Den ryske vännen

by Kajsa Ingemarsson

Maria Hamrén älskar sin man Henrik, men deras olikheter hotar äktenskapet och hon glider allt längre ifrån honom. Henrik, som kämpar med en misslyckad UD-karriär, låter sig samtidigt dras in i ett farligt spel för att skydda biståndsministern Katja Löfdahl från en skandal. Miljontals kronor har försvunnit i Tjetjenien och ministerns framtid hotas. Vad de inte vet är att de alla tre blivit brickor i ett storpolitiskt spel där insatserna till slut räknas i människoliv.

I Den ryske vännen väver Kajsa Ingemarsson trovärdigt samman en intelligent thrillerintrig med engagerande människoöden. Det är en spännande historia om ideal, lojalitet och kärlekens obändiga kraft.

Genres: Fiction, Swedish Literature, Roman, Sweden

308 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 2006

About the author

Kajsa Ingemarsson is one of Sweden’s bestselling novelists, already beloved throughout Europe. Her novels are warm and compassionate, where the reader finds people, settings, and events that are current, compelling, and relatable. Her writing style is entertaining and stylish, put forth in a conversational tone that is, at same time, smart and expertly developed to lead the reader through the personal development that is the foundation of her stories.

In the same tradition as Nora Roberts, Mitch Albom and Julie Powell, Kajsa Ingemarsson represents a new generation of contemporary fiction. With almost a million readers in Sweden alone, she is one of Sweden’s greatest bestsellers of all times.

On a deeper level, Ingemarsson relates with finesse and humor the little things that make everyday people heroic in their own lives. Individual happiness can look very different from one person to another, as is revealed in each of her stories.

Having worked with counterespionage, diplomacy and translations, then as an international model and, currently, a regular guest on radio and TV, Ingemarsson often shows her humorous side. In person or from her pen, Ingemarsson is a complex person who brings style and clever wit to all her endeavors.

Reviews

[Louise Green]

Allt av Ingemarsson är välskrivet och boken började bra och spännande, men sen tog det bara stopp och man väntade på att något mer skulle hända, någon twist eller så. Men ingen tillfredställande twist, vilket är mycket synd på en så bra idé till roman.

[Lisa Fransson]

The most interesting character in this book was Maria Hamrén and the way she's get caught up in diplomatic affairs and espionage without even realising, not even at the end, what she has done. There was depth to her and her motivations were clear. She didn't come across as stupid, just as someone who trusted people and things to be what they appeared to be. The rest of the characters seemed a bit flat and clichéd, in particular the young beautiful female minister who has made it to the top, but has to juggle home life with her career. I realise that this is a reality, particularly in Sweden, but I've read it so many times that I wonder if there isn't a different angle that could be used, because Katja just seems like a device in this novel.
The plot itself had potential, but fell quite flat somewhere a long the line; an intrigue that could have blown up at any point, but didn't. And I can see that this was done on purpose. The nosy journalist wasn't that nosy and didn't do the big reveal, because all that mattered in the end was that the children in Chechnya got what they needed.
The writing is ok. There's a lot of back story wedged in for each character and quite a lot of telling. I think if you were to ask me about this book in a few months I don't think I'd remember a whole lot about it.

[Lena Foster]

Sisådär bok, kom inte riktigt om i den så att den följde mig i tankarna när jag inte läste. Lämnade ingenting riktigt efter sig.

[Helena Frisk]

En historia om ”vanliga” människor, vardagsliv och jobb...

[Victoria]

Problem på ministernivå med ryska spioner och vänsterprassel med dramatiska konsekvenser. Pengar som kommer bort med hjälp av tjetjenska terrorister. Bra, fast inte överväldigande.

[Annika]

Välskrivet men karaktären Maria beskrivs som blåögd på ett sätt som jag har svårt att tro på.

[Karin Blomqvist]

Spännande och tänkvärd.

[Karolina Fridman]

not my thing

[Thomas Stroemquist]

This one did not work for me, not caring enough about the characters to care about what happens to them - and not so much does... Read Yesterday's News or På det fjärde ska det ske instead!

[Ekaterina]

The book is quite easy to read as it is written in the TV seroes style. Some chapters are stopping at the most intersting moment and then the new chapter starts at a new situation with new people involved.

[Sara]

Boring without a good story or intressting characters.