The Gingerbread House cover art

The Gingerbread House

Hammarby Book 1

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The Gingerbread House

By: Carin Gerhardsen
Narrated by: Candida Gubbins
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About this listen

Penguin presents The Gingerbread House by Carin Gerhardsen, a sensational new crime writing talent from the same Swedish editorial team and publisher as Stieg Larsson's Millennium Trilogy. Read by the actress Candida Gubbins.

Ingrid Olsson returns home from a Stockholm hospital to discover a man in her kitchen. She's never seen the intruder before. But he's no threat - he's dead.

Criminal Investigator Conny Sjöberg takes the call, abandoning his wife Åsa and their five children for the night. His team identify the body as that of a middle-aged family man. But why was he there? And who bludgeoned him to death?

Lacking suspect and motive, Sjöberg's team struggle until they link the case to another - apparently random - killing. And discover they face a serial killer on a terrible vendetta . . .


The Gingerbread House is the first title in The Hammarby Series, novels following Detective Inspector Conny Sjöberg and his murder investigation team - a gripping feast for all fans of Jo Nesbo, Camilla Lackberg and Henning Mankell.

'Carin Gerhardsen writes so vividly, like she is painting with words, gripping your heart and soul in an ever-tightening tourniquet' Peter James

'Gerhardsen brings a timely perspective to the serial killer genre, as her characters are engulfed by the worst possible consequences of their childhood cruelties. The pages turn themselves, right up the final startling twist' John Verdon

Carin Gerhardsen was born in 1962 in Katrineholm, Sweden. Originally a mathematician, she enjoyed a successful career as an IT consultant before turning her hand to writing crime fiction. Carin now lives in Stockholm with her husband and their two children. She is currently working on the seventh title in the series.

Crime Crime Fiction European International Mystery & Crime Literary History & Criticism Mystery Police Procedural World Literature Fiction Detective Murder Marriage Christmas Winter

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Critic reviews

The pages turn themselves, right up to the final startling twist (John Verdon)
Carin Gerhardsen writes so vividly, like she is painting with words, gripping your heart and soul in an ever-tightening tourniquet (Peter James)
The books are fast-paced and addictive: finely tuned pieces that virtually demand to be read in one sitting (Barry Forshaw)
All stars
Most relevant
A good story. A good plot that made you not want to stop listening. I would recommend this book to add to your wish list.

The Gingerbread House

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I don't think the plot is more than average but I think I would have enjoyed this more with a better narration. The reader's use of poorly deployed, bizarre UK regional accents (it's a translation of a Swedish novel) were very off-putting. The vocal characterisations were generally poor and distracting.

Possibly ok story marred by poor narration

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Got this as part of a 2 for 1 offer, which usually include books with a little lower than perfect star score, but I was pleasantly surprised. I would have happily paid full price for this. A very different type of crime story, with excellent narration. One of those stories where you can't wait to hear the next bit. Will probably carry on and purchase the rest of this writer's offerings. The only quibble I have, and I'm niggling here, is that it's a bit gory in places, but I'm stretching to find fault really.

Best Read In A While

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Well written, captivating story with twists and turns leading to an unexpected ending. Thoroughly enjoyed it!

A well written mystery

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Started off great....lost it a bit in the middle!!? Then bang nice little twist at the end

Lost in the middle

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