Like fire, just like fire. Those were the first words whispered by the hypnotized boy.

A man is brutally murdered in the locker rooms of a sports center in Tumba, Stockholm. Shortly afterwards, the bodies of his wife and daughter are discovered, both stabbed by someone who intended to exterminate the entire family. However, the son has survived, albeit severely injured. Inspector Joona Linna of the Crime Prosecution learns that the family has another surviving member, the boy's older sister, and realizes that he must find her before the killer does. The boy periodically recovers from the lethargy he is in. In his attempt to expedite the interrogation process and gain an understanding of the event, Joona Linna comes into contact with Dr. Erik Maria Bark and convinces him to hypnotize the boy.
Dr. Erik Maria Bark breaks the promise he made to never hypnotize again, thus initiating a chain of events that take your breath away.

"A story that captivates us with its constant shifts in perspective, psychological depth, and plot twists... The discussion about Lars Kepler will occupy us for a long time..."
(Florence Noiville, Le Monde)

"Lars Kepler enchants readers with 'The Hypnotist', just like Stieg Larsson did with his trilogy."
(Norrkopings Tidningar)

"Intelligent, original, captivating."
(Simon Beckett)