- Paperback: 400 pages
- Publisher: Doubleday; First Edition, First Impression edition (30 July 2009)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 038561392X
- ISBN-13: 978-0385613927
- Product Dimensions: 23.2 x 15.2 x 3 cm
- Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (20 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 348,332 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
The Darkest Room
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More About the Author
Product Description
Review
'Echoes from the Dead was rightly acclaimed in the UK, and this, his second, is even better. A powerful study of grief, loss and vulnerability, with a commendably earth-bound solution.'
--GUARDIAN, 11 July 2009
'The latest Swedish sensation...a bestseller in Scandinavia after publishing only two novels.'
--THE TIMES
'Theorin builds the tension exquisitely'
--METRO, 23 Dec 2009
--GUARDIAN, 11 July 2009
'The latest Swedish sensation...a bestseller in Scandinavia after publishing only two novels.'
--THE TIMES
'Theorin builds the tension exquisitely'
--METRO, 23 Dec 2009
Book Description
A number one bestseller in Sweden, and winner of the the prestigious Glass Key Award for Best Nordic Crime Novel, 2008 - the chilling story of a couple of who live in a house with a secret, murderous past.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
26 of 27 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Another terrific read, the second of Theorin's trilogy of books set on the Swedish island of Oland; a mix of a genuinely creepy ghost story and more conventional crime procedural. You're never quite sure whether Theorin regards the supernatural elements as real or the wishful thinking of a man wracked by grief and loss - either way they made me feel rather uneasy. The brilliance of this book is its elegant understatement, not the least the final unwinding of the causes of the tragedy, which is almost thrown in as an afterthought. Up to that point the threads of the plot are first slowly drawn together, then the sense of some impending catastrophe accelerates towards the dramatic conclusion. Another fine contribution to the burgeoning stable of fine Swedish crime writers - highly recommended for anyone who likes a little gothic to go with their Mankell/Nesbo/Indridason etc etc
18 of 19 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This is the second of Theorin's novels that I have read, and "The Darkest Room" is just as good as "Echoes from the Dead". It's a very atmospheric murder mystery with slight supernatural overtones, which never swamp the sense of real-life menace or go really over-the-top. The novel follows two main parallel stories, one outlining the history of Eel Point and its two lighthouses, and the other following the trials of a family who have lived with tragedy and who want to make a new life out of the city. There is also a great sub-plot regarding a couple of ne'er-do-well burglars.
The characters are well drawn, the twists plentiful, and the denouement a real surprise! On several occasions I had myself convinced that I had the mystery solved only to find that I was barking up completely the wrong tree.
What struck me most about this novel is its portrayal of the awful weather that the characters have to put up with and its effect on their everyday lives. We're talking blizzards, hailstorms, awful driving rain and bitter cold. We're given a real sense of the weather as an impersonal and yet inimical force in the story, and in some cases it's almost a character in itself.
It's all very well done, and all the disparate elements of the novel come together strongly at the end to make for a very satisfying read. I understand from the blurb that Johan Theorin is planning this series as a quartet, and I for one can't wait for the next installment.
The characters are well drawn, the twists plentiful, and the denouement a real surprise! On several occasions I had myself convinced that I had the mystery solved only to find that I was barking up completely the wrong tree.
What struck me most about this novel is its portrayal of the awful weather that the characters have to put up with and its effect on their everyday lives. We're talking blizzards, hailstorms, awful driving rain and bitter cold. We're given a real sense of the weather as an impersonal and yet inimical force in the story, and in some cases it's almost a character in itself.
It's all very well done, and all the disparate elements of the novel come together strongly at the end to make for a very satisfying read. I understand from the blurb that Johan Theorin is planning this series as a quartet, and I for one can't wait for the next installment.
16 of 17 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
This dark brooding novel is the author's second,
and won the prize for the best Nordic Crime Novel
in 2009.
A married couple,Katrine and Joakim, and their children
move from Stockholm to a secluded manor house on the
island of Oland.It has not been occupied for some time,
and seems to contain the spirits of previous inhabitants.
Soon after their arrival, Katrine is found drowned off
the rocks near the house.Whilst Joakim is beset by
grief,Tilda Davidsson,a rookie policeman,suspects foul
play.
Set against ferocious winter weather,this subtly
plotted novel builds up the suspense,until an ending
that did not disappoint.
and won the prize for the best Nordic Crime Novel
in 2009.
A married couple,Katrine and Joakim, and their children
move from Stockholm to a secluded manor house on the
island of Oland.It has not been occupied for some time,
and seems to contain the spirits of previous inhabitants.
Soon after their arrival, Katrine is found drowned off
the rocks near the house.Whilst Joakim is beset by
grief,Tilda Davidsson,a rookie policeman,suspects foul
play.
Set against ferocious winter weather,this subtly
plotted novel builds up the suspense,until an ending
that did not disappoint.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
scandi gothic chill thrill
very dark page turner , dont read this if you are wanting to laugh . This is quite a miserable story and certainly living on the island of Oland doesnt seem like fun . Read more
Published 19 days ago by cartoon
A modern ghosrt story for non-believers
I'm exploring ghost stories right now, and this is the best I've found so far.
Located on a remote headland in Sweden, it introduces a family who are happily renovating an old... Read more
Located on a remote headland in Sweden, it introduces a family who are happily renovating an old... Read more
Published 2 months ago by casb
Nordic chill
"The Darkest Room" is at its best when it invokes the isolated and wintry landscape of Oland, a Swedish island in the Baltic. Read more
Published 7 months ago by Blue in Washington
Passed the time...
Maybe it's just me, but as soon as a book presents me with a scenario that is unbelievable then it's over. Read more
Published 9 months ago by L. MacLellan
Nearly very good
This verges of being very good, and the elderly character who is also in The Quarry is believable, charming, well written and original. Read more
Published 9 months ago by Jill Faricy
A brilliant Swedish crime novel
The Darkest Room is the second in a planned quartet of novels by crime writer Johan Theorin, all set on the Swedish island of Öland. Read more
Published 10 months ago by H. Skinner
Atmospheric and powerful story
Set largely on the large island of Oland on Sweden's eastern seaboard, the story weaves past events in a lonely former light-house keeper's home, Eel Point, with strange things... Read more
Published 15 months ago by Bluebell
Another superb novel from Swedish author Johan Theorin
THE DARKEST ROOM is a wonderful book, framed as the story of a wooden house, Eel Point, on the coast of the small island of Oland, Sweden - an island where the population is small... Read more
Published 15 months ago by Maxine Clarke
better than Larsson?!
After having become a little obsessed with Scando thrillers since the Millenium trilogy, this didn't disappoint. Read more
Published 18 months ago by Niki
A haunting and creepy psychological thriller
This novel starts with a Swedish folk tale, it tells of how the dead gather every year to celebrate Christmas. Read more
Published 22 months ago by I Readalot
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