Plus, receive recommendations and exclusive offers on all of your favorite books and authors from Simon & Schuster.
Table of Contents
About The Book
“This powerful first in a new thriller series from Swedish sisters Grebe and Träff introduces a delightfully flawed heroine…The action moves swiftly to a surprising climax” (Publishers Weekly, starred review, Pick of the Week).
SOMEONE IS WATCHING SIRI BERGMAN.
A thirty-four-year-old psychologist with a troubled past, Siri Bergman works in central Stockholm and lives alone in an isolated cottage outside the city. Terrified of the dark, she leaves all the lights on when she goes to bed—after having a few glasses of wine to calm her nerves—but she can’t shake the feeling that someone is spying on her through the blackened windows.
When the lifeless body of Sara Matteus—a young patient of Siri’s with a history of drug addiction and sexual abuse—is found floating in the water near the cottage, Siri can no longer deny that someone is out there, watching her and waiting. With the help of Markus, the young policeman investigating Sara’s death; Vijay, an old friend and psychology professor; and Aina, her best friend, Siri sets out to catch the murderer and finally put her past to rest. But as their investigation unfolds, virtually everyone Siri trusts will become a potential suspect.
SOMEONE IS WATCHING SIRI BERGMAN.
A thirty-four-year-old psychologist with a troubled past, Siri Bergman works in central Stockholm and lives alone in an isolated cottage outside the city. Terrified of the dark, she leaves all the lights on when she goes to bed—after having a few glasses of wine to calm her nerves—but she can’t shake the feeling that someone is spying on her through the blackened windows.
When the lifeless body of Sara Matteus—a young patient of Siri’s with a history of drug addiction and sexual abuse—is found floating in the water near the cottage, Siri can no longer deny that someone is out there, watching her and waiting. With the help of Markus, the young policeman investigating Sara’s death; Vijay, an old friend and psychology professor; and Aina, her best friend, Siri sets out to catch the murderer and finally put her past to rest. But as their investigation unfolds, virtually everyone Siri trusts will become a potential suspect.
Excerpt
Some Kind of Peace
It seems so idyllic.
An insidiously calm, dew-damp morning. The rays of the sun slowly but relentlessly take possession of the art nouveau building’s clean plaster façade, triumphantly embracing it with their indifferent heat and giving it a sheen the night had hidden.
As if nothing had happened.
As if this summer morning heralded a day like any other. A day full of life: sweaty bodies on bicycles; suppressed giggles in front of the ice cream stand by the harbor; steaming, sunburned shoulders; clumsy summer sex as light-blue twilight seamlessly turns to daybreak; the nauseating smell of white wine and lemonade in the pine needle–carpeted edge of the forest north of the pizzeria; the cold water of the lake against skinny child bodies with ribs that seem ready to burst out of their cages, through the soft, paper-thin, milk-white skin.
Gawky teenage boys swim races to the island and back, outlined like pale frog people, amphibious sailing vessels, against the water’s saturated blue-brown darkness. They howl as they jump off the rock. The air is filled with the aroma of grilled meat and the sound of distant motorboats.
Mosquitoes. Wasps. Insects with no name: in your hair, in your mouth, on bodies, itchy, sweaty bodies.
As Swedish as it gets.
A summer without end.
As if nothing had happened.
• • •
Even the building appears indifferent. Heavy and listless, it sits in the lush garden, bedded in leafy, dew-covered greenery. Its massive three-story-high body reaches toward the blue of the brightening summer sky. The plaster has not flaked in a single spot. The gray-green paint that covers the windowsills and doors is fresh and still glossy. There are no cracks or dust in the leaded, stained windowpanes with their coiling organic flower patterns. The roof is covered with old emerald-green copper plate, the kind roofers no longer use.
It seems so idyllic.
But something is out of place.
In the neatly raked gravel parking area is a dazzlingly clean black Jeep. The paint of the Jeep reflects a clematis with large pure white blossoms climbing up a knotted old apple tree. Someone is lying under the low trunk and crooked branches of the tree.
A young woman, a girl.
