The Stonecutter by Camilla Lackberg

A young girl’s body is pulled up with a local fisherman’s lobster pots.  At first glance it appears to be an accidental drowning, but upon further examination it is determined that she was murdered.  Why would someone kill this child?  What was there to gain?  Interspersed with the modern crime story is the story of a local stonecutter and his ill-fated love affair.  What, if anything, do these two stories have in common?  The story is unfolded as the detectives learn more, clue by clue, layer by layer, so you feel as if you too are trying to understand the motivations behind an unfathomable crime.

I have become a rather big fan of translated mysteries, especially the Scandinavian ones.  Typically they occur in urban areas, but this mystery takes place in a smaller town with only four police officers running the local department.  Getting to see the way the police department works on an individual level reminded me of so many cop shows and small office politics.  It’s amazing how oceans can separate us but some things are the same everywhere.