The Therapist by Helene Flood.

Helene Flood Aakvaag is a Norwegian author - a practising psychologist and a researcher, specialising in violence and traumatic stress.

Her first novel, The Therapist, draws heavily on her professional experience.

The story is slow paced – a personal narrative of Sara. She is a psychologist, preoccupied with her marriage and her practice.

The story starts on a Friday morning when Sara is getting ready for work. She is waking up in a cold house as her husband was away on a weekend with friends. The dark old house they inherited from his grandfather is a big renovation project for her husband Sigurd, an architect. Sara’s concerned about the money her business is earning and stressed about the whole situation.

We follow her throughout her day. We see her at work, with her patients at her home office.

At some point, she receives a voicemail from her husband, sounding happy. But things get complicated as we find out that Sigurd is missing, and then found dead.

There is a police enquiry into his murder and Sara and Sigurd’s life is closely examined.

Sara herself starts to look at their relationship in a new light, trying to make sense of the evolving situation.

She is looking for clues, lies and inconsistencies in her husband’s behaviour, trying to understand - as she would do with her patients.

As events evolve, we find out about the incidents from Sara’s childhood that shaped her and started her insecurities and vulnerabilities. As Sara’s anxiety grows, the boundaries become unclear and confusing.

Sara’s personal narrative makes this story intimate and intense - we are seeing the world through Sara’s eyes. But also, learning more about her as a person we have to ask ourselves a question – are we manipulated, can we trust her?

Helene Flood’s psychoanalytic approach is refreshing – her characters are real people who function on many levels and their relationships are complex. The plot is slow burning and rich with detail, taking us to the unexpected conclusion.

The Therapist is a  thoroughly enjoyable read and a real treat for any Nordic noir enthusiast.

Her new novel, The Lover, will be released in June 2022 and I am looking forward to it.

Marijana