The Butterfly House

This is third in the Scandinavian crime series Kørner and Werner. I personally think you need the character background from prior in the series, but it could probably be read as a standalone.It felt like I was right there with detective Jeppe Kørner trying to solve a gruesome murder. There's a nude body in a fountain with twelve suspicious cuts.His partner, Anette Werner, is out on maternity leave and Jeppe will struggle to lead the team on this case. Anette has her own struggles with new  motherhood. The pregnancy was a surprise at her age. She's not adjusting to being at home or her identity without a career.Elderly Esther de Laurent has sold her former home where a tenant was murdered. She and her crotchetty old friend, Gregers Hermansen, now live in a new area. She might find romance with a new acquaintance.The day after the first body is discovered, another is found with similar cuts in another fountain.As the suspect list takes shape it keeps coming back to the health-care aides, social workers, nurses, psychiatrist and the former owner of The Butterfly House. The now defunct facility was a residential psychiatric treatment center for young children and teenagers. The residents did not all get proper treatment while there. The former employees and residents are now scattered at various places and new hospitals.The only connection in these despicable murders keeps pointing to some of those people and the Butterfly House. There are many suspects with motives and good character development.Anette surreptitiously investigates leads on the case without her husband knowing. I especially enjoyed the realistic postpartum issues portrayed by the author.The psychiatrist, Peter Demant, was a self-centered, unlikable character. The story kept me guessing as to the killers identity.This is a series I highly enjoy and will continue to read.

The way this book is written is very well done! Every character in this book is important to the main plot and there are clues sprinkled throughout the whole thing that me and my book club honestly had to go back and look for. You love the detectives, the suspects, the mystery and even the killer. The author did an amazing job and I can't wait to read her other books!

This is the second book featuring Katrine Engberg's two detective leads, Jeppe Kørner and Anette Werner. I really love the dynamic of their relationship. Continuing from where we left off in the first book (The Tenant), we now find Jeppe dating a coworker of his, but he's nervous about fully committing to the relationship. Then there's my favorite – the gruff, no-nonsense Anette struggling to adapt to new motherhood as a 44-year-old workaholic police detective. Even with all the social supports for parents in Denmark, it's not easy! All the thoughtful descriptions of the settings kind of amalgamate into a visit to Copenhagen – there's a creepy museum, Rosenborg Castle, Fredenshavn (kind of like a homeless encampment with houseboats, nothing more Scandinavian that that really). Then there's the deep underbelly of a train station, etc. Not to mention CopenHot (floating rental hot tubs, who knew that existed), and American-style Halloween stuff at Tivoli. I mean, that's a lot of ground to cover. Fun as the settings are, they don't overpower the focus on the characters and plot.One of my favorite descriptions, so vivid: "Copenhagen is a dormant plant that lives off the scant sunlight falling on its leaves. The city can be all curled in on itself during the dark, wet windy times that comprise most of a Scandinavian year. But when the sun's rays finally hit, the city unfurls in a blossoming that is every bit as sudden as it is breathtaking" (p. 355). This reminds me of what I always tell people myself, Copenhagen is like a cup of jasmine tower tea: add hot water, see it bloom. The translation dances adeptly and very close to the Danish in the hands of Tara Chase, and I really appreciate how well the Danish style and attitudes were captured.Plot-wise in this book, a murder victim turns up in a public fountain at Gammeltorv on Copenhagen’s main pedestrian shopping street "Strøget," and that gets the rip-roaring mystery plot running. It's a well written, high-paced mystery that actually branches out into multiple mysteries, so the fairly intricate structure of the plot is really fun – something Engberg is quite deft at here. Character-wise, there are elderly roommates, disaffected teenagers, and a complicated array of murder motives. Ultimately the engaging characters, the interesting settings, and the equally deft translation are what will bring readers back to Engberg’s works.Definitely looking forward to book 3.

The best mystery in years, Can't wait to read the next two Engberg novels. Very well written, intricate plot, interesting characters and intelligent observations about life. Highly recommend.

Right or wrong, the parents decision to put four teens in a private psychiatric facility initiates a string of tragic events beginning with the neglect and experimentation on these four innocent souls. This story speaks to social norms that allow either directly or not to write off those who are different. We put them away whetherunder psychiatric care or in prisons where they hidden away and possibly subjected to long term abuse. We convince ourselves that it is for the best while moving on with our “normal” lives. This benign neglect can have devastating/ tragic results. The unchecked providers of the so-called care facilities can have a life long effect on the lives of the patients, their families and the larger society. The impact of the Butterfly House begins with the suspicious death of a social worker and suicide of one of the facilities young charges. Three years later after the House is closed, the care and events at the “House” play out in the form of murder of staff members, a family breakup, and providers who are allowed to continue their abuses on other patients. The only way to correct theses wrongs is through the system that allowed them.

Got for 99p and one of the best books I’ve read in a while. Good plot, good characterisation and well read. This is No 2 of only 2 - book 1 here i come!

I found the American jargon jarring, and gave up before finishing the first chapter. I expect the content of the book was good, but I couldn't get along with the translation (cranky, suck it up ...)

I give this book 5 strawberries there were so many twists and turns making it a thoroughly exciting read ,I didn't want to put it down.

I enjoyed this book although it was a slow read. The ending was great and pulled together events. Just seemed to me a long story with unnneccessary turns.

Very good book with lots of twists and strong characters