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Fire and Ice #3
Meltwater
Megdöbbentő videofelvétel kerül egy lázadó csoport kezébe: ENSZ-aktivisták kegyetlen legyilkolása játszódik le újra és újra a fiatalok szeme előtt. A Gázai-övezetben zajló arab-izraeli konfliktus borzalmas zűrzavarát a csoport szerint mindenkinek látnia kell. A szabad információáramlás harcosai úgy határoznak, kiszivárogtatják a történteket, ezért Izlandra helyezik ideiglenes támaszpontjukat, hogy titokban tartsák az előkészületeket. Ám egy láthatatlan kéz itt is eléri őket, egyik társukat meggyilkolják. Ettől a pillanattól fogva kezdetét veszi a hajsza, amelynek egyik oldalán a csoport tagjait védő Magnus Jonson nyomozó és csapata áll, a másik oldalán pedig a kínaiak, az amerikaiak, a belgák, az olaszok, az izraeliek, és még ki tudja, kik. Amikor az egyik áldozat révén az izlandi egyház is belekeveredik a gyilkosságokba, az ügy már-már megoldhatatlannak tűnik Magnus számára. Csakúgy, mint a magánélete: a régóta a végső leszámolásra készülő és a magánnyomozásába teljesen belevesző felügyelő még mindig a családjában történt gyilkosságok tettesét kutatja, egyelőre eredménytelenül. Márpedig az emberölések folytatódnak… Michael Ridpath izlandi krimisorozatának (Sűrű árnyak, Fagyos múlt) harmadik része talán az eddigi legizgalmasabb, legfordulatosabb rész.
311 pages, Hardcover
First published June 1, 2012
75 people are currently reading
319 people want to read
About the author
Michael Ridpath
66 books311 followersBefore becoming a writer, Michael Ridpath used to work as a bond trader in the City of London. After writing several financial thrillers, which were published in over 30 languages, he began a crime series featuring the Icelandic detective Magnus Jonson. He has also written five stand-alone thrillers, the latest of which is The Diplomat’s Wife, published in February 2021. He lives in London.
And if you want a free copy of his novella, The Polar Bear Killing, and to sign up to his quarterly newsletter, just click this link: http://eepurl.com/dlzgFH
And if you want a free copy of his novella, The Polar Bear Killing, and to sign up to his quarterly newsletter, just click this link: http://eepurl.com/dlzgFH
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 69 reviews
September 10, 2012
This is the third book in this series... not a fantastic book on its own... but a great chapter in the series. Think of it like your weekly crime drama on t.v.... not every episode is going to be the season finale... but sometimes one like this does more to develop characters and pays off down the road.
If anything there were events around the volcanic eruption in Iceland from a few years ago that made it more than intriguing. There were about three storylines going on all at once... at times... felt more like a setup episode than anything else.
If you have not read Where the Shadows Lie or 66 North... you may not appreciate this book as much... I enjoyed those books and look forward to seeing where this series goes next.
If anything there were events around the volcanic eruption in Iceland from a few years ago that made it more than intriguing. There were about three storylines going on all at once... at times... felt more like a setup episode than anything else.
If you have not read Where the Shadows Lie or 66 North... you may not appreciate this book as much... I enjoyed those books and look forward to seeing where this series goes next.
July 26, 2012
Once again, I am cursing the inability to rate with half stars because this is a solid 4.5 stars. ::Shakes fist at computer screen.::
'Meltwater' is the 3rd installment - and in my opinion, best - of the 'Fire and Ice' series about a Boston cop of Icelandic extraction who returns to his country of birth. Just like in Boston, Magnus works as a policeman in Reykjavik and is tasked to investigate murders on this small island of ~320,000 inhabitants.
This series just gets better and better with each book. While this one centered on the death of a member who belonged to a WikiLeaks styled group, there is a secondary storyline moving at a fast clip that involves Magnus's family and the skeletons that occupy a closet courtesy of his rather nasty grandfather, Hallgrimur.
Between killers on the loose and the eruption of Eyjafjallajökull, Magnus has a lot on his hands. Plus, he has to deal with a quasi-girlfriend reappearing and a brother who supposedly never wanted to return to Iceland doing just that -- returning to Iceland.
