The Hypnotist: A Novel [Hardcover]

Lars Kepler (Author), Ann Long (Translator)

Book Description

Release date: June 21, 2011

A Time Magazine Top 10 Fiction book for 2011

One of the Wall Street Journal's Top 10 Mysteries of the Year 2011

 
Prepare for The Hypnotist to cast its spell

In the frigid clime of Tumba, Sweden, a gruesome triple homicide attracts the interest of Detective Inspector Joona Linna, who demands to investigate the murders. The killer is still at large, and there’s only one surviving witness—the boy whose family was killed before his eyes. Whoever committed the crimes wanted this boy to die: he’s suffered more than one hundred knife wounds and lapsed into a state of shock. Desperate for information, Linna sees only one option: hypnotism. He enlists Dr. Erik Maria Bark to mesmerize the boy, hoping to discover the killer through his eyes.

 

It’s the sort of work that Bark has sworn he would never do again—ethically dubious and psychically scarring. When he breaks his promise and hypnotizes the victim, a long and terrifying chain of events begins to unfurl.

 

An international sensation, The Hypnotist is set to appear in thirty-seven countries, and it has landed at the top of bestseller lists wherever it’s been published—in France, Holland, Germany, Spain, Italy, Denmark. Now it’s America’s turn. Combining the addictive power of the Stieg Larsson trilogy with the storytelling drive of The Silence of the Lambs, this adrenaline-drenched thriller is spellbinding from its very first page.

Editorial Reviews

Review

“The summer’s likeliest new Nordic hit.” —Janet Maslin, The New York Times

“One convincing psychotic is about as much as most thriller writers can handle, but Kepler delivers them by the roomful. It makes you wonder where the Swedes have been keeping him/them all this time. I imagine a cabal of nefarious Stockholm publishers loading bulk orders of Larsson onto cargo planes bound for the U.S. while they rub their hands together over a copy of The Hypnotist stamped Not for Export. It’s that good. It’s the hard stuff.” —Lev Grossman, Time

“A worthy addition to the ever-expanding ranks of Scandinavian crime fiction. Expect caffeinated beverages, inclement weather, and severed limbs.” —Entertainment Weekly

“Maximum intensity, both psychological and physical, is packed into [this] story.” —New York

“A gripping series of twists and turns . . . a natural successor to the Stieg Larsson series.” —Parade

“Full of surprises and more than enough twists to keep those pages turning well into the night.” —NPR.com

“A new star enters the firmament of Scandinavian thrillerdom, joining the likes of Larsson, Nesbø and Mankell.” —Kirkus Reviews

“Does the world really need another Swedish thriller? The spellbinding exploits of Detective Inspector Joona Linna and the hypnotist he hires to solve a murder make the answer clear.” —People

“Outrageously entertaining . . . Kepler makes you feel that if homicidal maniacs really were to start popping up in Stockholm, this is exactly how it would play out.” —Laura Miller, Salon.com

“If The Hypnotist doesn't find its way onto every reader's ‘Best Of’ list by the end of the year, it will only be because not everyone read it. Don't be one of the unfortunate few. But put on an extra sweater while you are reading; this one will chill you to the bone.” —Bookreporter.com

“The brutal slaying of gambling addict Anders Ek, his wife, and his younger daughter propels this outstanding thriller debut . . . A well-integrated subplot involving a gang of terrifying boys and girls adds to the suspense. Readers will look forward to seeing more of Linna in what one hopes will be a long series.” —Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“Compellingly grisly.” —Megan O’Grady, Vogue

“All the hallmarks of a classic . . . Tense, clever and multilayered . . . This is crime writing at its most devilishly involving.” —Marie Claire (UK)

“This is the thriller that’s taking Europe by storm. Written by a Swedish husband-and-wife team whose identity was originally a closely guarded secret, it might just be the next Girl with the Dragon Tattoo . . . Ferocious, visceral storytelling that wraps you in a cloak of darkness that almost blots out the light, but still feeds the imagination: stunning.” —The Daily Mail (UK)

