The Bomber

by Liza Marklund

Book Overview

Seven days. Three killings. And one woman who knows too much...Crime reporter Annika Bengtzon is woken by a phonecall in the early hours of a wintry December morning. An explosion has ripped apart the... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0743417836
• ISBN13: 9780743417839
• Release Date: May 2001
• Publisher: Atria Books
• Length: 326 Pages
• Weight: 1.40 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 6.5" x 9.6"

Customer Reviews

Perfect for a weekend breakaway

Bought this one for my Kindle 2 when I had to spend a weekend in bed while on a business trip in Japan recently. Although my mobile was out of power my Kindle was not and I was able to order have this book delivered in less than 2 minutes to my device. That in itself was pretty amazing. And the book is a marvel. Well written and never a dull moment. Reading it is like watching an intelligently done and highly entertaining movie - just a lot better! I wish I could order more books like this for my Kindle. I noticed a whole wall of books from this author in the airport - only two of those are available in the Kindle store. Hope to see more in the shop soon...

Good as a Novel or as a Thriller

Some detective writers are novelists first, detective writers second. Robert Crais, Robert Barnard, Sara Paretsky, Lawrence Block (in the Matt Scudder books). Add Liza Marklund to the number. This is a fine novel that incidentally happens to be a thriller. The novel-qualities are more important than the thriller-qualities. Good characterization, fine sense of setting, good pacing, interesting view of social issues--these are all as well done as any novelist would do them. And the thriller-elements aren't bad, either.

A worthy read...

At first glance this book is a bit disappointing, but if you are not immediately enthralled following the first few pages, carry on, it gets better. The real treat of this book is not the actual plot, which is entertaining, but quite frankly unoriginal, but is the character Annika Bengtzon. This is perhaps why she has now appeared in five (going on six) books by Marklund. Annika is confident, determined, and continually flying off the handle, which makes for humorous bits, at least for those of us who can relate. The plot centers around Annika and draws the reader in despite the blah beginning. There are several twists to keep the interest level high. Annika must also deal with balancing her family and her struggle for respect in her male-dominated work place. [I will skip a plot description as previous reviewers have adequately done so already.] The translation is very straightforward; again this is no literary masterpiece but an interesting piece of escapist fiction. The English used in this translation is definitely British English, which again adds a bit of humor. Marklund is no Peter Høeg (author of Smilla's Sense of Snow, one of my favorite books), but The Bomber is still worth picking up.

DON'T MISS THIS ONE...SPECTACULAR

Already a best seller in Europe for over one year, THE BOMBER gives a terrific behind-the-scenes view of the Swedish tabloid business as told by author-journalist Liza Marklund. This is the tale of Annika Bengtzon and her courageous attempt to catch a killer while struggling with the stress and demands of a deteriorating family life. Just a few days before Christmas, a bomb rips through the Olympic Stadium in Stockholm Sweden, killing the head of the Olympic Organizing Committee. In the media frenzy that follows, insistent crime tabloid reporter Annika Bengtzon uses shrewd investigation skills to keep her newspaper a step ahead of the competition. As she deftly unravels the layers of an apparent cover up, Annika finds a source within the police department who tells her that this was not the act of a deranged terrorist group as many have thought; but rather a cold-blooded execution designed by one lone murderer. Annika becomes completely consumed by the story, and in the process neglects her husband and small children. The plot goes into warp drive as she simultaneously juggles the high demands of her family life with the increasing stress of her male-dominated editorial job, and the looming threat of a malicious, cold-blooded assassin bent on making her his next victim.THE BOMBER is a spectacular debut novel that focuses on investigative reporting and the increasing demands placed on working mothers. While the suspense may not be as calculating as other more well known bestsellers, it certainly works within the framework of the storyline. The only aspect of the novel which presented more of a mystery to me than the identity of the bomber is inclusion of a few "letters" intermittently dispersed throughout the book covering topics such as love, lies, humanity, happiness, etc. (what was THAT all about???????)4 stars. Although the mystery gets light treatment and the puzzle is not very challenging, the translation by Kajsa Von Hofsen is superbly written.

Brilliant work

Christmas is just a week away and Stockholm reporter Annika Bengtzon comfortably sleeps in her bed with her spouse knowing she has some shopping to do. However, just after three in the morning, a call comes from her paper Kvallspressen. A terrorist has blown up Victoria Stadium, the site of the Olympic arena. They need her to help cover the current fire and subsequent investigation. Annika immediately calls a cab and leaves for the stadium.While everyone else believes terrorists were sending a message, Annika thinks this is different. She believes the bombing was an inside job to cover up a murder. As Annika gets closer to the truth while neglecting her husband and two children, she soon finds the BOMBER is pursuing her. THE BOMBER is an exciting thriller that readers will enjoy. The story line is fast-paced and filled with action although the continuous male mistreatment of the sole female journalist is overkilled. Annika's family woes help personalize her as more than just a superwoman. Little insights into Sweden provide a local flavor hat adds to the feel of authenticity that pulses throughout Annika's inquiries. Liza Marklund shows she can keep her audience involved from start to finish with her strong debut novel. Harriet Klausner