If you're a fan of Nordic Noir and you haven't checked out this series yet? Well...Remedy that right now! And, as always, I eagerly await the next in this fantastic series!
'Meltwater' is the 3rd installment - and in my opinion, best - of the 'Fire and Ice' series about a Boston cop of Icelandic extraction who returns to his country of birth. Just like in Boston, Magnus works as a policeman in Reykjavik and is tasked to investigate murders on this small island of ~320,000 inhabitants.
This series just gets better and better with each book. While this one centered on the death of a member who belonged to a WikiLeaks styled group, there is a secondary storyline moving at a fast clip that involves Magnus's family and the skeletons that occupy a closet courtesy of his rather nasty grandfather, Hallgrimur.
Between killers on the loose and the eruption of Eyjafjallajökull, Magnus has a lot on his hands. Plus, he has to deal with a quasi-girlfriend reappearing and a brother who supposedly never wanted to return to Iceland doing just that -- returning to Iceland.
If you're a fan of Nordic Noir and you haven't checked out this series yet? Well...Remedy that right now! And, as always, I eagerly await the next in this fantastic series!
August 2, 2017
This is Fire and Ice series #3. I seem to have got behind, as #4 is also out. The series takes place in Iceland, not that the author has any connection there; he just picked it for the location for this series. His detective is Icelandic (Magnus Jonson), who moved from Boston to Iceland, where he was born (explained in book 1 of series); I now forget the earlier 2 books. He also has 2 other series, which I have not read (yet). What I find is that he (through Magnus) gives much everyday information about Iceland and Icelanders that is not necessarily included in books by Icelandic writers. This is a link to a story from the Economist about the 18th Century *Great Haze* resulting from the eruption of the Laki volcano, causing many deaths from the resulting ash. http://www.economist.com/node/10311405 and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laki Meltwater takes place at the end of a recent volcanic eruption in 2010, and includes a freedom-of-information group similar to Wikileaks, who happen to be in Iceland at the time, who have a video they plan to release. Ridpath notes in his end notes that he based some of this on a story he read about the real Wikileaks - meeting in Iceland - and having the famed leaked video in 2010 of the accidental shooting of journalists in Iraq by US forces. A second story also moves through the book, as tend to happen in real life, about the murder of Magnus' father years before, that may be linked to another Icelander whose relative was murdered in similar form. The sagas make regular appearances throughout, and are relevant to both story lines. It ends with a cliffhanger on the back story . . . I am now glad that I waited to read book 3 as I was able to get book 4 also so I can carry right along.
>>WPL
>>WPL
December 10, 2012
I must say, this is one brilliant piece of writing. One of the fewest which has ever managed to hook me. I read this in about 7 hours straight, with very little breaks. I guess I am going to keep on visiting this Nordic noir again, not just till Fire and Ice #4 turns up, but even after that.
Freeflow, an organization just like Wikileaks, has caught hold of a video which is sure to make a bang if it came out. Its members decide to rendezvous in Iceland, to prepare their video for release. However, a visit to a volcano goes awry when one of them is killed at the site. Moments before being killed, the group member suggested the project name "Project Meltwater". Now, it is upto Sergeant Detective Magnus Jonson (Magnús Ragnarsson) to discover the identity of the killer, who is out to take revenge for the damage done to his family by the leader of Freeflow.
If people are thinking that the story ends here, then you've got it wrong. Interlaced with it is the story of Magnus' past, with his younger brother Ollie returning to Iceland. The reason for return, Magnus isn't sure of. The novel ends in a twisting note, which ensures that we have yet more to see about Magnus and Oli Ragnarsson and also Johannes Benediktsson.
Freeflow, an organization just like Wikileaks, has caught hold of a video which is sure to make a bang if it came out. Its members decide to rendezvous in Iceland, to prepare their video for release. However, a visit to a volcano goes awry when one of them is killed at the site. Moments before being killed, the group member suggested the project name "Project Meltwater". Now, it is upto Sergeant Detective Magnus Jonson (Magnús Ragnarsson) to discover the identity of the killer, who is out to take revenge for the damage done to his family by the leader of Freeflow.
