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Reykjavik Wartime Mystery #1
The Shadow District
OLD CRIMES, NEW CONSEQUENCES
THE PAST
In wartime Reykjavik, a young woman is found strangled behind the National Theatre, a rough and dangerous area of the city known as ‘the shadow district’. An Icelandic detective and a member of the American military police are on the trail of a brutal killer.
THE PRESENT
A 90-year-old man is discovered dead on his bed, smothered with his own pillow. Konrad, a former detective now bored with retirement, finds newspaper cuttings in the dead man’s home reporting the shadow district murder that date back to the second world war. It’s a crime that Konrad remembers, having grown up in the same neighbourhood.
A MISSING LINK
Why, after all this time, would an old crime resurface? Did the police arrest the wrong man? How are these cases linked across the decades? Will Konrad's link to the past help him solve the case and finally lay the ghosts of wartime Reykjavik to rest?
THE PAST
In wartime Reykjavik, a young woman is found strangled behind the National Theatre, a rough and dangerous area of the city known as ‘the shadow district’. An Icelandic detective and a member of the American military police are on the trail of a brutal killer.
THE PRESENT
A 90-year-old man is discovered dead on his bed, smothered with his own pillow. Konrad, a former detective now bored with retirement, finds newspaper cuttings in the dead man’s home reporting the shadow district murder that date back to the second world war. It’s a crime that Konrad remembers, having grown up in the same neighbourhood.
A MISSING LINK
Why, after all this time, would an old crime resurface? Did the police arrest the wrong man? How are these cases linked across the decades? Will Konrad's link to the past help him solve the case and finally lay the ghosts of wartime Reykjavik to rest?
344 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2013
817 people are currently reading
2688 people want to read
About the author
Arnaldur Indriðason
53 books3,293 followersArnaldur Indriðason has the rare distinction of having won the Nordic Crime Novel Prize two years running. He is also the winner of the highly respected and world famous CWA Gold Dagger Award for the top crime novel of the year in the English language, Silence of the Grave.
Arnaldur’s novels have sold over 14 million copies worldwide, in 40 languages, and have won numerous well-respected prizes and received rave reviews all over the world.
Arnaldur’s novels have sold over 14 million copies worldwide, in 40 languages, and have won numerous well-respected prizes and received rave reviews all over the world.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 649 reviews
August 11, 2020
4.5 Stars
The Shadow District, I'd never heard of this book but it caught my eye in a bookshop and I didn't even look this up I just bought it (who says never judge a book by the cover ;-)).
The main focus of the story is set in Iceland in the Capital Reykjavik's Shadow District, and the story interwines between WW2 era and the present day (2013 I think this was originally wrote, not sure when the English translation was completed).
In the present day, a very old man is found dead in his apartment, who seemingly died in his sleep, but the police discover he was actually suffocated by a pillow, who would want to kill a man who surely wasn't that far from death at his age. The old man lived a fairly solitary existence, though he had a few old newspaper cuttings from an old unsolved murder of a young girl found by the National Theatre in the Shadow District during WW2.
Retired policeman Konrad asks old colleague Marta if he can assist her with the enquiries, and he himself realises he vaguely remembered hearing about the murder as he grew up in that area after the war, so decides to investigate further.
Going back to 1944 during the war, as American soldiers are occupying the area, policeman Flovent and Canadian-Icelandic Thorson, who works for the US military, are investigating the death of the aforementioned young girl behind the theatre, named Rosamunda, this sets the story for the wartime period of the novel.
The present day case with Konrad is also vital as the old mans murder also seems to be connected in some ways with the wartime murder of Rosamunda, and the mysterious disappearance of another young girl, who both claimed to have been sexually assaulted by the Huldufolk (Hidden people and elves in Icelandic folklore).
More things are unraveled as Konrad himself goes into great lengths to discover what happened and who murdered the old man, whom Konrad seems to have taken a liking and respect to him, despite never knowing him alive, he wants to know why someone wanted him dead, and what long hidden secrets the murderer wants kept quiet.
Without spoiling anything of the story this was a very moving tale, the relationship between Flovent and Thorson during wartime Reykjavik was extremely moving, far from the usual macho or good cop-bad cop routine (which can be great as well, depending on the characters) you often get from police or detective duos, these two were very sensitive and well mannered, and took a great deal of interest and care in the case, which unfortunately was not solved in his time, much to the regret of both men.
I absolutely loved this book, a sad and moving story, with the two eras linking together so well, the characters were very likeable especially Thorson and I would love to read more of the authors work and hopefully there is English translations available for the rest of his books.
