Camilla Grebe
Camilla Grebe (1968) was born in Älvsjö outside of Stockholm. She is best known for her stand-alone thrillers featuring a cast of reoccurring characters, including psychological profiler Hanne Lagerlind-Schön and police officers Peter Lindgren, Manfred Olsson and Malin Brundin. Grebe’s books have been hailed by critics, loved by readers, and awarded many times over for her unfailing ability to surprise readers with her trademark twists.
After having written two successful series together with co-writers in author duos Grebe & Träff and Grebe & Leander-Engström, Grebe broke out as a solo author with The Ice Beneath Her (2015). The book has been sold to twenty-three countries and rocketed onto the top of bestseller lists in the UK, France, Italy, Norway, Finland, Denmark, and Sweden upon publication.
In September 2017, the stand-alone continuation of The Ice Beneath Her was published and brought Grebe to the forefront of Swedish crime writers. After She’s Gone was named Best Swedish Crime Novel of the Year by the Swedish Crime Writers’ Academy. In 2018, it was awarded the prestigious Glass Key Award, naming it Best Nordic Crime Novel from 2017 by the Crime Writers of Scandinavia. The book has also been shortlisted for the Book of The Year Award in Sweden and went on to become a major bestseller.
After She’s Gone was followed by The Hideout in the fall of 2018, which has been praised by readers and critics alike and been a huge bestseller in Sweden, France, Norway, Denmark, and Finland to name a few.
In November 2019, Grebe’s fourth stand-alone thriller The Shadow Hunter was published. It went straight to the top of the bestseller lists and was named Best Swedish Crime Novel, making Grebe one of few authors who have won the prize twice. In 2020, The Shadow Hunter earned Grebe the prestigious Glass Key Award for Best Nordic Crime Novel for the second time in three years, making her one of only three authors to have won the award twice since its establishment in 1992.
In March of 2021, Grebe published her latest book, The Lies We Tell, which became a #1 bestseller in Sweden. It was followed by Welcome to Eternity in March 2022.

Reviews
“The decapitation of a young woman propels Grebe’s exceptional solo debut, which examines three lives broken by failures to take responsibility in a Stockholm where ‘even the sky is crying’.”
Publishers Weekly, Starred Review (US)
“Veteran coauthor Grebe takes her first solo turn in this tale of three troubled souls linked by a horrific crime—and what a turn it is. […] Each of these stories—Peter’s, Hanne’s, and Emma’s—is compelling enough to fuel an entire novel; Grebe’s skill in weaving them together is impressive. A tour de force that lifts its author to the front rank among the increasingly crowded field of Nordic noir.”
Kirkus, Starred Review (US)
“When a new Scandinavian mystery hits the stands, you pretty much know it’s going to be good, and Swedish author Camilla Grebe’s The Ice Beneath Her, translated by Elizabeth Clark Wessel, does not let the team down. All the tried- and-true adjectives apply here: gripping, atmospheric, nuanced and, of course, graphically violent. […] Through it all, the true killer remains as elusive as smoke on a breezy day, and when the twist comes, it’s one that even jaded Nordic noir fans likely won’t see coming.”
Bookpage (US)
“The Ice Beneath Her is a veritable page-turner […] This is seriously good.”
Kristianstadsbladet (SE)
“This is Scandi-noir at its powerful bleakest.”
Daily Mail (UK)
“Grebe shifts elegantly between the three narrators, lets the reader view the story and the relationships of those concerned from many different angles, and creates a titillating sense of uncertainty. […] The Ice Beneath Her is one of this year’s most interesting Swedish crime reads. The story dares to be told in a different way and is not afraid to examine the darkest aspects of love.”
Skånska Dagbladet (SE)
“This book has all the essential components of great Scandinavian crime fiction: a strong police prodecudral, a dark, moody atmosphere, and compelling, burdened detectives – plus this book has a voice all its own, which delivers twists and unreliable narrators that can compete with the best of modern psychological thrillers. In short, it’s the perfect blend of current crime fiction trends with the ageless strength of Nordic Noir. […] I’m rarely a loss for words when it comes to reviewing crime books, but this one left me speechless. This book is a standout – not just a standout within the Scandinavian crime genre, but a standout, period. […] there is something undeniably thrilling about watching an author push the envelope of his or her genre – and Camilla Grebe does so effortlessly. […] In The Ice Beneath Her, Camilla grebe has found a unique freedom to blend the best of Nordic Noir with a plot twist that completely blew me away.”
Crime By The Book, 5/5 (US)
“A cleverly constructed thriller.”
