”Entertaining, provocative, and gripping”
Kerstin Bergman, crime fiction expert
”A chilling, socially critical story about power, obedience, and the need for control”
Dag Öhrlund, author
When a spectacular coup d’état shakes Sweden, the leaders of the government are kidnapped and replaced by an absolute dictator, appointed by a secret order that has infiltrated Swedish society for centuries.
Under the new regime, Detective Superintendent Gottfrid Varg is given free rein to employ his unorthodox methods, with results that are as terrifying as they are effective. At the same time, society is thrown into turmoil as AI makes its incursion in ways few could have foreseen. Amid the chaos, a resistance movement emerges, seeking to restore democracy with the help of a foreign power. But with memories still fresh of a self-righteous political elite and biased media coverage, the military and police—including the security service—have become loyal to the dictator.
Peter de Gooyert made his debut in 2023 with the novel Monopol, a socio-analytical portrayal of the Swedish alcohol industry. The book attracted significant attention, particularly among politicians, activists, and public commentators.
Through his encounters with these incisive voices, he came to realize that we live in a world unprepared for the consequences of AI—and that the tone of public debate is beginning to stifle democracy.
This realization led to the novel Monarki—a challenging reflection on contemporary public discourse, told from the perspective of a wine merchant.
Reviews of Monopol, Peter de Gooyert's previous novel:
"Compelling and easy to read"
Mattias Svensson, Svenska Dagbladet
"Well-balanced and sharply written"
Birger Schlaug, author and commentator
"Provocative reading"
Thomas Hanzon, actor and narrator