If people are thinking that the story ends here, then you've got it wrong. Interlaced with it is the story of Magnus' past, with his younger brother Ollie returning to Iceland. The reason for return, Magnus isn't sure of. The novel ends in a twisting note, which ensures that we have yet more to see about Magnus and Oli Ragnarsson and also Johannes Benediktsson.
July 26, 2013
Enjoying this series (and it finished with a bit of a cliffhanger, so hoping there is more to come!) As in the previous books in the series, there's a modern story, a historical story and the personal history of the Icelandic-American detective (the historical story is from his family's history). The Icelandic landscape plays a big part again, with the ash cloud and volcano eruption of 2010 not only providing local colour but also the plot twist, a gift to crime writers surely, of having characters trapped in Iceland because of flights being grounded. Literature is referenced too (both the sagas and the more recent 20th century, with both Halldor and the fictional, murdered, novelist with a link to the detective's family making an appearance. The main plot involves a Wikileaks-style organisation meeting in Iceland. One or two unanswered questions about that, and, of course, the hint of more to come ...
June 4, 2012
The latest in the Fire & Ice series and another cracker. Great characterisation and an imaginative and contemporary storyline set against the desolate beauty of the Icelandic landscape. The ending was, for me, to hastily wrapped up and somewhat weak but overall the third in the Magnus Jonson detective series was a compelling read that I consumed in a couple of days of 'can't put this down' reading. I'm a great fan of Michael Ridpath and 'Fire & Ice' and look forward to the next in the series; the content of which was so clearly signalled in the closing chapter. Hopefully it won't be to long in coming...
June 27, 2012
I love these Fire and Ice series of books. Magnus grows in stature through each book and he has some particularly exciting escapades. I was a little disappointed the sagas didn't feature as much this time, concentrating mainly on the story of "Freeflow", but it is an excellent read.
I hope the romantic interest between Magnus and Ingileif fizzles out as Ingileif's character is a little insipid. Perhaps Magnus's dream gives us an insight that more romance is to follow. Can't wait for the next book as Michael has left us on a knife edge.
I hope the romantic interest between Magnus and Ingileif fizzles out as Ingileif's character is a little insipid. Perhaps Magnus's dream gives us an insight that more romance is to follow. Can't wait for the next book as Michael has left us on a knife edge.
June 22, 2015
Loving the Fire and Ice series by michael ridpath. The third instalment has several different storylines running through it, and is a great read. The book ends with a real cliffhanger, so there will obviously be another in the series.
The story of Freeflow and Erika Zinn is also left unfinished. We suspect the video is fake, but it is never resolved. I'd like to see them discredited and Zinn getting some of her own medicine... she is such a zealot and hopefully will get what's coming.
Cant wait for the next book to come out...
The story of Freeflow and Erika Zinn is also left unfinished. We suspect the video is fake, but it is never resolved. I'd like to see them discredited and Zinn getting some of her own medicine... she is such a zealot and hopefully will get what's coming.
Cant wait for the next book to come out...
January 2, 2017
2nd part of a trilogy. Unfortunately I had read book 3 before and I wouldn't recommend that, although it is a good stand alone novel. I liked the "exotic" setting and it was written with a good knowledge of place (which was as important as many of the lesser described characters). It was written about relevant, recent events and this added to its authenticity.
September 30, 2025
Freeflow is a group of activists, similar to Wikileaks, that publish secret information. In this case it's horrifying video footage of an Israeli military atrocity. The group meets in Iceland to release and publicize the footage and for fun one day, the Freeflow members visit a volcano. After splitting up to explore the scenery, one of the activists is brutally murdered. Icelandic detective Magnus Jonson is immediately sent to investigate what exactly happened on the site of the volcano, but is met with suspicion by those members of Freeflow he is trying to help. If that isn’t enough, his estranged brother Ollie comes for a visit and the feud that has haunted their family for three generations is about to reignite.
