The Stonecutter by Camilla Läckberg (author), Steven T. Murray (Translator)

There are a lot of puzzle pieces to this story.  It takes a bit of reading to see how they all connect together.  One thing that stuck with me was how one pebble dropped in the great pool of life could affect so many people.  While the story begins with the death of a child, it actually began years before with a very spoiled manipulative young woman who was determined to get what she wanted...

Free Press and Edelweiss gave me the opportunity to read this ebook for review (thank you).  The book will be published February 5th, so check with your local bookstore for a copy.

Patrik and Ericka have just had a child.  While Patrik feels a bit guilty about it, he's glad he has a job to go and can get away from the crying baby for a while.  When he gets called to a crime scene with a young girl caught on a lobster pot, he thinks of his own young daughter and hopes nothing like that would ever happen to her.  What shocks him is that he recognizes the dead child.  She's one of his neighbors...

The tale just gets more tangled from here on out.  There are several suspects, but no one can prove anything.  As people are questioned, other crimes come to light and other people die.  This is a messy case with roots back to great grandma, but no one will ever know because the people who understand what happened and why won't talk.

While this story isn't boring, it is ruthless and mean.  Some couples reconcile, some are broken apart forever, and some end up dead.  The worst part is that it's a good look at a cross-section of life and is realistic.  Life is hard and sometimes it is cruel.  This story will stick in your mind for a while.

Happy reading.