As always Lars Kepler books are suspenseful,disturbing and intriguing in equal measure. Twice I had to stop reading as I was getting anxious. Also couldn’t read it at bedtime it scared me!! Didn’t want to be awake half the night. Very good read and fast paced.

Wickedly dark, suspenseful and highly addictive, a race against time, thrill a minute read This may be the 9th novel to feature Joona Linna but it is a series that always stays fresh, it does though get better with each book. A read which left me breathless. This was a book which I raced through such was the pacing and the heightened anticipation that the authors constructed into each chapter. In part crime novel, for me in parts horror, there are passages which chilled me to the bone, but I couldn’t stop reading The plot is complex in that the Police are out to stop nine murders before they take place, however, they have a killer who likes to tease them with riddles and also to keep one step ahead, one thing with the story, right until the end you are not sure who the killer is, in fact the waters only get muddier as the suspect pile builds and you start to question what you think you know and unthinkable becomes possible, the authors really know how to twist things. Throughout the book, you go for a rollercoaster of a ride with frenetic pacing, heart stopping moments, the book is laced with the macabre as the killer has their own unique method, one which leaves you wincing, It is a strongly written book that pulls no punches with its narrative, the protagonists within are written in way that they come at you fully formed each with a sense of who they are The book takes off in many directions and twists and turns along the way, everyone will be tested to the limit in the search for the truth It is an aptly named book, the authors certainly ensnare the reader in their web of deceit and intrigue The ending of the book is sublime in its build and dramatic tension with a reveal that comes at you in an unexpected way. It has to be said that by the end you feel a certain empathy with the characters There is a darkness to the book which befit the landscape which all adds to the atmosphere and an overriding sense of dread and foreboding This is a standout 5* read which I would highly recommend, certainly one of the years top reads

This is the 9th book in the always dark Joona Linna series and I recommend that you read the others in the series as it does have some recurring characters other than the police duo. Lars Kepler (actually a husband and wife duo) specialises in complex mysteries, innovative and deeply creepy murders and pretty disturbing serial killers. In The Spider, Detective Superintendent Joona Linna of Sweden’s National Crime Unit is working with his colleague, Saga Bauer. Saga plays a leading role in this book and we see that, just as a spider weaves a gossamer thin web to trap his flies, so this Spider is setting out to entrap our intrepid duo. An old threat, almost forgotten, suddenly comes to the fore. A series of figurines arrive suggesting a string of victims and it is not long before a violent and macabre murder is committed and the body displayed in graphic style. Through a series of complex riddles, our perpetrator appears to give the police the opportunity to stop this series of murders. It does not take long to discover that an enemy we thought had long gone has reappeared and is bent on vengeance. Joona Linna and Saga Bauer are caught in a deadly battle to stop this murderer, but in this web of deceit, has the spider already woven his silver threads around this pair? Just like the predatory spider, this murderer is leaving a trail designed to ensure that Joona and Saga will walk straight into his trap and his lure is the series of gruesome and lurid murders that lead straight to this sticky web. The inventiveness of the serial killer, the complexity of the riddles and the pace of the story deliver plenty of action and excitement as a deadly psychological game plays out. This killer is both cruel and cunning; he knows exactly how to draw Saga and Joona into his lair. This is a very well-conceived race against time, with the threat to each victim seemingly offering another step forward on the path to finding the killer. Kepler’s innovative killing methods married with an insight into the mind of this loathsome protagonist also prays on the fears of each of the victims, leading to a scary and nightmare inducing read. Each of these murders resonates hard with Joona and Saga and every time they fail to stop the next murder, they lose a little of their confidence in their ability to catch this most heinous of killers. The speed of the violence strikes hard, and the series of puzzles lead the reader down a path that ends in yet more dramatic and very graphic displays of death. This is evil personified and he’s not going to stop until he has our duo in his pincers. This trail is chilling, surprising, and leads down a path of no return. Verdict: The pace is incredibly strong and the puzzles complex. The plot relies on the fast pace and the graphic, almost cinematic, style of the murders to carry the momentum forward and keep the reader on the hook. It is the increasing despair of Saga and Joona Linna though that makes this book as taut as a zip wire as our duo become increasingly frantic in their search to stop this monster. Not for the faint-hearted.

This is the latest read in the Joona Lima series. it's the usual high standard, well written, excellent characterisation and a fascinating but unrealistic plot. It was good to see Saga back working with Joona, although the violent scenes, as well as the sexual, are way over the top and not for the squeamish. Thanks to Net Galley for my ARC.