The Sandman – Joona Linna Series Book #4

Author: Lars Kepler
Genre: Nordic Noir, Thriller, Crime Fiction
514 pages
Publisher: Originally published in Sweden by Albert Bonniers Förlag, 2012
Published in the U.S. by Penguin Random House
Translator: Neil Smith

Synopsis
The Sandman by Lars Kepler is the 4th novel in the Joona Linna Nordic Noir Series. The story begins late one night, outside Stockholm, when Mikael Kohler-Frost is found wandering along snowy railroad tracks. Thirteen years earlier, he went missing along with his younger sister. They were long thought to have been victims of Sweden’s most notorious serial killer, Jurek Walter, now serving a life sentence in a maximum security psychiatric hospital. Now Mikael tells the police that his sister is still alive and being held by someone he knows only as the Sandman.

Years ago, Detective Inspector Joona Linna made an excruciating personal sacrifice to ensure Jurek’s capture. He is keenly aware of what this killer is capable of, and now he is certain that Jurek has an accomplice. He knows that any chance of rescuing Mikael’s sister depends on getting Jurek to talk, and that the only agent capable of this is Inspector Saga Bauer, a twenty-seven-year-old prodigy. She will have to go under deep cover in the psychiatric ward where Jurek is imprisoned, and she will have to find a way to get to the psychopath before it’s too late–and before he gets inside her head.

The tension escalates as Joona and Bauer race against time to catch the killer before more lives are lost. The Sandman keeps readers on the edge of their seats until the shocking conclusion.

My review
The Sandman by Lars Kepler is a book that falls somewhere in the middle for me. While it had some compelling elements, overall, it didn’t quite hit the mark. I might have felt more let down because this book had such promise. I’m a big fan of gripping serial killer thrillers, especially within the Nordic Noir genre. When you throw in a man discovered wandering in the icy, snowy Swedish landscape, only to be revealed as a young boy abducted thirteen years earlier, I’m immediately intrigued!

The story is straightforward and easy to follow, thanks to its concise, easily digestible chapters that keep the plot moving at a steady clip. While there are certainly eerie and violent scenes, I was particularly disturbed by the behavior of one of the doctors, which I found not only unprofessional but also appalling. In my opinion, he should have also been in prison!

The Sandman didn’t quite meet expectations, particularly in its somewhat predictable plot. While the narrative was captivating, it adhered to a rather typical thriller structure, leaving me craving more unexpected twists and turns. These elements could have added layers of suspense and depth; although the story progressed, I longed for moments of surprise and thrill. Furthermore, the characters in The Sandman weren’t as richly fleshed out as one would anticipate from a thriller of this caliber. While they were undoubtedly intriguing, they lacked the complexity that can render characters truly unforgettable.

In conclusion, while The Sandman had its moments, I ultimately found it to be a somewhat average read. Although I liked it more than The Hypnotist, the first book in the series, I don’t think I’ll be revisiting the Joona Linna series. I did find some of the book enjoyable, so I won’t completely rule out reading Lars Kepler again in the future, albeit with some caution.

My recommendation: give it a try if you like a straight forward mystery with a dark atmosphere, but don’t expect too many twists or thrills.