Rites of Spring

Årstidskvartetten #4

by Anders de la Motte

Southern Sweden: Beautiful countryside, endless forests, coastal walks, dark days - and even darker nights. But beneath the beauty lies a dark heart . . .

Skåne, 1986: On the night of Walpurgis, the eve of May Day, where bonfires are lit to ward off evil spirits and preparations are made to celebrate the renewal of spring, a sixteen-year-old girl is ritualistically murdered in the woods beside a castle. Her stepbrother is convicted of the terrible deed and shortly after, the entire family vanishes without a trace.

Spring, 2019: Dr Thea Lind moves into the castle. After making a strange discovery in an ancient oak tree on the grounds, her fascination with the old tragedy deepens. As she uncovers more and more similarities between her own troubled past and the murdered girl, she begins to believe that the real truth of the killing was never uncovered.

What if the spring of 1986 claimed more than one victim?

Genres: Crime, Fiction, Mystery, Thriller, Mystery Thriller, Audiobook, Scandinavian Literature

397 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 1, 2020

About the author

Anders de la Motte (b. 1971) made his debut in 2010 with [geim], which won the Swedish Academy of Crime Writers' 'First Book Award'. He is a former Police Officer and was until recently Director of Security at one of the world's largest IT companies. He is currently an International Security Consultant. With his blend of fast-paced suspense, humor, and informed commentary on IT and social media, Anders de la Motte represents a distinct new voice in Scandinavian crime fiction: wild, playful and full of references to popular culture, including his literary cousin Philip K. Dick.

Reviews

[Ceecee · Rating 4 out of 5]

‘During Walpurgis Night, the veil between life and death is at its thinnest. Things are on the move, nature is hungry and the Green Man is riding through the forests’. Walpurgis Night is 30th April and May Day celebrations follow on with a sacrifice to spring having long been a tradition in many places. In 1986 in Bokelund, near Skåne, a dead girl is found on ancient stones which proves to be Elita Svarts. The novel weaves the rites of spring into the storytelling and is told in dual timelines, 1986 and the present day. Our principal storyteller is Thea Lind, a doctor formerly with Médecins sans Frontières and now married to David who is from Bokelund.

‘Hoof and Horn, hoof and horn. All that dies shall be reborn’. One of the best aspects of this Scandi thriller is the legends, traditions and legends of the Green Man and Walpurgis. This leads to a building sense of unease and tension which is at times hair raising, there’s a growing understanding that something is rotten and continues to putrefy to the present day. It’s chilling in places, a bit creepy, there’s a feeling of claustrophobia as Thea feels invisible eyes are watching her every move. She is on a mission to sift through the multitude of secrets and lies at the heart of the small tight knit rural community. There are some very good descriptions so you can visualise people and places, creating an atmosphere appropriate to the storyline. There’s additional intrigue surrounding Thea and her background which gives an extra edge and I like how Elita is given a voice which is spooky and spine tingling. There are a lot of seething emotions beneath the surface in both timelines which ranges from anger to jealousy to love and you can sense those well. As the plot builds so do the layers of mystery as Thea delves deeper trying to unlock the past to get to the truth which increases the danger for her.

However, there are a lot of characters to get your head around and some could have been further developed. The two timelines works more effectively later in the book, initially there’s a lot of switching from one to the other and it gets confusing. It’s overlong, there is some repetition and some plot elements are a bit convenient with parts of the conclusion feeling melodramatic. On the plus side I really like the double whammy plot twist at the end just when you think you’ve got it all figured out!!

Overall, despite a few reservations I really like the book with the use of legends infused into an atmospheric read. I would definitely want to read the rest of the quartet.

With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Bonnier Books UK, Zagreb for the arc in return for an honest review.

[morasia · Rating 5 out of 5]

cudo! drugi najlepszy kryminał w tym roku🤍 w Polsce książka wydana pod tytułem „Wiosenna ofiara”

[Liz Barnsley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rites of Spring was a highly addictive mystery, the kind that has the past/present vibe that I always enjoy.

Thea moves to her husbands home village where he is opening a new restaurant hoping to bring prosperity to the area. Thea gets obsessed with an old murder, that of a young girl, Elita, known as the spring sacrifice and long hidden secrets start to emerge.

