New Swedish Books, Autumn 2017 1
New Swedish Books 62 The Phantom’s Voice Johan Ru
ndberg (b. 1973) The Phantom’s Voice Publisher Natur & Kultur www.nok.se Rights Koja agency Catharina.Lantz@ kojaagency.com Selected works Ester Fransson och djurbytardagen illustrated by Per José Karlén 2012 Picture book Kärlekspizzan 2013 Chapter book Knockad Romeo 2015 Chapter book With its incredibly well-formed characters and precise dialogue, Johan Rundberg’s The Phantom’s Voice stands out from the many mysterious ghost stories for middle grade readers. That’s not to say it isn’t both scary and exciting. It is! Sebbe has reluctantly gone along with his actor mum to a film shoot during the summer, ending up at the Sunnyeye hotel. On the very first evening, mysterious things start to happen. What are those strange noises you can hear at night? Who keeps messing with the electricity? Together with the child actors Manda and Max, also the son of the film’s big-name movie star, Sebbe begins to unravel the mysteries of the old, ramshackle seaside hotel. The combination of warm everyday humour and a creeping sense of suspense is easy to enjoy. This is the first part of a planned trilogy! Photo: Mia Carlsson