Highly recommend this book for lovers of detective and mystery dramas.
⭐⭐⭐⭐1/2 Stars rounded up.
The Shadow District, I'd never heard of this book but it caught my eye in a bookshop and I didn't even look this up I just bought it (who says never judge a book by the cover ;-)).
The main focus of the story is set in Iceland in the Capital Reykjavik's Shadow District, and the story interwines between WW2 era and the present day (2013 I think this was originally wrote, not sure when the English translation was completed).
In the present day, a very old man is found dead in his apartment, who seemingly died in his sleep, but the police discover he was actually suffocated by a pillow, who would want to kill a man who surely wasn't that far from death at his age. The old man lived a fairly solitary existence, though he had a few old newspaper cuttings from an old unsolved murder of a young girl found by the National Theatre in the Shadow District during WW2.
Retired policeman Konrad asks old colleague Marta if he can assist her with the enquiries, and he himself realises he vaguely remembered hearing about the murder as he grew up in that area after the war, so decides to investigate further.
Going back to 1944 during the war, as American soldiers are occupying the area, policeman Flovent and Canadian-Icelandic Thorson, who works for the US military, are investigating the death of the aforementioned young girl behind the theatre, named Rosamunda, this sets the story for the wartime period of the novel.
The present day case with Konrad is also vital as the old mans murder also seems to be connected in some ways with the wartime murder of Rosamunda, and the mysterious disappearance of another young girl, who both claimed to have been sexually assaulted by the Huldufolk (Hidden people and elves in Icelandic folklore).
More things are unraveled as Konrad himself goes into great lengths to discover what happened and who murdered the old man, whom Konrad seems to have taken a liking and respect to him, despite never knowing him alive, he wants to know why someone wanted him dead, and what long hidden secrets the murderer wants kept quiet.
Without spoiling anything of the story this was a very moving tale, the relationship between Flovent and Thorson during wartime Reykjavik was extremely moving, far from the usual macho or good cop-bad cop routine (which can be great as well, depending on the characters) you often get from police or detective duos, these two were very sensitive and well mannered, and took a great deal of interest and care in the case, which unfortunately was not solved in his time, much to the regret of both men.
I absolutely loved this book, a sad and moving story, with the two eras linking together so well, the characters were very likeable especially Thorson and I would love to read more of the authors work and hopefully there is English translations available for the rest of his books.
Highly recommend this book for lovers of detective and mystery dramas.
⭐⭐⭐⭐1/2 Stars rounded up.
February 13, 2023
5 stars
I read this one a while back but forgot to post/rate. From my notes...
"One of Arnaldur's best. He manages to keep up the interest in both strands of a two-timeline braid, which is hard to do. Most of the suspects aren't even known until the very end which ups the tension. The theme of the modernisation of agricultural Icelandic society by the events of WW2 are neatly sewn in. Not sure if Flovent is going to be a good new character for a series, but we'll see."
I read this one a while back but forgot to post/rate. From my notes...
"One of Arnaldur's best. He manages to keep up the interest in both strands of a two-timeline braid, which is hard to do. Most of the suspects aren't even known until the very end which ups the tension. The theme of the modernisation of agricultural Icelandic society by the events of WW2 are neatly sewn in. Not sure if Flovent is going to be a good new character for a series, but we'll see."
June 5, 2018
A very good story or intrigue until, but not including the ending. 8 of 10 stars
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November 6, 2022لقد عُثِر على جثة رجل مُسن ميتاً في فراشه...هذا يبدو أمراً عادياً ولكن للطبيبة الشرعية رأي آخر ...يبدو إنه مات مُختنقاً...!
من هنا تستعين المُحققة بمساعدة المُحقق المُتقاعد " كونراد " والذي سيعثر بدوره على صحيفة قديمة فى منزل الرجل بها مقال يتحدث عن جريمة قتل فتاة والعثور على جثتها خلف المسرح الوطني...فهل هنالك رابط بين الجريمتين ؟
تأتيك الإجابة حيث التنقل ما بين الماضي اثناء الحرب العالمية الثانية وما بين الحاضر بإلتقاط خيوط تكاد توصف باللامرئية في محاولة لفك عقدة الجريمتين...
تكاد تجزم بإستحالة الوصول إلى أي طريق يؤدي إلى كشف الحقيقة ، فالتحقيقات التي أُجريت في الماضي لم تستطع التأكد من هوية القاتل ، وما تجري حالياً يتعذر القبض على قاتل الرجل المٌسن فلقد كان يعيش وحيداً...
