I just finished Grim by Sara B. Elfgren, and it was such a dark, haunting read. It blends mystery, metal music, and Swedish folklore in such a unique way—I was totally drawn in.

The story follows Kasper, a teen working at a haunted house, as he digs into the strange death of a metal singer from his dad’s old band. It’s eerie, emotional, and full of unexpected twists.

If you’re into moody, gothic stories with a supernatural edge, Grim is definitely worth picking up.

Thank you to NetGalley and Arctis Books for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
Atmospheric and genuinely eerie — Kasper's dual-timeline investigation into a death metal singer's mysterious death weaves grief, Swedish folklore, and 80s Stockholm nostalgia together beautifully. The haunted house setting is a great metaphor throughout. Moody, emotional, and hard to put down.

Thank you to NetGalley and Arctis Books for the ARC!

I enjoyed the dark and gritty atmosphere in the book. It fit the vibe of the story perfectly! The dual time line was interesting and I liked the musical themes. 1980 metal scene, check yes!

I really enjoyed this as a mystery novel, it had that concept that I was looking for and enjoyed the overall feel of this. Sara B. Elfgren was able to weave a strong storyline and characters that I cared about and enjoyed the dual timelines. It was a strong plot and was glad it had that element that I wanted.

This is an excellent mystery to be enjoyed by teens and adults alike. Bonus if you have an interest in death metal. Kasper, the MC, investigates the death of the rocker Grim from over 30 years ago with the help of Iris. The narrative style is interesting as there are dual timelines and supporting materials like appendices (I promise; they aren't boring). There is also a supernatural angle. 4 stars.

Sara Bergmark Elfgren’s Grim is a haunting, genre-blurring triumph—part coming-of-age mystery, part love letter to the raw power of death metal, and part ghost story that lingers like a half-remembered riff. With dual timelines winding through 1980s Stockholm and a present-day amusement park, this atmospheric novel explores grief, legacy, and the secrets that refuse to stay buried.

In the present, 18-year-old Kasper is just beginning to piece his life back together when he lands a job at Gröna Lund, Stockholm’s iconic amusement park. There, he bonds with Iris, a fellow outsider who schools him in the art of scaring guests in the haunted house—a skill that becomes eerily relevant when Kasper starts dreaming of Grim, his father Håkan’s long-dead best friend and bandmate.

The narrative shifts seamlessly to the 1980s, where teenage Håkan’s world is electrified by his friendship with Grim, a magnetic misfit whose passion for death metal sparks the creation of their band. Their bond is intense, chaotic, and ultimately tragic—cut short by Grim’s mysterious death, which Håkan has never fully explained. Now, Kasper’s investigation into the past unearths unsettling questions: Who was Grim, really? Why does his shadow still loom over Håkan? And why is he reaching out from beyond the grave?

Elfgren’s prose thrums with visceral energy, whether she’s capturing the sweat-and-leather grit of the ’80s metal scene or the eerie, liminal space of an amusement park after hours. The haunted house becomes a brilliant metaphor for the novel itself—a place where the past is performative yet palpably real, where screams are scripted but fear is genuine. Kasper and Iris’s friendship crackles with wit and tenderness, offering levity against the darker currents of Håkan’s unresolved grief.

Fans of The Raven Boys and The Ghosts of Heaven will adore this book’s blend of supernatural intrigue and emotional depth. But Grim is wholly original, a story about how music can be both a lifeline and a requiem, and how the people we lose never truly leave us.

This is really well written, very moody and dark. I particularly liked the was the author wrote about depression. I feel as though this book would appeal to young people who are really feeling as though no one understands them. At times quite poetic, sometimes disturbing. Never thought I would like a book about death metal! It's not really the horror/mystery I was expecting... a little light on that. Good none-the-less

A book about death metal? Very interesting! I would have never guessed that I would read a book about this but I am glad this author was my first.

I genuinely liked it. I felt as though the story, the characters and the vibe of the book worked well together. It wasn't very hard to follow along either which really helped me because I can have a short attention span lol

But all in all, not a bad read!

3.5 stars

Translated from the Swedish by Judith Kiros.

Kasper Nordin is eighteen and headed into his final year of high school. He’s at loose ends and coming out of a depression when he gets a job at his local amusement park’s haunted house, the House of Demons and meets some kindred spirits.

Kasper’s dad, Hakan Nordin (I don’t have the proper umlats on my keyboard) was the founding member of death metal band Dark Cruelty which had some underground success in Sweden. The band came to an early end when its lead singer, Hakan’s best friend, Grim (Kasper’s namesake) was found dead from unknown causes at age nineteen. Kasper’s new friend Iris is a big fan of Dark Cruelty and the remaining members are planning a reunion tour. Kasper becomes obsessed with what happened to Grim.

This was a decent book and it is perfect for a certain group - disaffected youth, fans of death metal, nineteen year old boys who feel like no one gets them. The depression shown here is very serious and very real.

I did not realize this book was #2 in a series, but I do not think one needs to read the first to know what is going on in this one. It is a standalone with regards to the story, but it seems as though it also takes place as the first book called Norra Latin.

The book does appear to have been written in Swedish and translated, however, I do believe the translation is very well done and there are only a few words which did not translate which may be proper places, names, and words which don't have direct translation.

Kasper is the son of a musician and his dad's band was well known before he was born. The lead singer, Grim, died unexpectedly and unexplained and the band ends. No Kasper is getting a job at the local amusement park and it starts to stir some things in him which make him curious about what happened to Grim and why the man seems to haunt his dreams.

This was such a good story, dark and spooky and coming of age. I loved the atmosphere the author was able to weave and the way it translated. I also enjoyed how the author took the death metal vibe and incorporated a haunted house in a captivating way. There were a few slow points but honestly, the overall pacing was good and mysterious. I may need to look for more books by this author.

For a Swedish book by a Swedish author set in Sweden but translated to English, this was pretty easy to read. It’s not really an advanced reading copy, as it’s been out for a while. It is also the second in the series, and while I haven’t read the first, I was able to get on just fine.

This book was dark but not really twisty, which is my usual preferred genre. I loved the setting, as I grew up a fan of haunted amusement park books from RL Stine and I was able to imagine the world built by the description. I had a hard time connecting to the narrator but enjoyed many of the other characters.

Thank you Sara B Elfgren, Arctis Books and NetGalley for this ARC. All opinions here are my own.