After a woman is found floating dead in a fountain, drained of all her blood, Detectives Jeppe Kørner and Anette Werner launch an investigation to uncover the sordid secrets of a residential psychiatric hospital.

There’s something really raw about visceral about Scandinavian crime thrillers, and The Butterfly House by Katrine Engberg is no exception. It’s grisly and unflinching in its details—definitely not for the faint of heart.

This book is a slow-burn. The plot lags around the half-way point, until it picks back up to reach a simmering and satisfying conclusion.

Note that although this story a sequel to Tenant and features Detectives Jeppe Kørner and Anette Werner, it works perfectly as a standalone.

As much as I wanted to like this one, and it started off pretty great, I found my attention span waning about 1/2 way through. I tried to keep up, but I realized I didn't care about the story or the characters. I would still read something by this author, but this book just wasn't for me.

2/5 Stars

Somehow, when I read The Tenant, I missed the fact that it was the first book in Katrine Engberg’s Scandinavian series featuring Detectives Annette Werner and Jeppe Korner. When I saw The Butterfly House on NetGalley, first, I loved the cover, and second, I read the description and realized that it was the second book. Cue me anxiously waiting to see if I would get approved, and then jumping up and down like someone who has been at home for months…..years….decades…..I am not quite sure anymore. Anyway, once I saw that approval email and calmed down, I sent it to my Kindle and pushed everything out of my way to start reading. In case I failed to share my excitement, I should mention that I loved The Tenant.
Now back to my regularly scheduled review. When a body is found in a fountain, it is hard to imagine what the killer’s motive could be. There are numerous small incisions on the body which meant the victim bleed out slowly and painfully. This makes it seem personal, rather than random, and as the body count rises, the only thing the victims have in common is past employment at Butterfly House.
Jeppe struggles to connect the dots before anyone else dies. He is also dealing with living with his needy and overbearing mother, working without his usual partner Annette who is on maternity leave, and taking tentative steps towards a new relationship with a coworker. There are a lot of suspects and more than one mystery going on in this book. Esther de Laurenti( from The Tenant) has problems of her own, and Annette misses her job, and before long, she is investigating the case on her own. Add in a conman, a grieving father, former Butterfly House patients, a well-known psychiatrist, and a nurse with an attitude, and you have an engrossing story with threads that all come together in the end.
Raises hand when asked if now officially hooked on this series.

This is the second book of a new series that takes place in Copenhagen. I read the first book, The Tenant, and really enjoyed it. The story starts when a paperboy finds a woman’s body floating in a fountain in the square, and continues as more bodies are found. Very good new series and I’m looking forward to reading more from this talented author.

I didn’t realize this was a series, with the first being The Tenant, when I first requested. Anyhow, I did think it was a good book. I would give it a solid 4 stars. Like the last it was a bit slower paced, especially in beginning, but did pick up a bit and I ended up enjoying. A good thrill ride, with some mystery within. Well written, character development great, and plot done in a way that does keep you reading until the end! I recommend to those who have or haven’t read THE TENANT!

Will make sure to buzz around platforms, use low Amazon reviewer bomber on release date!

The Butterfly House by Katrine Engberg
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
9/7 - 9/10 2020

This is the 2nd book in the Kørner/Werner series, and this doesn’t disappoint. I love when a series gets stronger, more in-depth with the characters and leaves me wanting more!

This time Werner is off on maternity leave and Kørner has new partner. This book is fast paced and takes place over 5 days - a lot happens in those five days, so buckle up and prepare to be sucked in, you gotta find out who is taking everyone’s blood!

This is where this opens, a nurse giving a patient a lethal injection, and then a paperboy finds a body at the fountains with every bit of blood drained from their body, exsanguination. What a great setup for a murder investigation.

While you the reader are in the dark as well, you get to know the characters so well. Katrine is very good at building relationships with us the reader.

I loved the way it all came together and the Werner gets involved with a new baby!

Thank you Scout Press, Simon and Schuster, and Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. I look forward to reading the rest in the series as they are translated to English!

I wanted to read The Butterfly House because I had so enjoyed the author’s prior book, The Tenant. This newest book definitely did not disappoint and was even better. It’s one of those books I hate to put down when life calls.

There was a series of murders done in Copenhagen and it was up to Jeppe and his team to solve them. His previous partner, Anette, is out on maternity leave but manages to insert herself into the investigation anyway. Interesting side stories are how Anette is struggling with her new motherhood and how Jeppe is adjusting to temporarily living with his mother after his recent divorce.

