The Tenant by Katrine Engberg

Title: The Tenant

Author: Katrine Engberg

Read by:  Graeme Malcolm

Publisher: Simon & Shuster Audio

Length: Approximately 10 hours and 21 minutes

Source: Review Copy from Simon & Shuster Audio.  Thank-you!

I have been in the mood for good suspense novels lately.  The Tenant did not disappoint.  I did not know much about this novel going into it and was pleasantly surprised to discover that it is a Danish book that was translated into English.  The action takes place in Copenhagen.  Esther de Laurenti has retired from the university and is finally writing the mystery novel she has always wanted to write.  She lives in a building that her family left her and rents out apartments to various tenants.  She is shocked one day when one of her tenants discovers the murdered body of another tenant, Julie Stender.  Even more to her surprise, the murder follows the plot of the novel she has been writing.  How did someone find out about this novel or does Esther have more to do with the murder than meets the eye?  Why was Julie Stender murdered?  What secrets are in her past?

Jeppe Korner is the lead investigator for this case with his partner Annette Werner. Jeppe has recently gone through a painful divorce and this is his first major case to lead since returning from time off.  While the case produces stresses of its own, Jeppe comes into internal conflict as he finds himself in a relationship with one of his married witnesses.  Will Jeppe and Annette be able to crack this case?

I really liked the twists and turns of this mystery.  It did not always go where I think it would go and each revelation led to a further revelation to bring us to the stunning conclusion.  I liked the symbolism of the stars that was used throughout the novel.  I will admit that I was disturbed by Jeppe’s ethical woes with his affair with a witness – it drove me crazy.  It was part of his journey though and showed how he was a flawed individual just doing his best.  I thought the overall look at how everyone in the story had something from their past that they weren’t proud of and how some were able to successful move on while others were not was an intriguing part of the story.

 Graeme Malcolm was a good narrator.  I thought of him as Jeppe Korner or just an overall soothing storyteller.

Overall, The Tenant was a great thriller.  I loved the setting, characters, and the story.  It was an intriguing audiobook to listen too – one I didn’t want to turn off as I was so invested in the story!