In this novella very successful of that which one proclaimed the “queen of Swedish thriller”, all the action takes place during the few hours which precede the stroke of midnight, on the eve of the New Year.
Four friends, aged 18, spend the evening at one of them, while their parents celebrate in the next house. To pass the time, they embark on a game of Monopoly in truth or consequence to spice up the rules.
Alcohol flows freely, the game gets out of hand quickly. The jealousies and the unspoken things that have corroded the sincerity of their friendship for too long are revealed as they get drunk. They are extremely rich, they live in sumptuous mansions in one of the most luxurious districts of Stockholm and they are admired by all; but under the varnish of this enviable portrait, they all hide deep flaws and painful secrets.
“We present well, we are blooming and blameless in appearance, but sad and devastated inside,” said one of them. Even if they have never spoken about it among themselves, they all suffer from the duplicity of their parents, individuals who occupy important social functions, but for whom lying is second nature.
The more the evening progresses, the more the tension climbs. Then the vase breaks. The valves open. The strange chemistry that operates between them combined with the abuse of alcohol and the stinging injuries that afflict them form an explosive cocktail. The suspense grows in a skillful and controlled way, and it is a noir novel without false notes that Camilla Läckberg offers us. And we must admit that its reduced format – more and more in vogue in the thriller – is perfectly suited to this type of linear plot, in addition to offering a refreshing interlude in a genre that has rather accustomed us to often very dense.
Without going through square one
Camilla Läckberg
South Acts
112 pages