MYSTERY

The Drowned Boy

Houghton Harcourt. Aug. 2015. 256p. tr. from Norwegian by Kari Dickson. ISBN 9780544483965. $24; ebk. ISBN 9780544433557. M
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When a young boy is found drowned in a pond near his home, it is explained away as an accident. Insp. Konrad Sejer suspects there is more to the story, however. As the mother, Carmen, changes her story to fit new evidence and the father spirals down into depression, Sejer pursues the evidence, even as it looks like the truth may never be known. The story is unraveled slowly, intermingling Sejer's dogged investigation with diary entries written by the young mother. The real strength of the book lies in the characters Fossum has crafted. Sejer is not the typical unhappy, unhealthy Scandinavian detective; instead, he's a widower who is kind to his suspects and colleagues alike.
VERDICT Fossom's 12th Sejer installment doesn't disappoint. Her writing style keeps the reader guessing to the final page. This title will appeal to mystery readers of all stripes. [See Prepub Alert, 3/2/15.]
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