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Sophia Weber #2
Beyond All Reasonable Doubt
From the award-winning author of
Quicksand
, a gripping legal thriller that follows one woman's conflicted efforts to overturn what may be a wrongful conviction.
I'm giving you a chance to achieve every lawyer's dream, said Sophia Weber's old professor. Freeing an innocent man.
Thirteen years ago, a fifteen-year-old girl was murdered. Doctor Stig Ahlin was sentenced to life in prison. But no one has forgotten the brutal crime. Ahlin is known as one of the most ruthless criminals.
When Sophia Weber discovers critical flaws in the murder investigation, she decides to help Ahlin. But Sophia's doing her utmost to get her client exonerated arouses many people's disgust. And the more she learns, the more difficult her job becomes. What kind of man is her client really? What has he done? And will she ever know the truth?
I'm giving you a chance to achieve every lawyer's dream, said Sophia Weber's old professor. Freeing an innocent man.
Thirteen years ago, a fifteen-year-old girl was murdered. Doctor Stig Ahlin was sentenced to life in prison. But no one has forgotten the brutal crime. Ahlin is known as one of the most ruthless criminals.
When Sophia Weber discovers critical flaws in the murder investigation, she decides to help Ahlin. But Sophia's doing her utmost to get her client exonerated arouses many people's disgust. And the more she learns, the more difficult her job becomes. What kind of man is her client really? What has he done? And will she ever know the truth?
464 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2012
453 people are currently reading
1446 people want to read
About the author
Malin Persson Giolito
16 books272 followersMalin Persson Giolito was born in Stockholm in 1969, and grew up in Djursholm. She has worked as a lawyer for the biggest law firm in the Nordic region and as an official for the European Commission in Brussels, Belgium.
Persson Giolito has published three previous novels. Her latest novel, Quicksand (Störst av allt), was published by Wahlström & Widstrand in June 2016 and has been sold to 24 countries and was awarded the Best Crime Novel of the Year Award 2016, Sweden’s official suspense literature award, which is given by the Swedish Crime Writers’ Academy.
She lives in Brussels together with her husband and their three daughters.
Persson Giolito has published three previous novels. Her latest novel, Quicksand (Störst av allt), was published by Wahlström & Widstrand in June 2016 and has been sold to 24 countries and was awarded the Best Crime Novel of the Year Award 2016, Sweden’s official suspense literature award, which is given by the Swedish Crime Writers’ Academy.
She lives in Brussels together with her husband and their three daughters.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 178 reviews
June 4, 2019
This legal thriller bursts out of the gate from the first pages, easily capturing the attention of anyone who has ever been, or known, a teenaged girl. At the same time it underlines and validates the well-deserved success of Swedish novelist Malin Persson Giolito, who won Best Swedish Crime Novel of the Year for her English-language debut Quicksand. Persson Giolito has not so much captured the genre as reinvented it for a sophisticated and cosmopolitan audience. We may never have set foot in Scandinavia but we certainly know their crime writers. Quicksand was optioned and produced as a Netflix Original Series, and debuted in April.
This story is presented as a case of possible wrongful imprisonment; as each new fact is uncovered, our vision blurs and we are not sure if we have corrupt law enforcement, a scam trial, evil parents, or #MeToo run amok. The victim is fifteen and a model student. A doctor is in jail for her murder. A female lawyer in mid-career is asked to look into the case by her old professor, as a favor. Reluctantly, this lawyer begins to investigate the old case, now fifteen years past, and sees the possibility of retrial or release.
The story has resonance, the subject is personally interesting to everyone, and Persson Giolito’s writing is sharp and insightful. She adds short propulsive chapters of character development to bind us to the characters. We see marriage with the boredom left in, and then later, the exquisite and intimate tenderness. We enjoy the sight of a woman exhausted by the mental and emotional toil of lawyering take a 3-ton sailboat out on a northern ocean by herself in March for a week. We recognize the misplaced pride of the old professor who may have sabotaged his protégé’s case because he wanted the recognition due her.
This novel is just being published in time for summer reading this year and I urge you not to pass this one by when you are developing your summer reading list. It is definitely an immersive rain day read at the beach, but will keep anyone occupied for what it tells us about the psyche of young girls, the legal system in Sweden, and the state of criminal forensics in Europe. Apparently everyone looks to England for “the latest equipment” and to America for discoveries in the field: the TV show CSI makes the actors look authoritative beyond all reason.
The final third of this novel is reason to read through to the end. It is utterly without formula and gripping for that. I don’t think anyone will predict how this legal case might turn out. Americans may have a view of Sweden as famously liberal sexually, but what struck me beyond the fact that fifteen is considered to have reached the “age of consent,” is how similar our wealthy classes appear to be in terms of social development. In other words, a teenager is a teenager is a teenager, with all the teenaged angst fairly shared around the world.
Women will feel a bond with Persson Giolito after reading this novel. She is, after all, a professional woman making her way in what used to be called “a man’s world.” Male supremacy has not ended yet, but there are chinks in the wall. Persson Giolito has her main character make casual comment about the backlash that plaques a professional woman making any kind of public statement that could conceivably be the subject of controversy; she describes the now all-too-familiar online and media troling that is difficult to survive, emotionally, personally, professionally.
The backlash often comes in the form of sexual attack. When I examine my own thinking, I have to admit the most outrageous swear word still taboo is the C word, only recently publicly breached and used in mixed company, but still not normalized. When we get mad, we get sexual. Persson Giolito also makes reference to the court of public opinion: how bad information about a person may be introduced into the public sphere through social media and is almost impossible to combat. This is partly why this book feels so contemporary, and cosmopolitan. Women and men must deal with this new world now.
Persson Giolito is now a full-time writer based in Brussels. In an earlier incarnation she worked as a lawyer for the biggest law firm in Scandinavia and as an official for the European Commission. She is a writer of enormous gifts, and her invention looks like the real deal. Her perceptions are invariably enlightening. Her description of winter sailing made me want to pound my chest Tarzan-style. Women are just getting better and braver and that is a good thing.
June 26, 2023
4 Stars
April 22, 2019
Really like the discussions on justice and miscarriage of justice in this, but it's still a long book without a lot of action.
June 24, 2019
Is justice served when a man who is likely guilty of the unspeakable crime of child molestation sentenced to life behind bars for a murder he may not have committed?
That is the tantalizing question behind Malin Persson Giolito’s new book. After reading her previous book, Quicksand, I knew I was in the hands of a masterful author who would not rely on a typical Nordic noir formula of bloody murders, pyrotechnic courtroom scenes, or neatly wrapped endings.
Instead, Ms. Persoon Giolitto tackles the questions worth exploring: how does a medical researcher, dubbed Professor Death, get a fair shake from a Swedish justice system that pridefully believes its prosecutors are always right and its verdicts are never wrong? Does a defendant who presents as cold, quirky, detached and with a past that would lead a reasonable person to expect guilt still deserve an expectation of innocence? Is nuance possible in a highly sensationalized case like this?
