The Winter of the Prophet

2018

Elias has just found out that a tumor is growing in his brain when he gets the news that his father has been assassinated in Sarajevo. Ylva, his late father’s devastated lover joins forces with him to unravel the mystery of his murder. Situations spiral out of control and the two soon find themselves fighting for their lives against powerful, deep-pocketed enemies.

Östlundh on his new thriller:
“Elias, a 24-year-old student, and Ylva, aged 42 and head of European operations for the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA), meet when Elias father (who is also Ylva’s lover) dies in a terrorist attack in Sarajevo. At home during a harsh Stockholm winter they join forces to piece together what actually happened. Was he targeted for murder? Who is responsible?
     The Winter of the Prophet is a story of espionage and corruption. But above all it's a story of two ordinary people in an extraordinary situation, caught in the middle of a conflict between powerful nations and corporate entities. Do they stand a chance of survival?
     I wrote The Winter of the Prophet to expose a side of Sweden that is rarely seen. We have perceived ourselves a more or less corruption-free society. Yet corruption exists and festers underneath the neat facade. In recent years, Sweden has been rocked by several government scandals forcing us to think twice about the illusion of unsullied Sweden. We are not quite as innocent as we imagined.
     My aim has also been to create an exciting spy story with interesting characters, slowly developing tension and with a multifaceted intrigue. During my work, I grew very fond of my main characters Elias and Ylva. They move the story forward and it’s going to be a pleasure to have them around while writing the next books of the trilogy.”