: Läckberg uses the harsh, beautiful Swedish landscape to create a sense of isolation and creeping dread.

: As Detective Patrik Hedström investigates, he discovers that Magnus's friend, Christian Thydell, has been receiving sinister anonymous letters for over a year.

: Christian has just published his debut novel, The Mermaid , which is a huge success. However, the dark themes of his book seem to mirror the real-life threats he and his friends are receiving.

The story begins with the disappearance of Magnus, a local man in the coastal village of Fjällbacka. Three months later, his body is discovered frozen under the ice of a lake.