الكاتب " أرنالدور أندريداسون " يتميز بسلاسة التنقل بين الأزمنة دونما أن يصيبك أي ارتباك ، يعرف كيف لا يفقد التواصل مع القارىء بل يستقطب تركيزك حتى اللحظة الأخيرة...
تتعرف على حال الفتيات في ايسلندا أثناء الحرب ، والمعتقدات الشعبية والإيمان بالحكايات الخرافية ،استغلال النفوذ السياسي ، وتورط ثلاث أجيال في جرائم كان يمكن لها ألا تكون....
وأخيراً... ليس هناك ما يُدعى مُصادفة ، وإياك في أي ظرف من الظروف أن تُصدق وجودها....
من هنا تستعين المُحققة بمساعدة المُحقق المُتقاعد " كونراد " والذي سيعثر بدوره على صحيفة قديمة فى منزل الرجل بها مقال يتحدث عن جريمة قتل فتاة والعثور على جثتها خلف المسرح الوطني...فهل هنالك رابط بين الجريمتين ؟
تأتيك الإجابة حيث التنقل ما بين الماضي اثناء الحرب العالمية الثانية وما بين الحاضر بإلتقاط خيوط تكاد توصف باللامرئية في محاولة لفك عقدة الجريمتين...
تكاد تجزم بإستحالة الوصول إلى أي طريق يؤدي إلى كشف الحقيقة ، فالتحقيقات التي أُجريت في الماضي لم تستطع التأكد من هوية القاتل ، وما تجري حالياً يتعذر القبض على قاتل الرجل المٌسن فلقد كان يعيش وحيداً...
الكاتب " أرنالدور أندريداسون " يتميز بسلاسة التنقل بين الأزمنة دونما أن يصيبك أي ارتباك ، يعرف كيف لا يفقد التواصل مع القارىء بل يستقطب تركيزك حتى اللحظة الأخيرة...
تتعرف على حال الفتيات في ايسلندا أثناء الحرب ، والمعتقدات الشعبية والإيمان بالحكايات الخرافية ،استغلال النفوذ السياسي ، وتورط ثلاث أجيال في جرائم كان يمكن لها ألا تكون....
وأخيراً... ليس هناك ما يُدعى مُصادفة ، وإياك في أي ظرف من الظروف أن تُصدق وجودها....
July 19, 2017
Lots of reviews already so I'll just add my two cents. I'm a big fan of the author's Erlendur series but Indridason has put it aside to start a new one. The premise is good.......following the same case in 2 time lines, as it happened during WWll & in the present as a cold case.
Unfortunately, the slow pace & an uneven, rather stilted translation made for a tough slog. But this is the guy who wrote Jar City, one of my favourite reads so....hope springs eternal....I'll give book #2 a look.
Unfortunately, the slow pace & an uneven, rather stilted translation made for a tough slog. But this is the guy who wrote Jar City, one of my favourite reads so....hope springs eternal....I'll give book #2 a look.
December 10, 2020
Two separate timelines are linked by the murder of a young woman in wartime Reykjavik, and the killing of a 90 year old man in the present time.
A fascinating read as we follow two crime investigations separated by 70 years. I’ve read quite a few of Arnaldur Indridason’s Inspector Erlendur books, and here, he brings all of his skills from that series to this intricately woven novel; which itself is the first of a new series. Apart from the expected mystery and intrigue, I was also interested to discover something about the history of Iceland in the 20th century. This is not just thrown in as filler; where an author insists on using unnecessary research and succeeds only in bogging things down, and sometimes actually distances you from the time and story. Indridason’s history is relevant to the plot and setting and is seamlessly interwoven.
Indridason is not your crash, bang, wallop thriller writer. He keeps things on the level and believable side – which suits me; but expect some low key moments. Overall, the general intrigue, characters, setting and skill of his story telling pulls you in for the ride.
I look forward to more in this series.
A fascinating read as we follow two crime investigations separated by 70 years. I’ve read quite a few of Arnaldur Indridason’s Inspector Erlendur books, and here, he brings all of his skills from that series to this intricately woven novel; which itself is the first of a new series. Apart from the expected mystery and intrigue, I was also interested to discover something about the history of Iceland in the 20th century. This is not just thrown in as filler; where an author insists on using unnecessary research and succeeds only in bogging things down, and sometimes actually distances you from the time and story. Indridason’s history is relevant to the plot and setting and is seamlessly interwoven.
Indridason is not your crash, bang, wallop thriller writer. He keeps things on the level and believable side – which suits me; but expect some low key moments. Overall, the general intrigue, characters, setting and skill of his story telling pulls you in for the ride.
