‘Scars of Silence’ by Johana Gustawsson
Twenty-three years ago, a young woman was murdered on the Swedish island of Lidingo.
The island has kept its silence.
Until now...
As autumn deepens into darkness in Lidingo, on the Stockholm archipelago, the island is plunged into chaos: in the space of a week, two teenaged boys are murdered. Their bodies are left deep in the forest, dressed in white tunics with crowns of candles on their heads, like offerings to Saint Lucia.
aïa Rehn has fled Paris for Lidingö after a family tragedy. But when the murders shake the island community, the former police commissioner is drawn into the heart of the investigation, joining Commissioner Aleksander Storm to unravel a mystery as chilling as the Nordic winter.
As they dig deeper, it becomes clear that a wind of vengeance is blowing through the archipelago, unearthing secrets that are as scandalous as they are inhuman.
But what if the victims weren't who they seemed?
What if those long silenced have finally found a way to strike back?
How far would they go to make their tormentors pay?
And you - how far would you go?
About the author
Born in Marseille, France, and with a degree in Political Science, Johana Gustawsson has worked as a journalist for the French and Spanish press and Her critically acclaimed Roy & Castells series, including Block 46, Keeper and Blood Song, has won the Plume d'Argent, Balai de la découverte, Balai d'Or and Prix Marseillais du Polar awards, and is now published in nineteen countries. A TV adaptation is currently under way in a French Swedish and UK co-production. The Bleeding was a number-one bestseller in France and is the first in a new series.
Johana lives in Sweden with her Swedish husband and their three sons.
Review
‘Scars of Silence’ is a dark, brooding mystery that tantalises, shocks, and enthrals the reader from the first to the last word. This is the second book in the ‘Lindingö Mysteries’, but it can easily be read as a standalone as this is a self-contained story. I absolutely adore anything that this author produces, and this was no exception - much to my delight!
Commissioner Aleks Storm is out running early one morning when he receives a frantic phone call from a teen he coaches football. He and his girlfriend have stumbled across a body behind the local school. The victim is a teen boy who is dressed in a white tunic with a garland of foliage and candles. This has similarities with a case 23 years ago, where a local girl was murdered and raped whilst wearing a Saint Lucia costume. But her boyfriend was found guilty and committed suicide whilst in custody. So surely there can’t be a link?
Maia Rehn is a French police officer from Paris who has returned to the home of her husband - Lindigö, an island near Stockholm. She is recovering from the death of their daughter who was in a car accident. This part of the story was told with great sensitivity, empathy, and awareness. Grief is a funny thing, and it changes from person to person, and this portrayal was raw, brutally honest, and at times beautiful. Maia is a brilliant protagonist; nothing was hidden when it came to getting to know her. She is inquisitive, approachable, and able to tease hidden details from people as the investigation progresses. I think Aleks states she gives them space to be honest, open, and free.
The themes explored in the book were dark and unforgiving when it comes to the mystery. Secrets and lies aplenty, full of vengeance and repercussions that vibrate through history. Johana’s books are always of a dark, gothic-like nature, and it seems as if she is screaming into the void about certain aspects of the story. Argh, I can’t say too much, or it will wander off into spoiler territory! Let’s just say this will be a story that will sit with me for a long time.
Johanna is a beautiful writer. She manages to construct sentences which can stop a reader in their tracks. Profound, dark, and beautiful, they are stunning. Sometimes people look down on crime fiction, but it is books like this that elevate the genre, and her books are brilliant examples. She also is able to create a detailed, poetic atmosphere so easily, whilst getting to the crux of the social issues she is wanting to explore with this story. Can you tell I am a fan girl?!
Let me know if you pick this one up!
