4.5 stars

The Fire Witness by Lars Kepler is the 3rd in the Detective Joona Linna Series.

First, let me thank NetGalley, the publisher Knopf Doubleday and Vintage Crime/Black Lizard, and of course the author, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Series Background:
Homicide Detective Joona Linna works for the National Criminal Investigation Department in Sweden. His father was a policeman who was killed on the job when Joona was 12, so he was raised by his mother. After his military service as a paratrooper, he was recruited into Special Operations, and qualified for special training in the Netherlands in mixed close combat, innovative weaponry, and urban guerrilla warfare. He is respected by his peers, and somewhat envied, but considered stubborn, and somewhat aloof. His need to be “right” is a strange quirk. His crime solve rate is high, probably because of his empathy. He can understand, but not condone, the criminal mind, and anticipates the perpetrators moves. He is driven, driven to keep going until the crime is solved. He suffers from a rare form of migraine, but refuses to take the drug when he is working a case, since it makes him drowsy.

My Synopsis:
Joona is “on leave” pending an Internal Affairs Investigation into his behaviour on a past case. However, when there is a murder at a house for wayward girls, he is sent to “observe”. No one wants him there, and he isn’t supposed to do anything. That doesn’t stop Joona, who quickly finds a second body, and realizes Vicky, one of the girls in the home, is missing. He will not leave this case alone.

When a woman stops at the side of the road, badly in need of a bathroom break, she leaves her 4-year old son Dante in the backseat. Before her very eyes, a young girl comes out of the woods, gets into her car, and drives off with her son.

Vicky is on the run, but whether she is responsible for the murders at the home, or whether she is running in fear, not even Vicky knows.

Flora is down on her luck, and giving séances in the basement of a nearby building to earn cash. When she hears the news about the events at the girls home, she sees the murdered girl. Flora can’t believe she is actually seeing a ghost, but when the girl keeps re-appearing, Flora call the police. No one believes her. But Flora is slowly being driven crazy by these sightings, and she keeps calling. She eventually talks to Joona.

Meanwhile, Joona and Disa are back together, and we find out what happened to his wife and daughter.

My Opinions:
I read this book many, many years ago, but when offered the ebook through NetGalley, I was more than willing to re-read it. I am again reminded why I loved Joona Linna. His mind works differently than others, and he sees what others cannot.

I love the fact that we learn about his past, although it looks like the next book may cover more of it. I am okay with that.

This book moved quickly, and although there were a lot of characters, nothing was confusing, and their individual stories all ended up being tied up in a nice bow.

I think my only complaint was the way the authors treated Saga Bauer (who made a brief appearance in this one, before heading back to her own series). Too many comments about her beauty, to the point that I think a sexual harassment case might be in order. (I deducted ½ star for this).

It was a great book, and I’m looking forward re-reading the next!

Enjoyed this book, but at times I found the names and addresses quite confusing. Look forward to reading more by this author 📚

DI Joona Linna, is sidelined for the moment. On leave while awaiting the outcome of an internal affairs investigation for some thing he did or didn't do.

So he is free to be sent to observe only in the investigation of a hideous double murder at a youth home for troubled girls. 

In my crime group I once asked for recommendations for some Scandi works and I've been stuck on them! This one may be my new favorite. These girls are way past troubled. They are downright scary. With one of them being accused of the crimes, the stories of her past begin to come out and a more horrifying tale I can't think of. 

Almost a story inside a story as the police dismiss Flora, a girl trying to pass herself off as a psychic to the police. But is she seeing the ghost of the dead girl or is she having a memory of her own that was too awful to remember?

We learn a lot about Joona's personal life this time. Interesting fellow. This was a fast paced shocker that made me glad I don't have any girls!

Good Job on the translations too!

Netgalley/ Knopf Doubleday Publishing November 27, 2018

A shocking secret will be revealed. Can our favourite Joona Lima find the clues to a brutal double murder even though he is only meant to be a observer? Joona is under investigation after the last case he was involved in went downhill but he refuses to back down. He now has to see what he can learn from the murder site, a young girl has been murdered and the body has been staged and no one can find their nurse is still missing. Who would have wanted to kill Miranda, she was a young girl that was quiet and she kept to herself usually? And she was locked in the room and only one person had the key so where is Elisabet, the nurse? All the evidence points to one young girl called Vicky but did she really have the strength to kill them? Now she is gone and Joona hopes that they can find her before it is too late? A young boy goes missing and now the hunt has changed as the boy is with Vicky and it looks like they both drown in the river. But Joona isn't so sure so he carries on digging and he learns the truth about Vicky and her mother. Someone from Vicky's past will come forward and they will do whatever they can to help as they let her down once before. The killer has been within reach this whole time, just biding their time to finish what they have started. Can Joona find out the truth about the killer and stop them for good? Will Joona be suspended for good or will he escape again this time. Joona is about to find out that the past can't always be buried forever and he is about to find a part of his life that has been missing for so long. Will Joona be able to find the pieces that have been missing for so long. I really do hope that things work out for him as he always put himself last. He is a good man that has suffered for so long and now I know why he doesn't do proper relationships it all makes sense now. Another great read. The stories just seem to get better. Can't wait for the next one. A must read. I was lucky enough to receive a copy via Netgalley & the publishing house in exchange for my honest review.