Westdeutsche Allgemeine, 4/5 (DE)
“This Swedish novel, which is perfect for fans of Jo Nesbo, is unsettling, menacing and compulsively written. It also delivers a rewarding ending that we did not see coming – one that stayed with us long after we stopped reading.”
Heatworld (UK)
“The characters are masterfully portrayed as all the different aspects of their personalities are revealed to us, almost as if they wish to make themselves known to the reader. This very attention to detail also characterizes the descriptions of places and milieus: from the cold snowy outside scenery to the warm environments of bars and houses. […] The author suceeds in surprising us with an ending which was impossible to anticipate.”
Thriller Nord (IT)
“Grebe moves between the perspectives of three first person characters throughout the book, and this shift is what makes The Ice Beneath Her so utterly successful.”
Stavanger Aftenblad, 5/6 (NO)
“A thriller with an ending that hits you with full force.”
TV Star (DE)
“After the first chapter, I thought this would be a crime novel like any other. But it’s not that simple. Here [in this book] nothing is what it seems. […] Hard to put down. Camilla Grebe is an insightful and nimble writer.”
Norran (SE)
“I could not put it down – it creeps under your skin and stays there.”
Lo Media (NO)
“Intelligent plot with intriguing characters who capture the reader […] It’s a smart novel. Camilla Grebe has succeeded in creating characters who feel authentic and present.”
Dast Magazine (SE)
“A captivating, thrilling, and frightening crime novel about failure, infidelity, and the ugliest of feelings. Camilla Grebe has previously with great success written fantastic crime novels with her sister Åsa Träff, but she is definitely good on her own, and I look forward to reading the next book in the series.”
Femina (DK)
“Grebe has been compared with Jo Nesbo. I think Swedish Camilla Grebe stands alone. […] With The Ice Beneath Her, we have a craftswoman at work. […] A must read book about obsession, betrayal and of course, love. Highly recommended.”
Frost Magazine (UK)
“The Ice Beneath Her by Camilla Grebe is a salutary reminder that the talented Grebe deserves the kind of breakthrough some of her less accomplished peers have already enjoyed. Her protagonist here, Emma, is subtly realised, as is the latter’s relationship with an older man — who disappears. While the novel may be marketed as Scandinavian crime fiction, the level of psychological veracity is sui generis.”
Crimetime (UK)
“A new voice that combines the best from Scandinavian authors Jo Nesbø and Anne Holt, with the rhythm and suspense of American thrillers like The Girl on the Train. […] The reader is forced to try to solve a puzzle that seems impossible to figure out. Then comes the ending. And it’s simply astonishing. Addictive.”
Legano News (IT)
“The Ice Beneath Her is a tragic, yet at the same time simply brilliant, novel to read under the darkness of autumn next to a crackling fire.”
Nya Kristinehamnsposten (SE)
“I’m still clapping my little hands with delight after having read this book. Camilla Grebe is ‘spot on’, and as a reader you’re quickly drawn into a story that might as well have taken place right before your eyes. You wouldn’t suspect any danger before it was too late. […] There’s something off, a bad feeling in your gut, you guess and guess and try to find clues in the book to work out the plot. I did not succeed, and I’m still not convinced everything was quite as it seemed in the end. […] I’m sure The Ice Beneath Her will delight many crime readers. It has everything it takes to stand out, and it’s just not yet another crime novel in your bookcase.”
Krimifan (DK)
“The Ice Beneath Her is a book that holds a lot between its pages. Apart from a few mysterious disappearances and extremely brutal murders, it’s about the power and betrayal of men. […] This is a story that holds the shadow-side of life. The protagonists are at a crossroads. Something simply must happen, otherwise they’re at risk of breaking apart. Perhaps they’ll break anyway, but before then they’ll want to fight for some kind of justice.”
Dagens Bok, 7/10 (SE)
“A plot that snakes its way into unpredictable directions when you least expect it and keeps the reader alert at all times, allied with particularly strong characterisation make this a psychological thriller of note. Obsession, madness, nail-biting suspense, the menu couldn’t be heavier but is at all times severely addictive.”
Love Reading (UK)
“The prose is startlingly calm as it steers the characters through their personal torment until their transformations are as unpredictable as the final outcome. That ending pulled the rug from under my feet, and I never suspected a thing.”
