On a rainy evening, five-year old Tilde bears witness to her mother’s brutal murder at the hands of a man she can’t quite see from her hiding place under the kitchen table.
Psychologist Siri Bergman and her colleague Aina have started a support group for women who are victims of abuse. The women share gruesome tales of physical, psychological, and sexual cruelty. Some have been beaten by their husbands, boyfriends and stepfathers, others raped by men they’ve just met, and one woman has recently come to terms with the fact that she’s been physically and psychologically abused throughout the course of a long marriage. All of the women are very different, yet they have one thing in common: they are victims of men’s violence.
When the boyfriend of one of the women in the support group becomes the prime suspect in a murder-case, Siri finds herself involved in the investigation – where she crosses paths with little Tilde.
The horrors of the crimes committed by men against women lead Siri to begin questioning her own relationship. Can she really trust the man she loves, while being aware of the betrayals the other women have been subjected to?
More Bitter Than Death is the second book in the Siri Bergman series, where our heroine once again finds herself dragged into the hunt for a murderer. This fluidly written psychological thriller was nominated for the Best Swedish Crime Novel Award by the Swedish Crime Writers’ Academy in 2010.
Author
Reviews
“Tense and chilling, this is a thriller for readers who enjoyed Camilla Läckberg’s The Ice Princess.”
Booklist (US)
“More Bitter Than Death tells a frightening tale of violence against women. It is skillfully constructed and offers many surprising turns. I am enjoying myself so much I simply can’t put it down.”
Skånska Dagbladet (SE)
“Grebe and Träff have created a reading experience that stays with you, especially due to how they handle the theme of love in such a thought-provoking way. […] Grebe and Träff’s future in Swedish crime fiction is without a doubt a bright one.”
Smålandsposten (SE)
“This is really, really good. It’s wonderful to find such a page-turner that is virtually impossible to put down.”
Med näsan i en bok, Blog (SE)
“Sisters Grebe and Träff have with this psychological thriller established their names as competent successors to Läckberg and Marklund.”
Litteratursiden (DK)