She is curled up in the grass like a bird, her red hair covered by a thin film of dew. Her slender, pale arms are thrown out along her sides, her palms turned upward in a gesture of resignation. The blood that has seeped from her body is congealed in reddish-brown patches on her jeans and in the grass. Her open eyes seem to be inspecting the crown of the apple tree.
Up there, in the branches, there are small green apples. There are many: The tree will bear plenty of fruit in just a few months. Above the apple tree the swifts and gulls fly unaffected—what do they care about a dead human child?
Under the body, the smallest inhabitants of the garden have already discovered what no person has yet seen. A small black beetle creeps between the waistband and the cold, pale skin in search of something edible; flies have set up camp in the lush red forest of hair; and microscopic creatures are moving slowly but steadily deeper and deeper into the windings of the ear.
In a little while, the inhabitants of the house will wake up and look for the girl. When they don’t find her, they will search for her in the garden, where they will see her in the grass under the tree, her eyes gazing toward the sky.
They will shake her as if trying to wake her from a deep sleep, and when that doesn’t work, one of them will slap her hard across the cheek, staining her face red with her own uncoagulated blood on his hand.
They will take her in their arms and slowly rock her back and forth. One of them will whisper something in her ear, while the other one buries his face in her hair.
• • •
Later, the men who never knew her, who don’t even know her name, will come to get her. They will put their calloused hands around her slender, rigid wrists and ankles and lift her effortlessly onto a cold stretcher, cover her with plastic, and drive her far, far from home.
She will be placed on a metal table, alongside the surgical instruments that will open her up and—hopefully—solve the mystery, explain the unexplainable, restore balance. Bring clarity to something no one understands.
Create closure and perhaps peace as well.
Some kind of peace.
It seems so idyllic.
An insidiously calm, dew-damp morning. The rays of the sun slowly but relentlessly take possession of the art nouveau building’s clean plaster façade, triumphantly embracing it with their indifferent heat and giving it a sheen the night had hidden.
As if nothing had happened.
As if this summer morning heralded a day like any other. A day full of life: sweaty bodies on bicycles; suppressed giggles in front of the ice cream stand by the harbor; steaming, sunburned shoulders; clumsy summer sex as light-blue twilight seamlessly turns to daybreak; the nauseating smell of white wine and lemonade in the pine needle–carpeted edge of the forest north of the pizzeria; the cold water of the lake against skinny child bodies with ribs that seem ready to burst out of their cages, through the soft, paper-thin, milk-white skin.
Gawky teenage boys swim races to the island and back, outlined like pale frog people, amphibious sailing vessels, against the water’s saturated blue-brown darkness. They howl as they jump off the rock. The air is filled with the aroma of grilled meat and the sound of distant motorboats.
Mosquitoes. Wasps. Insects with no name: in your hair, in your mouth, on bodies, itchy, sweaty bodies.
As Swedish as it gets.
A summer without end.
As if nothing had happened.
• • •
Even the building appears indifferent. Heavy and listless, it sits in the lush garden, bedded in leafy, dew-covered greenery. Its massive three-story-high body reaches toward the blue of the brightening summer sky. The plaster has not flaked in a single spot. The gray-green paint that covers the windowsills and doors is fresh and still glossy. There are no cracks or dust in the leaded, stained windowpanes with their coiling organic flower patterns. The roof is covered with old emerald-green copper plate, the kind roofers no longer use.
It seems so idyllic.
But something is out of place.
In the neatly raked gravel parking area is a dazzlingly clean black Jeep. The paint of the Jeep reflects a clematis with large pure white blossoms climbing up a knotted old apple tree. Someone is lying under the low trunk and crooked branches of the tree.
A young woman, a girl.
She is curled up in the grass like a bird, her red hair covered by a thin film of dew. Her slender, pale arms are thrown out along her sides, her palms turned upward in a gesture of resignation. The blood that has seeped from her body is congealed in reddish-brown patches on her jeans and in the grass. Her open eyes seem to be inspecting the crown of the apple tree.
Up there, in the branches, there are small green apples. There are many: The tree will bear plenty of fruit in just a few months. Above the apple tree the swifts and gulls fly unaffected—what do they care about a dead human child?
