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Officer Gunnhildur #3
Chilled to the Bone
When a shipowner is found dead, tied to a bed in one of Reykjavik's smartest hotels, sergeant Gunnhildur Gisladottir of the city police force sees no evidence of foul play but still suspects things are not as cut and dried as they seem. A Gunnhildur Gisladottir mystery set in Iceland.
When a shipowner is found dead, tied to a bed in one of Reykjavik's smartest hotels, sergeant Gunnhildur Gisladottir of the city police force sees no evidence of foul play but still suspects things are not as cut and dried as they seem. And as she investigates the shipowner's untimely - and embarrassing - demise, she stumbles across a discreet bondage society whose members are being systematically exploited and blackmailed.
But how does all this connect to a local gangster recently returned to Iceland after many years abroad, and the unfortunate loss of a government laptop containing sensitive data about various members of the ruling party? What begins as a straightforward case for Gunnhildur soon explodes into a dangerous investigation, uncovering secrets that ruthless men are ready to go to violent extremes to keep.
When a shipowner is found dead, tied to a bed in one of Reykjavik's smartest hotels, sergeant Gunnhildur Gisladottir of the city police force sees no evidence of foul play but still suspects things are not as cut and dried as they seem. And as she investigates the shipowner's untimely - and embarrassing - demise, she stumbles across a discreet bondage society whose members are being systematically exploited and blackmailed.
But how does all this connect to a local gangster recently returned to Iceland after many years abroad, and the unfortunate loss of a government laptop containing sensitive data about various members of the ruling party? What begins as a straightforward case for Gunnhildur soon explodes into a dangerous investigation, uncovering secrets that ruthless men are ready to go to violent extremes to keep.
266 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2013
113 people are currently reading
991 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 118 reviews
October 5, 2020
Quentin Bates is consistently good at setting up a wonderful/awful sense of foreboding for the reader from the very first pages of each book in the Officer Gunnhilder series thus far. Add to that some fully-fleshed and believable characters, from the protagonist to the evil-doers and you have the makings of a suspense-filled and interesting story.
Set in Iceland, the setting itself contributes to the starkness of the situation at hand.
As long as Quentin Bates continues this series, I'll be there to read and enjoy them.
Set in Iceland, the setting itself contributes to the starkness of the situation at hand.
As long as Quentin Bates continues this series, I'll be there to read and enjoy them.
January 23, 2014
There are so many descriptions of the cold and snow and slush and cold wet days in this book. Life in Iceland appears very bleak in the time after the economic collapse when banks have collapsed, many have lost their jobs and life is generally hard. This is the background for Chilled to the Bone, a complicated story of what seems initially to be a relatively minor crime that becomes tied up in larger and more dangerous crimes and criminals. Everything builds on itself, one level on another. This initially makes for some confusion for the reader but it does work out.
The protagonist, Gunna, Gunnhilder Gisladottir , is an interesting character, a police officer with a backstory and family I wouldn't mind following in future chapters.
As for the cold and weather, it really is another character in the book. There is one section that stood out for me though there are many that I could have selected.
"The cold north wind had strengthened overnight, bringing
with it cold air that was almost painful to breathe and
which stung her face as she hurried to the car.The car's
wheels jerked and initially refused to move, held in place
by the ice that had formed around them as the ground froze
overnight. A healthy foot on the pedal broke with a crack,
and the car crunched through puddles and pools that had
formed overnight." (loc 3449)
That's cold enough to impress me even with the cold snap we have now.
The only negative I found was the complexity of the plot. That coupled with the structure, which rotated the plotlines frequently, sometimes made it confusing for this reader. I definitely would read others in this series.
I would rate this 3.5* if I could.
I received an ecopy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley for purpose of review.
The protagonist, Gunna, Gunnhilder Gisladottir , is an interesting character, a police officer with a backstory and family I wouldn't mind following in future chapters.
As for the cold and weather, it really is another character in the book. There is one section that stood out for me though there are many that I could have selected.
"The cold north wind had strengthened overnight, bringing
with it cold air that was almost painful to breathe and
which stung her face as she hurried to the car.The car's
wheels jerked and initially refused to move, held in place
by the ice that had formed around them as the ground froze
overnight. A healthy foot on the pedal broke with a crack,
and the car crunched through puddles and pools that had
formed overnight." (loc 3449)
That's cold enough to impress me even with the cold snap we have now.
