The Ice Princess by Camilla Lackberg

I bought this e book after hearing one of my Twitter pals commenting on how much she was enjoying reading it (LettyP1). I got this novel and book of the series on Kindle as a compilation was on offer, and I have so far read the first one, The Ice Princess.

I found this to be one of those novels that starts off slowly, a body is found frozen on the bath – hence the title – and we gradually get to know the people involved. I could compare it to an Agatha Christie novel, only with unpronounceable names and lots of snow. Mainly because the more you find out - the more confusing it becomes. Just when you think you have figured out one secret, another pops up and you realise how wrong you were!

Then there is a second murder, or is it? The plot gets more and more complex as more layers are uncovered, as Patrik investigates. Patrik has lived in this small town all his life, and on joining the police force had anticipated more small time criminal behaviour, it was therefore with a degree of trepidation, mixed with excitement at being involved in the investigation of a murder. He knows all the people involved, to one degree or another, including Erica who was one of the first people brought to the scene of the murder. She was best friends with the “Ice Princess, Alex” when they were young girls till Alex’s family suddenly upped sticks and moved away. She was also the subject of Patrik’s adoration at that time, though she was unaware of it.

Erica is living in her family home, as her parents had been killed in a car crash recently and she has moved back for the funerals and to deal with the legalities. So as well as the murder(s), we have Erica and Patrik getting to know each other again, and the problems Erica is having with her bullying brother in law who wants her out of the house and it sold so he can get his hands on half its value.

As Erica is an author, mainly in biographies, she is used to investigating and gathering information, so the two, at times separately, at times together look into Alex’s life as her family had left the town suddenly when they were around 10 years old, and that was when they had lost touch with each other.

I found this not to be a page turner, in the sense of gripping excitement, however it was a page turner in the sense of wanting to know what on earth is going on and why. It was gentle book, which I really enjoyed; it shows that you don’t have lots of bad language and blood & guts to create tension and excitement. I accept that it won’t appeal to some people because of that, but there is room for all and this is a class act of its type. I am certainly looking forward to starting on book 2, The Preacher.