Under the body, the smallest inhabitants of the garden have already discovered what no person has yet seen. A small black beetle creeps between the waistband and the cold, pale skin in search of something edible; flies have set up camp in the lush red forest of hair; and microscopic creatures are moving slowly but steadily deeper and deeper into the windings of the ear.
In a little while, the inhabitants of the house will wake up and look for the girl. When they don’t find her, they will search for her in the garden, where they will see her in the grass under the tree, her eyes gazing toward the sky.
They will shake her as if trying to wake her from a deep sleep, and when that doesn’t work, one of them will slap her hard across the cheek, staining her face red with her own uncoagulated blood on his hand.
They will take her in their arms and slowly rock her back and forth. One of them will whisper something in her ear, while the other one buries his face in her hair.
• • •
Later, the men who never knew her, who don’t even know her name, will come to get her. They will put their calloused hands around her slender, rigid wrists and ankles and lift her effortlessly onto a cold stretcher, cover her with plastic, and drive her far, far from home.
She will be placed on a metal table, alongside the surgical instruments that will open her up and—hopefully—solve the mystery, explain the unexplainable, restore balance. Bring clarity to something no one understands.
Create closure and perhaps peace as well.
Some kind of peace.
Reading Group Guide
Get a FREE ebook by joining our mailing list today! Plus, receive recommendations for your next Book Club read.
By clicking 'Sign me up' I acknowledge that I have read and agree to the privacy policy and terms of use. Free ebook offer available to NEW CA subscribers only. Offer redeemable at Simon & Schuster's ebook fulfillment partner. Must redeem within 90 days. See full terms and conditions and this month's choices.
This reading group guide for Some Kind of Peace includes an introduction, discussion questions, ideas for enhancing your book club, and a Q&A with author Camilla Grebe & Åsa Träff. The suggested questions are intended to help your reading group find new and interesting angles and topics for your discussion. We hope that these ideas will enrich your conversation and increase your enjoyment of the book.
Introduction
Dr. Siri Bergman runs a private psychotherapy practice in central Stockholm with her best friend Aina. Since her husband’s death in a diving accident, Siri has lived alone in an isolated cottage outside the city. Terrified of the dark, she drinks wine to steady her nerves and leaves the lights on when she goes to bed, unable to shake the feeling that someone is watching through her windows. When the lifeless body of Sara Matteus, a young patient with borderline personality disorder and a tragic history, is found floating in the water near Siri’s cottage, Siri’s worst fears become reality. She knows that someone has been watching her—and he’s coming for Siri next. But she is not alone. With the help of a colleague and a young policeman, Siri starts her own investigation into the murder that will force her to question the motives of everyone around her.
Topics & Questions for Discussion
1. In the beginning of the novel, Siri describes working with her patient, Sara Matteus, is like “like walking a tightrope.” (p. 19) Why is Sara such a difficult patient? How does Siri approach her therapy? What do you learn about Siri as both a character and a psychologist from this interaction?
2. On page 26, Siri reflects: “I can say that we are close, so close that I no longer notice when he arrives in the twilight.” (p. 26) Who or what is she talking about? Is Siri’s condition understandable? How does this “companion” affect Siri throughout Some Kind of Peace?
3. Siri’s self-assessment is: “I’m a bad therapist, I’ve failed, I should have gotten over it, it’s in the past.” (p. 27) Do you think she is too hard on herself? Is she hanging on to her grief longer than she should? Why or why not?
4. How would you characterize Siri and Stefan’s marriage? Was Stefan a good partner for Siri? What did he mean when he said, “Actions make us who we are.” (p. 45) Does Siri agree with this statement? Do you?
5. Siri and her colleague Sven have a contentious relationship. What do you think of Sven? Should Siri learn “not to take everything so seriously” (p. 50), as Sven suggests?
6. Some Kind of Peace is written by sisters Camilla Grebe and Åsa Träff. Did the knowledge that Some Kind of Peace was written by two authors influence your reading experience in any other way?