Meltwater is the third appearance of Iceland-born, Boston-raised homicide detective Magnus Jonson, whose first appearance was in Where the Shadows Lie. Magnus was seconded to the Icelandic Police Force for his own protection after he ran afoul of a drug cartel back in Boston, but also has his own reasons for returning to the country of his birth for the first time in nearly two decades to investigate the unsolved murder of his father. Magnus Jonson is a complex and totally compelling character, fitting perfectly into the bleak and intimidating settings of Mr. Ridpath’s Iceland. Meltwater is a masterful crime novel set in a fascinating land. I can't wait to read the next book in the series where we are assured we will finally find out what happened to Magnus' father.
Meltwater is the third appearance of Iceland-born, Boston-raised homicide detective Magnus Jonson, whose first appearance was in Where the Shadows Lie. Magnus was seconded to the Icelandic Police Force for his own protection after he ran afoul of a drug cartel back in Boston, but also has his own reasons for returning to the country of his birth for the first time in nearly two decades to investigate the unsolved murder of his father. Magnus Jonson is a complex and totally compelling character, fitting perfectly into the bleak and intimidating settings of Mr. Ridpath’s Iceland. Meltwater is a masterful crime novel set in a fascinating land. I can't wait to read the next book in the series where we are assured we will finally find out what happened to Magnus' father.
July 14, 2019
Meltwater is the third instalment of the Fire and Ice series, set in Iceland, featuring Detective Sergeant Magnus Jonsson. Michael Ridpath does an amazing job of providing detailed descriptions of the Icelandic landscape, Reykjavik and surrounds in all of these books that really helps the reader get a sense of the setting. Having spent some time in Iceland, I personally love reading these descriptions as they transport me back to a memorable and special time.
This book is set during the 2010 eruption of Eyjafjallojokull and uses this natural phenomenon as a feature of the story and adds to it's authenticity. The Freeflow internet activists who have stationed themselves in Iceland for this brief period parallel that of Wikileaks and while entirely fictional, there is an element of similarity with other world events from that time period.
Alongside the main story is the ongoing saga of Magnus's childhood, the death of his father and the real life saga of his grandfather and the neighbouring family on their childhood farm on the Snaefells Peninsula. This underlying story ties this series together and Meltwater finishes on a cliffhanger that makes me want to read the next book asap.
While there are elements that are a bit cheesy and cliche in these books, I really love them. Magnus is a bit of a cliche but I can't help liking him. Looking forward to the next one.
This book is set during the 2010 eruption of Eyjafjallojokull and uses this natural phenomenon as a feature of the story and adds to it's authenticity. The Freeflow internet activists who have stationed themselves in Iceland for this brief period parallel that of Wikileaks and while entirely fictional, there is an element of similarity with other world events from that time period.
Alongside the main story is the ongoing saga of Magnus's childhood, the death of his father and the real life saga of his grandfather and the neighbouring family on their childhood farm on the Snaefells Peninsula. This underlying story ties this series together and Meltwater finishes on a cliffhanger that makes me want to read the next book asap.
While there are elements that are a bit cheesy and cliche in these books, I really love them. Magnus is a bit of a cliche but I can't help liking him. Looking forward to the next one.
February 19, 2019
What I love about this series is that the country of Iceland is a major player in the books. This time, we have volcanic eruptions. It is the time of the eruption of the island, mountain glacier, Eyajafjallajokull. Remember back in 2010, the eruptions shut down air space over Iceland and many flights were cancelled. This can either aid or frustrate police in charge of a murder investigation. This time a man is killed and the suspects are many. However, our main detective, Magnus Jonson is on the case and he is sure he can solve the case involving the Freeflow group of people who are dedicated to freedom of information. While Magnus is good at solving these kinds of murders, he is not as good at solving the murder of his father years earlier. This case has been involved in the background of the first three books in the series. In book 4 it will take the stage front and center.
January 8, 2013
This is an excellent continuation of the series which ends in a bit of a cliffhanger leading into the next book, which is good news as I'd got it into my head that this was a trilogy. The suspense is maintained throughout this book with a very deft interweaving of the various strands. As well as the Meltwater storyline, the background family storyline gets some more attention and looks as if it will come to a head soon. Hopefully the 4th book will be out soon and put us out of our misery. Come on Mr Ridpath!
