by Liza Marklund
Atria, $25.99, 389 pages
A Swedish journalist, Annika Bengtzon, is caught up in an intriguing mystery when another journalist is murdered after she arranged to interview him about a decades-old terrorist act. As she continues to investigate, she begins to believe the murder is linked to that act. More murders occur as she learns about a cell of communist Maoists from the revolutionary 1960’s. Annika, while travelling to the far north of Sweden in search of answers, is also dealing with a cheating husband, an uncooperative boss, and anxiety attacks stemming from a past trauma. In the last few chapters, the story becomes riveting as she encounters extremely dangerous situations.
Liza Marklund, who lives in Sweden and Spain, has written eleven novels and two nonfiction books. Her crime novels have been interpreted into thirty languages and have sold millions of copies. While a work of fiction, the book is well researched, and provides vivid descriptions of the frozen locales of wintry Sweden. Red Wolf is a witty and intelligent story whose characters come alive. The pages are full of descriptions of life in Sweden, and how another society might view America. The ideas from the rebellious ‘60s are well presented and thought-provoking.
Reviewed by Fran Byram