On a cloudy night when the lake lies still, a boy and his father out fishing make a gruesome discovery – a ballerina is floating at the bottom. In a nearby forest, detectives discover a camera mounted on a stand, aimed directly at the crime scene. Holger Munch, who has been on personal leave, returns to active duty to lead the investigation, and in turn, getting Oslo’s famed homicide unit back on its feet.
Meanwhile, Mia Krüger has been to rehab to overcome her addictions. Clean once again, she’s about to go on a well-earned holiday to the Caribbean to get a break from her inner demons when Holger Munch shows up, pleading for her expertise on the case he is working on. This time, it does not take much to bring Mia on board; she postpones her vacation and agrees to give Munch one week to help him solve the case.
When more victims turn up with no apparent connection between them, Mia and Munch find themselves grasping at straws. With each murder, the killer leaves a cryptic clue behind, which soon leads Mia to a chilling realization – the murders bear an uncanny resemblance to cases from her past.
As they dig deeper, evidence points them to a psychologist with a private clinic, who has connections to multiple victims. Mia and Munch can’t seem to crack his façade, but something pokes at Mia’s mind. Against her better judgement, she persuades her colleague Gabriel Mørk to hack into the psychologist’s medical files. Gabriel, troubled with overstepping the law hesitates but ultimately complies. Little do they know that this will lead Gabriel in a very unexpected and horrifying direction…
In The Boy in the Headlights, we once again follow Mia Krüger, Holger Munch and their team on the hunt for a cunning killer. International bestselling writer Samuel Bjørk spins a masterful plot while creating deeply human characters that get under your skin. With this third installment of the Mia and Munch series, Bjørk once more demonstrates his exceptional ability to compose thrilling and psychological crime novels – the sort where one must turn on the light while reading.
Extra Materials
Bulgaria, Emas
Croatia, Znanje
Czech Republic, Plus
Denmark, Gyldendal
Estonia, Eesti Raamat
Finland, Otava
Germany, Goldmann
Greece, Dioptra
Hungary, Athenaeum
Italy, Longanesi
Korea, Taurus
Lithuania, Alma Littera
Netherlands, Luitingh-Sijthoff
Poland, Sonia Draga
Russia, AST Publishers
Slovakia, Ikar
Slovenia, Ucila
Spain, Suma
Sweden, Wahlström & Widstrand
UK, Transworld
Author
Reviews
“A masterclass in crime fiction. Superb.”
– The Sun (UK)
“The new novel is as clever and twisty as his hugely successful debut I’m Travelling Alone.”
– The Sunday Times (UK)
“Fans of Scandi-Noir will adore this ice-cool chiller featuring detectives Holger Much and the brilliant but troubled Mia Kruger. […] Brilliant suspense to the very end.”
– Best Magazine (UK)
“The Boy in the Headlights is the best book in the series so far. Here, Bjørk proves he’s in shape and that he’s being playful. The plot is thrilling and well constructed, with many surprising twists. The ending is both frightening and cold as ice. […] Bjork has an original voice. His style is at times rhythmic and musical, and sometimes he offers constructions we usually find in poetry.”
– Verdens Gang (NO)
“Bjørk proves to be a storyteller that builds and constructs his tales in clever and ingenious ways […] When you think you’re close to figuring everything out, Bjørk gives the story a new turn and the tension holds to the very last page. That’s the way it should be in the great crime novels, and that’s how it is here. […] Bjork writes exceptionally well – there’s a propulsion to both his style and plot that makes it impossible to put down the book before your eyes give up.”
– Nettavisen, 5/6 stars (NO)
“An exuberant and dark fantasy. […] There’s an uneasy atmosphere permeating this story urging the reader from page to page in want of a solution. Bjørk’s writing is captivating, and Holger and Mia have established themselves as a couple you like and recognize.”
– Trønder-Avisa, 5/6 stars (NO)
“What distinguishes Bjørk from most of his colleages in the thriller genre is his literary talent. His imagery and metaphors are more original, and he’s better at creating associations than most. He creates subsidiary characters we care about, and lets them sail their own sea in favor of the main plot, as we keep being curious about them. This creates a singular energi which separates Bjørk from the many thrillers that are more adapted for the market. […] Claustrophobic suspense to the very end.”
– Adresseavisen (NO)