Another Scandinavian writer and another good one!! ( )

I have downloaded a sample of "Exposed" from Amazon UK, which I think is the 2nd in the Annika Bengtzon series although I cannot find a reference to it on the GoodReads site ??

I have only read one novel by Lisa Marklund earlier: 4.5, THE BOMBER and my memory is pretty vague.

So, as needs must, this novel worked pretty well for me as a stand-alone, although it was apparent there was quite a back story involving Annika's relationship with the police Inspector Q. This novel is mid way in the series.

Annika was only meters away from the assassin who fired the shots at the Nobel Prizewinner's dinner and killed a scientist. Because she can therefore give them valuable information about the person who fired the shots, the police put a ban on her releasing information. She assists them in creating an identikit picture but is put on idefinite leave from her newspaper as it becomes apparent that none of her work can be published. Her leave, on full pay, coincides with an office reorganisation, and her family's move to a new house in the country leads to conflict with a very crusty neighbour.

The biggest danger comes though when the assassin realises that Annika can identify her. Although Annika can't get anything published she continues to investigate the case, trying to find out why the original victim was murdered.

The main story runs parallel to information about Alfred Nobel himself, and disagreements among scientists in particular about whether the prizes actually fulfil the intentions of Nobel's final will.

Very readable. ( )

This is the second Annika Bengtzon book I've read. I really enjoyed The Bomber but have to admit that I was disappointed in Last Will. Initially, I was intrigued with the entire Nobel plot line. I found it well developed and suspenseful. However, there came a point where the trials and tribulations of Annika's life became an unwanted distraction from the main plot line. While some of the angst she was experiencing as she dealt with her husband, children, new home, etc would have been OK and part of a rounding out of Annika's character, it became so over-the-top that I seriously considered stop reading the novel about two thirds the way through because of its overshadowing of the Nobel murders. I found the end of the novel overly rushed and contrived. Not to mention a killer with the moniker of "Kitten" ... really!?! ( )

This is the third I've read by this author. The continuing characters are plausible and I'm enjoying seeing them move through their lives. The story is great, with plot twists and turns that had me on the edge of my seat. Well, sun lounge actually - read by the pool on holidays in Bali. ( )