Souls of Air

Linkoping's top detective, Malin Fors, is about to take on a case that's a little too close for comfort. Her daughter has just discovered a dead body. It is that of a 79-year-old resident at the nursing home where she works. He's been hung by his own alarm cord.

At first it looks like a cut and dry suicide. But when the autopsy suggests foul play, Malin probes deeper and uncovers rumours about the home's mismanagement its greedy millionaire owner. Was it a mercy killing, or was someone trying to silence the victim?

Who could possibly benefit from the death of an elderly man? Only someone with a lot to gain - or a lot to lose...

“Meditative. Dark. Really, really cold . . . This is a worthy successor to Larsson's Millennium trilogy . . . This first installment in Kallentoft's crime series is a splendid representative of the Swedish crime novel, in all its elegance and eeriness.”

Kallentoft's books have been called beautiful, exquisite and original. I can see why. - Literary Review

One of the best-realised female heroines I've read by a male writer. - Guardian

Meditative. Dark. Really, really cold . . . This is a worthy successor to Larsson's Millennium trilogy . . . This first installment in Kallentoft's crime series is a splendid representative of the Swedish crime novel, in all its elegance and eeriness. - Booklist Starred Review

Mons Kallentoft grew up in a working-class household in the provincial town of Linkoping, Sweden, where the Malin Fors series is set. Before becoming a writer, he worked in journalism and is also a keen food critic. His first novel, Pesetas, was awarded the Swedish equivalent of the Whitbread Award. He has been married to Karolina for over 20 years, and they live in Stockholm with their daughter and son.

His novels are translated into English by Neil Smith.

Visit Mons' website at and his Facebook page at and follow him on Twitter @Kallentoft

Linkoping's top detective, Malin Fors, is about to take on a case that's a little too close for comfort. Her daughter has just discovered a dead body. It is that of a 79-year-old resident at the nursing home where she works. He's been hung by his own alarm cord.At first it looks like a cut and dry suicide. But when the autopsy suggests foul play, Malin probes deeper and uncovers rumours about the home's mismanagement its greedy millionaire owner. Was it a mercy killing, or was someone trying to silence the victim?Who could possibly benefit from the death of an elderly man? Only someone with a lot to gain - or a lot to lose...

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