This is a story that can be triggering for anyone who's been in some form of abusive relationship. A thread of hope prevents it from being overwhelming but it is confronting and tense. ( )

Not gonna lie, this short story gave me anxiety. It's a quick read but packed with a lot of dread, as an abused wife plans an escape from her ghastly husband during an anniversary trip to Sweden. I enjoyed this one, from the isolated snowy setting to the intense and unexpected ending. I've enjoyed previous books by Catherine Steadman, and this mini thriller did not disappoint! ( )

Escape in the Sami Lands
Review of the Amazon Original Kindle eBook (August 31, 2022), released simultaneously with the Audible Original audiobook.

The setup and the location of this was intriguing. Despite the title hint which made me think of "Stockholm Syndrome", it was instead a bait and switch which took us into Northern Sweden and the lands and customs of the Sami people (known as Laplanders to many). That made me hope for some sort of intriguing twist with the protagonist escaping the abusive controlling relationship that she was in with the help of the local indigenous people. Unfortunately it did not end that way. I'll admit then that my Finno-Ugric heritage bias affected my rating.

Stockholm is one of six Amazon Original Kindle eBooks/Audible Audio audiobooks released on August 31, 2022 as part of the Getaway Collection of short stories where "Secrets follow you everywhere. Perfect vacation or last resort? In this collection of short psychological thrillers, bestselling authors bring trouble to paradise. Today’s itinerary: surfing, sailing, hiking, facing your worst fears... Most dream vacations never live up to expectations—but few cause this many nightmares."

Trivia and Link
You can watch for current and past Amazon Original Kindle short stories which are usually paired with their Audible Original narrations at an Amazon page here (link goes to Amazon US, adjust for your own country or region). ( )