THE BOY IN THE SHADOWS is terrific. It is this week’s primary entry in the Nordic noir genre, one that comes from a somewhat unsuspecting source. Carl-Johan Vallgren is by no means unknown in the United States, having published a number of books here that tend to defy easy or even studied classification. The common thread through all of them is the strong literary craftsmanship that he brings to the table. Vallgren is known as an author’s author, one who is studied by others to see how the job is properly done. He decided to turn his hand to thriller writing recently, and his first effort is quite remarkable on both a literary and storytelling level.

"Vallgren’s tale is just complex enough to keep tugging the reader along without causing confusion. His narrative, with a very able assist from translator Rachel Willson-Broyles, consistently rings true and clear..."

The book is propelled by the twin engines of a strong plot and memorable characters, particularly its flawed and damaged protagonists. Danny Katz is a private investigator in Stockholm with a checkered past that includes a long hard fall down a well of heroin addiction. When we first meet him, he has almost completed a decade of sobriety, but even in his early 40s, he hasn’t completely lost his taste or desire to ride the white horse, though he doesn’t give into it. His practice is somewhat boring and predictable until he receives a call from a woman named Angela Klingberg, whose husband, Joel, has gone missing. Joel and Danny have a vague and tenuous tie from the past, when their lives intersected briefly, so he is somewhat surprised to get the call.

Joel’s history is best remembered for its tragedy. In 1970, when he was only a couple of years old, Joel was with his older brother, Kristoffer, and their somewhat inebriated father. They were in a hurry to catch a train; Joel was in a stroller, which necessitated that they take the elevator to the platform. Kristoffer, though, had a fear of elevators. A woman standing by came to the rescue, offering to take him up the stairs while the father used the elevator with Joel. Kristoffer was never seen again, and his parents never fully recovered. Their simultaneous deaths by carbon monoxide poisoning a decade later was almost regarded as a tragic postscript. Joel has been troubled as well, apparently by survivor’s guilt. But as Danny launches his investigation, he begins to wonder if Joel’s disappearance is voluntary, perhaps related to his marital troubles, even as Danny finds himself attracted to the fetching Angela. Then an unexpected, inexplicable murder occurs that sends Danny on the run as the only suspect.

Meanwhile, a troubled public prosecutor named Eva Westin is working with detectives on the murder, and her own investigation uncovers some surprising and unanswered questions concerning the deaths of Joel’s parents. Her own long-ago ties to Danny come to the fore as well, even as her personal life unravels. Danny and Eva suddenly find themselves working somewhat tenuously together. But when an innocent suddenly becomes a pawn in a very deadly game of revenge, neither will stop their pursuit of a crazed killer until justice is done.

Vallgren’s tale is just complex enough to keep tugging the reader along without causing confusion. His narrative, with a very able assist from translator Rachel Willson-Broyles, consistently rings true and clear, supporting a plot that begins in a common enough place but ends in an extremely exotic locale, following a string of surprises. That’s the great news; the greater news is that, while THE BOY IN THE SHADOWS is complete in itself, it is the first of a planned series. Jump on now.