This was a joy to read, tense and atmospheric with an unpredictable edgy feel and oft truly creepy moments that make it really haunting.

The plot is twisty as you like and Anders De La Motte weaves his web intelligently and with genuine atmosphere. I really had no idea where it would end up, I love when that happens.

Scandi Nour at it's best. Recommended

[Elaine Tomasso · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would like to thank Netgalley and Bonnier Books UK for an advance copy of Rites of Spring, the first novel in a projected quartet, set in the Skåne village of Tornaby.

Thea Lind moves with her husband David to his childhood home of Tornaby, she to become the village doctor and he to open a restaurant. She soon starts to hear about the murder of 16 year old Elita Svart and the conviction of her brother for the crime in 1986 and starts asking questions no one is prepared to answer.

I thoroughly enjoyed Rites of Spring, which is a creepy novel full of secrets and lies. There is a sense of menace throughout the novel, not just from the references to the Green Man and the superstitions surrounding it, but from Thea’s account of her feelings as she asks questions. Of course, feelings and emotions are subjective so the reader never really knows if she’s right.

The first half of the novel switches between the events of 1986 and the present day while the second half concentrates on the present and Thea’s investigation. The first half takes a bit of getting used to, because, while each 1986 chapter opens with a few words from Elita, it is told from another point of view, and the reader is left to figure out the relevance. Equally Thea’s chapters open with a few remarks to her friend, Margaux, but who is she? It can appear confusing but I found it compelling, urging me on to more reading.

I found the plot quite compulsive in parts, others were a touch repetitive as Thea slowly unravels the lies and secrets the village has kept for over 30 years and I think the solution is great. I’m not sure that the plot would work in most places, but a small village, where everyone’s lives intertwine and the good of the village is paramount, is ideal. Quite honestly I find the idea of everyone knowing my business horrendous and I don’t think the outsider, Thea, ever adapts, especially when she’s keeping secrets of her own. The judgement that comes down on her when they are revealed are as petty and small minded as the inhabitants.

Rites of Spring is a good read that I have no hesitation in recommending.

[Karin Schmid · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mit dem Buch "Bluteiche" habe ich den Autor Anders de la Motte kennen gelernt.
Kennen und schätzen gelernt.
Die Story führt zurück zu den Ereignissen in der Walpurgisnacht im Jahre 1985. In dieser Nacht wurde die Leiche der jungen Elita gefunden - wurde sie das Opfer eines Ritualmordes? Wer ist der grüne Reiter?
Verurteilt wird letztendlich ihr Stiefbruder..........
Jahre später kommt die junge Ärztin Thea mit ihrem Mann in den Ort um ein Nobelrestaurant zu eröffnen.......
Thea findet eine Dose mit brisantem Inhalt in der titelgebenden Bluteiche - und schon ist ihre Neugier geweckt. Allein auch deshalb, weil ihr Mann als 12-jähriger an diesem Abend mit dabei war.
Thea fängt an zu fragen, zu forschen, zu nerven.
Denn die Bewohner wollen nicht an diesen Vorfall erinnert werden.
Die Geschichte wechselt zwischen Vergangenheit und Gegenwart, der Schreibstil ist sehr interessant und gut lesbar, das Ende bietet noch einige Überraschungen und Spannung.
Für mich war dies sicher nicht das letzte Buch von Anders de la Motte.

[Evgenia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Εξαιρετικό βιβλίο, που διαβάστηκε μέσα σε δύο ημέρες! Πολύ καλές περιγραφές, σε μεταφέρουν στον τόπο και στο χρόνο.
Η υπόθεση διαδραματίζεται σε τρία επίπεδα: στο παρόν, στο μακρινό παρελθόν, και σε ένα πιο κοντινό παρελθόν μέσω σύντομων μηνυμάτων.
Πριν χρόνια, μια νεαρή κοπέλα βρίσκεται νεκρή κατά τη διάρκεια μιας τελετής για τον ερχομό της Άνοιξης. Ο θάνατος της συνεχίζει να στοιχειώνει τους κατοίκους της περιοχής, και να προκαλεί την περιέργεια μιας νεοφερμένης γιατρού. Θα αποκαλυφθούν άραγε τα πραγματικά γεγονότα της μοιραίας νύχτας; Θα αποδοθεί δικαιοσύνη;

5/5

[Therése Mellby · Rating 3 out of 5]

Spännande, men upplösningen var mycket otillfredsställande.

