Into the Dark: The dark, twisty new instalment in the chilling Arctic Mysteries series…

by Ørjan Karlsson, Ian Giles (Translator)

276 pages, Paperback

Expected publication May 5, 2026

About the author

Norwegian author with a passion for crime and political thrillers, born from experience. He grew up in the north, army-trained, worked for the Norwegian Ministry of Defence and the Norwegian Directorate for Civil Protection, with international missions and crisis management. Ørjan Karlsson has written over 20 books.

Reviews

[Monika Armet · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the second book in the Arctic Mysteries series. It can be enjoyed as a standalone, however, I’d encourage you to read the first book in the series, as it’s all linked.

Detective Jakob Weber and his colleague, Noora Yun Sande, are called to a peaceful village of Kjerringøy, situated north of Bødo, where they both live.

Three local women were sea swimming on Hermann Kjerschow’s property, where one of them stumbled upon a dead body. One of the women, Tuva, quickly recognised the victim as her Spanish ex-boyfriend, Emilio. He disappeared the month before, and she presumed that he simply left her.

Hermann Kjerschow, the founder of Meile Foundation, specialising in the treatment of addiction, quickly offers his help. However, there is something sinister lurking inside of the foundation…

In Bødo, a young woman, Veronika Paulsen, is found dead, her body staged as suicide. When Jakob uncovers that Veronika was originally from Kjerringøy, he suspects that the cases could be linked.

As the detectives dig deeper, they discover evil in its ugliest form.

I loved this book!

I liked how the plot carried on from the first book. Noora is reeling from the events on the island of Røst, and she’s popping a lot of painkillers! I really felt for her, but I could understand that she wanted to get back to work, even though, it was too soon.

I enjoyed the partnership between Weber and Sande. They are well matched, and there is mutual respect and understanding between them.

This book covers issues of coercion and abuse, which some might find triggering.

Into the Dark is not to be missed and I cannot wait for the next book in the series.

[Raven · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I reviewed the first in the series Into Thin Air last year, I said that I was very much looking forward to the next book, and delighted to report that Into The Dark did not disappoint…

Once again we become immersed in the professional and personal lives of the policing team, headed up by the dependable and stalwart Detective Jakob Weber. Being a big fan of Arne Dahl’s Intercrime series of books, and the various personalities that make up his team of investigators, I like the similarity that Karlsson has with his own team of detectives. Weber is balancing a tentative romance with a vivacious and tenacious journalist that seems doomed to failure at various points, and navigating a semi-parental role with his headstrong younger brother. Detective Noora Yun Sande, still recovering from the horrific events of the last book, is battling physical pain and depression, and fellow officers Josefine Krog and Armann Fermis are also grappling with personal issues of the domestic kind.

Unlike other crime series where the detectives personal trials and tribulations border on the unbelievable, I like the sense of ordinariness that Karlsson brings to their lives outside of the office, and how they endeavour to balance their personal issues with the dedication and commitment that their professional lives require. Lurking in the background is dictatorial senior officer- Konrad ‘ The Crow’ Rakstad, a continuing thorn in the side for Weber and his team, and I’m enjoying the way that his air of secrecy and potential ulterior motives that he harbours, are not yet completely revealed.

Another aspect of Karlsson’s writing that I enjoy is the viscerality that he brings to his depiction of crimes and crime scenes. A couple of times I was completely caught off guard by things either popping up out of nowhere, or the quasi Silence Of The Lambs element that this book has, and it definitely keeps the reader on their toes. The plot plays out very satisfactorily with a mysterious treatment clinic at the heart of the story (note to self- never go to a clinic like this one) and an incredibly creepy cabin in the woods (liberate the ravens!) 😱😱😱 With an increasing body count and only a vague suspicion of who is behind the killings, Weber and his team work diligently to ensnare the killer, leading to a truly breathless and pulse racing conclusion to the story, which made my reading acquire a turbo speed pace. Phew.

