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The Stonecutter (Fjällbacka #3)

3.77 of 5 stars 3.77 · rating details · 4,241 ratings · 521 reviews

The remote resort town of Fjällbacka has seen more than its share of tragedies, but a little girl found in a fisherman's net may be the worst yet—especially when the postmortem reveals that this was a methodical murder, not an accidental drowning. Local detective Patrik Hedström has just become a father, and it's his grim task to discover who could have killed a child both...more

ebook, 480 pages

Published May 1st 2012 by Pegasus Books (first published 2005)

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Jun 17, 2011 Stephen Hayes rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: crime-fiction, our-books

The first thjing I noticed about this book was the sticker placed on the cover, presumabl;y by the booksellers, saying "If you like Jo Nesbo you'll love this." And the books by Jo Nesbo have stickers saying "The next Stieg L:arsson". I'm not sure what these cvomparisons are supposed to achieve, except that Jo Nesbo's writing has recently come to look like a rather ineffectual attempt to imitate Stieg Larsson. But Lackberg has so far not tried to imitate either. Other than being crime fiction, an...more The first thjing I noticed about this book was the sticker placed on the cover, presumabl;y by the booksellers, saying "If you like Jo Nesbo you'll love this." And the books by Jo Nesbo have stickers saying "The next Stieg L:arsson". I'm not sure what these cvomparisons are supposed to achieve, except that Jo Nesbo's writing has recently come to look like a rather ineffectual attempt to imitate Stieg Larsson. But Lackberg has so far not tried to imitate either. Other than being crime fiction, and thus in the same broad genre, Lackberg is Lackberg, and there is little resemblance to Nesbo.

But the claim made me think of the differences between male and female crime writers, and this one is obviously written from a feminine perspective. For the first hundred pages or so I thought the protagonist was post-natal depression. And it got me thinking about differences between male and female crime writers.

One of the most notable ones is that the detective heroes of the male writers tend to be heavy drinkers, if not actual alcoholics, and are divorced or about to be. Alan Banks, Kurt Wasllander, Harry Hole and several other fictional detectives invented by male writers seem to fall into this category. Even Morse, though though unmarried, was unlucky in love, and tended to booze a lot. But the fictional detectives of female crime writers, though they may have faults, seem to be able to stay off the booze and avoid divorce -- Rex Wexford, Lindley, Adam Dalgleish and, in this book, Patrik Hedstrom.

In this book the murder of a child baffles the police, and when it is followed by apparently similar non-fatal attacks on young children the police find that find most of their suspects appear to have alibis for one or more of the attacks. In addition, many of the families involved in the investigation have secrets that they want to keep hidden. There is a kind of parallel story set in the past, which show that the roots of the crimes lie in an earlier generation, and in the upbringing of chiuldren in the past. Some of the police officers involved in the investigation have difficulties in bringing up their own children.

So the book turns out to be more than a simple whodunit, but is also an exploration of the ways in which dysfunctional families can produce criminals.If you love this book, you might not necessarily like Jo Nesbo. (less)

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Apr 03, 2011 Ashleigh rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites

This is my favourite of her books so far. It's the third in English- I believe she has 7 in Swedish- and only 4 of them are in English yet (in order- The Ice Princess, The Preacher, The Stonecutter, The Gallows Bird).

This book focuses on a present day murder, with glimpses of a relevant past. Because I've read her other books I knew what to expect going into this one. If your bag is action packed chases, or full pages of details about the autopsy, or even if your bag is a thinly veiled romance...more This is my favourite of her books so far. It's the third in English- I believe she has 7 in Swedish- and only 4 of them are in English yet (in order- The Ice Princess, The Preacher, The Stonecutter, The Gallows Bird).

This book focuses on a present day murder, with glimpses of a relevant past. Because I've read her other books I knew what to expect going into this one. If your bag is action packed chases, or full pages of details about the autopsy, or even if your bag is a thinly veiled romance novel about a bruised alcoholic cop trying his best to make it in the world after shattering the life he only just now realizes he loved while trying to solve a murder mystery where the killer is always one step ahead with the help of an emotionally damaged woman that's slightly younger and willing to put up with his bs- then this isn't for you... went on a bit of a rant there... I hate those kinds of books.

