This is the first book I have read by Stefan Ahnhem and have to confess to be disappointed. The basic storyline is very good and on its own would have provided an excellent read, great characters, great plot and a very clever story. But, and it is a big but for me, there is just too much going on. Almost every police officer has 'baggage' and this doesn't add to the enjoyment of the main story. These back stories are frequently alluded to but not developed nor solved There is a sub-plot which seems to pop up at random and whilst it has links to the main characters it does not have links to the main plot. What finished things off for me is that the book does not end tidily but alludes to a new twist leading to the next book.

Although it’s set in Sweden, this ripping thriller has more in common with mainstream American crime-fiction than the typical thoughtful, slow-burn Scandi crime. It’s all about the action and less about atmosphere – a fast-paced ensemble investigation, not a moody, windswept sonnet to the isolated solitude of the Nordic spirit. It’s certainly a lot more accessible than the quietly stylised literary thrillers, which can take understatement a little too far. That’s definitely not an issue with this series…

Almost every chapter in Eighteen Below ends with a ticking time-bomb of a cliffhanger. Some of these are sneakily defused a few pages later but others explode in utterly unpredictable directions that skew the storyline and confound expectations. Some of the plot convolutions stretched my credibility to snapping point, but I was enjoying it so much that my disbelief stayed suspended. Mostly.

There are at least half a dozen plotlines which reflect a spectrum of social issues – gang violence promoted on social media; institutionalised misogyny; homelessness; child abuse; identity theft – wrapped around a central story of a classical serial killer. We meet an almost untouchable sociopath with an unbeatable MO, so that even if the police have him in custody they can’t actually prove a thing.

This murderous romp centres on a police team of idiosyncratic investigators, almost all of whom have some kind of skeleton rattling around in the background. The team leader is an alcoholic, the central character’s marriage is collapsing, there are out of control offspring and rogue officers refusing to be taken off the team. If you can think of a crime-fiction cliché then it’s likely to be lurking in here somewhere.

I’d read the previous book in the ‘Fabian Risk’ series so was vaguely acquainted with the characters. That was no obstacle to enjoying this story which can certainly be read as a standalone – you just have to pay attention to the snippets of back story scattered along the way.

Last time out I was less than impressed by the author’s tendency to throw every conceivable plot device into the mix. The central premise of Eighteen Below is so original and timely, however, that I forgave Stefan Ahnhem for the tedious sexual discrimination sub-plot and his tendency to chuck absolutely everything into the mix. I do think this could’ve been a better book if the misadventures of disgraced Detective Dunja were downplayed, mind.

Ahnhem wraps up this storyline with a satisfying finale… but has been sneakily sowing the seeds for the next story all along. When I came to the final page I would’ve instantly bought the next book in the series, had it been available. Instead, I’m going to have to delay that gratification!

7/10

This novel is set in Bridgeland - the north of Denmark and the southern tip of Sweden. A team of detectives led by a dysfunctional alcoholic investigates a series of murders where the purpose is identity theft of rich men so that their assets can be disposed of; their death is then made to look like suicide or accident. Alongside is a series of assaults on homeless people which is investigated by a disgraced officer who is struggling to cling on to her job. The plot is ingenious but for me the book was spoiled by it being edited into too many very short chapters with an improbable cliffhanger at the end of many. The murders come thick and fast and the villains are highly ingenious and resourceful. If you like Val McDermaid you'll probably like this

This novel is ingenious. The plot is well developed and engaging.
It is a crime story and utilizes criminal investigation procedures, knocking on doors, interviews and so on. But, the author has inserted a second story and a few character side bars that make this novel well rounded and entertaining.
It did have some shocking and frankly terrifying areas , those were necessary for the plot and do not seem to be there just for show.
I would happily read more from this author

This is the latest installment by Swedish author Stefan Ahnhem of the internationally best selling Fabian Risk crime thriller series. With its multiple plot lines, extensive character list and gripping narrative the reader will be taken on a roller coaster of a journey that becomes quite breathless at times. Comprising over a hundred short chapters the story interweaves between two police forces in adjoining countries both beset by aspects of dysfunctionality trying to cope with two separate killing sprees. Don't worry if you find it all a bit confusing at first as the longer the story progresses the more clearer it becomes just like solving a jigsaw puzzle.

