Reviews

• “Bengtsdotter creates a truly atmospheric and unsettling story. /…/ Charlie is fully formed and complex: an independent woman, brilliant cop. /…/ For the Dead becomes quite a poignant journey, full of unexpected twists and hard truths from the past. As Bengtsdotter leads her main characters towards the final shocking conclusion, she does it with sensitivity and insight into the long-lasting effects of neglect or lack of understanding. Precision in plotting and flowing narration will keep you gripped by the powerful yet ultimately incredibly sad story.”

• “Charlie Lager […] stirs up dangerous secrets in this gripping thriller. ”

• “[The] story is gripping and rousing, no doubt heavily due to the authentic atmosphere. /…/ Yet the real highlight of For the Dead are the depictions of the mentally ill characters. /…/ [The] plot captivated and transported me.”

• “In a very refined yet empathetic way Lina Bengtsdotter tells a common and, at the same time, oh so rare tale. The story has great drive to it and the author allows her characters to be human of flesh and blood. For the Dead is a splendid thriller and a sequel is more than welcome.”

• “Both character and milieu depictions are written with great care and the claustrophobic small city feel, smothering all those that deviate, is so palpable that one can almost touch it. Yet one can also smell the summer aromas, the teen angst, and the total betrayal when the adult world refuse to listen.”

• “It’s a wonderful reading experience, returning to the universe created by Lina Bengtsdotter. The classical ingredients of dysfunctional family ties, silenced secrets and destructive deeds are given new shapes in her intrusive and tender, yet never romanticizing, depiction of a small community in decay, and all those left behind in it.”

• “One of the most skilled representatives of the genre is called Lina Bengtsdotter. /…/ [She] writes credibly about the most complex emotions.”

• “Lina Bengtsdotter captures the claustrophobia of the small community with respect and a certain tenderness. She also shows respect for her young female characters’ lives and deaths, which is yet another reason to give her a read.”