The only negative I found was the complexity of the plot. That coupled with the structure, which rotated the plotlines frequently, sometimes made it confusing for this reader. I definitely would read others in this series.
I would rate this 3.5* if I could.
I received an ecopy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley for purpose of review.
September 4, 2015
An engaging blend of blackmail, sexual mischief, coldly calculated murder and a solid police procedural, this Icelandic investigation combines a well-woven plot with a cast of intriguing characters. Sergeant Gunnhildur, the resolutely down-to-earth pragmatist, is the anchor around whom the storyline revolves, and she’s currently one of the most interesting female investigators in crime fiction.
Gunna however, doesn’t hog the limelight. She’s frequently in the wings, while the entertaining supporting cast take centre stage. There’s the part-time dominatrix who’s turned a hobby into a profitable sideline. A dipwit narcissist civil servant who’ll do almost anything to recover his missing laptop. His bullying boss, driven by terror of political humiliation.
Best of all is Baddo, a time-served ex-con who’s been banged up abroad and has every reason to steer clear of coming home, but reluctantly returns to Iceland. Baddo is acres more interesting than your average rent-a-thug, a brooding, intelligent and effective menace who plainly has an interesting past – and who makes faster progress with his illegitimate investigation than the police do with their attempts.
Amid the chilly slither of slushy ice, Bates also conveys quiet moments of social commentary in non-judgmental fashion. These are deftly delivered without slowing the pace or detracting from the plot – they are simply a part of the story, just as much as the sturdy, matter-of-fact nature of the Icelandic characters. When some investigators might turn to drugs, booze or self-indulgent misery, Gunna and her fella spar with affectionate wit; Bates totally nails the dialogue between a loving, comfortable couple.
His writing is less quirky and more accessible than some Nordic authors (although you will need to be able to cope with Icelandic names if you’re to keep track of the cast). Although ‘Chilled’ unflinchingly portrays callous violence, it doesn’t submerge the reader in the overwhelmingly claustrophobic, stifling atmosphere so typical of Scandinavian mysteries. It’s written fluently and with crisp clarity, and crams multi-faceted texture into a rapid read.
This is gripping fiction, with a wicked villain and a marvellously robust female protagonist, but it feels only a step removed from the real world. After being somewhat ambivalent about the first book in this series, I’m now eagerly anticipating the next…
8/10
There's more detail on the plot and characters over at
https://murdermayhemandmore.wordpress...
Gunna however, doesn’t hog the limelight. She’s frequently in the wings, while the entertaining supporting cast take centre stage. There’s the part-time dominatrix who’s turned a hobby into a profitable sideline. A dipwit narcissist civil servant who’ll do almost anything to recover his missing laptop. His bullying boss, driven by terror of political humiliation.
Best of all is Baddo, a time-served ex-con who’s been banged up abroad and has every reason to steer clear of coming home, but reluctantly returns to Iceland. Baddo is acres more interesting than your average rent-a-thug, a brooding, intelligent and effective menace who plainly has an interesting past – and who makes faster progress with his illegitimate investigation than the police do with their attempts.
Amid the chilly slither of slushy ice, Bates also conveys quiet moments of social commentary in non-judgmental fashion. These are deftly delivered without slowing the pace or detracting from the plot – they are simply a part of the story, just as much as the sturdy, matter-of-fact nature of the Icelandic characters. When some investigators might turn to drugs, booze or self-indulgent misery, Gunna and her fella spar with affectionate wit; Bates totally nails the dialogue between a loving, comfortable couple.
His writing is less quirky and more accessible than some Nordic authors (although you will need to be able to cope with Icelandic names if you’re to keep track of the cast). Although ‘Chilled’ unflinchingly portrays callous violence, it doesn’t submerge the reader in the overwhelmingly claustrophobic, stifling atmosphere so typical of Scandinavian mysteries. It’s written fluently and with crisp clarity, and crams multi-faceted texture into a rapid read.
This is gripping fiction, with a wicked villain and a marvellously robust female protagonist, but it feels only a step removed from the real world. After being somewhat ambivalent about the first book in this series, I’m now eagerly anticipating the next…
8/10
There's more detail on the plot and characters over at
https://murdermayhemandmore.wordpress...
August 15, 2024
This was an excellent book, with the separate storylines being masterfully crafted to come together.
Det. Gunnhilder is called to investigate a death at a prominent hotel. The elderly man is found bound to a bed and the detective wants to find the woman he was last seen with. Meanwhile a diplomat has hired a rather questionable individual to track down a stolen laptop. What does one have to do with the other? This is what the reader must discover as the story unfolds and bodies start to pile up.
This certainly has inspired me to add this authors other books to my TBR list.
Det. Gunnhilder is called to investigate a death at a prominent hotel. The elderly man is found bound to a bed and the detective wants to find the woman he was last seen with. Meanwhile a diplomat has hired a rather questionable individual to track down a stolen laptop. What does one have to do with the other? This is what the reader must discover as the story unfolds and bodies start to pile up.
This certainly has inspired me to add this authors other books to my TBR list.
November 25, 2013
Police sergeant Gunnhildur Gisladottir seems to have her hands full with the dramatic unfolding of a chain of events which appear to be unrelated. An elderly rich ship-owner is found dead, tied to a bed in one of Reykjavik's smartest hotels. In a major embarrassment for the government, a laptop containing sensitive data about various members of the ruling party has been stolen. And finally, Baddo, a local villain who's just served eight years in a Lithuanian prison has been deported back to Iceland.
In a tight gritty thriller which is the third installment in the Gunnhilder Mystery series, Chilled to the Bone by Quentin Bates, sergeant Gunnhildur Gisladottir or Gunna of the city police force sees no immediate connection. The elderly ship-owner’s death appears to have been accidental, though the person who strung up the dead man has vanished. As the case unfolds, it became apparent that a woman operating a sex scam lure wealthy clients to hotels and rob them after handcuffing them to hotel beds. As Gunna tries to locate the mysterious woman, others are also after her.
On the other hand, the loss of the laptop under embarrassing circumstances is making life difficult for Joel Ingi Bragason – the official who lost it. The government officials are putting pressure on Gunna to find the missing laptop. But they are unwilling to disclose what the contents are. Jori is forced to hire a crook to try and get it back for him.
As Gunna digs deeper into the different cases, it became apparent that the three seemingly unconnected incidents are deeply rooted together. Quentin Bates unfolds an intriguing plot that pounds the heart rapidly as the story reaches its climax. Chilled to the Bone is a thrilling story that will keep you on the edge of your seat to the very last page.
In a tight gritty thriller which is the third installment in the Gunnhilder Mystery series, Chilled to the Bone by Quentin Bates, sergeant Gunnhildur Gisladottir or Gunna of the city police force sees no immediate connection. The elderly ship-owner’s death appears to have been accidental, though the person who strung up the dead man has vanished. As the case unfolds, it became apparent that a woman operating a sex scam lure wealthy clients to hotels and rob them after handcuffing them to hotel beds. As Gunna tries to locate the mysterious woman, others are also after her.
On the other hand, the loss of the laptop under embarrassing circumstances is making life difficult for Joel Ingi Bragason – the official who lost it. The government officials are putting pressure on Gunna to find the missing laptop. But they are unwilling to disclose what the contents are. Jori is forced to hire a crook to try and get it back for him.
As Gunna digs deeper into the different cases, it became apparent that the three seemingly unconnected incidents are deeply rooted together. Quentin Bates unfolds an intriguing plot that pounds the heart rapidly as the story reaches its climax. Chilled to the Bone is a thrilling story that will keep you on the edge of your seat to the very last page.
December 7, 2013
OOOHH! Christmas came early for me! I received an ARC copy of Chilled to the Bone through a Goodreads give-away. I have read and enjoyed both of the earlier books by Quentin Bates in this series and like Gunna more and more with each book. She's smart and funny, not afraid to speak her mind or voice her thoughts. AND she's NOT tortured by past tragic events, alcohol or drugs, unrequited love, etc. Oh sure, she has a family and home life with their attendent problems, issues and frustrations. She deals with it all in a no nonsence and straight forward manner with her sense of humor and kindness intact.
I would not like to be an old carton of milk in her refrigerator. Gunna has a remarkable ability to sniff out "monkey business". Chilled to the Bone begins with a "natural death" in unnatural circumstances. A sixty-plus year old business man dies of a heart attack while tied to a hotel room bed. Gunna and her team are called to investigate. The rest of the book was like watching a yard full of cats with a chipmunk...only a little bloodier. FUN.
I especially enjoyed the developing relationship between Gunna and her boss Ivar Laxdal.