Its complicated and dark but also very compulsive as the reader rushes through the book to see how all the ends tie up, There are many blind alleys and twist and turns before all becomes clear. OK some of the characters may not be that believable and appear one dimensional but we are here for the action not for the character development.

The main story begins with an apparent suicide when the driver being chased by an off duty police officer plunges into the harbour of the Swedish town of Helsingborg. It seems an open and shut case but later the autopsy findings reveal that the man found in the drowned car had been murdered two months ago and since that time his body has been deep frozen. As the story progresses the body count increases to an alarming extent and the police are faced with a serial killer or killers of fiendish intelligence and ruthlessness. At the same time just over the border in Denmark there is a series of violent attacks on homeless vagrants which will inevitably led to murder. Is there a link between the two story lines?

If you like an action packed read comprising intrigue and puzzles then this will probably be for you.

Dark Scandic-Noir psychological thriller - another in the Fabian Risk series ( I didn't realise this when I read the book as I hate to read series out of order!). Fabian Risk is a troubled detective (aren't they all in Scandis!) and he's faced with a serial killer who is always 10 steps ahead of the police. Whilst dealing with his failing marriage and an alcoholic boss, he tries to catch the killer whilst the world is against him. Running alongside Fabian's story is another troubled detective doing her best to survive ..... Highly recommended - I'm now going to buy the previous books in the series!

EIGHTEEN BELOW

BY

Stefan Ahnhem


This is one very dark thriller that will keep readers on the edge of their seats.
Another of the Fabian Risk series from this Danish writer, it is a complex and very intricately constructed story with a huge cast of characters.
A wealthy business man drives his car into the sea and dies. It seems to be suicide until it is discovered the victim has been dead for a couple of months and frozen during the interim period. But his colleagues have spoken to him on the phone and there have been glimpses of him. When it is discovered that he had his identity stolen and also his assets the police are non-plussed.
There are several strands to this story, the infighting within the police departments, Fabian Risk’s marital problems, and the extremely horrible crimes taking place in the streets seemingly based on the ‘happy slapping’ wave that happened in Britain. So two parallel crimes and as usual understaffed police force. Can there be a link?
The unfamiliar and foreign names make the story hard to follow at times and occasionally some of the action does not quite ring true, bordering on farce. The writing is tight and gripping and the plot leads the reader up many blind alleys. The victims in this book suffer horrendous crimes of torture and bloodthirsty horror but it is an imaginative story leading to a tense and exciting finale that will satisfy the most critical of thriller readers.
Despite some of the scenes being toe curlingly evil I did enjoy this book from a writer hitherto unknown to me.

This book is the third stand alone thriller in the Fabian Risk series. Despite the fact that the previous books have sold millions of copies, I was very disappointed in this book. The main plot about serial killers and identity theft just didn't ring true for me. There seemed to be several unnecessary sub plots. The chapters didn't necessarily follow in chronological order and the ending was unsatisfactory, leading one to suspect that the story will continue in the next book. All the characters appear to have issues of one kind or another. The Head of the Crime Squad, Astrid Tuvesson is an alcoholic, one of the detectives in her team, the main protagonist, Fabian Risk is struggling with his failing marriage and his troublesome teenage son Theodore, who becomes involved with 'happy slappers', a group of teenagers who randomly and gruesomely assault people. The serial killings are also extremely nasty.
All in all a disappointing experience. However, having said that I would like to read another of Stefan Ahnhem's books in the series before I completely dismiss this.

