UR ASKAN – DEATH IN SUMMER
By Lina Areklew
WHEN MURDER COMES to a secluded island, the ghosts of the past will resurface… As a young boy, Fredrik Fröding survived one of Europe’s worst ferry disasters. The tragedy haunts him, and decades later Fredrik refuses to give up hope that his brother Niklas also lived. It’s become an obsession that cost him a career in the police, and his relentless quest for answers leads him from Stockholm to the island of Ulvön. In the remote north on Sweden’s High Coast, the island community is tiny, but bolstered by a bustling tourist industry. It’s where Detective Sofia Hjortén retreated to after her personal life fell apart. When a man is murdered at the local hotel, she gathers evidence, and is shocked to see Fredrik in the area: his departure from police training also signalled the end of their brief intimacy.
SOFIA’S WORK LEADS her to unravel secrets from forty years ago. What does a summer camp have to do with the dead man? It’s this mystery Sofia must solve – a job made harder when the key suspect in the crime turns out to be Fredrik. Has his fragile mental state led to violence, or is there someone else out there whose demons have led to bloodshed?
A COMPULSIVE SCANDINAVIAN crime thriller with a vivid and atmospheric setting. Perfect for police procedural fans who love the novels of Maria Adolfsson, Anders de la Motte and Håkan Nesser.
ABOUT THE BOOK
First published by Bazar, Sweden 2020
RIGHTS SOLD TO
Czech Republic, Publishing house Bourdon
Denmark, Forlaget Memoris
Estonia, Pegasus
Finland, Tammi
Germany, Goldmann
Hungary, Europa Publisher
The Netherlands, Luitingh Sijthoff
Norway, Bonnier Forlag
Romania, Editura Rao
UK, Canelo
US, Open Road Media
REVIEWS
There’s no doubt what spring of 2020 will be remembered for, but apart from the pandemic it’s also a really powerful time for debut authors in Swedish suspense literature. I just had the pleasure of reading an advance copy of Death in Summer by Lina Areklew which is definitely a gem. [..] Areklew builds a fantastic story, truly well written and thrilling with many unexpected twists and turns. All through we have incredibly skilled character portrayals, impressive setting depictions, mainly from the High Coast, and a thought-through storytelling where different perspectives in different times build strong suspense for the page-turning reader, towards a dramatic resolution with a great twist at the end. I’m convinced that this book will be a bestseller and I’m already looking forward to meeting Sofia and Fredrik again!
– Kapprakt, Sweden
Areklew’s character gallery feels real. She also builds the tension skillfully with in many different moments, sidetracks and chronological shifts all the way to the dramatic reveal of the killer. A plus for the humoristic finish.
– Kerstin Rydén, BTJ-häftet nr 12, 2020, Sweden
An extremely well written suspense novel where not only the story has depth but also the environment and characters. I really didn’t want it to end but I of course wanted to know how it ended. Read this summer! You will not be disappointed.
– Fru svenssons bokhylla, Sweden
This is suspense with extra everything… The descriptions of the environment are fantastic. You really want to see this adapted on the screen. It’s grand, thrilling and very unpredictable.
– P4, Sveriges Radio, Swedish public radio
The first book in a new series with the High Coast as a backdrop from a debutant that introduces an interesting police officer that you like to see more of. Good pace the whole way.
– Göteborgs Posten, Sweden
Lina Areklew is without a doubt an author name to remember.
– Amelia, Sweden
I like the setting, Örnsköldsvik feels like a fresh environment which hasn’t been written about before. A great start with Fredrik’s story about Estonia and what made him feel so damaged. Sofia is an interesting character to build on. It will be fun to follow her. The case itself is also well built and disturbing. It could be the talk of the year.
– Malin Wall, Västerviks bokhandel (bookseller pre-read), Sweden
‘Woho, a manuscript on paper’, I thought and was super happy and now also feeling honored. Almost done reading and have noticed the time getting pretty late the past evenings. I like the environment, and when it is well written (as it is) you want to go there and explore a little. The pace is good, perfect amount of words. […] So I eagerly read on, I want to know how it goes with the missing hotel owner, the alcoholic attorney and so on. In conclusion (with a few more pages to read) – I like the book! Reminds me a little bit about Maria Adolfssons Doggerland-series. The character gallery is interesting, I want to know how it all ends for them.
– Karin E, Falkenbergs bokhandel (bookseller pre-read), Sweden
AWARDS
Nominated for “Crimetime Debut of the Year 2020″
BOOKS
Fiction
