M.T. Edvardsson’s A Nearly Normal Family is a gripping legal thriller that forces the reader to consider: How far would you go to protect the ones you love? In this twisted narrative of love and murder, a horrific crime makes a seemingly normal family question everything they thought they knew about their life–and one another.Eighteen-year-old Stella Sandell stands accused of the brutal murder … accused of the brutal murder of a man almost fifteen years her senior. She is an ordinary teenager from an upstanding local family. What reason could she have to know a shady businessman, let alone to kill him?
Stella’s father, a pastor, and mother, a criminal defense attorney, find their moral compasses tested as they defend their daughter, while struggling to understand why she is a suspect. Told in an unusual three-part structure, A Nearly Normal Family asks the questions: How well do you know your own children? How far would you go to protect them?
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Gripping page turning book with a remarkable twist. I read this book in one sitting and couldn’t put it down. The book is told from 3 POV that makes you think of each character in a different way depending on the person telling you. An intriguing book that touches some trigger subjects for some people but done in way that is relevant to the storyline. I highly recommend this book to any fan of thrillers.
I received this book as an Advance Reader Copy from @CeladonBooks. I would first like to thank them for that opportunity.
This book is told in 3 parts – first from the father’s point of view, then the daughter’s and finally from the mother. The father, Adam, is a pastor and Ulrika is his wife (an attorney). They are the parents of Stella, who is 18 and accused of the murder of a man almost 15 years older than her.
All versions of the story cast doubt as to whether or not Stella actually committed the murder but it also shows how her parents ethics were tested while they struggle to understand how and why she was accused of a murder they feel she isn’t capable of. This book asks the question “How far would you go to protect your child(ren)?”
Definitely an intriguing read and well-told story. I like the three-part structure of the story but was found that I was wanting more of each person’s story before moving on to the next version.
Hands down THE BEST legal thriller I’ve ever read! Intense and gripping, this book stays with you long after you’ve finished reading it.
‘A Nearly Normal Family’ is one part murder mystery and one part a stirring examination into the lives of a (pardon the pun) “nearly normal family.” When 18-year-old Stella Sandell is accused of murder, her parents question everything they know and everything they’ve done.
Divided into three parts, this novel examines the life of the father, the daughter, and the mother, each section told in first-person narrative. I found this literary device to be an effective way to unravel the story, and to also provide dual perspectives to the same events. The personal biases of each character also informed the overall narrative in surprising and satisfying ways.
I also found the peek into the Swedish criminal justice system to be fascinating and informative without being overwrought. And I didn’t anticipate how the narrative would unravel, which I tend to do. In all, I found this novel to be stirring, insightful, disturbing, and fascinating. It’s a complicated examination of a familial dynamic and an exploration of what “family” really means.
Brilliantly drawn story with an unusual structure of three different point-of-views in succession. A must-read!
/ 5
A Nearly Normal Family by M.T. Edvardsson blew me away a little bit. I thought I knew what happened, but oh no I did not!
I loved the setup of A Nearly Normal Family and that it is broken into parts. However, I really wish there had been a part four for Stella’s friend Amina. If you read this you will find out why! I think the mom and Stella’s parts could have been a bit shorter to make room for another part for her, but I still really enjoyed the way it was written even without it. I just wanted to know more about what happened from her perspective.
This was such a gripping novel, and it is mystery with a bit of courtroom drama thrown in. It really makes you wonder who is lying and who is telling the truth, and I really enjoyed the pacing. I felt like there was enough going on at any given time, and I had a hard time putting it down. Stella’s mom’s viewpoint was the majority of the courtroom part which was probably done since she is a lawyer by profession.
I thought the translation for A Nearly Normal Family was spot on, and nothing was hard for me to understand. Sometimes I have issues with translated books but that didn’t happen here. I was also fascinated with how different the laws are in Sweden where this is set, versus the United States. There is a trigger for rape in this book, and I was amazed to learn just how young the age of consent was there.
Final Thought: A Nearly Normal Family really had me guessing and I was happy I didn’t figure out who did it until the end. I think Edvardsson did an amazing job with this book and I was very happy to learn he has two others out as well because you can bet I will be tracking them down! If you are looking for a family mystery that asks how far a parent will go for their kids then this is the perfect choice.
Thank you to the publisher for providing me with an advance review copy of this book via Bookish First!
This story definitely had me going back and forth wondering what the outcome would be. Not a bad read!
I loved this book ! I highly recommend this book the characters will draw you in .
I received an advanced readers copy of “A Nearly Normal Family” by M.T. Edvardsson, from Celadon books, in place of my honest review.
