Very accomplished crime novel set around WW2 secrets and modern day Sweden. Would definitely read more by this author. ( )

Love this series. ( )

Gilly wouldn’t call herself wicked, exactly…but when you have five little brothers and sisters and live in a run-down boot, you have to get creative to make ends meet. Gilly’s a pretty good thief (if she does say so herself). Until she gets caught. Gilly’s sentenced to three months at Fairy Tale Reform School where all of the teachers are former (super-scary) villains like the Big Bad Wolf, the Evil Queen, and Cinderella’s Wicked Stepmother. Harsh. But when she meets fellow students Jax and Kayla, she learns there’s more to this school than its heroic mission. There’s a battle brewing and Gilly has to wonder: can a villain really change?

Crime writer Erica Falck is shocked to discover a Nazi medal among her late mother’s possessions. Haunted by a childhood of neglect, she resolves to dig deep into her family’s past and finally uncover the reasons why. Her enquiries lead her to the home of a retired history teacher. He was among her mother’s circle of friends during the Second World War but her questions are met with bizarre and evasive answers. Two days later he meets a violent death. Detective Patrik Hedström, Erica’s husband, is on paternity leave but soon becomes embroiled in the murder investigation. Who would kill so ruthlessly to bury secrets so old? Reluctantly Erica must read her mother’s wartime diaries. But within the pages is a painful revelation about Erica’s past. Could what little knowledge she has be enough to endanger her husband and newborn baby? The dark past is coming to light, and no one will escape the truth of how they came to be...

Pretty good. Probably the best I've read so far, perhaps because it was not quite so gory as some. I did guess the conclusion about half the way through but I was quite happy with that. It's because the author is honest (unlike Agatha Christie where solving the murder always seems to involve using a piece of information she doesn't give you!). ( )

THE HIDDEN CHILD written by Camilla Lackberg and translated (from the Swedish) by Tina Nunnaly is Book #5 of the Patrik Hedstrom (Fjallbacka) series.
[from the book jacket]
“Crime Writer Erica Falck is shocked to discover an old Nazi medal amongst her late mother’s belongings. Inspired to dig deep into her past, she visits a retired history teacher for answers. Two days later he’s dead.”
“Detective Patrik Hedstrom is on paternity leave. But his wife’s enquiries appear to have set off a chain of murders and he’s finding it hard to keep out of the investigation.”
“A terrible secret from the darkest days of World War II is coming to light - and their families’ histories are right at the heart of it.”

This series has a great small town location in western coastal Sweden; very personable and likable main characters; a mix of horrific, dark (very dark) criminals/murderers and situations; a close-knit local police station; a many-layered plot - a plot riddled with secrets and historical references - tense and suspenseful; and noir at its best (or should I say grittiest).
THE HIDDEN CHILD needs a lot of concentration. I had several family ‘trees’ written out in the margins. There are many personal details to be remembered. I say this not as a criticism, but as a precaution, so as to stay in tune with the story as it unfolds.
A wonderful title. A wonderful series. **** ( )