Hella Mauzer was the first-ever woman Inspector in the Helsinki Homicide Unit. But she’s been fired despite solving her first murder case. This is Helsinki, March 1953. An unusually long and cold winter, everywhere frozen sea, ice-covered lakes and rivers. In a port city flooded with refugees, who cares if a young woman goes missing? An up-and-coming inspector who views this as an opportunity to advance his career. A heartbroken PI with a score to settle. They have yet to discover one thing: the most dangerous lies are those we tell ourselves.

It all begins when Nellie, a prostitute working in a high-end brothel is found floating upside down in Helsinki Harbor. Not exactly a high priority case for the Helsinki police, so homicide chief Jokela passes the job to his former colleague Hella. It’s beginning to look like a serial killer is at work when Elena, another lady of the night, narrowly escapes being driven into the harbor by her 19-year-old john. Problem was he had handcuffed her in the car. And to add further excitement to Hella’s life, the madam is soon found dead in the garden outside the brothel.

What begins like a taut whodunit turns into something more tantalizing and psychological as Hella investigates different suspects, including Steve, the US DJ and love of her life, reluctant to leave his wife for Hella, and the fascinating Inspector Mustonen, charismatic, ambitious and trying desperately to live up to the standards of his high maintenance wife. There are dark powers at play, as well as lighter passages, particularly those involving Anita, voluptuous but savvy, freshly arrived from Lapland to join the Helsinki police force, a most unwanted roommate for Hella. Sadly she too ends up in deep trouble, in a satisfying denouement of twists and turns.

My Thoughts:

This is the Second book in the series, I wish I had read the first one beforehand but I will read it soon. I found this book really good, each chapter is between Hella and Chief Inspector Mustonen. It is a gripping read and it flowed nicely through out. It was an interesting story, Hella is a private investigator who was fired from the police force but why? when a woman is found dead in the harbour in a very Cold Winter Hella decides someone needs to investigate into this and she decides that person is going to be her. The story is set in 1953, in a very bitter and Cold Winter and you can imagine how cold it would of been. I really liked Hella, I think she is smart and got a good shoulder on her head.

I received an ARC copy of this book for an honest review.

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One unsolved murder. A best friend determined to right the wrongs of the past.

On the 21st August Tabitha Rice disappeared without a trace. All the signs point to murder, but no signs point to a murderer. The easiest answer is her husband, Rick. But he protests his innocence and there is little proof he is the murderer.

Annabella knows there is more to the story than what the police are telling. Tabitha was her best friend and she vows to uncover the truth.

As Annabella delves further into the past, she uncovers sides to Tabitha that she never saw coming, and she finds herself asking the question… Was this murder? Or is there more to Tabitha Rice’s story than meets the eye?

My Thoughts:

I like it when you get a book that engages you like this one did for me, I was captivated from the start, When Tabitha disappears, everything points to murder but there are no signs that actually point to a murderer, I was hooked I tried to work out what the logical explanation was but couldn’t get the answers I wanted. Tabitha’s best friend decides to delve deeper and uncovers stuff that she would never imagine, but what happened to Tabitha and can Annabella work it all out before it is too late?

I received an ARC copy of this book for an honest review.

Get your copy here:

kindle edition