This is a grim one. STONE COFFIN, following a somewhat idyllic but nonetheless unsettling vignette, opens with a cringeworthy pair of murders, both of which will echo through your head to the very end of this latest installment in the Ann Lindell series.

Author Kjell Eriksson is educating the world that there is more to Sweden than Stockholm. Indeed, the city of Uppsala and its environs, around which this series is set, is a unique backdrop for an area that seems to have more than its share of problems. Similarly, Detective Chief Inspector Lindell has more than her share of personal and professional problems, many of which come to the forefront in STONE COFFIN.

"STONE COFFIN, following a somewhat idyllic but nonetheless unsettling vignette, opens with a cringeworthy pair of murders, both of which will echo through your head to the very end of this latest installment in the Ann Lindell series."

As often occurs with Scandinavian literary series, the books published here are appearing out of sequence, somewhat wildly so. This is due to a variety of circumstances that do not fall under the classification of “fault,” least of all with Minotaur, Eriksson’s United States publisher, or translator Ebba Segerberg, through whose efforts we get to read STONE COFFIN in English. This is the third in the 10-book series but the seventh to be published in the United States. Such should not prevent you from enjoying this new addition, whether or not you are familiar with what has gone before.

That said, let’s take a look at STONE COFFIN. You’ll recall that double murder I mentioned; it involves a woman and her six-year-old daughter, who are the victims of a hit-and-run accident as they walk along a road picking flowers. Their husband and father has seemingly disappeared at the same time. When they are unable to locate him, the subsequent investigation by Lindell and her team reveals that he has been acting erratically, even suspiciously, over the previous few months, and there had been trouble in the couple’s marriage. A grisly discovery is made that seemingly closes the case, though Lindell is not wholly satisfied. Her boss says too bad, and the book ends.

But that’s not what really happens. Rather, things become more complex as a violent occurrence in a television studio results in the double murder investigation being reopened. Meanwhile, Lindell rekindles a relationship with an old flame at what turns out to be a very inopportune time for her, even as the investigation uncovers additional deaths and tragedy that extend far beyond the boundaries of Sweden. By the time the novel concludes, the case is solved, but justice remains wanting for some of the victims.

STONE COFFIN is complete in itself, though some of the plot lines, including one or two dealing with Lindell personally, remain dangling at the conclusion. Those who have read the books that already have been published in the States will know how things get resolved but will still enjoy reading what has gone before. For those new to the series, this is the perfect place to jump on.