With extraordinary emotional power, Astrid & Veronika recounts the unusual and unexpected friendship that develops between two women. The book was originally published in New Zealand with the title Let Me Sing You Gentle Songs and in Sweden as Nu vill jag sjunga dig milda sånger.The plot centers around Veronika, a young writer from New Zealand, who rents a house in a small Swedish village, seeking solitude to recover from a recent tragedy and to write a novel. Her arrival is silently observed by Astrid, an older and reclusive neighbor who slowly becomes a presence in Veronika’s life, offering comfort in the form of companionship and lovingly prepared home-cooked meals. Astrid & Veronika is a lyrical, meditative and surprisingly powerful novel of love and loss, and a story that will remain with readers long after the characters’ secrets are revealed.Linda Olsson was born in Stockholm, Sweden, and has lived in Kenya, Singapore, the United Kingdom as well as Japan and has been a permanent resident of New Zealand since 1990.For more information:us.penguingroup.com and www.lindaolsson.netImage: © Penguin Group USA