Little Bookness Lane, Blog (UK)
“Camilla Grebe delivers a taut and creeping thriller with great psychological depth. Starting from the very first page, she gradually builds atmosphere and milieu, shifting both tense and narrative voice with rare elegance […] Grebe also has a unique voice and an amazing linguistic presence that spellbinds me completely. She’s clearly inspired by the classic police novel, but Grebe makes her story feel very modern, fresh and smart. In my opinion this is exactly how a thriller should be written in 2015. The Ice Beneath Her is definitely one of the best books of the year. If you haven’t already done so, you should read it immediately.”
Johannas Deckarhörna, Blog (SE)
“The Ice Beneath Her is a strong story and the character portraits are especially convincing and well done. […] The book can be recommended to all crime readers.”
Crimegarden (SE)
“A very good psychological thriller, perhaps the best this year!”
Mysterierna, Blog (SE)
“A standout thriller.”
The Book Trail (UK)
“As well as being an intriguing, past-paced, page-turner of a psychological thriller, the book addresses the bigger issues of commitment, betrayal and loss and their effect on the individual. […] this is [Grebe’s] debut as a solo author and it is a very accomplished and rewarding read.”
Nudge Books (UK)
“There is some very clever plotting in this book, it’s very dark and disturbing, Grebe weaves together twists and turns that have the reader guessing at what might happen next. I feel that I should praise the translation of this book. All too often when a book is translated into English, something can be ‘lost’ but I am so pleased that is not the case with this one. It has the hallmarks of a Scandi thriller, cold, dark and direct which really work well here, making this one of the best books I’ve read this year.”
The Quiet Knitter, Blog (UK)
“Well-written, well-planned and well-executed this book will hopefully be the forerunner of more to come. Thoroughly enjoyable.”
All Things Bookie, Blog 5/5 (UK)
“This is one of the best suspense novels I’ve read this year. […] Entertaining, terrifying, thrilling, and well-written. […] A book you just have to read!”
Läsa och Lyssna, Blog (SE)
“This book offers many surprises, and just as you think you’ve figured things out, Grebe makes a sharp turn. It’s skillful, thrilling, and unexpected!”
Karin Boktok, Blog (SE)
“The Ice Beneath Her by Camilla Grebe is a skillfully constructed suspense novel, and its greatest strength is the profound character portrayals.”
En Fiktiv Resa, Blog (SE)
“The atmosphere is quite horror movie-esque in Camilla Grebe’s tenth suspense novel, which is one of her best ones yet. […] Grebe handles her Ormberg with understanding and sensibility, and she succeeds in portraying something entirely new through her carefully constructed and eccentric cast of characters.”
Lotta Olsson, Dagens Nyheter (SE)
“A page-turner that is both an insightful portrayal of our society as well as a skillfully constructed suspense novel. And, not unexpectedly, shortlisted for the Crime Novel of the Year Award.”
Ingalill Mosander, Aftonbladet (SE)
“After She’s Gone is an excellent, stand alone sequel to the acclaimed The Ice Beneath Her. The way the perspectives are interlaced in this story about a cold case murder in a de-populated town is incredibly skillful and well done.”
Tara (SE)
“This atmospheric mystery is masterfully constructed. […] Nordic noir at its best.”
Booklist (US)
“A deeply original, incredibly thrilling, and uniquely intelligent crime novel. There are many talented and popular crime writers in Scandinavia who write crime novels in the same vein as Camilla Grebe. Unni Lindell and Camilla Läckberg are two obvious references […] But none of them are at the same level as Camilla Grebe in After She’s Gone, which was named Best Swedish Crime Novel in 2017 and awarded the Glass Key for Best Nordic Crime novel this year. […] After She’s Gone is one of the very best suspense novels in recent years.”
Adresseavisen (NO)
“Camilla Grebe dives deep into the Swedish countryside, and what she finds is not pretty.”
Stavanger Aftenblad, 5/5 (NO)
“With this new thriller, not only has Camilla Grebe constructed a plot with strong impact – a mystery that is rich in details and clues yet at the same time seems to a be puzzle to which there is no solution – she also effectively investigates the vast gray area of populism that exists between flat out racism and political correctness.”
Il Fatto Quotidiano (IT)
“Incredibly well-written and relentlessly thrilling. Grebe proves she’s a master of creating tension – what horrifying anxiety can be worse than seeing your own little child disappear? […] We meet both well established characters and new acquaintances, and it’s apparent that behind the portrayal of drug trafficking and the work of the police lies a great deal of research. Everything is authentically portrayed, which makes it even more nerve-wracking. The milieu is intriguing and the character portrayals are nuanced. The Hideout is a book that will appeal to readers looking for a first rate crime novel.”
