The story unfolds in the small coastal town of Fjällbacka, where the arrival of a heavy mist mirrors the growing tension within the community. A famous photographer, Rolf Stenklo, is found murdered in his gallery, followed by a brutal tragedy on a private island that devastates the prestigious Bauer family. The once-peaceful town is soon shaken to its core.

Detective Patrik Hedström is left to lead the investigation when his boss begins acting strangely. As the pressure intensifies and the media demands answers, cracks begin to appear within the police team, heightening the sense of unease.

Meanwhile, Patrik’s wife, Erica Falck, is inspired to research the unsolved decades-old murder of a figure from Rolf's past for her next true-crime book. As she delves into the past, Erica begins to uncover a connection between the cold case and the recent murders, and soon realizes that old secrets and unresolved sins are intertwined with the present.

The novel masterfully combines a tense investigation with dark family secrets, offering a gripping, twist-laden narrative that will keep readers hooked until the final page. The Cuckoo is perfect for anyone who loves psychological suspense, intricate plots, and atmospheric Scandi crime thrillers.

I am a long term fan of Camilla Läckberg’s Patrik and Erica series having read them all from when they were first released, but I really struggled with this one. I think it was more the way it was narrated (sorry narrator) but it felt different to the rest, maybe it was that it’s been so long since the last instalment of the series that I remember them wrong but this felt a little underwhelming to what I’m used to from this writer.

I would still highly recommend the series - but maybe just read it and give the audiobook a miss. The story had its classic Läckberg truest and turns and I was as always a little shocked at the end! Will I be reading the next one if there is one? Absolutely.

Thank you NetGalley and publishers for letting me listen to an ARC of this in return for my honest review.

It took me a while to get into the story, but when I was it had me hooked good and proper.
Typical scandy style book, told on two time lines with plenty of secrets and twists.
Well worth a read.

There is a golden wedding anniversary party, held by Henning and Elizabeth, for a group of friends , but Rolf says he is not going .He is preparing an exhibition of his photos in a nearby gallery. The morning after the party is body is found in the gallery with head wounds caused by a nail gun. Detectives Patrik and Erica are called in to investigate . To the surprise of many of his friends the subject of the pictures are of one subject a trans gender woman called Lola , but what is Rolfs obsession with Lola who lived with his young daughter P'tite in a flat. Lola and a child had been victims of a fire in the flat many years earlier. Shortly afterwards on a nearby island where Henning and Elizabeth live one of their sons Peter and his two children are murdered . Meanwhile Patrik's wife , a writer tries to find out what link there is to Lola and P'tite. A whole story of deceit and lies unfolds about relationships within the group over many years. and the perpetrator of the murders is unmasked . A good story but I find like with many Scandi thrillers the writing becomes drawn out at times , but nevertheless a good read.

Excellent read. Well written, memorable characters and a very good story. I’ve read a few by this author now and really enjoy them. Highly recommended.

This is the first Camilla Lackberg novel that I have read, so I was not familiar with the investigating duo of Detective Patrik Hedström and his crime writing wife Erica Falck.
The opening few chapters, setting the scene and introducing the characters, was a little confusing for me as I found it difficult to remember who everyone was, although this probably won’t be an issue for those who are familiar with the series.
I soon got into the story though and couldn’t put the book down. All the characters were interesting.
The narrative is in two parts, set in the present in the Swedish coastal town of Fjällbacka, and in 1980’s Stockholm and it soon becomes clear that there is a link between the present murders and a suspicious death in the past. While husband Patrik struggles to understand what is happening at home Erica goes to Stockholm in search of information for her new book about the unsolved and uninvestigated death of Lola.
This was a very enjoyable read with some interesting twists. I think I will be reading more about Patrik and Erica in the future.

I enjoyed this book and felt the mystery was well worked. The characters and scenes were well drawn and there was a feeling of jeopardy all the way through.

