You Were Made For This

In an idyllic Swedish paradise Merry and Sam treasure their baby son, Conor. A lifelong friend of Merry joins them, and the three tell the story in alternating chapters as the paradise turns to ashes.

We start in a Swedish idyll - a little red wooden house in a country park near a lake, there is beautiful summer weather and abundant fresh fruit and vegetables.    Sam and Merry live a simple life with their baby Conor in the house Sam inherited from his step-Grandmother.  They are Americans transplanted from Manhattan who wallow in their simple country lifestyle.  Gradually some worms of discomfort penetrate the buds of tranquillity.  Perhaps the lady protests too much is the phrase that come to mind concerning (in particular), Merry’s isolation.  They lie to each other about their pleasure in withdrawal from city life and their remoteness from other companions.   Then Merry’s childhood friend and rival of 30 years, Frank (a girl), comes to stay.  

These three characters tell the story in alternating chapters.    Each reveals a damaged personality and, through their thoughts, the reader can trace the history of how their past actions have led to those results.  All have secrets and deceits.   The baby is the centre of things as each of the three reveals surprising and sometimes shocking attitudes. 

When a death occurs, the Swedish police try to find out the truth, but sifting through the minds of these three proves a difficult and confusing task.   I must say it was a task that this reader also found at time, unappealing.

This is a thriller with the search for a perpetrator through the posturings of the three characters.    Perhaps it is not surprising that what is uncovered, proves increasingly unpleasant vis-à-vis the dark thoughts and actions of Sam, Merry and Frank. 

The conclusion twists relationships again, leaving a very sour taste in the mouth.