The core of the plot is this: Stig Ahlin, a 30-something man who is already under suspicion for child abuse, is the prime suspect in the murder of an almost 16-year-old model student, based on strong circumstantial evidence. When we first meet him, he has been incarcerated for over 13 years but now, lawyer Sophia Weber has been asked to look into what may very well be manipulated evidence. As Sophia pursues this quest, she, too, is labeled, judged and demonized, even as she continues to unearth critical flaws.
Like in real life, some answers on Stig Ahlin’s guilt or innocence begin to appear. But other answers remain elusive. At the end of the day, Ms. Persoon Giolito asks us to consider whether there is such a thing as beyond all reasonable doubt in complex situations. This is a book that will keep you thinking long after you finish the last pages.
That is the tantalizing question behind Malin Persson Giolito’s new book. After reading her previous book, Quicksand, I knew I was in the hands of a masterful author who would not rely on a typical Nordic noir formula of bloody murders, pyrotechnic courtroom scenes, or neatly wrapped endings.
Instead, Ms. Persoon Giolitto tackles the questions worth exploring: how does a medical researcher, dubbed Professor Death, get a fair shake from a Swedish justice system that pridefully believes its prosecutors are always right and its verdicts are never wrong? Does a defendant who presents as cold, quirky, detached and with a past that would lead a reasonable person to expect guilt still deserve an expectation of innocence? Is nuance possible in a highly sensationalized case like this?
The core of the plot is this: Stig Ahlin, a 30-something man who is already under suspicion for child abuse, is the prime suspect in the murder of an almost 16-year-old model student, based on strong circumstantial evidence. When we first meet him, he has been incarcerated for over 13 years but now, lawyer Sophia Weber has been asked to look into what may very well be manipulated evidence. As Sophia pursues this quest, she, too, is labeled, judged and demonized, even as she continues to unearth critical flaws.
Like in real life, some answers on Stig Ahlin’s guilt or innocence begin to appear. But other answers remain elusive. At the end of the day, Ms. Persoon Giolito asks us to consider whether there is such a thing as beyond all reasonable doubt in complex situations. This is a book that will keep you thinking long after you finish the last pages.
January 11, 2020
At the heart of this book is a mystery, read on ...
"Beyond all reasonable doubt" is a police procedural, in every negative sense of the word. It's dull, humdrum, tedious.
Because the less said about this book is the better, let's dispense with the plot:
Lawyer Sophia Weber reluctantly sets out to free a man who's serving a long sentence for the murder of a 15-year-old girl. Stig Ahlin, the convicted man, is as bad as they come -- or so he's been portrayed in the court of public opinion. Not only was he sleeping with the victim, whom he met as she cared for his ailing mom; he may or may not have also been abusing his 4-year-old girl.
Ok, SPOILERS here -- but I might as well give them away and save you this utterly unrewarding read:
1. We never find out who killed the girl.
2. We never find out if Ahlin indeed was abusing his daughter.
3. Ahlin wins a new trial -- but is snubbed out before it begins.
All of that sounds great, right? The problem is the writing.
It's so utterly matter-of-fact that even big reveals are treated with the same fanfare (ie none) as the minutiae that plagues the rest of this book. And boy, is it filled with minutiae.
There are pages and pages about Weber navigating a boat, attending a dinner party, pining for her ex-lover. Pages and pages of her ex-lover getting his kid ready for bed. Pages and pages of ... sentences that don't advance the plot, that do ... nothing.
After reading it, the only mystery I want solved is this: find out who recommended this book.
"Beyond all reasonable doubt" is a police procedural, in every negative sense of the word. It's dull, humdrum, tedious.
Because the less said about this book is the better, let's dispense with the plot:
Lawyer Sophia Weber reluctantly sets out to free a man who's serving a long sentence for the murder of a 15-year-old girl. Stig Ahlin, the convicted man, is as bad as they come -- or so he's been portrayed in the court of public opinion. Not only was he sleeping with the victim, whom he met as she cared for his ailing mom; he may or may not have also been abusing his 4-year-old girl.
Ok, SPOILERS here -- but I might as well give them away and save you this utterly unrewarding read:
1. We never find out who killed the girl.
2. We never find out if Ahlin indeed was abusing his daughter.
3. Ahlin wins a new trial -- but is snubbed out before it begins.
All of that sounds great, right? The problem is the writing.
It's so utterly matter-of-fact that even big reveals are treated with the same fanfare (ie none) as the minutiae that plagues the rest of this book. And boy, is it filled with minutiae.
There are pages and pages about Weber navigating a boat, attending a dinner party, pining for her ex-lover. Pages and pages of her ex-lover getting his kid ready for bed. Pages and pages of ... sentences that don't advance the plot, that do ... nothing.
After reading it, the only mystery I want solved is this: find out who recommended this book.
October 7, 2018
Jag vet inte helt vad jag ska tycka om det här. Slutet var både ytterst otillfredsställande och ändå uppsiktsväckande överraskande. En mycket svag 3*.
Sophia Weber tar på sig jobbet att begära resningsansökan för "Doktor Död", som suttit fängslad i 13 år dömd för mordet på en 15-årig flicka. En stor del av orsaken till att han blev dömd, på trots av bristande bevis, var att han också anklagats för att ha utnyttjat sin egen dotter Ida. Det målet kom aldrig upp i rätten, men inverkade ändå på mordutredningen och domslutet.
Det är en kinkig fråga - hur mycket bevis behövs? Vem ska man tro på? Hur viktigt är det att ha som utgångspunkt att man bara kan bli dömd för brott man faktiskt gjort, att man hellre låter våldsmän gå fria än fängslar oskyldiga? Det är svårt att svara på. Det som inte alls tas upp är hur färgade domstolar vanligtvis är av den anklagades yrke, kön, hudfärg. Man kan ju hoppas att det inte är lika påfallande på den här sidan av världen som exempelvis USA, men jeg undrar.
Oavsett, Sophia har en del betänkligheter när hon tar upp Stigs fall och hon får utstå en del skit för det. Ska hon verkligen få en dömd våldtäktsman ut från fängelset?
Läs på egen risk.
Sophia Weber tar på sig jobbet att begära resningsansökan för "Doktor Död", som suttit fängslad i 13 år dömd för mordet på en 15-årig flicka. En stor del av orsaken till att han blev dömd, på trots av bristande bevis, var att han också anklagats för att ha utnyttjat sin egen dotter Ida. Det målet kom aldrig upp i rätten, men inverkade ändå på mordutredningen och domslutet.
Det är en kinkig fråga - hur mycket bevis behövs? Vem ska man tro på? Hur viktigt är det att ha som utgångspunkt att man bara kan bli dömd för brott man faktiskt gjort, att man hellre låter våldsmän gå fria än fängslar oskyldiga? Det är svårt att svara på. Det som inte alls tas upp är hur färgade domstolar vanligtvis är av den anklagades yrke, kön, hudfärg. Man kan ju hoppas att det inte är lika påfallande på den här sidan av världen som exempelvis USA, men jeg undrar.
Oavsett, Sophia har en del betänkligheter när hon tar upp Stigs fall och hon får utstå en del skit för det. Ska hon verkligen få en dömd våldtäktsman ut från fängelset?