The latest in the excellent Patrick Hedström series does not disappoint. Set in the same small Swedish coastal town as the earlier books the local police once again have a complex murder enquiry on their hands after a famous photographer is found dead in a gallery. Central to the theme is attitudes towards tran women and changes in those attitudes over the last 6O years. The author is also scathing at times about the social attitudes of upper class Swedish families . As well as being a good murder mystery their is social commentary on modern day life in Sweden and of course the ongoing developments in the the lives of those characters who we have known throughout the series. Perhaps an acquired taste but this series by Camill Lackberg has given me reading pleasure over many years and I look forward to many more if this standard is maintained.

As someone who has previously enjoyed Ms Lackberg’s writing I was looking forward to reading The Cuckoo with eager anticipation. And, in fairness, the author’s traditional plot device of bringing history into the present with crimes separated by decades but with a common thread was quickly apparent - so far so good! But Ms Lackberg seems to have leant rather too heavily on the writings of the Wisting author, Jørn Lier Horst, who takes great delight in having the investigations of a close relative - in Horst’s case his daughter - interfere with the lead character’s police investigation. So in The Cuckoo we see Erica, the wife of the male lead character in Camilla Lackberg’s novel, colliding with her husband’s increasingly gruesome murder investigation.

Positive features are the way in which the author and her excellent translator use the clever narrative to convey the sense of Swedish society to a foreign audience. There is also some careful structuring of a plot that really should be entirely implausible in a way that means the novel just about sits in the realm of what might - at a push - be possible.

Finally, Ms Lackberg seems to have chosen to use her novel to preach to her readers. The issue of whether this is sensible or effective is probably for others to decide but, for this reviewer, the lack of any sensitivity or subtlety in the approach used didn’t add anything to the book.

Overall, perhaps not the best from Ms Lackberg.

I really enjoyed this detective story. I did have to re-read the first part of the book, to work out the characters but by then I knew I was hooked. I am a fan of Nordic noir but still it's a great change from the regular crime books I usually read. I have never read other books by this author, something that will change now.
The murder of a photographer and then just two days later a father and his two young sons, shocks the fairly small community. This novel is sensational and has many twists and turns. I like the web of involvement between the different characters and that throughout, the book was challenging me in some way.
I will be buying this book for other friends and hopefully introduce them to this author and this crime genre.

A page turner with twist after twist

If you like Scandi murder mysteries with plenty of twists you’ll love this book.

The story starts with an anniversary party and inter-related families that seem to be successful, happy and admired. This is interspersed with Lola’s story from back in the 1980’s. At the beginning there’s little to suggest any link between these threads but gradually ifs, buts and maybes start to creep in and it becomes clear that everything is not as it seems on many levels and fronts.

To cut to the chase, without any spoilers, this book has more twists than a roller-coaster, is quite a ride to read and I loved it. I’ve already bought the first in the series and am looking forward to working through the rest of Camilla’s books.

I was given this book from the author via netgalley only for the pleasure of reading and leaving an honest review should I choose to.

My relationship with Camilla Lackberg is a bit rock as I loved some of her books and hated others (like the tv series, I found terrible)
This was a good one: slow burning but a page turner that kept me guessing.
Well plotted, entertaining.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

I have not read many of Camilla Lackberg books and I am not sure why. They are great. This is set in the autumn in Fallbacka. Henning Bauer and his wife are celebrating their golden wedding anniversary and the hotel is full of guests having a good time. Then the drama starts.
The Police are called the following morning to a photographic gallery where a cleaner found the body of Rolf Stenklo murdered. Rolf was due to go to the party but did not choose to but his wife went. He decided to work in his gallery to put his exhibition in place. He had been struggling with things that had happened in his past and wanted to put things right regardless of maybe hurting others in his tight group. Patrik and his team started to investigate the murder and things then go from bad to worse. While the investigation is going on Henning, his wife, family and friends go back to the small island where they have a home. Meanwhile Patrik’s wife becomes interested in the murder of Rolf and her life then intertwines with the Bauer family. A few days after the first murder another tragic event takes place on the island. The story continues and it becomes apparent that the story goes way back and involves Lola. Lola is a man who dresses and acts like a woman. Lola works in a club and this is where she met Henning and friends years ago. They take her under their wing especially as Lola as a daughter who they cherish. The first part of the story is about Lola and her struggles which in some ways is sad and in others Lola being comfortable in her own skin helps. The story toggles between the past and present and I am going to stop the review here as I feel I could give so much away as I loved this book and would be happy to carry on but that would spoil the book for others

