Branded: Sara Strömberg's novel about the Storlien murder and Vera Bergström
A cold case from Jämtland comes to life in the third volume of the award-winning series
What is the book about?
Brændemærket by Sara Strömberg is the third installment in the critically acclaimed series about local journalist Vera Bergström. The story is set in the northern Swedish ski resort of Storlien, where a violent snowstorm not only paralyzes traffic but also literally stirs up an old trauma. Vera Bergström, who works for the newspaper Jämtlandsposten, is sent out to cover a case that has been cold for 28 years. The case involves a father and his two children who were found brutally murdered in their home, while the mother disappeared without a trace and has never been found.
Over 456 pages, the reader follows Vera's methodical and often personal quest for the truth. She moves from isolated hunting cabins in the Swedish mountains to anonymous apartment blocks in the suburbs, diving into the police's old archives and modern DNA databases. The novel explores themes such as isolation, family secrets, and the long-term consequences of unresolved grief. Strömberg manages to create an atmosphere where the boundaries between victim and perpetrator slowly blur as new clues emerge in the otherwise forgotten case.
The real case
Although the Storlien murder in Brændemærket is a fictional construction, Sara Strömberg draws on her deep knowledge of Jämtland's geography and social dynamics. The author grew up in the region, which lends an authenticity to the depiction of the northern Swedish community that resembles real Swedish criminal cases. The use of DNA genealogy in the book reflects the real developments in Swedish police work, as seen in the resolution of the double murder in Linköping, where advanced technology helped solve a decades-old case.
In the book, Storlien serves as a dark backdrop where isolation acts as both a protection and a prison for those involved. The cold case of the missing mother and the murdered children becomes a symbol of the cases that never allow the local community to rest until the truth comes to light. Strömberg uses Vera Bergström's perspective as a journalist to highlight how media coverage can both aid and hinder an investigation of this nature.
About the author
Sara Strömberg has established herself as one of the strongest new voices in Nordic noir. She debuted with Skygger, which won the award for Best Crime Debut in Sweden, and the sequel Skred won the award for Best Swedish Crime Novel. Her style is characterized by a subdued yet intense language and a strong grounding in the northern Swedish landscape. With Vera Bergström, she has created an anti-heroine who, with her human flaws and sharp journalistic instincts, differs from the typical crime hero.