Blog Tour: The Corpse Flower by Anne Mette Hancock

Today is my turn on the blog tour for The Corpse Flower by Anne Mette Hancock!

This book is the first in a new chilling series and it has been described as The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo meets Sharp Objects. It’s perfect for fans of Jo Nesbø and Henning Mankell. Thank you to the publisher for a digital review copy. The book is out now!

Here’s the synopsis and my review:

Genre: Mystery/Nordic Noir
Pages: 336
Author: Anne Mette Hancock
Publisher: Swift Press

Synopsis:

It’s early September in Copenhagen, the rain has been coming down for weeks, and 36-year-old journalist Heloise Kaldan is in the middle of a nightmare. One of her sources has been caught lying, and she could lose her job over it. And then she receives the first in a series of cryptic and ominous letters from an alleged killer.

Wanted in connection with the fatal stabbing of a young lawyer three years earlier, Anna Kiel hasn’t been seen by anyone since she left the crime scene covered in blood. The police think she’s fled the country and have zero clues as to her motive. But homicide detective Erik Scháfer comes up with the first lead when the reporter who first wrote about the case is found murdered in his apartment. Has Anna Kiel struck again, or is there more than one killer at large? And why does every clue point directly to Heloise Kaldan?

Meanwhile, the letters keep coming, and they hint at a connection between Anna and Heloise. As Heloise starts digging deeper, she realizes that to tell Anna’s story, she will have to revisit the darkest parts of her own past–confronting someone she swore she’d never see again.

Review:

The Corpse Flower is a cat-and-mouse thriller featuring a journalist with a secret, a murder suspect on the run, and a dedicated detective on a hunt. It brings the familiar elements of Nordic noir with an odd pairing, a suspenseful mystery, and noteworthy villains.

Anna Kiel is a suspect in the murder of a criminal defense lawyer three years ago. She’s been on the run since, until now. Heloise Kaldan is having trouble at work after reporting a story based on a flawed source. She started receiving mysterious letters from Anna which surprises her because as far as she knows, they have never met. Homicide detective Erik Scháfer is dreaming of a Caribbean vacation, but this might be his chance to catch Anna. I thought all three of them are interesting, with Heloise a particular standout. Her reticence towards people is explained as the story goes on and I thought her motivations make sense. I did wish we got to know Anna a bit more but her enigmatic approach made me look forward to her scenes whenever she appeared.

The plot revolves around the murder from before, with Anna seemingly giving clues to Heloise. But what does she want? It’s all revealed in a shocking fashion as the story takes a dark, disturbing turn. I have to say I didn’t expect this shift and to say it was enjoyable would be misleading. Rather, it’s a heartbreaking and infuriating take on real-life issues and highlights the way abuse happens when people turn a blind eye. It also shows how sometimes villains aren’t just one person, but an organisation. The book explores the way trauma lingers years after the event and asks whether vengeance is ever justified. It made me deliberate on the characters’ actions!

The Corpse Flower deals with abuse, revenge, and generational violence. It’s not an easy book to read but worth a look if you love mysteries and don’t mind going down a troubling road.

Be sure to check out the rest of the blog tour!

Content warning: pedophilia, sexual assault, physical violence