FEBRUARY 2021 - AudioFile
Graeme Malcolm brings an English accent and a fine performance to this Danish mystery. People are dying, drained of their blood through tiny cuts. The victims’ other commonality is Butterfly House, a facility for teens with mental health issues. Detective Jeppe Kørner is assigned to the case; his partner, Anette Werner, is at home with a new baby and is thoroughly bored. Slowly, she begins to inject herself into the proceedings. Malcolm’s voice is naturally deep and rather smooth. His narrative tone often differs from his dialogue delivery. The former is more relaxed and rhythmic, which is especially appropriate when Engberg focuses on the domestic lives of her two protagonists and the backgrounds of the other characters in this compelling audiobook. G.S. © AudioFile 2021, Portland, Maine
Publishers Weekly
10/19/2020
In Engberg’s well-crafted sequel to 2020’s The Tenant, Copenhagen homicide detective Jeppe Kørner investigates the murders of three people connected to a now-closed teen psychiatric facility, the Butterfly House. Each victim was drained of blood and left floating, two in Copenhagen fountains and the third in a lake. Since Jeppe’s partner, Det. Anette Werner, is on maternity leave, the low-energy Detective Falck, one of many well-drawn supporting characters, assists him in tracking down surviving staff members and patients. One patient’s suicide and a staff member’s mysterious death years earlier provide motives, and the behavior of many of the potential suspects/victims suggests they could all be guilty of something. The stakes rise as Anette, restless at home, starts investigating on her own. Readers will be pleased to see Falck playing a heroic role at the climax. By addressing the issue of society’s treatment of the mentally ill, Engberg brings the complexities of life into this superior Danish police procedural. Fans of Scandinavian noir will hope this series has a long run. Agent: Federico Ambrosini, Salomonsson Agency (Sweden). (Jan.)
OprahMag.com
"[A] gripping addition to the Scandinavian crime fiction pantheon."
Kathy Reichs
PRAISE FOR THE TENANT
"A stunning debut. Katrine Engberg’s unforgettable characters and brilliant plot twists will captivate readers of suspense fiction.
Air Mail
"It’s hard to believe this is her [Engberg's] first book, so assured is the writing. Her characters are fully realized...[and] the story is as complex as the characters. Originally published in Denmark in 2016, The Tenant is Engberg’s first book to be translated into English, but it’s unlikely to be the last."
People
"Engberg’s debut features dark family secrets—and a smorgasbord of surprises.
Bustle
"Winter wouldn't be complete without a great Nordic Noir novel, and that's exactly what Katrine Engberg's The Tenant is.
Booklist
Everyone has secrets, and some secrets are lies. Engberg's debut novel, a sleeper hit in her native Denmark, is sure to attract comparisons to other Scandinavian thrillers... layered, character-driven suspense from authors including Erin Kelly and Ruth Ware may prove to be more apt read-alike suggestions.
From the Publisher
Praise for The Butterfly House
“A second engrossing piece of Nordic noir, after the best-selling The Tenant (2020), from Engberg, who brings skills acquired as a dancer and choreographer to her writing. There is not one misstep, not one moment or movement out of sync...Once again, Engberg’s two detectives are impeccably defined, especially postpartum Anette, and a host of supporting characters are also sensitively portrayed. The theme is troubling yet timely.”—Booklist (starred review)
“Well-crafted . . . By addressing the issue of society’s treatment of the mentally ill, Engberg brings the complexities of life into this superior Danish police procedural. Fans of Scandinavian noir will hope this series has a long run.”—Publishers Weekly
“Original and absorbing. [Katrine Engberg] is a name to look out for.” The (London) Times
"Engberg has crafted a fine police procedural. She is an author to look out for, one who will be cited years hence as a key player in Nordic noir.”—BookPage
"Satisfying...[It] will please fans of police procedural."—Kirkus Reviews
"Taps into the fear of every civilized nation that its lauded health care system might be leaning toward inhumane end-of-days medical practices. The philosophical issues are worth debating."—The New York Times Book Review
“I loved The Butterfly House, and would highly recommend this engaging, inventive Danish crime novel for fans of Nordic Noir and police procedurals . . . brimming with personality, eccentric characters, and plenty of mystery and intrigue.”—Crime by the Book
"It is my fervent wish that Katrine Engberg continues to write and never stops."—Bookreporter
“Engberg isn’t sentimental or preachy—Tara Chace’s translation keeps the tone lively and colloquial—but she is insightful about why people act as they do, making this an unusually rich police procedural.”—Air Mail
"Finely wrought...Like The Tenant, The Butterfly House makes terrific use of its setting's cultural institutions and social mores. The novel's roaming perspective has a thrillingly nerve-racking effect: each time the viewpoint shifts, readers can't help but wonder if this is the character who's going to get it—or give it."—Shelf Awareness
"Brazen and original...[with] stellar sleuthing."—The Toronto Star
Camilla Läckberg
What a fantastic debut! I love the characters, the sparkling prose, and the depiction of Copenhagen. Katrine Engberg is an absolute star!
