Review: In the Heat of the Moment by Viveca Sten

In the Heat of the Moment

In the Heat of the Moment (Sandhamn Murders, #5) by Viveca Sten, 2018

I read this mystery series set in Sweden out of order, No. 1 and then No. 5, not that it matters as each book can be read as a stand alone mystery. The only carry over are the main characters, two police detectives, and the island setting, Sandhamn.

In this the fifth, the time is Midsummer Eve and Midsummer, a big celebration in  Sweden. This novel takes us to the island of Sandhamn, Swedish archipelago, where teens go to celebrate in droves and the police are out in full force to prevent violence, crime, or drunken tourists. The island dwellers mostly stay at home, knowing the crowds and the rowdiness that will prevail on pleasure boats and on land. 

There is a murder on the island and some teens are missing, some are suspects in foul play, some found, interrogated, and grilled by parents and police. There is general mayhem among families, as well as mistakes made, one almost fatal. 

I learned about the summer solstice celebration of Midsummer in Sweden, island culture, and much more in this novel, besides an interesting plot and some teen behavior that is mostly universal. A good mystery novel that I recommend. I  hope to read all eight in the series.

Here is the first in the Sandhamn Murder series, which I read last year.

Still Waters

This one I rated a five as well. 

My review from goodreads:

The first in the Sandhamn mystery series, Still Waters is set in the Swedish archipelago with its hundreds of islands, including Sandhamn. The main characters are a police officer and his childhood friend, a lawyer, who try to solve the mystery of a man found dead, tangled in a fishing net off the island. Atmospheric and suspenseful, the novel has a good plot, interesting characters, and a splendid description of the picturesque islands in this part of Sweden.

New Books for Summer

My Year of Rest and Relaxation by 

Ottessa Moshfegh

July 10, 2018; Penguin Press

Genre: contemporary literature...a young woman’s efforts to duck the ills of the world by embarking on an extended hibernation with the help of one of the worst psychiatrists in the annals of literature and the battery of medicines she prescribes. (publisher)
 
The Secrets Between Us by Thrity Umrigar
June 26, 2018; Harper
Genre: contemporary international fiction
...the former servant struggles against the circumstances of class and misfortune to forge a new path for herself and her granddaughter in modern India. (publisher)


The Word Is Murder by Anthony Horowitz
June 5, 2018; Harper
Genre: mystery, thriller
SHE PLANNED HER OWN FUNERAL. BUT DID SHE ARRANGE HER MURDER? (publisher)

Books finished last week and reviewed on goodreads:

t was amazing Chemistry by Weike Wang, 5 stars	: 1 of 5 stars2 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars[ 5 of 5 stars ]
The Chinese family in juxtaposition with Western culture, as well as family dynamics in general and how these affect children, their careers and their marriage choices.

The Waters &The Wild by DeSales Harrison, 5 stars	: 1 of 5 stars2 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars[ 5 of 5 stars ]
An unusual "literary mystery" with emphasis on poetic writing and lots of psychoanalysis through the voice of the narrator. Surprises and "plot twists" at the end. Worth reading.

it was amazing Still Waters (Sandhamn, #1)  by Viveca Sten, October 2015; Amazon Crossing Rating: 5 stars

1 of 5 stars2 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars[ 5 of 5 stars ]

The first in the Sandhamn mystery series, the novel is set in the Swedish archipelago with its hundreds of islands, including Sandhamn. The main characters are a police officer and his childhood friend, a lawyer, who try to solve the mystery of a man found dead, tangled in a fishing net off the island. Atmospheric and suspenseful, the novel has a good plot, interesting characters, and a splendid description of the picturesque islands in this part of Sweden.

My current read was a free download from amazon:

The Question of Red by 

Laksmi Pamuntjak, published 2013

...the story of two lovers, Amba and Bhisma, driven apart by one of the bloodiest Communist purges in the 20th century—the massacres that took place in Indonesia between 1965 and 1968, during which nearly one million people were killed. (publisher)

What books are you reading this week?

The Sunday Post  hosted by The Caffeinated Bookreviewer,  It's Monday, What Are You Reading? by Book Date., and Mailbox Monday.What books are you reading this week?