The Stonecutter

By: Camilla Läckberg

Narrated by: David Thorn

The remote resort town of Fjällbacka has seen more than its share of tragedies, but a little girl found in a fisherman's net may be the worst yet - especially when the postmortem reveals that this was a methodical murder, not an accidental drowning.

Local detective Patrik Hedstrom has just become a father, and it’s his grim task to discover who could have killed a child both he and his partner Erica knew well. He realizes that the solution lies with finding a motive for this terrible crime. Although Hedstrom is no stranger to the criminal mind, he couldn’t possibly predict how this case will reach into Fjällbacka’s darkest heart, spanning generations and ripping aside its idyllic façade, perhaps forever.

©2012 Camilla Lackberg (Pegasus Books Edition). Translation © 2009 Steven T. Murray. Recorded by arrangement with Pegasus Books. (P)2012 HighBridge Company

Critic reviews

"A perfectly plotted and paced mystery bolstered by strong, realistic characters makes this a must-read for all followers of Scandinavian crime fiction." ( Booklist)

"[Camilla Lackberg] strips conventional veneers from her achingly complex characters." ( Publishers Weekly)

“ The Stonecutter, by Camilla Läckberg . . . continues her excellent series . . . The main narrative is cleverly interspersed with flashbacks from the past, the relevance of which becomes apparent as the novel progresses. Läckberg is particularly good at portraying the claustrophobia of a small community in which everyone knows everyone else and the police may well be friends with killers.” (Marcel Berlins, The Times)

Unrelentlessly Cynical...but a great read!

This book turns detective fiction upside down. The detectives are mere mortals, while the villains are the strongest characters. The author exposes the inner thoughts of all the characters. In a deliciously cynical way these thoughts reveal many of the characters to be sailing on the same ship...The Ship of Fools.

Best yet

Couldn’t stop listening. Story was riveting and performance perfectly executed. Can’t wait for next installment.

good

Close to a 5. complicated story so it keeps you interested. A good read it was.

A disappointment and then some!

Got the first 3 books in this series through a 3-in-2 sale. The first was OK but the 2nd and 3rd books were a disappointment. Far too much psychodrama, poor editing, female characters that are either unstable, insecure, etc., detectives who are like the three stooges. Guess I'm not buying the rest of the series..

Good, but...

I get the switching back and forth on the stories within the story, but the transitions were a bit awkward. I mean, there was no indication of going to another scene by way of a small delay. The narrator seemed like he didn't even take a breath when moving to the next scene so I found myself rewinding a bit quite often to figure out what was going on or to see if I had missed something.