In this second outing, criminal profiler Sebastian Bergman once again finds himself working along side members of the Riksmord, Sweden’s national police homicide unit based in Stockholm.
Bergman was once a shining star, the leading expert on serial killers. More than a decade ago his work helped identify & convict Edward Hinde for the ritualistic murders of 4 women. HIs subsequent books earned acclaim & made him a darling of the speech circuit.

But since losing his wife & daughter in the 2004 tsunami, Bergman is a shell of his former self. Out of work & plagued by nightmares, his only conquests these days are the plethora of lonely women he pursues for one night stands. His days are spent following a young woman around the city, obsessed by the startling news he received in the first book.

Meanwhile, the Riksmord has moved on. And its boss Torkel Hoglund has a problem. Three women have been recently murdered & the crime scenes are exact copies of Hinde’s victims. How is this possible? Hinde is locked up in a secure prison with no access to the outside world.
The scenes are shocking with plenty of evidence left behind. But Torkel & his team of experts hit one dead end after another. The victims appear to be have nothing in common. With increasing pressure to solve the whole mess before the media catches on, Torkel turns to the expert on all things Hinde. Bergman comes on board & when body #4 is discovered, the link they’ve been searching for becomes horribly clear.

This is a dark, chilling psychological thriller that pits 2 brilliant men against each other. There’s a slow building tension that kind of sneaks up on you. Characters include the other members of Riksmord. Ursula is a detached forensic expert who has history with Torkel. Billy is the IT guy with ambitions of moving up the food chain. Vanja is a young, confidant investigator determined to make her mark. They’re an eclectic mix who function well as a team but after the last case, none of them are eager to work with Bergman again.

And it’s easy to see why. Bergman is an equal opportunity offender. His blunt speech & lack of social graces tends to result in a trail of pissed off people left in his wake. He may have lost everything that mattered but what survived is an ego that prevents him from taking responsibility for his actions or admitting he’s no longer relevant.

The reader is privy to all of their personal lives.Tensions at home & building frustration with the case start to cause small cracks in the unit as each of them deals with secrets that may be exposed by the investigation.

In alternating chapters, we travel with the killer as he meticulously plans & carries out the horrific crimes. Flashbacks from his childhood may explain hIs twisted pathology but it still makes your hair stand on end. This is matched only by time spent with Hinde, the cover boy for “Psychopaths Weekly”. Each chapter spent inside his head made me want to jump in the shower.

These are interesting & well developed characters. None are entirely likeable & all are flawed. As the story progresses not only will each be deeply affected, some won’t survive. And just a friendly heads-up. Even after the case reaches a resolution, hold on tight. The authors aren’t done with you yet. The final few pages reveal the fallout will likely carry over to the next instalment.

It’s not as dark as Mankell or Nesbo but this is still Scandinavian noir. It’s also a cracking good read that will keep you glued to the sofa.

This is the second in the Sebastian Bergman series, centring around a troubled, angry and arrogant psychologist and criminal profiler. “The man who watched women” is an excellent page turner and while it is slightly formulaic in its plot, there are sufficient plot deviations and underpinning themes to keep me interested in the subtext that permeates through the characterisation.

The context of the story revolves around a serial killer who Sebastian had a key role in putting behind bars many years earlier. I won’t spoil the story but suffice to say a showdown looms with consequences that are both foreseeable and others that are mistaken.

The thing I find a little challenging in both this book and the first of the series is that it is difficult to like any of the characters. There is little warmth in any of the characters perhaps with the exception of Billy, one of the police officers whom there is a bit more authenticity and humanity. I especially like books where I make connections with characters, not in a sentimental way, but in an authentic way as I seek to understand their strengths and flaws. Sebastian is certainly a flawed character but he is difficult for me to actually like much although I do feel a degree of empathy (or is it sympathy) for him.

Anyway this was a great read, and four star Swedish Nordic Noir for me. I’ll definitely go looking for book number 3 in the series.

Me encantan estos escritores, me gustó el primer libro de la serie y este me gustó mas aún, buenos personajes, buena historia, un asesino en serie digno de un libro de este género, un final que te deja con ganas de mas, narrativa agil, fácil, inteligente, personajes muy bien delineados (repelen pero no podemos negar que están bien perfilados). Muy recomendado

Muy entretenido. Me ha gustado más que el primero.

Underhållande mordhistoria, gillade mer än jag trott jag skulle. Köpte mest för att jag tyckte om "det fördolda" och för att boken var billig. Det är sommar. Flera kvinnor har brutalt mördats enligt ett känt mönster. Det är bara det att det kända mönstret är Edward Hindes och han sitter inspärrad. Den kverulanta kriminal psykologen Sebastian Bergman nästlar sig in i fallet och upptäcker nästan genast det schokerande sambandet mellan morden. Det är mycket tydligt att Edward Hinde, som Sebastian en gång satte dit, står bakom - men hur? Grymt underhållande och lättläst.

Estou a adorar esta série.

Mais um.... Fantástico