The trio was enjoying an as yet peaceful day when Wittberg gets a report of a decapitated horse found in a pasture by two young girls. What is even more bizarre is the head of the unfortunate animal is missing. The local press headed by Johan Berg, a journalist, and Pia Lilja, his cameraperson , are on the story immediately.

Archaeology is a popular subject in the local college in Visby for a very good reason. Gotland was a major Viking stronghold from the ninth through the eleventh centuries so finding a likely site to excavate is not difficult. Eager students from all over the world have come to take a summer course including Martina Flochten, a vivacious girl from the Netherlands. Martina is thrilled to have uncovered a significant “find.”

A few days later after a weekend party, Martina goes missing. Her roommate and several other friends report that she had set off in the direction of their hostel as the evenings festivities wound down, but no one has seen her since. Although her friends cannot confirm it, they suspect she may have been seeing someone whose identity she wished to keep secret.

When Martina’s body is eventually found, Knutas and his staff have their hands full. She has been murdered in a most brutal way. After consulting with a local expert, Knutas learns the appearance of Martina’s body suggests a ritual murder in the tradition of the Aesir gods. Moreover, the decapitated horse plays a part in the ritual. This is all edifying information for Knutas, but why was Martina chosen as a victim? And, will she be the only victim?

The Inner Circle is a bit of a departure from the usual dark Scandinavian crime novel. While a major focus of the plot is a horrific ritual murder, there are several subplots which involve more uplifting relationships between prominent characters in the story. Jungstedt does a credible job of establishing her characters as individuals with whom the reader can identify allowing some relief from the tragic drama that is unfolding. All of the main characters have personal lives which are not focused on blood and guts, but still command some emotional strain. It is educational to learn how a character reacts in a situation which has no clear cut “right” answer.

An interesting addition to the novel is the inclusion of a map of Gotland with the principal places indicated. For those readers unfamiliar with Sweden and its islands, the map provides a frame of reference that might otherwise be more difficult to discern from the text.

Some of the details of the archeological excavation are given, as well as a brief synopsis of the Viking presence on the island thousands of years ago. The fact that there are so many Viking artifacts present in a localized area makes the discovery of these objects more likely. The presence of objects of historical importance is an obvious invitation to those with few scruples to acquire and sell such objects. This fact provides another facet of the novel.

The ability of Jungstedt to blend a brutal crime with lighter, yet not frivolous topics speaks to her talent as a writer. The translator, Tiina Nunnally, should also be commended for rendering the work into English that flows well.

--Andy Plonka