Once upon a time there were 3 homeless teenagers who became best friends as they struggled to survive the mean streets of Stockholm. At first all Eva, Jorma & Katz had in common was the daily hunt for their next hit of heroin. But eventually the trio found something even more addictive to sustain them….trust.

But all “good” things must end & they went their separate ways. Years later, all 3 are still in Stockholm but living very different lives. They don’t know it yet but a series of seemingly random events are about to bring them back together.

Eva is now a prosecutor investigating cross-border financial crimes. She’s working with colleagues in the Balkans who believe mafia money is flowing to Sweden to be laundered. The big question is: who’s on the receiving end?

Jorma is in a bit of a tight spot. He’s tried walking the straight & narrow but the truth is, it’s boring. So when a buddy asks for help pulling off an armed robbery, he jumps. To say it doesn’t go well is an understatement.

Katz (following events in the last book) has all the work he wants as an independent translator & IT security expert. He’s been clean for 10 years but when an old friend dies in mysterious circumstances, he finds himself drawn back into the life he left behind.

Initially the book alternates between the 3 separate POV’s so we get pulled into the lives of these characters. Each has a compelling story & as they pick away at their individual investigations, a subtle tension begins to build as they start attracting the wrong kind of attention. The connections are not immediately clear. Peripheral characters slip in & out of story lines, making you wonder who can be trusted & who’s hiding behind a clever facade.

As the story lines converge, the horrific scope of the criminal network begins to emerge. These people play for keeps & the game turns deadly as they get closer to the truth. The MC’s run into some dicey situations & this is where some suspension of disbelief will be required. They catch some lucky breaks to be sure but 2 things save the story: how much you want them to succeed & how badly you want some of these despicable people to pay.

This is definitely Scandi noir. The backdrop of Stockholm’s seedier streets is enhanced by descriptions of the addicts’ lives & the powerful opportunists who abuse them. It’s a disturbing read at times. But the author’s depictions are not gratuitous, rather it’s just that he doesn’t shy away from reality. The atmosphere becomes darker as things go from bad to worse, a descent that is mirrored by the changes in Katz.

This is a guy who shouldn’t be alive. He’s a lapsed Jew who lost his parents too young & never really recovered. There’s a suppressed anger buried inside him & when Jorma & Eva are threatened, it’s almost a relief to let it out.

Although this can be a stand alone, I recommend starting with “The Boy in the Shadows”. There are references to events in that book & knowing the characters’ backgrounds makes for a richer reading experience with this one. The ending made my jaw drop & now I’m wondering where the author will take us in book #3. ( )