Anxious People

by Fredrik Backman · 2020

When a botched robbery turns an ordinary open house into a hostage situation, eight strangers find themselves forced to confront the anxieties and secrets they’ve been carrying for years. Among them are a retired couple who obsess over fixing homes while their marriage falls apart, a wealthy bank director whose life has been hollow until a personal tragedy pushes her to seek connection, a young lesbian couple on the brink of parenthood who can’t agree on anything, an eighty‑seven‑year‑old woman who meets a gun with fearless calm, a nervous real‑estate agent desperate to close a deal, and a mysterious man hidden in the bathroom. As the tension rises, the captives begin to open up, revealing hidden grievances, unspoken hopes, and the surprising ways their lives intersect. In this poignant, witty comedy, Fredrik Backman shows how a moment of crisis can become a catalyst for empathy, healing, and the unexpected rescue each character has been longing for.