Publisher: Harper
Published: October 28, 2021
Source: Personal copy
Summary:
A missing girl, a hidden body, a decades-long cover-up, and old sins cast in new light: the classic procedural meets Scandinavian atmosphere in this rich, character-driven mystery, awarded Best Swedish Crime Novel of the Year, that heralds the American debut of a supremely skilled international writer.
It’s been more than twenty years since Olof Hagström left home. Returning to his family’s house, he knows instantly that something is amiss. The front door key, hidden under a familiar stone, is still there. Inside, there’s a panicked dog, a terrible stench, water pooling on the floor. Upstairs in the shower, the father Olaf has not seen or spoken to in decades is dead.
For police detective Eira Sjödin, the investigation of this suspicious death resurrects long-forgotten nightmares. She was only nine when Olof Hagström, then fourteen, was found guilty of raping and murdering a local girl. The case left a mark on the town’s collective memory—a wound that never quite healed—and tinged Eira’s childhood with fear. Too young to be sentenced, Olof was sent to a youth home and exiled from his family. He was never seen in the town again. Until now.
An intricate crime narrative in which past and present gracefully blend, We Know You Remember is a relentlessly suspenseful and beautifully written novel about guilt and memory in which nothing is what it seems, and unexpected twists upend everything you think you know.
My thoughts:
As soon as I heard about this book, I knew I had to read it. A Scandinavian crime fiction novel that is the start of a new series…umm – yes, please!!! And let me just say – I loved it!
Cold cases have become a favorite trope of mine when it comes to crime fiction and so this one immediately appealed to me. Add in completely atmospheric storytelling and the fact that it is gritty and dark and I was all in! This was such a layered, complex story that had so many great twists and turns and it really kept me guessing all the way through. There were many characters and I loved that they were all so flawed and troubled.
I really liked police detective Eira Sjodin. She’s young, but isn’t always trying to prove herself, which I appreciated. I feel that tends to be done over and over again, so it’s nice to see that isn’t being used as a plot device here. I loved that she works hard and has a good relationship not only with her colleagues, who seem to see her as an equal, but also with her superior. Again, her not having to constantly prove herself means she isn’t being reprimanded or anything like that. She has a complicated home life and I’m eager to dive further into that as the series progresses.
I loved this slow burn mystery and am so eager to see where the series goes from here. Hopefully the books will continue to be translated in English!