[Elina · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 και κάτι αστεράκια γιατί ενώ είχε ωραία πλοκή η λύση παραηταν πολύπλοκη για να είναι πειστική.

[Jasmin · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm not sure how I feel about the story; I might enjoy the plot, but there are some elements with which I'm afraid I must disagree. One thing is for certain: I dislike Thea. Her secrecy, lies, and nosy personality irritate me. I can’t fathoms why she was so invested/obsessed with the old case. To be honest, I don't see any commonalities between her and Evita's other than the fact that they both have abusive fathers. Again, I don't think Thea's father is all that bad; he made mistakes when Thea was young, but he changed by the end of the story. Thea's relationship with David appears to be strange as well. She should not marry him if her heart belongs to someone else.
In my opinion, this novel is quite simple but has been dragged out far too long; there aren't many significant events in it; and I constantly feel like I'm inside the head of a problematic protagonist.

3 ⭐️⭐️⭐️ from me

[Mrs Book Pond (Anna-Lena) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Strålande avslutning av årstidskvartetten med stämningsfulla, kusliga miljöer och en komplex, intressant huvudperson i Thea Lind. Jag är förtjust i hur förebilden Kronovalls slott förvandlats till Bokelund och den fiktive legenden Bladmannen fått form. Det påminner mig starkt om Fred Vargas Spökryttarna från Ordebec på något sätt. Det gav också en extra dimension att läsa boken i samband med Valborg!

[Anna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tyckte denna boken var bäst ur årstidskvartetten.

[Britt-Marie Kullin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Betyg: 5 av 5.

Anders de la Motte tillhör verkligen en av mina absoluta favoritförfattare. Vintereld är hans nionde bok, och jag har läst dom allihopa. Först ut är trilogin Geim, Buzz, och Bubble. Sedan duon MemoRandom och UltiMatum. Och så dom fyra böckerna i Årstidskvartetten: Slutet på sommaren, Höstdåd, Vintereld, och så den här, Våroffer. Jag har verkligen tyckt om alla författarens nio böcker, och alla har fått höga betyg av mig.

Även om jag har gillat alla Anders de la Mottes böcker, så är det böckerna i Årstidskvartetten som jag har tyckt allra bäst om. Och Våroffer gjorde mig absolut inte besviken. För den var minst lika bra som dom tre tidigare böckerna i serien. Jag tycker att böckerna i Årstidskvartetten är så mycket mer än kriminalromaner. Dom är lika mycket stora familjedraman, tycker jag.

Våroffer är, precis som dom tre tidigare böckerna i serien, mycket välskriven, oerhört spännande, väldigt gripande, och totalt oförutsägbar. Och tyvärr så kunde jag knappt lägga ifrån mig boken, så den tog slut alldeles för fort.

Jag rekommenderar absolut boken Våroffer till alla, både till deckarälskare, men även till dom som inte läser deckare. För det här är så mycket mer än en kriminalroman, tycker jag. Böckerna i serien är helt fristående från varandra, så egentligen spelar det väl ingen roll i vilken ordning som man läser dom. Men läs alla fyra, för dom är mycket, mycket bra, allihopa.

Och eftersom den här serien nu är klar, så är jag ju väldigt nyfiken på vad som kommer nästa gång av Anders de la Motte. Speciellt eftersom dom tre serierna har varit så olika varandra.

[Sirli Uiboupin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hoidsin seda viimast raamatut autori aastaaegade sarjast pikalt riiulil, kuni raatsisin lõpuks lugemiseks võtta. Kõik peale esimese, suveraamatu, on mu viietärni listis. Ja sinna ei satu neid just liiga palju.

