MYSTERY

The Undertaker's Daughter

by Sara Blaedel
Grand Central. Feb. 2018. 336p. tr. from Danish by Mark Kline. ISBN 9781455541119. $26; ebk. ISBN 9781455541096. M
COPY ISBN
Ilka Jensen, a school portrait photographer in Copenhagen, is shocked when her estranged father dies and leaves her his funeral home in Racine, WI. Hoping to understand the parent who abandoned his family 30 years before, she heads to Wisconsin. She soon learns that the business is days away from bankruptcy, suppliers have stopped delivering, a national chain is threatening a hostile takeover, and as heir, she is solely responsible. Ilka and her staff are thrown into the middle of an unsolved murder case when the body of an unknown man is brought to her. It turns out to be the man who left town after being accused of killing his girlfriend 12 years earlier. As strange events begin to occur at the funeral parlor, it's clear there is more to the cold case than the police initially thought.
VERDICT The first volume in Blaedel's (The Forgotten Girls; The Killing Forest) new series seems at times more setup than stand-alone story. While Nordic noir is often dark and dreary, this is a lighter entry that doesn't lose any of the suspense that marks the genre. A great start for mystery lovers looking to dip a toe into international intrigue. [See Prepub Alert, 8/13/17.]
Reviewed by Portia Kapraun, Delphi P.L., IN , Nov 01, 2017
Comment Policy:
  • Be respectful, and do not attack the author, people mentioned in the article, or other commenters. Take on the idea, not the messenger.
  • Don't use obscene, profane, or vulgar language.
  • Stay on point. Comments that stray from the topic at hand may be deleted.
  • Comments may be republished in print, online, or other forms of media.
  • If you see something objectionable, please let us know. Once a comment has been flagged, a staff member will investigate.

RELATED 

MEDIA

The Bitter Truth
by Williams, Shanora
MEDIA

Southern Man
by Iles, Greg
FICTION

Havoc
by Bollen, Christopher
FICTION

The Lost House
by Larsen, Melissa
FICTION

Perfect Storm
by Shelton, Paige
FICTION

Invisible Helix
by Higashino, Keigo
More
ALREADY A SUBSCRIBER?

We are currently offering this content for free. Sign up now to activate your personal profile, where you can save articles for future viewing

ALREADY A SUBSCRIBER?