This Swedish mystery series has been compared to the Girl with Dragon Tattoo books, as well as the Harry Hole series by Jo Nesbo. Unfortunately, I did not feel as favorably towards it as I did the other Nordic series. Yes, Keppler is dark and creepy, he writes a tense plot line, but the translation is stilted for me and most importantly, the characters are rather one-dimensional. The mystery begins with a double murder at a home for disturbed teenage girls, and then follows suspended National Crime Unit policeman Joona Linna as he searches for the answers. It is a page-turner, but I wanted to understand the motivations of the characters better, particularly the lead detective. I never got a sense of Joona and the demons that drive him, not until the very end, which by then was a little late for me. I love the Scandinavian mystery writers, but this one was a miss for me.

4.5 stars – Again, Lars Kepler brings it with the creepiness factor!! I loved it so much! I was even afraid of reading it in the dark, you know how exceptionally written it is if that happens! The only reason I didn’t give this book the complete 5 stars is only because I did anticipate who the killer was. It wasn’t that obvious but there were signs and I just wasn’t surprised. However, I adored everything else about the novel, the location, the characters, the atmospheric vibe, the action-packed dramatic ending. If you have read my previous reviews on this series, you will know how much I have come to love the main character Joona Linna! I can’t say enough good things about Lars Kepler and I can’t wait to read the rest of this series.

An interesting plot, 2 murders in a residence care facility for teen girls that lead to a runaway, a kidnapping, and more. There were several interesting twists and turns as well as some interesting police procedural.

This detective story was told in very short chapters, which would make you think that it was a fast read but it wasn’t. The interactions between all of the characters were startlingly short or harsh and often ended abruptly. I didn’t notice a lot of character development. I struggled to find connection with the characters in the book.
I’m chalking it up to being lost in translation.

Thank you to NetGalley for giving me the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Lars Kepler has another great book. I enjoyed The Fire Witness so much. The characters in these books are fun to follow and I enjoyed all the mystery.

Detective Joona Linna from the National Crime Unit in Sweden is back for his third performance and in fine form. There have been two gruesome murders at a home for troubled girls. Joona has been asked to “observe” at the investigation into these murders. “Observe” because he is under investigation by Internal Affairs and is/was on personal leave and is using that time to look into the whereabouts of his wife and daughter. The murders were very brutal and all eyes point to Vicky, one of the girls living at the house. But Joona, although only an observer, believes otherwise. And as the story develops we learn that indeed Joona’s instincts are, as usual, spot on. Although I have to say there were times I think the leaps in his thinking bordered on incredulity. All in all, a very suspense filled fast moving story. The short chapters help to keep the plot moving at a fast pace.
Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review

Thank you NetGalley and Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group for the eARC.
Stockholm Detective Joona Linna is on personal leave while he is under an internal police revue, but is asked to 'observe' the case of 2 vicious murders committed at a facility for at-risk (to themselves and others) young girls. Joona being Joona, he is soon in the thick of the investigation. He is also still probing the fate of his wife and daughter who've been missing for years. There may be a light at the end of the tunnel, though...can't wait to see what happens in the next book!
I still haven't figured out whether or not I like Joona. He's an enigmatic character, an excellent detective and I admire him, but like him? I don't know yet, maybe further into the series I'll understand him better; he is fascinating, though!
The denouement of the book made my jaw drop, I really did not see that coming, wow, what a great shocker!
Recommended for Scandi Noir and dark mystery fans.

Wow, this story takes so many twists and turns you don't know whats happening. Joona is being investigated for his involvement in his last case where he tells the kids to leave, the other police have issued a complaint. So were left without knowing if Joona is guilty. A woman is killed and a girl is killed at a home for girls. Another girl has run away from the home and has taken a car that was left by the driver who had to pee, while her boy was in a car seat in the back. This doesn't even describe what happens with all these people and all the involvement with Joona meeting people like Flora Hansen who works at giving seances. Why don't you read this book because you'll be surprised at all the changes that take place. This book give you details that were missing in other books, thats giving you too many hints for spoilers. You need to read it. I gave it 5 out of 5 stars.