Wolf Winter: A Novel

Cecilia Ekbäck

Mar 2014 · Hachette+ORM

About this ebook

A compelling historical thriller set in 1700s Sweden from an exciting new literary talent.

"Exquisitely suspenseful, beautifully written, and highly recommended." -- Lee Child

"Visually acute, skillfully written; it won't easily erase its tracks in the reader's mind." -- Hilary Mantel

"Wolf winter,'" she said, her voice small. "I wanted to ask about it. You know, what it is." He was silent for a long time. "It's the kind of winter that will remind us we are mortal," he said. "Mortal and alone."

Swedish Lapland, 1717. Maija, her husband Paavo and her daughters Frederika and Dorotea arrive from their native Finland, hoping to forget the traumas of their past and put down new roots in this harsh but beautiful land. Above them looms Blackån, a mountain whose foreboding presence looms over the valley and whose dark history seems to haunt the lives of those who live in its shadow.

While herding the family's goats on the mountain, Frederika happens upon the mutilated body of one of their neighbors, Eriksson. The death is dismissed as a wolf attack, but Maija feels certain that the wounds could only have been inflicted by another man. Compelled to investigate despite her neighbors' strange disinterest in the death and the fate of Eriksson's widow, Maija is drawn into the dark history of tragedies and betrayals that have taken place on Blackån. Young Frederika finds herself pulled towards the mountain as well, feeling something none of the adults around her seem to notice.

As the seasons change, and the "wolf winter," the harshest winter in memory, descends upon the settlers, Paavo travels to find work, and Maija finds herself struggling for her family's survival in this land of winter-long darkness. As the snow gathers, the settlers' secrets are increasingly laid bare. Scarce resources and the never-ending darkness force them to come together, but Maija, not knowing who to trust and who may betray her, is determined to find the answers for herself. Soon, Maija discovers the true cost of survival under the mountain, and what it will take to make it to spring.

Ratings and reviews

Cold. Deep down, bone numbing cold. Haunting. Captivating. Bleak. Harsh. These are just a few of the elements that continue to stay with me after reading this amazing debut novel. I truly wish I was reading this in December so I could proclaim it one of the best reads of the year. I know 11 months from now, I'll still feel that way. This novel is that good. I enjoy what I do as a book reviewer, as it exposes me to some amazing works. Very few stick with me the way this one has. I feel it reverberating through me days after I have finished it. With so many story elements woven together, I'm not sure I can break them apart to describe how intricate this tale really is. A mystery at its heart, with supernatural overtones, set in a forbidding landscape but also a study in humanity. Winter, so cold and fierce, that seeks to eradicate the inhabitants that cling precariously to their meager existence. These conditions funnel together the fears and depravities of the characters and almost succeed in stamping out the rational and compassionate forces arrayed against them. All of these superb elements running together and yet completely avoidable except for the greed for power.

I loved this book!! my heart was pounding at certain points in the story!!

About the author

Cecilia Ekbä was born in Sweden in a small northern town. Her parents come from Lapland. In Wolf Winter, her first novel, she returns home to the landscape and the characters of her childhood. Ekbä is a Professional Member of PEN American Center. She lives in Calgary with her husband and twin daughters.