Summary: Wealthy couple Steven and Regina Rytter are found dead in their home in a lovely, upscale neighborhood in a Swedish town. Bill Olsson and his young daughter Sally are struggling to keep their lives together and a roof over their heads after the death of wife and mother Miranda. To make ends meet, they take in a lodger named Karla, who attends university and works part-time for a cleaning agency. Karla starts cleaning at the Rytters’ home and is startled to discover Regina living as a recluse in the home, confined to her bed and clearly addicted to prescription medications. Jennica is an old friend and school mate of Miranda’s who has just met an older man on Tinder and is starstruck by his wealth and sophistication. Jennica’s friendship with Miranda ended on terrible terms years ago when she accused Miranda of cheating with her boyfriend at the time. The lives of these four people intersect over the course of the novel, with unforeseen and shocking results.

Thoughts: What a gripping and engrossing read this is! The Woman Inside really made me think about how we perceive ourselves, and the lies we tell ourselves in order to feel safe and comfortable. None of the characters in this novel are entirely what they appear to be, or what they tell themselves they are. Like everyone, they each have a darker side and are capable of taking unethical or outright criminal actions when they feel it is justified. They also lie to themselves about the other people in their lives, choosing what to believe and what to conveniently ignore. This is a tense, dark, psychological thriller which will string you along to the very end. I will say that I was left with some lingering questions, but I suspect that is what the author intended.