I had a couple of the things figured out about half way through but not all. That is the sign of a good book. This won't make as much sense if you haven't read the previous books ( )

THE LOST BOY written by Camilla Lackberg and translated (from the Swedish) by Tiina Nunnally is Book #7 of the Patrik Hedstrom (Fjallbacka) series.

“Patrik Hedstrom is no stranger to tragedy. A murder case concerning Fjallbacka’s dead financial director, Mats Sverin, is a grim but useful distraction from his recent family misfortunes. It seems Mats was a man everybody liked yet nobody knew - a man with something to hide. His high school sweetheart, Nathalie, has just returned to the area with her five-year-old son - could she shed some light on who Mats really was?” [book jacket]

THE LOST BOY has a brilliantly layered plot. A trademark of Ms. Lackberg’s seems to be secrets - lots of them and very, very dark - unfolding over decades and generations.
I quite this technique with historical and cultural references. Every book has a definite personality. I also like the main characters, Patrik and Erica, their families and co-workers at the police department. The western, coastal area of Sweden is a character in its own right. The title is very tense and suspenseful.
Not to be missed. **** ( )

Schriftstellerin Erica Falck hat mit ihren Zwillingen alle Hände voll zu tun, seit ihr Mann Patrik wieder im Polizeidienst ist. Sie findet kaum Zeit für ihre Schulfreundin Annie, die gerade in das idyllische Fischerdorf Fjällbacka zurückgekehrt ist. Annie zieht in das kleine Haus auf der Leuchtturminsel vor der Küste. Dort soll es nachts spuken, und dunkle Legenden ranken sich um den Ort. Annie scheint es nicht zu stören, vor allem als Mats, ihre erste große Liebe, zu ihr zurückkehrt. Doch dann wird Mats brutal ermordet. Patrik und Erica beginnen zu ermitteln.

Returning to work after a health scare, Patrik Hedström and his team must investigate the murder of Fjallbacka’s new town finance officer, Mats Sverin. Mats had recently moved back to his hometown from Göteborg. Before he died, he had concerns about the town’s joint venture with private investors to renovate and reopen a spa. Was the murder related to his work? Or could it have been related to the job he left in Göteborg working for a shelter for battered women?

On the home front, Erica has recovered from the car accident that ended the last book on a cliffhanger. She and Patrik are now the parents of twin boys. Erica’s sister, Anna, wasn’t as fortunate. Anna survived the accident, but her unborn son did not. Anna’s withdrawal from her family alarms Erica. She also provides some assistance with Patrik’s investigation since the murder victim had been her high school classmate.

It should be no surprise to the reader that lost boys are a theme in the book. The murder victim is his parents’ only son, and Erica’s sister, Anna has lost a son. Abused women and domestic violence are another theme in this book. Two women from the murder victim’s past have been subject to domestic violence, as has Erica’s sister, Anna. There is also a touching tribute to the author’s father in this book.

I’ve noticed a great improvement in the writing/translation over the course of the series. The main plot in this installment is well executed, with a surprising twist at the end of the investigation. However, a couple of the minor elements weren’t explained to my satisfaction. I also didn’t care for the supernatural elements in the plot. ( )

The Good:

+ Läckberg switches thing up this time, by involving large parts of the archipelago in the plot.
+ The events at the end of the previous novel greatly affect the central characters' lives.
+ Returning supporting characters from previous books truly make the small town feel alive and real.
+ Läckberg still writes exciting endings.
+ The realism and attention to detail is, as always, impeccable.

The Bad:

- A hopelessly boring and muddled plot with foreseeable plot twists and a disappointingly predictable solution.
- The events of the previous book don't have any particular lasting effects on the characters.
- Unusually boring and unrelated side chapters, taking us back in time into the late 19th century.
- Confusing sequences with several supporting characters.
- Mellberg (please, retire him already).
- Very mundane, with very few actual hooks to keep on reading.

Verdict:
After a couple of really good entries, Läckberg suffers from a lack of original ideas and a too great comfort with her world and characters. This one never really goes off properly. ( )