I look forward to more in this series.
January 12, 2018
The Shadow district by Arnaldur Indridason.
The sad ending to the Inspector Erlendur series did not bring an end to this gifted Icelandic author. So glad I decided to give Indridason's new series a try. I was most gratefully rewarded with this entry #1.
Present: A retired detective, Konrad, finding himself quite bored stays in contact with "Smart Marta still busy at work in the police dept. An elderly man (who had once worked with the police dept prior to the last World War) was found dead in his bed. The cause was not a natural death but rather he was smothered. Konrad speaks with the neighbor directly across the hall from Thorson the murdered man in an attempt to discover why or who would have killed this quiet, elderly man.
Past: The body of a murdered woman is found inside a theater. The detectives on this case are Thorson and Flovent. The unidentified woman is found to have been raped and possibly strangled. This District is known to have been a hangout for the soldiers stationed nearby and the Icelandic women/girls they've taken up with.
Slowly the detectives piece together the past with the present to find an answer to an unsolved murder(s) from the past.
EXCELLENT read.
The sad ending to the Inspector Erlendur series did not bring an end to this gifted Icelandic author. So glad I decided to give Indridason's new series a try. I was most gratefully rewarded with this entry #1.
Present: A retired detective, Konrad, finding himself quite bored stays in contact with "Smart Marta still busy at work in the police dept. An elderly man (who had once worked with the police dept prior to the last World War) was found dead in his bed. The cause was not a natural death but rather he was smothered. Konrad speaks with the neighbor directly across the hall from Thorson the murdered man in an attempt to discover why or who would have killed this quiet, elderly man.
Past: The body of a murdered woman is found inside a theater. The detectives on this case are Thorson and Flovent. The unidentified woman is found to have been raped and possibly strangled. This District is known to have been a hangout for the soldiers stationed nearby and the Icelandic women/girls they've taken up with.
Slowly the detectives piece together the past with the present to find an answer to an unsolved murder(s) from the past.
EXCELLENT read.
November 4, 2022
Flóvent/Thorson Sequel & Konráð Prequel
Review of the Random House audiobook (May 18, 2017) narrated by Seán Barrett & translated by Victoria Cribb from the Icelandic language original Skuggasund (Shadow Swim) (November 1, 2013)
It was actually by chance that I read Indriðason's 2nd published Reykjavik Wartime Mystery The Shadow Killer (orig. 2015/trans. 2018) before this book, but now it seems like the perfect order to take. The Shadow Killer recorded the first meeting and the first joint case of Icelandic CID detective Flóvent and his erstwhile partner Canadian-Icelandic military policeman Thorson. The Shadow District is actually the sequel, as it documents their final case and then even jumps into the future to introduce Indriðason's other new series character retired detective Konráð.
It would be a spoiler to discuss Konráð's involvement too much. Basically he is retracing the steps of Flóvent & Thorson's last case together in 1944 before Thorson goes off to join the Allied invasion of Europe in the D-Day Landings in June. The case involves a woman found murdered in an area of Reykjavik known as the Shadow District. There are witnesses to the finding of the body who are reluctant to come forward at first and fall under suspicion as a consequence. The trail leads further to a dress and clothing repair shop and then the home of an Icelandic politician and his influential family. There may be a related killing which took place far away from the Icelandic capital. A student of Icelandic mythology becomes the prime suspect due to various clues. Due to the lack of wartime files, from Konrad's perspective we are uncertain whether the first investigation ended as a cold case or as a coverup. Eventually all is revealed and we find out the endings of both timelines.
I found The Shadow District to be both a compelling read and also an excellent bookend to the Flóvent/Thorson team and a terrific teaser for the Konráð series to come, which are not all yet translated into English. I'm now eagerly awaiting The Darkness Knows (Konráð #1 - Icelandic original 2017) paperback to be published here at the end of November 2022 (for some reason, my library does not have the 2021 hardcover).
The translation by Victoria Cribb, who has 30 books of translation from Icelandic to English to her credit (as of November 2022), read very well. The narration by Sean Barrett in all voices was excellent.
Trivia and Links
The 1944 portion of The Shadow District is set during the Allied Occupation of Iceland during the Second World War. Iceland had declared its neutrality at the start of the war. With the German takeover of Denmark (of which Iceland was still a territory at the time), Britain felt that it couldn't risk losing its mid-Atlantic port of Iceland to a further German invasion and instigated its own takeover. This was gradually phased into an American and Canadian occupation when British forces were required back home. Icelanders refer to this period as the Blessað Stríðið (Icelandic: Blessed War or Lovely War) and the consequent fraternization of Allied troops with Icelandic women as the Ástandið (Icelandic: The Situation).
