Elita by Kirsten Sundberg Lunstrum
While “Nordic Noir” crime fiction has been a well-established genre since the 1990s (think of authors such as Henning Mankell, Jo Nesbø, Peter Høeg, and Stieg Larsson) Lynnwood author Kirsten Sundberg Lunstrum gives it a local spin as “Northwest Noir,” which describes her first novel, “Elita.” Set in the winter of 1951, it follows an ambitious researcher, Bernadette Baston, a single mother who’s invited to visit the state penitentiary on Elita Island, nestled deep in south Puget Sound.
Bernadette has been asked to evaluate a mute adolescent girl who was discovered, naked and snarling, by two off-duty guards near the woods beyond the prison. Bernadette studies language acquisition and the teen’s similarities to the infamous “wild child” Victor of Aveyron are intriguing to her.
Bernadette wonders: Who is this girl? How did she get to Elita? How did she survive on her own for so long? Driven by concern for the girl, dubbed Atalanta, as well as her own deep curiosity, Bernadette throws herself into the investigation.
A diligent and doting mother, Bernadette must nevertheless bring her precocious 4-year-old daughter Willie along on an exploratory trip to nearby Adela Island. The close-knit community on Adela seems unwilling to share anything more than long-held rumors — of a menacing pack of dogs howling across the water on Elita; of a midwife, Haven Wright, who may have provided more than childbirth services; and of a car accident around the time a newborn disappeared.
Back on the dark and snowy mainland, Bernadette and Willie have built a cozy life together. But as Bernadette endeavors to use her research on Atalanta to further her career and secure her small family’s financial future, she is regularly reminded that it’s a man’s world and her position in it is tenuous. When her husband, Fred, returns unannounced with no explanation for why he abandoned Bernadette and newborn Willie years before, Bernadette struggles to regain her equilibrium.
At first, Fred’s return is a gift: a chance for Willie to get to know her father, an opportunity to enjoy life as a family unit. Yet Bernadette is reluctant to share information about her work with Atalanta with Fred, aware that societal norms and Fred’s expectations may limit her freedom and autonomy.
Bernadette’s desire to solve Atalanta’s mystery is further complicated by the competing motivations of the prison warden, the social worker who brought Bernadette onto the case, and the police detective trying to determine if a crime has been committed. As the winter snow swirls around the Washington coast, Bernadette’s world closes in, and she is compelled to take difficult, decisive action to solve the case and protect her family and her sense of self.
“Elita” shares the dark, brooding quality of its Scandinavian counterparts, as well as psychological introspection and suspense. For modern feminists, Bernadette’s struggles with the patriarchy lend their own menace. Lunstrum delivers a masterful, satisfying mystery, rich with points open for discussion. Her deft first novel will have readers eagerly anticipating a follow-up.
Lundstrum’s upcoming short story collection, “Outer Stars,” includes multiple stories set in Bellingham. It debuts in November 2025 and is available for pre-order now. Info: untpress.unt.edu.
Christine Perkins is executive director of the Whatcom County Library System, wcls.org.
(Originally published in Cascadia Daily News, Tuesday, October 21, 2025.)