The Hypnotist

Lars Kepler

Book 1 in the series:Joona Linna

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The Hypnotist by Lars Kepler follows the story of a hypnotist, Erik Bark, who is called in by detective Joona Linna to hypnotize a young boy whose family has been murdered. As the plot unfolds, Erik's son is kidnapped, leading to a series of twists and turns in the narrative. The book contains two distinct plots that are related to each other only through the actions of the characters involved in both, with suspense building in the second half of the story. The writing style includes detailed psychological issues of the characters, flashbacks to past events, and multiple perspectives that contribute to the complexity of the plot.

Characters:

Characters are richly developed, exhibiting flaws and complex emotions, which enhances the story's psychological depth.

Writing/Prose:

The prose features a straightforward style with present tense narration and a blend of graphic detail that enhances the storytelling.

Plot/Storyline:

The intricate plot involves a brutal family murder, the psychological impact on the sole survivor, and the ethical dilemmas of using hypnosis to solve the crime.

Setting:

The Swedish setting provides a chilling backdrop that is integral to the novel's dark themes and intensifies the psychological drama.

Pacing:

While the novel keeps a generally fast pace with short chapters, it also suffers from sections that drag or feel disjointed due to flashbacks and numerous subplots.

He fumbles to find the ringing phone, creeping out of the bedroom with it and closing the door behind him to avoid waking Simone. A detective named Joona Linna asks if he is sufficiently awake to abso...

Notes:

The Hypnotist is written by a husband-and-wife duo, Lars Kepler, using a pseudonym for Alexandra and Alexander Ahndoril.

This is the first novel in the Joona Linna series, which includes at least three books: The Hypnotist, The Paganini Contract, and The Nightmare.

The novel begins with the brutal murder of an entire family, leaving only their teenage son as the surviving witness.

Dr. Erik Maria Bark, a psychiatrist and former hypnotist, is persuaded to hypnotize the traumatized boy to uncover details of the murder.

Bark had sworn ten years earlier never to use hypnosis again due to a traumatic incident involving a patient.

The series has been compared to Stieg Larsson's work, especially for its gripping themes and psychological depth.

The book contains graphic descriptions of violence, including a scene where a young girl is described as being cut in half.

Detective Inspector Joona Linna is known for his accuracy, claiming he is never wrong, and takes an active role in the investigation.

The narrative flows quickly with very short chapters, contributing to the fast pacing and suspense.

The characters in The Hypnotist are described as flawed and complex, making them more relatable to readers.

Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings

Content warnings for The Hypnotist include graphic violence, trauma, child abduction, and mental health issues.

From The Publisher:

YOUR MIND IS HIS PLAYGROUND.

A gruesome triple homicide. There's only one surviving witness-the boy whose family was killed before his eyes . . . and he can't remember what happened.

The police are desperate for information. Detective Joona Linna enlists the help of hypnotist Erik Maria Bark. But when Bark unlocks the secrets in the boy's memory, he triggers a terrifying chain of events that will put all their lives in jeopardy.

Ratings (8)

Loved It (3)
Liked It (2)
It Was OK (2)
Did Not Like (1)

Reader Stats (17):

Read It (8)
Want To Read (8)
Not Interested (1)

1 comment(s)

ColorfulLeo92

Loved It

2 months

I still like it but upon my reread of this I didn't find this as mind bending as the first time. Maybe not that weird sinse I knew all the twist and turns but enjoyable nevertheless. One of my goals of 2021 is to reread the hole Joona Lina series.

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About the Author:

LARS KEPLER is the pseudonym of the critically acclaimed husband-and-wife team Alexandra Coelho Ahndoril and Alexander Ahndoril. Their number one internationally best-selling Killer Instinct series has sold more than 15 million copies in forty languages. The Ahndorils were both established…

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