The Golden Cage

Starred review from May 18, 2020
Läckberg (The Lost Boy) outdoes herself with this delectable tale of revenge. At 34, devoted wife and mother Faye thinks her wretched past is behind her. Now she has it all—a lavish Stockholm lifestyle, glorified social status, and a sexy entrepreneurial husband—until she catches Jack and his business partner, Ylva, romping on Faye’s bed. Left humiliated, belittled, and financially destitute in the wake of the subsequent divorce, Faye, who realizes women too often turn their rage on themselves, plots an exquisite comeuppance for Jack, whom she supported when the two were in business school together by giving up her own studies and becoming a waitress. Chapters devoted to Faye’s married life alternate with scorching flashbacks to her traumatic childhood. The poignant insights into women’s capacity for self-sacrifice, multidimensional characterizations, and celebration of female ingenuity will resonate with many. Läckberg reinforces her position as the thriller queen of Scandinavia. 100,000 announced first printing. Agents: Joakim Hansson and Anna Frankl, Nordin Literary (Sweden).

Listeners will appreciate the value of a skilled narrator through the slow opening half of this ultimately satisfying domestic thriller, the latest from the bestselling Swedish crime novelist. Faye has sacrificed her own career dreams to support Jack's business, and now that he's rich and successful and she's put on a few pounds, he's ready to dump her. For much of the novel Faye seems pathetic and clinging, but narrator Ann Richardson's intimate, empathetic voice assures us that eventually her protagonist will get hold of herself and work out her revenge. Intervening chapters set in Faye's childhood unfold a history that parallels her present dilemma--and point to the novel's ingenious conclusion. Richardson's expert narration brings out the best in this sexy, high-living suspense story. D.A.W. � AudioFile 2020, Portland, Maine