I would not like to be an old carton of milk in her refrigerator. Gunna has a remarkable ability to sniff out "monkey business". Chilled to the Bone begins with a "natural death" in unnatural circumstances. A sixty-plus year old business man dies of a heart attack while tied to a hotel room bed. Gunna and her team are called to investigate. The rest of the book was like watching a yard full of cats with a chipmunk...only a little bloodier. FUN.
I especially enjoyed the developing relationship between Gunna and her boss Ivar Laxdal.
August 3, 2013
This autographed book was received free from the author, Mr. Bates, after being won in a GR giveaway.
I really enjoyed this book. Once I picked it up and got into it, I just kept reading until I got to the end. The plot held my attention.
The Icelandic/Nordic names are still a little confusing for me. Being from the USA, I, at first, had trouble separating the characters, Hilga, Hekla, Hinrik, Gunna, etc. I wasn't sure if the names were masculine or feminine. Once I had the characters figured out, I was into the book.
The only reason I gave 4 instead of 5 stars is because I would have liked a bit more suspense/excitement and a little more twist. Although this book was very good.
This book would be a good read for those who appreciate the Stieg Larsson books.
In the future, I expect I will pick up another Office Gunnhildur book to read.
I really enjoyed this book. Once I picked it up and got into it, I just kept reading until I got to the end. The plot held my attention.
The Icelandic/Nordic names are still a little confusing for me. Being from the USA, I, at first, had trouble separating the characters, Hilga, Hekla, Hinrik, Gunna, etc. I wasn't sure if the names were masculine or feminine. Once I had the characters figured out, I was into the book.
The only reason I gave 4 instead of 5 stars is because I would have liked a bit more suspense/excitement and a little more twist. Although this book was very good.
This book would be a good read for those who appreciate the Stieg Larsson books.
In the future, I expect I will pick up another Office Gunnhildur book to read.
December 9, 2013
This book really grabbed me Quentin. So much so that I really liked Gunnhildur and her crew. Good Work.
July 10, 2018
Boring. I wanted an easy-going travel book and liked that it was set in Iceland. I read it anyway...
December 7, 2014
First of all, I hadn’t read any of the novels in the Gisladottir series before, but it was very easy and pleasant getting to know her. I did not think I was missing something, although I am sure I did, so, if you have not read anything by Bates, I think Chilled to the Bone is a good place to start as any other.
But, what really called my attention is that it is a Scandinavian crime fiction novel written by an English author. There is this big, huge, discussion in literature regarding who can write about what. Although it sounds funny, it was thought for a long time that women could not write great male characters and the other way round. Same with race, ethnicity and nationality. As you can imagine I totally refuse this idea and I think Kazuo Ishiguro has proved that theory wrong with his classically English novel The Remains of the Day. So, when I saw Chilled to the Bone I thought it would make a great and different reading, already being familiar with Arnaldur Indriðason‘s works. Some research after reading the novel showed that the author, Quentin Bates, had spent a long time in Iceland and is as familiar with Icelandic culture as a native could be.
But, back to the amazing Gunna Gisladottir. I was curious about the representation of women detective in Iceland because Indriðason’s novels are very masculine and raw, an Icelandic hard-boiled type. But Gunna is a normal and grounded detective, although she has some big personal troubles of her own, but who doesn’t? Despite being nearly forty, having a team of two detectives who almost-blindly follow her instructions, and being an amazing detective herself, she is questioned throughout the novel for being a woman. Her niece thinks she is an “office police” (p.79) and did not imagine her in the streets chasing criminals and, one of the suspects makes a comment about “Lesbians with hairy armpits [...] human rights and gender equality officer” (p.15) I think these issues resonate with most female detectives nowadays, but Bates makes a great effort of making Gunna an every-day woman: she has had some really rough moments in her life, she has troubles, but she arrives at home tired and faces the same problems we all do: Should I cook dinner or just eat something and go straight to bed? She also has a family and tries to balance her private and professional life, but she is not a drunk, she does not live among dirt and mess and she is able to do her job, help her children and have a romantic relationship. I know, it’s great!
The novel also tackles social problems, like good crime fiction does. While investigating the case, Gunna encounters illegal immigration from Eastern Europe, people who chose criminal activity because they have no other option, people who due to the crisis would do anything to keep their job, domestic violence, drug addiction, and how health issues and the lack of national resources can lead you to desperate measures. I think all these problems resonate with anyone living in the Western world, so I think it is amazing they are inscribed in crime fiction. It is a healthy and intelligent way to deal with them and negotiate possible outcomes.
