Review: The Corpse Flower by Anne Mette Hancock
The Corpse Flower
by Anne Mette Hancock
Thanks to Crooked Lane Books and Libro.fm for these gifted books!
Publisher: Crooked Lane Books
Publish Date: October 12, 2021
Hardcover
336 Pages
Series: Kalda og Schafer #1
Genres: Nordic Noir, Thriller, Crime Fiction
A Danish journalist digs deep to uncover a web of lies that stretches back to a grisly murder, but knowing the truth might put an end to her story.
It's early September in Copenhagen, the rain has been coming down for weeks, and 36-year-old journalist Heloise Kaldan is in the middle of a nightmare. One of her sources has been caught lying, and she could lose her job over it. And then she receives the first in a series of cryptic and ominous letters from an alleged killer.
Wanted in connection with the fatal stabbing of a young lawyer three years earlier, Anna Kiel hasn't been seen by anyone since she left the crime scene covered in blood. The police think she's fled the country and have zero clues as to her motive. But homicide detective Erik Scháfer comes up with the first lead when the reporter who first wrote about the case is found murdered in his apartment. Has Anna Kiel struck again, or is there more than one killer at large? And why does every clue point directly to Heloise Kaldan?
Meanwhile, the letters keep coming, and they hint at a connection between Anna and Heloise. As Heloise starts digging deeper, she realizes that, to tell Anna's story, she will have to revisit the darkest parts of her own past--confronting someone she swore she'd never see again.
My Review:
Nordic noir thrillers are just gorgeous pieces of work - such great atmosphere and feels so much darker than other thrillers... but in such a subtle way. It's hard to explain bt if you've read a few in this genre I think you'll know what I mean. And this first in a series thriller most definitely fits the bill.
Is there such a thing as journalism procedurals? Because this felt like a police/journalism procedural - but even if you dont' like procedurals, don't let this deter you because it's not quite so bogged down by the details. I'm not even certain where to start with this one. I decided to listen to this one and felt lost in certain sections as while the pacing was suspenseful, it also felt like there was a lot going on within. Not gonna lie, I did enjoy learning about The Corpse Flower but by the second half had almost forgotten all about it. And danggggggg... the build up to this one...
I really enjoyed getting to know Heloise. She's tenacious and multi-layered and I'm happy this is going to be a series as I've love to see where she goes from here. And y'all... the ending to this. The things she finds out.... this is when I truly paid full, 100% attention to it. I don't know why I was making a face when listening to these parts as it's not like it's the first time I've read on this subject matter. I think I was just so within Heloise's head that I FELT it when she went through it. And Anna... phew girl. But also Erik. Yeah, ya'll... while nordic noirs aren't for everyone, I absolutely loved this one. Sometimes you just need to tell someone's story for them... no matter how hard it hits you.
★★★★
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