Book Review: The Sanctuary by Katrine Engberg ( Korner and Werner #5)

 My Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

An abandoned suitcase with half of a body inside it, found in a park in downtown Copenhagen, sets the clock in motion for the frantic search for a brutal killer. The identity of the victim is yet to be determined and while the police try to match the victim to recently reported missing person reports, clues lead Detective Anette Werner to the island of Bornholm, where she teams up with local law enforcement and is also assisted by her former partner Jeppe Korner, who is currently on leave from the Violent Crimes Department in Copenhagen and is working as a lumberjack on the island. As they proceed with the investigation into the probable connection between the island and the brutal murder, positively identify the victim and find out who killed him and to what end, Korner uncovers a lot more than he expected about the people he had been interacting with on a regular basis over the past months– failing businesses, missing money, family secrets, the absconding criminally inclined son of a deceased anthropologist and a fundamentalist church that was founded and is funded by influential members of the community. Esther di Laurenti is also on the island and has an important role in this story, indirectly helping Jesse uncover the secrets of the island as she works through the old letters of the late anthropologist whose biography she is currently writing. The inhabitants of the island and their secrets and backstories present us with the multiple threads in the plot and the author does a great job of connecting everything with the primary narrative.

While The Butterfly House remains my favorite in this series, The Sanctuary by Katrine Engberg comes in as a very close second. Intriguing mystery, the atmospheric setting of the island, multiple suspects, long-buried secrets and a satisfying twist make for an absorbing read. The narrative is medium-paced but consistent and though the author leaves plenty of breadcrumbs along the way, I enjoyed the gradual unraveling of the mystery and the suspenseful build-up to the finale. I liked how this time the author kept the focus primarily on solving the case and exploring the multiple threads that connect to the murder, instead of distracting with a whole lot of personal drama of the main characters (which was a major complaint of mine with the previous book in the series). Overall, a thoroughly enjoyable read! This is the fifth book in the original series but the fourth book that has been translated into English. I wish Book #2 could also be made available in English.

Many thanks to the author, Gallery books and NetGalley for the digital review copy. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. The Sanctuary is due for release on February 07, 2023.