Chilled to the Bone is a high-quality crime novel that I would recommend to anyone who loves the genre. It is dark, but not Indriðason-dark and explores some very interesting social issues.
From my blog: http://booksandreviews.wordpress.com
But, what really called my attention is that it is a Scandinavian crime fiction novel written by an English author. There is this big, huge, discussion in literature regarding who can write about what. Although it sounds funny, it was thought for a long time that women could not write great male characters and the other way round. Same with race, ethnicity and nationality. As you can imagine I totally refuse this idea and I think Kazuo Ishiguro has proved that theory wrong with his classically English novel The Remains of the Day. So, when I saw Chilled to the Bone I thought it would make a great and different reading, already being familiar with Arnaldur Indriðason‘s works. Some research after reading the novel showed that the author, Quentin Bates, had spent a long time in Iceland and is as familiar with Icelandic culture as a native could be.
But, back to the amazing Gunna Gisladottir. I was curious about the representation of women detective in Iceland because Indriðason’s novels are very masculine and raw, an Icelandic hard-boiled type. But Gunna is a normal and grounded detective, although she has some big personal troubles of her own, but who doesn’t? Despite being nearly forty, having a team of two detectives who almost-blindly follow her instructions, and being an amazing detective herself, she is questioned throughout the novel for being a woman. Her niece thinks she is an “office police” (p.79) and did not imagine her in the streets chasing criminals and, one of the suspects makes a comment about “Lesbians with hairy armpits [...] human rights and gender equality officer” (p.15) I think these issues resonate with most female detectives nowadays, but Bates makes a great effort of making Gunna an every-day woman: she has had some really rough moments in her life, she has troubles, but she arrives at home tired and faces the same problems we all do: Should I cook dinner or just eat something and go straight to bed? She also has a family and tries to balance her private and professional life, but she is not a drunk, she does not live among dirt and mess and she is able to do her job, help her children and have a romantic relationship. I know, it’s great!
The novel also tackles social problems, like good crime fiction does. While investigating the case, Gunna encounters illegal immigration from Eastern Europe, people who chose criminal activity because they have no other option, people who due to the crisis would do anything to keep their job, domestic violence, drug addiction, and how health issues and the lack of national resources can lead you to desperate measures. I think all these problems resonate with anyone living in the Western world, so I think it is amazing they are inscribed in crime fiction. It is a healthy and intelligent way to deal with them and negotiate possible outcomes.
Chilled to the Bone is a high-quality crime novel that I would recommend to anyone who loves the genre. It is dark, but not Indriðason-dark and explores some very interesting social issues.
From my blog: http://booksandreviews.wordpress.com
October 17, 2016
I'm going to leave this series alone for a while. I had hoped the series would improve, but if anything, it has deteriorated.
The writing is incredibly pedestrian and though the stories are interesting the writing just can't hold my attention. Coupled with a problem of having verbs agree and of hopelessly mangling idiomatic expressions, it's just too much tooth grinding when there are lots of books that don't irritate me that much.
The writing is incredibly pedestrian and though the stories are interesting the writing just can't hold my attention. Coupled with a problem of having verbs agree and of hopelessly mangling idiomatic expressions, it's just too much tooth grinding when there are lots of books that don't irritate me that much.
September 27, 2015
Another great entry in this series set in Iceland, well-written with an interesting mystery and a main character and interesting secondary characters that continue to develop and evolve.
April 29, 2018
Voordat de Engelsman Quentin Bates auteur werd, heeft hij een flink aantal andere baantjes gehad. Omdat hij altijd al veel gelezen heeft, was het een kleine stap om zelf ook te gaan schrijven. Eerst als journalist voor een obscuur nautisch vakblad, later alleen fictie. Voordat het zover was volgde hij één keer per week een universitaire schrijfcursus. Zijn debuut, Bevroren tegoeden, vloeide hieruit voort. Omdat hij twintig jaar op IJsland heeft gewoond, spelen zijn verhalen zich in dat land af. IJskoud is zijn derde thriller met Gunnhildur Gisladóttir als terugkerend personage.
