JAGTEN PÅ ANITA – THE VANISHED
By Sara Blædel
ONE NOVEMBER DAY, the police are called out to a summer cottage in Reersø, where they find the body of a man. He has been lying there for a long time and is difficult to identify, but it turns out that the dead man is Vibe’s brother, Claes. Vibe owns the funeral parlour where Ilka works, and Claes cut off all contact with his sister and the rest of the family without explanation four years earlier.
AS THE POLICE begin investigating the death, it emerges that Claes was connected to a woman named Anita, who has vanished without a trace. Eight years earlier, Anita was at the centre of a terrible family tragedy in which her two children drowned during a boat trip with their father. At the time, Anita claimed that the children’s father deliberately drowned them, but the police did not take her statements seriously and the father was never suspected or convicted.
ILKA IS FACED with an important life decision. She must choose whether to go all in on her passion for horses or take the safe route and invest in the funeral parlour in Østerbro, which Vibe has put up for sale. For once, Ilka opts for the sensible choice – but before long, it becomes clear that it was the funeral parlour’s previous owner, Vibe and Claes’ father, who buried the missing woman’s two children.
WHEN ANITA CONTACTS the funeral parlour out of the blue, asking to speak with the former owner, who is now dead, Ilka finds herself drawn into the police investigation and the search for Anita.
ABOUT THE BOOK
First published by Politikens Forlag, Denmark 2025
RIGHTS SOLD TO
Denmark, Politikens Forlag
REVIEWS
Sara Blædel guides her audience into a framework of understanding where they gain insight into and empathy for the victim rather than simply being titillated by the horror of her suffering. It is tactful and much needed. […] Hits right at the heart of the relentless, frightening reality.
– Berlingske
The Vanished is an intense and well-written crime novel in which family secrets, past traumas, and present-day choices are elegantly intertwined. A book that keeps you hooked from start to finish and further proof that Sara Blædel is still among the best at writing captivating, human suspense novels.
@krimispot
It’s exciting, human, and full of the little nuances that Blædel is so good at writing about. She mixes the pace of a thriller with a warm and believable story about grief, forgiveness, and the courage to start over. […] And as always, we get plenty of Ilka’s quirky charm, drive, and unfortunate coincidences. […] I love that Blædel dares to slow down the pace a little and let us get to know the characters intimately without compromising the suspense. It feels like returning home to a universe you know and love, but where there are still plenty of new secrets to uncover. Six big hearts from here.
@bookbestiesdk
I love it. It’s fast-paced, and I found myself holding my breath and cheering Ilka on several times. Sara Blædel always writes well, but I think this is the best in The Ilka Jensen Series.
@krummeskrummelurer
I really, really hope we get another book about Ilka – I simply HAVE to find out how things will turn out with the funeral parlour and, perhaps especially, with the trotting stable at Bydeholm Manor!
@frk._west
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