Betrayal [Paperback]

Karin Alvtegen (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 31, 2007

When Eva discovers that her husband's been having an affair, her grief and rage drive her into vengeful action. Then she meets Jonas, who for the past two years has been keeping vigil beside his comatose girlfriend. Burdened with his own sinister history, he sees a chance to start afresh with Eva...Reminiscent of the work of Patricia Highsmith and Henning Mankell, Betrayal delves into the pain of deception and how our own destructive behaviour can lead to consequences far beyond our control. Nominated Best Nordic Crime Novel in 2004 and a bestseller across the continent, "Betrayal" cements Karin Alvtegen's position in the top rank of European thriller writers.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

In her second stand-alone published in the U.S. (following Missing, 2008), Swedish author Alvtegen once again proves herself a master of the psychological thriller. Told from the points of view of Eva, a successful working mom who discovers her husband is seeing another woman, and Jonas, an anxious and somewhat unstable young man whose girlfriend lies in a coma, the novel is woven through with the themes of betrayal and revenge. As the increasingly dark and terrible storylines converge, the pace becomes breakneck, even as feelings of misery and revulsion build in the reader. Alvtegen masterfully draws Eva’s and Jonas’ stories together, as both seek revenge for the wrongs done to them. In a powerful and disturbing ending, Alvtegen leaves readers questioning the true meaning of justice. This psychological thriller will be enjoyed by readers who like Asa Larsson’s Rebecca Martinsson series (Black Path, 2008). --Jessica Moyer --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Review

"...first-rate translated crime...this is a dark, complex psychological crime thriller that pulls few punches." Good Book Guide "Betrayal is the best piece of Swedish crime writing in the psychological thriller genre that you can read this season." Dagens Nyheter, Sweden "Alvtegen has once again proved herself master of the art of harnessing complicated emotions like guilt, regret and deceit to an intelligent, breathtaking plot." Nerikes Allehanda, Sweden"

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Product Details

• Paperback: 304 pages
• Publisher: Canongate Books Ltd (May 31, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1841959367
• ISBN-13: 978-1841959368
• Product Dimensions: 7.6 x 5.1 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,444,428 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Phenomenal!, September 19, 2011

By 

Charm City Reader "Rob" (Maryland, USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Betrayal (Kindle Edition)

I have read two of her other novels and believe she's one of Europe's strongest writers in the pyschological thriller genre. This novel did not disappoint -- I thought it was stunning. Her other novel _Shame_ is quite strong as well. These books are character studies where everything is a bit off-balance and contact with another character, however brief, can have drastically unsettling results. Strongly recommend!

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars There should be a book 2, March 15, 2011

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Breeze "Bre" (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Betrayal (Felony & Mayhem Mysteries) (Paperback)

I would like to see a book 2, the ending was to simple but it left room for more. I hope she continues Eve's story.

6 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Not bad, July 3, 2007

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I LOVE BOOKS (Italy) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Betrayal (Paperback)

An interesting plot about different kinds of betrayals and characters becoming connected through an unexpected chain of events.

Eva, the main character, finds out that her husband is having an affair. In her desperation, she wants revenge. As she plans it, her life and the life of all around her become entangled in an escalating sequence of frightening events.

I found this book to be quite repetitive at times and its ending a bit predictable, however I would still label it as an easy, entertaining read. Another title for it could be "What goes round, comes round"!