Author Sara Blaedel has been a force to be reckoned within her native Denmark as she has been a advocate and figure in crime fiction for many years, founding the first crime fiction publishing house in her home country. Blaedel’s books are published in 17 countries and she was voted Denmark’s most popular novelist for the third time in 2011. Her close relationship with the Copenhagen Police gives her novels sharp insight into current social issues, be it online dating (like in her first novel, “Call Me Princess”), human trafficking (the topic of her upcoming “Farewell to Freedom”), or honor killings. The latter subject is the focus of the international bestselling series featuring Detective Louise Rick and journalist Camilla Lind, entitled “Only One Life” (Pegasus Crime, $25.00).

It was clearly no ordinary drowning. Inspector Rick is immediately called out to Holbreak Fjord when a young immigrant girl is found in the watery depths. Her name is Samra, and the Inspector soon learns that her short life was a sad story. Her father had already been charged once with assaulting her and her mother, Sada, makes it clear that her husband is capable of killing their daughter if she brought dishonor to the family. However, the mother maintains that Samra hasn’t done anything dishonorable, yet she was supposed to be sent back to Jordan. Samra’s best friend, Dicte, thinks it was an honor killing, but a few days later Dicte is discovered, bludgeoned to death, and Samra’s younger sister has gone missing.

Navigating the complex web of family and community ties in Copenhagen’s tightly knit ethnic communities, the inspector must find this remorseless predator, or predators, before it is too late.

Contact staff writer Bobbi Booker at (215) 893-5749 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .