Jordstorm by Mons Kallentoft


Jordstorm
Title : Jordstorm
Author :
Rating :
ISBN : 9137137506
ISBN-10 : 9789137137506
Language : Swedish
Format Type : Hardcover
Number of Pages : 297
Publication : First published October 1, 2014

En tidig majmorgon hittas en ung man död i ett dike intill Göta kanal. Han är naken, men kroppen bär inga synliga spår av våld och när Malin Fors och hennes kollegor anländer till platsen råder en märklig tystnad. Det är som om alla röster har dämpats.

Mannen identifieras snart som Peder Åkerlund, före detta Sverigedemokrat, utesluten ur partiet på grund av sina rasistiska uttalanden men numera omvänd. Det visar sig att han har blivit mördad. Och när den 16-åriga Nadja Lundin samma kväll anmäls saknad, troligtvis bortförd, finns tecken som tyder på att de båda fallen hänger samman.

Men har offren något gemensamt? Varför har de valts ut? Efterhand börjar Malin Fors inse att de har att göra med någon som leker med polisen, som talar via mord och inte tänker låta sig tystas. Vad är det han eller hon vill säga? Det är bråttom att hitta ett svar. Nadja Lundin kan fortfarande vara vid liv.

Mons Kallentoft har nått stora framgångar, såväl i Sverige som utomlands, med sina romaner om kriminalinspektör Malin Fors. Jordstorm är den tredje fristående delen i en svit inspirerad av de fyra elementen.


Jordstorm Reviews


  • Whispering Stories

    Book Reviewed by Clive on
    www.whisperingstories.com

    I have frequently read that Swedish people enjoy a good standard of living, they are relatively healthy, they are well educated and they are supported by excellent welfare benefits. Even their crime statistics are better than most other countries. I therefore have to ask why their writers are so good at writing dark psychological thrillers.

    Earth Storm is the eighth book in the Malin Fors series and the first Mons Kallentoft book that I have read. I was not disappointed. It was easy to read and the short punchy chapters kept my attention despite a brief lull mid-way through when the investigation was appearing to stall. The plot is full of modern issues and information technology plays a large part in the investigation.

    Neil Smith has plenty of experience in translating Swedish fiction and he must take his share of the credit for such a good read.

    Kallentoft has created an interesting central character in Malin Fors, a personally flawed but effective thirty-something Detective Inspector. Around her, he has built an interesting investigative team, all with their own strengths and weaknesses. At work Malin Fors is something of a superhero and the plot might have been more realistic if the action parts were shared around a bit, particularly during the gripping climax.

    There was a small parallel plot featuring a problem that her daughter was experiencing at the same time. The book contains a fair measure of graphic violence. Not unrealistic considering the world that we live in but be warned if you are of a squeamish nature.

    It appears that at least twelve Malin Fors books have been published and I hope that I can find time to read more. I can recommend Earth Storm and I have awarded it four stars.

  • Liis

    Racism and social activists- you can’t get more current than that, complete with gruesome deaths, torture and edge-of-the-seat moments. In this dark mystery, you will be able to witness the clash of violence, love and lust, panic and fearlessness.

    Earth Storm is my first venture into the Malin Fors series but I am happy to say not having read any works by Kallentoft before, this did not take away from my reading experience. Yes, there are possibly some personal things surrounding Malin’s past that remained slightly mysterious for me, not the facts themselves, but more like how she had dealt with certain things in the past. This has only solidified my wish to read all of the books in the series, to go back to the start and experience the full works.

    Malin is a very complex yet straightforward character. No BS kind of woman, guarded yet with her heart in the right place, loving yet strict, intelligent and constantly very considerate of seeing the two sides of the story rather than jumping to immature conclusions. I loved that about her- no matter how many times she battled with doubts in her mind, she took the time to pop herself into the other side of the story.

    But Malin is not the only reason I really want to read more of Kallentoft’s works.

    Mons Kallentoft writes with a style that offers very realistic and intimate insight into each of the character’s personalities and who they really are as people. The detective team Malin is a part of includes men and women of various skill sets and their own specific personal issues. The writing style has ensured that all of these characters enable the reader to form a clear idea of every one of them. The jumps in between first-person POVs by them all, provided a front-row seat not only for the processes at the crime scenes but also to their innermost thoughts. This is a beautiful way to get to know a character- the inner monologue can never be fake.