In een van de meest luxueuze hotels van Reykjavik wordt het lichaam van een dode man gevonden. Hij is aan het bed vastgebonden, de politie wordt erbij gehaald, maar Gunnhildur is vooralsnog van mening dat zijn dood een natuurlijke oorzaak heeft. Toch onderzoekt ze de zaak, want ze wil weten wie de vrouw is die hem het laatst gezien heeft. Daarbij komt ze terecht in de bondagescéne, maar ontdekt ze ook dat er een link is met een crimineel die onlangs uit het buitenland is teruggekeerd. Het onderzoek neemt daarna een andere wending aan en is niet meer zonder gevaar.
Omdat IJskoud het derde boek in een reeks is, is het aan te bevelen de boeken op volgorde te lezen. Wordt dit niet gedaan, dan is het, vooral in het begin, lastig om een touw aan het verhaal, maar ook aan de personages vast te knopen. De personages worden namelijk minimaal geïntroduceerd en het verhaal lijkt verder te gaan waar het voorgaande boek geëindigd is. Er zijn daarom momenten waarop het nogal verwarrend is en er ook geen enkele duidelijkheid is wat er zich precies afspeelt. Dat verandert pas op ongeveer de helft van het boek. Dan krijgt het verhaal meer structuur, ondanks dat er toch nog wel enige verwarring blijft, omdat het niet altijd duidelijk is waar welk personage voor staat of vanuit welk perspectief het stukje verhaal wordt verteld. En ook Bates’ keuze om een enigszins ingewikkelde verhaallijn te hanteren, is daar zeker debet aan.
Het boek leest, ondanks de soms wel lastige IJslandse namen, redelijk gemakkelijk. Dat komt vooral door de vlotte en toegankelijke schrijfstijl van Bates. Daarnaast weet hij de IJslandse sfeer goed tot uiting te brengen en ook de problematiek waar het land in verkeerde komt goed naar voren. Helaas, en dat is in feite funest voor een thriller, ontbreekt de spanning. Daardoor is het boek toch een stuk minder boeiend dan het zou kunnen zijn. Aan het eind van het verhaal komen de vele losse eindjes bij elkaar en heeft de auteur het voor elkaar gekregen dat alle afzonderlijke fragmenten uiteindelijk samensmelten tot één afsluitend geheel. Dat is niet erg, maar er kwam wel heel veel breiwerk bij te pas en was de lezer verstrikt geraakt in de wirwar die daarvoor ontstaan is. Verder zorgt de ontknoping ook voor een aantal vragen. Komt de auteur in het volgende deel op het einde van dit boek terug of blijft het hierbij?
Deze vragen, het rommelige karakter van het verhaal en de verdere onduidelijkheid zorgen er wel voor dat IJskoud onder de middelmaat blijft hangen.
In een van de meest luxueuze hotels van Reykjavik wordt het lichaam van een dode man gevonden. Hij is aan het bed vastgebonden, de politie wordt erbij gehaald, maar Gunnhildur is vooralsnog van mening dat zijn dood een natuurlijke oorzaak heeft. Toch onderzoekt ze de zaak, want ze wil weten wie de vrouw is die hem het laatst gezien heeft. Daarbij komt ze terecht in de bondagescéne, maar ontdekt ze ook dat er een link is met een crimineel die onlangs uit het buitenland is teruggekeerd. Het onderzoek neemt daarna een andere wending aan en is niet meer zonder gevaar.
Omdat IJskoud het derde boek in een reeks is, is het aan te bevelen de boeken op volgorde te lezen. Wordt dit niet gedaan, dan is het, vooral in het begin, lastig om een touw aan het verhaal, maar ook aan de personages vast te knopen. De personages worden namelijk minimaal geïntroduceerd en het verhaal lijkt verder te gaan waar het voorgaande boek geëindigd is. Er zijn daarom momenten waarop het nogal verwarrend is en er ook geen enkele duidelijkheid is wat er zich precies afspeelt. Dat verandert pas op ongeveer de helft van het boek. Dan krijgt het verhaal meer structuur, ondanks dat er toch nog wel enige verwarring blijft, omdat het niet altijd duidelijk is waar welk personage voor staat of vanuit welk perspectief het stukje verhaal wordt verteld. En ook Bates’ keuze om een enigszins ingewikkelde verhaallijn te hanteren, is daar zeker debet aan.
