Reviews

• “A breath of fresh air from Arne Dahl, the most current one he has written to date. [Within the Circle] is polished and the author has mastered the art of writing. It is probably the darkest one by Dahl’s pen yet. /…/ The opening sequence makes the hairs on your neck rise /…/ The tempo is galloping through the pages and I can guarantee that your eyebrows will be raised throughout because this is explosive. I have no words left after reading this literary phenomenon. Dahl gets under your skin like few others can. He has mastered the art of depicting the characters and the setting. The tension builds up quickly and the short chapters make it easy to follow, combined with gloomy insights into humanity. Dahl’s strength lies in his ability to disturb, in the sense that he writes about current topics. Masterfully, he builds up for a climax rarely seen by a Swedish author, and [the story] is filled with surprises that ties together in the end. We can only look forward to more thrilling installments in the NOVA series, and in many ways it’s good that Dahl changed pasture – he needed to renew himself and succeeded with excellence.”

• “It is thrilling, complex and contemporary.”

• “A master has returned. A thrilling story with many layers.”

• “Within the Circle is a very promising start to Arne Dahl’s new series. /…/ Dahl depicts his settings in a way that makes us sense the scent of both the forest and danger, and he has a language that captures every shift in pace and scene change. /…/ I’m very much looking forward to the next book in the series.”

• “Within the Circle is a strong start [to Dahl’s new series].”

• “Autumnal suspense of the highest quality!”

• “There’s no doubt that Dahl had fun even when creating his Nova Group – playfulness and humor are present. At the same time, there’s also room for profound seriousness and Dahl’s always sharp insight into the contemporary world. /…/ Once again, [Arne Dahl] has shown how excellent, beautifully written, enjoyable, and burning with relevance a Swedish crime novel can be.”

• “This year, Arne Dahl celebrates his twenty-fifth anniversary as a suspense author. To mark this occasion, this star is launching an entirely new series that demonstrates he still possesses an exhilarating storytelling joy alongside his great skill. /…/ It’s an exciting journey leading to an extended resolution with several unexpected twists. All elements are combined in the author’s very own masterful way. Here, you’ll find the entire range from large-scale societal critique to the deeply personal, with brilliant language and well-researched credibility in the midst of high-drama suspense. I believe this will become his best series.”

• “Dahl’s crime novels reflect specific circumstances on a global scale. /…/ Within the Circle shows off Arne Dahl’s ingenious and exciting side. (…) [I]t pays off to pay attention to the details when the intrigue is laid out. /…/ [Dahl’s] crime stories are concrete police crimes, where forensic science, technological breakthroughs, and the latest in police work is tied in. /…/ [F]ans will not be disappointed and worry about ending up with a cliffhanger.”

• “With Within the Circle, Arne Dahl once again proves that he is one of the best Swedish crime authors./…/ A great Arne Dahl crime novel; high tension from the first to the last page, a very current theme, and an investigative team with many rough edges. You won’t be able to put this novel down.”

• “Arne Dahl has invented a smart, efficient detective here, who […] is relatively unpretentious, and maintains a concerned and warm relationship with her colleagues. Within the Circle is very good crime material.”

• “Arne Dahl succeeds in weaving current debates into an engaging novel. He captures individual opinions and moods, allowing his characters to speak. This not only makes the reading authentic but also keeps it thrilling until the last page. For those who appreciate profound Swedish crime novels, the new Arne Dahl is a must-read.”

• “Get to know Eva Nyman and her team – it’s worth it. A thrilling start to the new series by bestselling author Arne Dahl.”

• “Linguistically confident, thematically highly relevant, and narrated with suspense.”

• “It is definitely exciting from page one; there is great action as well as detailed police work, so the mixture is absolutely right.”

• “It is without a doubt justified to claim that Arne Dahl once again takes charge, convincingly demonstrating that he maintains the leading position among Swedish crime writers. His language is highly effective, a perfect fit with the often lively pace. The characters are well-crafted, full of invigorating complexity and credibility.”

• “Swedish novelist Dahl impresses in this taut procedural. /…/ Dahl’s crackerjack plotting is enhanced by nuanced characterizations of Nyman and her colleagues, whose inner lives are given equal weight with the story’s procedural elements. This deserves a sequel.”

• “Arne Dahl’s characters are believable and all their perspectives on the events and solutions are plausible. The suspense is ever-present and intensifies as the events unfold. Dahl’s strength lies in his relevance, his ability to distract the reader with alternatives. He knows how to surprise, and ingeniously ties the story together. Among the great Nordic crime writers, Arne Dahl is the one with the most solid foundations in his stories.”

• “[A] high-stakes procedural.”