona Linna series is a strong contender for my favorite so far. Highly recommended to readers looking for a strong, dark procedural series.

When a body is discovered at a home for problems girls it sets off an intense investigation of the surroundings where another body is found. With another girl missing and suspected of a child's kidnapping, Joona Linna has his hands full trying to put the puzzling pieces together.
An extremely intense thriller that keeps you wondering until the end what is going on. A darkly told tale of troubles girls and secrets long held. A great read but a warning is needed not to start at bedtime if you need sleep. Lars Kepler book kept me up until 4:30 a.m. reading.

I remember reading this book some years ago, but I never actually bought this or any of the others in the series.
A mistake... should have done that immediately after reading this one.
The plot slowly reveals itself and the solution is way different than the reader would think. The characters reveal themselves slowly too, but it is still a big surprise to discover why the murders took place and how.
I always like it when next to the actual story, there is a story behind the main character, that you can follow reading the books in the correct order. It gives more depth.
I just love the writing style of this couple, so crisp and yet so intense.

Thanks to Netgalley for sending me this e-book.

The Fire Witness by Lars Kepler was first published in 2011 and has been published again in November 2018 by Vintage Crime/Black Lizard. Lars Kepler in the pseudonym used by married couple Alexander Ahndoril and Alexandra Coelho Ahndoril. This is #3 in their Joona Linna series and it can easily stand alone if you have not read the previous books. However, this series is so intense that readers will enjoy reading everything by Lars Kepler. Joona Linna is a troubled detective in Sweden. He is called upon to observe the investigation of a double murder which takes place at a home for troubled teenage girls. A resident and a caretaker have been killed and a missing girl is believed to have committed the crimes. The detective is approached by a medium who claims to have been visited by the ghost of the murdered girl and Linna is intrigued by this. The story develops quickly but nothing is as it seems. This suspenful read will appeal to readers who enjoy murder mysteries with a twist. Thank you to Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group and NetGalley for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Mr. Kepler is a good writer.. I have read all his books and have enjoyed the research, story and writing very much.... This is definitely on the top of the list and one I would recommend.

Best of the Best: New Crime Series with Intellect &/or Zen Influences; Gifts for Avid Readers*

Start anywhere in this series (The Fire Witness is Book 3) & you will want to read them all without stopping, & then you’ll want to talk about them. So save time: get them all, get two copies, & share with your friend who has read everything. These are new enough to the US to be a lovely surprise for crime fiction fans.

The Kepler team does a brilliant job crafting (& translating) a dark procedural series with cracks (where the light gets in) of humanity in every character.

If you are a fan of the Amsterdam Cops, you will hear faint familiar wind chimes as you read.

*Note: Our staff categorizes this as a Dark Crime series. Dark Crime is recommended to be gifted to mature readers only.

Lars Kepler is a powerhouse of a writing duo. This is the third in the series that I’ve read and I was quickly enveloped by the mystery of the gruesome murders at the girl’s home. The novel set up the plot for the next in the series, though it was initially distracting to bring in a new story close to the ending, I cannot wait to see what happens to Joona next.

Detective Joona Linna investigates two grisly murders at a home for wayward girls in FIRE WITNESS, the third installment in this Scandinavian crime series.

With unrelenting tension and propulsive pacing, these books have become some of my favorites. Written by the husband-and-wife team of Alexander and Alexandra Ahndoril, the series follows the flawed yet clever Joona Linna, who probes into the most gruesome crimes with sharp intuition and dogged determination.

In FIRE WITNESS, the novel opens as we witness a brutal crime in a home for teenage girls. Before the sun rises, two people are dead (bludgeoned to death) and one girl is missing. But when a bloody hammer is found in the missing girl’s room, the police are anxious to close the case and move on, but something doesn’t sit right Joona.

To make matters more complicated, there’s a girl who claims to see visions and she has information that’s not been made public. Joona Linna digs deeper and goes down a path that explores not only the victims, but the girls involved and the past that continues to haunt some of them.

As with the other books in the series, I flew through FIRE WITNESS. It touts the perfect combination of nuanced characters, absorbing plot and immersive feel. The suspense and mystery of the case kept me on the edge of my seat. The narrative is atmospheric and unflinching in style. And of course, the characters—not only Joona Linna—are complex and interesting. It really is the whole package.

Dripping with suspense and utterly enthralling, this is a must-read installment to an extraordinary crime series.

So effective and engaging, sometimes I was reading through my fingers I was so nervous. The detective Joona is fearless, smart and sexy ..perhaps dismissing personal aggression too easily but it's always credible, and he is sympathetic to victims of irrational and devious misogynist at the same time, and families. I could read these forever..entertaining and smart with persuasive characters. Highly recommend

This book can and must be rated as one of the best reads in this genre. A stand alone example of excellent story telling of the highest order. The Joona Linna series involves the police protagonist Joona Linna, the most experienced and successful police investigator of his generation who is unable to follow rules and procedures when there is a case to solve. A hugely complex series of events involving murder, a missing potential suspect and possible kidnapped child leave him with no alternative than to ignore his suspension, agree to become merely an observer and then use his experience of crime scenes, suspects and evidence to solve the case with time running out for potential victims. Vulnerable children unable either through trauma or fear and seriously let down by the welfare system become embroiled in this complex murder mystery that slowly moves from unrelated shocking events towards a thrilling conclusion tying up the numerous loose ends leaving the reader hugely satisfied and waiting for the next book in the series. Cannot recommend too highly this five star enthralling murder mystery, The authors have once again delivered a superbly written, well thought out intricate series of events resulting in a book that is impossible to put down. Could not wait to reach the conclusion and bereft it is now finished.

The third book in the Joona Linna series of stories and another cracker! Never one to stick to the rules, the beginning finds Joona suspended from his job at National Crime and the subject of an Internal Affairs enquiry after warning a subversive group of an imminent raid. A murder occurs at a children's home - one girl is dead and found in a strange staged pose while another girl suspected of the crime is now missing. Local police think they have solved the case when the missing girl becomes suspected of stealing a car and kidnapping a small child in the process. Joona goes along to the crime scene, under orders merely to observe, but has very a different feeling as to what has taken place. Unable to help himself he gets more involved with the investigation than is strictly allowed but then Joona has a knack of seeing connections and clues where no one else does, and before long starts to make progress with the help of a fraudulent psychic. Disa is still featuring in Joona's personal life and we learn what happened to Summa & Lumi, his wife and daughter who disappeared from his life many years ago. The book is well written in a very distinctive style and all the strands become woven together as the plot unfolds, sweeping the reader along to a dramatic conclusion. I can't wait to read book number four.