The Witch Hunter, the U.S. debut of Finnish author Max Seeck, begins like a traditional (if very creepy) procedural ... The Witch Hunter, translated with icy precision by Kristian London, is written in short, sharp, present-tense chapters, a technique which adds to its relentless tension. Flashbacks to earlier episodes in Jessica’s life suggest that the strangeness currently unfolding is tied to her personal history. Discovering the how and why of it brings a resolution as bleak as anything Poe might have conjured.
This rich, intensely suspenseful thriller begins with the murder of Maria Koponen, a woman who happens to be married to the author of a series of books about witches and inquisitors ... Seeck’s debut is dark and intricate—the moments of revelation are as vividly cinematic and impactful every time. Seeck has an uncanny ability to unspool reveals at just the right pace to get the reader’s heart pounding as they make the connection at the same moment as the detective on page. His expertise with pacing, his careful plotting, and his choice to use short, quick chapters all combine to create a vivid, robust thriller.
This mystery set in Finland, is indeed chilling. Too complicated and convoluted to give a concise synopsis, it’s safe to say, this one will keep the reader awake at night attempting to second-guess the plot ... With its hint of the occult and a powerful storyline, The Witch Hunter is a thoroughly chilling thriller making a solid entry as a first novel in a new series.
A desperate hunt for what may be a gang of serial killers flushes out a policewoman’s haunting past in Finnish author Seeck’s first English translation ... The heroine’s personal problems provide a fascinating counterpoint to a disturbing tale of murder and madness.
One winter night, Sgt. Jessica Niemi, the heroine of Finnish author Seeck’s stellar debut, arrives at the home of author Roger Koponen and his wife, Maria, in an upscale Helsinki neighborhood, where shortly before two patrol officers found Maria dead at her dining room table, dressed in a black cocktail dress and her face 'twisted up in a hysterical grin' ... The police investigators have their own secrets, most of all Jessica herself, whose backstory Seeck skillfully reveals through her memories and in a separate story line set in the past. One twist follows another, baffling the police and readers alike. Seeck imbues this riveting procedural with a deliciously creepy undertone. Readers will be excited to see what Seeck does next.