Each chapter starts with a narrative from the 1920's (and later the 1950's etc). I knew that something about what was happening in the 1920's would be significant to present day, and nothing seemed to fit together, so I loved the feeling of curiosity. Sarah is murdered in present day, and Agnes is a spoiled brat in the 1920's. It really does fit together- and it's pretty cool actually. I wont give anything away by explaining my theories- I hate when people do that in mysteries bc then that's what you're thinking the whole time you're reading. I did read a review that said the motive for murder wasn't that strong/interesting. I don't know if it's because I'm constantly surrounded by people I detest, but I can certainly understand hating someone as a motive- plain and simple. So for me, this didn't fall flat. If it had been simply "You annoy me. Now I will stab you" I could see how that would fall flat for anyone and be a waste of time. This isn't that. For example- without giving any spoiler details away- the murdered girl's mouth was stuffed with ashes. That makes me curious about why! And even after you figure out the origins of the ashes you're still sitting there going, "ok, weird and morbid, but how did they end up here __ years later?"

I am not a fan of heavy science mysteries, or police procedure mysteries, I like omniscient narratives about the murder, motive, and victim- and this writer (in my opinion) does it brilliantly. So if you also like these kinds of books I would strongly recommend this author. (less)

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May 13, 2012 Deanna Drai Turner rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Well, I've done it. I finished the 3rd Lackberg Swedish murder mystery. This author really is something. I like her mind and like how she duct tapes together a story....When I first started this one, I thought I might not like it because it dealt with the death of a 7 year old girl. I don't like much of anything where a child comes to harm. But I understood why she did this, as our Protagonist Police Detective's woman just birthed a daughter....so of course this gave him the extra impetus needed...more

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Jul 18, 2012 Tom rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I got me somethin' to say about mystery books.

Over the past several years I've been reading more and more in the way of mysteries, and there are a few things I've noticed along the way. Although there are plenty of mysteries written and published in France, Mexico, Peru, Spain, Russia, and cetera, here in the United States we primarily see those that are written here, England, and the Scandinavian nations and it is those last three styles that I want to talk about. I say styles, because there is...more I got me somethin' to say about mystery books.

Over the past several years I've been reading more and more in the way of mysteries, and there are a few things I've noticed along the way. Although there are plenty of mysteries written and published in France, Mexico, Peru, Spain, Russia, and cetera, here in the United States we primarily see those that are written here, England, and the Scandinavian nations and it is those last three styles that I want to talk about. I say styles, because there is definitely a particular underlying general style that each of these three cultures seem to produce.

In the American mystery novel, the reader is thrown right into the soup immediately - shots fired, people dying right off the bat, then the protagonists and antagonists (who may or may not have been introduced yet) work their way through the novel while offering varying levels of characterization along the way. (McBain, Stout, Chandler, Hammett, Charyn, Burke and many more) American mysteries sometimes appear to have a focus on action, but this is really just a vehicle for the exploration of emotional situations that typically use a lot of dialog. This is the center of the American mystery style in my opinion (and almost any other American genre style) - emotional situation. What would happen if this type of person saw that type of person do this or say that to this other type of person. What would they do and are they right in doing it? In the end, in many American novels, the ideas of right and wrong get boiled down to a gray sludge that the reader does not even notice themselves relating to because the characters are usually so dynamic (and often likable) that right or wrong - moral or immoral - lose importance or value in their presence.

What I've noticed about mysteries written by English authors is the focus on character development. Before the actual "mystery meat" of the tale even BEGINS to be explored, there has already been a good chunk of the novel devoted to nailing down the characters and their relationships with each other and their environment. P.D. James and Agatha Christie are the first of a great many English mystery writers who pop into mind when I think about this tendency. The English mysteries tend not to dwell so much on the gory details over and over and over again, but more on the intelligent placement and discovery of the "clue" and the almost always unspoken assumption that the good guys are, in fact, good, and that they will prevail.