You can read more about translator Victoria Cribb at The Loneliness of the Icelandic Translator, Publishing Perspectives, January 6, 2012 and at One of These Eccentrics Who Came to Iceland and Fell in Love with the Language, Icelandic Literature Centre, October 30, 2018.
Read about the British invasion of Iceland aka Operation Fork at Wikipedia here.
Read about the overall Allied occupation of Iceland at Wikipedia here.
Review of the Random House audiobook (May 18, 2017) narrated by Seán Barrett & translated by Victoria Cribb from the Icelandic language original Skuggasund (Shadow Swim) (November 1, 2013)
It was actually by chance that I read Indriðason's 2nd published Reykjavik Wartime Mystery The Shadow Killer (orig. 2015/trans. 2018) before this book, but now it seems like the perfect order to take. The Shadow Killer recorded the first meeting and the first joint case of Icelandic CID detective Flóvent and his erstwhile partner Canadian-Icelandic military policeman Thorson. The Shadow District is actually the sequel, as it documents their final case and then even jumps into the future to introduce Indriðason's other new series character retired detective Konráð.
It would be a spoiler to discuss Konráð's involvement too much. Basically he is retracing the steps of Flóvent & Thorson's last case together in 1944 before Thorson goes off to join the Allied invasion of Europe in the D-Day Landings in June. The case involves a woman found murdered in an area of Reykjavik known as the Shadow District. There are witnesses to the finding of the body who are reluctant to come forward at first and fall under suspicion as a consequence. The trail leads further to a dress and clothing repair shop and then the home of an Icelandic politician and his influential family. There may be a related killing which took place far away from the Icelandic capital. A student of Icelandic mythology becomes the prime suspect due to various clues. Due to the lack of wartime files, from Konrad's perspective we are uncertain whether the first investigation ended as a cold case or as a coverup. Eventually all is revealed and we find out the endings of both timelines.
I found The Shadow District to be both a compelling read and also an excellent bookend to the Flóvent/Thorson team and a terrific teaser for the Konráð series to come, which are not all yet translated into English. I'm now eagerly awaiting The Darkness Knows (Konráð #1 - Icelandic original 2017) paperback to be published here at the end of November 2022 (for some reason, my library does not have the 2021 hardcover).
The translation by Victoria Cribb, who has 30 books of translation from Icelandic to English to her credit (as of November 2022), read very well. The narration by Sean Barrett in all voices was excellent.
Trivia and Links
The 1944 portion of The Shadow District is set during the Allied Occupation of Iceland during the Second World War. Iceland had declared its neutrality at the start of the war. With the German takeover of Denmark (of which Iceland was still a territory at the time), Britain felt that it couldn't risk losing its mid-Atlantic port of Iceland to a further German invasion and instigated its own takeover. This was gradually phased into an American and Canadian occupation when British forces were required back home. Icelanders refer to this period as the Blessað Stríðið (Icelandic: Blessed War or Lovely War) and the consequent fraternization of Allied troops with Icelandic women as the Ástandið (Icelandic: The Situation).
You can read more about translator Victoria Cribb at The Loneliness of the Icelandic Translator, Publishing Perspectives, January 6, 2012 and at One of These Eccentrics Who Came to Iceland and Fell in Love with the Language, Icelandic Literature Centre, October 30, 2018.
Read about the British invasion of Iceland aka Operation Fork at Wikipedia here.
Read about the overall Allied occupation of Iceland at Wikipedia here.
October 28, 2017
A new series for the author which I had heard was going to be set in the war years (WWII) in Iceland around the US Army occupation in Reykjavik. What we get is a story which starts in 1944 but also a concurrent modern day investigation which overlaps with the previous case. Have to say I really enjoyed the characters from the 1944 case & the setting, not so much the modern (2014 – which took a long time to work out!) characters & the new detective whose 70 & also retired! (which again took some time working out – his age that is) – not really sure where this series is going to go as originally had thought the series would be set in the 40’s & that’s where it would run from?
Found the chop/change difficult to follow at times, as you were a page in before you knew the era had changed..... dates at the top of each chapter would have been helpful tbh as I did find it slowed my enjoyment rather than pulling it all together.
It’s an ok mystery in the end, no real revelations to be seen but a decent yarn despite the modern day part, three stars as Ive read much better from the author.