7. Discuss Siri’s end-of-summer crawfish party. What did you learn about Siri’s personal relationships from her description of the party? Do you think her perceptions of friends and colleagues are accurate? Why or why not? Do you think Siri’s profession influences her personal relationships? How did you react to Sven and Birgitta’s actions?
8. Siri and Stefan shared a love of diving and Siri comments that she finally understood her husband after she went diving with him for the first time. This changes when she unexpectedly panics underwater. What happens to her? How is her reaction indicative of her larger fears?
9. Charlotte is a patient of Siri’s who initially was being treated for an eating disorder. As the novel progresses, Charlotte’s life unravels. How does Charlotte’s crisis resemble Siri’s own issues? Does Siri provide good counsel for Charlotte? In what ways do Siri and Charlotte mirror each other?
10. After Stefan and Siri lose their unborn baby to a birth defect, Stefan becomes withdrawn and depressed. Discuss the fight they have before Stefan finally agrees to take medication. Why does Siri upset him so much? Do you understand his reaction?
11. On page 246, Markus says: “You pull on a thread at one end, and someone drops down dead on the other. It’s not anyone’s fault, or maybe it’s everyone’s? But to me the intent is more important than the cause.” What is Markus referring to? Do you agree with Markus’ view? How does this statement relate to Siri’s character?
12. Throughout the novel, different characters discuss the nature of evil and evil actions, including Vijay, a professor of psychology and an old friend of Siri. Do you agree with Vijay’s assertion that in order to be evil, there has to be a conscious choice involved? How does this compare with Markus’ opinion on evil?
13. Discuss Siri and Aina’s relationship. How does each woman view her friend? Do you think they see each other accurately? How do the authors portray Aina? Do you think your view of her was influenced by Siri’s own judgment?
14. How is the murderer’s story presented to the reader? Is the reader given a chance to understand the killer? Did the discussion of evil in the novel influence your opinion of the killer and his motives?
15. At the end of Some Kind of Peace, Siri is in therapy. How has she changed or progressed as a character since the first chapter? Do you think she’s still afraid of the dark? Discuss your answer.
Enhance Your Book Club
1. Learn more about Stockholm and the surrounding countryside where Siri lives.
Visit the official Stockholm city website at www.visitstockholm.com/en/ for pictures, travel tips, attractions.
2. Siri admits she isn’t a very good cook or interested in eating good food. However, don’t let that stop you from cooking a Swedish meal for your next book club meeting! For recipes and ideas, visit www.sweden.se/food.
3. Siri is both a psychologist and an amateur detective. As a fun comparison, watch the classic Alfred Hitchcock movie Spellbound—starring the Swedish actress Ingrid Bergman—about a psychoanalyst who gets involved in a murder with your book club. Discuss the use of suspense in both Spellbound and Some Kind of Peace with your group.
A Conversation with Camilla Grebe and Åsa Träff
It’s unusual to see siblings collaborating on a novel. Why did you want to write a novel together? Who had the idea first?
We’re both absolutely fascinated by thriller/crime literature. We grew up together in a house filled with books and started reading early. Our parents read a lot of classical Swedish crime-literature, such as Sjöwall-Wahlöö (a husband-and-wife team of detective writers who wrote a series of ten novels about the exploits of detectives from the special homicide commission in Stockholm in the 70’s. They started a trend of realistic crime-novels, written from a social democratic viewpoint.) As soon as we started to read, we entered the world of crime/thriller fiction and never stopped. In 2004 [Camilla] had the idea of writing a thriller with a female therapist as the main character. Camilla e-mailed the first chapter to Åsa and said, “Let’s write a book. Here’s the first chapter – now you write the next one!” At that point in time, it was something we did entirely for fun. We enjoyed our little game tremendously, but never thought about the possibility of actually being published. Much to our surprise (and great joy, of course), we got excellent reviews for Some Kind of Peace. Since this was our first book, we were kind of anxious about being published and could hardly read the reviews to start with. Then, everything happened very fast. The book was sold to a number of countries within a short period of time (Norway, Denmark, Holland, France, Italy, Germany, Spain, Poland, Rumania, the US, the UK – just to mention a few).
You both work in very different fields. What did you each contribute to the writing of Some Kind of Peace? Did you find you had unexpected areas of expertise?
Many readers believe Åsa writes all the therapy sessions since she is a psychologist. However, we both wrote all kinds of scenes/chapters. But, naturally, since Åsa is an expert in psychology, she makes sure the facts are correct when it comes to describing Siri’s profession.
What drew you both to write crime fiction? How did you create Siri’s character, with all her quirky traits, such as her fear of the dark?
The desire to write crime fiction is due to our love of the genre. Using a therapist as our main character opens up a number of fantastic opportunities. First of all, you get to dive into the really important (emotional) issues immediately. For instance: A patient enters the room for his first therapy session. He takes off his coat, sits down and starts talking about the most difficult issues in his life. Now, where else would this happen? There are so many good detective novels around. We wanted to write something different and unique that combined the best elements of crime fiction with real psychological insight.
Siri is sensitive, stubborn and empathetic. Although she’s an expert in relieving her patients’ suffering, she is incapable of helping herself. We wanted to make her strong, yet vulnerable – hence all the quirky traits. She is insightful when it comes to her patients, and yet can’t understand her own feelings. It is this contrast that makes her complex, and therefore interesting.
Åsa, as a trained psychologist, your experience in the field no doubt provided extensive background for the novel. What would you like your readers to understand about your profession?
I tried to describe the profession with both its pros and cons. It’s an interesting and fascinating profession, and hopefully you can make a difference in a person’s life. But it’s also very difficult and sometimes hard to get through. It was also important to me to show how painful a psychiatric diagnosis can be, and how brave the patients are, trying to deal with their problems.
Siri, Aina, and Sven have an unusual working relationship. Why did you decide to structure their office and the characters in this way?
It’s quite common for psychologists in Sweden to have small clinics like this (without the receptionist/secretary, though). When we wrote Some Kind of Peace, I didn’t have my own practice, and I guess what we described was in a way my own dream scenario - a small practice together with a really good a friend and a more experienced, wise colleague.
Late in the book, Siri makes a distinction between her patients who are ill with neuroses and those with the capacity to kill. How did you craft the killer in the novel? Did you draw upon your own knowledge and experiences or was it entirely a fictitious creation?
The killer in the book is entirely fictitious. Our experience of killers is very limited (luckily), and comes from what we read and see in the news.
Despite the aid and support Siri gets from her friends and colleagues, she’s basically alone for most of the book, left on her own to solve the mystery. Why did you decide to isolate Siri in the way that you did?
Isolation in a remote location is a classical way of creating suspense (think The Shining). We wanted to create a claustrophobic atmosphere where Siri is confined to her small, lit-up house with large glass windows (much like an aquarium). Everyone can see her from the outside, but she herself cannot see intruders hiding outside – only her own reflection in the dark windows.
Do you think your characters have particularly Swedish attributes that your English-language readers may not be aware of?
If so, we’re not aware of them either …
How does your joint writing process work? Do you both have different writing styles? If so, how do you blend the styles together?
Initially, we discuss the story, the characters and the setting in detail. After that we start writing - but we rarely do the actual writing together. Instead we e-mail chapters to each other. While writing, we have an intense dialogue; we call each other several times a day to discuss different options and solve creative issues. Our styles might have been a little different to start with, but after working together for a year or so, we believe we have developed a common style - a "third voice" - neither Camilla's nor Åsa's, but rather a mixture of the two.
Are there any books that were an inspiration for you both when it came to writing Some Kind of Peace? Do you both read crime fiction? If so, who are your favorite authors?
While we both read a lot of crime fiction, Åsa is the most "pathological" reader. She reads at least 2-3 novels/week (get a life, Åsa!), and almost exclusively crime fiction. There are many great crime writers in Scandinavia and elsewhere. Among others, we like: Dennis Lehane, Tana French, Denise Mina and Swedish writer Johan Theorin. And, last, but not least - the classical Swedish crime-writing duo Sjöwall-Wahlöö.
