About that Missing Atomic Bomb…

Whatever happened to that extra atomic bomb manufactured by South Africa before it voluntarily dismantled its nuclear missile program? Why did the King and Prime Minister of Sweden go missing from a gala banquet at the Royal Castle in June 2007? And most importantly, what are the odds that an illiterate born in a Soweto shack would grow up and one day find herself in a potato truck with said atomic bomb, the missing monarch, and the prime minister?

The answer is one in 45,766,212,810.

This, according to the calculations of the aforementioned illiterate herself.

This is the premise for The Girl Who Saved the King of Sweden (Ecco Press, April 2014) by Jonas Jonasson, the international bestselling author of The 100-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared. The new novel is written in the same lighthearted satirical voice as the previous book.

Once again we have a witty juxtaposition of fact and fiction, with real world characters making guest appearances in an original, picaresque tale of simple actions having global consequences.

The cast of colorful and eccentric characters includes an American Vietnam War deserter; two brothers who share the same name and identity; three Chinese girls searching for their uncle somewhere in Europe; a potato-growing baroness; two Mossad agents; and a very angry young woman with no driving license.

The star of the show, of course, is Nombeko Mayeki, who rises from a position managing latrine cleaning in her poverty-stricken township to a situation where she can save not only the King of Sweden, but also prevent a nuclear disaster.

The book is fun to read and makes you smile, but occasionally the humor runs thin. At times, it seems that the whole story is one very long joke with a delayed punch line, yet you cannot deny that this quirky adventure is also quite charming as well.

Buy The Girl Who Saved the King of Sweden and read it now!