As a judge for Scandinavian crime fiction award I read in excess of 30-40 books a year so I’m not easily impressed, but I think Karlsson has a certain nuance and originality to his books that I very much enjoy. Again, a perfectly executed translation by Ian Giles added an additional energy and pace to the story overall. I was also delighted to see the little cultural references peppered throughout the book including mention of fellow Norwegian crime writers Gunnar Staalesen and Jørn Lier Horst. That was a nice touch.

So I think I can safely say that two books in to the series and I am completely invested, so I will end as I began this review… can’t wait for the next book! Highly recommended.

[Mary Picken · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was something of a surreal experience, reading INTO THE DARK while I was basking in the Caribbean sunshine. Even though my skin was burning from the sun, I could feel the chills spilling from this book, and the darkness was even more palpable against the glare of the sun’s rays. I could hear the Arctic wind of Norway’s far north howling in my ears

I love this series, though it’s not necessary to have read the first, INTO THIN AIR, to enjoy this one. Ørjan Karlsson’s second entry in the Arctic Mysteries series is quintessential Nordic noir: bleak, beautifully atmospheric and relentlessly unsettling. From a mutilated body rising from icy waters in Kjerringøy to a young woman’s suspicious death in Bodø, this story really gets under your skin.

Karlsson plunges straight into the grim heart of human darkness. What appears at first to be an isolated incident quickly snowballs into something far more gruesome and sinister: a trail of murders that seem almost supernatural in their cruelty. Karlsson’s sense of place — the harsh seas, frostbitten forests and remote cabins is beautifully rendered. Kjerringøy is a character as much as Jakob Webber and Noora Yun Sande, shaping events and dashing the investigators’ hopes just as surely as the long, impenetrable darkness of the long Arctic nights. This is fantastic environmental storytelling, where bleak landscapes mirror the psychological depths of the narrative.

At the heart of this chilling tale are two contrasting investigators. Detective Jakob Weber is a grounded and methodical individual who carries the weight of the cases he tackles, which significantly impacts his mood. Though this is only the second book in the series, Karlsson (who set his series around Bodø and northern Norway, drawing on his own roots there, has already made Weber feel lived-in and fully formed. Noora Yun Sande, in contrast to Webber, brings a sharper, almost instinctive, edge. A former national investigator, she cuts through bureaucratic fog with razor focus and isn’t afraid to probe uncomfortable truths that Weber sometimes avoids. Their dynamic — his experience, her tenacity — makes for a compelling duo and keeps the investigation from ever drifting into procedural monotony.

What impressed me most was the tension Karlsson wrings from every scene. His pacing is pitch perfect; a slow, tightening coil that makes you feel exactly what the characters feel: creeping dread, moments of false security, then jolts of disturbing revelation.

Ian Giles translation is superb. It’s such a skill to make a book feel like you are reading it in the original language, and Ian pulls that off with aplomb.

Verdict: If you love your crime fiction dark, intelligent and unrelenting — where the sheer malice of some humans feels as elemental as the Arctic cold — Into the Dark delivers in spades. Karlsson composes a slow, haunting symphony of suspense that leaves a lasting impression. This is Nordic noir at its most tangible — haunting, beautiful and thoroughly compelling.

[Jen · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you love a book that is packed with mystery, tension and that is more than a touch chilling - and I'm not just talking about the climate here - then you really need to be reading the Arctic Mysteries series by Ørjan Karlsson. This particular story, Into The Dark, cultivates the very essence of skin crawling creepiness from the very beginning and, as the pages and chapters hurtle by, delivers on that early promise with a story that kept me on edge and has that kind of Criminal Minds style of edginess. It's a killer thriller that hides the bad guy in plain site, twists everything you think you know on its head, and that is underpinned by characters that I have become very invested and writing that is utterly compelling. Over the past few years I have fallen in love with Norwegian Noir, and this book is a perfect example of exactly why that is.