Found the chop/change difficult to follow at times, as you were a page in before you knew the era had changed..... dates at the top of each chapter would have been helpful tbh as I did find it slowed my enjoyment rather than pulling it all together.
It’s an ok mystery in the end, no real revelations to be seen but a decent yarn despite the modern day part, three stars as Ive read much better from the author.
July 18, 2025
With an upcoming trip to Iceland in the works, I wanted to tick off two boxes: a better understanding of the country and some crime thrillers to entertain me. After reading his thoroughly compelling Inspector Erlendur and Detective Konrad series, I found a third collection by Arnaldur Indriðason, which has me even more excited for my upcoming trip. In a story that spans both wartime Iceland and modern Reykjavik, the story depicts the discovery of a woman’s body by a US soldier and his Icelandic belle. Fast forward to the present, retired Detective Konrad is asked to help when an elderly man is discovered dead in his flat, gripping news clippings of the body’s discovery from the war. What follows is a story spanning two time periods, with great sleuthing and wonderful character development. Arnaldur Indriðason seems never to run out of great ideas and I cannot get enough.
During the war in Reykjavik, a young woman is found strangled behind a movie theatre. The couple who found her, an American GI and his Icelandic belle, report the discovery but disappear before the authorities arrive. An Icelandic detective and American military police officer are sent to investigate, handling the case as best they can. While Flovent and Thorson try to piece things together, they run into many dead ends.
In present Reykjavik, an elderly man is found dead in his bed, having been smothered by his own pillow. Gripped in his hand is a news clipping reporting on the murder of a young woman found near a theatre in the Shadow District during the war. When retired Detective Konrad is asked to consult, he begins trying to tie the current discovery with the crime depicted during the war. He remembers hearing of the crime, as he grew up nearby.
Konrad tries to make connections to see if there is something more to that crime that Flovent and Thorson originally investigated. Might someone have made a mistake and sent the wrong person to jail? Konrad puts all his efforts in to solve both crimes to put his mind at ease, with a few twists along the way. Arnaldur Indriðason juggles two time periods with ease and keeps the reader enthralled!
Arnaldur Indriðason has been someone whose books I wanted to read, but it is only now, with tickets to Reykjavík purchased, that I chose to take the plunge. I love Scandinavian noir thrillers, though anything he writes seems to pull me right in. The narrative proves curious from the opening pages, spinning a story from two time periods that readers will surely enjoy. The setting and language woven into the story adds something for those who want to feel connected to Iceland, as well as its wartime history. Characters are impactful and offer some backstory, shaping things effectively while flavouring the larger piece. Personal aspects of Konrad, Flovent, and Thorson all find ways to enrich the piece and create connections that are sure to make this series (and others) highly entertaining. Plot points serve to surprise in both time periods, peppering twists to keep the reader curious and from knowing everything too swiftly. Arnaldur Indriðason cannot go wrong with all his series and this one is full of action as it plunges the reader into historical events.
Kudos, Mr. Indriðason, for being able to link some of your protagonists effectively!
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During the war in Reykjavik, a young woman is found strangled behind a movie theatre. The couple who found her, an American GI and his Icelandic belle, report the discovery but disappear before the authorities arrive. An Icelandic detective and American military police officer are sent to investigate, handling the case as best they can. While Flovent and Thorson try to piece things together, they run into many dead ends.
In present Reykjavik, an elderly man is found dead in his bed, having been smothered by his own pillow. Gripped in his hand is a news clipping reporting on the murder of a young woman found near a theatre in the Shadow District during the war. When retired Detective Konrad is asked to consult, he begins trying to tie the current discovery with the crime depicted during the war. He remembers hearing of the crime, as he grew up nearby.
Konrad tries to make connections to see if there is something more to that crime that Flovent and Thorson originally investigated. Might someone have made a mistake and sent the wrong person to jail? Konrad puts all his efforts in to solve both crimes to put his mind at ease, with a few twists along the way. Arnaldur Indriðason juggles two time periods with ease and keeps the reader enthralled!
Arnaldur Indriðason has been someone whose books I wanted to read, but it is only now, with tickets to Reykjavík purchased, that I chose to take the plunge. I love Scandinavian noir thrillers, though anything he writes seems to pull me right in. The narrative proves curious from the opening pages, spinning a story from two time periods that readers will surely enjoy. The setting and language woven into the story adds something for those who want to feel connected to Iceland, as well as its wartime history. Characters are impactful and offer some backstory, shaping things effectively while flavouring the larger piece. Personal aspects of Konrad, Flovent, and Thorson all find ways to enrich the piece and create connections that are sure to make this series (and others) highly entertaining. Plot points serve to surprise in both time periods, peppering twists to keep the reader curious and from knowing everything too swiftly. Arnaldur Indriðason cannot go wrong with all his series and this one is full of action as it plunges the reader into historical events.
