Shame

In an idyllic residential area outside of Stockholm, a girl lays herself down on the tram rails and waits for the train to come. In another part of Sweden, a man finds himself alone in a deep grave in the woods. Their close ones have no clue about the approaching catastrophe.

The girl and the man do not know each other, but they have something vital in common. Now it is up to police detective Emma Sköld to find the connection before it is too late. But the case takes an unexpected turn and becomes far more personal and frightening than Emma could have ever imagined.

Shame is the seventh book in the popular crime series about police detective Emma Sköld. The series has sold over 7 million copies worldwide and has been translated into 17 languages to date.

Sofie Sarenbrant’s hugely successful crime series has been optioned by Breakable Films.

Publishing information

Year of publication

2019

Page count

420

Original title

Skamvrån

Original language

Swedish

Original publisher

Bookmark

Book series

Emma Sköld (Book 7)

Rights sold

Dutch
Lithuanian
Russian
Norwegian
Danish
Finnish
German
Polish

Awards & nominations

Awards

2020

Nextory E-book Awards

About the author

Sofie Sarenbrant is one of Sweden’s most beloved and successful authors. Her books have been translated into 17 languages and sold over 7 million copies to date. She was awarded the prestigious Swedish Crime Writer of the Year award in 2019 and 2020 and 2022 and has also won the Nextory E-book Award three times. Sarenbrant is most well known for her captivating and contemporary series following the police detective Emma Sköld and her team. The combination of suspenseful investigations, and unexpected cliffhangers with relatable depictions of self-doubt and courage has made the series a favorite amongst many crime readers. Sarenbrant’s way of storytelling reflects a genuine and deep understanding of different narratives and perspectives, while at the same having the page-turner quality. The series take place largely in Stockholm and the idyllic suburb Bromma, where the author herself lives with her family. “Instead of a worn-out, alcoholic chief inspector in the lead role, I wanted a young, career-oriented woman my own age. Emma Sköld follows in her father’s footsteps, without his blessing. He thinks there are too many risks in police work, and it will turn out that he’s right. Emma encounters prejudice in her job as a police detective because she is young and beautiful. No one expects that she will be the most competent of them all and dare to question what no one else will.” – Sofie Sarenbrant Sarenbrant has also written a psychological thriller Behind Your Back in 2017, and the acclaimed autobiography Muzzle in 2021.  In 2022, she made her debut as a children’s author with Mira and Moon, a new book series for middle-grade readers about a young girl and her strong bond with her favorite pony. Best-seller The Birthday is the first part of the new suspense series created by Carina Bergfeldt and Sofie Sarenbrant. The standalone sequel Good Friday was released in May 2024.In autumn 2026, the first instalment of the new suspense series by Sarenbrant will be published by Bokförlaget Forum.

Author page

Reviews

"A very exciting story with many sidetracks. A lot of attention is paid to mental health in young people, failing systems and suicidality. (...) Written at a fast pace and with many cliffhangers. It's one of those stories you have to finish as quickly as possible to find out what happened to everyone involved. The characters are realistic and vivid. Everyone is given plenty of space in the story and you get to know them well. The plot is complex and cunning. And the ending!!! I feel like I've gone through a whole range of emotions, everything from joy to sadness, resignation, and fear. I had to hold my breath several times, couldn't put the book down, and read through the night. So intense and nerve-wracking that it has to be one of the best books this year."

Den kriminelle bokverden

”Warning: Scary good.”

Blekinge Läns Newspaper

”Thrilling and well-written.”

Upsala Nya Tidning

“Sarenbrant is a driven narrator, and good at capturing contemporary topics”

Dagens Nyheter Newspaper

“A well-told crime story – the prelude is puzzling, the tension increases, and everything develops in a furious pace into a crescendo.”

Mittmedia

“An easy-to-read crime novel which, in addition to being constantly thrilling, also points to bigger issues such as mental illness and suicide ... A crime novel that rises above the crowd”

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