After She's Gone by Camilla Grebe
Out of the frozen depths of a forest in Ormberg, Sweden, a woman stumbles onto the road. Her arms are covered with scratches, her feet are bare, and she has no memory of who she is. Local police identify her as psychological profiler Hanne Lagerlind-Schön, who, with her partner, had been helping investigate the cold case of a young woman’s murder. Hanne begins to recover but cannot recall anything about where her partner is, or what their investigation had uncovered before her disappearance. Police have only one lead: a young woman in a sequined dress who was spotted nearby the night Hanne was found.
The young woman doesn’t come forward because she doesn’t exist: Jake Birgersson, a local teenager, had been out walking in his mother’s dress and sister’s makeup, his secret shame and thrill. Terrified of discovery, Jake hid and watched Hanne get into a car, leaving behind her diary.
Reading Hanne’s notebook, Jake realizes that it contains the key to a major breakthrough in the case—but turning it in would mean admitting the truth about who he is. When another murder victim is found in the woods, Jake realizes that Hanne herself is in danger, and his only choice is to find and warn her so that together, they can stop the killer before he strikes again.
I don’t know exactly why, but I’m drawn to thrillers. However, it’s rare for me to find one that is fully satisfying. After She’s Gone, though, hit the mark.
The book is full of twists and turns, and the multiple POV is handled very effectively. The plot takes some time to build up, and the story seems to lag at a few points. However, the resolution is well done, and it caught me by surprise. The solution is intentionally surprising, but it’s tied together well enough that it feels absolutely plausible.
The characters also add a lot to the story. Jake’s story really shows a different side of the “small-town life” and it’s a good reminder that real life isn’t always accepting of change, and how old beliefs can become dangerous to people who don’t fit in. His musings on toxic masculinity are interesting, and his character growth is fun to read. Malin, on the other hand, falls into a lot of stereotypes. The woman who returns to her small hometown to investigate a strange occurrence that is revealed to be linked to some trauma that pushed her to leave home is something I’ve read many times. Bonus points for her being engaged, and then breaking up with her fiancé for a hometowm bum. I found myself a little disappointed when Malin checked off every single cliché, but the different POVs helped alleviate that.
The fictional town of Ormberg in Sweden also functions almost as a character in itself. The residents’ suspicion of outsiders and fierce protectiveness of each other warp their perceptions of the world. The story carried sharp commentary about refugees of war as well, but it isn’t until the very end that it really hits home. And when it does, it’s powerful, and one of the book’s hidden gems. The punch snuck on me, but it was well-executed, and thought-provoking to say the least.
While it wasn’t perfect, After She’s Gone was a delightful read that manages to weave in powerful social commentary, without ever taking away from the plot. It was terrifying, exciting, and exhilarating all in one; the signs of a successful thriller.
The young woman doesn’t come forward because she doesn’t exist: Jake Birgersson, a local teenager, had been out walking in his mother’s dress and sister’s makeup, his secret shame and thrill. Terrified of discovery, Jake hid and watched Hanne get into a car, leaving behind her diary.
Reading Hanne’s notebook, Jake realizes that it contains the key to a major breakthrough in the case—but turning it in would mean admitting the truth about who he is. When another murder victim is found in the woods, Jake realizes that Hanne herself is in danger, and his only choice is to find and warn her so that together, they can stop the killer before he strikes again.
I don’t know exactly why, but I’m drawn to thrillers. However, it’s rare for me to find one that is fully satisfying. After She’s Gone, though, hit the mark.
The book is full of twists and turns, and the multiple POV is handled very effectively. The plot takes some time to build up, and the story seems to lag at a few points. However, the resolution is well done, and it caught me by surprise. The solution is intentionally surprising, but it’s tied together well enough that it feels absolutely plausible.
The characters also add a lot to the story. Jake’s story really shows a different side of the “small-town life” and it’s a good reminder that real life isn’t always accepting of change, and how old beliefs can become dangerous to people who don’t fit in. His musings on toxic masculinity are interesting, and his character growth is fun to read. Malin, on the other hand, falls into a lot of stereotypes. The woman who returns to her small hometown to investigate a strange occurrence that is revealed to be linked to some trauma that pushed her to leave home is something I’ve read many times. Bonus points for her being engaged, and then breaking up with her fiancé for a hometowm bum. I found myself a little disappointed when Malin checked off every single cliché, but the different POVs helped alleviate that.
The fictional town of Ormberg in Sweden also functions almost as a character in itself. The residents’ suspicion of outsiders and fierce protectiveness of each other warp their perceptions of the world. The story carried sharp commentary about refugees of war as well, but it isn’t until the very end that it really hits home. And when it does, it’s powerful, and one of the book’s hidden gems. The punch snuck on me, but it was well-executed, and thought-provoking to say the least.
While it wasn’t perfect, After She’s Gone was a delightful read that manages to weave in powerful social commentary, without ever taking away from the plot. It was terrifying, exciting, and exhilarating all in one; the signs of a successful thriller.
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