“If the post-Stieg Larsson boom was ebbing, Kepler promises to revitalize the genre by bringing a sulphurous whiff of Hannibal Lecter to this case . . . It’s a pulse-pounding debut that is already a native smash.” —Financial Times

“Now ranks second only to Stieg Larsson’s Millennium Trilogy in terms of worldwide sales for a Swedish author . . . Far more energetic than Henning Mankell, as socially involved as Larsson but a better writer, Kepler matches the great Jo Nesbø for gothic excitement.” —The Australian

“Belongs on every international crime fan’s reading list.” —Booklist

“If you don’t get carried away by this book, the question is whether you like the crime thriller genre at all.” —Børsen (Denmark)

“Brilliant, well-written and very satisfying. A superb thriller.” —De Telegraaf (The Netherlands)

“The Hypnotist is a rare beast: a Swedish thriller on a high international level with a smart, effective and surprising plot. The narrative has a skillful, refined, pulsating drive and the writing is sharp, convincing and multilayered.” —Kristianstadsbladet (Sweden)

“The Hypnotist is—yes—impossible to put down. The Hypnotist is—yes—ingeniously put together, like a Swiss watch. The Hypnotist is—Yes!—fabulously entertaining, even gruesomely so. But it is also a serious meditation on evil, human weakness, the infinity of the mind, and the capriciousness of fate. My wife stole it from me before I was finished reading it and tore through it. Then I stole it back, to my great pleasure!” —Colin Harrison, author of The Finder

“Soon there will be Stieg Larsson crime fiction people and Lars Kepler crime fiction people. I’m henceforth in the latter camp. The Hypnotist is every bit the equal of the Millennium Trilogy—riveting narrative momentum, fascinatingly grisly forensics, existential Nordic dread. But there’s more: superior prose, no cartoony characters, and beneath all the noir, plenty of old-fashioned heart.” —Kurt Andersen, author of Heyday

Review

“The summer’s likeliest new Nordic hit.” —Janet Maslin, The New York Times

“One convincing psychotic is about as much as most thriller writers can handle, but Kepler delivers them by the roomful. It makes you wonder where the Swedes have been keeping him/them all this time. I imagine a cabal of nefarious Stockholm publishers loading bulk orders of Larsson onto cargo planes bound for the U.S. while they rub their hands together over a copy of The Hypnotist stamped Not for Export. It’s that good. It’s the hard stuff.” —Lev Grossman, Time

“A worthy addition to the ever-expanding ranks of Scandinavian crime fiction. Expect caffeinated beverages, inclement weather, and severed limbs.” —Entertainment Weekly

“Maximum intensity, both psychological and physical, is packed into [this] story.” —New York

“A gripping series of twists and turns . . . a natural successor to the Stieg Larsson series.” —Parade

“Full of surprises and more than enough twists to keep those pages turning well into the night.” —NPR.com

“A new star enters the firmament of Scandinavian thrillerdom, joining the likes of Larsson, Nesbø and Mankell.” —Kirkus Reviews

“Does the world really need another Swedish thriller? The spellbinding exploits of Detective Inspector Joona Linna and the hypnotist he hires to solve a murder make the answer clear.” —People

“Outrageously entertaining . . . Kepler makes you feel that if homicidal maniacs really were to start popping up in Stockholm, this is exactly how it would play out.” —Laura Miller, Salon.com

“If The Hypnotist doesn't find its way onto every reader's ‘Best Of’ list by the end of the year, it will only be because not everyone read it. Don't be one of the unfortunate few. But put on an extra sweater while you are reading; this one will chill you to the bone.” —Bookreporter.com

“The brutal slaying of gambling addict Anders Ek, his wife, and his younger daughter propels this outstanding thriller debut . . . A well-integrated subplot involving a gang of terrifying boys and girls adds to the suspense. Readers will look forward to seeing more of Linna in what one hopes will be a long series.” —Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“Compellingly grisly.” —Megan O’Grady, Vogue