    I was thinking about how the detectives always seem to have a drinking problem attached, as is the case with Malin who is a recovering alcoholic, and I came to the conclusion that perhaps this really shouldn’t be labelled as a cliché. Investigating horrific crimes and constantly dealing with twisted human minds naturally has an impact on any human. Add to this the myriad of ways life can throw curveballs and you know what? I’d probably grab for a bottle as well.

    In addition to how the characters are developed, the writing style also allows for an almost haunting atmosphere. The lulls in between the crimes, the moments of helplessness as the detective team has no firm idea on who is behind it all, are the two crimes connected, can they get to Nadja in time… there are only speculation and sick games. It feels maddening and hopeless. However, as it all draws to a close, after screwing all of the emotions up to the last level, the conclusion is all the more satisfying. The ending is very satisfying and rewarding, what with the non-stop plot twists that Kallentoft throws at you, and I really though- man alive! How much more of this could anyone take without going crazy?!

    I had tried to figure out who is behind the crimes and I was way off the mark. With slow reveal of each clue as the investigation gets closer to the who behind it all, every character interviewed by the force is a possible wolf in a sheeps’ skin. When I discovered who had done these horrific crimes and why, I realized just how twisted, immense and intense this plot was. Not because of disappointment, but because of how dark it all turned out to be.

    Earth Storm is a fast-paced read as it visits multiple avenues and aspects of the society we currently live in. The importance of freedom of speech, the dangers it comes with and the dark plans being plotted right under our noses.

  • Liz Barnsley

    This was a fast read for me and I enjoyed it - I found the central mystery to be highly compelling and the plotting was excellent, various strands coming together and a great set of characters with some socially relevant and thought provoking themes.

    However I think in this case it DOES suffer, subjectively speaking, from the fact that I haven't read any previous books in the series. Sometimes that is fine but for me personally in this case it made some of the background a little disjointed. I felt on occasion that there were actually things I should know that I didn't, like they were just out of view.

    Having said that I thought Malin Fors was a great main protagonist and I think I will go and buy the previous novels and get myself up to date. Always nice to have a backlist!

    Recommended for fans of translated crime fiction.

  • Todd Simpson

    Exceptional Read. This is the eighth book I’ve read in this series and I’ve absolutely loved every one of them. Mons Kallentoft certainly deserves all the praise he has received for his books. He puts just as much work into the characters as he does on the plot. I have really enjoyed following Malin Fors journey through the series, along with a number of other amazing characters. Earth Storm is gripping read, and I found myself reading faster and faster towards the end.
    It’s hard for Malin Fors to concentrate on work with her daughter Tove working overseas in the Congo. Why she had to follow in her dad’s footsteps as a volunteer aid worker and working in some pretty dangerous places around the world really mystifies Malin. However, when a dead body is found, and it turns out to be someone everyone knows, it quickly turns her attention back on the job of finding a killer. Then to top it off a sixteen-year-old girl looks like she has been abducted from her house. Malin is hopeful that the girl is still alive, but the longer it’s taking to find her, the less hopeful everyone is becoming. There are so many great things to say about this book, and I would highly recommend it. 5/5 Star Rating.

  • Dimitris Passas (TapTheLine)

    This was the first book of Mons Kallentoft that I've read and though it, definitely, was not disappointing I think that it's not a novel that you will never be able to forget. It as a typical Scandi-Noir police procedural, dealing with the usual themes of the genre such as difficult familial relationships and child abuse put in a wider political context which dismantles the myth of the Scandinavian, idyllic welfare state of freedom and equality. The protagonist is a seasoned detective, Malin Fors, who has developed a kind of sixth sense through her career which helps her to engage more efficiently with each case. As a character, Fors is a rather interesting one even though she also is the typical Nordic Noir detective, broken and with an addiction problem that she keeps at bay but always looming behind the surface. Mons Kallentoft has created a lively character for whom the reader can feel sympathy. However, the successful characterization is counterbalanced by a clichéd storyline and as a result, ''Earth Storm'' doesn't succeed to leave any lasting impressions to the reader. In the near future, I will try another book by the same author as I'm willing to give him another chance, his writing skills are great and I think that he has a lot of potential.

  • Birgitta Sundqvist

    Spännande och svår att lägga ifrån sig.

  • Wilde Sky

    A detective investigates a murder whilst struggling with her own demons.

    I really enjoyed this book, the plot had a few holes, but the writing and characters were all top notch.

    Overall rating 4.5

  • Karolina Sosnowska


    https://tanayahczyta.wordpress.com/20...

