Bruce -
I gave this book almost 200 pages but I couldn't finish it. While the plot was interesting and the book contained a couple of exciting twists, the story meandered too long at too slow a pace and the writing was a big distraction for me. Lars Kepler is the pen name for a Swiss writing team so I don't know if it is the writing style or the translation that is at fault. Here is an example:
"Kennet suddenly turns up the volume of the police radio. A call has gone out. Someone answers, demanding information. In the brief exchange, Simone picks up something about a woman hearing screams from a neighboring apartment. A car is dispatched. In the background, someone laughs and launches into a long explanation about why his brother still lives at home and has his sandwiches made for him every morning. Kennet turns down the volume again."
The entire novel is written in this elementary, choppy style. It was too much for me. Even when I started to get pulled into the story, the writing was like a bucket of cold water over my head.
"Kennet suddenly turns up the volume of the police radio. A call has gone out. Someone answers, demanding information. In the brief exchange, Simone picks up something about a woman hearing screams from a neighboring apartment. A car is dispatched. In the background, someone laughs and launches into a long explanation about why his brother still lives at home and has his sandwiches made for him every morning. Kennet turns down the volume again."
The entire novel is written in this elementary, choppy style. It was too much for me. Even when I started to get pulled into the story, the writing was like a bucket of cold water over my head.