BTJ (SE)
“The publisher calls the books ‘thrilling’ in their press release, but that doesn’t even begin to cover it. Because in Camilla Grebe’s latest novel icy eeriness echoes through the Swedish landscape. […] Brilliant, ominous, frightening.”
Femina, 6/6 (DK)
“The last book by the brilliant Camilla Grebe, After She’s Gone, was named Best Crime Novel of the Year by the Crime Writer’s Academy in 2017. In the new book The Hideout, she uses a different narrative technique. The protagonists take turns telling the story in separate chapters. At the centre is 18 year old Samuel who has found himself on a slippery slope. In the end, his deeply religious mother Pernilla is forced to act against everything she’s ever believed in. Psychologically arresting and incredibly disturbing.”
Upsala Nya Tidning (SE)
“Camilla Grebe’s books are impossible to put down.”
Oskarshamns-Tidningen (SE)
“The new master of Scandinavian crime. […] A tale with suspense on many levels. Camilla Grebe is an excellent writer, she gives life to the different characters, we care for them. And she’s a clever crime writer who never ceases to surprise. This is a really good story.”
Adresseavisa, 6/6 (NO)
“Camilla Grebe impresses once again. This new stand alone sequel to last year’s best Nordic Crime Novel, After She’s Gone, is both suggestive, suspenseful, and spot-on. The perspectives shift, but all characters have voices and expressions of their own. About young men who disappear and strong motherly love, with many surprising twists. Who is really good and who is evil?”
Tara (SE)
“Grebe has really grown into a singular storyteller with a cast of characters that is equally unique.”
Folkbladet (SE)
“A frightening and breathtakingly thrilling novel.”
Lokalavisen Nordsjælland (DK)
“Grebe is back with the novel Interia – and her great talent becomes apparent here. […] Camilla Grebe’s tale is written with the kind of great opening that makes it explicit that this is a writer! She writes literature disguised as suspense – not the other way around as is often the case with others.”
Fyens Stiftstidene, 5/6 (DK)
“Grebe has established herself as one of the great writers of the genre, and I’m convinced she’ll stay in the top. I appreciate that her plots stand on their own, even if some characters return. They [the novels] can definitely be read separate from each other. She’s good at making fictitious milieus come alive and create characters who feel like actual people. They are likable even though they don’t always act the way you expect them to.”
Dast Magazine (SE)
“[The Hideout] is something as rare as a quiet and funny page-turner. [Grebe] has complete control of the events that take place. She knows how to spread them out with rigour and precision. But the best part is how she manages to convey the difficult situations people can find themselves caught up in – universal human problems – in such a convincing and moving way. In that sense she has more in common with Kerstin Ekman’s Blackwater than for example, Jan Guillou’s exaggerated Hamilton books. More literature than action. […] In Camilla Grebe, Scandinavian crime has gotten yet another big name to join the many that has come before. She puts the strong emotions on the line.”
Information (DK)
“It’s not unusual for a crime novel to use different timelines, in fact it’s a rather common approach. But Camilla Grebe tells her story chronologically, which makes for a completely different effect, and she constructs detailed snapshots to portray a changing society. The signifiers of time are things like clothes, food, buildings, and tv programs, but above all a female role where a lot has happened in the past fifty years. It’s worth reading The Shadow Hunter purely to get that perspective of Sweden, but it’s also an astoundingly thrilling crime novel.”
Dagens Nyheter (SE)
“This is so damn good in its setup where the hunt for a rapist spans over several decades, and at the same time it chronicles the conditions for female police officers during the 20th century. So smart and so well-written. And thrilling!”
Skånska Dagbladet (SE)
“I never cease to be impressed by crime writers and their ability to juggle many things at the same time. Just think: the plot has to be perfect. The clues subtle. The suspense ever-increasing, and the characters need to have depth and life and be more than just vapid chess pieces. […] When all the pieces are in place this is simply brilliant, as in The Shadow Hunter – Camilla Grebe’s new hit that starts out in 1944 and spans over 70 years without ever losing pace. […] Devour this one and be impressed by this incredibly competent suspense writer.”
M Magasin (SE)
“With this book, it is clear that Camilla Grebe ascends from being a skilled crime writer to the position of one of the greatest of the genre. […] This is a fantastic and irresistible crime novel. […] Apart from being an incredibly thrilling story, this is also an eye-opener to how women have been treated, and also how far we may or may not have come. So there are many reasons to read this book, but it is quite enough if you just want to be entertained. One of the best books of the year!”