Scandinavian mysteries are an in depth mixture of both worlds, with extremely detailed characters and character interactivity combined with gritty (and usually topical) crimes to be solved. The thing about the Scandinavian style though is that these writers are extremely interested in not simply questions of good guys and bad guys but actual right and wrong. The characters are not only emotionally developed, but also psychologically (and often spiritually) developed. These characters are operating in a world that has been intricately crafted so as to bring their depths - motivations, quirks, magnetism, repulsiveness - into the light for the reader to sink their teeth into. The psychological approach to delving into the character add greatly to the believability of the world of the tale, sinking the reader into the story as though they were actually there with the cop, or the street kid, or the single mother, or the doctor worrying about the time he's Not spending with his wife and new child, or the degenerate. One quirk I have to also bring up regarding Scandinavian mysteries is the nonchalant disregard for the actual law of the land in place of what is deemed morally right. I noticed this tendency long ago when I used to read the old sagas (like Gisli's or Egil's or Njal's) - there is a feeling of obvious common-sense respect where it comes to what is simple and true in regard to humans and their fallibility to being Human, and as the characters recognize these different things in themselves and each other, the story gradually resolves its various plot-points hand-in-hand with them.

In any case, whether you dig what I'm getting at or not, The Stonecutter is an excellent read.(less)

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Jul 15, 2011 Lena rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I think this is one of the rare crime books I've read that my focus wasn't on who the killer was.The depth of the characters and the thorough psychological analysis gave a singural feeling to this book.In my opinion it portays greatly how important the family is in the growing process of a human and how much it can destroy a person.The story that was about the past although few pages each time succeded in making you realise the burden that 3 generations carried.I wasn't sure about the killer unt...more

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Jan 23, 2013 Booknblues rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: mystery, series, scandinavia, sweden

The Stone Cutter
By Camilla Lackberg
3 stars
pp.480

The Stone Cutter by Camilla Lackberg is a compelling book from the beginning when lobster fisherman in the village of Fjallbacka in Sweden pulls up a drowned child. When the police arrive detective, Patrik Hedstrom discovers that he knows the child. Sara, the dead child is daughter to Charlotte a close friend of Patrik's significant other Erica.

Lackberg's style is to move from one character another getting inside of their heads a telling brief vig...more The Stone Cutter
By Camilla Lackberg
3 stars
pp.480

The Stone Cutter by Camilla Lackberg is a compelling book from the beginning when lobster fisherman in the village of Fjallbacka in Sweden pulls up a drowned child. When the police arrive detective, Patrik Hedstrom discovers that he knows the child. Sara, the dead child is daughter to Charlotte a close friend of Patrik's significant other Erica.

Lackberg's style is to move from one character another getting inside of their heads a telling brief vignettes from each perspective. I am a fan of this style, but I know it is often off putting and it does make the story a bit choppy and added to that there are quite a number of characters who we get to see inside their heads. I think perhaps the story would have gained strength from vignettes told from fewer characters. Added to that bit of confusion were two other stories, one a back story which began in the 1920's which continues to draw the reader closer to the present and hints at who may be at the center of the story. Secondly is the story of Erica's sister which never entirely melds into the present story, but may belong in a future book of the series.

Given all that we are handed a few more ingredients in the stew, all catchy headlines for a journalist ~ child abuse, post-partum depression, adultery, child molestation, Asberger's syndrome, ADHD and DAMP (a similiar Swedish term), religious zealotry, and spousal abuse (I may have forgotten a few other issues.) To me it somewhat weakens the book to bring all of these issues under one cover of a mystery.

As for the mystery itself, for those who want to be fooled and be unable to guess the dastardly felon, you will be sorely disappointed for it was quite clear what was going on.

Lastly, I would issue a warning for those who are squeamish about reading about children being murdered as this is the central core of the story.

All in all though, I quite enjoyed it and read it through in one sitting and that says something.(less)

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Nov 27, 2012 Pattie rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: mystery

So I'm reading this book randomly taken from the "New Books" shelf at the library and about a quarter of the way through, I thought "I haven't read anything this badly written since ....what was it? Oh, right, that other Swedish book...." and I checked the Author profile, and yes, she was the person who wrote the last book I read that was this badly written. From that point, I just skimmed.

