By Lene Kaaberbol, Agnete Friis
Soho Crime, $24.00, 313 pages
ISBN 9781569479810

The title of the hottest new Scandanavian crime thriller – and first in the Nina Borg series –  offers just one piece of the puzzle. The Boy in the Suitcase by Lene Kaaberbol recounts the story of Red Cross nurse Nina Borg, a habitual do-gooder who has trouble saying no. When Borg’s friend Karin gives her a key to a locker in the Copenhagen train station, the nurse and mother of two gets pulled into a treacherous web of intrigue, mayhem, and murder. Once Nina discovers the contents of the suitcase, she’s torn about what may happen next. Should she consult the authorities and turn him over?

“Nina watched in the rearview mirror until the girl turned to walk in the direction of Stenogade, narrow shoulders tense and raised as though she were cold. An acidic, heavy puff of exhaust and hot pavement reached Nina through the open car window, and for a moment she had to struggle with a burning compulsion to turn around and drag the girl back in the car.”

Soon enough, Nina finds herself pulled into the seedy underbelly of Copenhagen as she searches for the boy’s family. When Karin is murdered, Nina finds her own life is in danger as she and the boy race against time, with Denmark as the backdrop, until the novel reaches its shocking conclusion.

While the first several chapters confused me (because so many characters are introduced), the remainder of the story fascinated me. Kaaberbol presents a strong female protagonist who searches for the truth. If you enjoy a fast-paced thriller, The Boy in the Suitcase will not disappoint.

Reviewed by LuAnn Schindler