Plus, receive recommendations and exclusive offers on all of your favorite books and authors from Simon & Schuster.
Table of Contents
About The Book
“Breathtaking.”—Publishers Weekly (starred review)
Investigative analyst Fredrika Bergman tackles a new case—this time involving the US government—in the next pulse-pounding book in Kristina Ohlsson’s internationally acclaimed crime series.
Shortly after a crowded New York-bound Boeing 747 takes off from Stockholm, a bomb threat is found in one of the aircraft’s lavatories. The demands are directed at both the Swedish and US governments.
Police superintendent Alex Recht teams up with the energetic and often abrasive Eden Lundell from the security service’s counterterrorism unit to deal with the hijacking. Fredrika Bergman, who is currently working at the Justice Department, returns to the police force to act as a liaison between the government and the police.
The investigation team soon realizes that the plot behind the hijacking is far more complex than they initially thought, and they also must battle against the US government’s fear of a new terrorist attack. Now it’s a race against time as Fredrika, Alex, and Eden search for possibilities to save the plane and its passengers. Will they find a solution before the plane runs out of fuel?
Investigative analyst Fredrika Bergman tackles a new case—this time involving the US government—in the next pulse-pounding book in Kristina Ohlsson’s internationally acclaimed crime series.
Shortly after a crowded New York-bound Boeing 747 takes off from Stockholm, a bomb threat is found in one of the aircraft’s lavatories. The demands are directed at both the Swedish and US governments.
Police superintendent Alex Recht teams up with the energetic and often abrasive Eden Lundell from the security service’s counterterrorism unit to deal with the hijacking. Fredrika Bergman, who is currently working at the Justice Department, returns to the police force to act as a liaison between the government and the police.
The investigation team soon realizes that the plot behind the hijacking is far more complex than they initially thought, and they also must battle against the US government’s fear of a new terrorist attack. Now it’s a race against time as Fredrika, Alex, and Eden search for possibilities to save the plane and its passengers. Will they find a solution before the plane runs out of fuel?
Excerpt
Hostage
1
Stockholm, 12:27
Once innocence was lost, it could never be regained.
He had thought this on countless occasions. As far as Sweden was concerned, it had begun with the assassination attempt at Drottninggatan right in the middle of the Christmas-shopping rush in Stockholm. Sweden had its first suicide bomber, and the shock waves spread throughout the whole country. What next? Would Sweden become one of those countries whose citizens dared not venture out for fear of terrorist attacks?
No one had been more worried than the prime minister.
“How do we learn to live with this?” he had asked over a glass of cognac late one night in Rosenbad, the government offices in the city center.
There was no clear answer to that.
The consequences had been devastating. Not from a material point of view—physical things could be repaired. However, many emotional and moral values had been shattered. As the newly appointed minister for justice, he had been astonished to see the shaken individuals demanding new laws in order to make society safer, and had treated them with caution. The government party that opposed immigration capitalized on the situation and made one statement after another.
“We have to take a firm approach on the issue of terrorism,” the foreign secretary had said when the government met for the first time after the attack.
As if she were the only one who realized this.
They had all looked hopefully at the new minister for justice, who had taken up his post only weeks after the terrorist attack in Stockholm.
Muhammed Haddad.
Sometimes he wondered if they had known what was to come, and had handpicked him for the post. As an alibi. As the only person who could take necessary action without anyone being able to call him a racist. Sweden’s first Muslim minister for justice. A newcomer to the party who had never met any opposition during his short career. Sometimes it sickened him. He knew that he was given preferential treatment because of his ethnic and religious background. Not that he didn’t deserve his success. He had been a brilliant lawyer, and had realized at an early stage that he wanted to devote himself to criminal law. His clients had dubbed him the miracle worker. He wasn’t satisfied with winning; he also demanded redress. He had been fifteen years old when he came to Sweden; now he was forty-five and knew that he would never return to his homeland, Lebanon.
His secretary knocked and stuck her head around the door.
“Säpo called. They’ll be here in half an hour.”
He had been expecting the call. The security service, known as Säpo, wanted to discuss a high-security matter, and Muhammed had made it clear that he wished to take the meeting in person, even though this was not common practice.
“How many of them are coming?”
“Three.”
“And Eden Lundell?”
“She’s coming, too.”
Muhammed felt calmer. “Show them into the large conference room. Tell the others we’ll meet there five minutes beforehand.”
1
Stockholm, 12:27
Once innocence was lost, it could never be regained.