  • Chris Hendrickx

    Goede detective roman. Vlot geschreven en goede verhaallijn. Spanning werd opgebouwd naar het einde toe. Ik hou van dit soort Scandinavische thrillers.

  • Monika

    Det tog emot lite att börja på den här, efter förra delen som kanske inte var ett riktigt bottennapp, men som inte heller var speciellt bra. Dock passade den bra in när jag behövde en lite tunnare bok och min relation till Malin Fors verkar ju vara ganska tålig. Läs mer
    min blogg

  • Marran

    varje gång jag läser Kallentoft blir jag irriterad på mig själv som gör det.... ändå lyckas jag alltid glömma bort hur mkt jag ogillar skrivsättet yills jag sitter där med nästa bok och svär lite åt mig själv...

    aja helt ok bok ändå... bättre än den förra...

  • Veronica

    3,5 ändå. samma klass som övriga men slutet var riktigt spännande!

  • Milie2112

    very simple reading with extremely simple narrative

  • Katherine

    Malin Fors' relationship with Daniel is getting stronger, her battle with alcoholism continues but she is winning, her daughter is working in the Congo which is stressful and she has a new boss, who doesn't seem particularly adept but who is supportive. The core group of detectives are working on the latest crime to hit Linkoping, Sweden. In his usual fashion, Mons Kallentoft allows the reader to hear the mind of the criminal and at least one victim as well as the workings of Malin's mind as she" listens" to the victims voices. In this case, the first victim is a vocal racist who appears to have seen the fault in his convictions and turned his views around. He is found naked in a ditch along a country road, with no apparent marks on his body to indicate the cause of death. As the victims increase and the killer sends emails and leaves cryptic notes at the crime scenes, the investigation takes on more urgency when it appears that the second victim is a 16 year old girl. She has been abducted and may be buried alive. Malin is convinced she is still alive and that they can find her in time, if only they can get at least one clue as to who this madman is. Clues, leads are extremely elusive, however, and as the investigation leads further and further into the realms of anti-immigration activists, it becomes even more convoluted. The short chapters add to the increased rhythm of the hunt.

  • Jeannette

    I am in a quandary about this book. It started very slow and at first I was not impressed with it.
    Malin' character was definately different. It seems that now that the "Maria" case had been sloved she really had nothing to sink her teeth into. I decided that it was good for a 3.5 because of the ingenious way the first victime was killed. The story improved after about half way through. Still I think that his previous book had alot more depth and held my interest

  • Mandy Smith

    This author can do no wrong! Loved this! I couldn’t wait to see what Malin was up to and what was going on in her life and she was still troubled and worrying about her daughter. The way this author writes is magical,it creates a feeling and an atmosphere without the words being too flowery,over descriptive or wordy. I was anxious about whether they would find the young girl in time and then a character who I like and Malin needs gets taken and I have no nails left!!

  • Toni

    Wow what a ride, kept you intrigued and was a fast pace, I couldn't put it down.

    How your formative years can form you and how humanity can have two faces. Watch your words, look after them. They are important.

    Loved all the characters and I'll be looking for more from this author. Want / need to know how their stories progress.

  • Ellen

    Helt okej tidsfördriv, men inte mer än så. Morden och mördarna är nästan lite over the top för att jag ska tro på historian. Dessutom, hur många konstiga mördare kan det finnas i Linköping? Språket är som det är i Kallentofts böcker, det är lite högtravande och poetiskt och ibland passar det in, i andra lägen inte. Får nog ta lite paus innan jag läser nästa bok, annars kommer jag tröttna.

  • Tone Hansen

    Klassisk Malin Fors krim. Bra, men ikke imponerende.

  • Roksana Obuchowska

    W moim mniemaniu najlepsza książka o Malin Fors.

  • Clare Scanlan

    Great characters, really horrible murders, very well written

  • Lekker-Lezen

    Spannend boek. ken deze schrijven niet laat staan deze serie. Ga op Zoek naar eerdere boeken uit deze serie.

  • Nicholas Kinsey

    A run of the mill crime novel, a bit like a b-movie thriller.

  • Sara

    I liked it, but I've read better books. Everything happens in, like, the three or four last chapters.

  • Bill

    I enjoyed this and went and bought some of the other books in the series. I have read some reviews and know that the very distinctive writing style puts some readers off. Each to their own!

  • Sigurður Halldór

    Fín spennusaga

  • Gertrud

    Leuke thriller