As with "The Ice Princess", most everyone outside the main detective is a one dimensional character. I'm gu...more

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Nov 23, 2012 Lori rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: mystery-suspense-crime-fiction

I am having so much fun with this Swedish import series. The Stonecutter revisits the small seaside town of Fjallbacka for the third time and provides a multi-level mystery set across three generations. Local cop, Patrik Hedstrom investigates the murder of a young girl who happens to be the oldest child of his girlfriend, Ericka's close friend. While Patrik grapples with the malicious death of young Sara, he and Ericka cope with their exhausting first months as parents to their infant daughter,...more

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Jan 02, 2013 Maddy rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012-reads

PROTAGONIST: Police detective Patrik Hedstrom
SETTING: Fjallbacka, Sweden
SERIES: #3 of 8
RATING: 4.0

What at first seems to be the sad case of a 7-year-old girl who has drowned in the small Swedish fishing village of Fjallbacka turns out to be something else entirely. Shockingly, Sara Florin has been murdered. Forensic analysis shows that she had bath water in her lungs, along with a strange ash-like substance. Although Sara was quite a handful, it doesn’t seem possible that anyone could have been...more PROTAGONIST: Police detective Patrik Hedstrom
SETTING: Fjallbacka, Sweden
SERIES: #3 of 8
RATING: 4.0

What at first seems to be the sad case of a 7-year-old girl who has drowned in the small Swedish fishing village of Fjallbacka turns out to be something else entirely. Shockingly, Sara Florin has been murdered. Forensic analysis shows that she had bath water in her lungs, along with a strange ash-like substance. Although Sara was quite a handful, it doesn’t seem possible that anyone could have been driven to murder by her irritating behavior. Police detective Patrik Hedstrom who is put in charge of the case has even more reason than most to feel the young girl’s loss. He and his partner, Erica, have just had a little girl, Maja; and Sara’s mother, Charlotte, is Erica’s best friend, who has been helping her conquer her postpartum depression. Although Patrik is a good man, he is guilty of neglecting his lover and their daughter in the cause of his job.

The police usually look closely at the family in cases like this, and the Florin household is extremely dysfunctional. Charlotte’s husband, Niclas, is a doctor who is mostly absent from the home and rarely there for his wife emotionally. They live with her mother, Lillian, who is a horrid woman, and her second husband, Stig, who is gravely ill. Attention is also focused on their next-door neighbor with whom Lillian has a feud which has resulted in the police being called multiple times as the parties report one another in an ongoing battle. The neighbor’s son, Martin, has Asperger’s, and his eccentric behavior makes him a prime suspect. In a strange incident, another young child has ashes forced into his mouth while his mother is shopping and Maja is attacked as well.

There are two threads within the narrative, which alternate between the present and a story which begins in the early 1920s. A spoiled young woman named Agnes lives a luxurious life and becomes impregnated by a local stonecutter. In a fury, her father disowns her and she is forced to live in a hovel. She is obsessed with returning to her former station in life and has not an ounce of love for anyone else, including her husband and their twin boys. It’s fascinating to see this tale wind its way into the present day. However, the answers to the most important mysteries were quite obvious, which diminished the effectiveness of the book.

THE STONECUTTER has quite a large cast of characters. In addition to the Florin family and their neighbors, Lackberg develops the unusual individuals who are part of the police department. Attempting to run the investigation is a major chore for Patrik since his superior officer is useless and one of the other police is completely incompetent. There are a few individuals in the cast who verge on caricature; on the other hand, there are quite a few characters who are developed in satisfying depth.

