A young mother is on her way to a Swedish ski resort near the Norwegian border when her young son has to pee. It is -12 degrees Celsius (10 degrees Fahrenheit). She pulls the car over and lets him out. A short time later he comes back and tells his mother there is a man lying on the ground. She gets out to investigate and finds a man lying in the snow, his hands bound behind him and his head bashed in. He is covered with snow.
This is the beginning of Hidden in Shadows. Detective Daniel Lindskog along with his temporary partner Hanna Alhander, both of whom we met in Hidden in Snow, investigate. The victim turns out to be Johan Anderssen, a former Olympic skier who met with injury and now runs a plumbing company with his partner. By all accounts, Johan was a cheerful man with a positive outlook on life so it is hard to understand why he was so brutally murdered.
After speaking to Anderssen’s wife, Marion, and his business partner, Linus Sundin, the investigation begins to focus on Sundin. He is an alcoholic, has financial issues and has been known to be violent. Upon Anderssen’s death, he inherits another 25% of their company, making him majority shareowner. The financial motive is strong.
However, as you and I know, that makes it too easy. Additionally, he appears to have an alibi. As the investigation continues, more suspects arise.
A secondary story revolves around Rebecka Ekvall whose family are members of the Light of Life church and who at the young age of 19 is betrothed to the engaging, heir apparent pastor, Ole Nordhammer. He is what every girl in the church dreams of marrying. However, the church’s view of women leaves something to be desired.
The manner in which Sten weaves the two stories together is perfect. Hanna, who previously worked in the domestic violence unit of the Stockholm police, is concerned about Rebecka’s safety once she enters the picture.
Hidden in Shadows is not just an excellent police procedural. Sten touches on many topics including cults and the treatment of women, spousal abuse, the stresses of a new baby especially when one parent, Daniel, is rarely home, homosexuality and family life in general.
Hidden in Shadows follows two time periods: February 2022 follows the daily police procedures as they investigate the murder and September 2012 through 2022 in which Rebecka marries Ole and how their marriage progresses, until the two stories merge into one. Detectives from Hidden in Snow reappear, bringing the police family back together.
One review stated Hidden in Shadows “…is a pulse-pounding, character-driven follow-up to 2020’s Hidden in Snow that once again sees the powder near idyllic Swedish ski resort Are stained red with blood.”
As I stated in Hidden in Snow, Hidden in Shadows has no happy ending. The case is solved but the impact will leave lasting scars. This is, again, one of the bleakest Scandinavian noir I’ve read. However, it is well worth the read for the suspense as well as the look into the lives of both Hanna and Daniel. ( )

TW: Suicide (Graphic), Domestic Violence

It used to be that murder didn’t occur in Åre, and many would prefer to keep thoughts of the Swedish resort as idyllic. Johan Andersson’s body, a former Olympic skier brutally murdered and discovered by chance in the forest, will change not only the landscape.

Whether describing the landscape or emotions, the author’s atmospheric writing immerses the reader in the scenes and heightens sensory awareness and the depth of her character’s thoughts and feelings. Captivating examples:

“Suddenly the cloud cover opens up and the sun breaks through, making the white landscape sparkle. The sunbeams create a halo around the top of each tree, and the snow crystals shimmer like hovering fairies.”
“Her thoughts are tangled, fear is crawling all over her skin like ants.”

In the 2nd novel of the series, I remain gripped by the author’s skillful character development, not only bringing to light the exploration of human emotions when confronted during an investigation, whether as perpetrator or suspect but the exploration of the changes to the lives of those directly involved in the investigation. There is an exploration of religious values used to control women in every aspect of their lives. There is also an exploration of difficulties for the police in balancing priorities of job requirements vs. personal life, the frequency the two are in conflict, and how each person responds to the pressures and expectations. There is no judgment. Only portrayals. Intriguing. Suspenseful. Gripping. Page-turning to the end.

Thank you to Viveca Sten, Amazon Crossing, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an eARC of this book.

#HiddenInShadows #NetGalley ( )