Kudos, Mr. Indriðason, for being able to link some of your protagonists effectively!
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August 14, 2021
I had chosen to read this book based on my enjoyment of the Detective Erlendur series. The Shadow District is the first one in the Detective Konrád series. I found the first 3-hours of listening pretty bleak and haunting. I wondered if it were a matter of bad timing, perhaps I should put off finishing it until another time. However, I decided to press on and the next few hours of listening were more interesting and rewarding. Overall, it felt like the story was too drawn out, requiring more effort on the part of this reader to make it to the end.
My favorite passage:
"Konrád got out of his car, walked over to the theatre and gazed up its obsidian-dashed walls, studying the decorative features designed to resemble pillars of columnar basalt, with their illusions to the country's geology and centuries-old folklore. Within these thick, dark walls human dramas were staged for public entertainment; sorrow and joy were doled out in equal measure just as they were in life itself. The difference being that when the curtain fell the performance was over and the audiences could go home. Whereas in the real world the drama never ended."
My favorite passage:
"Konrád got out of his car, walked over to the theatre and gazed up its obsidian-dashed walls, studying the decorative features designed to resemble pillars of columnar basalt, with their illusions to the country's geology and centuries-old folklore. Within these thick, dark walls human dramas were staged for public entertainment; sorrow and joy were doled out in equal measure just as they were in life itself. The difference being that when the curtain fell the performance was over and the audiences could go home. Whereas in the real world the drama never ended."
November 17, 2020
This Icelandic novel has also been translated into English as ‘The Shadow District’ but I’ve read the Dutch one.
The wartime detectives Thorson and Flovent appear again in this book. They have to solve the murder of a young girl that was found strangled behind the theatre. At first, they think it may have been an American soldier and that the case is related to ‘the situation’ (see my review of ‘Blauwzuur’). Later they connect this murder with the apparent suicide of another young girl in the north.
The story shifts to the present, with the death of a very old Thorson who recently rekindled his interest in the old case that was never satisfactorily closed. Police officer Marta suspects foul play, even though it’s classified as a natural death. She asks a retired inspector, Konrad to look into this strange affair.
The story jumps back and forth between past and present without much warning and the two investigations run parallel with one other. The same events are investigated and some of the same people, or their offspring, are interviewed. So, the story moves very slowly as the events that were revealed in the past are now completely forgotten and have to be researched all over again.
As usual with Indridason we get very accurate details about life in wartime Iceland and the social, economic, and political changes it brought. Konrad, the detective in another series of this author is also introduced in this story.
De oorlogstijd speurders Thorson en Flovent krijgen te maken met een gewurgde jonge vrouw die wordt gevonden achter het theater. Een bekende vrijplaats voor IJslandse meisjes en hun Amerikaanse geliefden. Daarom gaan ze er in eerste instantie van uit dat de moord met ‘de situatie’ heeft te maken. Later wordt er een verband gevonden met een zaak uit het Noorden, waar een meisje eerst beweerde te zijn aangerand door ‘een van de verborgenen’ (mythische wezens uit de folklore) en later helemaal verdween. Men vermoedt dat ze zelfmoord pleegde door in een waterval te springen.
In het heden wordt een stokoude Thorson dood aangetroffen in zijn bed. Net voor z’n overlijden kreeg hij opnieuw interesse in de oude, nooit naar tevredenheid opgeloste zaak. Hoewel de patholoog dit een natuurlijke dood vindt, heeft de agent Marta vermoedens van moord. Ze vraagt aan haar gepensioneerde collega, Konrad om de zaak uit te pluizen.
Het verhaal springt voortdurend heen en weer tussen heden en verleden en dit zorgt wel voor veel herhalingen en dingen die 2 keer worden onderzocht. Er zijn namelijk geen documenten bewaard gebleven en dus worden de feiten en getuigen opnieuw onderzocht. Het is dus een erg traag boek, maar ik vond het wel interessant om te zien hoe Indridason er in slaagde om toch nieuwe elementen aan het onderzoek toe te voegen.
Zoals veel van z’n boeken gaat het over de periode van de tweede wereldoorlog. Hij brengt het dagelijkse leven uit die periode echt opnieuw tot leven. Hij laat ook zien hoe de Amerikaanse bezetting de hele maatschappij beïnvloedde en veranderde: de mode, de zeden en gebruiken, de handels- en economische praktijken, sociale en politieke omwentelingen.
