I'm a sucker for the first book in a new series. They are written to build the characters, community and back story that will be used to continue the stories to come. The writer's skills are first tested by Book #1 to keep readers coming back for the next book. Johanna Mo has set her series in the town of Oland. Hannah Dunker lived here many years ago but left when her father was convicted of murder. The way this fact is written, it will be used as an overarcing story in the series as Hannah investigates the circumstances of her father's conviction. Hannah is now a police officer but the citizens of Oland have long memories and will never make it easy for her to do her job. The first crime she investigates pulls her right back into the neighborhood she had fled years ago.

Johanna Mo has given us planty of material to build the series in future books. This first one was a little slow and predictable, but sets the tone for the series to continue. We'll see how she does with book #2.

Great read! There was a lot of twists I never saw coming and I couldn’t put it down. I’ve also read the 2nd one in the series and it is equally good. Great mystery/thriller that keeps you thinking long after you have finished reading it.

I really love this cover, and thats what drew me in to wanting to read this book. It wasnt my favorite, but it left me wanting more

Author interview with Johanna Mo
Today’s author interview guest is Johanna Mo, author of The Night Singer.
https://hankgarner.com/author-stories-podcast-episode-1156-johanna-mo-interview/

I am always on the lookout for new Scandinavian writers and book settings. Something about that north country always makes me try a new addition. I was mildly surprised that I enjoyed this one so much.

A police detective with a murky past moves back to her hometown and immediately finds herself immersed in the death of a young man, the son of her best friend growing up. As Hanna investigates she finds herself reliving the past with family memories that will not stay buried and an itch to learn more about her father’s tragic past.

All in all a good read with a guessing game up into the very end, and emotional introspection on gender identity and its affect on our youth. I look forward to the next one since this ending has left it wide open for another.

Enjoy!

This is the 1st in Johanna Mo's Swedish police procedural series, The Island Murders, starring Detective Hanna Duncker.

She has returned to her native Öland, which she left years before when her father Lars was convicted of murder.

Hanna investigates after the dead body of 15-year-old Joel Forslund is found by German tourists on Öland, Joel's mother was Hanna's childhood friend. Hanna solves the case, and it's both sad and surprising.

This episode also hints at questions about Hanna's father's conviction - a nice lead in to the next episode.