The Killing Forest (23 page)

The Killing Forest
is fiction. I grew up just outside Hvalsø; I love the area, and so it has been a joy to return to these familiar surroundings. I have, however, taken the liberty of both creating and relocating settings to fit my story. Ingersminde, for example, doesn't exist, the graves of the girls were inspired by a visit to Jægerspris Castle, and the sacrificial oak is located in another part of Zealand.

My story is based partly on old legends and tales, but most of it is a product of my imagination; in turn, neither the characters nor their names are based on actual people. Any likeness is therefore coincidental, though I have to admit that the stories about Louise Rick's father bear a striking resemblance to my own father's experiences as a non-native, big-city Copenhagen slicker.

Once again, many people have been generous with their time and energy in helping me research the book. A special thanks goes out to Jim Lyngvild, who taught me about Asatro. He answered many questions and showed a willingness to help, even though some of the characters in the book who share his beliefs are extremists. I have so enjoyed brushing up on my knowledge of Norse mythology and the old legends and myths.

I very much appreciate the fine people who attended my speech in Hvalsø and ended up sharing several fantastical legends and myths. Hell's Cauldron and the great pike would never have been part of the book without you all.

A special thanks also to pathologist Steen Holger Hansen and to Bo Greibe, a former dog handler at the Danish police.

Thanks to my Danish editor, Lisbeth Møller-Madsen, to my Danish publisher, People'sPress, and to my Scandinavian agent, Trine Busch, for her wholehearted support of me and Louise Rick.

Thanks to my American editor, Mitch Hoffman, to Caitlin Mulrooney-Lyski, and to the whole team at Grand Central Publishing. You're amazing.

Thanks to Benee Knauer, for being my book godmother, and to the fantastic people at Victoria Sanders & Associates: Victoria Sanders, Bernadette Baker-Baughman, Chris Kepner, and Tony Gabriel. It is a great pleasure to be working with you all!

All my love and appreciation goes out to my wonderful son, Adam. You are my very best.

Sara Blaedel's interest in story writing, and especially crime fiction, was nurtured from a young age, long before Scandinavian crime fiction took the world by storm. Today she is Denmark's “Queen of Crime,” and her series featuring police detective Louise Rick is adored the world over.

As the daughter of a renowned Danish journalist and an actress whose career has included roles in theater, radio, TV, and movies, Sara grew up surrounded by a constant flow of professional writers and performers visiting the Blaedel home. Despite a struggle with dyslexia, books gave Sara a world in which to escape when her introverted nature demanded an exit from the hustle and bustle of life.

Sara tried a number of careers, from a restaurant apprenticeship to graphic design, before she started a publishing company called Sara B, where she published Danish translations of American crime fiction.

Publishing ultimately led Sara to journalism, and she covered a wide range of stories, from criminal trials to the premiere of
Star Wars: Episode I
. It was during this time—and while skiing in Norway—that Sara started brewing the ideas for her first novel. In 2004, Louise and Camilla were introduced in
Grønt Støv
(
Green Dust
), and Sara won the Danish Academy for Crime Fiction's debut prize.

Today Sara lives north of Copenhagen with her family. She has always loved animals; she still enjoys horseback riding and shares her home with her cat and golden retriever. When she isn't busy committing brutal murders on the page, she is an ambassador with Save the Children and serves on the jury of a documentary film competition.

The Forgotten Girls

“Sara Blaedel is a force to be reckoned with.”

—Karin Slaughter

“Danish crime-writer superstar Sara Blaedel's great skill is in weaving a heartbreaking social history into an edge-of-your-chair thriller while at the same time creating a detective who's as emotionally rich and real as a close friend. You'll whip through the novel in a day, and then keep thinking about it.”

—Oprah.com

“One can count on emotional engagement, spine-tingling suspense, and taut storytelling from Sara Blaedel. Her smart and sensitive character, investigator Louise Rick, will leave readers enthralled and entertained.”

—Sandra Brown

“Crackling with suspense, atmosphere, and drama,
The Forgotten Girls
is simply stellar crime fiction. I loved spending time with the tough, smart, and all-too-human heroine Louise Rick—and I can't wait to see her again.”

—Lisa Unger

“A puzzling, intricate mystery whose solution packs a horrific double-punch…Once you start, you will have no choice but to finish it.”

—BookReporter.com

“Tautly suspenseful and sociologically fascinating,
The Forgotten Girls
demonstrates yet again that the finest contemporary suspense fiction emanates from Europe's snowbound north.”

—
BookPage

“Blaedel is one of the best I've come across.”

—Michael Connelly

To receive special offers, bonus content, and news about our latest ebooks and apps, sign up for our newsletters.

Sign Up

Or visit us at
hachettebookgroup.com/newsletters