Stekenjokk The Wilderness Road
The Wilderness Road #1
6 June 1982. The Wilderness Road opens for the season. Along the remote road cutting through the Jämtland mountain wilderness, five-metre-high walls of snow still tower on either side. When detective inspector Frank Eldståhl returns to his home, he finds a handwritten note and his wedding ring lying on the hallway table: his wife Evy has left him, taking their two children with her.
At that very moment, the telephone rings. While crews are clearing snow to make the Wilderness Road accessible, a woman’s hand is discovered trapped in one of the snow blowers. The shocking find marks the beginning of a complex and emotionally devastating murder investigation, forcing Frank to confront both the unspoken rules of the close-knit community and the wounds he carries within himself.
Who can he trust? And how will he be affected by the unsolved murder case he was confronted with as a young police officer ten years earlier?
Stekenjokk is the first book in a new series of atmospheric crime novels set along the legendary Wilderness Road in early 1980s Sweden, a country on the brink of major transformation.
“Probably this year’s best Swedish crime novel.”
–Malin Persson Giolito
Reviews
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“Frank has a warmth that I feel many others lack. I just like him, plain and simple. /…/ He’s not like everyone else, he really isn’t.”
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“Elegant suspense.”
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“The writing is brisk and vivid, drawing the reader effortlessly into this complex story, full of twists and memorable supporting characters. ”
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“It’s pitch-dark, yet masterfully told. Johannes Selåker has found his own distinctive voice, Stekenjokk is one of the finest Swedish crime novels of the year so far. /…/ With Stekenjokk, Johannes Selåker places himself firmly in the classic Sjöwall–Wahlöö tradition, while choosing a setting in a remote corner of Sweden where laws and regulations are not always upheld, not even by those charged with enforcing them, and where the local “strongman” is virtually untouchable. /…/ The choice to center the series around events along the Wilderness Road gives it a fresh and compelling feel. ”
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“This is truly outstanding, without a doubt one of the best Swedish crime novels of the year. /…/ A powerful, masterful narrative that completely captivates us as readers.”
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“Outstanding. /…/ A realistic and authentic depiction of a murder investigation.”
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“A classic crime series, in the same vein as the Kurt Wallander books.”
- Author
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Johannes Selåker
- Published
- 2026
- Genre
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- Crime
- Pages
- 352
- Reading material
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English translation
Swedish edition
- Rights sold
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Sweden, Forum