I was so excited to receive an early copy and have read many great reviews.
The story line is a legal thriller told by three narrators. The father, daughter and then the mother. It was a little slow for me at first but ended up moving along quickly and really kept me interested once it got going. You get to know some backstory of the family and the events on the night of the crime, backwards. I really did like reading the point of from the three different characters. It was a great read with a great ending, I would recommend this book to friends who like suspenseful, mystery style readings.
Great storyline.
This book was absolutely one of the best books I have read this summer! It is a good easy fast paced read with a story and characters that build throughout the book. There are so many twists that you dont really see the ending coming and it leaves you shocked and breathless. It really makes you wonder how far would you go for the ones you love?
This Swedish crime thriller drew me in right from the beginning. Stella Sandell, an eighteen year old in the small town of Lund, Sweden has been accused of murdering an older man. In the first section, we get the perspective of her distraught father. Though he knows Stella is no angel, he couldn’t imagine she could be capable of murder. But in the next sections, we get Stella’s followed by her mother’s perspective and the plot thickens. Nothing is as it seems and no one can be trusted. I enjoyed every minute of this ride. Kudos to Celadon books for another hit. I received a free review copy in exchange for an honest review.
This was a really good book. It is set in Sweden and getting to learn about the Swede lifestyle and landmarks was a bonus. The story is told in a “different” format. You first hear the story of what happened from the father, Adam’s, point of view. Then, it is told from the daughter, Stella’s, point of view and finally from the mother, Ulrika’s, point of view. It all culminates in the courtroom during the trial. It was interesting to learn that Sweden has a different criteria for finding a person guilty of murder. Stella is a very complex and complicated individual due to, not only her being an only child who has, in my opinion, way too much freedom but also because of some past traumas in her life. The story tells of what moral and ethical extremes a parent would go to to protect their child. I would recommend this book highly.
Normal is subjective, right? It would seem so in this drama that’s bursting at the seams with family dysfunction. There has been a lot of hype surrounding A Nearly Normal Family, so maybe I had it built up a little too high before I even started reading. Whatever the reason, this one just didn’t do it for me. There is some pretty good courtroom drama, which is something I like, but the book is drawn out at times, making it a bit too easy to set aside. Parts of the story are choppy and awkward, but that may be due to the translation, and that’s something I can overlook. The deal breaker for me is that this one just didn’t hold my interest. In the end, it didn’t live up to the hype for me and was much easier to set aside than to pick back up.
This was a great legal thriller. While I thought I had Stella figured out, with each new section brought a different perceptive of their normal family. It never truly is what you think it is, just from looking from the outside! I was getting frustrated with the father Adam at times with how naive he was and need to fix it all without really thinking. Great pace for this type of thriller!
Thank you the publisher for my copy for honest review.
Wow. I really enjoyed this legal family thriller! The unknown and all of the stress of the parents. And the lengths a parent will go to to protect their child. This book has it all. I am now slightly freaked out about my soon to be 15 year son and not knowing what he does when not with me!
I can’t wait to see what the author comes out with next.
I voluntarily read an advanced copy of this book.
Thank you to Netgalley and Celadon Books for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this book for an honest review.
A nice solid murder mystery but nothing that made me go “wow”. Well done writing at a nice pace made this a pretty quick read and held my interest throughout the story.
The story is written in short chapters from different perspectives of the relationship between the family, consisting of the 3 main characters, and the possibility the daughter could have murdered somone.
I love that these characters are as flawed as they come but have a steadfast love for each other. I like a story to have a family with real life dysfunctional problems instead of a fairytale all is well in the world family! I seem to connect with the story better!
The plot leaves you speculating “who-done-it” and a surprise ending!
You won’t go wrong when you reach for a copy of A Nearly Normal Family! Strong 4 stars!
A thrilling story told through the viewpoints of three – a father, a daughter and a mother. Weaving together and connecting the intricacies of friendship, family and loyalty, this story takes you on a journey through moral decisions made in an instance and how one determines how far to go to protect those you love. The structure of this book flows from beginning to end, and as the chapters are short, you will find yourself saying, just one more chapter, just one more… hurling you to an ending that will cause you to pause – what would you have done in the same situation? Don’t miss this – a great read!
The description of this book states it is a gripping psychological thriller, but I beg to differ. I did not feel gripped at any point. The story is told from unusual viewpoints from dad Adam, to daughter, Stella, and finally to mom, Ulrika, and we get more information through each viewpoint. I applaud the author’s creativity because the book did make me want affirmation on my own conclusion. You do not find out the real story until literally the last words!
Narrative twists. Completely appreciate that the reveal is the very last scene.