Review: 3 out of 5 ⭐️
Title: The Tenant: A Novel*
Author: Katrine Engberg (Translated by Tara Chace)
Published: 2020 (Scout Press, New York; Originally Published 2016 Lindhardt, Denmark)
Pages: 356 (Hardcover)
Genres: Mystery, Crime Thriller, Fiction, Nordic Noir, Suspense
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Hello everyone! This week I’m talking about The Tenant by Katrine Engberg. I’ve heard varying opinions about this Nordic thriller. It was originally published in Denmark in 2016, but translated to English and published this year. There are three more books following in the series that have not been translated to English yet. I can say I would definitely give the next one a chance after reading The Tenant.

“He thought he had the situation under control, that he was pulling the strings, but in reality he is sitting in a barrel on his way over Niagara Falls, and he is the only one who hasn’t noticed it yet” – Katrine Engberg, The Tenant

The Tenant details the lives of Copenhagen police detectives Jeppe Korner, Anette Werner and their team as they investigate the mysterious murder of a young woman named Julie Stender, who was brutally killed in her apartment. The circumstances carefully follow her landlady’s, Esther de Laurenti, unpublished crime novel which details a similar murder to Julie’s. As the detectives look into Julie’s murder and the surrounding circumstances, the sketchy details slowly unravel and of course, reveal a greater conspiracy at hand.

The first quarter of this novel is fairly slow, but the plot picks up soon after. There was also a large emphasis on Jeppe Korner’s side of the story, and less about Anette Werner’s. At times it felt like Jeppe’s opposite, Anette, was only there to support Jeppe’s character and development. This was especially surprising when the story makes them out to be partners, a team. I’m not sure if I’m a fan of the unequal emphasis on the two main partners, and would like to learn more about Anette’s life and development. Otherwise, I enjoyed this book and thought it was a captivating story. Read this book if you’re looking for a sometimes-graphic, Nordic Noir thriller mystery novel.

I give this a 3 out of 5!

_Elizabeth

*This book contains strong themes such as sexuality, violence against women, and murder*