We travel back to the far north of Norway, a setting which is perfectly placed to deliver a resounding sense of atmospheric isolation and strangely claustrophobic tension, in spite of the fact that much of the story is set amongst wild forests and about the chilly arctic waterfront. From the very opening pages you can feel that undulating tension that will pulse, sometimes quietly, often wildly, throughout the entire story. You know that something bad is going to happen to the first person we meet, but, even anticipating the fictional equivalent of a movie jump scare scene, I wasn't quite expecting what it turns out to be. A grim discover on a wild water swim - those things really cannot be good for you, no matter what people say - and a whole cast of troubling and suspicious characters and the story is set up perfectly to draw the reader in.

The author feeds upon some very basic, but very reasonable fears, to underpin an investigation that is complex, bringing both the investigators and readers to an unexpected link back to Noora and Jakob's first case. For that reason I would recommend reading Into Thin Air first. Not essential as this is, mostly, a stand alone story, the killer having very unique reasons for acting as they do. But it does add context, particularly for Noora whose personal life is very much impacted by what happened last time around. It's kind of unavoidable spoiler territory, so be warned. As for this book, the murders are dark, the implications of what we are reading moving swiftly towards that spine chilling and harrowing edge, whilst keeping the worst of the atrocities off the page. The cut away from the worst of the murders is pitched perfectly, as is much of the misdirection employed by the author that kept me on the edge of my seat, but always one step behind the killer until the perfect time for a final reveal.

I really do like the characters of Jakob and Noora. Although very different, they work perfectly as pairing, with Jakob very much in tune with his colleague, looking out for her in a fatherly way that Noora finds hard to accept. I like the intensity of their personalities, but also the logical way in which they approach this oh so complex of investigations. Noora is a touch impulsive perhaps this time around, for understandable reasons, and Jakob a fraction distracted by a near the clash between his private and professional life. But there is always an authenticity to their actions and the author has created a pairing here that I find quite addictive. I'm invested in them as characters. The wider cast of characters is equally compelling, from the shady manager of a retreat whose methods of therapy could kindly be described as 'alternative', to those characters who are more, or less, dubious in nature. All of this, the investigation, the revelations about each of the characters in turn, leads us towards a dramatic and intense showdown that had my heart thumping and the question bouncing around my head about whether the whole things was set to end in tragedy.

A note of praise to translator Ian Giles for making the narrative flow and being able to create the intensity and atmosphere throughout the book. I'm always in awe of anyone who can make a book feel as though it was only ever written in English, whilst still retaining that authentic feeling of culture and language in the text. The conversations felt natural to the characters, the descriptions providing a real sense of place. It's a true skill.

Dark, intense, atmospheric and infused with a chilling undertone that had me hooked from first page to last, most certainly recommended for fans of police thrillers or brilliant Norwegian Noir.

[Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Into the Dark by Ørjan Karlsson, translated by Ian Giles, is very much my type of Nordic Noir. From the beginning it is quietly unsettling, a story that slowly draws the reader into its pages with such confidence.
This is not a book that rushes. Instead, it settles into its own rhythm. There’s an intensity to the writing that encourages you to slow down, and to pay attention, and to really live in the story rather than race through it.

Set in Norway’s far north, the novel opens with the discovery of a mutilated body pulled from the icy waters near the small coastal village of Kjerringøy. When another death follows soon after in nearby Bodø — one that may or may not be suicide — Detective Jakob Weber and former national investigator Noora Yun Sande are drawn into an investigation that becomes increasingly disturbing. As the boundaries between the cases begin to blur, the sense of unease deepens, particularly when reports surface of a chilling encounter in the surrounding wilderness.

One of the real strengths of Into the Dark is its setting. The Arctic landscape is described with an authority that makes it feel vast, isolating and, at times, almost oppressive. It seems to press in on the characters as the investigation deepens, heightening the tension without ever overwhelming the narrative. I love crime fiction where the location feels integral to the story, and Karlsson does that so well.

A special mention for the translation by Ian Giles too. It is beautifully done, the writing is understated and never loses the underlying sense of menace. There’s a real emotional feeling to it.

