Media Center: ‘Crow Girl’ by Erik Axl Sund
WHO: Erik Axl Sund
WHAT: THE CROW GIRL, a novel
WHEN: Published by Knopf June 14, 2016
WHERE: The story is set in Stockholm
WHY: “An epic psychological thriller.
“In Stockholm, young boys’ tortured and mutilated bodies are being dumped in public spots. DS Jeanette Kihlberg catches the serial-murder case but is left with dramatically shrunken resources after the children are pegged as undocumented immigrants. Jeanette’s instincts pull her toward the case of Karl Lundström, a pedophile who claims that he knows another pedophile who purchases child victims from the Russian Mob. Hoping for a connection to her stalled case, Jeanette contacts the psychologist, Sofia Zetterlund, who performed Lundström’s forensic examination and finds she has a strong personal and professional attraction to Sofia.
“At the same time, Sofia is mired in an obsession with her client Victoria Bergman, called the Crow Girl, who developed alternate personalities after sexual abuse by her powerful bureaucrat father. As the story swings between Jeanette’s investigation, Victoria’s muddled recollections, and the Crow Girl’s vengeful perspective, threads between the sexual-abuse cases develop a larger image of a powerful cult’s ritualistic abuse.
“This epic psychological thriller’s unflinching portrayals of violent sexual abuse create ultradark atmospheric suspense and a jolting examination of a cycle of abuse and revenge that spans generations. Like the novels of Karin Fossum, Stieg Larsson, and Camilla Lackberg, this award-winning US debut builds a powerful indictment of society’s willingness to turn a blind eye toward powerful, privileged abusers preying on the weak.” —Christine Tran, in a starred review for BOOKLIST
“Smart and rewarding. This pseudonymous mystery has been a hit across continental Europe. It’s easy to see why.” —KIRKUS REVIEWS
Media Resources:
About the book and author | Read and excerpt | Download the jacket | Download the author photo
Translated from the Swedish by Neil Smith.
Knopf. 768 pages. $29.95 ISBN 978-0-385-34987-1
Publicist for this title:
Helen Tobin | 212-572-2018 | htobin@penguinrandomhouse.com