Jessica Lincke
Jessica Lincke is the author who intertwines psychological depth with intense suspense, creating stories that keep readers on the edge of their seats while exploring the darkness of the human mind.
Lincke isn't just known for her intense psychological thrillers – she's also built a strong presence on Instagram, where thousands of followers are drawn to her raw reflections on identity, trauma, and the psychological mechanisms that shape human behavior. With a voice that's both introspective and genuine, she often challenges her audience to think beyond surface appearances and speaks openly about the cost – and power – of being unapologetically yourself.
Jessica's creative universe stretches far beyond the pages of her books. Her storytelling is deeply rooted in her fascination with symbolism, unspoken social rules, and the fine line between reality and delusion. On social media, she gives readers a glimpse behind the scenes, revealing the deeper meanings in her stories, as well as the darker aesthetic and emotional layers that drive her work. Her stories are not just about scaring you – they're about making you think, feel, and question everything you believe.
In 2022, Jessica made her thriller debut with the praised psychological thriller Infernal Redemption, the first part of The Retribution Trilogy. The book has been described as a highly topical spinoff of Lisbeth Salander, with readers drawing associations to both Lars Kepler and Stephen King.
In 2023, she released Tormentum, a psychological horror novel about a human experiment that goes too far. The book has been praised for its claustrophobic, mind-bending atmosphere and for blending LGBTQ themes and trauma within a terrifying, closed-setting storyline. The novel explores what happens to the mentally ill when exposed to extreme stress, creating horrifying psychological tension throughout the narrative.
In 2024, Jessica continued her Retribution Trilogy with the release of Thoughts on Death, the second part of the series. This installment takes readers even deeper into the psychological unraveling of its characters, exploring themes of vengeance, remorse, and the murky ethics of personal justice.
She lives in Gothenburg with her husband and their ocicat Ramses.
The Retribution Trilogy -
Infernal Redemption
The sisters Mileja and Kamilla are thrown into a dark spiral of revenge and manipulation when Kamilla's fiancé is kidnapped. With a common psychiatrist as a shadowy figure from their past, Mileja must uncover the secret behind their mother's death. "Infernal Redemption" is a gripping psychological thriller that offers an intense race against time and a truth that threatens to destroy everything she knows. The title is a metaphor for the psychological ordeal the characters are forced to endure, as they cleanse their troubled conscience.
Original title: Reningseld
Publication: Whip Media September 2022
Rights sold: All rights available
Reading material: Full translation
Quotes and reviews:
❝ first thing that comes to mind after reading Infernal Redemption is that the author's writing and storytelling is a mix between Kepler and Stephen King, incredible that a mind can craft such a story. It's sick, brutal, insanely thrilling, and contains a plot I could never have imagined!❞
❝ Redemption (Reningseld) is a psychological thriller — with a strong emphasis on psychology. Lincke has created something new, something I've never encountered before. She has structured the story around psychological diagnoses and therapeutic methods. For instance, the character Kamilla is based on conduct disorder and has severe prosopagnosia, a condition cleverly woven into the narrative to drive the story forward. Another striking example is the use of exposure therapy as a method of torture. For a psychology enthusiast with a passion for suspense, this book is pure exhilaration!❞
❝ have to highlight just how intelligent Reningseld is — I'll admit, at times, almost too smart for me. At the same time, the pacing and momentum are absolutely gripping. I was constantly eager to learn more, to see how everything would unfold and what the resolution would be. The story delivers multiple twists and turns I never saw coming—and I love when that happens! Even when I took breaks from reading, I remained completely engrossed every time I picked it up again, all the way to the final page. An incredibly suspenseful, expertly crafted, and masterfully written novel!❞
Thoughts on Death delves into the gripping tale of Oscar, a young man who finds himself haunted by guilt after taking drastic measures to end the life of his sadistic stalker. When Oscar was a child, he tried to protect the sisters Kamilla and Mileja from their abusive mother, an act that tragically resulted in Kamilla taking the blame for their mother’s death. Ever since, Oscar has lived in self-imposed exile. However, when Kamilla's vengeful pursuit escalates into violence, Oscar and Mileja make a fateful decision to kill her. Oscar is consumed by guilt, blurring the lines between reality and fantasy. When Kamilla's body disappears, paranoia grips Oscar as he questions if someone knows what he's done.
Original title: Tänk på döden
Publication: Whip Media 2024
Rights sold: All rights available
Reading material: Full translation
Quotes and reviews:
❝Lincke makes you question reality itself.❞
❝From now on, I want to read everything this author publishes.❞
❝I feel a strange mix of sympathy, horror, fascination, understanding, and dread after reading this book.❞
"Thoughts on Death is skillfully written, a dark 'feelbad' thriller that should appeal to readers who enjoy unexpected twists."
❝This book is such a mindbender, and so damn good!❞
❝When your conscience brews something that not even a fever dream can match — how do you survive that?❞
❝Totally unpredictable and chilling — far more terrifying than most horror books, because Thoughts on Death explores the twisted and sick darkness within humans."
❝Now I'm in shock, as always, after reading a book by Jessica Lincke — and the more details I remember, the more brilliant it becomes.❞
"The Loyal Ones" offers a surreal exploration of manipulation and betrayal, where loyalty becomes a dangerous game.
Original title: De lojala
Publication: Set for fall 2025
Rights sold: All rights available
THEMES for The retribution trilogy
* Betrayal and revenge
* Thought-Provoking
* Inner Conflict and Emotional Depth:
* Suspense and Psychological Power Plays
Tormentum
Tormentum is a psychological horror novel that revolves around Cornelia, an ambitious psychiatric team leader, who is invited to act as a mole in a controversial human study. The experiment aims to observe the effects of extreme psychological stress on mentally ill patients, inspired by the infamous Stanford Prison Experiment and the dystopian themes of Black Mirror.
Seeing the compensation as easy money and an opportunity to repair the relationship with her ex-girlfriend Sally, Cornelia eagerly accepts. But as the study spirals out of control, the line between observer and participant becomes dangerously blurred. Trapped in a claustrophobic environment, Cornelia must fight for survival as the patients' volatile behavior forces her to confront her own darkest fears.
Original title: Tormentum: patient 7
Publication: Publishing house Jessica Lincke 2023
Rights sold: All rights available
THEMES for Tormentum
* LGBTQ+
* Psychological horror
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