Läs på egen risk.
June 20, 2019
Swedish writer Malin Persson Giolito first came to my attention when her crime novel/legal thriller, QUICKSAND, came to the US. I was transfixed by the story of a high school girl accused of brutally murdering her classmates. In her latest crime story, a psychology professor, Stig Ahlin--aka “Professor Death”--in prison thirteen years for a murder conviction, is given hope. Respected attorney Sophia Weber is persuaded to review the celebrity case and appeal to the Supreme Court for a new trial. Prepare for a page turning and exciting story. It’s got mainstream appeal but doesn’t pander or lead the reader. Call it literary sorbet, a perfect book between denser ones, but still smart, nervy, and potent.
Retrials are rarely permitted in Sweden, so Sophia has her work cut out for her. Moreover, there’s a lingering stink from a dropped charge against Ahlin for molesting his daughter when she was a toddler. It’s obvious that the tabloid-hungry media took control of this man’s guilt or innocence about both crimes, even before the first trial was underway. Sophia’s burden is to pierce and parse the truth-lies frontier and independently examine the facts. The author also peppers the story with other events and characters swirling in Sophia’s life, her anxieties that are separate from the case or linked at arm’s length.
If you like legal thrillers wrapped up like a holiday gift, you may want to skip this one or adjust your expectations. It won’t follow circumscribed outcomes or behave like genre fiction. It also keenly stretches the big reveal until the bitter end. The narrative mirrors real world chaos and disturbance. It’s often light on its feet; the gravitas is organic, not labored. The passages lift off and the nimble tempo keeps it snappy but with a noir overlay. There’s enough levity to unlace tension periodically, and the plot glides forward, even when it goes back in time. Beyond All Reasonable Doubt would format well for a series, better (I think) than Quicksand did. A sound book to enjoy and discuss.
Retrials are rarely permitted in Sweden, so Sophia has her work cut out for her. Moreover, there’s a lingering stink from a dropped charge against Ahlin for molesting his daughter when she was a toddler. It’s obvious that the tabloid-hungry media took control of this man’s guilt or innocence about both crimes, even before the first trial was underway. Sophia’s burden is to pierce and parse the truth-lies frontier and independently examine the facts. The author also peppers the story with other events and characters swirling in Sophia’s life, her anxieties that are separate from the case or linked at arm’s length.
If you like legal thrillers wrapped up like a holiday gift, you may want to skip this one or adjust your expectations. It won’t follow circumscribed outcomes or behave like genre fiction. It also keenly stretches the big reveal until the bitter end. The narrative mirrors real world chaos and disturbance. It’s often light on its feet; the gravitas is organic, not labored. The passages lift off and the nimble tempo keeps it snappy but with a noir overlay. There’s enough levity to unlace tension periodically, and the plot glides forward, even when it goes back in time. Beyond All Reasonable Doubt would format well for a series, better (I think) than Quicksand did. A sound book to enjoy and discuss.
August 29, 2019
Thirteen years ago 15-year-old Katrin was murdered after consensual but seemingly rough sex. In Sweden as in some US states, the age of consent is 15, so the sex itself was not a pedophile crime. Even so, the cops soon became fixated on high-flying hospital doctor Stig Ahlin, who reluctantly admitted he'd had a sexual relationship with Katrin. When reports emerged that Ahlin was suspected of having sexually abused his infant daughter, the case was as good as done and dusted. Ahlin became the most hated man in Sweden, and has been in barely eased solitary confinement ever since, his sentence specifying that he will never be released.
Lawyer Sophia Weber isn't interested in reopening the case, but is persuaded to at least have a look at it by old mentor Hans Segerstad. As she does so, she realizes that Segerstad has a point: whether Ahlin was guilty or innocent, he was convicted on circumstantial evidence that was at best flimsy and at worst rigged. Even though reversals of wrongful convictions for serious crimes, and even the permission of a retrial, are (apparently) almost unheard of in Sweden, Sophia decides that, pro bono, she'll fight Ahlin's corner . . .
Okay, so one major reason I have burning eyes as I type this account is that I consumed this long (464pp) book in not much over a day, reading ridiculously late on two consecutive nights. More or less from the first page, the novel became an integral part of my life. There was very little by way of Hollywood-style action -- no car chases, gun showdowns, fisticuffs -- and I suppose that, even though events in 1998, when Katrin was murdered, move ahead pretty swiftly, in the here and now they take their time. Some of the chapters seem to contribute little to the advancement of the plot, however absorbing they might be in themselves and however much they might advance our understanding of the principal characters -- none of whom are morally flawless, up to and including Sophia herself. Yet, as I say, I was hooked from the outset. I remained so until the end.
The ending will, I'm sure, dissatisfy some. The whole point of the average legal thriller -- or mystery novel of any kind -- is that the finale is a definitive solution to the puzzle. Who killed Benjamin Godolphin? Obviously not the dead man's wife, Daphne Godolphin, The Widow With Two Bikinis, because she's Perry Mason's client. But Perry will pinpoint the true killer . . . In Beyond All Reasonable Doubt Malin Persson Giolito chooses to subvert that expectation; we're left with no such clean-cut conclusion. Yet the conclusion was, for me, completely satisfying.
A large part of my enjoyment of this novel came as a result of Rachel Willson-Broyles's absolutely sparkling translation. I've read a fair number of Scandi novels, but I cannot recall a translation I've enjoyed more -- to the point that, after finishing Beyond All Reasonable Doubt, I did a quick search for Willson-Broyles's other translations and made notes of possible novels to read further down the line. It seems she's also written one novel of her own, and that, too, has suddenly become of interest. Her translation here -- aided in terms of readability by, let's be honest, Other Press's production standards -- is very nearly impeccable (I saw exactly one word I'd have chosen differently).
Back in the day, I used to think Scott Turow set the standard for legal dramas, if not for crime fiction in general. It seemed to me he'd picked up the genre of courtroom thriller, as earlier epitomized by Erle Stanley Gardner and Perry Mason, and turned it into literature, in the same you could argue (I personally wouldn't) that Margaret Atwood or Doris Lessing had transformed science fiction. Turow's The Laws of Our Fathers (1996) is, I'd say, a major novel by anyone's standards; I'd venture the same about Giolito's Beyond All Reasonable Doubt. I'm now athirst to read her Quicksand , also translated by Willson-Broyles.
Lawyer Sophia Weber isn't interested in reopening the case, but is persuaded to at least have a look at it by old mentor Hans Segerstad. As she does so, she realizes that Segerstad has a point: whether Ahlin was guilty or innocent, he was convicted on circumstantial evidence that was at best flimsy and at worst rigged. Even though reversals of wrongful convictions for serious crimes, and even the permission of a retrial, are (apparently) almost unheard of in Sweden, Sophia decides that, pro bono, she'll fight Ahlin's corner . . .
