The Devil's Sanctuary

by Marie Hermanson

Overview

A chilling novel of psychological suspense from critically acclaimed and internationally bestselling Swedish author, Marie Hermanson.

When Daniel arrives in Himmelstal -- a private Swiss psychiatric facility -- to visit his twin brother Max, he has no idea what's in store for him. He finds himself unquestioningly accepting Max's plea for help and the brothers swap places in order for Max to take care of some business. All he claims to need is a couple of days in the outside world to settle his debt.

But soon Daniel realizes Max isn't coming back, and that the clinic is far from a place of recovery. Struggling to get anyone to believe who he really is, Daniel finds himself trapped in a cruel and highly secretive prison: this is no sanctuary, it's a living nightmare . . .

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781455523870
Publisher:	Grand Central Publishing
Publication date:	09/03/2013
Pages:	405
Product dimensions:	5.20(w) x 7.90(h) x 1.20(d)

About the Author

An author and journalist, Marie Hermanson published her first book in 1986. Her novels are huge bestsellers in Scandinavia, and Musselstranden (Clam Beach) is considered a modern classic, with over 250,000 copies sold. Mannen under trappan (The Man Under the Stairs) was adapted into a TV drama in 2009. She lives in Gothenberg, Sweden.

Editorial Reviews

This is a workably nightmarish premise, which Hermanson exploits cleverly, doling out the odd glimmer of hope only to enmesh her hero, and the reader, more deeply in the no-exit web she's spinning.

The New York Times Book Review - Terrence Rafferty

Alfred Hitchcock meets the cult TV series The Prisoner in Swedish author Hermanson’s twisted thriller, her first to be published in English. When Daniel Brant hits hard financial times, he accepts a tempting offer from his identical twin brother, Max, who was raised separately from him. Daniel is to visit Max at Himmelstal, a high-class Swiss psychiatric facility located in a remote valley, and get a cheap vacation in the bargain. At Himmelstal, Max reveals that he’s in debt to the Mafia, and proposes that the twins swap places for a few days so he can slip away and collect the cash to pay off the debt. In his brother’s absence, Daniel comes to suspect that there’s more to the facility than meets the eye. Returning to his normal life won’t be easy Daniel eventually realizes. Hermanson makes the most of this intriguing concept, and the secret Himmelstal hides will surprise most readers. (Sept.)

Publishers Weekly

"A Piranesi prison of a story....a workably nightmarish premise, which Hermanson exploits cleverly, doling out the odd glimmer of hope only to enmesh her hero, and the reader, more deeply in the no-exit web she's spinning."—New York Times Book Review

"Alfred Hitchcock meets the cult TV series The Prisoner in Swedish author Hermanson's twisted thriller... Hermanson makes the most of this intriguing concept, and the secret Himmelstal hides will surprise most readers."—Publishers Weekly (starred review)

"Hermanson builds up a tension that appears increasingly Kafkaesque and claustrophobic...THE DEVIL'S SANCTUARY shapes up to be a contemporary gothic horror, with characters straight from the totalitarian wax cabinet and with an unexpected lunatic running the show....a chilling pageturner."—Gunder Andersson, Aftonbladet

"The claustrophobic atmosphere is perfect...I wish there was a way to stay in the suspenseful state. It's simply exquisite."—Tidningen Vi

"She knows better than most how to combine the thought-provoking with the suspenseful...THE DEVIL'S SANCTUARY is both important and entertaining."—Gefle Dagblad

"Extremely well-written with a skilfully structured plot, solid characters and vivid settings."—Göteborgs-Posten

"A well-executed suspense novel...If you enjoy high quality suspense literature you should definitely read THE DEVIL'S SANCTUARY."—Dagens Nyheter

"I'm hooked already from the first page. The atmosphere that builds is hard to resist. Even when I have finished the book the sinister mood lingers."—Kommunalarbetaren

From the Publisher

"I'm hooked already from the first page. The atmosphere that builds is hard to resist. Even when I have finished the book the sinister mood lingers."

Kommunalarbetaren

"A well-executed suspense novel...If you enjoy high quality suspense literature you should definitely read THE DEVIL'S SANCTUARY."

Dagens Nyheter

"She knows better than most how to combine the thought-provoking with the suspenseful...THE DEVIL'S SANCTUARY is both important and entertaining."

Gefle Dagblad

"The claustrophobic atmosphere is perfect...I wish there was a way to stay in the suspenseful state. It's simply exquisite."

Tidningen Vi

"Hermanson builds up a tension that appears increasingly Kafkaesque and claustrophobic...THE DEVIL'S SANCTUARY shapes up to be a contemporary gothic horror, with characters straight from the totalitarian wax cabinet and with an unexpected lunatic running the show....a chilling pageturner."

Gunder Andersson