Island of the Naked Women

Inger Frimansson

Translated by Laura A. Widenburg

Pleasure Boat Studios, 2009, 308 Pages

ISBN No. 9781929355563

Island of the Naked Women is also known as Shame Island.   The story goes that women who were unfaithful to their husbands were sent to Shame Island to live out their lives.

Tobias Elmkvist’ trip to Shame Island is for a different purpose entirely.  His father Carl Sigvaid Elmkvist suffered a fall and is unable to do any work on the farm.  Tobias has returned to help Carl’s mistress, Sabina,  and her son Adam bring the cattle back from Shame Island where they graze to prepare them for market.

Tobias is an author and has recently published a popular mystery but is having problems with his writing.  He hopes that this break in his normal routine will help him get back on track with his writing.  What actually happens is that events on the farm send Tobias into a nightmare from which there may be no return.

Tobias and Sabina are drawn together but their actions are viewed by more than one set of eyes.  Tobias leaves the farm physically but not mentally.  He cannot get over what occurred at the farm.   He goes over and over it in his mind, until he thinks he is going insane.  He finally returns to the area to meet with Sabina and finally face the consequences of their actions.

The book is a psychological thriller with the tension mounting until the surprise ending.  The characters are very strong and the reader learns of their history through flashbacks.  Sabina’s son Adam is mentally challenged but plays a big part in the story.

Inger Frimansson writing is exciting and I can highly recommend her books. 

Reviewed by Patricia E. Reid