Okay, so one major reason I have burning eyes as I type this account is that I consumed this long (464pp) book in not much over a day, reading ridiculously late on two consecutive nights. More or less from the first page, the novel became an integral part of my life. There was very little by way of Hollywood-style action -- no car chases, gun showdowns, fisticuffs -- and I suppose that, even though events in 1998, when Katrin was murdered, move ahead pretty swiftly, in the here and now they take their time. Some of the chapters seem to contribute little to the advancement of the plot, however absorbing they might be in themselves and however much they might advance our understanding of the principal characters -- none of whom are morally flawless, up to and including Sophia herself. Yet, as I say, I was hooked from the outset. I remained so until the end.
The ending will, I'm sure, dissatisfy some. The whole point of the average legal thriller -- or mystery novel of any kind -- is that the finale is a definitive solution to the puzzle. Who killed Benjamin Godolphin? Obviously not the dead man's wife, Daphne Godolphin, The Widow With Two Bikinis, because she's Perry Mason's client. But Perry will pinpoint the true killer . . . In Beyond All Reasonable Doubt Malin Persson Giolito chooses to subvert that expectation; we're left with no such clean-cut conclusion. Yet the conclusion was, for me, completely satisfying.
A large part of my enjoyment of this novel came as a result of Rachel Willson-Broyles's absolutely sparkling translation. I've read a fair number of Scandi novels, but I cannot recall a translation I've enjoyed more -- to the point that, after finishing Beyond All Reasonable Doubt, I did a quick search for Willson-Broyles's other translations and made notes of possible novels to read further down the line. It seems she's also written one novel of her own, and that, too, has suddenly become of interest. Her translation here -- aided in terms of readability by, let's be honest, Other Press's production standards -- is very nearly impeccable (I saw exactly one word I'd have chosen differently).
Back in the day, I used to think Scott Turow set the standard for legal dramas, if not for crime fiction in general. It seemed to me he'd picked up the genre of courtroom thriller, as earlier epitomized by Erle Stanley Gardner and Perry Mason, and turned it into literature, in the same you could argue (I personally wouldn't) that Margaret Atwood or Doris Lessing had transformed science fiction. Turow's The Laws of Our Fathers (1996) is, I'd say, a major novel by anyone's standards; I'd venture the same about Giolito's Beyond All Reasonable Doubt. I'm now athirst to read her Quicksand , also translated by Willson-Broyles.
January 26, 2020
I really don’t like to quit on a book after I start it. I keep thinking it has to get better. This one doesn’t. The basic story is a rather dry portrayal of a convicted sex offender trying to get a new trial. That story comes and goes through lots of what I’ll call “atmosphere”. The author was trying to give a deep feeling of the settings, the characters thoughts and other fluff, but it just went nowhere. Glad this one is behind me.
did-not-finish-dnf
June 19, 2019DNF at Page 132
I loved this Swedish legal thriller author’s last novel, Quicksand (my review), but this one just dragged and dragged. By page 132, the lawyer still hadn’t officially decided to take the case that was at the center of the story.
I loved this Swedish legal thriller author’s last novel, Quicksand (my review), but this one just dragged and dragged. By page 132, the lawyer still hadn’t officially decided to take the case that was at the center of the story.
Did Not Finish
July 1, 2019Did not finish. Could get not get past a horrible, early scene of animal cruelty.
May 22, 2019
Malin Persson Giolito has taken a topic that has huge repercussions and made it into a large case with most people angry about it because of all ready having their minds made up. It was a case which involved a young girl, Katrin age 15, the legal age of consent in Sweden, who was murdered. It had a case against Stig Ahlin, which went the way of birds and vanished, he was accused of fondling his, at that time, 5 year old daughter. Sophia Weber was a legal lawyer and was asked to represent Stig Ahlin by her old professor Hans Segerstad, his reasoning was that Stig had served 13 years so far and was not guilty of killing Katrin. It revolves around this case and the one that got thrown out. Malin goes through Sophia's reasoning and all the shenanigans she got involved with in going to the Highest Court in Sweden to get a new trial. I liked her reasoning and her thoughts in getting this done. I leave it there with you in order to not include spoilers.
September 21, 2019
Rating: 4
Thoughts: Overall the plot was really good and really intriguing throughout. A lot of the characters were well rounded that interacted with the main character.
My only thing is that I didn't care for the main character Sophia that much. Part of it was because I don't feel that much time was spent to get to know her, at least what was going through her mind that wasn't related to the case. I thought she made a really good lawyer, but as a human being I don't know because I don't feel that much else was given to her to expand on.
Thoughts: Overall the plot was really good and really intriguing throughout. A lot of the characters were well rounded that interacted with the main character.
My only thing is that I didn't care for the main character Sophia that much. Part of it was because I don't feel that much time was spent to get to know her, at least what was going through her mind that wasn't related to the case. I thought she made a really good lawyer, but as a human being I don't know because I don't feel that much else was given to her to expand on.
July 8, 2022
Vi får följa advokat Sophia Webers arbete för att få fri en man som sitter inne för mord på en 15 årig flicka. Boken är lite seg i starten men den blir bättre. Jag gillar författarens sätt att skriva och intressant att följa en advokats utredning och arbete samt få en inblick svenskt rättsväsende.
January 18, 2020
There’s little to no action in this sleepy
thriller. A whodunnit in which you’ll never find the answer. Frustrating. This may be book 2 of a Swedish series. Certainly the story stands alone but I wonder if there’s some back story that might make the protagonist more knowable. Sophia is wounded and damaged, work obsessed and relationship averse. She has a complicated relationship with her grandfather and everyone else it seems. She takes her job as a criminal defense attorney very seriously and ethically. She takes on a high profile pro bono case to review the case of a man who says he’s been falsely convicted who’s been in prison for 13 years. Sophia is thorough and meticulous, scrutinizing each detail and this how the plot feels too; thorough and meticulous, explaining minutiae that never coalesces to give you a bigger perspective, advances the plot or character development, nor provides a satisfactory revelation.
thriller. A whodunnit in which you’ll never find the answer. Frustrating. This may be book 2 of a Swedish series. Certainly the story stands alone but I wonder if there’s some back story that might make the protagonist more knowable. Sophia is wounded and damaged, work obsessed and relationship averse. She has a complicated relationship with her grandfather and everyone else it seems. She takes her job as a criminal defense attorney very seriously and ethically. She takes on a high profile pro bono case to review the case of a man who says he’s been falsely convicted who’s been in prison for 13 years. Sophia is thorough and meticulous, scrutinizing each detail and this how the plot feels too; thorough and meticulous, explaining minutiae that never coalesces to give you a bigger perspective, advances the plot or character development, nor provides a satisfactory revelation.
April 18, 2019
1.5
The second Giolito book, and I am even less a fan of this one. I did like the focus of the book, how justified is a conviction where so many parts are inadequate, in both the investigation and the amount of evidence (mostly hard evidence, backed by science). The incredible amount of scrutiny and slander one can face, every single point of your life being picked apart to explain everything. In this world with all the cold cases and true crime series/podcasts and etc., one is really aware of how a wrongful conviction and an inadequate investigation can play in these cases.
