THE BUTTERFLY BOY (Fjärilspojken)

A baby is left in the forest. The little boy is bleeding. Insects are crawling over him.

He survives. Many years later, the questions come to the now grown up Jonas. Who were his parents and why did they abandon him? And what’s this strange talent he has? The strong intuition, should he hide it or dare to follow it?

Jonas is recruited by the mysterious company Apisec who seems to know more about him than himself. Together with his friend Björne he begins to unravel his history. When they meet the successful and ruthless Nelly Josefsson they realize that she and Jonas have something in common.

It turns out that Jonas’ story is part of something larger. Something extremely unpleasant. A mix of weird coincidences and deliberate choices impel him towards the answers.

The Butterfly Boy is an elevated and boggling thriller about the path to the heaven – or hell – of knowledge. It connects the mystery of migrating butterflies with humans’ need to search for their origin. How can a butterfly’s offspring find the way back to a place it has never been at, that is the place where its’ parents were born? The Butterfly Boy is not just a neck breaking adventure but also an evil tale about friendship, science, power and powerlessness. It’s dark, mysterious and maximized.

367 pages

Sample and full synopsis available in English. Order here.

Rights

Czech Republic: XYZ, Albatros Media
Estonia: Kunst
Hungary: Trivium Kiadó
Poland: Poradnia K
Sweden: Bladh by Bladh

REVIEWS

“Jonas works at the Swedish Tax Agency together with his friend Bjorn when he is headhunted to a company with fairly diffuse activities. What do they want him to do? Jonas has a remarkable ability that he can’t quite define. He was adopted, but suddenly inherits a small house and some forest on Gotland from his biological parents. Who were they? A winding story back in time, but also a horrifying, partly fantastic story about old dreams and present fear.”
Dagens Nyheter / SWE

“Stjernström tells a dark tale of obsession and knowledge that is abused. About charismatic people’s power over the collective and how life in a sect can be. And how things are linked, both over time and by specific events very far apart geographically. Based on Jungian ideas about chance and synchronicity a fascinating and coherent story is developed out where the last piece of the puzzle is put in place just at the end. It is well written, easy to read, interesting and with many angles. Stjernström knows his craft and is also well briefed. I send a grateful thought to chance, that allowed me to get acquainted with the author and his literary style and world.”
Växjöbladet/Kronobergaren / SWE

“Meet biologists, cult members, wonderkids and butterflies in a page-turner with perfect timing. Nasty, clever and addictive.”
Stockholm City Library / SWE

“An exhilirating mystery with many depths./…/I was hooked from the start and am happy to share this find with you.”
Mål & Medel, Livsmedelsarbetarförbundets tidning / SWE

“This book was quite a different thriller. In a good way. Some supernatural elements mixed with a more down to earth search for one’s roots and family, and the end is surprising and exciting. The prose flows nicely. Something for those who like excitement that’s not so bloody! Recommended! A four star rating!”
Lyssna & Läsa (blog) / SWE

“I had promised myself to stop recommending Scandinavian thrillers. It’s enough. But this time, I must make an exception. Peter Stjernström is a name to remember on the map of contemporary suspense authors.”
Mariuz Czubaj, professor of cultural anthropology at the University of Warsaw and award-winning Polish crime writer.

“Exciting, compelling and strong!”
Jennie’s boklista (blog) / SWE

“An absolutely fantastic book. Ranking 5/5.”
Svenska böcker / SWE

“Books that will make you think in new and different ways, that make you ask other questions and raise a longing for other answers, such books are important to read. The Butterfly Boy is such a book.”
Epiloger / SWE