Brothers in Crime: Introducing 'The Sons' and 'The Lost Man'

While most crime writers have to do research the hard way, Stefan Thunberg just needs to hang out with his family. His father and brothers were Sweden’s most notorious bank robbers, a gang dubbed The Military Gang by the media. Is it any wonder then that a lot of the background of the book is based on fact? I'd be curious to know how much of the personalities of his fictitious characters is based on fact as well.

The statement on the back cover pretty much sums up this exciting Swedish thriller: 'Two brothers, two betrayals, one destiny'. Do you have a brother?If so, to what extent do you trust your brother? The novel centres on Leo Duvnjak, Sweden’s most notorious criminal, who is set free from prison. He seeks out his brothers in crime, now law-abiding citizens. What are his intentions? To add to the mix, Leo befriended Sam Larson in prison, a man convicted of murdering his father. His brother is actually a cop, Detective John Broncks. Another set of brothers on both sides of the law. But is one guilty and the other innocent? And then there’s Leo’s father with a game of his own …

This novel has it all: intrigue, mystery, excitement, complex relationships, emotion and drama. And of course, murder.

The Sons is intriguing in a number of ways. The author, Anton Svensson, is a pseudonym for two men: the screenwriter Stefan Thunberg (Television and film credits include Wallander, Van Veeteren, Hamilton, Jägarna 2…) and the investigative journalist and writer Anders Roslund, who is the recipient of several prestigious awards, including the CWA International Dagger for his work as part of the author duo Roslund & Hellström.

The Sons is the second part of Made in Sweden. You don’t have to have read The Father first, although you might just want to read it as well. The Sons was first published in the UK by Sphere in 2018 in paperback (£8.99).

Another book release statement that captures the essence: Three brothers. One death. No answers.

Written by the award winning author Jane Harper, the Australian thriller The Lost Man, deals with the complex relationship of three brothers from a farm in the hot and desolate Outback: Nathan, Cameron and Bub Bright. 

When Cameron, the most popular of the three, is found dead, the remaining brothers need answers, not just to what happened in this instant, but to the secrets from the past which led to this event. Nathan takes centre stage and the book becomes an intelligent character development set in an increasingly chilling atmosphere. Character and landscape drive this elegant book, a slow burner, if you like, with a strong supporting female cast.

Reese Witherspoon and Bruna Papandrea have bought the film rights and I can imagine what a stylish thriller The Lost Man would make on screen.

The Lost Man was released in the UK in February 2019 by Publishers Little, Brown in Hardback, EBook and Audio.