This is the first in a series by Finnish author Max Seeck; this is his first publication to appear in the U.S. I would characterize it as Scandinavian (in this case, Finland) noir--which I love in small doses--with a touch of the supernatural. Or so it seems. When a famous author's beautiful wife is found dead in her home, she is dressed in a black evening gown, seated at the dining room table, and wears a rictus of a smile a la The Joker. There is no readily apparent cause of death. Her husband was 4 hours away, giving a book talk about his "Witch Hunt" trilogy, which have become internationally popular and made him very rich. Then the author is apparently killed, along with his police chief escort, on his way home. Or not. Investigator Jessica Niemi feels like she is always a step behind the killer, who appears to be re-enacting the murder's from the "Witch Hunt" books. Perhaps the problem is that there is more than one killer.
The characters are well developed, the setting is chilling, and the story line well paced. Publishers Weekly calls the book "deliciously creepy." Booklist calls it "intensely suspenseful...dark and intricate." Kirkus says, it's "a disturbing tale of murder and madness."
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