Dast Magazine (SE)
“It’s obvious that Camilla Grebe has done a lot of research and the result is a first rate crime novel. In my opinion, The Shadow Hunter is the best one in the suite that includes The Ice Beneath Her (2015), After She’s Gone (2017), and The Hideout (2018).”
BTJ (SE)
“In this fourth novel, [Camilla Grebe] raises the bar yet again. […] After three procedural thrillers where Grebe dealt with social and political themes, she now takes on themes of single mothers and violence toward women. Without ever compromising the level of suspense.”
Lire, 4/5 (FR)
“Camilla Grebe is a master of the crime genre. […] [The Shadow Hunter] is an incredibly satisfying reading experience, and a thought-provoking reminder of the social and psychological powers that still don’t seem to allow for complete gender equality.”
Jyllandsposten, 5/6 (DK)
“Camilla Grebe’s crime novel The Shadow Hunter has deservedly been named best Swedish crime novel of 2019. […] Above all, The Shadow Hunter has the aura of a Greek tragedy – a family curse and a fatal coincidence – that make it evident that Camilla Grebe is one of our best crime writers right now.”
Politiken, 5/6 (DK)
“Camilla Grebe’s The Shadow Hunter was named best Swedish Crime Novel last year. It’s highly understandable, because this is one of the best suspense novels I’ve read in a very long time. This is my first encounter with Grebe and she is the kind of author and storyteller who grabs hold of you in the very first chapter, and who refuses to let go before the end. She does so with an engaging style and an incredibly good plot. Moreover, she has a sound and good female perspective on her story, and together it makes for a singularly good suspense novel. […] Grebe holds us steadily until the very last page. This is how the best crime writers do it, and Camilla Grebe is among the very best.”
Nettavisen, 6/6 Stars (NO)
“It’s not difficult to understand why Camilla Grebe was awarded the prize for the best Swedish crime novel last year for The Shadow Hunter. […] The Shadow Hunter is not only an ambitious and cleverly constructed crime novel bordering on historical fiction – the novel is also a feminist crime epic about how women’s position in society, and particularly in working life, has changed over time. […] Grebe has never before been as political or expressed such social realism, and she shows how talented she is when it comes to constructing a crime mystery. It’s thrilling, elegant, and impressively put together. It’s a real feat that she has managed to maintain such a high level of quality in four books over four years. Grebe writes with eeriness and original metaphors and has written a crime novel that is spot on.”
Verdens Gang, 5/6 Stars (NO)
“The Shadow Hunter is proof that Scandinavia’s perhaps right now best crime writer is constantly reinventing herself.”
Adresseavisen, 5/6 Stars (NO)
“The Shadow Hunter is both a strong social statement and a superb thriller in one. […] A masterpiece.”
Kansan Uutiset (FI)
“Camilla Grebe, who has ascended to the very top of Swedish crime writers, knows how to maintain the highest quality. Grebe’s fourth crime novel is chillingly addictive. […] I’m not surprised that this book was chosen as the best Swedish crime novel of 2019.”
Ilta-Sanomat (FI)
“The book was recently named Crime Novel of the Year and that’s easy to understand. Grebe’s stand-alone sequel to Inertia is so much more than just a great crime narrative; it’s a journey through time and women’s history, and the insight into the lives of different generations of police women is both enlightening and painful to learn about.”
Göteborgs-Posten (SE)
“A skillfully constructed tale, a real page-turner that begins in 1944 and ends in present time. […] A thrilling story, but also an excellent piece of women’s history. Highly recommended.”
Borlänge Tidning (SE)
“Fantastic women’s history and police history, and a thrilling crime mystery all in one.”
Christoffer Carlsson, Veckans Brott SVT (SE)
“Camilla Grebe is one of the best crime writers we have in this country. No clichés, no nonsense, just excellent craftsmanship where all the tools are skillfully used. […] Moving and thrilling.”
Borås Tidning (SE)
“The Shadow Hunter is an incredibly good crime novel. It’s so well deserved that it was named best Swedish crime novel of 2019. […] Apart from the murder mystery, the book also portrays women’s respect and equality within the police force for 75 years. […] It’s both thrilling, upsetting and, sadly enough, relevant. I was also impressed by Grebe’s ability to portray society over so many decades, and letting the story span over such long time really works, while keeping the main theme alive throughout the story. To conclude: The Shadow Hunter is incredibly well-written – read it!”
Bogblogger, Blog (DK)
“An elegantly composed police novel with a perspective on women’s history.”
The Swedish Crime Writer’s Academy (SE)
“Once more, with The Shadow Hunter Camilla Grebe shows how brilliant she is at renewing herself […] This is so incredibly well-done, superbly written, cleverly constructed, unbelievably thrilling, historically rewarding, and so much more.”
