Published 03.15
Writer and author Pernilla Ericson advises on the gems among newly published paperbacks, according to the motto something for everyone.
A magical man
Maria Maunsbach
Nature & Culture
NOVEL This is an unparalleled portrayal of love, of a passion both consuming and destructive. We get to know the object of the feelings, Mikael, right down to the skin. But Mikael is terrified of intimacy, as much as he needs it, and it soon becomes clear that the breakup is approaching. It is sensuously, intimately told and the language is as bold as it is beautiful. It’s a story and a portrait that makes you feel everything, everything, everything.
The underworld
Lina Bengtsdotter
Bookmark Publishing
DETECTIVE STORY A young woman is missing – and an unknown young woman is found dead. Detective Inspector Sakka Pienni has to end his vacation early, and is thrown into a shocking case. The tracks lead to a sex club in Stockholm with the hellish section Underworld. Pienni is an interesting character, both sharp and vulnerable – she is forced to hide from her colleagues that she is bipolar. It is well written and engaging, and the vulnerable women are portrayed in a nuanced way. The tension gradually builds – until it becomes unbearable…
What I thought was love – a book about psychological violence
Anna Lindman
Free Thought
REPORTAGE BOOK Every time I have interviewed survivors of intimate partner violence, psychological violence has been part of the story. The degradation paves the way for physical violence and keeps the affected person. The pot heats up slowly. The oppression in the relationship leaves deep scars inside because we are vulnerable in front of the one we love – that’s the point. Stories are collected here about how psychological violence can manifest itself and how it affects – how the perception of reality is distorted – and why the legal system is so toothless against this form of abuse. A roar in book form.
Eighth house – in memory of a girl
Linda Segtnan
Albert Bonnier’s Publishing House
NOVEL During her pregnancy, the author became obsessed with a murder case in Perstorp in 1948. Nine-year-old Birgitta Sivander was found dead in a ditch, and several in the village were suspected of the crime. This is not a traditional crime novel, or reading for those who demand an answer to the mystery. It’s more about the author – very poignant and thought-provoking – exploring her own difficult feelings as a mother, while digging into the archives. How can you bring a child into the world, when the world can be so brutal?
The fifth day
Åsa Hellberg
The Forum publishing house
DETECTIVE STORY Police inspector Vega Varg has faced tough challenges in life, and when a man is found dead on the Kosteröarna, she is further tested. She is easy to like, a senior investigator with great integrity and love for family. There are more mysterious deaths and the line of suspects only grows. Much focus is on the charged, complicated relationships among the residents of the northern Bohuslän archipelago. An easy-to-read, compelling page-turner, perfect for those who prefer suitably nasty crime novels.
