THE MUSE (MUSAN)

Divorced crime writer Hedda Strömberg can no longer write. Financial ruin is closing in on her and her eight-year-old son Hugo. She must find inspiration again. Now. It feels like a lifeline when her successful colleague, David Ridings, invites her to his family’s summer house. Far from the routines of daily life, perhaps her imagination can finally flow freely again.

The “summer house” turns out to be the grand Villa Thamyris, a sprawling mansion that, in the late 19th century, served as an important hub for the cultural elite of its time. During her stay, Hedda struggles against the paralyzing envy that David Ridings always stirs in her. The magnificent house and its inhabitants remind her of everything she lacks. The family possesses both wealth and cultural capital, rooted in generations of privilege.

At Villa Thamyris, Hedda finds her inspiration. Writing feels magical again. But she also discovers that the imposing brick walls hide dark secrets. Creativity has a steep price, and everything comes to a head when Hedda’s son arrives just in time for the Midsummer celebration.

Mats Strandberg returns with the unmistakable blend of horror and razor-sharp contemporary insights that has already captivated readers of Blood Cruise, The Home, and The Conference.

Rights

Finland: Like
Germany: S Fischer Tor
Sweden: Norstedts

REVIEWS

“With a deft hand, Mats Strandberg portrays Villa Thamyris and the Svantesson family… [The author] plays with gothic themes, and substantiates that which traditional works in the genre often locks away in the basement or in the attic… Strandberg’s gothic standing is undisputed.”
Jonas Thente, Dagens Nyheter / SWE

“A dark literary triumph that is genuinely hard to put down.!”
Göteborgsposten / SWE

“Mats Strandberg, just like the horror master King, excels at writing characters. [The Characters] take shape before me as I read; their faces, voices and characteristics. And even though the horror aspect is present throughout the story, it’s the characters that stay with me after finishing. Strandberg’s best novel so far.”
Jönköpingsposten  / SWE

“…the book [switches] into full horror mode and all the pop culture seeds begin to blossom. The reader feels at home. It’s Ari Aster’s “Midsommar” and Bong Joon-ho’s “Parasite”, mixed with Stephen King, Charlie Brooker and, not least, Neil Gaiman, who not only resembles David Ridings with his 80s-style pastiches of ancient myths, but is also a writer who has demonstrated a frightening dual nature.”
Malin Nauwerck, Aftonbladet / SWE

”Awe inspiring Greek muses, horrible secrets in the manor house cellar, a clever spin on creativity — Stenad ett delivers a horror novel that has everything and more.”
Femina, five-star review / SWE

“…an irresistible mix of the horror film “Midsommar”, Donna Tartt and any example of the plentiful cantankerous op-eds on “the cultural elite”, which is even further elevated by [Johan] Ehn’s dazzling and pitch-perfect, even masterful, narration.”
Jenny Lindh, Dagens Nyheter / SWE

“The narrative is dense and evocative, and the ending is an intense and terrifying descent into madness that barely lets the reader catch their breath. Strandberg mixes drama and horror in a highly commendable way, which brings to mind Dean Koontz. [The book] is well-written, exhilarating, and scary.”
BTJ / SWE