BookPage
"The careful plotting ensures that the mystery unfolds deliberately, with surprises constantly woven into the narrative . . . Engberg’s English language debut promises a gritty, unflinching procedural series, and will leave readers craving the translation of Kørner and Werner’s next adventure.
Shelf Awareness
"Engberg's plotting is dexterous, and her character-centered storytelling aligns nicely with her unhurried descriptions of Copenhagen . . . The Tenant is yet another feather in the plumed cap of Scandinavian noir."
Camilla Läckberg
What a fantastic debut! I love the characters, the sparkling prose, and the depiction of Copenhagen. Katrine Engberg is an absolute star!
FEBRUARY 2021 - AudioFile
Graeme Malcolm brings an English accent and a fine performance to this Danish mystery. People are dying, drained of their blood through tiny cuts. The victims’ other commonality is Butterfly House, a facility for teens with mental health issues. Detective Jeppe Kørner is assigned to the case; his partner, Anette Werner, is at home with a new baby and is thoroughly bored. Slowly, she begins to inject herself into the proceedings. Malcolm’s voice is naturally deep and rather smooth. His narrative tone often differs from his dialogue delivery. The former is more relaxed and rhythmic, which is especially appropriate when Engberg focuses on the domestic lives of her two protagonists and the backgrounds of the other characters in this compelling audiobook. G.S. © AudioFile 2021, Portland, Maine
Kirkus Reviews
2020-10-27
When health care aide Bettina Holte is found drained of blood in Copenhagen’s oldest fountain, little does Investigator Jeppe Kørner know that he has a budding serial killer on his hands.
The very next day, another body is found, similarly drained. Under increasing pressure from his superintendent, Kørner quickly deduces that the murder weapon was a scarificator, a strange bloodletting device. He also learns that both victims once worked at Butterfly House, a short-lived residential home for teens with psychiatric illnesses. The home was closed after a young girl died by suicide and a social worker was found drowned. An expert at narrative sleight of hand, Engberg strews the investigational field with multiple suspects, each shadowy enough to maintain our suspicions. Perhaps Bo Ramsgaard, the teen's grieving father, is worth a closer look. Or perhaps one of the young people could hold a grudge against the staff, which included the ambitious psychiatrist Peter Demant and nurse Trine Bremen, who has been diagnosed with borderline personality disorder. Yet former patient Isak Brügger, diagnosed with schizophrenia, is still under nearly 24-hour surveillance at the Bispebjerg Hospital, as Simon Hartvig, his social worker, can attest. And former patient Marie Birch is now living in an insular countercultural community. Meanwhile, Kørner himself is conflicted about his relationship with Detective Sara Saidani: Is he ready to try again so soon after his divorce? And Kørner’s partner, Anette Werner, is on maternity leave but can’t resist getting involved as well. It’s her work that collides with Kørner’s for a dramatic final confrontation.
A satisfying, if predictable, thriller that will please fans of police procedurals.