Loved this book..
Astrid Tuvesson is a complicated detective with an alcohol problem and is involved in the action from the very start.
The discovery of Peter Brise’s body and the fact that it had been frozen takes the story in a different direction and adds a level of complexity to the story..
The murder team then try to solve subsequent murders which are really completely different from anything I have read before.
The subsequent involvement of Fabian Risk’s family in the story is very clever.
His team come across as dedicated and real people with faults..
Fabian’s son Theodor’s story is heartbreaking , trying to fit in with people and struggling.. He becomes involved with a teenage group attacking and killing people.
The backstory of Hugo Elvin’s death / suspected suicide adds to the ending and possibly sets up the story for the next book.

I just could not get into this Nordic Noir thriller. I put it down and returned to it, but for me, there are too many characters and I could not relate to any of them. The story line is a good one, a car plunges into the sea and when the driver is pulled from the sunken car, it turns out he has been dead for two months.
I gave up after chapter 4, but this could be a thrilling read for somebody else if you like it gloomy, complicated with sexual overtones. Thanks to Head of Zeus and Netgalley for this ARC,

The prologue of this book takes place in 2010 with an assault by an experienced predator who quickly in turn becomes the assaulted victim. Who, why and what is not explained. Two years have elapsed when the first chapter, involving an off duty chief of police in the middle of a domestic crisis becomes involved in a thrilling and complex police chase involving a driver whom we are told was apparently dead at the wheel. The story then introduces us to the Risk family. A modern professional couple, she an unfulfilled artist, he an overworked preoccupied policeman and two teenage. children struggling with unresolved problems and busy parents unable to give the time and energy to help them avoid the looming cliff edge In their lives. The threads of the story are difficult to understand or comprehend by the police with investigations raising more questions than answers. A serial killer is at large, body count slowly rises, the criminal involved appears to be cleverer and more astute than the exhausted detectives struggling to understand and apprehend before any further casualties ensue. Running parallel to this investigation is a series of increasingly violent attacks on homeless vagrants which is equally as confusing and distressing to those charged with solving these crimes. The investigation is complicated by a previous altercation between a high ranking police officer and a young and talented policewomen and his absolute determination to interfere in her actions in order to ruin both her career and her life. So we the reader travel through murder and mayhem, with no idea why the protagonist is killing people, how it is being carried out so efficiently and if answers can be found before even more carnage occurs. A thoroughly satisfying book on all levels.

Eighteen Below is absolutely wonderful, thrilling, chilling and bloody frightening! Everything you could want out a Scandinavian thriller. 4 out of 5!

Not having read the previous books in the Fabian Risk series and not realising it was nordic noir, this was a brutal introduction. This was The Big Heat with the dial turned up to 11!

When Peter Brise, a millionaire IT entrepreneur, commits suicide by driving into the harbour after a car chase involving the Chief of Police it's odd enough. When a second autopsy reveals that he had been for some time before his car went into the water, before he was last seen alive, the nightmare really begins. How can this be when he was seen a few days earlier? Meantime Dunja's exhile to uniform and ritual humiliation continues, frustrating her investigation into the latest, deadliest incarnation of happy slapping.

Stefan Ahnhem is a screenwriter and the narrative structure of Eighteen Below reflects this. Rapid intercutting between scenes, locations and storylines hold the attention and keep the pages turning.

I'd recommend starting with book 1; dropping into this world, cold was a shock to the system! Unless you are familiar with the characters and the back story the storytelling seems off balance, like watching an episode of a soap opera in isolation.

ARC courtesy of Netgalley.

Solid multi stranded police procedural...the Scandinavians seem to be particularly adept at these, and this is no exception! The only minus point was the sheer amount of characters, both police, victims and supporting cast...it didn't so much detract from the story, just meant that concentration needed to be kept at all times!

We have become accustomed to Sweden being the home of murder stories and this is another,dragging Denmark into it too. The story is an exaggerated tale of mass murder,identity theft and childhood abuse. It is not clear what is gained by dragging in the detective Fabian's wife and son,particularly when the son's involvement is not relatedness to the main case. The whole story is totally unbelievable.

