Lazarus is part of the continuing series about Detective Joona Linna, this time following again the killer Jurek Walter, a man who had been shot and killed years ago. When a series of murders start across Sweden, Joona is the only one to believe that Jurek faked his death and is again killing, working his way towards Joona.

I am a huge fan of the Joona Linna series, I usually fly through these books in a day and then sit impatiently waiting for the next in the series to be translated. Lazarus felt a bit different though. Where Joona is normally this stoic, unflappable detective, in Lazarus, he is afraid. This created quite a shift in the story, and it leads to a lot of the story focussing less on Joona and his quest to solve the murders, but more on his coworkers picking up where Joona left them.

In prior novels, Saga Bauer was one of the best characters, next to Joona, and because she seemed to have a much bigger part in this book, at first I was really excited. This ended up being my biggest disappointment in the book, because it felt as though Kepler had done wrong by Saga. This bright, tough detective, always quick to pick up on clues and first to fight for what is right, felt completely different. As though she were an entirely different character, but they felt like using the same name. Without giving too much of the story away, the ending was extremely disappointing for me with Saga, and it really lost the tone of the rest of the series.

While the writing was similar, and well done, because of these character development changes, it made Lazarus feel like an entirely different book that didn’t really belong. While the crimes surrounding Joona and Jurek was interesting, and there was a lot of action, it just didn’t fit with what I expect from the Joona Linna series. Fans of the series will probably still enjoy Lazarus just because it is more Joona, but I think many readers will be a bit surprised by the change in tone and story for this.

I love this series by the husband and wife team. Every installment is a pleasure to read. Thank you Netgalley

I'm a big fan of husband and wife duo Lars Kepler and their Joona Linna series. This is the 7th book in the series. I've been looking forward to this book from the time I read Rabbit Hunter, and it didn't disappoint. Joona's biggest enemy, Jurek Walter, seems to have returned from his grave after having been killed by Saga at the end of Sandman!!!

The story was chilling and terrifying. It was a little heavy with the blood and gore. But overall, I loved the book. And now, I'm looking forward to book 8. I give it 5 stars. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC of this book.

I was over the moon when I found this title in the category 'read now' on Netgalley. Although I still haven't read all Joona Linna books, I'm a big fan of this series. The stories may be not so very different from other Nordic noir books, the characters certainly are.
As the title makes clear, we are talking about the resurrection of someone. Someone who was killed by Saga Bauer. She swears she hit him three times and she even tracked down his unofficial graveside. Unfortunately, it looks like Jurek Walter, Joona's biggest enemy, came out of the grave to pick up his horrible actions. Or not? Strange things are happening that point to Walter, but sometimes they point away from him.
Joona, out of jail, trying to rebuild his life, cannot help but wagering all he has to try and find (and kill) Walter for a second time.
This is a harrowing story with many, many twists and turns, with danger and violence. But, also with hope and even love.
You don't have to read this series in (I certainly didn't) but it may help in understanding why some people do what they do.
This book left me breathless.

Thanks to Netgalley for this digital reading copy.

Ah! Lazarus has been a great pick-me-up after I did not enjoy The Nightmare as much as I had anticipated. Since the moment I plucked my first Joona Linna book from the bookstore shelf, I have been riveted by Linna's life of chaos and mystery. Most of my Joona Linna reviews indicate that each book, though part of a series, is an excellent stand alone as well. However, I do not agree with this idea for Lazarus. The Rabbit Hunter is officially the only book in the series that I have yet to read, and I truly wish I had read it before starting in on Lazarus. Reading the Rabbit Hunter beforehand would have allowed me an introduction to new characters and their roles, as opposed to being dropped into the middle of a storyline / relationship that was clearly ongoing.

The very first Joona Linna book I read was The Sandman so I was thrilled to see another book featuring the (in)famous Jurek Walter. Walter brings me palpable anxiety, and I can't believe he's returned! Or has he? I will never tell! Adding to the idea that Lazarus should not be read as a standalone . . . if a reader should choose to jump right into the middle of Joona's world and not follow him from book one, I highly recommend at least reading The Sandman before delving into Lazarus.