Unfortunately Beyond All Reasonable Doubt makes me snore. It is by no means badly written, there's no action, and it reads in a way like a flatline, with an unsatisfactory ending. I still cannot wrap my head around the ending.
The second Giolito book, and I am even less a fan of this one. I did like the focus of the book, how justified is a conviction where so many parts are inadequate, in both the investigation and the amount of evidence (mostly hard evidence, backed by science). The incredible amount of scrutiny and slander one can face, every single point of your life being picked apart to explain everything. In this world with all the cold cases and true crime series/podcasts and etc., one is really aware of how a wrongful conviction and an inadequate investigation can play in these cases.
Unfortunately Beyond All Reasonable Doubt makes me snore. It is by no means badly written, there's no action, and it reads in a way like a flatline, with an unsatisfactory ending. I still cannot wrap my head around the ending.
July 9, 2019
I did like this book. It made me stop and think if I was truly a liberal at all. The inmate, Stig Ahlin, is
In jail for killing a 15 year old girl. Now he is trying to get the verdict of life imprisonment overturned. This is a case every lawyer dreams of. Well, almost every lawyer. Aside from murder he is suspected of child abuse of his own little girl. There is a lot of legal machinations and courtroom drama. I will read the author’s first book, quicksand.
In jail for killing a 15 year old girl. Now he is trying to get the verdict of life imprisonment overturned. This is a case every lawyer dreams of. Well, almost every lawyer. Aside from murder he is suspected of child abuse of his own little girl. There is a lot of legal machinations and courtroom drama. I will read the author’s first book, quicksand.
August 7, 2019
This was a terrific mystery. I wish more of her books were available in English. The main character is a defense lawyer who takes the case of a man in prison for life for the murder of a teenaged girl. But did he really do it?
June 3, 2020
Met dank aan Uitgeverij De Geus voor dit recensie exemplaar.
Dokter Stig Ahlin werd dertien jaar geleden tot levenslang veroordeeld voor de moord op de vijftienjarige Katrin Björk. Sinds dag één beweert hij onschuldig te zijn.
Sophia Weber is strafpleiter en wordt door Hans Segerstad, emeritus hoogleraar, benaderd met de vraag om de zaak van Stig Ahlin te bekijken en een herziening aan te vragen. Aanvankelijk is Sophia er niet zo voor te vinden, in Zweden is het namelijk bijna onmogelijk om een herziening te krijgen en zeker wanneer het vonnis zo lang geleden werd uitgesproken. Een herziening is in feite nog maar een enkele keer door het hooggerechtshof aanvaard. Uiteindelijk beslist Sophia om er toch op in te gaan, maar hoe dieper ze zich in de zaak gaat vastbijten, hoe groter de weerstand van de buitenwereld lijkt te worden. Niet alleen de publieke opinie kant zich tegen haar, maar ook haar directe omgeving zoals haar vrienden en familie. Dreigmails worden dagelijkse kost voor haar. Maar niet alleen Sophia krijgt het moeilijk, ook Stig begint problemen te krijgen in de gevangenis.
Malin Persson Giolito kennen we nog van In dromen lieg je niet die verfilmd werd door Netflix als de serie Quicksand. Haar nieuwste thriller Als de twijfel toeslaat brengt ons net als In dromen lieg je niet een bijzonder nordic noir verhaal. Het is bovendien het tweede boek in de serie met Sophia Weber, maar je kan het boek makkelijk als standalone lezen.
In verschillende hoofdstukken volgen we afwisselend enerzijds Sophia Weber in haar juridische zoektocht naar hiaten in het onderzoek naar de moord op Katrin Björk en keren we anderzijds terug in het verleden naar het oorspronkelijke politieonderzoek naar de moord. Op deze manier blijft de spanning in het verhaal, iedereen is vanaf pagina één in de ban van Katrins moord, een vijftienjarige modelstudente. Wie zou haar nu iets willen aan doen, een onschuldig jong meisje?
Maar de zoektocht naar Katrins moordenaar staat helemaal niet centraal in het verhaal, we weten reeds dat Stig Ahlin hiervoor veroordeeld werd en levenslang opgesloten zit in de gevangenis. Nee, in Als de twijfel toeslaat wordt er op zoek gegaan naar bewijzen om zijn eventuele onschuld te bewijzen en naar dwalingen in het rechtssysteem. Vooral naar dit laatste gaat er veel aandacht toe en is dan ook het hoofdthema van het boek. Hoewel de auteur als voormalige advocate een sterke juridische achtergrond heeft, staat het boek niet bol van termen die te technische zijn voor leken en wanneer deze wel gebruikt worden, zullen deze in klare duidelijke taal uitgelegd worden, zodat het geheel leesbaar is voor een breder publiek zonder een grote juridische kennis. Hierdoor had ik als lezer het gevoel iets bij te leren over rechtszaken en hoe advocaten zich voorbereiden om hun zaken te bepleiten.
Malin neemt ook hier weer, net als in haar andere boeken, het rechtssysteem op kritische wijze onder loep. Persoonlijk vind ik het gedurfd hoe de auteur geen blad voor de mond neemt en aan de hand van haar boek het Zweedse rechtssysteem hekelt. Bovendien zal zij ook net zoals in In dromen lieg je niet de media met de vinger wijzen en kritiek uiten op de manier waarop de publieke opinie beïnvloed wordt door hun mediaberichten. Het voelt aan alsof we dagelijks door hen gebrainwasht worden. We krijgen zeer veel stof tot nadenken voorgeschoteld en na het lezen zal je alles nog eens goed moeten laten bezinken.
Via de vrouwelijke protagonist Sophia Weber zal Malin ook aantonen hoe het is om als vrouw te werken in de juridische sector die nog steeds grotendeels een mannenwereldje is. Zijzelf heeft in het verleden als advocate hier ook mee te maken gehad en slaagt er dan ook in om dit op een correcte en subtiele manier weer te geven, zonder er een overdreven feministisch pamflet van te maken.
Verder zijn de personages met veel zorg uitgewerkt, en net als in Malins vorige boek heb ik het gevoel dat niet alles over hen wordt prijsgegeven, er hangt iets mysterieus over hen heen. Hierdoor werd ik enorm geprikkeld om verder te lezen, ik wilde steeds meer weten over Sophia, Stig Ahlin en alle andere personages, wie zijn ze, wat is hun agenda, wat weten we nog niet over hen, wat zijn hun geheimen… ? Tot de allerlaatste pagina vroeg ik me af of Stig inderdaad schuldig was aan de moord, aan de incest, ..... Wat had hij te verbergen?
Het boek bevat verscheidene onverwachte wendingen, net als je denkt dat het verhaal rustig verder zal kabbelen, gebeurt er weer iets dat inslaat als een bommetje en je achterover in je leesstoel doet slaan. De uiteindelijke plot is dan ook zeer onverwacht te noemen, ik was zo in het verhaal verdiept dat deze precies een ontnuchterende klap in mijn gezicht leek. Dit had ik niet zien komen.