THE STONECUTTER is the third book in the Patrik Hedstrom series; and overall, Lackberg did a fine job. I do wonder how she has managed to have eight books take place in the small village setting with its closed community—Cabot Cove anyone? Nonetheless, I was quite satisfied with the narrative structure and the complexity of plot and character.
(less)

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Feb 28, 2013 Sarah rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: book-club

Quite enjoyable and compelling, but the resolution didn't seem plausible and the connection between the two story lines (past and present) felt contrived and tenuous. I enjoyed the characterization and psychology, and it did remind me of a more modern and perhaps darker Agatha Christie, though not necessarily more developed, which may account for my lukewarm reaction to the great plot reveal. One huge takeaway from the book seems to be: adults, don't have children. If you are looking for motivat...more

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Jun 10, 2011 Laura rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I thought this book was great, and I love watching the progression of her characters. This was a little darker than her first two books, but that probably comes with the child-murderer territory. There were several new faces introduced and a lot of plotlines, but I thought this was a good thriller and an intriguing mystery. Her books are well-written, and can stand alone if you're not up for a series.

My only quibble is that a few of the characters (mainly in the flashbacks) seemed a little flat...more

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Apr 25, 2012 Michelle Feist rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This was a great mystery/thriller written by a Swedish author and translated into English. The plot included lots of "side stories" - most in the present but some in the past - that eventually converged as the mystery unfolded, which kept the reader wondering how all the pieces would finally fit together. I loved the writing style and the characters were believable and well-developed. This is the first book by Camilla Lackberg I have ever read, and I have become aware that she has written many o...more

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Mar 07, 2013 Inga rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: thriller, northern-stars

Viel Neues gibt es dem, was ich bereits über Die Eisprinzessin schläft geschrieben habe, nicht hinzuzufügen. Die Töchter der Kälte ist der dritte Roman der Schwedin Camilla Läckberg (über den zweiten, Der Prediger von Fjällbacka, gab es wohl nichts zu sagen?!) und die Protagonisten Erica und Patrik sind inzwischen nicht nur ein festes Paar, sondern haben auch eine Tochter namens Maja bekommen. Passend dazu dreht sich alles um Familienbande und -abgründe.

Ein neunjähriges Mädchen wird aus dem Meer...more

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Feb 04, 2013 Luanne Ollivier rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I do a rotating display at the library on genres and authors. This last month I featured Scandinavian authors. I've read many of the authors I featured, but Camilla Lackberg was new to me.

The Stonecutter is the third book in her series set in Fjallbacka, Sweden that features Detective Patrik Hedstrom.

A local fisherman hauling in his nets draws up an unexpected and grisly catch - the body of a young girl. When Patrik is called to the scene, he is horrified to realize he knows the girl. Further...more I do a rotating display at the library on genres and authors. This last month I featured Scandinavian authors. I've read many of the authors I featured, but Camilla Lackberg was new to me.

The Stonecutter is the third book in her series set in Fjallbacka, Sweden that features Detective Patrik Hedstrom.

A local fisherman hauling in his nets draws up an unexpected and grisly catch - the body of a young girl. When Patrik is called to the scene, he is horrified to realize he knows the girl. Further investigation reveals that the drowning was no accident.

The present day chapters dealing with Patrik's investigation are alternated with chapters detailing a story beginning in 1923, set in the same village. The two narratives seemed to have no connection to each other whatsoever in the beginning, but I was fascinated by the older story as well. More and more of the past is revealed with every chapter and I started to get an inkling of where the two narratives might meet. I quite enjoyed having the story slowly but deliciously pieced together. Lackberg has done an excellent job with her plotting - it's intriguing and inventive.

Although Patrik is the lead protagonist, there are other recurring characters that are just as well drawn and developed. Patrik's girlfriend Erica has just given birth to their first child and is having great difficulty coping. His colleagues at the station run the gamut - from keen to lazy to dangerous. The townsfolk are a mixed bunch - all with secrets it seems. I enjoy a series that lets us 'know' the characters and see their lives evolve from book to book.

Lackberg's mystery is excellent, but I also appreciated the depth with which she explored the psyches of all involved - both police and suspects. The theme of relationships is explored in many forms - especially that of parent/child. These explorations were the most frightening parts of the book. There are sub plots never fully wrapped up as well, which was okay - the ending has only left me eager to read the next in the series - The Gallows Bird. A great read and a new addition to my list of must read mystery authors.(less)

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Dec 27, 2012 Maxine McLister rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The body of a small child is pulled up in a fisherman's net and the post-mortem proves her death was not an accident. Detective Patrik Hedstrom recognizes the girl as the daughter of a friend of his partner, Erika. He is assigned the case and soon discovers there is no shortage of suspects and whittling down this suspect pool won't be easy since every one of them has a secret which makes him or her a real possibility.

