Before I Burn: A Novel (Lannan Translation Selection (Graywolf Hardcover))
*Starred Review* Finsland was a quiet Nordic town, and its unfailingly friendly inhabitants had little experience with crime. When a dedicated and meticulous arsonist decimated 10 buildings in the late 1970s, he guaranteed that the community would have things to talk about for decades to come. Although the arsonist’s identity was soon revealed, and the news of his arrest spread as quickly as the fires he had set, his motives remained maddeningly unclear. Heivoll, a Finsland native born in the midst of the arsonist’s spree, grows up determined to uncover the true motives behind the arsonist’s crimes. Heivoll pours his own experiences into Before I Burn, blending autobiographical details with a true story to create a thrilling and poetic novel. In this dark and powerful examination of two men’s obsessions, Heivoll’s introspection and attention to detail are unparalleled. Fans of In Cold Blood (1965) and The Devil in the White City (2003) will appreciate the chilling true-crime angle, while Heivoll’s dazzling prose will quickly enchant those unfamiliar with this Scandinavian writer. An absorbing story of compulsion, obsession, and the power of desire. --Stephanie Turza