Het boek leest, ondanks de soms wel lastige IJslandse namen, redelijk gemakkelijk. Dat komt vooral door de vlotte en toegankelijke schrijfstijl van Bates. Daarnaast weet hij de IJslandse sfeer goed tot uiting te brengen en ook de problematiek waar het land in verkeerde komt goed naar voren. Helaas, en dat is in feite funest voor een thriller, ontbreekt de spanning. Daardoor is het boek toch een stuk minder boeiend dan het zou kunnen zijn. Aan het eind van het verhaal komen de vele losse eindjes bij elkaar en heeft de auteur het voor elkaar gekregen dat alle afzonderlijke fragmenten uiteindelijk samensmelten tot één afsluitend geheel. Dat is niet erg, maar er kwam wel heel veel breiwerk bij te pas en was de lezer verstrikt geraakt in de wirwar die daarvoor ontstaan is. Verder zorgt de ontknoping ook voor een aantal vragen. Komt de auteur in het volgende deel op het einde van dit boek terug of blijft het hierbij?
Deze vragen, het rommelige karakter van het verhaal en de verdere onduidelijkheid zorgen er wel voor dat IJskoud onder de middelmaat blijft hangen.
July 23, 2020
The Iceland of Gunna—Gunnhíldur Gísaladottír—is always cold, wet or just a bit snowy. Did you know that Reyjavik gets very little snowfall in the average year? This Gunna episode starts off as a dead cold hooker con: man tied to the bed by both foot and wrist and hooker takes all his money and credit cards. Then there is a computer that is lost containing revealing email about government involvement in the assassination of foreign nationals. Then there is Baddó, the nickname for a guy with an unpronouncable name and an evil disposition. Gunna’s time is spent drinking coffee, running around town in a clunker of a car, eating too much, and spending useless moments trying to get it on with her hubby, Steini. While all this may sound like the recipe for a darn good Nordic Nor, it sort of fizzles because of the slow pace of the investigation and the evasive nature of the hooker, Hekla. Every time I turn to Bates I expect a rip-roarer of a tale but it never comes off somehow, at least for me. I do not like it when Gunna goes off for a potential conflict with a bad guy armed only with a can of Mace and in which the bad guy is dispatched through a leg wound bleeding out from a random slice. I have a few more Bates novels in my stash, but I’m not expecting a lot from them. Except that it will be cold in Iceland.
October 2, 2022
Ég fattaði ekki að ég væri að lesa þriðju bók í seríu - fór greinilega bókavillt. En ég held að það hafi ekki breytt neinu því þarna voru held ég engar vísanir í fyrri mál og ég náði alveg tengingu við aðalpersónurnar - þ.e. löggurnar - þrátt fyrir að hafa ekki lesið bækur 1 og 2. Það sem mér fannst helsti gallinn við bókina er að plottið var ekki nógu spennandi, persónur óþarflega margar, aukapersónur almennt óáhugaverðar og svo fannst mér bara alls ekki gengið frá öllum endum. Kannski á að ganga frá einhverjum þeirra í næstu bók en ég held ég muni ekki nenna að kanna það.
July 27, 2017
This is proving to be a good series, police procedurals set in Iceland. Good, believable plotting, interesting characters. This one has two story lines that intersect. In the first, a man dies of a heart attack while tied up and left in a hotel room by a supposed dominatrix, who is actually a thief. In the second, some Icelandic bureaucrats are panicking because one of them lost a laptop that had emails on it that will be highly incriminating to the government.
October 31, 2023
Good book.
Although there wasn't a huge amount of police procedural, it does fit the genre, but there were several side stories, sub plots, twists and surprises which made it lean more toward a thriller.
As what often happens in these Nordic noir serials, the culture, the drug dealing, the prostitutes, and gangs often are the basis of the story line.
but I enjoyed, like the main characters and glad there are more to come
Although there wasn't a huge amount of police procedural, it does fit the genre, but there were several side stories, sub plots, twists and surprises which made it lean more toward a thriller.
As what often happens in these Nordic noir serials, the culture, the drug dealing, the prostitutes, and gangs often are the basis of the story line.
but I enjoyed, like the main characters and glad there are more to come
June 6, 2024
Absolutely fabulous!
I stayed up all night reading this, because I simply could not put it down, I had to keep turning the page (okay, well, swiping), to see what happened next!! I simply adore Evan and Easton, and I’m hoping hard that Weston is starting to come around. Also, I like how things are playing out between Monica and Stormy, really. It’s been a journey for them, and I like seeing them coming to an understanding. Yeah, Hunter doesn’t get it, but … you know… MEN!