Along side the modern story of the little girl is another story which begins in...more

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Jun 25, 2012 Bryan Higgs rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: crime, mystery

I saw this book on the "New Books' shelf at our local public library, and thought "Another Scandinavian mystery!" So, I took it home with some expectation.

It turned out to be merely OK. According to the jacket blurb: "Her novels have all been #1 bestsellers in Sweden and she is the most profitable native author in Swedish history. She was the #1 bestselling female author in Europe last year, and her novels have been sold in thirty-five countries." The rave commentary was overblown. Unfortunately...more

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May 26, 2012 Kathleen Hagen added it · review of another edition

The Stonecutter, by Camilla Lackberg, a-minus, Narrated by Tom Thorn, Produced by Highbridge Company, downloaded from audible.com.

The remote resort town of Fjällbacka, Sweden, is the scene for the latest murder investigation led by Detective Patrik Hedstrom. A little girl’s body is pulled up in a lobster pot. The detective is shocked when he sees her because he knows her. He and his companion just had a baby, and she was in pre-birth maternity classes with the child’s mother, and the two had bec...more

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Mar 06, 2012 Doreen added it · review of another edition

This is the third book in Lackberg's series, and the reader catches up with the characters introduced previously.

Erica and Patrik have an infant daughter, and parenthood requires some adjustment: Erica suffers from post-partum depression and Patrik has to juggle a demanding new case and the responsibilities of fatherhood.

A little girl is found dead, and an autopsy reveals murder. To complicate matters, the victim is the daughter of one of Erica's friends. As Patrik investigates, many dark secre...more

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Apr 09, 2009 The Writer rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Stenhuggeren (The stone carver) is the third book in the Läckberg series about murder (and mysterious) cases in Fjällbacka, a sleepy town in Sweden. The first two books, Isprinsessen (The Ice princess) and Prædikanten (The preacher) have already introduced local policeman Patrik Hedström and his girlfriend Erica Falck as "mystery solvers" in town and the same rule goes also for the this book.

This time, Hedström had to deal with a child murderer after a body of nine-year old girl named Sara was f...more Stenhuggeren (The stone carver) is the third book in the Läckberg series about murder (and mysterious) cases in Fjällbacka, a sleepy town in Sweden. The first two books, Isprinsessen (The Ice princess) and Prædikanten (The preacher) have already introduced local policeman Patrik Hedström and his girlfriend Erica Falck as "mystery solvers" in town and the same rule goes also for the this book.

This time, Hedström had to deal with a child murderer after a body of nine-year old girl named Sara was found drowned in the nearby lobster fishing ground by a local fisherman. Worse yet because Hedström knew who the little girl was. The little girl happened to be the daughter of Erica's new bosom buddy Charlotte who just moved back to Fjällbacka with her doctor husband Nicklas.

Further investigation revealed that Sara's drowning was nothing but an accident. She was murdered and later dumped in the sea. Who was cruel enough to murder Sara? The answer was unfortunately too easy - there were so many people around her who were filled with hatred, secrets and anger and this time Hedström and Falck had to be careful in trying to solve the case as they had their own little daughter to protect from the murderer who was lurking in the local neighbourhood.

Just like Läckberg's previous two books, the answer of the riddle lies in the past, decades before the drowning happened in the sleepy fishing town. It all began with a story told by a poor stone carver in the early 1920s who was naïve enough to believe a rich girl fell in love with him and wanted to make a family with him. Let's just say that revenge and hatred can be passed from generations to generations more than love can.

The book is, unfortunately, rather predictable. Having read the first two ones made me "anticipated" a little bit of what was coming in the last pages of the book and sadly, it didn't really give me as much hair-raising experience as the first two. The small puzzles the author created didn't really click in the end of the story - leaving me with that unsatisfactory feeling after I finished the very last page.