Introduction
Dr. Siri Bergman runs a private psychotherapy practice in central Stockholm with her best friend Aina. Since her husband’s death in a diving accident, Siri has lived alone in an isolated cottage outside the city. Terrified of the dark, she drinks wine to steady her nerves and leaves the lights on when she goes to bed, unable to shake the feeling that someone is watching through her windows. When the lifeless body of Sara Matteus, a young patient with borderline personality disorder and a tragic history, is found floating in the water near Siri’s cottage, Siri’s worst fears become reality. She knows that someone has been watching her—and he’s coming for Siri next. But she is not alone. With the help of a colleague and a young policeman, Siri starts her own investigation into the murder that will force her to question the motives of everyone around her.
Topics & Questions for Discussion
1. In the beginning of the novel, Siri describes working with her patient, Sara Matteus, is like “like walking a tightrope.” (p. 19) Why is Sara such a difficult patient? How does Siri approach her therapy? What do you learn about Siri as both a character and a psychologist from this interaction?
2. On page 26, Siri reflects: “I can say that we are close, so close that I no longer notice when he arrives in the twilight.” (p. 26) Who or what is she talking about? Is Siri’s condition understandable? How does this “companion” affect Siri throughout Some Kind of Peace?
3. Siri’s self-assessment is: “I’m a bad therapist, I’ve failed, I should have gotten over it, it’s in the past.” (p. 27) Do you think she is too hard on herself? Is she hanging on to her grief longer than she should? Why or why not?
4. How would you characterize Siri and Stefan’s marriage? Was Stefan a good partner for Siri? What did he mean when he said, “Actions make us who we are.” (p. 45) Does Siri agree with this statement? Do you?
5. Siri and her colleague Sven have a contentious relationship. What do you think of Sven? Should Siri learn “not to take everything so seriously” (p. 50), as Sven suggests?
6. Some Kind of Peace is written by sisters Camilla Grebe and Åsa Träff. Did the knowledge that Some Kind of Peace was written by two authors influence your reading experience in any other way?
7. Discuss Siri’s end-of-summer crawfish party. What did you learn about Siri’s personal relationships from her description of the party? Do you think her perceptions of friends and colleagues are accurate? Why or why not? Do you think Siri’s profession influences her personal relationships? How did you react to Sven and Birgitta’s actions?
8. Siri and Stefan shared a love of diving and Siri comments that she finally understood her husband after she went diving with him for the first time. This changes when she unexpectedly panics underwater. What happens to her? How is her reaction indicative of her larger fears?
9. Charlotte is a patient of Siri’s who initially was being treated for an eating disorder. As the novel progresses, Charlotte’s life unravels. How does Charlotte’s crisis resemble Siri’s own issues? Does Siri provide good counsel for Charlotte? In what ways do Siri and Charlotte mirror each other?
10. After Stefan and Siri lose their unborn baby to a birth defect, Stefan becomes withdrawn and depressed. Discuss the fight they have before Stefan finally agrees to take medication. Why does Siri upset him so much? Do you understand his reaction?
11. On page 246, Markus says: “You pull on a thread at one end, and someone drops down dead on the other. It’s not anyone’s fault, or maybe it’s everyone’s? But to me the intent is more important than the cause.” What is Markus referring to? Do you agree with Markus’ view? How does this statement relate to Siri’s character?
12. Throughout the novel, different characters discuss the nature of evil and evil actions, including Vijay, a professor of psychology and an old friend of Siri. Do you agree with Vijay’s assertion that in order to be evil, there has to be a conscious choice involved? How does this compare with Markus’ opinion on evil?
13. Discuss Siri and Aina’s relationship. How does each woman view her friend? Do you think they see each other accurately? How do the authors portray Aina? Do you think your view of her was influenced by Siri’s own judgment?
14. How is the murderer’s story presented to the reader? Is the reader given a chance to understand the killer? Did the discussion of evil in the novel influence your opinion of the killer and his motives?
15. At the end of Some Kind of Peace, Siri is in therapy. How has she changed or progressed as a character since the first chapter? Do you think she’s still afraid of the dark? Discuss your answer.