Pärast oma parima sõbra ränka vigastust Süürias, lahkub Thea Lind Piirideta Arstidest, pöördub tagasi Rootsi ning abiellub koka Davidiga. Pärast ebaõnnestumist Stockholmi restoraniäris, püüab mees kodukanti tagasi kolides käima lükata eksklusiivset restorani kohalikus lossis. Suuresjooneline avamise pidu on plaanitud Volbriõhtuks. Juhuslikul jalutuskäigul leiab Thea iidvana tamme tüvest pildi rohkem kui 30 aastat tagasi Volbriööl mõrvatud kohalikust tüdrukust 4 noorema lapsega. Tüdruku mõrvas mõisteti süüdi ta kasuvend, ning nende ülejäänud pere kadus peale matust jäljetult.

Thead hakkab lugu huvitama, kuid ta mehe pere ja ka kõik kohalikud püüavad seda summutada. Peatselt järgnevad ka hoiatused ähvarduste näol. Kuna Thea ja mõrvatud tüdruku minevikus on mõndagi ühist, ei suuda naine uurimist jätta.

See on mitme perekonna lugu läbi paljude aastate. Samas on see kogukonna lugu, kuidas ühes väikses külas valitseb omaette maailm, omad liidrid ja omad juhid, kes otsutavad, kuidas kõigil teistel käituda tuleb. Kuidas omi hoitakse ja kuidas mõne tähtsama kogukondse nimel mõni vähemtähtis ohverdatakse. Samas kui inimestel oleks julgus ausaks jääda, oleks vähem kannatusi ja hingepiinu kõigil. Saladuste maha matmine ja varjamine on ränk koorem kanda.

Üks lemmikuid. Hoian oma riiulis koos tema 2 kaaslsega ning soovitan lahkelt ka edasi.

[Janne · Rating 4 out of 5]

1986.a volbriööl tapetakse ühe lossi lähedal 16-aastane tüdruk. Jääb mulje, et tegemist on rituaalmõrvaga. Tüdruku kasuvend mõistetakse süüdi ja kohe peale seda kaob kogu nende perekond jäljetult.

2019.a kolib lossi Thea. Juhuslikult leiab ta vana tamme tüvest kummalise eseme ja hakkab surnud tüdruku lugu lähemalt uurima. Mida aeg edasi, seda kindlamalt on ta veendunud, et kogu tõde pole veel päevavalgele tulnud.
•
Lugu on nagu tüüpiline krimka. Väike koht ja suur saladus, millest mitte keegi rääkida ei taha. Selliste lugude taga on alati rohkem peidus kui esmapilgul tundub. Üleüldse tundub uskumatu kui kaugele on inimesed võimelised minema, et vana saladus välja ei tuleks, sest eks neil ole palju kaotada ka.

Lõpuks jõuab lugu ikkagi selleni, et oleks võinud kohe tõtt rääkida ja kogu see aastatepikkune valetamine ja vassimine oleks võinud olla olemata.

Ega ma rohkem ei saagi midagi öelda ilma spoilerdamata, sest see on alles nii uus raamat, et enamusel kindlasti lugemata.

Mulle väga meeldib krimkasid lugeda, aga head detektiivi minust küll ei saaks. Ma sain väga kiiresti aru, et kasuvend ei olnud süüdi, aga kes siis oli, ei osanud ma küll välja mõelda. Aga võib olla just see ongi ühe hea krimka saladus, et ei oleks ettearvatav ?

[Caroline · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another brilliant thriller by Anders de la Motte. This is my favourite to date. The author ramps up the tension throughout and, just when I thought I had it all figured out, surprised me at the end. That's my kind of book.

[Nick Gummerson · Rating 2 out of 5]

Initially I liked this, I was reading another novel simultaneously, when I finished that and was concentrated only on this I realised how irritating the character of Thea was... Glad it's over

[Rice Tlin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Meandering at the beginning without a goal, then turning up at the end and ending in a massively confused finale. Not a big fan, but the middle third reads quite exciting.

[Alan Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

‘Ok, I admit it. I’ve become completely obsessed with the mystery of Elita Svart. A dead girl whose spirit seems to hover over the area, even though her house was boarded up the day after her funeral. A dead girl whom nobody wants to talk about, yet someone still lays flowers on her grave.’

