The Corpse Flower
By Anne Mette Hancock
The Corpse Flower, the English translation of a classic Danish thriller, Kaldan og Schäfer #1, is a dark, compelling thriller that starts with a fascinating premise and blooms into a full-blown den of secrets.
A corpse flower is also known as the penis plant. It smells like rotten flesh. Its nickname refers to the shape of the bloom. The same week that The Corpse Flower was released, a penis plant bloomed in the Netherlands, marking only the third time that species has bloomed in Europe since 1997. It is ugly and smells like rotting flesh.
So why are people fascinated with the flower? As a character in the book points out, it’s because the corpse flower has evolved to survive.
The flower is a fitting symbol for this excellent crime story. I knew it was going to get uglier, but I couldn’t look away. I didn’t want to look away.
A lawyer from a powerful and wealthy family was murdered, and security footage showed Anna Kiel covered in blood and walking away from the building. Anna was to undergo trial for the murder, but she vanished without a trace. Three years later, Danish journalist Heloise Kaldan suddenly receives cryptic letters signed by Anna. Those letters prompt an investigation to revisit the cold case and figure out how it triggers later events.
Throughout the novel, Anne Mette Hancock introduces new characters with seemingly different secrets and deftly connects each to the story. All of the characters were connected to the plot in some way, and their thoughts and actions made sense. We see how these characters have evolved to survive. The tight story starts dark and gets even darker as Kaldan and Detective Erik Schäfer work to uncover the mystery of the letters and ultimately the truth behind the lawyer’s murder.
Hancock set the right mood as she dragged me deeper and deeper into the plot. The story grows more horrifying as it progresses toward the explosive climax. The resolution reasonably ties up the major plot issues. While the reader is aware of the characters’ secrets, there are still plenty that are hidden from other characters. Those secrets could impact future books in the series. At least I hope they do.
The Corpse Flower is smelly and ugly and fascinating, just like the actual flower. It is also well-written and enthralling and a wonderful choice for thriller seekers.
The Corpse Flower is smelly and ugly and fascinating, just like the actual flower. It is also well-written and enthralling and a wonderful choice for thriller seekers. @crookedlanebks #NetGalley #TheCorpseFlower Share on X
Thank you, Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley, for an advance review copy.
