I love Scandinavian Noir mysteries and thrillers, so I was excited to try this book by an author I wasn’t familiar with. Check out my Review of The Collector by Anne Mette Hancock
The Collector by Anne Mette Hancock
Series: Kaldan and Schäfer #2
Published in the US on November 8, 2022 by Crooked Lane Books. Originally published in 2018
Synopsis: When 10-year-old Lukas disappears from his Copenhagen school, police investigators discover that the boy had a peculiar obsession with pareidolia—a phenomenon that makes him see faces in random things. Detective Eric Schäfer is perplexed by the clues in the case.
A photo on Lukas’s phone posted just hours before his disappearance shows an old barn door that resembles a face. Journalist Heloise Kaldan thinks she recognizes the barn—but from where?
Kaldan is facing some personal issues of her own, but gets drawn into this puzzling case.
What Else has Anne Marie Hancock Written? Anne Mette Hancock books in order.
She has written four total books in the Kaldan and Schäfer series:
The Corpse Flower is book #1, published in Denmark in 2017 and in the U.S. in 2021
After that came The Collector, published in Denmark in 2018 and the U.S. in 2022.
Pitbull is book #3 published in Denmark in 2020.
On Goodreads, book four is listed as Martyr and has not yet been published. I don’t know Danish but can see that the synopsis has the words “true crime podcast.” Is that wishful thinking? A book to add to my list of Mysteries and Thrillers With Podcast Elements? I am excited.
Review of The Collector by Anne Marie Hancock
I typically love Scandinavian Noir Mysteries and Thrillers and have written a post on my favorite Scandinavian Noir Streaming Shows.
Along with just about everyone else, I devoured The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo series, which I found compelling if in need of some editing.
I am just beginning to delve more into Scandinavian mysteries. I’ve read several books by Danish author Katrine Engberg and I am thrilled to have discovered Anne Mette Hancock, because I really enjoyed The Collector.
Translated books can be a challenge, and at first I was worried about this book’s translation. The first chapter, which was largely one character’s internal monologue, seemed oddly translated. But then the story got started and that was no longer an issue for me.
The Setting and the Premise of The Collector
The setting is Copenhagen, and the premise is a missing child. I know that’s a topic that can be tricky for some readers. Also, the title, The Collector, had me a bit nervous. But this isn’t a serial killer book.
The Collector is half police procedural, half Dragon Tattoo-style crusading journalist. The story has two narrators: journalist Heloise Kaldan and Violent Crimes detective Eric Schäfer.
Can you read The Collector without having read The Corpse Flower?
Well, that’s what I did, so I would say yes. In The Collector, journalist Heloise has definitely been through something. But The Collector nicely incorporated that as character backstory. I wasn’t lost or confused at all. The benefit of a police procedural is that each case is a new story. So even if the characters have solved cases in the past, it’s not usually a huge problem to read the books out of order.
I’m going to read The Corpse Flower next, so if I get any information that I wish I’d had going into The Collector, I will edit this and let you know!
What I Liked Most About The Collector
Sometimes police procedurals can be a little bit … methodical. I like that, but I know some readers get restless. Having Heloise’s narration broke up the detective work a bit.
What I also enjoyed about The Collector was that the story put out all the puzzle pieces so that the detectives (and I) could try to put them together. I figured out where some of the pieces fit, but not all of them.
I also liked both Heloise and Eric. She loves her work but was struggling with her personal life. He has a strong marriage but dreams of retiring.
How was the ending of The Collector
Well, I have complained before about the new trend in mysteries and thrillers to have a little surprise at the end. And yes, The Collector did this. But, shockingly, I did not mind.
I’m excited to add Anne Mette Hancock to my list of authors to watch. And be sure to check out my post on Scandinavian Mysteries and Thrillers to Stream on Netflix and Amazon Prime!
I like the premise for this. I’m intrigued now.
Mary, you should try this one!
A little surprise at the end as long as it’s not a cliffhanger, I don’t mind.
Definitely consider it a surprise rather than a cliffhanger!
I will have to read this one. I admit that as a kindergarten teacher (and also pre-k) I am always seeing faces in things (sort of like seeing shapes of animals in clouds- or rope as snakes.)Maybe I watch too much Nick and Disney where animated objects always have faces. Anyway this story speaks to me so it’s a must read. In fact it’s my next read.