Als de twijfel toeslaat kruipt onder je huid en je zult er nog lang over nadenken na het lezen ervan. Een originele, knappe thriller en ik kan niet wachten tot de volgende Sophia Weber vertaald wordt naar het Nederlands. Een verdiende 5 sterren! *****
De link naar mijn recensie van het vorige boek van Malin vind je hier
http://perfecteburenleesclub.blogspot...
Silke
Perfecte Buren
Dokter Stig Ahlin werd dertien jaar geleden tot levenslang veroordeeld voor de moord op de vijftienjarige Katrin Björk. Sinds dag één beweert hij onschuldig te zijn.
Sophia Weber is strafpleiter en wordt door Hans Segerstad, emeritus hoogleraar, benaderd met de vraag om de zaak van Stig Ahlin te bekijken en een herziening aan te vragen. Aanvankelijk is Sophia er niet zo voor te vinden, in Zweden is het namelijk bijna onmogelijk om een herziening te krijgen en zeker wanneer het vonnis zo lang geleden werd uitgesproken. Een herziening is in feite nog maar een enkele keer door het hooggerechtshof aanvaard. Uiteindelijk beslist Sophia om er toch op in te gaan, maar hoe dieper ze zich in de zaak gaat vastbijten, hoe groter de weerstand van de buitenwereld lijkt te worden. Niet alleen de publieke opinie kant zich tegen haar, maar ook haar directe omgeving zoals haar vrienden en familie. Dreigmails worden dagelijkse kost voor haar. Maar niet alleen Sophia krijgt het moeilijk, ook Stig begint problemen te krijgen in de gevangenis.
Malin Persson Giolito kennen we nog van In dromen lieg je niet die verfilmd werd door Netflix als de serie Quicksand. Haar nieuwste thriller Als de twijfel toeslaat brengt ons net als In dromen lieg je niet een bijzonder nordic noir verhaal. Het is bovendien het tweede boek in de serie met Sophia Weber, maar je kan het boek makkelijk als standalone lezen.
In verschillende hoofdstukken volgen we afwisselend enerzijds Sophia Weber in haar juridische zoektocht naar hiaten in het onderzoek naar de moord op Katrin Björk en keren we anderzijds terug in het verleden naar het oorspronkelijke politieonderzoek naar de moord. Op deze manier blijft de spanning in het verhaal, iedereen is vanaf pagina één in de ban van Katrins moord, een vijftienjarige modelstudente. Wie zou haar nu iets willen aan doen, een onschuldig jong meisje?
Maar de zoektocht naar Katrins moordenaar staat helemaal niet centraal in het verhaal, we weten reeds dat Stig Ahlin hiervoor veroordeeld werd en levenslang opgesloten zit in de gevangenis. Nee, in Als de twijfel toeslaat wordt er op zoek gegaan naar bewijzen om zijn eventuele onschuld te bewijzen en naar dwalingen in het rechtssysteem. Vooral naar dit laatste gaat er veel aandacht toe en is dan ook het hoofdthema van het boek. Hoewel de auteur als voormalige advocate een sterke juridische achtergrond heeft, staat het boek niet bol van termen die te technische zijn voor leken en wanneer deze wel gebruikt worden, zullen deze in klare duidelijke taal uitgelegd worden, zodat het geheel leesbaar is voor een breder publiek zonder een grote juridische kennis. Hierdoor had ik als lezer het gevoel iets bij te leren over rechtszaken en hoe advocaten zich voorbereiden om hun zaken te bepleiten.
Malin neemt ook hier weer, net als in haar andere boeken, het rechtssysteem op kritische wijze onder loep. Persoonlijk vind ik het gedurfd hoe de auteur geen blad voor de mond neemt en aan de hand van haar boek het Zweedse rechtssysteem hekelt. Bovendien zal zij ook net zoals in In dromen lieg je niet de media met de vinger wijzen en kritiek uiten op de manier waarop de publieke opinie beïnvloed wordt door hun mediaberichten. Het voelt aan alsof we dagelijks door hen gebrainwasht worden. We krijgen zeer veel stof tot nadenken voorgeschoteld en na het lezen zal je alles nog eens goed moeten laten bezinken.
Via de vrouwelijke protagonist Sophia Weber zal Malin ook aantonen hoe het is om als vrouw te werken in de juridische sector die nog steeds grotendeels een mannenwereldje is. Zijzelf heeft in het verleden als advocate hier ook mee te maken gehad en slaagt er dan ook in om dit op een correcte en subtiele manier weer te geven, zonder er een overdreven feministisch pamflet van te maken.
Verder zijn de personages met veel zorg uitgewerkt, en net als in Malins vorige boek heb ik het gevoel dat niet alles over hen wordt prijsgegeven, er hangt iets mysterieus over hen heen. Hierdoor werd ik enorm geprikkeld om verder te lezen, ik wilde steeds meer weten over Sophia, Stig Ahlin en alle andere personages, wie zijn ze, wat is hun agenda, wat weten we nog niet over hen, wat zijn hun geheimen… ? Tot de allerlaatste pagina vroeg ik me af of Stig inderdaad schuldig was aan de moord, aan de incest, ..... Wat had hij te verbergen?
Het boek bevat verscheidene onverwachte wendingen, net als je denkt dat het verhaal rustig verder zal kabbelen, gebeurt er weer iets dat inslaat als een bommetje en je achterover in je leesstoel doet slaan. De uiteindelijke plot is dan ook zeer onverwacht te noemen, ik was zo in het verhaal verdiept dat deze precies een ontnuchterende klap in mijn gezicht leek. Dit had ik niet zien komen.
Als de twijfel toeslaat kruipt onder je huid en je zult er nog lang over nadenken na het lezen ervan. Een originele, knappe thriller en ik kan niet wachten tot de volgende Sophia Weber vertaald wordt naar het Nederlands. Een verdiende 5 sterren! *****
De link naar mijn recensie van het vorige boek van Malin vind je hier
http://perfecteburenleesclub.blogspot...
Silke
Perfecte Buren
July 27, 2025
opposite pitfalls than the obvious american equivalents
June 3, 2019
Beyond All Reasonable Doubt is an unusual legal thriller as it does not spend time in a courtroom. This is about a legal appeal of what appears to be a miscarriage of justice. The lawyer Sophia Weber is asked to take on an unappealing clent, the infamous Stig Ahlin who was convicted of murdering a fifteen-year-old girl back in 1998. His crime was made even more infamous by the allegations he sexually abused his four-year-old daughter Ida.
We go back and forth, from Sophia’s decision and preparation of the appeal to the murder and investigation in the past. In the past, we see a perfect example of tunnel vision, when a detective and prosecutor come to a conclusion and set about proving it rather than seeking the facts and finding an explanation. Sophia’s job is to review their work and find errors that could advance an appeal.
Stig Ahlin is not an appealing person. Even if he were innocent of everything he is suspected of, he was still an adult professional having an affair with a teenager and someone who frequented prostitutes for some rough sex. That is the best he can be. At the worst, he is an incestuous child rapist and murderer. Still, it does seem as though he may have been convicted of murder based more on the uncharged allegations of molesting his daughter.
