Hidden in memories

The riveting third installment of Sten's Åre Murders series (after Hidden in Shadows) concerns the grisly slaying of hotel developer Charlotte Wretlind, who was about to close a massive deal to restore Cooperhill Mountain Lodge, a dilapidated Swedish ski hotel where she spent her childhood Christmases. Åre detective inspectors Hanna Ahlander and Daniel Lindskog investigate, making the lodge their home base. Soon enough, a hotel maid who glimpsed Charlotte's killer turns up strangled to death, and Charlotte's adolescente son, Filip, is kidnapped. As motives and potential murderers stack up, Hanna tries to move past trauma from a previous case and to resist sleeping with a handsome suspect. Meanwhile, Daniel attends anger management therapy and mourns losing his girlfriend to a charismatic colleague. Sten mixes well-executed flashbacks, memorable supporting characters, and abundant local color with surprisingly rigorous examinations of social issues including child abuse, alcoholism, and sexual assault. The dynamic between Hannah and Daniel, meanwhile, deepens in fascinating ways as they circle their killer. With an icy atmosphere and a conclusion that rewards close reading, this is a treat for fans of Nordic noir. Agent: Anna Frankl, Nordin Agency. (Nov.)