The Preacher
The Preacher is our writing debut. Upon completing it, we submitted our manuscript in English, making us one of only a handful of non-native English speakers to do so successfully. It was picked up by top UK literary agent Ali Gunn and subsequently sold to Little, Brown Book Group for international publication in November 2013.
The Preacher is a story about two very different men’s efforts to find the person who has left them both bereaved. Thorkild is a small-town vicar. One morning he finds his wife Karen shot and killed. Her death sends him off on a journey of discovery in his late wife’s life – a life which he finds that he has lost touch with. Frank is a salesman who lives alone on his own terms when his sister, the loner Sanne, is shot and killed. Frank also dives into his sister’s life and discovers dimensions he had no idea she had. He is consumed by the thought of revenge. Thea Krogh is the female police investigator who tries to unravel the mystery of the two murders. What is the motive and the connection between the two women? Who is the master manipulator, playing a deadly game? Do we ever really know each other?
The Preacher explores love, guilt, shame and forgiveness, the Scandinavian small-town society, the community and the solitude. Mainly, the idea was generated from a fascination of how a narrative influences the human life: How do we see ourselves, how do others see us, can we ever really know each other and is it possible to lose touch with someone even when you see them every day?
The authors are both living in small villages, making their descriptions of these communities very close to home.
The first english review:
“This really is a fantastic, brooding dark Scandi crime novel from this new writing duo and long may they continue with their efforts. I loved the characters and the atmosphere that has been created in this novel and it is easy to picture in your mind as you read. This is one of the best crime debut novels that I have read!”
-Paul Diggett, reviewer
https://www.goo
“The Preacher is a deceptively clever thriller that bears thinking about. There’s none of the stilted, overly-formal prose that often afflicts translated fiction. Quite the contrary; there are often little shots of poetry that give the novel an unexpected gravitas, but not at the expense of plot or action.
The novel is plotted and structured cleverly; the story keeps a firm hold as it plays out to its conclusion, by which time you’ve become so heavily invested in the characters the tension is palpable. The Preacher holds its own among the the Scandi-crime competing for our attention, and is, I think, ahead of the pack when it comes to the quality of the prose and the subtlety of the themes.”
-Killingtimecrime.com
http://www.killingtimecrime.com/2014/01/the-preacher-by-sander-jakobsen-review.html
The first reviews of the danish edition:
“Sander Jakobsens’ recently published debut novel The Preacher is something completely new and different than other current Danish crime novels’ mix of graphic horror and alcoholic investigators. We have peace, provincial life and existentialism all in one.”
-Politiken
“A skilful crime thriller debut from the duo working under the pseudonym Sander Jakobsen, already sold to be
published abroad. It is perfect for TV adaptation, with sharp images and dialogue that linger on the eyes and the
tongue. A sure hit for the commuter’s bag – just remember to get off the bus!”
- From the danish magazine Liv
“Der er en nærmest Barnabysk stemning over debuten fra duoen Sander Jakobsen, et nyt dansk forfatterpar. Ment på den allermest positive måde med suspense, menneskelighed, eftertanke. Da præstefruen Karen dræbes, og manden, Thorkild, lades tilbage med sorgen efter 22 års ægteskab, er landsbyen Roslinge i oprør. Hvem, hvad, hvorfor? En klassisk krimi med de særprægede skæbner, den slags små samfund rummer. Endnu et offer findes, og hysteriet nærmer sig. Den rolige Thea Krogh, kriminalinspektør, er under tidspres og lever sig helt ind i byens sære, indimellem uhyggelige stemning. ”Forkynderen” er velfortalt med elegante detaljer, troværdige dilemmaer mellem motiv og mulighed, og det er simpelthen en virkelig god, sine steder endda tankevækkende krimi, der holder læseren solidt fast.”
http://www.altfordamerne.dk/kultur/boger/ugens-boger3/
