The hunt for a serial killer takes criminal profiler Emily Roys and true-crime writer Alexis Castells from London to Sweden, and back into the past, to Buchenwald Concentration Camp, in the first instalment an addictive, award-winning new series from the Queen of French Noir

***Winner of Balai de la Découverte and Nouvelle Plume d’Argent Awards***
***International Number One Bestseller***

‘Dark, oppressive and bloody, but it’s also thought-provoking, compelling and very moving’ Metro

‘Gustawsson’s writing is so vivid, it’s electrifying. Utterly compelling’ Peter James

‘A bold and intelligent read’ Laura Wilson, Guardian

___________________

Evil remembers…

Falkenberg, Sweden. The mutilated body of talented young jewellery designer, Linnea Blix, is found in a snow-swept marina.

Hampstead Heath, London. The body of a young boy is discovered with similar wounds to Linnea's.

Buchenwald Concentration Camp, 1944. In the midst of the hell of the Holocaust, Erich Hebner will do anything to see himself as a human again.

Are the two murders the work of a serial killer, and how are they connected to shocking events at Buchenwald?

Emily Roy, a profiler on loan to Scotland Yard from the Canadian Royal Mounted Police, joins up with Linnea's friend, French true-crime writer Alexis Castells, to investigate the puzzling case. They travel between Sweden and London, and then deep into the past, as a startling and terrifying connection comes to light.

___________________

‘A terrific, original duo’ The Times

‘Multi-layered, superbly plotted, brimming with mystery, tension and bone-chilling violence, and with two very different – but equally fascinating – lead female characters, Block 46 is not for the squeamish or faint-hearted … this is a book that has the power to shock and the artistry to impress long after the last page has turned’ Lancashire Post

‘Utterly compelling’ Woman’s Own

‘A bold and audacious debut from a very talented writer. Heralds the beginning of a thrilling new series’ R J Ellory

‘Viscerally brutal yet delicately beautiful, like blood spatter on fresh snow. An unbelievable debut’ Matt Wesolowski

‘A truly unique and chilling blend of Nordic Noir’s dark atmosphere … gritty, bone-chilling, and harrowing – it’s not for the faint of heart, and not to be missed’ Crime by the Book

‘A real page-turner, I loved it’ Martina Cole

’A great serial-killer thriller with a nice twist … first rate’ James Oswald

‘Cleverly plotted, simply excellent’ Ragnar Jónasson

‘A must-read’ Daily Express

‘There’s a touch of Hannibal Lector in this one, and the final plot twists are harsh and sudden. You’ll want to double check the door locks and keep a few extra lights on, as you read … the suspense is brutal’ Kingdom Books

"Well done, Orenda Books, in bringing this debut crime novel across 'the Pond.'" --Kingdom Books Mysteries Reviews

Born in Marseille, France, and with a degree in Political Science, Johana Gustawsson has worked as a journalist for the French and Spanish press and television. Her critically acclaimed Roy & Castells series, including Block 46, Keeper and Blood Song, has won the Plume d’Argent, Balai de la découverte, Balai d’Or and Prix Marseillais du Polar awards, and is now published in nineteen countries. A TV adaptation is currently underway in a French, Swedish and UK co-production. The Bleeding – a number one bestseller in France and the first in a new series – will be published in 2022. Johana lives in London with her Swedish husband and their three sons. Follow Johana on Twitter @JoGustawsson Maxim Jakubowski is a highly regarded translator from French and Italian. An ex-publisher, and one-time owner of the Murder One bookstore, he is also a writer and editor of crime, mystery and erotic fiction, and has published nearly one hundred books. A regular broadcaster on TV and radio, Maxim Jukubowski reviews crime fiction for The Guardian. He also contributes to The Times, the Bookseller and the Evening Standard and is the literary director of the Crime Scene Film and Book Festival, held annually in London. For many years, he has edited anthologies of the best British mystery stories of the year and the world’s best erotica, which have become bestsellers in the UK and America.