A CrimeReads Most Anticipated Crime & Mystery Novel of 2019
A Criminal Element Best of the Month Book of February 2019 Praise for
Hunting Game "[A] satisfying series debut . . . Swedish author Helene Tursten, well known for her books featuring the steadfast Detective Inspector Irene Huss, introduces a different sort of hero in
Hunting Game."
--Wall Street Journal "Haunted, driven, immensely human and highly trained as a hunter and tracker, Embla is a winning new Scandinavian noir lead."
--Jane Ciabattari, BBC Culture "Impetuous and physical . . . [Embla is] a bright light among young Swedish cop characters."
--Toronto Star "Solid and absorbing . . . Tursten takes her time staging the story, focusing on fine descriptions of her rugged setting and the engaging, tough young detective."
--Adam Woog, The Seattle Times "Tursten captures the atmosphere of rural Sweden and the hunting party effectively and develops what can be described as a rather classic noir story, with missing people, corpses, and, of course,
unanswered questions . . . Tursten creates a compelling classic mystery, bolstered by a very strong sense of place."
--The Popular Culture Association "An interesting and conflicted heroine . . . Tursten sets the scene perfectly . . . The unassuming prose with some unexpected twists keeps the reader on their toes."
--Crime Review "[An] outstanding series launch . . . Embla is a refreshingly capable lead, whose situational ethics means that she doesn't feel she must do everything by the book."
--Publishers Weekly, Starred Review "Embla, still plagued by nightmares about losing her teenage best friend, is a sharp, willful, though emotionally vulnerable detective. Fans of the Huss novels in particular and Nordic noir in general will want to follow this series from its start."
--Booklist, Starred Review
"Hunting Game sets up the beginning of what is sure to be an enjoyable series . . . As always, Tursten aptly captures the quotidian details that make her characters memorable, giving glimpses into hunting culture and the coldness of a Swedish winter."
--
Shelf Awareness "A breathless thriller that's impossible to put down. I was fascinated by Embla, a credible and complex character who is hiding secrets . . . A great reading experience."
--Anna Jansson, author of the Maria Wern series
"Policewoman and prizewinning Nordic welterweight, Embla is a badass. Yes, she's smart and strong--but also refreshingly complicated and flawed . . . and you couldn't have a better setting for a chilling mystery than the Nordic wilderness."
--Book Riot
"Hunting Game is easy-to-read, exciting and interesting. Embla Nyström will surely appeal to readers as much as Irene Huss."
--Dagbladet (Norway) "A superb mystery perfect for the reader of classic detective novels . . . Tursten writes in spare, concise prose, foregoing frills and in-your-face violence, focusing instead on true-to-life storytelling and character development."
--Criminal Element "Fellow Irene Huss fans, never fear. I think you're going to like Embla."
--Kittling Books
Praise for Helene Tursten
"As good as Louise Welsh's similarly creepy tour of Glasgow."
--Gillian Flynn, Entertainment Weekly
"These days Scandinavian crime writers are thick on the ground. It's nice to see that the women can be just as bloodthirsty as the men."
--The New York Times Book Review "[Tursten] imbues this novel with a cold chill of dread that can't be attributed only to the subfreezing temperatures of Gothenburg in winter."
--Chicago Sun Times "Truly satisfying."
--Philadelphia Inquirer "An engaging mystery with a very likable heroine. With a writing style reminiscent of Camilla Läckberg or Henning Mankell, Helene Tursten offers a detective with a nuanced and compelling personal life, as well as a dark and intriguing mystery."
--Shelf Awareness