3 and 1 / 2 stars

Inspector Fabian Risk and his wife Sonja who is an almost famous artist are having problems in their marriage. In addition to that it seems he hardly knows his teenage son and daughter anymore.

Risk's team of miscreants include an immediate boss who suffered a recent divorce and has a major drinking problem, his semi-disruptive ones and a pathologist named “Braids” who is never wrong – according to him.

A wild car chase through the streets leads to the car hurtling into the water off a wharf. But the surprising part is that the supposed driver of the BMW, one Peter Brise, has been dead for two months and was in someone's deep freeze for all that time. A police investigation, including Fabian Risk determines that the famous man who was supposed to have died in the crash was not who they thought he was. His banker and others claim to have seen him just two days before. He was said to have sold his fabulously wealthy software company. Now other people at the company are going missing and Chris Dawn a famous musician. What is going on? Some kind of identity theft?

Two officers Dunja and Magnus respond to a call of a woman covered in blood. When they track her down, she takes their guns and lands them in all kinds of trouble. A determined Dunja attempts to track her down again and finds a body instead. The man has been beaten to death.

These two main story lines drive the book, but with the addition of Risk's children's separate stories as well. The book races to an exciting conclusion with everything going wrong or happening at once.

There is much going on in this book. It is driven by several separate stories and can be a little confusing/tiring at times. It is well written and it plotted in a linear fashion. The premise is especially interesting and very timely. There is a lot of violence. I liked Risk, even though he seemed hard to get to know. I'm not so sure I cared for his wife. His children – well the daughter was a typical teen, while the son was just plain weird. This is my first Stefan Ahnhem book and I believe that I'll try another. I enjoyed reading this novel.

I want to thank NetGalley and Head of Zeus for forwarding to me a copy of this good book for me to read, enjoy and review.

Very good. I enjoyed the thriller which was fast paced with well developed characters. There are numerous different storylines and this should definitely appeal to readers who enjoy Scandi thrillers. I would definitely recommend reading this.

I did enjoy this book but probably not as much as if I’d read previous Fabian Risk mysteries; the frequent reference to the past left me hanging. Because I did like the style, I will now start from the beginning of the Fabian Risk stories.

I enjoyed the twisted storyline about the twins and the unfolding detections. The side plot with his son is also worthwhile but I felt that beyond that there were too many side distractions. On this showing, I do think Stefan Ahnem potentially rates towards the higher end of crime writers but I need to read a few more before confirming.

I am sorry but I found this book too sexually violent to continue reading with any commitment. Not one for me.

3.5 Stars from me

Fabian Risk is an unusual 'lead' in that he doesn't always fit the standard 'profile' of the crime thriller lead cop. He seems more vulnerable somehow than most.

Dunja Hougaard seemed more interesting to me and I enjoyed her elements of the books - much more grit and determination in her belly!

I loved Braids character the most from this book and actually believe this would possibly work better as a TV series than as a novel. For me, some of the characters blurred a little and I found myself having to work hard to place people and their relevance - which side tracked from enjoying the story. I think if it were televised it would come across better and I know it's the type of thing I'd love to watch.

Overall, it's a clever storyline.

Sysnosis: A high-speed chase ends in tragedy when a car crashes into Helsingborg harbour. In the front seat is one of Sweden’s most affluent IT entrepreneurs. Initially all signs point to an accident, but a closer examination of the body shows that it has been frozen. Stranger yet is the time of death: two months before the crash.Two years have passed since the events of Victim Without a Face. Fabian Risk has taken advantage of the quiet at work to focus on patching things up with his family, while across the strait Dunja Hougaard has donned the uniform once more, this time as a police officer. When a homeless man is brutally beaten to death, Dunja can’t stop herself from starting an investigation of her own. Before long the clues take her to Sweden and Helsingborg, where Risk is investigating the peculiar case of the frozen millionaire.Gritty and chilling, Eighteen Below Zero is the third stand-alone thriller in the internationally bestselling Fabian Risk series.