He had thought this on countless occasions. As far as Sweden was concerned, it had begun with the assassination attempt at Drottninggatan right in the middle of the Christmas-shopping rush in Stockholm. Sweden had its first suicide bomber, and the shock waves spread throughout the whole country. What next? Would Sweden become one of those countries whose citizens dared not venture out for fear of terrorist attacks?
No one had been more worried than the prime minister.
“How do we learn to live with this?” he had asked over a glass of cognac late one night in Rosenbad, the government offices in the city center.
There was no clear answer to that.
The consequences had been devastating. Not from a material point of view—physical things could be repaired. However, many emotional and moral values had been shattered. As the newly appointed minister for justice, he had been astonished to see the shaken individuals demanding new laws in order to make society safer, and had treated them with caution. The government party that opposed immigration capitalized on the situation and made one statement after another.
“We have to take a firm approach on the issue of terrorism,” the foreign secretary had said when the government met for the first time after the attack.
As if she were the only one who realized this.
They had all looked hopefully at the new minister for justice, who had taken up his post only weeks after the terrorist attack in Stockholm.
Muhammed Haddad.
Sometimes he wondered if they had known what was to come, and had handpicked him for the post. As an alibi. As the only person who could take necessary action without anyone being able to call him a racist. Sweden’s first Muslim minister for justice. A newcomer to the party who had never met any opposition during his short career. Sometimes it sickened him. He knew that he was given preferential treatment because of his ethnic and religious background. Not that he didn’t deserve his success. He had been a brilliant lawyer, and had realized at an early stage that he wanted to devote himself to criminal law. His clients had dubbed him the miracle worker. He wasn’t satisfied with winning; he also demanded redress. He had been fifteen years old when he came to Sweden; now he was forty-five and knew that he would never return to his homeland, Lebanon.
His secretary knocked and stuck her head around the door.
“Säpo called. They’ll be here in half an hour.”
He had been expecting the call. The security service, known as Säpo, wanted to discuss a high-security matter, and Muhammed had made it clear that he wished to take the meeting in person, even though this was not common practice.
“How many of them are coming?”
“Three.”
“And Eden Lundell?”
“She’s coming, too.”
Muhammed felt calmer. “Show them into the large conference room. Tell the others we’ll meet there five minutes beforehand.”
About The Author
Photograph by Anna-Lena Ahlstrom
Kristina Ohlsson is a political scientist and until recently held the position of Counter-Terrorism Officer at OSCE (the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe). She has previously worked at the Swedish Security Service, the Ministry for Foreign Affairs and the Swedish National Defense College. Kristina lives in Stockholm.
Product Details
- Publisher: Emily Bestler Books (November 10, 2015)
- Length: 400 pages
- ISBN13: 9781476734033
Browse Related Books
Raves and Reviews
“Expect Ohlsson to join Nesbo on most readers' can't-miss lists.”
– Booklist (starred review)
“Superior prose, plotting, and characterization... readers will look forward to spending more time in the company of the intriguing Bergman.”
– Publisher's Weekly (starred review)
“Ohlsson [has a] knack for building surprises.”
– Kirkus Reviews
“Ohlsson should be added to reading lists that include other Scandinavian suspense authors, such as Jo Nesbo.”
– City Book Review
“A second course of revenge served cold.”
– Kirkus Reviews
“[Silenced] should appeal to international-mystery fans.”
– Booklist
"One of Sweden's best younger writers."
– Los Angeles Times Magazine
"Hostage is Hollywood blockbuster-material... You'll finish it in one gulp."
– Metro (UK)
"No one creates intrigues like she does. It is simply brilliant."
– Maj Sjöwall
"The writing is tense, dense, and very atmospheric. The stories are sharp and impossible to forget. Kristina Ohlsson is a true queen of Scandinavian crime."
– Mons Kallentoft
"Kristina Ohlssons has managed to do what many before her have tried: to take the Swedish crime novel to a new and unexpected level."
– Arne Dahl
"Breathtaking."
– Publishers Weekly (starred review)
“This is a tense, complex story that will satisfy fans of the series and of Scandinavian crime fiction in general.”
– Booklist
“…one of her most intriguing works to date.”
– Bookreporter.com
“Twists and turns keep the adrenaline pumping in this sleeper series that will keep you on the edge of your seat.”
– The Kitsap Sun
Resources and Downloads
High Resolution Images
- Book Cover Image (jpg): Hostage Trade Paperback 9781476734033
- Author Photo (jpg): Kristina Ohlsson Photograph by Anna-Lena Ahlstrom(0.1 MB)
Any use of an author photo must include its respective photo credit