The story is quite complex with many characters. The author expertly keeps the story uncluttered in spite of its complicated storyline. The cast of characters, many of them with mental health problems, is very believable, flaws and all.

Sometimes the best murder mysteries do not have the best endings. This one did. All the pieces fit, and it came together nicely.

Thank you to NetGalley and Ms. Engberg for the opportunity to read and review The Butterfly House. I enjoyed it immensely.

This is a story about hunting a killer.

I’m personally somewhat burnt out on highly complex serial killer patterns; however, the character work here is excellent & the messaging about the impact of systemic difficulties accessing mental health care is well done. I’m curious about where the author plans to do more with the characters.

3.5 stars!

Well, this is another fast, my hands and nose glued to my e-reader so I skipped my meals and cooking chores which saved so many lives (stomach pumping can be painful b*tch) reading!

Normally I was planning to give 4 stars but I added half more star and rounded up to 5 because even though I enjoyed Tenant, I loved the second adventure of Korner and Werner so much more. It was smart, it was breathtaking, action packed, twisty, a great example of Scandinavian noir/ crime thriller.

Story starts as a paperboy finds a naked body of a dead woman lying in a fountain with arms filled with marks of small incisions. She is dead because of exsanguination which means all the blood of her body has been drained. And other bodies started to be found at fountains with the same cause of death. The victims are connected by a facility for young adult who is suffering from mental diseases named Butterfly House. Somebody is out there to punish the hospital crew and Jeppe Korner races against the time to find the perpetrator!

Best part of this book: the annoying, weird Anette Werner who is the champion to push the buttons of her partner and tortuously irritating him, enjoying her maternal leave (I’m taking back! She’s about to lose it, stuck between a Postpartum depression and boredom) So we don’t have to see her too much ( I have to confess, in the beginning of the first book, I hated the guts of her but slowly she got under my skin and at this second book her quirky antics won me over!)

And Jeppe Koper seems like recovered from his painful divorce, living with his mother and rejecting her controlling daily calls, forming relationship with Sara. Is he ready to take risks and commit with Sara, meeting with her two daughters? Well, he still emotionally struggles and the compelling case he investigates does not help him to think clearly about his own well being. He’s suffering from insomnia because of intense pressure! A vicious killer continues to threat a group of facility crew and the suspects with motives have concrete alibis.

And Annette skips her maternity duties to conduct her own investigation. Could she find something crucial Jeppe may have missed?

I liked the conclusion, the balanced pace, intriguing story development and it was also enjoyable to see Esther- landlord/ debut author from the first book Tenant ( she was interestingly connected with the suspects) !

As a great fan of Nordic, soul crushing, blood freezing, dazzling, dark noirs, this book fit so well with my expectations.

Special thanks to NetGalley and Gallery Books / Scout Press for sharing this incredible Arc with me in exchange my honest review.

I cannot wait to read third book of Korner and Werner. I think I already got addicted to their dysfunctional, quirky and entertaining relationship.

The amazing Detectives Jeppe Kørner and Anette Werner are back. I loved every second I spent reading this novel. It was a perfect follow-up! Definitely recommend putting this at the top of your TBR pile!

A second title in the series, a mystery from Denmark. In my opinion, a stronger book than the first one, The Tenant, though the first one does introduce the characters and serves as a great primer.

The Butterfly House mystery revolves around a series of gruesome murders with victims found in fountains with their blood drained. As usual, Engberg doesn't shy away from the explicit descriptions of pain and suffering the victims went through. It's rather chilling. The investigation eventually leads to a private center for mentally ill teens, which shut down after a suicide of a teenage girl. The main detectives get quite a bit of character development, which was great, and the supporting characters come out strong. Everyone deals with their own psychological issues as they try to understand the motivation behind the crimes and what actually happened at the Butterfly House.

Esther and Gregers, everyone's favorites from the first book, are tucked in there, which was a treat for me, though perhaps will confuse the readers not familiar with The Tenant: their plotline felt a bit forced.

Overall, an intricately plotted, nail-biting mystery, I couldn't put it down! Scandinavian noir at its best: explicit, gruesome, yet somehow still life-affirming and offers commentary on social issues.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the arc!

