Patrioterna – The Patriots

By Pascal Engman

Fear is spreading through Stockholm’s newsrooms after the murder of a female journalist. Employees are used to receiving daily threats, but they now fear for their lives.

However, the young journalist Madeleine Winther has her aim on something completely different. She knows just how to move her career forward – and she’s on track for the scoop of a lifetime.

Carl Cederhielm has made a holy promise to protect the country from enemies. He and his two accomplices have put together a list of ten names. They will avenge those who can not avenge themselves.

In a country far away, a man longs to return home to Sweden. The inhabitants of the small city are afraid of him, the man who works as a bodyguard for a weapons and drug smuggling Russian.

Soon all of their paths will cross and Sweden will wake to a new, unscrupulous reality. However, for Carl Cederhielm, the mission is far from complete. It’s time to eliminate the next person on the list.

First published by Piratförlaget, Sweden 2017
470 pages

Czech Republic, Dobrovsky / Omega
Denmark, People’s Press
Finland, WSOY
Germany, Klett-Cotta
The Netherlands, Uitgeverij Q
Norway, Gyldendal
Poland, Sonia Draga
Sweden, Pirat Förlag

It becomes immoderately thrilling since the debutant Pascal Engman is extraordinary skilful at gradually increase the pace of the story.
Lotta Olsson, Dagens Nyheter

The best part is that the author doesn’t make it easy for himself. Several times I feel like we’re heading in the old and usual direction, but it’s not that simple… it’s really exciting.
Anders Wennberg, Gefle Dagblad

Thrilling story about hatred and threats against journalists! Read it!
Frida Boisen, Expressen

Incredibly thrilling!
Marie Magnusson, Smålandsposten

A promising debut!
Magnus Carlsson, Nya Kristinehamns-Posten

The dystopian plot feels terrifyingly close to our own, and the way it writes itself into our time causes anxiety… an entertaining suspense novel… truly thrilling.
Valerie Kyeyune Backström, Expressen

It’s filled with action, it’s violent and unpleasant … a well-written and very thrilling page-turner.
BTJ

The debutant Pascal Engman succeeds at tying the three narratives together, the novel is both thrilling and frightening… Engman gives a dystopic image of Sweden. The fictive events are linked with real ones, which increases the realism.
Alf Ehn, Skaraborgs Allehanda

“This is a thriller written in a journalistic form. Short sentences, no superfluous words. No long family dinners or vintage wines. And an intrigue with high recognition factor. The story evolves around hatred, xenophobia. Centered around these issues, the action is exciting and colorful. /…/ It is a meaningful and serious theme that Pascal Engman writes about in a skilled manner.”
Kjell Moe, Kulturspeilet

“It’s too soon to name Pascal the the Sjöwall and Whalöe, new Jan Gillou, new Liza Marklund or the new Stieg Larsson/…/. But it’s looking really good. /../ The Patriots is a smashing suspense novel.”
– Andreas Krog/ bogblogger.dk

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