The first novel in the gripping Intercrime trilogy.

Following a complicated but successful dismantling of a hostage situation, Detective Paul Hjelm is facing the prospect of a potentially career-ending investigation by Internal Affairs. Instead, he finds himself dropped into a new elite team of officers selected from across the country, whose mission is to find an elusive killer who has been targeting Sweden's business leaders. The killer's modus operandi: two distinctive shots straight through the head, bullets carefully pulled from the wall – a nighttime ritual enacted with Thelonius Monk's jazz classic Misterioso playing in the background.

As Hjelm, his young partner Jorge Chavez, and the rest of the team follow one lead after another in a frantic search for the killer – navigating the murky world of the Russian Mafia and the secret societies of Sweden's wealthiest citizens – they must also face one of Sweden's most persistent ills: a deep-rooted xenophobia that affects both police and perpetrator.

Written with great energy, penetrating candor, and dark wit, and populated with characters whose motivations are as nuanced as they are unexpected, Misterioso is an utterly absorbing novel – an arresting introduction to this acclaimed author.

Arne Dahl