Perhaps Läckberg is losing it. Perhaps Hedström and Falck have become too ordinary (now that they live together, got enganged and have a daughter together) to solve rather exotic murder cases in a sleepy town. Perhaps the book is filled up with too much of Falck's baby stories that repels a baby-hater reader like me. Who knows? *shrugs shoulders*(less)

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Jun 01, 2012 Larraine rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Despite being nearly 500 pages long, I read this book in just over a day. The reason was that I had a difficult time putting it down. This is the third in the Patrik Hedstrom series. He is a detective in a small, seaside town that is now heavily dependent on tourism. He has been in a serious relationship with Ericka after meeting her in the first book by the author. Now they have a baby together although they haven't yet married. Ericka is having a hard time since having the baby, a beautiful li...more

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Mar 24, 2013 Tonya rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: mystery, why-do-i-do-this-to-myself, curiosity-killed-the-cat-read, too-much-hype, why-is-this-considered-good

I was told that Stenhuggaren (The Stonecutter) was better than Camilla Läckberg's first book The Ice Princess so I gave it a try.

It was just as juvenile and predictable as the first book I read by her. I knew who the murderer was within the first 100-150 pages, I also knew the past crime committed before it was even introduced to the reader as anything but vague backstory. I understood how Agnes' story tied to Charlotte's early in the book even if I didn't have the exact specifics.

I finished i...more I was told that Stenhuggaren (The Stonecutter) was better than Camilla Läckberg's first book The Ice Princess so I gave it a try.

It was just as juvenile and predictable as the first book I read by her. I knew who the murderer was within the first 100-150 pages, I also knew the past crime committed before it was even introduced to the reader as anything but vague backstory. I understood how Agnes' story tied to Charlotte's early in the book even if I didn't have the exact specifics.

I finished it because I cannot abide leaving a book unfinished, I've only not completed a half dozen books in my entire lifetime but this one was nearing the DNF pile.

I would like to know if people in Sweden actually leave their children, infants and toddlers, unattended in strollers outside their homes and businesses or if this is just convenient for the story. I was aghast at the stupidity of, not one but two women, leaving their infants in strollers unattended, outside, days after a girl was murdered in the same small town. What the ...

The author still projects her own (I'm guessing) body image issues on the women in her book since every woman introduced to the reader is either too fat or too thin and their eating habits are commented on repeatedly ad nauseam. All the secondary characters are set up to be intellectually inferior to the main characters, Patrik and Erica, but the reader is never given any sign either of these two 'heroes' has more than one brain cell between the two of them.

I'm mad I gave this author another chance but not mad enough to give it less than an 'ok' 2star rating, maybe I feel generous today. Just don't ask me how I feel about Erica's postpartum depression and how she uses it as an excuse for her laziness and her selfishness when she exhibited those character flaws in the first book. Nor should you ask me how angry I was about how the domestic abuse story line was handled in this book with Erica's sister Anna. Oh I was pissed off!

All in all it was an ok book, it wasn't good, it wasn't great, it was just about mediocre .(less)

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Mar 17, 2013 Lindsey White rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I wish that there was a more advanced rating system because in a way, this book deserves 5 stars. It was fast, easy and totally entertaining--I really looked forward to picking it up before bed each night! And now, I will forget about it. Should 5 star ratings be reserved for books that you feel are important and meaningful and will stick with you? It guess it would feel kind of disrespectful to give this book the same rating that I would give, say, "The Handmaid's Tale"...

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Jan 14, 2013 Paul Pessolano rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

“The Stonecutter” by Camilla Lackberg”, published by Free Press.

Category – Mystery/Thriller

“The Stonecutter” is so well done it could possibly be considered Fiction/Literature. Although written in Scandinavian, the translation by Steven T. Murray is so good you would think it was written in English.

The book has everything in it that a reader could possibly imagine. Murders, deceit, betrayal, love, and the possibility of redemption (maybe) that becomes the backbone of this book. There are several...more

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Oct 23, 2012 Dana07 rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

En primer lugar lo leí en español xD.