When Thea Lind moves with her husband to the village in which he grew up, and in which she is to be the new GP, she finds herself drawn to a Polaroid image of a teenage girl, dressed in white, bound at the wrists in ribbons held by four younger children in animal masks; a girl who died, was murdered, in an apparent ‘spring sacrifice’ to the Green Man. As her interest increases, the mystery deepens. Why does no one in the village, including her husband and in-laws, want to speak about the murder? Was Elita Svart complicit in her own murder? Is the man found guilty truly responsible for the death?

The book is chillingly atmospheric. Thea’s investigation is intercut with flashbacks to the events of Walpurgis Night, 1986 and extracts from a letter left by the murdered girl. The plot is purposely slow which only adds to the growing feeling of unease. Indeed, the novel reads very much like a gothic horror novel, reminding me of Harvest Home, of the Wicker Man, and of Midsommar. At times, the prose, and the pace, is reminiscent of Shirley Jackson. There is a strangeness, a coldness to many of the characters which, again, really fits the gothic tone of the narrative and adds to the reader’s disquiet and uncertainty.

Anders de la Motte has a great feel for the Swedish countryside in which the action takes place and he weaves the folklore, pagan rituals and beliefs into an unsettling mystery. RITES OF SPRING is unlike any other ‘Scandi-crime’ novels I have read. I look forward to the other seasons in the Skåne quartet.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 rounded up

This is the second of Anders de la Motte's Seasonal Quartet that I have read. Like the previous book (Summer) the novel is told in dual time lines - a past crime and a current re-examination. In this instance the crime is the murder of a teenage girl in 1986 on Walpurgis, the eve of May Day, where bonfires are lit to ward off evil spirits and to celebrate spring. In the second timeline, the Spring of 2019, Dr Thea Lind and her chef husband have moved back to the town and she becomes fascinated by the old case and her husbands involvement when he was a child witness.

The opening sections required considerable concentration. There is a large cast of characters and because the dual time lines alternate quickly, and are very short, there is a lot to take in. The second half of the book was much easier to follow and, having established the main characters, moved more rapidly, and with escalating tension, to expose past lies and ultimately the truth about the death of sixteen year old Elita Svarts.

The author is a former police officer and this experience certainly shows in these novels. I really enjoyed the inclusion of the legends and traditions around Walpurgis and the excellent descriptions of the region. I am looking forward to the next two books.

[Vasilis · Rating 4 out of 5]

As with the other three books of the series, I have really enjoyed reading this novel. The Scandi vibes, the mystery, it was all fun. If there is something that keeps me from giving it 5 stars, it was probably because I found some parts of it, especially some of the behaviour of the main character, a bit cringe. But still, though, an immensely fun book to read 😀

[Madde J · Rating 3 out of 5]

Som vanligt mycket bra bok av de la Motte.
Tvisten på upplösningen var oväntad.

[Kaia Soe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Alguses ei saanud vedama, pärast pidama. Väga hea raamat!

[Anja Hildén · Rating 3 out of 5]

Samma formel som de tre tidigare i kvartetten. Habilt, men kom på något nytt nu, please.

[Kleopatra Markou · Rating 4 out of 5]

3,75✨️

[Monika]

betyg och recension kommer senare

[Doms · Rating 5 out of 5]

Prostě knihy od Anderse de la Motte jsou srdcovky!

[Oda · Rating 2 out of 5]

Bøkene i kvartetten er velskrevne, men rett og slett litt for like. Alle er variations on a theme. Alle har en "cold case" med ungdommer på 80-tallet og en hovedperson i nåtiden med hemmeligheter i bagasjen. Alle har en eller annen bygdepamp med masse makt i en skurkerolle. I tillegg skal alt dette liksom ha skjedd i samme område i Skåne? Risky fylke å være tenåring i in the 80s...

[Bookworm · Rating 5 out of 5]

I may bumble through this review because when I really love a good story, unfortunately, words will fail me. A fascinating story that is set in Sweden in the days leading up to Walpurgis night. Think bonfires, an old castle and a spring sacrifice...

The story moves through two different timelines, one in 1986 and the other present day. I love how atmospheric this story was. Although there were many characters, they somehow added value and intrigue to the plot. It's one of those books I had to scribble a mind map and make notes so I could work out who did it. Yes, it is nerdy but hey, I was 99% right in the end!

