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Midwinter Sacrifice

Malin Fors, Book 1

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Midwinter Sacrifice

By: Mons Kallentoft
Narrated by: Lisa Coleman
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Summary

An investigation consists of a mass of voices, the sort you can hear, and the sort you can't. You have to listen to the soundless voices, Malin. That's where the truth is hidden. The snow covered all the tracks, as the killer knew it would. But it couldn't hide the victim, the man who now hung naked from a lonely tree on a frozen plain. Malin Fors is first on the scene. A 31-year-old single mother, Malin is the most talented and ambitious detective on the Linkoping police force, but also the most unpredictable. She must lead the investigation while keeping her fractured life on the rails. No one knows the identity of the dead man. Or perhaps no one ever wanted to know. When all the voices of the investigation have fallen silent, Malin can rely only on herself and her own instincts. And as she follows in the frigid wake of the killer, Malin begins to discover just how far the people in this small town are willing to go to keep their secrets buried.

©2011 Mons Kallentoft (P)2011 Hodder & Stoughton Crime Fiction Crime Fiction Scary Suspense Mystery
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The story makes good use of the Nordic setting, providing a range of settings for it's events. The 'troubled' family around which much of the plot takes place is a little hackneyed, but suits it's purpose. The Police have their limits as to what they can do, but the resourceful or lucky detective is able to move forward. The voice of the dead man is a device being used more often, but as ever for me, I'm not sure why. A slight change of pace for a moment, yes, but no added enlightenment or plot strand.
Lisa Coleman does well in providing different voices. The (I'm assuming) editing of the narration allows little time to draw breath, which is an increasing fashion. Why can't we have time to take in what is happening or has happened? That's the joy of a book, why can't the pace of the telling allow us the same?
Whilst the story and performance offer positives, the overall experience is not quite at the top.

A decent story, needs some room to breathe.

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I loved this book - lots of surprises, great characterisations and a humanity sometimes missing from Henning Mankell and co. The reading was also excellent.
My only quibble is that one (subsidiary) plot line is not resolved at the end of the book. The author asks, "Do all mysteries have to be answered?" ..Um, yes. We read these books is great part because they give us a sense of resolution missing in the real world. Just bugged me, but not major enough to detract from overall book. I will certainly be buying more from this author.

Great new Scandanavian writer!

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Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes, it's so refreshing to hear Lisa, clear and you quickly absorb all the characters, well portrayed

What other book might you compare Midwinter Sacrifice to, and why?

Jo Nesbo The Bat

Have you listened to any of Lisa Coleman’s other performances? How does this one compare?

No but she's great

If you made a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

Corpse with attitude

Any additional comments?

Love the phone calls they really make the listening three dimensional

Attention to detail a pleasure to listen to

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Where does Midwinter Sacrifice rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

It wasn't for me.

What was the most interesting aspect of this story? The least interesting?

The fact that no one in Sweden seems to care, except one chap, he cared about the poor dog, but everyone else was as cold as the weather.

What did you like about the performance? What did you dislike?

I didn't like the male voice, I couldn't warm to the character at all because I didn't like his voice. I don't usually mind Lisa Coleman as a narrator, but it was all so dreary.

If you made a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

Don't ever go there.

Any additional comments?

It's put me right off Sweden. Seems it's all drug addicts and vandals, drunks and dog murderers. Too depressing like the weather, dark and very cold.

Made Me Never Want To Go To Sweden, Ever.

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What would have made Midwinter Sacrifice better?

I really don't know. Did not like this book one bit and could not bring myself to finish it. Was expecting it to be more like The Bridge/The Tunnel and very disappointed

Would you ever listen to anything by Mons Kallentoft again?

Certainly not for a while

How could the performance have been better?

Performance was just a bit flat

Not for me

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