Oddly, when I read Lazarus via Kindle, there were no chapters included, but chapters were in the NetGalley app version. Other than a few spelling errors and a word or two that were missed in translation, I have no complaints. For me, Lazarus brought me back to the when I first met and fell in love with Joona Linna. This book is wrought with suspense, and I enjoyed just about every page of it!

Another winner by Lars Kepler! His books are always gripping and leave you wanting the next book. Can’t wait to see where he goes next!

I am always excited for a new Joona Linna book because this character is so layered and nuanced that it is fascinating to learn a bit more with each successive book. As the title suggests, Chief Inspector Joona Linna's arch nemesis, notorious serial killer Jurek Walter has risen from the dead like Lazarus and no one believes Joona. Not his bosses. Not his partner, Saga Bauer who allegedly fatally shot Jurek Walter in a previous book. Not the woman he loves and attempts to convince her to go into hiding until the monster serial killer is caught. This mind blowing revelation happens right off the bat and the rest of the book is about how Joona wrestles with his internal conscience in which he is torn between saving his daughter or the woman he loves. The only thing he knows for sure is that Jurek Walter must be stopped and Joona Linna is the one to do it. Jurek Watler is driven by a deep seated need for revenge against Joona and his partner Saga. Jurek is smart, diabolical, and always a step ahead as he causes maximum suffering and pain.

There is so much happening in this seventh book in the Joona Linna series but it all ties together all the previous books. I enjoyed all the tidbits discovered about Joona and his background. How he came to be who he is, which is one of the most beloved homicide detectives in the history of the genre of Nordic Noir. If you have not read any of the brilliant books by this husband and wife duo, I highly suggest you start at the beginning because it is worth it.

Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Random House Canada for the complimentary e-book in exchange for an honest review. #Lazarus #NetGalley

E-book/Thriller: I want to thank NetGalley for letting me read this book in lieu of an honest review. First, let me say that year’s ago, the whole nemesis verses detective was fun; on TV. It was fun on Law & Order CI, The Profiler, and even Tru Calling, but it has been really overused on Criminal Minds, Bones, and other detective shows. My feeling is most crime is either for sex or money and all this cat & mouse revenge games takes the plots into fantasy. And it is more so when the nemesis has unending time, a computer genius, and escapes death on more than one occasion only to go to trial and be found not guilty. For that, this book loses a star.
Other than that, the book was extremely suspenseful, like super suspenseful. Joona is MIA for most of the novel and Nathan and Saga are tasked make sure the nemesis is really dead from a previous book. However, I haven’t read all the books so I was a little lost at first. Family members are kidnapped and this being a Joona novel, well, not everyone is coming home in one piece. Let's just say if you think there are too many characters, this will not be a problem in the next book. I definitely recommend it.

Several murders of criminals has gotten the attention of the Swedish authorities, and Joona Linna is in charge of the investigation, in the seventh installment of the Joona Linna series by Lars Kepler, a husband/wife duo, Lazarus. The murders are reminiscent to Joona of mass murderer Walter Jurek, who was shot three times by Saga Bauer in the previous novel, and while there is plenty of evidence that Jurek is dead, including DNA, and the fact that Saga saw the dead body float down a river. Joona, who has strange ideas and theories sometimes, is convinced that Jurek is somehow still alive, and while Saga and others don’t believe it, they work together as a team to investigate.

Lazarus is not as well-written as the previous novels, and fans of the series will notice that they have become more and more violent as the series goes ahead. The translation is also a bit sloppy in this installment. Joona and Saga (both protagonists in the series, and in this one, Saga seems to be the main one) have been well-developed as characters in previous novels, and those who have read them will understand and relate to what is happening. However, if reading this novel without the background of the previous novels, Joona’s unique attributes and skills may not be fully understood.

The series has gradually gone from mainstream thriller novels to this (along with the previous novel, The Rabbit Hunter) novel, being full of unnecessary graphic sex scenarios which have nothing to do with the storyline, and horribly graphic violence and murder that is not necessary. Although Joona is a very distinctive and much-loved character, the books are getting so that they aren’t worth reading anymore because they are over the top.

The end of this novel was a disappointment, and there are so many things in the book that are implausible, many readers will surely want to find another series to read. This book is recommended only for those who love unnecessary sex and violence over good writing and a good storyline.

