The Shadow Lily

Set on the Swedish island of Öland, Mo’s plodding sequel to 2020’s The Night Singer follows police detective Hanna Duncker and her partner, Erik Lindgren, as they investigate the sudden disappearance of a troubled local, Thomas Ahlström, and his baby son, Hugo. Ahlström is eventually discovered to have been murdered, yet Hugo remains missing. Among the many suspects are Ahlström’s daughter, Lykke, whom he abandoned in infancy; his ne’er-do-well friend, Mille Bergman; his suspicious real estate agency boss, Karl Friberg; and Friberg’s nervous daughter, Selene. Intertwined with the story are Duncker’s own troubles—in particular, her father’s conviction of a murder she doesn’t believe he committed. Meanwhile, Lindgren feels anxious about his Indian wife’s return from her home country with their young child. Duncker and Lindgren, both admirable professionals, encounter a surfeit of false leads as they methodically go about their work. Some mystery readers will struggle to stay engaged, especially as unresolved backstories fill half the book. Fans of realistic, detail-oriented police procedurals will best appreciate this one. Agent: Kaisa Palo, Ahlander Agency (Sweden). (Aug.)