Always one to love a good crime novel, I got “Room No. 10” through Net Galley to review. This book has been translated from Swedish (and I apologize that I was not able to type Mr. Edwardson’s name properly with the “A” with the Swedish notation on top). I had tried to read Steig Larssen in the past, but found the graphic violence too disturbing, so I thought I’d give Edwardson (a popular Swedish author) a try.

The story starts with a death – an apparent suicide that’s really a murder. A young woman is found hanging in a hotel room (room no. 10), her arm painted white. Our protagonist, Erik Winter, is reminded of a missing person (again a woman) from twenty years earlier who had also been in this room. The two events don’t seem to be related — but are they?

Winter revisits the past and opens up old memories for both him and the families involved. Meanwhile, he is investigating those close to the murder victim, including an odd young man, a skittish best friend, and  parents that seem to be keeping a secret. When the victim’s mother also turns up dead, Winter knows he has to work fast to tie all the pieces together and stop a murderer.

I really enjoyed this novel (which wasn’t too violent/graphic/disturbing for me). My only beef is that it wrapped up so quickly, I had to re-read the last chapter to make sure I knew exactly what had happened!

I could see this made into a movie – maybe with a title change. Apparently there are other books by Edwardson featuring Chief Inspecter Winter, too.

Thanks, Net Galley and Simon and Schuster, for my copy!