The Darkest Day is the first novel in the five part Inspector Barbarotti series from renowned Swedish crime author Håkan Nesser.

It’s December in the quiet Swedish town of Kymlinge, and the Hermansson family are gathering to celebrate a big family birthday. But beneath the guise of happy festivities, tensions are running high, and it’s not long before the night takes a dark and unexpected turn . . .

Before the weekend is over, two members of the Hermansson family are missing, and it’s up to Inspector Barbarotti to determine exactly what happened on that darkest day, and unravel a web of sinister family secrets in the process . . .

Continue the thrilling investigative series with The Root of Evil.

'One of the best Nordic Noir writers' – Guardian

Prizes

Short-listed for Petrona Award 2018 (UK)

Barbarotti has to disentangle years of bad blood and resentment to get to the heart of a thrillingly complex case -- Joan Smith * Sunday Times *
Told with wry humour and compassion, Nesser has four more Barbarotti stories to come — cherish them all -- Geoffrey Wansell * Daily Mail *
In an exemplary translation by Sarah Death, this tangled tale of guilt and betrayal whets the appetite for translations of the other Barbarotti novels -- Barry Forshaw * Financial Times *
A top-notch investigation into some grisly goings-on, courtesy of his latest crime-fighting duo Barbarotti and Backman * Riveting Reads *
Fiendishly complex . . . Just the thing for a winter afternoon * Metro *

Håkan Nesser is one of Sweden’s most popular crime writers, receiving numerous awards for his novels featuring Inspector Van Veeteren, including the European Crime Fiction Star Award (Ripper Award), the Swedish Crime Writers’ Academy Prize (three times) and Scandinavia’s Glass Key Award. His Van Veeteren series is published in over twenty-five countries and has sold over 15 million copies worldwide. The Darkest Day is his first novel in the Inspector Barbarotti series. Håkan Nesser lives in Gotland with his wife, and spends part of each year in the UK.