First published 2018
Fredrik Welin wakes to blinding light flooding his bedroom. His house burns around him on the tiny Swedish island where he lives alone. The disgraced former surgeon escapes the flames with mailman Jansson, wearing mismatched boots as everything he owns turns to ash. Fredrik moves into an abandoned trailer on his island. Journalist Lisa Modin arrives to cover the fire story. Her presence stirs feelings Fredrik believed were dead. His estranged daughter visits with unexpected news. Police suspect Fredrik of arson due to his large insurance claim. When another house burns while Fredrik is away, the community knows an arsonist stalks the archipelago. Fredrik must confront the world he abandoned decades ago when scandal ended his medical career. The fire forces this elderly recluse to reconnect with people he pushed away.
Genres: drama, suspense, mystery, contemporary
Vibes: atmospheric, intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: found-family, second-chance
Setting: Sweden, Swedish Island
Period: Contemporary
416 pages · Paperback · RANDOM HOUSE UK
Content warnings: mental-illness