The second entry in this Copenhagen-based police procedural had its ups and downs for me. The major down: I'm tired of serial killers and gruesomely executed murders that take far too much work to be plausible and which tend to turn victims into props for suspense. The ups: the characters introduced in the first entry (The Tenant) are back and better. Korner is less annoyingly helpless and depressed and his partner, who has been sidelined with the kind of parental leave Americans can only dream about, is so unhappy with the expectations and difficulties of motherhood, that she lies to her partner and involves herself in the case. (This is a recurring theme in Scandinavian krimi - especially for women writers.) I particularly enjoyed having the elderly Esther de Laruenti play a role in the plot - she's a delightful character who brings a lot of warmth and humanity to the story.

The plot, involving the murders of the former staff of a residential treatment facility for mentally ill teens, is well constructed and, while the serial-killer aspect of it is formulaic, there are some underlying social issues that are engagingly addressed, especially as a former resident of the facility, now homeless, tries to help a fellow resident who has been institutionalized, along the way treating readers to a fascinating glimpse of one of Copenhagen's autonomous communities, this one a floating village constructed out of discards. After a denouement that is in keeping with the serial-killer genre (so a bit eye-rolling for me), the thoughtful conclusion ends the book satisfyingly.

The translation, by Tara Chase, is excellent and the cover is gorgeous. Props to the designer.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of The Butterfly House.

I enjoyed The Tenant and I love mysteries, especially police procedurals so I was pleased when my request was approved.

Lead detective Korner is called in to investigate the death of a woman in a fountain, her body marked with ritualistic wounds. As the bodies pile up quickly, Korner races to find the killer, but the suspect pool is large and time is running out.

At the same time, his partner, Werner is on maternity leave and it hasn't been easy. She misses her job, using her brain and finds herself doing some freelance investigating on her own, sometimes while she nurses and is caring for her newborn daughter.

Without giving anything away, this is a revenge tale, which I love and though some of the villainous acts are hard to suspend disbelief for, the story was an good read.

My only caveat was the subplots and perspectives from minor and supporting characters; there's a lot going on outside of the case and I found it distracting every time a new POV and character was introduced.

Overall, a decent read and I'd recommend it to anyone who enjoys police procedurals.

I was overjoyed to see that this book extends the stories of the intriguing characters we met in The Tenant (though you'd be fine reading this as a stand-alone). I enjoyed the book's exploration of the exquisite difficulty of new motherhood, the agony of navigating the mental health system, and a truly unique crime. The plot races along and will keep any police procedural or psychological thriller fan engaged.

There were a few too many stretches of credulity for five stars, but I'd still whole heartedly recommend this novel to mystery and thriller fans because it's a fresh new voice in a crowded genre.

**I received an advanced reader's copy in exchange for an unbiased review**

Oh, I love Nordic crime thrillers. Ever since I read my first Harry Hole novel, I've read pretty much everything in the genre I can get my hands on. I was so excited to dive into The Butterfly House.

When a body is dumped in a fountain in the old market, Jeppe Korner investigates the homicide. There are strange markings, indicative of a painful death, and before he's had a chance to make headway, a second victim turns up dead with the same MO. Both bodies have a connection to an old treatment center, The Butterfly House, known for its treatment of juveniles with particular psychiatric disorders. With his partner Annette on maternity leave (and starved for a bit of normalcy as she adjusts to life as a new mom) Korner pairs up with Falke to find the killer before anyone else turns up dead.

Oh, I loved this book.

To start, the criminal element is well-executed and interesting. Give me a strange medieval weapon with a grim purpose and I'm hooked. I actually took the time to research it on my own, and let me tell you, the details are fascinating. Engberg doesn't shy away from details, either, so instead of a glossed-over version of the crime, we get gore and a stark account of what death was probably like for the victims. This makes the act all the more brutal, especially when its juxtaposed with quieter moments, like Annette feeding her baby in the car while juggling her conflicting emotions about her new identity. It takes an already intimate moment and highlights the vulnerability of life and mental health.

Because much of this book is an exploration and frank discussion about mental health, mental health care, and the privatization of health care. I found this to be informative, important, and relevant and far from preachy, which can often be the case when authors tackle this subject matter. Instead, we get glimpses into various mental disorders--the approaches, the treatments, the fallout, and the recovery. Both inside and outside the hospitals, the discussion wasn't limited to the patients but extended into every character arc.

The parallel stories had solid voices and created avenues for suspense and suspicion, and Engberg wove them together beautifully.

