The Butterfly House
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- 115,00 kr
Publisher Description
In this chilling Nordic noir thriller set in Copenhagen, detectives Jeppe Kørner and Anette Werner investigate a series of brutal murders tied to a hospital, blending psychological suspense, police procedural, and dark social commentary in this sequel to the #1 international bestseller The Tenant that is “brimming with personality, eccentric characters, and plenty of mystery and intrigue” (Crime by the Book).
Hospitals are places of care—or so it seems. In the coronary unit of a leading Copenhagen hospital, a nurse quietly administers a fatal overdose to an elderly patient.
Days earlier, a paperboy makes a gruesome discovery in the heart of the city: the nude body of a young woman in a fountain, her arms marked by precise incisions, her body completely drained of blood.
Detective Jeppe Kørner, navigating the aftermath of divorce and a fragile new relationship, takes the lead. His partner, Anette Werner—on maternity leave but unwilling to stay sidelined—begins her own unofficial investigation. But working outside the system draws her into increasingly dangerous territory.
As the case unfolds, Jeppe and Anette uncover a horrifying pattern of exploitation and control lurking within caregiving institutions. What they find is as unsettling as it is deadly—and far closer than they ever imagined.
A “thrillingly nerve-racking” (Shelf Awareness) Scandinavian crime novel, this gripping installment delivers a dark, atmospheric mystery exploring power, vulnerability, and the chilling consequences of misplaced trust.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
In Engberg's well-crafted sequel to 2020's The Tenant, Copenhagen homicide detective Jeppe K rner investigates the murders of three people connected to a now-closed teen psychiatric facility, the Butterfly House. Each victim was drained of blood and left floating, two in Copenhagen fountains and the third in a lake. Since Jeppe's partner, Det. Anette Werner, is on maternity leave, the low-energy Detective Falck, one of many well-drawn supporting characters, assists him in tracking down surviving staff members and patients. One patient's suicide and a staff member's mysterious death years earlier provide motives, and the behavior of many of the potential suspects/victims suggests they could all be guilty of something. The stakes rise as Anette, restless at home, starts investigating on her own. Readers will be pleased to see Falck playing a heroic role at the climax. By addressing the issue of society's treatment of the mentally ill, Engberg brings the complexities of life into this superior Danish police procedural. Fans of Scandinavian noir will hope this series has a long run.