Enhance Your Book Club
1. Learn more about Stockholm and the surrounding countryside where Siri lives.
Visit the official Stockholm city website at www.visitstockholm.com/en/ for pictures, travel tips, attractions.
2. Siri admits she isn’t a very good cook or interested in eating good food. However, don’t let that stop you from cooking a Swedish meal for your next book club meeting! For recipes and ideas, visit www.sweden.se/food.
3. Siri is both a psychologist and an amateur detective. As a fun comparison, watch the classic Alfred Hitchcock movie Spellbound—starring the Swedish actress Ingrid Bergman—about a psychoanalyst who gets involved in a murder with your book club. Discuss the use of suspense in both Spellbound and Some Kind of Peace with your group.
A Conversation with Camilla Grebe and Åsa Träff
It’s unusual to see siblings collaborating on a novel. Why did you want to write a novel together? Who had the idea first?
We’re both absolutely fascinated by thriller/crime literature. We grew up together in a house filled with books and started reading early. Our parents read a lot of classical Swedish crime-literature, such as Sjöwall-Wahlöö (a husband-and-wife team of detective writers who wrote a series of ten novels about the exploits of detectives from the special homicide commission in Stockholm in the 70’s. They started a trend of realistic crime-novels, written from a social democratic viewpoint.) As soon as we started to read, we entered the world of crime/thriller fiction and never stopped. In 2004 [Camilla] had the idea of writing a thriller with a female therapist as the main character. Camilla e-mailed the first chapter to Åsa and said, “Let’s write a book. Here’s the first chapter – now you write the next one!” At that point in time, it was something we did entirely for fun. We enjoyed our little game tremendously, but never thought about the possibility of actually being published. Much to our surprise (and great joy, of course), we got excellent reviews for Some Kind of Peace. Since this was our first book, we were kind of anxious about being published and could hardly read the reviews to start with. Then, everything happened very fast. The book was sold to a number of countries within a short period of time (Norway, Denmark, Holland, France, Italy, Germany, Spain, Poland, Rumania, the US, the UK – just to mention a few).
You both work in very different fields. What did you each contribute to the writing of Some Kind of Peace? Did you find you had unexpected areas of expertise?
Many readers believe Åsa writes all the therapy sessions since she is a psychologist. However, we both wrote all kinds of scenes/chapters. But, naturally, since Åsa is an expert in psychology, she makes sure the facts are correct when it comes to describing Siri’s profession.
What drew you both to write crime fiction? How did you create Siri’s character, with all her quirky traits, such as her fear of the dark?
The desire to write crime fiction is due to our love of the genre. Using a therapist as our main character opens up a number of fantastic opportunities. First of all, you get to dive into the really important (emotional) issues immediately. For instance: A patient enters the room for his first therapy session. He takes off his coat, sits down and starts talking about the most difficult issues in his life. Now, where else would this happen? There are so many good detective novels around. We wanted to write something different and unique that combined the best elements of crime fiction with real psychological insight.
Siri is sensitive, stubborn and empathetic. Although she’s an expert in relieving her patients’ suffering, she is incapable of helping herself. We wanted to make her strong, yet vulnerable – hence all the quirky traits. She is insightful when it comes to her patients, and yet can’t understand her own feelings. It is this contrast that makes her complex, and therefore interesting.
Åsa, as a trained psychologist, your experience in the field no doubt provided extensive background for the novel. What would you like your readers to understand about your profession?
I tried to describe the profession with both its pros and cons. It’s an interesting and fascinating profession, and hopefully you can make a difference in a person’s life. But it’s also very difficult and sometimes hard to get through. It was also important to me to show how painful a psychiatric diagnosis can be, and how brave the patients are, trying to deal with their problems.
Siri, Aina, and Sven have an unusual working relationship. Why did you decide to structure their office and the characters in this way?
It’s quite common for psychologists in Sweden to have small clinics like this (without the receptionist/secretary, though). When we wrote Some Kind of Peace, I didn’t have my own practice, and I guess what we described was in a way my own dream scenario - a small practice together with a really good a friend and a more experienced, wise colleague.
