Have you ever read a novel because you liked the TV show or movie? That’s why I picked the Sandhamn Murders series by Viveca Sten for Book Beginnings on Fridays.
Book Beginnings is a fun meme hosted by Rose City Reader blog. To participate, share the first sentence or so of a novel you are reading and your thoughts about it. When you are finished, add your URL to the Book Beginnings page linked above. Hope to see you there!
Closed Circles by Viveca Sten and translated by Laura A. Wideburg
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Summary: When Oscar Juliander, lawyer and deputy chairman of the prestigious Royal Swedish Yacht Club, is killed during a regatta, police detective Thomas Andreasson and his childhood friend lawyer Nora Linde investigate. The going gets tough when the rich and powerful close ranks.
First Sentence:
The woman’s voice slowly counted down over Channel 16 on the marine radio: “Ten, nine, eight…”
Discussion:
As with many mystery novels, chapter one starts with the murder scene. The victim is killed during the beginning of the yacht race.
56
The Friday 56 is hosted by Freda’s Voice. The premise is simple. Turn to page 56 in the book and pick a quote.
This special friendship with Nora had existed for a long time. [His ex-wife] Pernilla had never questioned it, unlike Nora’s husband, Henrik.
These are police detective Thomas Andreasson’s thoughts. You can read different meanings into this sentence. Was Pernilla — Thomas’s ex-wife — more mature and secure, which is why she wasn’t jealous of her husband’s childhood friend? Or did she not care as much as Henrik? We learn more about Nora and Henrik’s relationship before the end of the book and things become much clearer.
I’ve already read Still Waters, which is the first in the series. The layout is unique because the sections from Nora’s point of view are so different in pacing. Her story line reads like domestic fiction. The sections that feature Thomas are fairly straightforward police procedural. The combination of the two works better than you might think. It is actually quite compelling.
There are two television series based on the novels, a Swedish television series named Sandhamn Murders and a Polish version, set in Poland with Polish actors called The Crime (Viveca’s website). Both television series paralleled the story line, but changed enough plot points so there weren’t too many spoilers. For example, in Closed Circles the victim was killed during a horse race instead of a yacht race.
Still Waters by Viveca Sten and translated by Marlaine Delargy
Have you read any mysteries by Viveca Sten? Have you seen either television series? Do you think you would like to?
