The Resting Place

Eleanor, the heroine of this engrossing, character-rich psychological thriller from Swedish author Sten (The Lost Village), has prosopagnosia, or face blindness, which prevents her from recognizing the person she witnesses murder her grandmother, Vivianne. Months later, still undergoing therapy for trauma caused by the experience, Eleanor learns she has inherited Solhöga, her grandmother’s manor house located in isolated Swedish woodlands, and she—along with her long-standing boyfriend, Sebastian; a hostile aunt, Veronika; and the estate’s lawyer, Rickard—gather at Solhöga to sort out the details. Almost immediately, increasingly ominous incidents begin to occur: the groundskeeper who was supposed to meet them is missing, Eleanor sees a mysterious figure lurking on the grounds after dark, and unexplained accidents take place. It soon becomes clear that what’s going on is tied to Vivianne’s hidden past. Suspense builds steadily as a body is discovered, Rickard is seriously assaulted, and a winter storm traps the party with no hope of getting away. The powerful conclusion is satisfying for both Eleanor and the reader. Sten is on a roll. Agent: Anna Frankl, Nordin Agency (Sweden). (Mar.)