Kapprakt (SE)
“Camilla Grebe skillfully portrays how doubt and suspicion can break a person completely, and how hard it is to change our preconceived notions about other people. […] Camilla Grebe continues to prove that she’s one of the very best writers of the genre.”
Norra Västerbotten (SE)
“A psychological thriller that is just as much an incredibly suspenseful relationship novel. Grebe is excellent at portraying human relationships, and I like how this is about so much more than just a crime. […] She’s brilliant at building suspense and you’re constantly unsure of what’s to come. […] She digs deep into the human psyche and brings forth our best and worst sides. Who are we really, and who are we trying to pass ourselves off as?”
SVT Go’kväll (SE)
“After She’s Gone (2017) and The Shadow Hunter (2019) were both named Best Crime Novel of the Year by the Swedish Crime Writers’ Academy. I read both and stressed that Grebe belongs to the top tier of Swedish crime writers. Now, she’s written what might be her best novel about not one, but several crimes. The setup is brilliant; each of the main characters tell their own version of what happened, and then the different narratives are superbly tied together. […] I eagerly devoured this book over two evenings and half a night. I think that pretty much says it all…”
Mariestads-Tidningen (SE)
“The Lies We Tell is an incredibly thrilling suspense novel with depth, where human destinies and relationships are equally as important as the murder mystery, thanks to the superbly portrayed characters. Despite the many jumps in time and perspectives, the story flows seamlessly and is propelled forward with confidence. Timely and well-written by an experienced writer.”
BTJ, 4/5 Stars (SE)
“Camilla Grebe begins the novel with an old saying: ‘what you don’t know won’t hurt you’. It is safe to say that it does not apply to characters in this thrilling crime drama.”
Femina (SE)
“Camilla Grebe is becoming increasingly skilled at complex, surprising intrigues where the perspectives shift and where people are just as complex as they are in reality.”
Lotta Olsson, Dagens Nyheter (SE)
“A nail-biting crime novel about a family that is told from different perspectives, constantly forcing the reader to reevaluate the truth. Guaranteed to be devoured in one sitting.”
Göteborgs-Posten (SE)
“Camilla Grebe keeps the suspense alive throughout the book where new pieces of the puzzle emerge to tell the story of a family whose world is shattered. A guaranteed page turner!”
Ölandsbladet (SE)
“Language, characters, storytelling, suspense – everything is at the highest level – and in addition, this stellar author offers us more gifts as a bonus. […] A fantastic and winding story with many unexpected twists in search of answers. A wonderful and suspenseful read with so much more to offer.”
Kapprakt (SE)
“A captivating whodunnit that cunningly plays on prejudices about honor killings and with a title that is fitting.”
Kristianstadsbladet (SE)
“The Lies We Tell is a story full of lies and deceit, as the title suggests. […] Everything is so ingeniously structured and thrilling. It keeps me constantly on edge, and I revel in devouring this book from cover to cover. […] This is by far the most suspenseful and well-written novel I’ve read this year, even longer than that. The real strength lies in the fact that the spotlight is on ordinary people, and that their stories are important. The characters are carefully carved and with a lot of depth. It’s also insanely exciting. I never want it to end. But it does, and everything that has been a question mark is cleverly tied together in the end. The Lies We Tell is a story that will stay with me for a long time.”
Dagens Bok, 10/10 (SE)
“Complex family relationships have been Camilla Grebe’s speciality through a series of suspense novels that have managed to combined huge popularity with critical praise. […] [The Lies We Tell] is told over a long period of time, and it especially well portrays the complicated family relationships where no one is purely good.”
Adresseavisen (NO)
“Camilla Grebe’s crime novel The Lies We Tell as just been launched in Denmark – and thank you so much for that – what a ray of light of a book! […] It’s like making a dive through painful chain reactions and fateful choices, straight towards the abyss. Camilla Grebe is not one to stick to the surface. She digs deep and constantly holds the reader in an iron grip along the way. […] And wow, how it works! Because The Lies We Tell both tickles your stomach and causes it to contract, and inner tears emerge as sweat on the forehead. These physical reactions are not least due to the fortunate fact that Camilla Grebe operates with carefully thought-out pacing across the narrative thread, giving various narrators exactly the right amount of space to tell their version of what really happened. […] Rarely have I missed the protagonists from a book I’ve just finished reading as I have missed the main characters from The Lies We Tell.”
Berlingske (SE)
“Sweden’s master of crime once again succeeds in writing a detective story that is so much more than that.”