I was really impressed by authentic the story feels. The characters feel believable and human, carrying their fears and uncertainties quietly and never over dramatically.

Although Into the Dark is the second book in the series, it works perfectly well as a standalone. I never felt as though I was missing crucial information, and the characters are introduced with enough care that it’s easy to settle into their world.

Overall, this is thoughtful, atmospheric Nordic Noir that lingers in the mind long after the final page. If you enjoy crime fiction that concentrates on mood, character and psychological depth, then you will love this. Highly recommended.

[Lee-Anne Fox · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jakob & Noora are BACK! (with Armann and Fine as well!) Noora has been desperate to get back in the saddle and manages to get thrown into a case by default perhaps a *leetle* bit before she's properly fit for it, and she spends the rest of the novel grinning and bearing the pain, and trying to keep it from Jakob's notice.

The book opens with three young women with a tradition of naked swimming. They go from the sauna to the frigid fjord water and one of them, Britt, who was initially reluctant, gets entangled under water, but thankfully the other two rescue her but in pulling up what she's tangled with they reveal a body.

Jakob is getting on OK with his brother Ola André living with him, better than he expected. He's looking back into the Iselinn case, when the body turns up in Kjerringo̷y and he's despatched up there to look into things.

There's a photo of Tuva, one of the swimmers, with the dead man, Emilio, they were together but he went back to Spain - or so she had thought.

There's a rehab centre, with a very hush hush clientele, whose owner Kjerschow puts on a show of being helpful but also protecting his clients' privacy.

Then Veronika, a Kjerringo̷y girl is found dead, and there's a photo of her with Emilio, but the pic is taken on the clinic property, so how are these intertwined - the plot thickens and Jakob and Noora need to take a closer look at the clinic as they try to unravel the complex, convoluted strands of this case.

And who is the parka man without a face...?

The author masterfully weaves together this multi layered story, with characters dear to our hearts after meeting them in 'Into Thin Air', and you won't want to miss this latest slice of gripping action! We are so lucky that Orenda books have brought us this bright new-to-English (thanks to the deft translation by Ian Giles!) talent in Nordic Noir, and like me you'll be champing at the bit for book 3!

[Lynsey · Rating 5 out of 5]

‘Into the Dark’ is quintessential Nordic noir. Dark, broody, and bleak, and that’s just the atmosphere, which is a perfect representation of the landscape in winter. As you turn each page, you become more unsettled as its icy fingers travel down your spine. I somehow missed reading the first in this series; I will be rectifying this, but it was easy to pick up on which plot lines were being carried forward. I am already looking forward to the next instalment.

From the opening scene with the cold plunge, after a relaxing sauna, you know that there will be something terrifying happening! And it does. I swear I don’t think saunas are a good idea, although the Krug sounds excellent!

The sense of location is top-notch in this book - the very north of Norway, above the Arctic Circle, with small inlets, freezing cold water, brooding mountains, and rippling northern lights. The writing helps immensely with this as, although it is descriptive, the author allows us as readers to form our own pictures, and they come very easily, which is a rare talent.

The two main police characters are Jakob and Noora, who both make great detectives. Both are still suffering from their last case - Jakob just can’t let it go and has a whiteboard set up at home so he can obsess over it all. Noora is both suffering mentally and physically due to her injury. She is determined to get back to work, even if she isn’t ready. They work great as a partnership, instinctively knowing where and who to investigate. Noora seems more ready to be impulsive, whereas Jakob takes a more measured approach to things.

I flew through this in a day - it was instantly engrossing, beguiling in its writing, and the story was dark, with classic serial killer vibes. I was hooked from the get-go until the final page. Do I really have to wait a year until the next book?! After that cliffhanger, I need it now!

Let me know if you pick this one up!

[Jacob Collins · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you’re a fan of a chilling crime novel, perfect for the winter season, then the Arctic Mysteries series by Orjan Karlsson is definitely one for you. The second book in the series, Into the Dark, is a dark, race against time thriller as our detectives, Jakob and Noora, investigate some very grisly murders. The tension really does shine on every page, as Jakob and Noora race to apprehend a killer before they kill again.

