Zibby Mag

Book jacket biographies don’t tell us nearly enough about the authors we love. That’s why Zibby Mag launched the Author Snapshot, giving readers an inside look at the lives and work of our favorite writers.

This week we are featuring M.T. Edvardsson, whose page-turning thriller The Woman Inside published this past week!

What inspired you to write The Woman Inside? Can you share a little bit about the real-life crime and how it influenced your book?

A few years ago, a family was found dead in a villa in an affluent residential area in our neighboring town. There was much speculation about what really happened. In the end, the police concluded that there was no external perpetrator. They called it “a family tragedy.” The truth was that the husband in the house had killed his wife and kids, and then committed suicide. Of course, like many others, I was deeply affected by the incident. Even today, it is rumored that the whole truth was never revealed in the case. My imagination took off and I began to write about a case where there seems to be no external perpetrator.

What themes were you hoping to explore in this novel?

The book deals with addiction and codependency on several different levels. The young Karla has grown up with a mother who has an addiction and has developed a strong codependency that she brings into her relationship with Regina Rytter. Jennica is highly dependent on the demands and expectations of society. Bill has been dependent on his partner, both financially and in everyday life. When his partner becomes ill and passes away, he finds it difficult to manage the most basic things in life.

The book was originally published in Sweden under a different title. How do you feel about the two titles your book has? In what ways do they each reflect the story and reading experience?

The Swedish title “En familjetragedi” (A Family Tragedy) is based on the term used by the Swedish police and media to describe a case where there isn’t an external perpetrator. Almost all cases involve a man who has killed his partner and any children they might have. The term “family tragedy” has rightly so been strongly questioned and debated in Sweden. After all, a murder is a murder and never a private matter. Since the same discussion has not taken place in the U.S., it was difficult to use the same title here. I actually think that The Woman Inside is a better title. It gives the right domestic crime-feeling.

What are some of your favorite thrillers to recommend?

Somewhat patriotically, I would like to recommend some other Swedish authors who have been translated and published in the U.S. Camilla Grebe has written several fantastic books. I suggest starting with After She’s Gone. Another really good stand-alone thriller is Black Ice by Carin Gerhardsson.

What are you working on right now?

After writing several stand-alone thrillers, I have now started a series for the first time. The idea is that it will be more of a classic police detective story. We’ll see if I succeed.