DownloadThe Portobello Bookshop Gift Guide 2024

Victim Without a Face

A chilling exploration of revenge and childhood secrets.

Stefan Ahnhem author Rachel Willson-Broyles translator

Format:Paperback

Publisher:Bloomsbury Publishing PLC

Published:11th Aug '16

Should be back in stock very soon

Victim Without a Face cover

Detective Fabian Risk investigates a series of murders linked to his past in Victim Without a Face, uncovering dark secrets and confronting old demons.

In Victim Without a Face, Detective Fabian Risk returns to his childhood hometown to investigate a series of gruesome murders that seem to have a personal connection. The victims, both former school bullies, were not well-liked, and their deaths leave the community in shock. A single clue—a class photo from 1982 with two faces crossed out—suggests that someone is taking revenge on those who wronged them in the past. As the investigation unfolds, it becomes evident that the killer is methodically targeting members of their old class, and the stakes grow higher with each murder.

Fabian Risk, now the lead detective, finds himself drawn into a web of memories and unresolved issues from his own school days. As he delves deeper into the case, he realizes that he is also one of the children in the photograph, which complicates his ability to remain objective. The pressure mounts as more classmates are killed, and Risk must confront his own past in order to stop the killer before it’s too late. The narrative expertly weaves together themes of revenge, guilt, and the long-lasting impact of childhood trauma.

Victim Without a Face is not just a thrilling mystery; it is an exploration of the darker aspects of human nature and the consequences of unresolved conflicts. Stefan Ahnhem's storytelling mastery shines through in this gripping tale filled with intricate plotlines and a diverse cast of characters, making it a compelling read for fans of psychological thrillers.

It's a better class of murder in Sweden... Epic in scale and ambition, this announces a new arrival in the Swedish crime galaxy' * Daily Mail *
Recalls Mankell at his best in its whip-smart observations, flawed but endearing characters and gruesome appeal * Sunday Times Crime Club *
Full of surprise, suspense, and the shadows of the past. I read it in one sitting -- Åke Edwardson
The next Swedish thriller king * Crimetime Award Jury *
Grabs you from the very first page and refuses to let you go -- Michael Hjort and Hans Rosenfeldt
A superb and compelling read * Army Rumour Service Blog *
Fast paced, gripping, gruesome and thrilling – I really enjoyed it and I will definitely be looking out for the next Fabian Risk book * The Book Magnet (5 star review) *
Gripping, surprising and tense * Crime Review *
A gripping, tense and sinister thriller, with the dark and chilling atmosphere characteristic of the Nordic Noir genre. It is a disturbing, thought-provoking and genuinely scary story that left me double checking the door lock before I went to bed!... A superb example of a Nordic Noir/Scandi crime thriller' * Curious Ginger Cat. *
An exciting thriller... Each chapter is left on a cliff-hanger and with interesting characters that make us care, we need to know what happens to them' * Gazette and Herald (Yorkshire). *

ISBN: 9781784975500

Dimensions: unknown

Weight: unknown

576 pages