The Underdogs Series
Decadence thrives in modern Stockholm, but beneath the shiny façade, darkness festers in the shadows of parallel societies.
Leo Madvig is a troubled police officer who views laws as mere guidelines rather than rigid rules. His dedication to justice is unwavering, especially when it comes to protecting society’s most vulnerable. His methods can be ruthless, sometimes crossing the line into excessive force, which isolates him from those around him along the way, but he will do whatever it takes to solve the case. When the job is done, he drowns his guilt with alcohol and gambling. Though Leo may appear to be a lonely vigilante, struggling to fit into society’s standards, he is never truly alone thanks to his closest allies: Lulu and Vic.
Lulu, a fearless and fiercely loyal transwoman, spends her days working at a Stockholm restaurant – not for the money, but for a sense of belonging. She has fleeting lovers, including Leo, but her heart belongs to Vic. Vic is a brilliant mathematician and data genius, who suffers from a debilitating muscle disease that leaves him physically fragile. Lulu and Vic both know the heart-wrenching truth: he is dying, and when time comes, it will be Lulu who helps him leave this world on his own terms. Despite Vic’s condition, his mind remains sharp, and he uses his high intelligence and technical skills to unearth critical information and connect the missing pieces in Leo’s investigations. Meanwhile, Lulu, who is both bold and magnetic, navigates the city’s darkest corners with ease, drawing out secrets from those who move in the darkest of shadows.
Leo, Lulu, and Vic form an unlikely trio – a sort of band of underdogs who play on both sides of the law to bring justice to those not capable of fighting their cause. The Underdogs series stretches over countries and continents while shifting perspectives, with each book introducing a new lead character and a new case, drawing Leo, Lulu and Vic into others’ destinies. While the group fights for a better world, they must also confront their own harsh and inescapable realities with addiction, disease and prejudice. With the Underdogs series, Mons Kallentoft has crafted a thrilling, new narrative with distinct and unique characters. At the heart of the series are the stories of the lost, the vulnerable, the lonely – living in a world where inequality is ever-growing, where crime is rampant beneath the polished surface, and where the only common denominator is love.
