The Historians

Two Swedish civil servants uncover a Scandinavian WWII conspiracy in this historical epic from Ekbäck (Wolf Winter). While assisting a team overseeing Sweden’s trade negotiations with Nazi Germany in 1943, Laura Dahlgren discovers the body of her best friend, Britta Hallberg, near the University of Uppsala, where they had been graduate students five years earlier. In a parallel narrative, Jens Regnell, secretary to the Swedish minister of foreign affairs, works to help ministry archivist Daniel Jonsson fill in missing phone call records between the minister and his Danish counterpart. After Daniel is found dead of suicide, Jens becomes increasingly paranoid and gives greater credence to a thesis manuscript he received from Britta before she was killed, in which she reported on a secret agreement between Sweden, Norway, and Denmark to maintain their neutrality with Nazi Germany. After Laura’s apartment is bombed, she and Jens cross paths and discover a clue about a conspiracy that would tie Britta and Daniel’s deaths with the mysterious disappearances of Sami people near an iron mine in the far north. As they get closer to the truth, they face increasing danger. Ekbäck sets out multiple red herrings and intricate plotlines, which create tension and lead to a satisfying conclusion. This riveting novel will keep readers turning the pages. (Jan.)