Late in the book, Siri makes a distinction between her patients who are ill with neuroses and those with the capacity to kill. How did you craft the killer in the novel? Did you draw upon your own knowledge and experiences or was it entirely a fictitious creation?
The killer in the book is entirely fictitious. Our experience of killers is very limited (luckily), and comes from what we read and see in the news.
Despite the aid and support Siri gets from her friends and colleagues, she’s basically alone for most of the book, left on her own to solve the mystery. Why did you decide to isolate Siri in the way that you did?
Isolation in a remote location is a classical way of creating suspense (think The Shining). We wanted to create a claustrophobic atmosphere where Siri is confined to her small, lit-up house with large glass windows (much like an aquarium). Everyone can see her from the outside, but she herself cannot see intruders hiding outside – only her own reflection in the dark windows.
Do you think your characters have particularly Swedish attributes that your English-language readers may not be aware of?
If so, we’re not aware of them either …
How does your joint writing process work? Do you both have different writing styles? If so, how do you blend the styles together?
Initially, we discuss the story, the characters and the setting in detail. After that we start writing - but we rarely do the actual writing together. Instead we e-mail chapters to each other. While writing, we have an intense dialogue; we call each other several times a day to discuss different options and solve creative issues. Our styles might have been a little different to start with, but after working together for a year or so, we believe we have developed a common style - a "third voice" - neither Camilla's nor Åsa's, but rather a mixture of the two.
Are there any books that were an inspiration for you both when it came to writing Some Kind of Peace? Do you both read crime fiction? If so, who are your favorite authors?
While we both read a lot of crime fiction, Åsa is the most "pathological" reader. She reads at least 2-3 novels/week (get a life, Åsa!), and almost exclusively crime fiction. There are many great crime writers in Scandinavia and elsewhere. Among others, we like: Dennis Lehane, Tana French, Denise Mina and Swedish writer Johan Theorin. And, last, but not least - the classical Swedish crime-writing duo Sjöwall-Wahlöö.
About The Authors
Photograph © Sandra Quist
Camilla Grebe is a graduate of the Stockholm School of Economics. She was a cofounder of Storyside, a Swedish audiobook publisher, where she was both CEO and publisher during the early 2000s. She lives in Stockholm, Sweden.
Åsa Träff is a psychologist specializing in cognitive behavioral therapy. She runs a private practice with her husband. She lives in Älvsjö, Sweden.
Product Details
- Publisher: Simon & Schuster (April 16, 2013)
- Length: 336 pages
- ISBN13: 9781451654615
Browse Related Books
Raves and Reviews
“This powerful first in a new thriller series from Swedish sisters Grebe and Träff introduces a delightfully flawed heroine . . . The action moves swiftly to a surprising climax.”
– Publishers Weekly (Starred Review, PW Pick of the Week)
"Tense and chilling, this is a thriller for readers who also enjoyed Camilla Lackberg’s The Ice Princess."
– Booklist
"Sisters Camilla Grebe and Åsa Träff dig deep into the cold climes of the human heart in this sharp, atmospheric thriller. First rate writing and unusually absorbing characters. Loved this book.”
– Perri O'Shaughnessy, bestselling author of Unlucky in Law and Show No Fear
"Some Kind of Peace is a fast-moving psychological thriller whose plot unfolds from the authors' expert and sensitive consideration of character. Dr. Siri Bergman, haunted by her own loss, finds herself in the midst of danger, the threat coming from a number of possible suspects. Camilla Grebe and Åsa Träff spin a tantalizing story of menace and longing in this provocative and richly rendered novel."
– Lee Martin, author of Break the Skin and The Bright Forever
“Grebe and Träff break new ground in the Scandinavian crime literature genre, and they do it brilliantly. Using unique insights and experiences from their own professional backgrounds, they tell a smooth-paced yet utterly intriguing story about man’s inability to let go of the past.”
– Kristina Ohlsson, author of Unwanted
Resources and Downloads
High Resolution Images
- Book Cover Image (jpg): Some Kind of Peace Trade Paperback 9781451654615
- Author Photo (jpg): Camilla Grebe Photograph © Sandra Quist(0.1 MB)
Any use of an author photo must include its respective photo credit