This starts as a lovely sounding Swedish island, where a birthday party is in full swing. Suddenly the story turns more dramatic, as a member of the family has been murdered in his photo gallery. The suspects range from one member of the family to another to keep you guessing throughout.
There is a sub-plot of one of the family who is an investigative journalist who is researching a mysterious death of Lola, some year before. Lola turns out to be a very complex character and you have to bend your mind a little to understand it all.
A good atmospheric read, I enjoyed it.

I recently delved into the intricate world of "The Cuckoo" by Camilla Läckberg, where the dynamic duo of Detective Patrik Hedström and Erica Falck once again team up to untangle a web of secrets and unmask a chilling mystery. Set against the atmospheric backdrop of the Swedish coastal town of Fjällbacka, the novel opens with shocking events that plunge the tight-knit community into turmoil.
The discovery of the murdered photographer Rolf Stenklo and the tragic incident on the private island of the prestigious Bauer family set the stage for a riveting tale of suspense and intrigue. As Detective Patrik Hedström finds himself at the helm of the investigation, tensions simmer within the police team, adding another layer of complexity to the case.
Meanwhile, Erica Falck's quest for inspiration for her next true crime book leads her down a path intertwined with Patrik's investigation. The intricate threads of the past and present are deftly woven together, revealing deep-rooted secrets and long-buried sins that cast haunting shadows over the town.
While the plot may seem daunting with its myriad threads at the outset, it gradually unfolds into a gripping narrative filled with unexpected twists and revelations. The intricacies of the characters' interconnected lives and the layers of deceit make for a compelling read that keeps readers on the edge of their seats.
As a standalone novel, "The Cuckoo" holds its own as a captivating Scandi crime thriller. Still, for devoted fans of the series, it offers a deeper exploration of familiar characters and their evolving relationships. From shocking events to surprising revelations, this dark and twisty tale will leave readers eagerly anticipating the next instalment in this spellbinding series.

A great story with lots of twists and turns, keeping you guessing for most of it as to what is going on and how it all links. I certainly didn't see the ending coming so bravo!

I'm a big fan of the author and I found The Cuckoo enjoyable but not something that totally gripped me. Interesting characters although not particularly likeable and I guessed the ending which spoiled things somewhat for me.

I love a scandi thriller and I can't say anything negative about the writing or the plot, however I am more of a fan of faster paced books and this was very character led with a lot of characters and dialogue that didn't really add anything to the actual plot. Yeah, it might make you connect to or know more about rhe characters or their personalities but I just struggled with so much chatting. That's purely a personal preference though and plenty fans of character led thrillers would love this since it is well plotted out and written

I like a Scandi thriller every now and then. This one was ok, though not an easy read. For me the translation (into English) was too stilted and there were a lot of characters to keep track of. The writing was just not very interesting in places, perhaps also due to the translation.The plot was fragmented as the narrator switched within chapters . The plot was interesting on different levels, though I did have an inkling about the twist quite early on ..
Not a bad read, thanks to Net Galley for the ARC

This was another incredible instalment of the wonderful series of Patrik Hedström and Erica Falck books. It was so good to spend some time with them again as they unraveled the mysteries both current and historical.
This was a very interesting story that could so easily have been turned into a rage against prejudice but instead evolved into a beautiful story of love and loss both romantic and familial.
It was great to revisit with many of the satellite characters around Patrick & Erica and see how their lives are doing, what concerns and joys are occurring to them in this snapshot of time.
The story itself was fascinating, told over a dual timeline from the 1980’s and present day, it showed how things were and why things were happening now in the way they were.
I thoroughly enjoyed this read and am now eagerly anticipating the next book in the series, hopefully!