Under the Storm

A Novel

By: Christoffer Carlsson, Rachel Willson-Broyles - translator

Narrated by: Peter Noble

THE #1 INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER • A NEW YORK TIMES BEST CRIME NOVEL OF THE YEAR (SO FAR) • A farmhouse mysteriously goes up in flames with someone trapped inside and a community is never the same in the aftermath—both a thrilling whodunit and a deeply touching coming-of-age story by one of Sweden’s top criminologists

A Kirkus Reviews Best Book of the Year

“When the body of a young woman is discovered in an incinerated farmhouse, resolution was swift: It was murder, her boyfriend did it, case closed. But for the boyfriend’s nephew, Isak; the arresting officer, Vidar Jörgensson; and the entire community of Marbäck, closure is a myth about to be shattered—spectacularly.”—The New York Times

On a cold November night, a farmhouse burns to the ground. Inside a young woman is found dead—not from the fire but murdered. To the people in the rural community of Marbäck, this becomes a reference point: a before and after. For ten-year-old Isak Nyqvist, it sets in motion something he cannot control, igniting his future into an unpredictable inferno.

The police focus their attention on Edvard Christensson, the boyfriend of the murdered woman and Isak’s beloved uncle. After a quick investigation, Edvard is found guilty and sentenced to life in prison and Marbäck believes it can return to its innocence. Vidar Jörgensson, the rookie officer who first responded to the fire, prides himself on helping solved the murder. Little does he know this will become the defining case of his career and that it will drive him to the brink of professional and personal disaster—and link his fate to young Isak's.

A celebrated author and professor of criminology, Christoffer Carlsson digs deep into the psyches of ordinary people and shows how one crime can haunt a community for decades. A modern classic of Scandinavian crime fiction, Under the Storm demonstrates why many regard Carlsson as one of the great crime writers of his generation.

Critic reviews

“When the body of a young woman was discovered in an incinerated farmhouse in 1994, resolution was swift—it was murder, her boyfriend did it, case closed. But for the boyfriend’s nephew, Isak; the arresting officer, Vidar Jörgensson; and the entire community of Marbäck, closure is a myth about to be shattered. The character trajectories (and tragedies) of Isak and Vidar have real narrative heft, but Carlsson also makes room to explore bigotry, misogyny and nativism . . . wonderfully translated by Rachel Willson-Broyles.”—Sarah Weinman, The New York Times

“A tense police procedural.”—The Wall Street Journal

“A brilliantly woven, unsettling crime novel . . . Boasting the psychological intensity of a Hitchcock film . . . this is a gripping, utterly distinctive mystery by a newly established Swedish master. As in Blaze Me a Sun, Carlsson explores the nature of grief and generational trauma, all while keeping readers unsure of what’s going to happen next.”—Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

“Under The Storm is the quintessential crime novel—not only a brilliantly constructed whodunit about the unfolding of a murder investigation over three decades, but a profound and immersive portrait of the ripple effects of one act of crime, judgment, and doubt on a community. Christoffer Carlsson is a master at layering nail-biting suspense with psychological depth and acuity, and I can’t recommend this book highly enough.”—Angie Kim, New York Times bestselling author of Happiness Falls

“[Christoffer] Carlsson is to the police procedural what Cormac McCarthy is to the Western.”—Anthony Marra, New York Times bestselling author of Mercury Pictures Presents and A Constellation of Vital Phenomena

“A tense police procedural.”—Wall Street Journal

“Carlsson is the finest crime writer we have in Sweden. His writing is a perfect combination of crystal clear prose and exact knowledge.”—David Lagercrantz, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Girl in the Spider’s Web and other novels in Stieg Larsson’s Millennium series

“Carlsson demonstrates impressive character development and a knack for slow-building suspense.”—BookPage

“This slow-burning, masterfully constructed literary thriller from the author of Blaze Me a Sun (2023) and one of Sweden’s leading crime experts lays bare the haunting effects of violent crime.”—Booklist

I think I have whiplash!

Although the narration is superb, this might be one of those books better read than listened to. That's because of the frequent back and forths in time. There were also times that I wasn't certain which characters were carrying out the action or speaking. That said, it is still a most enjoyable book.

Real, fully-developed, complicated characters inhabit this series

A satisfying balance of mystery and personality in an fascinating Swedish setting. Prize-worthy indeed.

Narration

The writing is very good, story was a but drawn out. I thought. Dialogue was great

Amazing book

The narrator does a fabulous job with all of the voices and the intricacies within the plot keep you engaged and guessing.

Thoughtful, Philosophical and Highly Intelligent

Under the Storm continues the story in Blaze Me a Sun, the first book. However, this book can stand easily on its own. I love the thoughtful, philosophical and highly intelligent writing in both of these books. I read a lot of Swedish noir and I would say this is the best of the best. It actually blends noir with good literature. I learned about Swedish rural life and police culture. I got a feel of what it is like to grow up in Sweden as the stories deal with all aspects of life, childhood through old age and even the afterlife. The characters are all so real and sympathetic. The writing is mature. I hope there will be more of these books to come. They are among my favorite reads of all time.