The Swimmer - Softcover

Zander, Joakim

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0062337262 ISBN 13: 9780062337269

Publisher: Harper Paperbacks, 2016

Synopsis

A deep-cover CIA agent races across Europe to save the daughter he never knew in this electrifying debut thriller--an international sensation billed as "Homeland meets Stieg Larsson" that heralds the arrival of a new master sure to follow in the footsteps of Stieg Larsson, John Le Carré, and Graham Greene.

In the end, you cannot hide who you are.

Klara Walldéen was raised by her grandparents on a remote archipelago in the Baltic Sea, learning to fish and hunt and sail a boat through a storm. Now, as an EU Parliament aide in Brussels, she is learning how to navigate the treacherous currents of international politics: the lines between friend and enemy, truth and lies.

But Klara has accidentally seen something she shouldn't have: a laptop containing information so sensitive that someone will kill to keep hidden. Suddenly, she is thrown into a terrifying chase across Europe, with no idea who is hunting her or why.

Meanwhile, in Virginia, an old spy hides from his past. Once, he was a man of action, an operative so dedicated that he abandoned his infant daughter to keep his cover. Now, he is the only man who can save Klara . . . and she is the only woman who can allow him to lay old ghosts to rest.

About this title

Review:

"A terrific globe-trotting page-turner, rich with complex conflicts and a big, meaty, chillingly credible conspiracy."--Chris Pavone, author of The Expats and The Accident

"An interesting gambit.... [Zander is] a smart, fluid observer."--New York Times Book Review

"Effortlessly structured and perfectly paced, The Swimmer is a globetrotting page-turner whose vibrant cast of characters vividly brings to life the harrowing complexities of our modern political landscape."--Kimberly McCreight, author of Reconstructing Amelia

"An international thriller with the pace and intensity of a Jason Bourne adventure.... Skillfully moving between the past and the present, from Sweden to Syria to Washington and back again, Zander weaves an increasingly tight web of intrigue and suspense.... A compulsively readable page-turner with unexpected heart."--Kirkus

"Truly polished and compelling.... Tension and action abound. But it is the depth of Zander's characters and the quality of the writing, which at times touches elegance, that make The Swimmer a winner.... Zander looks to be a very talented new branch on the flourishing tree of Scandinavian crime fiction."--Booklist, starred review

"The Swimmer is hypnotic and intoxicating, pulling us relentlessly across the globe from page to page, intrigue to intrigue."--Olen Steinhauer, author of The Cairo Affair

"Swedish author Zander's entertaining first novel owes more to Forsythe and Ludlum than to Larsson and Mankell.... Given Zander's literate, descriptive style, it's easy to see why this thriller has been a bestseller in Europe."--Publishers Weekly

"A fluidly written, thrilling, and worthwhile read."--Folkbladet

"Joakim Zander delivers a very compelling and intense thriller, and this fine debut makes me think of the highly acclaimed and award-winning American suspense series Homeland, which employs some of the same themes. His ability to suddenly rotate the plot 180 degrees is nothing short of brilliant."--Litteratursiden.dk

"A mix of adrenaline and suprises that, once again, reinvents the ever-fertile genre of thrillers stemming from Northern Europe."--Giornale di Brescia

From the Back Cover:

On a remote Swedish island, a little girl, Klara, grows up without a father. Now, thirty years later, she discovers a secret--one for which powerful men will kill to keep undisclosed.

On the other side of the world, an old spy hides from his past. He used to be the best agent in the field. These days the only thing he lives for is swimming in the local pool.

When Klara is thrown into a terrifying chase across Europe, only the Swimmer can save her. But time is running out. . . .

Utterly mesmerizing and harrowing, The Swimmer is a riveting read right up to its stunning conclusion.

A deep-cover CIA agent races across Europe to save the daughter he never knew in this electrifying, "hypnotic" debut thriller (Entertainment Weekly).

About this edition

• Publisher: Harper Paperbacks
• Publication date: 2016
• ISBN 10: 0062337262
• ISBN 13: 9780062337269
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 432