Veo que le han dado muchas estrellas a este libro, pero por Zeus!! Este libro exuda maldad por donde lo veas!! En un libro que te deja con un sabor amargo al terminar de leerlo.

Lo que no me gusto del libro, de nuevo Erica pasa desapercibida, cae en el clichoso mundo de la maternidad. Este libro esta lleno de cliches femeninos. Creo que en todo el libro no he encontrado a una mujer fuerte y segura de si misma, todas son sumisas y si no lo son son entes demoni...more

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Aug 20, 2012 Alex rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: crime, the-cold-and-bloody-north, swedish

Another strong entry in the Hedstrom canon manages to tie Erica back into the story thematically without making her feel like dead weight, and this is a good thing. With each instalment of these characters' stories, Läckberg becomes more confident and capable of tying everything together without making it all seem contrived. Police incompetence is finally punished, and a thread that had frayed in the second book is finally brought to a proper head.

Probably the weakest aspect of this novel is the...more

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Dec 31, 2011 Rafal Jasinski rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Zdecydowanie najlepsza, z dotychczas przeze mnie przeczytanych, powieści pióra pani Läckberg. Po raz pierwszy udało się autorce w sposób niemal doskonały zbudować świetną i wciągającą intrygę, obfitującą w masę mylących czytelnika tropów, osadzoną na - tym razem - idealnie wręcz zarysowanym tle obyczajowym, które we wcześniejszych powieściach było nadzwyczaj irytujące, często ocierające się o banał.

W "Kamieniarzu" proporcje są znakomicie wyważone, intryga wielopoziomowa (retrospekcje, stanowiące...more

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Feb 15, 2010 Mazel rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: policier

" La dernière nasse était particulièrement lourde et il cala son pied sur le plat-bord pour la dégager sans se déséquilibrer. Lentement il la sentit céder et il espérait ne pas l'avoir esquintée. Il jeta un coup d'oeil par-dessus bord mais ce qu'il vit n'était pas le casier. C'était une main blanche qui fendit la surface agitée de l'eau et sembla montrer le ciel l'espace d'un instant. Son premier réflexe fut de lâcher la corde et de laisser cette chose disparaître dans les profondeurs... "

Un pê...more

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Mar 28, 2013 Vladimir rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Interesting thriller book based in Sweden. The parallel story that follow the main seems out of place in the beginning but connects well in the end. I think this story had strong and interesting characters rather than plot. In fact, unlike most crime thrillers that might have a chase of the clues this one almost discarded all of that in favor of developing the characters so the reader can discern who seems the most likely culprit.

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Apr 05, 2012 Laura rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: biblioteca, 2012, novela-negra

He de dir que aquest cop la Läckberg no ha aconseguit enganyar-me en cap moment: ja des de que va aparèixer la persona que va matar la nena vaig sospitar d'ella, i a mida que anava avançant el llibre, cada cop estava més segura de que aquella persona era qui l'havia matat. En Morgan, que sempre deia la veritat, m'ho va anar confirmant a cada interrogatori... Que trobessin la jaqueta de la nena a casa d'en Morgan, encara m'ho va confirmar més. Que la nena fos insuportable, encara més. I que la n...more

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Mar 12, 2013 Jody rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: crime, nook, mystery

I have a love/hate relationship with Camilla Lackberg. On the one hand, I really like her characters, to the extent that I'm disappointed when we don't get enough of a certain one in her novels (especially Erica; since the first novel she's been mostly a secondary figure--bring her back, Camilla!). I love the look into Swedish small-town life, where people let their babies sleep in strollers outside stores by themselves and cops don't carry guns.

And yet ... and yet ... Her writing is just okay....more

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About Camilla Läckberg

Born in 1974, Camilla Läckberg graduated from Gothenburg University of Economics, before moving to Stockholm where she worked for a few years as an economist. However, a course in creative crime writing became the trigger to a drastic change of career. Her first four novels all became Swedish bestsellers. Läckberg's books are always set in or around her birthplace, the small Swedish west coast tow...more

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“La muerte era un estado, igual que la vida; ¿por qué iba a ser una mejor que otra?” — 1 person liked it

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