Title: The Ice Princess
Author: Camilla Läckberg
Translator: Steven T. Murray
Publisher: Pocket
Publication Date: March 29, 2011
Paperback: 480 pages
ISBN: 978-1451621761
Genre: Fiction, Mystery, Suspense

From the Publisher:

In this electrifying tale of suspense from an international crime-writing sensation, a grisly death exposes the dark heart of a Scandinavian seaside village. Erica Falck returns to her tiny, remote hometown of FjÄllbacka, Sweden, after her parents’ deaths only to encounter another tragedy: the suicide of her childhood best friend, Alex. It’s Erica herself who finds Alex’s body—suspended in a bathtub of frozen water, her wrists slashed. Erica is bewildered: Why would a beautiful woman who had it all take her own life? Teaming up with police detective Patrik HedstrÖm, Erica begins to uncover shocking events from Alex’s childhood. As one horrifying fact after another comes to light, Erica and Patrik’s curiosity gives way to obsession—and their flirtation grows into uncontrollable attraction. But it’s not long before one thing becomes very clear: a deadly secret is at stake, and there’s someone out there who will do anything—even commit murder—to protect it.

Fans of Scandinavian greats Stieg Larsson and Henning Mankell will devour Camilla Läckberg’s penetrating portrait of human nature at its darkest.
My Review:

In her chilling debut release in the US, Camilla Läckberg’s The Ice Princess, released in Sweden in 2002 as Isprinsessan is the first of her seven novels set in the Swedish fishing town of Fjällbacka. Erica Falck returns home after the death of her parents and while going through her parents belongings, she senses something is not quite right in the circumstances surrounding the apparent suicide of her childhood friend, Alexandra Wijkner. In exceptionally well-crafted prose, Läckberg brings to life the relationships among the characters, particularly the partnership formed between Erica and detective Patrik Hedström as they attempt to uncover the truth behind the death of Alex. In an intensely captivating manner, readers are exposed not only to the mystery surrounding suspicious death, but also to recurring relationship problems touching on the general issues of dysfunctional relationships and specific issues of infidelity. The story bears a similar starkness to the Swedish winters, where disturbing secrets surface, revealing the town’s past sins that leave nothing on which to maintain the past, if not misinformed, perceptions of Fjällbacka. I anxiously await the April release of Läckberg’s second novel, The Preacher, originally released in 2004 in Sweden titled Predikanten. I would recommend The Ice Princess to anyone who enjoys suspense thrillers, especially delightfully dark Scandinavian thrillers.

About the Author:

Camilla Lackberg worked as an economist in Stockholm until a course in creative writing triggered a drastic career change. Her novels have all been # 1 bestsellers in Sweden and she is the most profitable native author in Swedish history. Camilla’s books have been published in thirty-five countries. She lives in Stockholm.

I received a complimentary copy of The Ice Princess by Camilla Läckberg from Free Press to offer my honest review of the book. Receiving a complimentary copy in no way reflected my review of aforementioned book.