07/06/2015
Läckberg’s uneven sixth novel set in the Swedish town of Fjällbacka (after 2014’s The Hidden Child) opens promisingly enough with the baffling disappearance of family man Magnus Kjellner, in circumstances suggesting payback for some horrific long-past crime. Writer Erica Falck subsequently discovers that one of Magnus’s best friends, Christian Thydell—an overnight sensation with a debut novel that Erica helped edit—has been receiving threatening letters. Even pregnant with twins, Erica naturally can’t resist trying to investigate. Tension quickly mounts with flashbacks to the increasingly toxic childhood of a mystery boy, a foster child placed with a couple who no longer want him after they have a daughter of their own. Despite the book’s many strengths, including a rich community of characters, dramatic scenes of violence, and a haunting tone, the psychologically fishy plot fails to convince. A stunning cliffhanger climax suggests that next time around might be better. Agent: Joakim Hansson, Nordin Literary Agency (Sweden). (Sept.)
The Drowning: A Novel
Narrated by Simon Vance
Camilla LäckbergUnabridged — 13 hours, 13 minutes
The Drowning: A Novel
Narrated by Simon Vance
Camilla LäckbergUnabridged — 13 hours, 13 minutes
Overview
In the latest from worldwide bestseller Camilla Läckberg, a new novel from a reclusive Fjällbacka resident has enraptured the community-but what secrets and tragedies are lurking behind the pages and threatening to come to life?
Christian Thydell's dream has come true. His debut novel, The Mermaid, has been published to rave reviews. So why is he as distant and unhappy as ever?
When crime writer Erica Falck, who helped Christian discover and develop his talents, learns he has been receiving anonymous threats, she investigates not just the messages but also the young author's mysterious past. Then, one of Christian's closet friends, Magnus, goes missing.
Erica's husband, Detective Patrik Hedström, has his worst suspicions confirmed as the mind-games aimed at Christian become a disturbing reality. Christian's group of friends-a “gang of four” from childhood-is a tangled web of relationships, love triangles, and family secrets that Erica and Patrik must unravel in order to discover what really happened to Magnus and who is still threatening Christian.
But, with the victims themselves concealing evidence, the investigation is going nowhere. Is their silence driven by fear or guilt? What is the secret they would rather die to protect than live to see revealed?
Editorial Reviews
"Of the mini-Larssons who have arrived on these shores since The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Camilla Läckberg may be the best."
"You might want to thing twice about reading this at home alone at night."
"Eerie. Läckberg will keep you guessing."
"Readers who enjoy works by Stieg Larsson and Henning Mankell are sure to like her novels. A pleasurably creepy read. A cliffhanger ending will keep readers clamoring for more of Läckberg's books to be translated into English."
"Another sweeping small-town Nordic thriller. It’s a thick novel that should delight Läckberg’s fans with a rich cast of characters and a surprise ending."
"The Drowning may be [Läckberg's] finest work to date; it’s a cold-as-steel chiller that will get deep under your skin and threaten to stay there."
"There is a good mystery in The Drowning. A fast-moving ending holds a cliffhanger as the last and final gasp. Entertaining."
"Läckberg’s subtle approach and unique talent for portraying realistically complex relationships creates a sorrowful, harrowing psychological thriller with a cliff-hanger conclusion."
"Läckberg’s subtle approach and unique talent for portraying realistically complex relationships creates a sorrowful, harrowing psychological thriller with a cliff-hanger conclusion."
You might want to thing twice about reading this at home alone at night.
One day we might be identifying Agatha Christie as 'the British Camilla Läckberg.'
09/01/2015
The small town of Fjallbacka has been anything but quiet recently. Librarian Christian Thydell's first book has all the critics raving; his friend, Magnus Kjellner, vanished three months earlier; and now it's revealed that Christian has been receiving threatening letters. The police haven't been able to solve Magnus's disappearance, and Det. Patrik Hedström is beginning to lose hope. Meanwhile, Patrik's wife, crime writer Erica Falck, who had helped Christian with his writing, probes the letters further. Once Magnus's body is discovered, other pieces fall into place linking these two seemingly unrelated mysteries and endangering other members of the community. VERDICT Despite the intriguing story line and premise, the excessive details hinder the buildup of page-turning suspense. Fans of the series (The Lost Boy; Fallen Angels) will want to pick up this title, but readers expecting an exciting crime thriller should keep looking. [See Prepub Alert, 6/21/15.]—Portia Kapraun, Monticello-Union Twp. P.L., IN
2015-07-01
After publishing his debut novel to critical acclaim, Christian Thydell seems terribly anxious. Could his novel hold the clues to a mystery? Bestselling Swedish crime novelist Läckberg (The Hidden Child, 2014, etc.) returns with another puzzle for Detective Patrik Hedström and his wife, writer Erica Falck, to solve. Now pregnant with twins, Erica has been mentoring Christian, and she's alarmed when he faints before an important publicity event. At first Christian claims he's tired and anxious about his childhood friend Magnus Kjellner, who disappeared three months ago. But under pressure from his wife, Christian confesses to Erica that he's been receiving vaguely threatening notes ever since he began working on The Mermaid. Unfortunately, that's all he reveals, and his unwillingness to help in his investigation piques Erica's sleuthing instincts. She begins looking into things, first discreetly pocketing one of the notes to take to Patrik. Although he sees no obvious connection between Magnus' disappearance and Christian's letters, Patrik senses that there's more to the story. It seems Magnus' other childhood friends Erik Lind and Kenneth Bengtsson have troubles, too. While Erik plots how to leave both his wife and his mistress without undue financial expense, Kenneth mournfully awaits his beloved wife's imminent death from cancer. Although he, too, has been receiving ominous notes, Kenneth strangely keeps quiet. Läckberg excels at ratcheting up the tension by weaving this complex, fascinating, very dark mystery through the everyday lives of the unsuspecting residents of Fjällbacka, any of whom might be involved. And between each chapter tracing the investigation, Läckberg inserts the tale of a mysterious, adopted boy, who might have grown up to be another victim or the killer. Filled with Hitchcock-ian twists, Läckberg's latest mesmerizes.
Product Details
| BN ID: | 2940169779332 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | Blackstone Audio, Inc. |
| Publication date: | 09/15/2015 |
| Series: | Fjällbacka Mysteries , #6 |
| Edition description: | Unabridged |
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