Two teenage lovers disappear while winter diving in a lake outside of Kiruna, in northern Sweden. The girl’s body washes up several months later but water samples from her lungs show that she did not die where she was found – her body was moved. A missing persons case turns into a murder investigation with prosecutor Rebecka Martinsson and police inspector Anna-Maria Mella at the helm. What had the teenagers been diving for? And who was willing to kill them to keep it a secret?
The mystery slowly unravels and sheds light on a larger story – that of Sweden’s support to the German Wehrmacht during World War Two. At the center of the sordid history is one local family, led by two sinister brothers, Tore and Hjalmar Krekula, who rule the community with their steely fists.
Meanwhile, Anna-Maria Mella and her colleague Sven-Erik Stålnacke struggle to reconcile after the tragic events of the previous book, The Black Path. Inner discord weakens the team just as outer threats begin to close in. The dead revisit the living, history maintains a steely grip on the present, and evil is always lurking close to home. Yet, nothing is ever exactly how it seems…
Until Thy Wrath Be Past is the fourth book in the Rebecka Martinsson series. With its psychologically complex twists and turns, this harrowing thriller captivates from the very first page.
Extra Materials
Denmark, Modtryk
Finland, Otava
France, Éditions Albin Michel
Germany, C. Bertelsmann
The Netherlands, Ambo Anthos
Italy, Marsilio Editori
Norway, Gyldendal
Poland, Literackie
Portugal, Planeta
Spain, Seix Barral
UK, Quercus/MacLehose
USA, Quercus/MacLehose
Author
Reviews
“Larsson’s best book so far. The supernatural elements are worked seamlessly into a complex and engaging mystery, resulting in a thoroughly compelling reading experience.”
Booklist, Starred Review (US)
“The real allure of Larsson’s meticulously crafted narrative lies in her unflinching dissection of human needs and desires.”
Publishers Weekly, Starred Review (US)
“Larsson’s laid-back style makes her unflinching probing of the icy depths of the human heart all the more chilling.”
The Telegraph (UK)
“Language that is by turn simple and clear, and by turn poetically brilliant.”
Norrländska Socialdemokraten (SE)
“Critics used to be able to dismiss crime fiction with a few condescending remarks about language and psychology. Soon they won’t be able to do that anymore. Åsa Larsson’s book, for example, stands firmly on the three most important tenets: style, human understanding, and plot.”
Svenska Dagbladet (SE)
“Among the current batch of Nordic writers, the new Larsson is one to be followed with the most minute attention.”
The Independent (UK)