I stayed up all night reading this, because I simply could not put it down, I had to keep turning the page (okay, well, swiping), to see what happened next!! I simply adore Evan and Easton, and I’m hoping hard that Weston is starting to come around. Also, I like how things are playing out between Monica and Stormy, really. It’s been a journey for them, and I like seeing them coming to an understanding. Yeah, Hunter doesn’t get it, but … you know… MEN!
June 12, 2017
Gunnhildur ties loose ends
Characters start, come back, leave and then flee. Bad guys gets his just desserts. Running a scam is almost explained away. The girl you almost worry about..
I like the Icelandic background. The different naming system. And trying to figure out how to say some people's names
Characters start, come back, leave and then flee. Bad guys gets his just desserts. Running a scam is almost explained away. The girl you almost worry about..
I like the Icelandic background. The different naming system. And trying to figure out how to say some people's names
March 13, 2019
Love it love it.
I love in Reykjavik now after being away for forty three years and I love to read about Gunnhildur and the cases she solved. I also have a strong suspicion that we are from the same village in the Westfjords.
I can't get enough of these books and I am reading them one after the other. The authors years in Iceland have given him a unique view.
I love in Reykjavik now after being away for forty three years and I love to read about Gunnhildur and the cases she solved. I also have a strong suspicion that we are from the same village in the Westfjords.
I can't get enough of these books and I am reading them one after the other. The authors years in Iceland have given him a unique view.
June 13, 2020
Not the best. A plodding style and a plodding story combined to make me lose interest quite early on and ultimately crashing to a halt well before the end. Not helped by multiple characters which required frequent forays back into the book to remind me of who was who. As Covid has shown us; life is too short to waste it on such as this.
November 10, 2020
My main problem with this novel is that the names are difficult to keep straight especially when two are similar. But I do love the names. The plot of the story is very good and kept me interested. Never thought of this type of crime ocuring but I'm sure it does somewhere. On the whole a good novel.
August 9, 2021
Another Thriller!
As I continue to read boik after book by this author, I am beginning to keep up a bit more. All of the different names and characters are confusing to keep up with at first, but as you get used to the stories, comprehending becomes a lot clearer. This was a great read and definitely a mystery worth reading! Now, on to the next exciting book in the series!
As I continue to read boik after book by this author, I am beginning to keep up a bit more. All of the different names and characters are confusing to keep up with at first, but as you get used to the stories, comprehending becomes a lot clearer. This was a great read and definitely a mystery worth reading! Now, on to the next exciting book in the series!
February 5, 2024
Decent plot… lot’s of names to remember…. Cold winters filled with Scandinavian murders/crimes… a recipe for a decent bit of brain candy…
Chilled To The Bone is a good piece of fiction. Easy story to follow from beginning to end. More straight forward than the plot twists I am used to reading in Jo Nesbo’s Harry Hole series or even Henning Markell’s Wallander.
Chilled To The Bone is a good piece of fiction. Easy story to follow from beginning to end. More straight forward than the plot twists I am used to reading in Jo Nesbo’s Harry Hole series or even Henning Markell’s Wallander.
August 17, 2019
My first read of this series and of the author.
It was ok, some nice descriptions used about Iceland. Not really any twists and turns in the plot, fairly striaght forward, the climax of the book seemed to be over in a blink, I was hoping for a bit more.
It was ok, some nice descriptions used about Iceland. Not really any twists and turns in the plot, fairly striaght forward, the climax of the book seemed to be over in a blink, I was hoping for a bit more.
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September 1, 2021Rich, full characters
This has a great story line and multiple surprises even as the story is ending. I love this series of books and the main character, Gunna, is always good at what she does and a colorful and interesting person.
This has a great story line and multiple surprises even as the story is ending. I love this series of books and the main character, Gunna, is always good at what she does and a colorful and interesting person.
May 27, 2022
I didn't think I'd missed any books by Bates, all (I think) set in Iceland and was pleased to find one of his books I hadn't read. Engrossing, interesting characters, some good people amongst all the evil ones - always a plus for me.
August 28, 2022
Good story and great characters but quite a lot of them, all with three different names, then nicknames and sometimes undercover names so it did get a bit confusing. I love the Iceland setting and I really like the main character though and will read more of this series.
May 24, 2017
Good book. Complex enough without sending you nuts in recapturing the story thread.
January 8, 2018
wasn't as good as the last one and just sort of ended abruptly but still a decent read
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