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

I am a huge fan of this author having read previous works. This was a good read, too, but I struggled a bit to keep up with the many different characters. As always, the descriptive language drew me in and I felt like I was a part of the story. The stand off with Thor was a real white knuckle read. A fully immersive experience.

Lars Kepler is one of my favourite authors and once again, I was not disappointed. Looking forward to the next one 😊

Someone is brutally murdering Europe's most vile criminals. When two of the victims reveal a disturbing connection to Detective Joona Linna, it's clear that someone is trying to send him a message. As impossible as it may seem, Joona is convinced that Jurek Walter is behind the murders but Jurek was shot and killed years ago. Joona will have to decide if he wants to hide or walk into the trap that has been set for him to save those he loves.

All the stars! Lazarus is the seventh adrenaline-charged crime thriller in the Joona Linna series. If you are new to the series I would highly recommend you read, at a minimum, Sandman prior to this novel so you have a better understanding of the Jurek/Joona/Saga connections. Each of the novels in this series contains character dynamics and backstory that is relevant to other novels in the series. *Warning* these novels contain extremely violent and graphic content (acts of murder & torture). I love the Joona Linna series, I own almost every novel, and was so excited to get to revisit Jurek Walter's character. I really enjoy Jurek's character, a highly manipulative and well trained serial killer who always seems to be one step ahead. Of course I love Joona and Saga's characters, each with their own distinct abilities and personalities. I don't want to give too much away but this novel introduces a new threat and it's hinted that they might be the possible theme for the next novel...I can't wait. This was a fast-paced, white-knuckle, thriller that I couldn't put down...a must read series!

Sad to see this author (s) go into extreme horror and graphic descriptions of unspeakable things done to
others. Radical change from previous books. Wish they hadn't gone there.

Please check out my review for this book on GoodReads! Another interesting Joona Linna series addition that brings us a villain from the past.

A formulaic thriller, Jo Nesbo type, but without characters you care for, or the humor. Only for die hard of the genre.

I really wanted to like this one. The plot sounded really interesting—an old killer coming back for Joona & his family, this time with an accomplice who hasn’t been identified. Unfortunately it just ended up being painful to read for so many reasons:

1. The translation was terrible. I don’t remember it being this poor with the previous books. Very simplistic sentences, very awkward exchanges, just really bad to the point distracting. (Additionally, the ARC from NetGalley was poorly formatted with no chapter breaks which did not help).

2. The plot line got pretty stupid pretty quickly. Joona calls his daughter and says something innocuous and she runs to a store locker, takes out a gun and a bunch of money and fake passports and runs away immediately. Then Joona tries to get his girlfriend to do the same. At least she addresses how ludicrous randomly running away from your life for an indefinite amount of time is.

3. The gore. I love murder mysteries and thrillers and I’m not easily offended but this gore was just too much. It was detailed to the point that it detracted from the story.

I found this book just too cruel and violently graphic. A story of a man who survived being shot, and on a revengeful journey.

Thankyou NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and give an honest review of this book.

As a fan of authors Lars Kepler and their character, Joona Linna, I was excited about the release of book number 7 in the series.

Can it be true that Jurek Walters, psychopathic killer, is alive and well.? Will he again be in pursuit of Joona and his daughter? It becomes abundantly clear that this criminal that Joona has long pursued, has faked his own death, acquired a new protege, and he is intent on destroying everything and everyone imortant to the investigative team.

The book is long and detailed but it gives you background into the characters if you are a newcomer to the series. The various twists and turns keep you interested up until the end of the book as you try to figure out where Walter will strike next.

I have really enjoyed the 1st 6 books of the Joona Linna series but this one was just OK for me. Joona's uber nemesis Jurek Walter was shot and killed years ago, but when some new brutal murders and kidnappings mirror Walter's old work, Joona believes that the serial killer is somehow still alive and back to tend to unfinished business.

Lots of action and lots of mayhem but some real stretches of credibility as Jurek Walter is painted as a seemingly all knowing, unbeatable, Satanic like character......too over the top for my liking. I enjoyed visiting with Joona and his colleagues Saga and Nils and I look forward to them having fresh adventures. Thanks to Net Galley, the authors and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I want to start by thanking NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC for my honest review. Classic Kepler! Not everyone reads these books, but if your a fan this is a must read! A true psychological horror thriller that keeps up its twists till the end .4.5 Stars!