The Eighth House - by Elizabeth Clark Wessel (Paperback)

About the Book

"In the archives of the national library, a researcher named Linda sees a nine year-old girl's face in the pages of a yellowed newspaper, and the seed of an obsession is planted in her mind. Birgitta Sivander was brutally murdered one night in May 1948. The culprit was never found. Linda feels a deep connection to Birgitta, and in the months that follow she compulsively researches the case. Meanwhile, a life is taking root inside Linda; she is to have a daughter of her own. As she grapples with the wonder and anxiety of motherhood, she gradually pieces together Birgitta's story, closing in on the possible killer. Driven to redeem a lost child, Linda must find a way to lay Birgitta to rest. Moving and unputdownable, The Eighth House is a shattering examination of why cycles of violence persist, and an invocation of the hope that new life brings."--

Book Synopsis

'This is an extraordinary book. It moves in and around you like a ghost. I feel lucky to have experienced it' -- Daisy Johnson - author of Everything Under

In the archives of the national library, a researcher named Linda sees a nine year-old girl's face in the pages of a yellowed newspaper, and the seed of an obsession is planted in her mind.

Birgitta Sivander was brutally murdered one night in May 1948. The culprit was never found. Linda feels a deep connection to Birgitta, and in the months that follow she compulsively researches the case.

Meanwhile, a life is taking root inside Linda; she is to have a daughter of her own. As she grapples with the wonder and anxiety of motherhood, she gradually pieces together Birgitta's story, closing in on the possible killer.

Driven to redeem a lost child, Linda must find a way to lay Birgitta to rest. Moving and unputdownable, The Eighth House is a shattering examination of why cycles of violence persist, and an invocation of the hope that new life brings.

Review Quotes

"Linking the past and present with complex emotions, The Eighth House is a gripping true crime chronicle and memoir." --Foreword Review

About the Author

Linda Segtnan (Author)
Linda Segtnan was born in 1986 and works as a historical researcher in Stockholm. The Eighth House is her first book.

Elizabeth Clark Wessel (Translator)
Elizabeth Clark Wessel has translated books by Golnaz Hashemzadeh Bonde, Carolina Setterwall, Kristina Lugn, Joakim Zander, and many others. Her co-translation of Astroecology by Johannes Heldén was longlisted for the 2018 Best Translated Book Award, and her translation of Knock Knock by Anders Roslund was recently shortlisted for the Petrona Award. A collection of her poetry, None of It Belongs to Me, is forthcoming in 2024 from Game Over Books.