Having suffered both physical and emotional trauma in pursuit of a crime story, she has elected to continue her work at the Post writing features of her own choosing. Since these topics must be approved by Schyman, she doesn’t always get to do what she wants. She has become interested in the attack of an air base in Lulea, in northern Sweden some thirty years ago. A plane was blown up and one man was so severely burned that he died. The facts of this attack have never been revealed and there are probably only a few people still alive who worked at the base. The Defense Department has kept most of the information concerning the incident under wraps.

Recently a journalist from a local paper near Lulea claims to have found some new information. Annika wants to meet with the man. She is fighting her emotional demons and has discovered that if she immerses herself in her work the emotional stress of her past abates. Eventually, she learns that the burning of the plane has been attributed to a group of student radicals that have Maoist leanings. If she can track down some of these students perhaps she can learn the truth of what happened thirty years ago.

When she arrives in Lulea, her first task is to interview the journalist who is said to have found new information. She contacts the local paper that employs Benny Ekland only to learn that the journalist has been murdered. Because Ekland had been focusing on the plane incident, Annika decides that he was killed to prevent him from revealing his findings.

Her professional life is not the only arena in which Annika is struggling. During her leave of absence from the paper, she has been developing a closer relationship with her two young children. Her husband had begun to consider her a stay at home mom, but the demons that remind her of her ordeal that precipitated her time off only get worse without the demands of the job. In addition her friend Anne, a recovering alcoholic, is having husband troubles of her own.

Like most Scandinavian mysteries, Red Wolf has elements which give it the feel of a more mainstream novel. There is a political agenda as well as a social one in addition to the mystery story line. The theme of students adopting and championing a political system at odds with the national government though more overt thirty years ago apparently still is alive and reasonably well in the present day. The social pressures that women who wish to split their time between home and a career as well as the difficulties of maintaining a good husband-wife relationship are explored.

Sweden can be a dark depressing place in the winter. Liza Marklund has captured the flavor of this added dimension to the plot. Cold is a fact of life for Swedes in November when this story takes place. The extra precautions that must be taken to insure that cars will start, the layers of clothing that must be added to combat frostbite, and the lack of sunlight as the days shorten all take a toll on the human spirit. These hardships are balanced by such brilliant displays as the northern lights. All of these points are capably described by the author, allowing readers to vicariously enjoy life in a different climate from the comfort of an easy chair.

While Scandinavian mysteries are not known for their upbeat outlook on life, Red Wolf is not as depressing as other representatives. There are some bright spots in Annika’s life. She is not resigned to her fate and works toward a happier future. Her friend Anne is also a fighter. She could succumb to her alcoholism, but she does not.

Red Wolf was originally written by the author in 2003 and was translated by Neil Smith in 2010. Translations make it difficult to comment on the author’s style and word choice, but the English version flows well and makes sense. I suspect those reading the English translation have both author and translator to thank for that accomplishment.

--Andy Plonka