ISLAND OF THE NAKED WOMEN

ISLAND OF THE NAKED WOMEN
By Inger Frimansson
Translation from Swedish by Laura Wideburg Caravel
Mystery/Pleasure Book Studio
ISBN 978-1-929355-56-3
April 15, 2009
$18.00
Trade Paperback
280 pages
Mystery

ISLAND OF THE NAKED WOMEN is a Swedish psychological thriller based on a legend about a nearby island, Shame Island. The island is deserted and frequently the villagers leave their cattle to graze during the summer months. Supposedly in earlier times, women who were unfaithful were left on this deserted island to die without food, water, or their clothes. Most of them either drowned themselves or froze to death.

Tobias Elmkvist is a successful mystery writer who returns to his home to help his father. His father, who is elderly and has seldom been ill, fell from the hayloft onto cement, breaking his back and his leg. Tobias uncomfortable with the situation since his mother left his father and took her with him to the city when he was 10-years old. Since then, Tobias has had little contact with the man. Only because he is needed for the difficult farm work does he make this decision to help out on the farm. He feels extremely awkward since his father has a much younger woman, Sabina, and her mentally challenged son, Adam, living with them. The child is actually a grown man who sings like Elvis but has the maturity and brain of a child.

Also helping on the farm is Hardy who instantly feels instantly threatened by Tobias’s notoriety. While on the island to move the grazing cattle back to the mainland, one of the animals is missing. Tobias searches for the steer only to find it in a crevice wedged in between the rocks and obviously hurt. While he is deciding what to do, the dog and Hardy come along. Hardy immediately climbs down to the animal and kicks it causing an instant argument between the two. Hardy attempts to humiliate Tobias and his city ways by calling him “Mr. Veterinarian” while Tobias attempts to show sympathy for the animal. Hardy settles the argument by shooting the steer.

Hardy’s one likable quality is his relationship with Adam. Hardy is able to bring out the best singing from this Elvis impersonator. He even calls himself Adam’s manager. The conflict between the two continues until Hardy observes the one-time sexual relationship between Sabina and Tobias. When Tobias discovers their witness, he knows immediately that both of them will be blackmailed forever by Hardy unless Tobias kills him.

What will he do to protect his family? How is anyone safe from someone like Hardy?

The characters are believable, especially their flaws. The tension is the driving force with everyone looking for a resolution. The story is almost too real. When you finish the last page, you continue to think about what happened. This is a psychological thriller at its best. Considering that this novel was written originally in Swedish, and then translated into English, this is further amazing about the command of the driving force of this story.