September 6, 2013
Having just spent a week visiting exactly the places in and around Reykjavik where the story plays at, I absolutely enjoyed reading this thriller. And now I read that this is already the third of the Fire and Ice series about the Icelandic detective Magnus. Awesome! I'll definitely try to get the other two as well.
(Sorry though Mr Ridpath: Despite the Iceland bonus you cannot quite reach the top of my thriller ranking, which is firmly occupied by the Stieg Larsson series...)
(Sorry though Mr Ridpath: Despite the Iceland bonus you cannot quite reach the top of my thriller ranking, which is firmly occupied by the Stieg Larsson series...)
February 6, 2018
I did not enjoy Meltwater as much as I did the previous two books in the Fire & Ice series. It lacked some of the intensity, and also the main characters were flat and less likeable. Mind you, the descriptions of Iceland were still fantastic and I like Magnus himself, so I’m looking forward to reading the last book, Sea of Stone. Which I will probably start immediately, since Meltwater ended with a cliffhanger.
September 26, 2012
Well, well we are left in suspense. Michael, you had to make it noir. Everybody is in trouble except Magnus. Or should I say, everybody has problems including Magnus. So we have to wait a year for another installment. Why don't you make comics, at least we would have something. Frustrations aside can I get a British copy next time.
July 13, 2012
Really enjoyable Police drama. I have never read any of the other Fire and Ice Novels, but if they are all like this then they are worth the effort. Magnus Jonson is the main character and spends most of this story running round Iceland after a killer who appears to want to stop Freeflow, a group lead by Erica Zinn, who publish scandalous leaks in the vein of Wikileaks.
March 1, 2015
Mrazivá islandská rodinná sága propletená s životní akcí fanatické egoistické aktivistky pro lidská práva a svobodný tok informací. Málem jsem to hned na zařátku odložil - ústředním motivem příběhu je zveřejnění zvěrstev jednotek IDF v Gaze - jak ale vysvitne, všechno to bylo jaksi jinak.
Skvěle namluvil Sean Barrett.
Skvěle namluvil Sean Barrett.
August 18, 2013
An Icelandic crime thriller set in one week in April 2010. Detective Magnus Johnson tries to solve a murder and his family problems simultaneously, against the backdrop of a volcanic eruption, I enjoyed the placing of the story in location and time.
July 1, 2013
This series is getting better. And looks like it will run on for a while more. Was a lil disappointed at the final cliffhanger coz it was almost predictable, but I guess an author has to sell books, right?
July 21, 2014
Heard this one first and liked it is much I went out and found previous two volumes to buy and download. Intertwined stories are well handled and clear. Enjoy learning more about Icelandic culture although the author is British.
October 30, 2014
3.5 stars. The cliche description of this book would be "ripped from today's headlines. . ." It is not a bad idea, however the main plot fizzles out at the end. We are also left with something a cliff hanger in the main characters investigation of his father's death.
June 4, 2015
I was really interested in the workings of the WikiLeaks type group that was at the center of this book. I'm not sure what will happen with Magnus and his brother at the end of the book. It's a real cliffhanger.
I would like to go to Iceland someday, but not during an active volcanic eruption!
I would like to go to Iceland someday, but not during an active volcanic eruption!
March 3, 2016
This was my favorite installment of this series, though I wasn't happy with how things are with Ingeleif. I had wanted to meet Ollie, and was not disappointed. This was very current, and I liked how it tied into current events.
My only issue was the complete cliff hanger ending!
My only issue was the complete cliff hanger ending!
April 24, 2013
Another excellent book - these books really make me want to visit Iceland. Roll on the next volume!
February 18, 2015
Quite good. Interesting insights into life in Iceland.
October 16, 2015
A good read I was a little disappointed in the ending.
September 30, 2015
Excellent, thought provoking series that goes beyond your ordinary mystery. This is #3 in the series which takes place in Iceland.
October 30, 2015
One of my favourite books - love it!
September 12, 2016
Cliffhanger. Need the next in the series
Displaying 1 - 30 of 69 reviews