Author: Johana GustawssonCrime & mysteryPublished on 26 March 2026 by Orenda Books in the United Kingdom as part of 'the Kari Voss Mysteries' series.Paperback | 300 pages196 x 130 x 27 | 250g Psychologist and expert on body language and memory, Kari Voss investigates the murder of two teenaged girls in the small Norwegian town of Son, as suspicion is cast on multiple suspects. A mesmerisingly dark, twisty start to a nerve-shattering new series by two of the world's finest crime writers… ‘A breathtaking thriller with a complex plot and twist to die for. Simply brilliant’ Express ‘Gustawsson and Enger deliver a one-two punch that's a stone-cold knockout’ Alexandra Sokoloff & Craig Robertson ‘A pacy, gripping read that marks the start of an exciting new series. The best Nordic noir I've read in ages. Spectacular!’ Tariq Ashkanani ‘The disturbing consequences of this are fully explored in a haunting tale that concludes with a sickening double twist. Son is everything a crime novel should be — and more’ Sunday Times Everyone here is lying… Expert on body language and memory, and consultant to the Oslo Police, psychologist Kari Voss sleepwalks through her days, and, by night, continues the devastating search for her young son, who disappeared on his birthday, seven years earlier. Still grieving for her dead husband, and trying to pull together the pieces of her life, she is thrust into a shocking local investigation, when two teenage girls are violently murdered in a family summer home in the nearby village of Son. When a friend of the victims is charged with the barbaric killings, it seems the case is closed, but Kari is not convinced. Using her skills and working on instinct, she conducts her own enquiries, leading her to multiple suspects, including people who knew the dead girls well… With the help of Chief Constable Ramona Norum, she discovers that no one – including the victims – are what they seem. And that there is a dark secret at the heart of Son village that could have implications not just for her own son's disappearance, but Kari's own life, too… For fans of Harlan Coben, Lars Kepler, Jo Nesbo and Jorn Lier Horst … and The Mentalist ‘Written by one of France’s leading crime writers and one of Norway’s best-selling authors, the story introduces a truly original character that we will hear much more of’ Daily Mail ‘Two prime exponents of international crime fiction … this is Franco-Nordic Noir delivered with total authority’ Financial Times ‘Twisty and moving, with abundant psychological insight, this investigation of blood ties, in all meanings of the word, is superb crime-writing’ Antti Tuomainen ‘Blown away by this cracking thriller and I was already loving it before they hit me with THAT ending. Bravo!’ Trevor Wood ‘Utterly gripping and brilliantly layered … kept me hooked from start to the twisty finish – Nordic Noir as it should be’ Lilja Sigurðardóttir ‘This is the perfect thriller’ Michael Wood ‘A potent reminder of just how powerful crime fiction can be. An absorbing, original and deeply affecting novel that grips with a fierceness and masterfully drags the reader into the darkest places. Brilliant in all senses of the word’ Rob Parker ‘A body-language expert with a grief of her own, a devastated community full of secrets, and a final sentence that leaves you reeling’ Sam Holland ‘When two excellent writers collaborate, you know it's going to be good, but SON surpassed expectations. Great premise, great characters and, simply put, a great book’ Yrsa Sigurðardóttir ‘SON had me gripped from the first page to the last. A perfect slice of Scandi Noir, and that ending! More, please!’ Lisa Hall ‘It has everything I look for in a crime novel. Clever, intriguing, atmospheric’ Michael J. Malone