Beyond All Reasonable Doubt will make some readers angry because it refuses to settle for easy answers or even tie up loose ends. There are still unanswered questions and I think that is what makes it a better book. This is not so much about telling a story but interrogating some of the trends in modern society, including the effect of the media on justice and the way the internet has made harassment so easy, especially the harassment of women. Sophia is condemned even by friends and colleagues for helping the infamous Professor Death, but is it justice to wrongly convict someone for what he did not do because you cannot convict him for what you think he did do?
Sophia’s story is very cerebral, research and reading old records, interviewing a few witnesses, writing an appeal, and trying to live her life while fretting about what people think. The past investigation is more traditional story-telling, following the procedural steps and invedtigative decisions. There is also Stig, whose life in prison is revealed as well. There are a few twists to the story, big twists that leave even more questions in their wake.
Beyond All Reasonable Doubt will be released June 4th. I received a e-galley from the publisher through Edelweiss
https://tonstantweaderreviews.wordpre...
We go back and forth, from Sophia’s decision and preparation of the appeal to the murder and investigation in the past. In the past, we see a perfect example of tunnel vision, when a detective and prosecutor come to a conclusion and set about proving it rather than seeking the facts and finding an explanation. Sophia’s job is to review their work and find errors that could advance an appeal.
Stig Ahlin is not an appealing person. Even if he were innocent of everything he is suspected of, he was still an adult professional having an affair with a teenager and someone who frequented prostitutes for some rough sex. That is the best he can be. At the worst, he is an incestuous child rapist and murderer. Still, it does seem as though he may have been convicted of murder based more on the uncharged allegations of molesting his daughter.
Beyond All Reasonable Doubt will make some readers angry because it refuses to settle for easy answers or even tie up loose ends. There are still unanswered questions and I think that is what makes it a better book. This is not so much about telling a story but interrogating some of the trends in modern society, including the effect of the media on justice and the way the internet has made harassment so easy, especially the harassment of women. Sophia is condemned even by friends and colleagues for helping the infamous Professor Death, but is it justice to wrongly convict someone for what he did not do because you cannot convict him for what you think he did do?
Sophia’s story is very cerebral, research and reading old records, interviewing a few witnesses, writing an appeal, and trying to live her life while fretting about what people think. The past investigation is more traditional story-telling, following the procedural steps and invedtigative decisions. There is also Stig, whose life in prison is revealed as well. There are a few twists to the story, big twists that leave even more questions in their wake.
Beyond All Reasonable Doubt will be released June 4th. I received a e-galley from the publisher through Edelweiss
https://tonstantweaderreviews.wordpre...
November 3, 2019
If ever there was a murder and crimes novel written that deserved glowing reviews, this novel is it.
This book raises the question that is the focus of every criminal defense lawyer and should be the focus of every judge and prosecutor: what can we do to ensure that an innocent person isn't convicted and (spoiler alert) ultimately pays the highest of all prices for a crime she or he did not commit.
From a lawyer's perspective, the author, herself a former prosecutor, presents a legally compelling case for how to present and investigate perhaps the hardest task a lawyer has: can a trial which has proceeded to judgment be re-opened because of newly discovered evidence, or even harder because of an incomplete investigation or lapses in evidence at the trial court below. Although I have tried to read every single book that presents such formidable tasks to the lawyer, this may well be the very best of the lot.
The novel has the added advantage of being translated from the Swedish to English by an individual who understands and practices good writing, This book was a joy to read and truly one of the few that I found it hard to stop reading. The editors--Swedish and English also deserve a lot of credit for excising anything extraneous and unnecessary either to tell the story or that might make the story less readable or exciting. Rachael Willson-Broyles, the translator, did a masterful job, reminding me of the Fagles translation of Homer's Odyssey that made that ancient epic story so readable and poetic.
Finally, as one comes to the conclusion of the book, one begins to see clearly that the conviction of an innocent requires bad motivations or incomplete, bad work by police, prosecutors, judges, and even defense counsel in some cases. Unfortunately, one only has to read the morning papers to understand that far too many innocent people are convicted or compelled to enter plea agreements. Books like give flesh to us this tragic, systemic failure.
This book raises the question that is the focus of every criminal defense lawyer and should be the focus of every judge and prosecutor: what can we do to ensure that an innocent person isn't convicted and (spoiler alert) ultimately pays the highest of all prices for a crime she or he did not commit.
From a lawyer's perspective, the author, herself a former prosecutor, presents a legally compelling case for how to present and investigate perhaps the hardest task a lawyer has: can a trial which has proceeded to judgment be re-opened because of newly discovered evidence, or even harder because of an incomplete investigation or lapses in evidence at the trial court below. Although I have tried to read every single book that presents such formidable tasks to the lawyer, this may well be the very best of the lot.
The novel has the added advantage of being translated from the Swedish to English by an individual who understands and practices good writing, This book was a joy to read and truly one of the few that I found it hard to stop reading. The editors--Swedish and English also deserve a lot of credit for excising anything extraneous and unnecessary either to tell the story or that might make the story less readable or exciting. Rachael Willson-Broyles, the translator, did a masterful job, reminding me of the Fagles translation of Homer's Odyssey that made that ancient epic story so readable and poetic.
Finally, as one comes to the conclusion of the book, one begins to see clearly that the conviction of an innocent requires bad motivations or incomplete, bad work by police, prosecutors, judges, and even defense counsel in some cases. Unfortunately, one only has to read the morning papers to understand that far too many innocent people are convicted or compelled to enter plea agreements. Books like give flesh to us this tragic, systemic failure.
September 7, 2019
Too many unanswered questions at the end. Who killed Katrin? Did Stig abuse his daughter or not? Was there some significance to the pearls? What was Ida going to tell Sofia and why didn’t she do it?
Very unsatisfactory ending IMHO.
Very unsatisfactory ending IMHO.
April 23, 2020
This book was a total disappointment. It was the first book of our (quarantine) book club. Unfortunately, the book lacked in many aspects; most notably, the plot!
January 6, 2023
En lång och välskriven, men lite tråkig spänningsroman. Giolito skriver bra och skiftar mellan olika personer och tidsplan skickligt, även om jag får lite svårt att intressera mig för den komplicerade relationen mellan huvudpersonen och en gift polis, den kändes inpressat. Huvudpersonens morfar är också bristfälligt gestaltad. Jag menar Giolito om du bestämmer dig för att ha med Sveriges mest framstående psykiatriker så måste han få komma till tals som yrkesman, även om han är pensionerad. Jag tror han hade haft mycket intressant att säga. Nu reduceras han till en vresig gammal man. I den här boken är förresten alla män svin, mer eller mindre. Förutom en homosexuell kille som figurerar i ett kapitel i mitten. Men jag har ju läst ett stort antal böcker där kvinnogestalterna är elakt tecknade, och jag brukar inte låta det störa mig i någon större utsträckning. Men lite ensidigt blir det. Slutet manar dock till omprövning.
