Her black dress dances in the wind as she runs, the crisp scent of cold air invading her senses, tree branches crackling beneath the urgency of her footsteps. Is he drawing near? The frozen lake looms into view, dawning on her as her sole possibility for escape. Unbeknownst to her, the ice beneath her is treacherously thin. She doesn’t have time to think before the unsettling sound of cracking ice reaches her ears, and the murky waters envelop her in a cold, dark abyss.
It is January, and the snow has yet to blanket the quaint town of Harlösa in Southern Sweden. In this tight-knit community, a mysterious young woman who no one seems to know has plunged through the ice. The case lands on police investigator Fredrika Storm’s desk, who has recently moved back to her home region of Skåne after spending a few years in Stockholm. Together with her colleague Henry Calment, she embarks on a journey of cracking the case of the mystery woman – who was she, and who was she running from?
As they delve deeper into the case, the investigation becomes more perplexing and nothing is what it seemed like at a first glance. Multiple tracks unravel hidden secrets into Fredrika’s own family history. What kind of relationship did the young woman have with Tobias Falk, a troubled man who left the village a summer over twenty years ago? And how is the case connected to Fredrika’s own mother, who disappeared that same summer?
Birds of Sorrow is the first installment in Frida Skybäck’s gripping crime series featuring police investigator Fredrika Storm. In this gracefully crafted suspense novel, Frida Skybäck keeps the readers on the edge of their seat until the very last page. This tale is a poignant exploration of homecoming, where the familiarity of everyone knowing everyone belies the hidden secrets beneath the seemingly idyllic surface. It is also a portrayal of how family ties can change over time and become infected when unfortunate circumstances interfere. Amidst the suspenseful twists, Skybäck artfully reveals how history, like a relentless tide, resurfaces in the present, weaving a narrative that is as unpredictable as it is captivating.
Extra Materials
Denmark, Gyldendal / Cicero
Finland, WSOY
Germany, dtv
Author
Reviews
“Birds of Sorrow is well-written […]. The characters are unique, complex, and believable, and the novel deserves a special mention because the resolution does not feel contrived, but authentic and convincing.”
BTJ (SE)
“Skybäck’s first crime novel is an impressive debut.”
Smålandsposten (SE)
“The character portrayal is exceptional. It is here that Skybäck shines the brightest.”
Skånska Dagbladet (SE)
“Multifaceted and fascinating characters in a very enjoyable page turner.”
Aftonbladet (SE)
“Melancholy suspense and dark family secrets!”
Femina (SE)
“It is wonderfully well-written […] This is really good, and one can only look forward to the next installment.”
Kapprakt (SE)
“A grand, new thrilling crime novel from the Swedish author that promises many more cases for this unusual team of investigators.”
News (DE)
“Frida Skybäck has given her characters room to develop further in the next installment of the new crime series. If she knows how to take care of these opportunities, there is certainly a reason to look forward to further Skåne crime novels.”
Ruhr Nachrichten (DE)
“Thrilling crime from Sweden.”
Plus Magazin (DE)
“Very thrilling first case for Fredrika Storm, which will hopefully be followed by many more.”
Mainhattan Kurier (DE)
“The author tells the story slowly, with a lot of details, and gives the crime novel space to develop.”
Leselupe (DE)
“You don’t have to read Birds of Sorrow for long before you realize that despite its ordinary looks, it is quality work by a quality author. […] Frida Skybäck’s prose flows smoothly and the plot keeps twisting in new addictive ways. […] The pages turn effortlessly, as Skybäck is exceptionally inventive regarding both new twists in relation to clues, as well as personal relationships.”
Kulttuuriutiset (FI)