The murders do have an impact on the local community, which puts extra pressure on the police team to find the killer. I really liked how we also saw glimpses into Noora and Jakob’s personal lives, and I think this did a brilliant job of developing their characters. Orjan Karlsson paints a picture of how their jobs have impacted both of their lives, in different ways. This makes them feel real and human. They are both quite different to each other, but it is clear to see how well they get on and how well they work as a team. They both have their own personal struggles they are dealing with, and I particularly felt for Jakob with the loneliness he sometimes feels. Noora, as well, is struggling in her own personal life, but I thought the scenes when it was between her and her partner were really heartwarming. It definitely seems to me that they have really genuine and kind people in their lives who will get them through whatever darkness faces them. I really like both of them, so I’m definitely keen to follow this series and to see where Orjan Karlsson takes them next.

I loved the race against time element in Into the Dark, which kept me turning the pages, as I wondered if Noora and Jakob were going to apprehend the killer before it was too late. There are some really tense moments in their investigation, and I loved the atmosphere in these scenes, particularly when it felt as though the detectives were being watched.

Into the Dark is a brilliant, atmospheric thriller that I really enjoyed. Whilst it can be read as a standalone, I do think you will benefit from reading the first book in the series first. I’m looking forward to seeing where this series is taken next.

[Lynda · Rating 5 out of 5]

The second in The Arctic Mysteries set in Bodo a beautiful town in Nordland which is north of the Arctic Circle in Norway. It is also where Detectives Jakob Weber and his colleague Noora Yun Sande are based. I would recommend reading book one first as it gives you background into the two main characters, and there is a link to their previous case in this book. However, it could be read as a stand-alone if you so wished. This time they have the harsh climate of Arctic winter to deal with and the pair are still recovering mentally and physically from their previous case.

Briefly, Jacob and Noora are quickly called into action when a horrible discovery is made by three swimmers, a body in the waters in Kjerringøy. Whilst investigating this another body is found in a flat and the circumstances of death aren’t clear. Delving into a world inhabited by some sick and perverted people they find themselves up against a most devious killer who will stop at nothing to feed their personal satisfaction. And with the unknown perpetrator seemingly one step ahead of them how long before there is another murder.

This is a very dark and disturbing read without being unnecessarily graphic. I’m really enjoying this detective couple, they work well together, each with their own strengths, and you can see they are getting closer to and trusting of each other. With amazing descriptions of the Nordland area along with the complex and exciting plot this is the most perfect read.

[Fatguyreading · Rating 4 out of 5]

Into The Dark is book two of two in The Arctic Mysteries and having read book one, I had a good idea of what to expect and let me tell you, it certainly did not disappoint.

Next, let's talk about the cover. The dark, shadowy imagery perfectly sets up the feel and the mood for the story, and light blue text is a great contrast and portrays that cold, frosty feeling wonderfully.

Now, the story. We follow Jakob, Chief Inspector of the Nordland Police in the wild, untamed North of Norway.

Now onto the story. We are again back with Detective Jakob, who is on the case of a mutilated body which is found in waters off the coast of a small village, followed by the discovery of a young woman's body in an apartment.

So it's down to Jakob to get to the bottom of the deaths.

Want to know more? Be sure to pick your copy up.

So all in all, a great conclusion to the duo.

It's dark, it's chilling, it's well written with well rounded characters that are believable and feel real.

I will say, the pace, for me, was a little slow, but i don't think that hampered the story at all.

An all round, an interesting Nordic crime thriller.

4 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 's from me.

[AtomicBooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second book in the Artic Mysteries series. It is a great follow on from book 1 which if you haven’t read you really should not only because it is also a great read but also because it will help you understand and appreciate this book more. The story effectively takes us straight on from the events of book 1 taking us into another dark series of events. It is a great cat and mouse kind of thriller which uses its location in the remote Nordic north to great effect. What makes this book a 5 star read though is that on top of it being a really good thriller is the characters and their relationships. I think Jakob and Noora make great main characters. There is something very real about them in terms of how they think and relate to others. I look forward to more books in the series so that I can see where they go next.

[Angi Plant · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sometimes you read the first book in a series and wonder if the author can follow that up.
This is what I wondered after Into Thin Air and it’s a great new part in this series. I would suggest if you haven’t read it that you do. Just for more background and links into the story that started the series.
This is a dark, but atmospheric series that really grabs you by the throat and makes you hold on for the ride. It’s also one of those books that you keep thinking you know EXACTLY who did it and you probably don’t! It’s a real throat punch of a story!
The two detectives are brilliantly portrayed as we see inside their own lives as well as them at work. The effects of the cases they solve are so well written.
Translation is great by Ian Giles as always.
With thanks to Anne Cater, Orenda and the author for the advanced reading copy of this book.

[Lisa reads alot Hamer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book 2 in the series although both can be read as standalone I think you’d get more out of reading both or that just may be my love of these books 😂
Descriptive in the way the story is told and also the brutal crimes committed, it’s a chilling tale but oh so very good!
With police procedural mystery and thrilling plot it really is the best of two genres all rolled into one.
The style of writing gripped me from start to finish plus excellent characterisation really added to the complexity of the story, dark and atmospheric I really loved this book.

[Sally Boocock · Rating 5 out of 5]

Into the dark is a superb second book in the Arctic Mysteries series. Following on from Into Thin Air it is a gripping murder mystery. I love the relationship between Jacob and Noora, both have their problems but have respect for each other. With three murders to solve and an extremely creepy character on the periphery the novel is extremely grim in places and leaves you wanting more. A definite choice for all zscandi crime lovers. Cannot recommend highly enough.

[Hayley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book. It was great to be back with Jakob and Noora in the second book of the series. I don’t feel that you have to have read the first one before reading this but I highly recommend reading it as it’s a great read too.

Within the book we see Jakob who is still struggling with the loss of his wife but also getting closer to a new relationship. And Noora who is still recovering from her injuries that she sustained during the previous book. Whilst she’s not being completely open and honest with Jakob about how much she’s struggling I do think she feels better being back at work.

I loved the storyline, we have two separate murders but are they actually related? The way the story unfolded was brilliantly done and I wasn’t sure who it was that was responsible for some of them and there were twists and turns along the way that I didn’t see coming. I’m impatiently waiting for book 3 already!

[Veronika Jordan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another crime novel in one of my favourite genres – Scandi Noir. And Nordic Noir comes up top for me. It’s atmospheric, edgy, and dark, with creepy villains and dangerous settings, snow, ice, freezing water, abandoned huts deep in the forest. you know the kind of thing I mean. There’s something about Nordic Noir that is unlike other crime genres, though I’m never quite sure what sets it apart.

In Book Two of the series, we once again meet Jakob Weber (and Garm the Jack Russell), Amman, Fine and Noora who are all brilliantly written. My Jack Russell Patch is a huge fan of Garm (OK I made that bit up, but I’m sure she would be), and so am I. He’s part of the team.

This time we have two murders, first of all a body rises from the icy waters off the jetty in Kjerringøy where a group of women are wild swimming. One of them gets tangled in the rope that is holding the body down. Eeek! Then a woman is found dead in a shabby apartment. It looks like suicide at first but the evidence points to a brutal murder. And these two are just the beginning. But are they linked?

Once again there are many suspects who crop up in both cases and also connect to the missing woman Iselin Hanssen from book one. Because nothing is ever as it seems in a gritty Scandi Noir. There will be loose ends that will no doubt form part of Book Three. Two of the ‘villains’ in particular gave me the creeps, for very different reasons, but I can’t really say any more. Just that it’s brilliant!

Many thanks to @annecater for inviting me to be part of #RandomThingsTours