I love Thea and how determined and calm she portrayed herself even though everything in her life was crumbling down. I am itching to read another book by Anders de la Motte! Hope the English version of End of Summer will be out in stores soon.

[Helen Carolan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fab piece of Scandi writing. 1986 and a young girl is killed on the night of a spring festival. Four younger children witnessed the murder and their confused statements may have sent the wrong man to prison. Now 30yrs later 3 of these children return to the village to open a new hotel. One their ring-leader is bringing his new wife, a doctor recovering from the horrors of Syria. Like him she has secrets and when she begins to delve into the murder, not only will a villages secrets be exposed, her own look likely to come tumbling out as well. Excellent reads with some wonderful twists.

[Sue · Rating 5 out of 5]

Give me a book about small town secrets and lies and I am always going to be happy. Throw in a gorgeous Scandinavian location, a mystery to be solved, and some fabulous folklore, and I will be a very happy bunny indeed - which certainly proves to be the case with this glorious Scandi thriller by bestselling Swedish author Anders de la Motte.

Dr Thea Lind is newly arrived in the Skåne village of Tornaby, the childhood village of her husband David who hopes to open a Michelin starred restaurant in the old castle with the help of the Bokelund Foundation.

Thea is unsure of how her relationship with her husband lies, but feels obliged to back him in his newest venture after all the support he has given her with her recovery from the PTSD that troubles her after serving in war-torn Syria. But she still feels like a fish out of water and under close scrutiny in the tight-knit community she now finds herself a part of, and more than a little suspicious that the whole situation has been arranged by the machinations of her formidable mother-in-law, who co-incidentally heads the Bokelund Foundation.

As Thea settles into small town life, she comes across a strange token and polaroid photograph hidden in an old tree dedicated to the legend of the Green Man, near the castle. The picture shows a young girl tied down on a slab in the middle of the nearby ancient stone circle, surrounded by four young children in animal masks, and is clearly intended to be some sort of re-enactment of the old spring sacrifice ceremony.

When Thea discovers that a sixteen-year-old girl, Elita Svarts, was murdered at the stone circle in 1986, and that her husband is one of the children in the photograph, she is desperate to find out what happened all those years ago. No one wants to talk about the tragedy, least of all David, but Thea is adept at solving puzzles and the connection she feels to Elita, through their shared childhood experiences, compels her to pursue her investigation - leading her to find out that not only was Elita murdered, but that her step-brother was convicted of killing her, and strangely, the remaining members of Elita's family disappeared without a trace after the funeral.

Thea is convinced that there is something funny about the whole business and the way mouths clamp shut once she raises the subject, and as the puzzle pieces fall into place she is certain that the wrong man was blamed for Elita's death. At the same time, more than one person is unhappy about her prying into the past, and her quest is leading her into dangerous waters - and the risk that her own closely-guarded secrets may come to light too.

The tension mounts beautifully as Thea goes about solving the mystery of Elita's death, and we learn of her own secret past and repressed feelings. The action in the present is also broken up by glimpses of what actually happened all those years ago through the eyes of those present, giving some slick red-herrings to distract you, and short narrative passages in Elita's own words which make you question exactly what her intentions were. Both timelines collide beautifully with an eventful climax on Walpurgis Night during the inaugural dinner at the castle - but Anders de la Motte is not done with revealing all there is to know quite yet, and there are still some eventful scenes that play out before the sad truth is known in full.

The plot is deliciously twisty, the menacing mood draws nicely on the underlying supernatural themes of the folklore surrounding the legend of the Green Man and sacrifice, and the claustrophobic location of the forest backdrop and creepy castle is perfection. Think a mix of Stieg Larsson and C.J. Tudor, with a big dollop of The Wicker Man and you will get the glorious picture. I really enjoyed the way de le Motte uses the analogy of a jigsaw puzzle being put together throughout, and the similarities he draws between Thea and Elita's backgrounds - especially the way Thea draws strength from this.

Rites of Spring is by far the best Scandi thriller I have read in ages, and I was unable to put this page-turner down until I had consumed the gripping story in full. In fact, I enjoyed it so much that I have already pre-ordered the next book in the Skåne Quartet, End of Summer, which is coming in August, and will be making Anders de la Motte one of my auto-buy authors from now on.