I found it hard to get started and maintain momentum, but that is likely my fault for switching out of science fiction too fast

This is the first book I've read by Sten Ostberg. It is fast paced and short (more like a novella). The story takes place in Norway during dead of winter when Karl and his wife Marte are awaken in the middle of the night by Marte's sister. Something has happened and they must drive to her sister's home. Once there they see the blood and hear the desperation of the sister's story. Karl has decisions to make and they are not easy. Where does family loyalty end and legal authority begin? This is a good read for those looking for straight mystery fiction.

A terrifically fast-paced thriller with a few convenient plot-twists that can easily be put aside due to great pacing and suspense. A solid read indeed.

This is an interesting fast read which is, I think, hampered by the fact that it's so short. That said, I don't think I'd want to spend much more time in a Norwegian blizzard or in this situation, which was a tad implausible. The characters are fine but I didn't feel they were as well rounded as they could be; I understand there are other books which feature Karl and Martje so reading those might be a help. THanks to netgalley for the ARC.

A quick, fast novel about what could be a murder.
A car in a frozen lake, with a dead body inside, sisters trying to save him, once they realise he is alive still, then the car sinks further, and they can't help.
A few little twists and turns, but for a short novel, had me wanting to keep reading to find out the ending.

A short but riveting read that can be read in one sitting. From the moment you start the story doesn't let you go and the tension ratches up in every chapter.

Retired police officer Karl Vollen and his wife we planning on a romantic night, until his sister in law calls them out in the middle of a snow storm. Karl and Marte arrive to find Brynja covered in blood, and her husband missing. Both Brynja and her son Vigar claim responsibility, but who's telling the truth and who is covering for the other?
If you can suspend your disbelief and are just looking for a short read then this is great. At just over 100 pages it's good to read in one sitting and will have you hooked. I've not read any other stories in the Karl Vollen series, but I don't think it's necessary. The characters are quickly introduced without much back story, but this plays into Ostberg's hand as it means the twists and turns are unexpected, and you can't trust anyone too much. However, some of the twists are a bit unrealistic, so that may ruin it for you.

The snowstorm is at its height when Karl and Marte Vollan are dragged from their beds by a frantic phone call from Marte’s older sister Brynja.

The couple must immediately leave their isolated farmhouse in rural Norway and head out into the raging storm. Why? And where are they going?

They are bound for the luxurious home Brynja shared with her husband, Kjell and teenage son, Vigar, on the outskirts of Tromso just 15 minutes away.

When they get there, they find a murder scene. And Karl is a policeman. But this, he discovers, is a family affair and the instinct to protect is strong.

There is a body in a car, in a frozen pond...

Only it’s not that simple.

How many times do you have to kill somebody before they die?

The Scandinavian storm keeps howling … covering tracks … concealing traps.

As Karl and Marte wrestle to understand what has happened some unpleasant secrets begin emerge.

There is a threat to commit suicide, more attempts to murder. A body is locked in a coffin-like woodbin with the air and time running out…

As the sense of inescapable claustrophobia tightens, is it possible that any of them not guilty of hiding the truth about themselves and their relationships?

And the phones – where are the phones? How can they contact the outside world for help? Is it a perfect storm?

So looking forward to this book but it was a disappointment - too unbelievable and far fetched for me.

We've been here before; no-one turns the romance of the snow or the dangers of a snow storm into such a thrilling read than Sten Ostberg.
This is his third outing about a couple living near Tromso who have met danger throughout their lives together since Marte went into labour. She is married to Karl a former police officer and despite the age difference, (over 20 years, she is about 28 and he's touching 50,) they seem a normal couple. Indeed circumstances have, if anything brought them closer together and their daughter Nadina has brought them endless joy.
Imagine the in-laws have taken your daughter to spoil for the night, you've opened a bottle of wine and that glint is in you young wife's eyes again. The snow is swirling, and no sensible person would venture out on such a night as the storm takes hold. Maybe the drifts will cut them off and they can stay wrapped in each others arms forever.
Then the phone rings...................................
It is Marta's sister Brynja in trouble, begging for help!
They dash over and find the house, as though desturbed during a meal, and blood everywhere. Brynja isn't making sense; she says she's alone and had a fight with husband Kjell. He is nowhere to be found until they hear a sound upstairs.
High on suspense but perhaps low on credability. However, this is a short read that will thrill any reader and keep one guessing to the very end. It is cleverly plotted although it relies on thick skulls, could be the viking genes, and shows that some people like Rasputin are hard to kill.
I loved the first two books and I will forgive the excesses. It shows that blood is thicker than water at times and blood loss is perhaps slowed in the artic north.
If you go for it and involve yourself fully in this atmospheric story you will not be disappointed. Sten writes so well, this is fiction and the story speaks about families and relationships, secrets and lies but ultimately is just a theme park rollercoaster that leaves you breathless until you can shout again!

It starts rather well but then it slowly turns into a bloody farce......