The second book in the #1 internationally bestselling Joona Linna series, The Nightmare finds Joona teaming up with a national security agent to find the link between two mysterious, seemingly unrelated deaths.

One summer night, police discover the lifeless body of a young woman on an abandoned yacht. She appears to have drowned, but it’s clear she was never in the water. The next day, a man is found hanging in his completely empty apartment. It seems like a suicide, but the circumstances are suspicious.

Detective Joona Linna is called in to investigate, and, with the help of a young Swedish Security Police detective named Saga Bauer, he soon discovers a surprising connection between the two deaths. With more lives at stake, Joona and Saga must fight to stop a killer who always seems to be one step ahead. Ultimately the case will lead them into the shadowy world of international arms trafficking, where they are forced to confront a ruthless psychopath.

Series:

Joona Linna

Book 2

Can be read as a standalone

Book Type:

Scandinavian Crime Fiction

Review: THE NIGHTMARE

Swedish husband-and-wife team Lars Kepler delivers a fast-paced, gripping thriller with THE NIGHTMARE—the second book in the Joona Linna series.

First, a woman is found dead on a boat, her companions, vanished. The next day, a man is discovered hanging in his home under suspicious circumstances.

Stockholm detective inspective Joona Linna is called to both cases, which are seemingly unrelated at first. One seems like a suicide, but it doesn’t feel quite right, while the other case becomes more bizarre as details are revealed. The woman in the boat died of drowning, but shows no sign of actually being in the water.

Joona Linna soon finds himself caught in a tangled web of dangerous deception, pulled into the sinister world of arms export business. Worse yet, there’s a professional killer trailing behind, ensuring no evidence or witnesses remain.

This is the second book I’ve read by Lars Kepler, and I’ve somewhat read them out of order unfortunately. The other novel I read and loved is THE SANDMAN, and I need to go back and read the first book in the series, THE HYPNOTIST.

With THE NIGHTMARE, Kepler once again delivers a story that’s immersive and unflinching, both compelling and complex—I was never bored or confused despite the multi-layered plot. The characters are thoughtfully nuanced and interesting, making you want to know more about them as individuals.

This series really strikes the right balance between plot complexity and propulsive pacing. While things take time to unravel and connect, there is enough going on, enough surprises and twists, to keep you rapt from beginning to end.

I can’t wait to continue with the series.

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