Stenhuggaren
Stenhuggaren is a Swedish psychological thriller by Camilla Lackberg. It was published in the year 2005 and translated in 2008 as “The Stonecutter” by Steven T Murray. The book is a gripping instalment in the Erica Falck and Patrik Hedström series. It is the third instalment in the series which is sure to amaze the readers with it’s plot. The book has an fascinating backstory which ultimately connects with the main story and reveals the entire plot to the reader. There are murders and attempted murders in this book. The book is thoroughly entertaining with a great plot of solid mystery. The book has different characters and relationships which are continuously changing. The main plot involves a small girl,Sara who is found dead in the net of a fisherman in the city of Fjällbacka. All assume that the girl died due to an accident but it quickly becomes apparent that the girl was murdered. The murder is to be investigated by Patrik Hedström, a police detective who personally knows the girl. The book is compelling and has many side stories, which are sure to entertain the readers. The book is an example of how the author lets her characters grow and change dramatically over the series. The twists in the plot reveal the skill and storytelling ability of the author. Camilla’s famous style of illustrating truths about people is clearly evident in this book. The writer presents the sub-plot quite remarkably and the sub-plot itself is very intriguing. The skilful utilisation of the secondary story, which reveals the motive of the culprit, is an example of Camilla’s brilliant storytelling. The book’s momentum makes the people read it with anticipation. The book is considered to be one of Camilla’s most intricately plotted novels.
Olycksfaglen
Olycksfaglen is a Swedish psychological thriller by Camilla Lackberg which was published in the year 2006. It was translated in 2011 by Steven T Murray as “The Stranger” a.k.a The Gallows Bird. The book is the fourth instalment in the Erica Falck and Patrik Hedström series. The book has received praise for “in depth characterisation”. It is an intriguing well written story with an intricate plot. The story is complex and dark, keeping the readers hooked till the end. The gripping book is captivating and follows Camilla’s style of detailed storytelling. The book begins with the death of a lady in an accident. Though the victim’s body contains a high level of alcohol, the people feel the death is mysterious as the woman rarely drank alcohol. The case is taken to Patrik Hedström, a police detective. The murder of an unpopular contestant in a reality show further complicates the investigation for the detective. The book has a satisfying conclusion. The author depicts a misery-laden Sweden in the book with a background story about the relationship between Patrik and Erica. The book focusses mostly on the characters. The emotions, situations and lives are well illustrated by the author. She skilfully varies her mysteries. The readers can relate to the characters in the book. The mysteries, investigations and the lives of the characters are wonderfully narrated and this makes the readers eager to follow all the storylines enthusiastically. All in all, the book is an interesting tale with a great surprise climax.
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