Some Kind of Peace

Book Title: "Some Kind of Peace”
Author: Camilla Grebe & Asa Traff
Published By: Free Press
Age Recommended: 18+
Reviewed By: Kitty Bullard
Raven Rating: 5

Review: Every now and again I find myself in the mood for a good murder mystery and when it involves a stalker and obsession it’s even better! The writing team of Camilla Grebe and Asa Traff are no less than amazing. The setting and plot for this story is perfection and I immediately found myself deeply immersed barely coming up for air.
Dr. Siri Bergman is a psychologist dealing with dual loss and fears of her own while trying to provide comfort and help to others that have issues deeply rooted into their psyche. When she begins to get disturbing letters and other indications that she show more is being watched everyone becomes a suspect and she is tossed unwillingly into a psychological nightmare that threatens to jerk her from the fragile sanity of her quiet sanctuary.
This novel is one on par with some of the best thrillers past and present. A true teeth-clenching, heart-stopping work of fiction you do not want to miss! show less

This is the first novel of a Swedish crime series featuring a recently widowed young psychologist, Siri Bergman, who helps patients confront their phobias even though she is unable to confront her own. She is afraid of the dark, and drinks herself to sleep every night.

Her best friend and office mate, Aina, consoles her: "Being a depressed, passive failure with phobias can make you a better therapist, damn it. Just as long as you aren’t that way with your patients.”

Siri’s patients have troubling issues, but they usually aren't too debilitating. Only one of them ever actually committed suicide. But now, another patient turns up dead - not, however, by her own hand. Not only has she been murdered, but her body was found close to show more Siri’s property.

Siri has reason to worry; a note found with the body blamed Siri, and Siri has received disturbing signs that someone is watching her. But who would want her dead? And who would know the details of her patients and the particulars of her own life besides her own colleagues?

Discussion: There is a very nice build-up of tension in this book as it becomes clear the killer must be someone known to both Siri and the readers, so that every encounter she has is fraught with disquietude. As the story moved forward I found myself reading faster and faster!

I liked the way the authors managed to integrate explanations of how psychotherapy works, without it sounding false or didactic. They also include, via a discussion with Siri’s friend Vijay who does criminal profiling, some interesting passages on the nature of evil. Vijay contends that evil people don’t exist. He observes: "I think there are evil actions, carried out by broken people.”

Are these actions, then, more forgivable?

Evaluation: This is a promising series. I’ll definitely be reading the next installment. show less

Es hätte ein Idyll sein können...
Alles nur Einbildung oder echte Bedrohung? Siri Bergmann arbeitet als Psychotherapeutin in einer kleinen Gemeinschaftspraxis mitten in Stockholm. Sie ist den Umgang mit seelischen Abgründen und schmerzhaften Geheimnissen gewohnt. Es ist ihr täglich Brot. Doch im Moment hat sie vor allem mit sich selbst zu kämpfen. Seit ihr Mann bei einem Tauchgang vor einem Jahr tödlich verunglückt ist, lebt sie vollkommen abgeschieden in einem kleinen Haus am Meer. Trotz ihrer panischen Angst vor der Dunkelheit will sie sich beweisen, dass sie mit dem Alleinsein zurechtkommt. Dass sie sich beobachtet fühlt, bildet sie sich vielleicht nur ein. Dass ihre Katze nicht mehr auftaucht, hat wahrscheinlich nichts zu show more bedeuten. Aber als sie eines Morgens beim Schwimmen im Meer auf die Leiche einer Patientin stößt, nimmt der Alptraum Gestalt an: Hat Siri als Therapeutin versagt - oder will jemand ihr Leben zerstören? show less

*advanced readers copy*
Psychologist Siri Bergman’s life starts to unravel after one of her patients is discovered murdered on her property. Siri has already suffered tragic events in her life, including her husband’s death, which has left her with fears that she would help others to overcome. So when clues begin to surface that the killer is really targeting her she begins to question those people within her intimate circle of friends and colleagues who know her weaknesses and how to exploit them.
This is on my list of best reads so far this year. Once I got the time to really sit down and focus on it I didn’t want to put it down. There was a desire to know what happens but also a reluctance to let go of the characters. I like a show more mystery that stumps me, which is becoming increasingly harder to find. The pace was incredible and the characters were vividly realistic. I felt like I got to know them and enjoyed each one for their good and bad sides. I cannot wait to read their next novel. This one comes highly recommended from me. show less

This was a very good book. It starts off slowly. We meet the main character, Siri, a psychologist whose husband died in a diving accident. She still struggles with this, but is determined to continue meeting patients.

Only at about page 100, does the book gain momentum. However, I was into the plot from the beginning and enjoyed meeting the characters and finding out about Siri and her background.

One of Siri's patients is found dead near Siri's house and with the help of a young police officer named Markus, they begin to try and piece together why someone may be targeting Siri.

Before the story ends, the author presents the reader with several different suspects. I kept trying to figure out who it was. This was a very suspenseful read show more with a vulnerable, but likable main character. Can't wait to read more in the series. show less

Some Kind of Peace. Camilla Grebe and Asa Traff. 2013. Don’t expect a Steig Larsson book from these authors, as the plot and characters are not as well developed or complicated. It is suspenseful and there are lots of false clues and hints to keep you guessing about the identity of the villain. It seems as if her 2 colleagues and most of her patients are suspects at times during the book which could be describes as a gritty Mary Higgins Clark novel. Siri Bergman is a widow and a psychologist. She lives in a remote house outside of Stockholm. She is also terrified of the dark and sleeps with all the lights on. One night she wakes up and all the lights are off. Later, the body of one of her patients is found; the suspected suicide turns show more out to be murder. After several other freaky incidents, the police and Siri, realize Siri is being stalked by someone who is determined to kill Siri, but will terrorize her for as long as he can before he actually attempts to murder her. show less

Siri Bergman is a psychologist who is trying to deal with her own tragic past. The death of her husband several years ago has left her scared and scarred, leaving her unable to be alone in the dark of her remote country home. When the body of one of her patients is found near her home, Siri finds herself involved in something even more frightening then she had imagined. Someone is after Siri, and they are using her patients to get to her. They have an intimate knowledge of her life and practice, and Siri cannot think of why someone would do this. With the help of her colleagues and friends, Siri must use all the knowledge she has to try and figure out who is after her before it is too late.

I found this book very intriguing. I could tell show more reading it that the authors knew a lot about psychology, and I thought this made for a more thrilling book. This book was quite scary for me. I think that I feel for Siri living alone out in the middle of nowhere. I wanted to just pack her up somewhere with more people. Not knowing what would happen next was frightening. Luckily it wasn't too scary. I probably wouldn't read it at night alone, but the mystery of trying to figure out who was doing it and why did distract me from the terror a bit. I will admit to some quickened heartbeats though. I don't do well with creepy stuff though.

For me, the payoff was truly in the end. It was just so frightening yet real to me that this could happen. There were some random things dropped to throw you off the trail of the real killer though that were never explained. This kind of left me hanging. I wanted to know why the characters acted the way they did, but I never got that. That was kind of a let down. Overall though, this was a psychological thriller at its best. If you like mysteries and creepy psychological thrillers, you will definitely enjoy this book.

Book provided for review. show less