Being uncertain as to why this has the title it has is the least of my problems with this book. There are several story lines and within each chapter it jumps from one part of the story to another without warning. I found that exceedingly confusing. If you tick with it, it does eventually all come together. The story boils down to being family members killing each other. Based in Sweden, it may be that it is the translation that is my problem rather than the original script. I am unable to recommend it.

A good and original plot, even though I felt the investigators could have checked in a few things well before I did !!! I also guessed quite quickly who the murderer was! I still wanted to read to the end to make sure as it was full of twists and turns. However, I found it was a shame that again the private lives of the investigators took so much room in the book. Particularly because their lives are full of bad news (cancer -not only once-, accidents), and I don't need to read about this in a crime book.
I received a digital copy of this novel from NetGalley and I am leaving voluntarily an honest review.

When a famous photographer is found murdered in his studio in a Swedish town, it is shocking enough. But when the killing in the coastal town is then followed by the tragic events impacting a well-known family who live on a private island nearby, the entire community is rocked by the events.

As a result of all this, Patrik Hedstrom finds himself - without much support from his boss - investigating the secrets of a wealthy island community that plays its cards close to the chest. Power and privilege invariably come at a price, but is someone willing to kill for such reasons?

Meanwhile, Patrik's partner Erika is examining a cold case from the 1980s which, unbeknownst to the two of them, is linked to the case(s) Patrik himself is currently investigating...

This is absorbing and incisive storytelling from Lackberg, with a few dollops of violence thrown in for good measure. It will have considerable appeal for those who enjoy a good mystery, and for fans of crime stories in particular.

It took me a while to get into this book because of the many characters and also because it was disjointed. For example, in one paragraph we have Erica and Patrik and their perfect family, and in the next we have a question followed by Henning Bauer drumming his fingers on the tabletop. A bit confusing when you haven’t read any of the previous books, but I persevered and started from the beginning twice till I knew what was going on! Lots of red herrings and twists and turns to keep up interest but I wasn’t as engrossed as I’d hoped to be. Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers, and it’s 3.5 stars from me, upped to 4 because I liked the writing style.

This latest entry in a series I've been following for years doesn't disappoint. Lackberg's USP is her combination of cosy soap opera and crime. Erica and Patrik feel like old friends as we have watched them meet, fall in love and grow a family. Equally, Patrik's police colleagues all have full lives, lit by shades of tragedy and life. In the foreground are a series of brutal murders which stem from events in the 1980s when a gorgeous trans woman called Lola became friends with a group of artists and writers - and Erica's research for a book about Lola intersects with Patrik's murder investigation.

The crime is slow-moving and I could predict the twists with some ease. But the real accomplishments are the characterization and the on-going story arc of this small Swedish coastal town. There are luminous moments of love that punctuate the text and I like Lackberg's fundamentally optimistic and compassionate vision of people. The portrait of an arrogant Swedish man desperate to be awarded the Nobel Prize for literature adds some humour - as does Erica's unwanted new kitchen!

Patrik Hedström #11

It’s October in Fjällbacka and a storm rages as renowned author Henning Bauer and his wealthy wife Elisabeth celebrate their golden wedding anniversary. The following day, photographer Rolf Stenklo is found murdered at a gallery and Patrik is called to the scene. DCI Bertil Mellberg, Patrik’s boss has a great deal on his mind and a major worry and so Patrik has to step up to lead the investigation. As if that’s not enough tragedy, a few days later the team are called to Skjälerö to investigate further brutality and this tragedy hits the Bauer family hard. Meanwhile, via Rolf’s photographs, Patrik’s wife, Erica Falck becomes interested in a murder case from 1980 in Stockholm. As she becomes deeper immersed in that story it seems as if the past is catching up with the present day and how.

Although this takes a while to get going as the author sets various scenes, once it speeds up I find it an immersive read and the deeper it goes, the way more fascinating it becomes. The 1980 timeline is a good one and really piques my curiosity especially how it connects to the present day. I enjoy how we learn information which tantalises, making me comprehend just how deep the web of intrigue is. But who's is the web??? Who is the spider at the centre of it all?? It gets more and more intriguing as Patrik digs in Fjällbacka and Erica digs in Stockholm.

There are several layers to the storytelling including a topical transgender angle which is so good, making you feel sadness and despair. There’s also a love element, revenge, deception and various kinds of sin and oh boy, some are really big ones. Few of the characters that Patrik and Erica encounter are likeable, in fact, some are downright nasty.

As the end approaches there are several jaw descending moments although I do figure out part of the truth, it doesn’t spoil the overall enjoyment.