Ilta-Sanomat (FI)
“Skilfully told through multiple perspectives, the story reveals what happened little by little, and there are plenty of surprising twists until the very last page. Do we truly know those who we call our beloved and who we love more than anything in the world?”
Savon Sanomat (FI)
“Grebe knows how to spin multiple threads to follow through the perspectives of different characters. The intrigue lasts to the very end. Keeping the investigator as a secondary character is a smart solution that brings something new to the genre, which Grebe has successfully done with earlier works as well.”
Kulttuuritoimitus (FI)
“With each book, Camilla Grebe’s novels gain in depth and finesse […] A thriller that breaks with the ordinary.”
Paris Match (FR)
“In her fifth thriller, the Swedish author [Camilla Grebe] pulls off a psychological tour de force that is as captivating as it is staggering, as each member of the family reveals their version of the truth in turn.”
Ici Paris(FR)
“To read a crime novel by Camilla Grebe is above all to dive head-first into the fragility of a family and the flaws of society. Her fifth novel is no exception to this golden rule: a ‘crime’, of course, an investigation too, carried out discreetly, and a lot of psychology.”
La Voix du Nord (FR)
“One does not emerge unscathed from this thrilling Swedish enigma.”
L’Alsace (FR)
“Here, pretence and lies lead the dance in a psychological drama with a captivating form until the final twist.”
Ouest France (FR)
“The suspense is palpable and it’s impossible to put this book down. /…/ Camilla Grebe has found an own voice for each character, and it makes The Lies We Tell a real gem to read. /…/ Every now and then you read a thriller that meets and even exceeds all expectations. The Lies We Tell is one of them.”
Vrouwen Thrillers, 5/5 stars (NL)
“Camilla Grebe always succeeds in captivating me with her books, and it’s not first and foremost about the suspense, but rather the intensity with which she portrays her characters. /…/ Afterwards it all makes sense, but as I was reading my radar went off in so many different directions, yet I could not put the finger on it. And the final solution was so much better than I ever imagined. /…/ For fans of psychological thrillers I can warmly recommend The Lies We Tell!”
Thrillers & More, 4.5/5 (NL)
“The Lies We Tell is cleverly constructed. Many turn of events and shifting perspectives makes for a good element of surprise. /…/ Grebe has written this book like a puzzle. Just like a good thriller should be: it makes you curious to find out who did it. And it reads wonderfully, a thriller to get sucked into.”
Stoer Lees Voer (NL)
“An immersive fatal drama. […] Camilla Grebe is phenomenally skilled at constructing suspenseful – yet strongly relatable – intrigues.”
Dagens Nyheter (SE)
“[Grebe] skilfully tells a story that revolves around family and what you’ll do (and won’t do) for your family members. Camilla Grebe really succeeds in maintaining the interest through shifting the narrative between different characters and timelines.”
Ölandsbladet (SE)
“Camilla Grebe has twice been awarded by the Swedish Crime Writers Academy for the best crime novel of the year […] and the new book Welcome to Eternity is definitely in the same league. Here, readers are given a wonderfully spiteful portrayal of the publishing business, an uncompromising family portrayal, and suspense that has the reader in tight grip until the end. […] An incredibly cleverly constructed crime novel where Camilla Grebe toys with the readers’ sympathies and antipathies all the way through until an ending I never saw coming.”
Skånska Dagbladet (SE)
“Camilla Grebe goes from strength to strength. Her new psychological thriller combines an unsolved murder with a devastating portrayal of a family in freefall, while at the same time offering up razor-sharp reveals about life in publishing. She also pays homage to the classic crime theme: the locked room mystery. The pace constantly intensifies and I read with butterflies in my stomach until the unexpected ending.”
Aftonbladet (SE)
“Camilla Grebe has long been a favorite of mine and she really lives up to expectations with her new book Welcome to Eternity. She moves between different timelines and narrators, revolving around a murder in a locked room, which tears a family apart. Skilled and thrilling about how the greatest betrayal is indifference towards others, and how a someone must always be named the scapegoat.”
M Magasin (SE)
“A very well-constructed plot that unfolds like petals and reveals a reality that bears no resemblance with the beautiful surface.”
Expressen (SE)
“[Grebe’s] books contain everything a crime-junkie can wish for – thrilling plots with unexpected twists and an interesting cast of characters with the ability to move you.”