“All the hallmarks of a classic . . . Tense, clever and multilayered . . . This is crime writing at its most devilishly involving.” —Marie Claire (UK)

“This is the thriller that’s taking Europe by storm. Written by a Swedish husband-and-wife team whose identity was originally a closely guarded secret, it might just be the next Girl with the Dragon Tattoo . . . Ferocious, visceral storytelling that wraps you in a cloak of darkness that almost blots out the light, but still feeds the imagination: stunning.” —The Daily Mail (UK)

“If the post-Stieg Larsson boom was ebbing, Kepler promises to revitalize the genre by bringing a sulphurous whiff of Hannibal Lecter to this case . . . It’s a pulse-pounding debut that is already a native smash.” —Financial Times

“Now ranks second only to Stieg Larsson’s Millennium Trilogy in terms of worldwide sales for a Swedish author . . . Far more energetic than Henning Mankell, as socially involved as Larsson but a better writer, Kepler matches the great Jo Nesbø for gothic excitement.” —The Australian

“Belongs on every international crime fan’s reading list.” —Booklist

“If you don’t get carried away by this book, the question is whether you like the crime thriller genre at all.” —Børsen (Denmark)

“Brilliant, well-written and very satisfying. A superb thriller.” —De Telegraaf (The Netherlands)

“The Hypnotist is a rare beast: a Swedish thriller on a high international level with a smart, effective and surprising plot. The narrative has a skillful, refined, pulsating drive and the writing is sharp, convincing and multilayered.” —Kristianstadsbladet (Sweden)

“The Hypnotist is—yes—impossible to put down. The Hypnotist is—yes—ingeniously put together, like a Swiss watch. The Hypnotist is—Yes!—fabulously entertaining, even gruesomely so. But it is also a serious meditation on evil, human weakness, the infinity of the mind, and the capriciousness of fate. My wife stole it from me before I was finished reading it and tore through it. Then I stole it back, to my great pleasure!” —Colin Harrison, author of The Finder

“Soon there will be Stieg Larsson crime fiction people and Lars Kepler crime fiction people. I’m henceforth in the latter camp. The Hypnotist is every bit the equal of the Millennium Trilogy—riveting narrative momentum, fascinatingly grisly forensics, existential Nordic dread. But there’s more: superior prose, no cartoony characters, and beneath all the noir, plenty of old-fashioned heart.” —Kurt Andersen, author of Heyday

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 512 pages
• Publisher: Sarah Crichton Books; First Edition edition (June 21, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0374173958
• ISBN-13: 978-0374173951
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 6.7 x 1.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (259 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #354,676 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

178 of 211 people found the following review helpful

2.0 out of 5 stars Scandanavian Silliness June 22, 2011

By Dave Goldberg

Format:Hardcover

I got an advance copy with all the requisite hype _ that it's in the tradition of Stieg Larsson's Millenium Trilogy. Actually it isn't other than the fact that it's set in Sweden and the authors are Swedish. In fact, it's a mess, with constantly switching protagonists; a plot that inclues an "interlude'' of nearly 100 pages that almost put me to sleep; and some of the most unlikeable characters you'll meet in any book.

I'll confess. I've always liked Scandanvian mysteries, having first read the Maj Sjowall, Per Wahloo police procedurals 30 years ago or so. More recently, I've enjoyed Henning Mankell's Wallander series and the works of the Norwegian Jo Nesbo. I read all three Larsson books. They held my attention, but they were more like cartoons than true novels, appealing only because the main character was appealing in a perverse way.

This book has no Lisbeth Salander. The alleged main character is a neurotic hypnotist with a neurotic wife. His father-in-law is less neurotic, as is the main police character. But the main point seems to be smear as much blood around as possible (along with a lot of sex) to draw readers, starting with the work of a 15-year-old "serial killer,'' _ really a spree killer _ who's beyond credibility. And to confuse readers with parallel plots, parallel characters, a subplot (or maybe the main one) based on Pokemon characters and that pointless interlude.