With thanks to NetGalley and especially to HarperCollins, HarperFiction, Hemlock Press for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.

This is another excellent psychological thriller from Camilla Lackberg. I liked the intriguing and gripping plot which revolves around Erica's family and friends. I thought it very compassionate and poignant, especially when deaths of children are involved. Old and recent attitudes to the transgender community are are explored and there's lots of jaw dropping moments. This story will stay with me. Highly recommended.

Cleverly written, all those tiny details and anecdotes tied up in the end... you'll be blown away by this one!

Jealousy, rage, deception, and revenge are all part of almost half the decade that is described in this book. Not to mention innocence and guilt as Rolf did through his photography. Human emotions that can be so powerful, it stays with someone as part of who they are - even if it means living a lie for all that time.

And very much a part of The Cuckoo was the background of people living their lives, despite them being slightly different from average. Not just Lola, mind you. I appreciated the way Lackberg put it to Erica to find herself trying and trying again to get the approach right for dealing with these themes. Themes that are very much still issues in this day and age.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of the book.

I am a huge fan of Camilla Lackberg and I was delighted to get the opportunity to read her newest book The Cuckoo. This was one of the most gripping and thrilling books I have read in a long time. I read it over the course of a day as I simply couldn’t put it down. I can’t wait to read more from the author in the future.

What an absolute pleasure to have Erica and Patrik back, it's great to catch up with them and their family and police colleagues. Erika is looking for inspiration for her next book, and, at a 50th wedding party, hears about Lola, who was part of an artistic community in Stockholm. She and her daughter P'tite were murdered and the killer was never found.
Rolf, a photographer, who was part of the group, is found murdered on the morning after the party, and Patrick is leading the case. As usual, Erica's research and Patrik's investigation overlap, as all the historical secrets are exposed. There are flashbacks to P'tite's childhood exploring Lola's life. This book brings up a lot of issues, handled with delicacy and sensitivity. Lovely writing. Highly recommend.

I love Scandi crime fiction and this is a great addition to the genre. Although it’s part of a series it can definitely be read as a standalone.
At the start I was a bit confused with the number of characters introduced but it didn’t take too long to get to grips with it.
The plot was intriguing and multi-layered. I genuinely had no idea how it all fitted together which is a really good thing.
The pacing was excellent and I was hooked the whole way through.

Another fantastic installment in this series from Camilla Lackberg. I love revisiting Patrik and Erica and seeing how their lives are progressing along with the crime that is being investigated. This was a great thriller which had plenty of twists and turns that kept me guessing until the very end.

Excellent writing and reading. A real stomper of a book. Unusual plot and intrigue inside the lives of the older wealthy in Sweden.

Who's side are you on you ask yourself? The book really comes alive with the descriptive writing of the area, the places and the past. I really could not put this book down.

What a great murder mystery this book is.
It has so many twist and turns which are not what you expect.
I enjoyed this book from start to finish, although i did struggle with pronouncing the Swedish names in my head.
It revolves mostly around the small community in the islands of Sweden. The community being made up of rich people with many secrets, which the local police have to try and unravel to find the murderer.

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Great series and I totally didn’t see where this one was going!

What a fabulous book! Although at the beginning it was difficult to remember all the characters as soon as I got to know them I was sucked in. So many twists & turns! So much heart wrenching emotions.

Camilla Lackberg has been one of leading Scandi Crime writers over the last decade or so.

The Cuckoo is a dark tale of power and greed.

The murder of a gallery owner who was part of an elitie art community leads to further tragedies a dark secrets to be revealed. The higher you climb or rise- the greater the fall....the interactions between the privileged really increased an animosity towards them

Detective Patrick Hedström is again challenged by various red herrings and events that can't quite be pieced together; Erica Falck - Patrick's partner- continues her quest in exploring cold cases ( the death of a transexual in the less than understanding 1980s ) through her True Crimes series and soon finds herself getting closer to the killer that Patrick is searching for than she imagined

Taut, well paced and blood thirsty in parts- this is a great crime procedural. If you have followed the series then the familiar group of the police team are all together

The only quibble albeit small is that some of the translation - in particular the colloquial phrases used by characters - didn't sound natural for 2024 - a few outdated and some that didn't seem congruous to the types of characters

A great Scandi thriller that you won't put down once started

I absolutely adore Nordic thrillers and The Cuckoo is another one to add to the list!

Highly enjoyed this, the plot was well written and the characters came alive

Fantastic murder mystery. My first time for this author but will definitely be looking for more. The suspense kept going right until the end with so many twists and turns. Great story.