Overall, The Butterfly House is a thrilling, fast-paced adventure with blood, guts, and a whole lot of heart. For fans of Nordic crime in the vein of Jo Nesbo, medical thrillers, procedurals, or anyone looking for a creepy serial killer narrative.

Big thanks to Gallery/Scout and NetGalley for providing an eARC in exchange for honest review consideration.

Detectives Jeppe Kørner and Anette Werner are back, after the first book in this series, The Tenant. This makes two of the four books in the Scandinavian thriller series that have translated to English. I've gotten attached to Jeppe and Anette and don't want to give them up.

Jeppe, is now living with his mother for a few months, after he and his ex-wife finally sold their marital home. Mom has never let go of her child and even though he's now living in her apartment, she calls him eight to ten times a day, nags him about the exact way to squeeze out the dishwashing sponge, and stays up late until he comes in for the night. Those are just some of the things that make Jeppe so endearing to me. He's a lead detective, has men and women working under him, working hard to solve a horrendous murder, but lives with the guilt and annoyance of a nagging mother. 

A body has been found in a fountain and the cause of death is exsanguination—the draining of all the blood in her body. The dozens of tiny cuts that drained the blood via her wrists and thigh were intended to cause a very slow and extremely painful death. This was a very methodical and calculated murder and even the fact that the body was placed in water must mean something. The murderer is definitely sending a message. 

Anette is on maternity leave after delivering a baby girl, two and a half months ago. Despite never wanting children, at the age of forty four, Annette's "oops" baby has taken over her life. She feels like a bomb has gone off in her body, which no longer belongs to her. She's exhausted and the baby never quits crying. Her husband has adapted well to fatherhood and can't understand Annette's indifference to the baby. Annette listens to the police scanner she kept from her job and starts making fake runs to the store for diapers, when she is instead, doing her own covet investigation into the murder. But the murderer isn't finished and she's at risk attracting the murderer's attention. 

Jeppe, saddled with a new but ancient, overweight, and slow partner, is now missing Anette for all the qualities about her that used to annoy him. As the story unfolds, we not only learn about Jeppe and Annette's thoughts and feelings but those of other characters. This is what I love about the author, Katrine Engberg's, work...she allows us to know each character, their thoughts and feelings, so that this world seems alive and real. I'm looking forward to someday getting to read the English translations of the next two books in this series because I'm hooked on this Copenhagen setting and the people that inhabit it. 

Thank you to Gallery/Scout Press and NetGalley for this ARC.

Engaging read! I didn’t read this book in one sitting but it was a very satisfying crime story. Not only were the horrific killings and the rush to find the killer/s covered, but also the day-to-day life of detective work, relationships, family dynamics and trust. I felt like I was part of the story at times. Story was well-paced, the characters well-defined and clear. I thoroughly enjoyed reading about Copenhagen. There were many twists and turns throughout, and everybody got their due at the end. There were surprises galore, and an unexpected horrific event near the end. Would highly recommend if you like Scandinavian mysteries. Will definitely be reading her previous book “The Tenant.”
Thank you to Netgalley, Ms. Engberg, and Gallery/Scout Press for an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

I picked up this book and IMMEDIATELY started reading it for a few reasons: not only did I hear great things about the author's prior book "The Tenant," but also because it takes place in Copenhagen where I attended university. And wow, was it a wild ride.

As it turns out, strangely enough, Engberg made me fall in love with Copenhagen even more through her strange, messed up thriller while I kept imagining one precise hospital near my apartment. Yikes.

In "The Butterfly House," we read about a gruesome murder investigation of murder at a hospital. It is very well written, with spot-on, juicy details and gripping descriptions, but nothing overexaggerated. The characters are also well developed, and the investigation has multiple twists I did not see coming.

Overall, I would highly recommend this book to fans of Scandinavian thrillers - but it could also make a great 'first' one. Engberg is a great writer and I will gladly pick up any of her books in the future.

*Thank you to the Publisher for a free advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This series is off to a fantastic start with The Tenant and now the addition of this new book makes me eagerly await the third.

For lovers of Scandinavian thrillers such as myself, finding new authors in the genre is a great joy. Katrine Engberg holds a lofty position on my list and I do hope you find her books as gripping. Even though I felt this one started off a little on the slow side it certainly made up for it and the ending....oh WOW the ending is worth the read.

Please add this one to your to read list!