I guess what annoyed me was the hype that accompanied the copy I got. Yes, this held my attention for about 300 of its 500 pages. Then it veered off course. I struggled to finish it. I did. But no need for anyone else to try.

64 of 74 people found the following review helpful

1.0 out of 5 stars "I told you so" July 8, 2011

By BabyGorilla

Format:Hardcover

If you are reading this, and are from Sweden or another Nordic country, write a crime thriller. Stop reading this review--stop whatever you're doing, in fact--and sit down and write a crime thriller. If "The Hypnotist" and the hype and praise surrounding it is any indication, your book won't have to be any good and it will still be a massive sensation.

Look, I read the Millennium Trilogy. I liked it just fine. It set the world on fire and it is to be expected that the genre is going to enjoy a shot in the arm. I am not expert on the genre--I've nothing to compare Larrson's works to and only Larrson's works to compare to Kepler's. Like I said, I liked "The Girl Who..." series just fine but compared to "The Hypnotist" even the worst of the three is leaps and bounds ahead of this unmitigated disaster.

I didn't know that "Lars Kepler" is pseudonym for a husband and wife until after I finished reading the book. I never understood the whole dual author approach and after this, I get why it's not done more often. Writing a novel, especially a crime/mystery, must be a monumentally difficult task. Writing it with your husband/wife must be the worst idea ever. Looking back, IT MAKES SO MUCH SENSE. The characters, the plot, the writing style...everything, is all over the damn place.

The book begins just fine ("fine" insofar as a brutal triple-homicide can be) and tries to introduce us to the next great literary Swedish detective Joona...something. The character sketch is pretty basic: brooding, aloof genius detective is the smartest guy in the room and will do anything to get his (wo)man. The problem is, the authors don't flesh it out much beyond what we've already come to expect from the genre protagonist. They allude to some horrific events behind the drive and passion for the job and when the reader finds out what one is (but never the other) it's supposed to be powerful but completely misses the mark. [I have to mention one thing: he tells people "I told you so" after he solves a crime that they doubted he could solve. It is so baffling, so childish and trite that I can hardly believe the editors allowed it to stay. It completely erases any goodwill the reader feels toward the character and it is, really, so out of character that I am still seriously confused as to the point.]

The authors miss the mark on every other character, as well. The main character (I guess? There are multiple?) Erick...whatever, the hypnotist, is so incredibly unlikable it's actually really quite remarkable. As is his wife, his kid and his father in-law. In their attempt to create what I can only assume were meant to be realistic, flawed and gritty characters, the authors succeeded only in creating utterly unbelievable, obnoxious characters, to whom I, as the reader, felt no connection.

The story, by the way, is such a mess that it isn't even worth trying to explain. All you need to know is that the authors assumed outrageous violence would carry them a lot further than it did. It seems like neither author could agree on a plot so they compromised by having two. In more capable hands, I think that the story could have worked. However, in the hands of "Lars Kepler," the novel is clunky in pace and style, lacks foresight in storytelling and fails miserably at character development.

I understand there are going to be a lot more misses than hits in the genre. I, obviously, do not recommend "The Hypnotist" in the slightest. However, if a friend or relative decides to eschew your advice to stay away, take solace in telling them "I told you so." I guess.

56 of 71 people found the following review helpful

1.0 out of 5 stars Not a worthwhile read June 25, 2011

By Richard W

Format:Hardcover

How could anyone put this book in the same class as Stieg Larsson? It is poorly plotted and written like a script for a bad movie. The central theme of the book has potential but the writing is so terrible, the book lost me in the first 30 pages. Reading the rest of the book was a chore, but I figured that it must have something to become an "international bestseller", as the cover of the book proclaims. It is stilted, one dimensional, and doesn't convey the sense of anticipation that you expect from a good detective novel. I really like Scandinavian detective stories but this one was way off the mark. Certainly not in the class of Jo Nesbo or Henning Mankell.