Men det huvudsakliga problemet är att rättsfallet inte utvecklar sig särskilt mycket. 280 sidor in i boken säger huvudpersonen att hon tvivlar på den dömdes skuld ju mer hon läser på om fallet. Men läsaren har inte fått ta del av denna läsning, man har knappt fått kika på den där slarviga förundersökningen.
Men det huvudsakliga problemet är att rättsfallet inte utvecklar sig särskilt mycket. 280 sidor in i boken säger huvudpersonen att hon tvivlar på den dömdes skuld ju mer hon läser på om fallet. Men läsaren har inte fått ta del av denna läsning, man har knappt fått kika på den där slarviga förundersökningen.
December 30, 2019
A Swedish crime novel about a defense attorney who is asked to take on a famous case in which a doctor was accused of brutally murdering a 15 year old girl.
I think I've read one too many books about trials this month because when I started writing this review I was describing the wrong book. I enjoyed this. There is a lot of grappling with what is justice and searching through court documents. If that sounds boring, this is not the book for you.
Nothing says Christmas (the day I finished it) like a gruesome Swedish legal thriller.
I think I've read one too many books about trials this month because when I started writing this review I was describing the wrong book. I enjoyed this. There is a lot of grappling with what is justice and searching through court documents. If that sounds boring, this is not the book for you.
Nothing says Christmas (the day I finished it) like a gruesome Swedish legal thriller.
July 17, 2024
Boken handlar om ett mordfall av en femtonårig flicka. Läkaren Stig Ahlin är dömd till livstids fängelse för mordet.
13 år senare upptäcker advokat Hans och Sophia brister i utredningen och menar att åtalet mot Stig Ahlin bygger inte på starka grunder, därför planerar advokat Sophia att ansöka om rensning till fallet. Men vad är Stig Ahlin för man egentligen? Är han verkligen skyldig? Kommer Advokat Sophia och allmänheten någonsin att få veta sanningen?
Jag älskade boken till en början. Den kunde dock ha slutat mycket bättre, och därför får den 3/5 från mig.
13 år senare upptäcker advokat Hans och Sophia brister i utredningen och menar att åtalet mot Stig Ahlin bygger inte på starka grunder, därför planerar advokat Sophia att ansöka om rensning till fallet. Men vad är Stig Ahlin för man egentligen? Är han verkligen skyldig? Kommer Advokat Sophia och allmänheten någonsin att få veta sanningen?
Jag älskade boken till en början. Den kunde dock ha slutat mycket bättre, och därför får den 3/5 från mig.
October 2, 2021
Gillar berättandet. Känns spännande trots att det inte händer så mycket.
Lite jobbigt slut. Vill veta mer
Lite jobbigt slut. Vill veta mer
April 21, 2020
I NEED all of Giolito's books to be translated into English ASAP. I am kind of upset that this is the 2nd in a series of 3, but the only one in English. But that's enough of that, like many I came upon Giolito's novel Quicksand, inhaled it, and proceeded to inhale the Netflix series (and bravo to both!). This book as marketed as a courtroom drama/police procedural, but I think anyone who limits this book to just that didn't read very closely. We never even really get in a courtroom, and if anything, the police procedures depicted are short and show the human flaws of the Swedish system. This immersive novel is perfect for a rainy day, traveling, or reading while trapped in a Covid 19 quarantine like myself. I will say that what may be a turn off for some readers, is that this is not a formulaic thriller, and for me, that's what makes it such a breath of fresh air. Thrillers often follow a very specific structure, but Giolito kept changing the rules, and I am so here for it.
It was really interesting to have a woman's perspective, I feel like there are so many men writing this kind of fiction, so this was a different experience. Each chapter was was a short propulsive foray into character development just as much as it helped move the plot along. So don't read this for a plot-driven narrative, read it to try to see who each character is, and why they act as they do. I did feel at a slight disadvantage that this was the 2nd book in the Sophia Webber series, so her relationship with Sture and Adam felt like I missed some key details. In fact, Adam's chapters felt oddly out of place to me, and I think that is because it's the second book. I enjoyed digging into the psyche of young girls and the Swedish legal system, as well as the state of criminal forensics in Europe. Apparently Sweden is often seen as sexually liberal, but I was VERY surprised that 15 was the age of consent. Maybe just because I'm used to 18, and I was once a baby 15-year-old girl. But, who's to say when someone comes into their own sexual sense of self, and I'm not so sure age is the right marker, but that's a much larger argument.
The nice thing about Giolito is that her own history in the Swedish legal system lent itself to her relaxed depictions of what this looks like day to day, without dragging readers through a slog of jargon. We also gain a look into what it means to be a female in law in Sweden. We get the backlash that Webber suffers from complete strangers, oddly sexual responses to Webber's words as a woman attorney. Even more interesting, we get a look at what happens when the media, and social media, determine public opinion on legal cases, and suspects. Really really thoughtful portrayal that had me thinking.
This book starts off with a pretty brutal crime, with lots to unpack, so much so that I went back and reread it halfway through the novel, and after I finished the last page. If you're really tender-hearted this one isn't for you. If you like an experimental thrill, with solid writing, and non-troublesome translation, this is for you. Do not go into reading this book if you want cookie-cutter plots with a perfect ending all tied up with answers in a damn bow. Take your time with this one, let it push you to think about the legal system, about writing, and plot structure. Let it take you on a trip that will have you guessing and gasping.
It was really interesting to have a woman's perspective, I feel like there are so many men writing this kind of fiction, so this was a different experience. Each chapter was was a short propulsive foray into character development just as much as it helped move the plot along. So don't read this for a plot-driven narrative, read it to try to see who each character is, and why they act as they do. I did feel at a slight disadvantage that this was the 2nd book in the Sophia Webber series, so her relationship with Sture and Adam felt like I missed some key details. In fact, Adam's chapters felt oddly out of place to me, and I think that is because it's the second book. I enjoyed digging into the psyche of young girls and the Swedish legal system, as well as the state of criminal forensics in Europe. Apparently Sweden is often seen as sexually liberal, but I was VERY surprised that 15 was the age of consent. Maybe just because I'm used to 18, and I was once a baby 15-year-old girl. But, who's to say when someone comes into their own sexual sense of self, and I'm not so sure age is the right marker, but that's a much larger argument.
The nice thing about Giolito is that her own history in the Swedish legal system lent itself to her relaxed depictions of what this looks like day to day, without dragging readers through a slog of jargon. We also gain a look into what it means to be a female in law in Sweden. We get the backlash that Webber suffers from complete strangers, oddly sexual responses to Webber's words as a woman attorney. Even more interesting, we get a look at what happens when the media, and social media, determine public opinion on legal cases, and suspects. Really really thoughtful portrayal that had me thinking.
This book starts off with a pretty brutal crime, with lots to unpack, so much so that I went back and reread it halfway through the novel, and after I finished the last page. If you're really tender-hearted this one isn't for you. If you like an experimental thrill, with solid writing, and non-troublesome translation, this is for you. Do not go into reading this book if you want cookie-cutter plots with a perfect ending all tied up with answers in a damn bow. Take your time with this one, let it push you to think about the legal system, about writing, and plot structure. Let it take you on a trip that will have you guessing and gasping.
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