The Gallows Bird

2006 novel by Camilla Läckberg
0-00-725400-8Preceded byThe Stone Cutter Followed byFlavours from Fjällbacka 

The Gallows Bird (Swedish: Olycksfågeln) is a 2006 novel by Camilla Läckberg, translated by Steven T. Murray in 2011. It is the fourth psychological thriller written by Läckberg.[1]

Synopsis

Patrik (police officer) and Erica (writer) have reconnected, had a child and are moving headlong into matrimony.[2] Problems sidelined when a chaotic alcohol-fueled party ends with the death of an unpopular contestant on a reality TV show.[3] A local woman is found dead, apparently the victim of a car crash: the first in a spate of seemingly inexplicable accidents in Tanumshede.[4] The car reeks of alcohol and the initial assumption is that it is a drunk driver accident.[5]

Soon it becomes clear there's a serial assassin in the vicinity.[6] As TV cameras shadow the reality show stars' every move, relations with the locals are strained to the breaking point. A piece of evidence reveals that a pair of seemingly disparate homicides are linked, and a pattern emerges of similar homicides spread over many years—in different regions of Sweden; slowly Patrick realizes that these cases are more closely linked than he had thought.[7] Patrick also has his own set of problems to contend with: a wedding to arrange, and Erica's sister Anna living with them—he's experiencing stress.[8]

References

  1. ^ "Novel 4".
  2. ^ "Matrimony".
  3. ^ Forshaw, Barry (11 March 2011). "Party Alcohol". The Independent. London. Archived from the original on 2022-06-18.
  4. ^ "Accident".
  5. ^ "Accident".
  6. ^ "Murderer/plural".
  7. ^ "Sweden literature".
  8. ^ swedengallow.com ["camilla-boss".]literature/8885476
  • v
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Novels
  • The Ice Princess (2002)
  • The Preacher (2004)
  • The Stone Cutter (2005)
  • The Gallows Bird (2006)
  • Flavours from Fjällbacka (2007)
  • The Hidden Child (2007)
  • The Drowning (2008)
  • The Lost Boy (2009)
  • Super Charlie (2011)
  • Feast, Food & Love (2011)
  • The Angel Maker's Wife (2011)
Adaptations