Linköpings-Posten (SE)
“In her new book Welcome to Eternity Grebe proves that she can still exceed the high expectations readers naturally have of this star. […] The story elegantly shifts between different perspectives, voices, and timelines. […] It’s so clever, so well done, and the language is constantly impressive. Pure joy of reading! […] Camilla Grebe’s words don’t just bring happiness while reading, they last longer than that. One can only bow deeply, say thank you, and long for the next book!”
Kapprakt (SE)
“A moving page-turner about how the selfish evil and indifference of one person destroys the lives of many people before the truth is revealed. […] Grebe portrays the relationships between the characters in the book with skill and psychological acuity.”
BTJ (SE)
“Agatha Christie vibes saturate this delicate mix of classic crime novel, family drama and psychological thriller. […] Camilla Grebe writes exceptionally efficient suspense novels, polished and energetic. She knows exactly what she’s doing. Welcome to Eternity must be near perfect of its kind.”
Arbetarbladet (SE)
“To hold a new crime novel from Camilla Grebe in your hands is thrilling in many ways. Even if you recognize her style and voice, she always ventures down new paths in her genre. […] She skillfully navigates towards the big reveal, the suspense increasing with every page. […] You can tell that Grebe has enjoyed writing this dense page-turner of a crime novel; the joy of storytelling shines even when the family drama is at its darkest, and she cares for all of her characters. And so do we.”
Göteborgs-Posten (SE)
“An elegant crime novel from Camilla Grebe”
Upsala Nya Tidning (SE)
“Few crime writers can, like Swedish Camilla Grebe, weave a poetic plot into a desolate Swedish countryside idyll and construct an intense and authentic suspense drama with solid characters and a chain of climactic cliffhangers. With Welcome to Eternity, she once again shows a level that is far above the average of the genre, and here with an everyday tale of fate that makes this seemingly simple story feel especially sophisticated and present. /…/ Welcome to Eternity is also worth reading due to the lovingly critical portrayal of author and publishing life, and because of the indirect depiction of a woman in crisis and denial, and middle-aged men in various forms of panic.”
Berlingske (DK)
“Camilla Grebe both continues and renews the best of the Swedish crime tradition in a story that keeps the reader gasping for breath.”
Jyllands-Posten, 5/6 stars (DK)
“Is Lykke Andersen guilty of murder – and who is lying dead? That’s the starting point for this original story. /…/ Past and present are portrayed side by side and the suspense increases towards a cleverly constructed climax.”
Adresseavisen, 5/6 stars (NO)
“Obviously taking as much pleasure in writing it, as we do in reading it, Camilla Grebe indulges here in an acerbic criticism of the publishing world, this smokescreen where vanity and creativity compete about the spotlight. She shatters what we had left of the illusions about happy families without histories.”
Elle Magazine (FR)
“In the vein of Fernando Pessoa, there’s no doubt that Camilla Grebe will continue to create a fascinating, disquieting atmosphere in her books.”
Paris Match (FR)
“Absolutely captivating.”
Livres (FR)
“Camilla Grebe has become a key figure when it comes to Nordic crime novels. With her way of building the novel, she handles suspense in a brilliant way and takes her readers through fascinating psychological puzzles. And her latest novel is no exception to the rule. […] By touching on the intimate, Camilla Grebe writes striking crime novels.”
Page Libraries (FR)
“Multiple narratives, dual chronology, short and panting chapters: the author of After She’s Gone returns to her best level in this excellent page-turner that, by the way, allows the reader to meet old characters again and to dive into the mysteries of the Scandinavian publishing world.”
Les Echos (FR)
Books
Adaptation

Camilla Grebe’s The Ice Beneath Her
Hollywood studio STX are currently adapting The Ice Beneath Her into a feature film starring Daisy Ridley.
Read MorePress Images
Awards
2023 – Winner of the Grand Prix des Lectrices de Elle in the Crime Fiction category for Welcome to Eternity
2021 – Shortlisted for the Adlibris Award for Crime Novel of the Year for The Lies We Tell
2020 – Shortlisted for Best European crime novel, Prix Le Point du Polar Européen for The Shadow Hunter
2020 – The Glass Key Award for Best Nordic Crime Novel for The Shadow Hunter
2020 – Shortlisted for the Book of the Year Award for The Shadow Hunter
2019 – Best Swedish Crime Novel of the Year for The Shadow Hunter
2019 – Prix des lecteurs 2019 du Livre de Poche for After She’s Gone
2018 – Shortlisted for the Book of the Year Award for After She’s Gone
2018 – The Glass Key Award for Best Nordic Crime Novel for After She’s Gone
2017 – Best Swedish Crime Novel of the Year for After She’s Gone