She's Never Coming Back states boldly on the cover it is the "Swedish Thriller Phenomenon" that Lyssnarklubben says is "The most terrifying crime novel I have ever read". The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo was the biggest phenomenon from Sweden, and so, every new book translated is the new Stieg Larsson - the new phenomenon.
This was written by Hans Koppel, the pseudonym of a popular children's author, Petter Lidbecks. On the cover a young woman runs through a moss-laden forest into the light, which has nothing to do with the story. In fact, the US version has a young woman in a jogging suit in the woods and on the UK cover it's a woman in a spring coat. Guess it's chillier in the UK woods.
It's a fast read, a trade paperback with large type, and I read it in one sitting.
Ylva is a loving mother and wife. One night after drinks with friends she is stopped by a couple she used to know. They have just moved into her area, could they give her a lift?
After being tasered, they drag her into the soundproof room in their basement and handcuff her to the bed. This begins her long ordeal of captivity and sexual abuse. The couple have built this cage for her specifically, complete with a TV which shows her house across the street, 100 metres away. She can watch her husband and daughter as they discover she is missing. At first Mike thinks she has left him for the guy she had an affair with a few years back. He waits for her to come home. Then the police get involved - of course, Mike is the number one suspect, he most likely killed her, right? They are so sure, they don't really follow up on the case. Mike begins treatment with a respected counsellor, whom he becomes friends with. After a few months, the trail is cold and Mike finds spending time with Ylva's friend Nour enjoyable. They become a couple. Meanwhile, Ylva continues to please her captors with her body, as well as doing their laundry, ironing and housekeeping.
Seems like I have told you the whole story, but there are many more twists and revelations. Why Ylva was abducted, and if she is coming back to her life. Despite the title, it could refer to another girl from her high school days, a girl most people have forgotten about. And despite the title, Ylva may be coming back.
Usually, these books (and I read em' all) get pretty gruesome, like they are trying to outdo each other with the level of sick violence. This one was surprisingly more on the mystery side. It mainly deals with Mike and his daughter, blindly left alone, and how they cope and come to terms with Ylva's disappearance. The other thing that kept rolling through my mind was how much better it would be if Mike was abducted and forced into captivity and sexual abuse. You would only have to change the She to He, the Her to Him. The same situation would be amplified as he is supposed to be the strong man who shouldn't be subjugated. I think several scenes would be more terrifying or moving. I don't know if Lyssnarklubben could handle it.
I did buy it and read it, but kept thinking how it is always a woman victim - how we take it for granted she will be captured and abused. It's not shocking anymore.
Ho Hum, she got tasered again. It's kind of boring in some ways - give us a variation.
Throw Mike in the basement.
Maybe I just read too many of them!
If you like Swedish thrillers, I think you'd like it. Wasn't the phenomenon I was expecting, but complex enough to keep me going until the last page. And about that last page, there is a codicil after the story closes that implies Ylva deserved it.
Seems pretty harsh to blame the victim - whose side are you on Hans/Petter?
2011 / Tradepaper / 393 pages
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