The Invisible Man from Salem: a Leo Junker case(1 Leo Junker)

When a young woman is shot dead in his apartment block, disgraced former police officer Leo Junker is one of the first on the scene. Examining the dead body, he notices that the woman is clasping a cheap necklace – a necklace he instantly recognises. Despite being warned off the case, Leo sets out on a rogue investigation to catch the killer, uncovering a series of frightening connections between the murder and his own troubled youth in Salem, and forcing him to confront a long ago incident that changed his life forever.

About the Author :
Christoffer Carlsson has a PhD in criminology, and is a university lecturer in the subject. He has written five crime novels, including the bestselling The Invisible Man from Salem and the Young Adult noir October is the Coldest Month.

Review :
'Carlsson renders a good plot with commanding writing. His moody portrayals of yesterday’s Salem and today’s Stockholm are convincing. Without trying to compare him to the Mankell/Larsson generation, I think he’s worth the Swedish accolades that are heaped on him.' 'The author's youthful mugshot belies his seasoned skill, and there are lashings of the kind of social critique we expect from this territory.' 'A wonderfully well written novel, with a prose style that seeks to update noir.' 'The Invisible Man from Salem is a timeless and elegant piece of absolutely first rate Nordic Noir. Carlsson manages to remain true to the traditions of the genre, while seemingly effortlessly turning them inside out to construct a thrilling story that is as much about coming of age as it is about solving a murder case. An excellent and memorable work.' 'If you want chills in the middle of summer, you've found the right book.' 'Christopher Carlsson's The Invisible Man from Salem is something different in the current wave of Nordic crime: ambitious, idiosyncratic and dripping with noir atmosphere. Carlsson's protagonist Leo Junker is a memorable creation.' 'Intricately plotted, this is a first class urban police procedural that confronts many of the inequalities in Swedish society but steers clear from many of the snow ridden cliches of Scandinavian crime fiction to concentrate on character ... Carlsson [is] a name to watch.' 'A gripping read from an experienced psychologist.' 'An unnerving, unsettling, and intelligent crime novel.' 'Among Swedish crime writers, Christoffer Carlsson is entirely in a league of his own. And The Invisible Man From Salem is maybe his best yet.' 'A page-turner that is both well-written and intelligently plotted. There is a little of Stieg Larsson, Jens Lapidus and Jo Nesbø in [Carlsson's] writing but, most of all, there is Carlsson himself. The next time he has a book out, he has guaranteed himself at least one reader.' '[A] gripping and highly enjoyable read with the kind of unreliable hero you can’t help but follow desperately, excitedly around.' CRIME BOOK OF THE MONTH '[C]leverly plotted and the tension builds expertly.' 'Carlsson is another Swedish writer with a flair for words and a social conscience. The shifting narrative between the past and the present creates intrigue as the introspective Leo re-examines the events of the seminal year of his life in a search for answers.' 4 STAR REVIEW ‘This book is addictive. The reader is drawn into the vortex of events already on the first page, and one can get out only in the end. … Christoffer Carlsson has written a terrifically well-constructed story, where everything is connected. His way of storytelling is captivating but at the same time touching, and he writes with huge ease. … This series could represent a milestone in the genre of Swedish Crime. The author who previously succeeded in doing this was Stieg Larsson, more than 10 years ago with his Millennium Series.’ ‘Christoffer Carlsson’s novels are so exciting that a heart attack is to be expected at any time. … The story is mercilessly captivating, so sleep is not to think about. … With The Invisible Man From Salem the Swede proves that he is a master of his craft. He knows like no one else to explore the psychological depths of his characters.’ ‘With his German debut, at only 28 years old, Carlsson penetrates deep into the inner workings of his protagonist and creates a haunting mood that lasts for 340 pages.’ ‘An extremely powerful, evocative thriller that reverberates far.’ ‘The Invisible Man From Salem is above all noir novel with a hypnotic rhythm, written masterfully by Christoffer Carlsson. … It’s a really great discovery.’ ‘Written with a poetic ease, the narrative is inspired by the great coming of age-novels; various voices, diary entries, recaps: we think of ‘The Counterfeiters’. In the same way as Gides’ masterpiece took part in the beginnings of the literary movement ‘Nouveau Roman’ we hope that Carlsson brings about a ‘Nouveau Roman’ of crime fiction - mixing solid knowledge to a mastered pen, being accurate without neglecting compassion and raising debate without neglecting style.’ ‘This unique Nordic thriller of enthralling suspense takes a sickening dive into the murky corners of Stockholm and its suburbs ... a new and inspiring example.’ ‘Christoffer Carlsson will lead you exactly where he wants you to go: into the maze of madness. Such narrative skill! Such control! Such a pleasure!’ ‘Although the novel initially seizes several thematic elements, the author quickly paves a clear track with an exciting central nerve - a nerve that is nurtured with care even though some threads do not directly drive the action forward, but more describes Junker’s complicated work. … We rejoice, because Carlsson will obviously be central in Nordic crime fiction.’ ’The Invisible Man From Salem is a thrilling, frightening and addictive tale. Through the tormented life of Leo Junker, and the fascinating characters surrounding him in the past and present, Carlsson portrays in an unparalleled way the gloomy, cold and afflicting atmosphere in the rough suburbs of Stockholm’s underworld. It’s an atmosphere of vast social tensions, far from the Swedish welfare that we know so well.’ ‘Christoffer Carlsson's The Invisible Man From Salem is gloomy, frightening, thrilling – and a few shades darker than his predecessors. A perfect example of the blind, tragic loneliness that adds fuel to the fire of hate, violence, lack of solidarity and xenophobia.’