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The Drowned Boy

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About this listen

‘He'd just learnt to walk,’ she said. ‘He was sitting playing on his blanket, then all of a sudden he was gone.’

A 16-month-old boy is found drowned in a pond right by his home. Chief Inspector Sejer is called to the scene as there is something troubling about the mother’s story. As even her own family turns against her, Sejer is determined to get to the truth.

 Crime Fiction Mystery Fiction Suspense Crime

Critic reviews

Fossum’s Inspector Sejer novels are invariably morally and psychologically complex affairs, but The Drowned Boy might well be her crowning achievement to date (Declan Burke)
A simple but gripping story, balanced, believable and compassionate, about a sensitive subject (Laura Wilson)
Nordic noir of note
A tightly woven tale in spare but piercing prose
Moving and thought-provoking (Doug Johnstone)
Karin Fossum's minimalist police procedurals... have a stealthy way of mutating into richer, if also darker, psychological studies of criminals and their victims... In the end, the novel isn't about willful murder or even accidental death, but the psychological aftershocks for the living
Reading a Karin Fossum novel is always a wonderful, almost meditative, experience. Even though she writes about horrible crimes, her compassion and intelligence shine through, and by the time you reach the final page you’re left feeling irrevocably changed - for the better. Her latest, The Drowned Boy, is right up there among her best
Fossum shows us how the crime novel can be more than sheer entertainment… Well-written and gripping
Karin Fossum is among our foremost authors, regardless of genre. This because of her unique ability to create real people and her deep understanding of the human soul. She has always mastered this, but never better than in The Drowned Boy
Among Fossum’s finest novels…a strong literary quality and quivering suspense
All stars
Most relevant
Very good plotting. I was fussing all through who did it. The end was very cleverly done!

must read more of this author!

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a bit long winded. could have been half the length and inconclusive. funny story really not sure how I feel about characters do I like them or am I ambivalent. won't listen again.

review of book

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From start to finish and with some twists on the way, Fossum keeps us asking the question. A great little thriller and worth the download. I will be trying other Fossum novels in future.

A gripping did she / did't she? Mystery

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What disappointed you about The Drowned Boy?

This is a very poor short story stretched into a book. The characters are credible and engaging however the plot is so thin and the conclusion so poor as to be laughable. I am a big fan of Nordic Noir and have enjoyed other Karin Fossum Chief Inspector Sejer novels - this book must have been written to a deadline.

Would you ever listen to anything by Karin Fossum again?

Yes - but only because I have read her books previously and have been impressed with them.

Which character – as performed by David Rintoul – was your favourite?

The lead detective Chief Inspector Sejer

You didn’t love this book--but did it have any redeeming qualities?

Characters are well written.

Any additional comments?

Hopefully the next book will have a credible plot and conclusion

Disappointing

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