Ik heb de boeken met inspecteur Konrad nog niet gelezen, maar hier kom ik hem dus voor het eerst tegen. Eerst is er nog een verhaal met Thorson en Flovent, hoewel dit de laatste zaak was die ze samen onderzochten voor de militair naar Normandië vertrok.
The wartime detectives Thorson and Flovent appear again in this book. They have to solve the murder of a young girl that was found strangled behind the theatre. At first, they think it may have been an American soldier and that the case is related to ‘the situation’ (see my review of ‘Blauwzuur’). Later they connect this murder with the apparent suicide of another young girl in the north.
The story shifts to the present, with the death of a very old Thorson who recently rekindled his interest in the old case that was never satisfactorily closed. Police officer Marta suspects foul play, even though it’s classified as a natural death. She asks a retired inspector, Konrad to look into this strange affair.
The story jumps back and forth between past and present without much warning and the two investigations run parallel with one other. The same events are investigated and some of the same people, or their offspring, are interviewed. So, the story moves very slowly as the events that were revealed in the past are now completely forgotten and have to be researched all over again.
As usual with Indridason we get very accurate details about life in wartime Iceland and the social, economic, and political changes it brought. Konrad, the detective in another series of this author is also introduced in this story.
De oorlogstijd speurders Thorson en Flovent krijgen te maken met een gewurgde jonge vrouw die wordt gevonden achter het theater. Een bekende vrijplaats voor IJslandse meisjes en hun Amerikaanse geliefden. Daarom gaan ze er in eerste instantie van uit dat de moord met ‘de situatie’ heeft te maken. Later wordt er een verband gevonden met een zaak uit het Noorden, waar een meisje eerst beweerde te zijn aangerand door ‘een van de verborgenen’ (mythische wezens uit de folklore) en later helemaal verdween. Men vermoedt dat ze zelfmoord pleegde door in een waterval te springen.
In het heden wordt een stokoude Thorson dood aangetroffen in zijn bed. Net voor z’n overlijden kreeg hij opnieuw interesse in de oude, nooit naar tevredenheid opgeloste zaak. Hoewel de patholoog dit een natuurlijke dood vindt, heeft de agent Marta vermoedens van moord. Ze vraagt aan haar gepensioneerde collega, Konrad om de zaak uit te pluizen.
Het verhaal springt voortdurend heen en weer tussen heden en verleden en dit zorgt wel voor veel herhalingen en dingen die 2 keer worden onderzocht. Er zijn namelijk geen documenten bewaard gebleven en dus worden de feiten en getuigen opnieuw onderzocht. Het is dus een erg traag boek, maar ik vond het wel interessant om te zien hoe Indridason er in slaagde om toch nieuwe elementen aan het onderzoek toe te voegen.
Zoals veel van z’n boeken gaat het over de periode van de tweede wereldoorlog. Hij brengt het dagelijkse leven uit die periode echt opnieuw tot leven. Hij laat ook zien hoe de Amerikaanse bezetting de hele maatschappij beïnvloedde en veranderde: de mode, de zeden en gebruiken, de handels- en economische praktijken, sociale en politieke omwentelingen.
Ik heb de boeken met inspecteur Konrad nog niet gelezen, maar hier kom ik hem dus voor het eerst tegen. Eerst is er nog een verhaal met Thorson en Flovent, hoewel dit de laatste zaak was die ze samen onderzochten voor de militair naar Normandië vertrok.
July 1, 2018
This is a new author for me and I was able to borrow from the library several of his books that sounded interesting to me. Iceland as a setting is not new for me, but happens to be more rare in my reading experience. The construct of the book takes us back to the Second World War but shifts in time periods as a couple friends start us off as they work on a very cold case.
It holds the attention effectively by focusing on one pair of men in the here and now working a case off assumptions and investigations done decades earlier.
We get a taste of Iceland "occupied" by Allied forces with Iceland parents working to keep their daughters sheltered at home and not always succeeding. There are colorful stories of residents of the "Shadow District" with childhood memories, family problems of all sorts and police detectives being misled.
It is a somewhat poignant start with the death of a healthy 90-year old man not many people knew, but his mission is eventually revealed. Allow a piece of time to read this excellent book....in other words, yes - it is a tad longer than I like. Happy to have found a new author to explore!
Note: I lied again. I read this author's Jar City some time ago, once again proving I need to track my books on Goodreads. