In the latest thriller to entice readers and in the mode of Steig Larsson's excellent Millenium trilogy, "Three Seconds" provides a ride through terror.

Piet Hoffman is the Swedish police's most valuable undercover operative. He poses as a lieutenant in the Polish Mafia which is bringing in amphetamines into Sweden by using Polish mules, people who swallow balloons filled with the amphetamines and then cross the border. The 'mules' must then expunge the bags while in Sweden.

Hoffman is at the scene when another undercover officer is unmasked and killed.

Detective Inspector Ewert Grens leads the investigation into the man's murder.

The story is written with short chapters as if the reader was glancing at photos of the scenes as they flash by.

Hoffman is in a difficult position with a young family who is unaware of his undercover activities. We see him as a tough guy while with the other Mafia members then we see the transformation into the tender husband and father of his two young sons.

Grens continues to investigate and this puts Hoffman in a precarious position, not knowing who to trust. In one of the scenes that will be remembered, Hoffman admits his other life to his wife and tries to tell her how to protect herself if anything happens to him.

This is a well done, frightening story with scenes of extreme violence.