Zander has written another compelling, timely, and character-centered thriller, and many readers will look forward to what he does next. (Booklist, starred review)Contemporary and convincing. (Mystery Scene)Impressively complex characters and stark atmospherics make this a thematically profound read. (Publishers Weekly)Praise for The Swimmer: Page-turning. This Swedish former lawyers hypnotic first book is already drawing comparisons to the work of famed spy novelist John le Carr. (Entertainment Weekly)An interesting gambit.... [Zander is] a smart, fluid observer. (New York Times Book )How can The Swimmer be a first novel? It is dazzling not only in its plotting and character portraits, but in the sophistication of its structure, which keeps us breathless and guessing. An impressive and memorable work, comparable to the best of John le Carr. (Joseph Finder, author of Suspicion)Zanders twisting, high-octane plot could not be more timely, but its the characters, all three of them, that bring this vivid novel to life. Suspenseful and primed for Hollywood adaptation, this is escapist fiction at its best. (Kirkus)From the Back CoverYasmine Ajam has fled her past in the rough Stockholm borough of Bergort, reinventing herself as a trendspotter in New York City. One day she receives a startling message: there are riots erupting on the streets of Stockholm, and they appear to be connected with the disappearance of her brother, Fadi.Following rumors that Fadi was radicalized and died fighting for ISIS in Syria, Yasmine returns to Stockholm to discover what really happened to her brother. There she becomes entangled in a dangerous web of allegiances and violence that stretches far beyond the gangs on her childhood streets.Meanwhile, in London, Klara Wallden has landed a job at a human rights research institute working on a report to predict the effects of privatizing police forces. When Klara travels to Stockholm to present her findings to European Union policymakers, her laptop is stolen and one of her colleagues is pushed in front of an oncoming subway train. As her path collides with Yasmines, Klara begins to realize that she may unwittingly be contributing to the sinister agendas of powerful interests who will stop at nothing to attain their goals.In The Believer, internationally bestselling author Joakim Zander delivers another page-turning (Entertainment Weekly) novel of suspense that is as sophisticated and timely as it is compelling.About the AuthorJoakim Zander was born in Stockholm, has lived in Syria and Israel, and graduated from high school in the United States. He earned a PhD in law from Maastricht University in the Netherlands and has worked as a lawyer for the European Union in Brussels and Helsinki. Rights to his debut novelThe Swimmerwere sold in twenty-eight countries. Zander lives and works in southern Sweden with his family. who wrote the name of this book is secret The Believer: A Novel
0 of 1 people found the following review helpful. Four StarsBy james sheavery interesting book, deals with relevant, current social issues2 of 2 people found the following review helpful. Dangerous Webs of DeceitBy prisrobAs a fan of Joakim Zander's first book, 'The Swimmer', I looked forward to this new novel. The Swimmer was more of a spy novel, and that is what I hoped for in this book. 'The Believer' has some, very little, of the spy novel but it is mixed in with three stories told by three different characters.We meet Fadi a young Swede, who tells us his story of his upbringing with his sister, Yasmine. A tough life for both of them,and Yasmine is lucky enough to escape Bergort, Sweden with another artist, David for New York. Things go south, David becomes involved in drugs, and, though Yasmine feels beholden, she is strong enough to leave. She has inadvertently taken a job as an art consultant who finds other young artists at a company's request. Yasmine receives a text that her brother, Fadi, has died as a result of his recruitment into the ISIS in Syria. And, then she finds he may be alive. She lands a job that brings her to Stockholm, and she begins a search for her brother.At the same time we are re-introduced to Kara Waldeen. We met her in the first book, The Swimmer. She has a new job as a researcher in a human rights institute. This new job brings her to Stockholm where she crosses paths with Yasmine. Several events take place that bring them together. The mystery of how and why they meet, the mystery of Fadi, is he dead or alive, are the crux of this novel.I found it took me half of this book to comprehend all of the characters and how they interact. The three antagonists tell their own story. The plot line does not run smoothly. This did turn out to be a wildly fascinating book. The trend setting actions and the riots in Stockholm are of particular interest. Some of the interactions seemed a little overdrawn and not as believable as they could be. However, events of today have been transported into this novel, and that seems quite forward.Recommended. prisrob 01-12-171 of 1 people found the following review helpful. SuspenseBy Stephen T. HopkinsI expected to read an escapist thriller when I opened Joakim Zanders novel titled, The Believer. Instead of escaping from the daily headlines, I found myself reading about characters dealing with global current events in ways both individual and communal. Zander offers the perspective of three main characters. Fadi is a young Swede who became radicalized and joins the Isis forces in Syria. His sister, Yasmine, works in New York for a company that helps spot trends and exploit them for clients. Zander reprises Kara Waldeen from an earlier novel. She now works as a researcher for a human rights organization. Zander draws us into the current and backstories of these characters and pulls us into a world in which manipulators are nudging consequential actions. I enjoyed the suspense and the ways in which Zander brings topics of terror and manipulation into human relationships. Readers who like thrillers are those most likely to enjoy reading this novel.Rating: Four-star (I like it)