The Mermaid

Could the prime suspect in a murder be a victim too?

The body of a homeless woman is found in the river, viciously beaten and with all her teeth removed. A young immigrant, the prime suspect in a recent spate of robberies in Umeå, was seen running in the vicinity around the time the body was dumped. Trouble is, he hasn’t been seen since. When he does appear, in the town square, he’s wearing an explosive vest and holding a detonator.

Called in to investigate, Detectives Charlotte von Klint and Per Berg have a complex web of leads to contend with. But Per is preoccupied with a serious illness within the family, while Charlotte is struggling to make her peace with an old flame being assigned to their unit while she navigates the early days of a new relationship. Despite the upheaval in their private lives, the duo must use all their focus to discover whether the two incidents are connected―and, if so, how.

Was the bomber responsible for the woman in the river? Or is it possible he’s another victim in the case? With time running out, the pressure is on for Charlotte and Per to catch the killer and restore peace in a city fast spiralling out of control.

Anki Edvinsson is a familiar face to many Swedes from her former career as a television host, journalist and weather forecaster. Edvinsson more or less grew up at a police station, spending her time with her father and his police colleagues. Her older brother also made a career within the police force.

Edvinsson moved from Stockholm to Umeå in the north of Sweden, where her husband grew up, and joined the local news team. Following her dream to become an author, she signed up for a writing course and began writing the crime novel that later became her debut. After eight years in the town and with valuable insights from her years as a reporter, the setting of the book of course became Umeå.

Curious to get to know her characters and explore the causes of crime―what makes a person choose that path? Who becomes a murderer?―she is studying for a bachelor’s degree in criminology at Umeå University.

The Mermaid is the second book in the Detectives von Klint and Berg series.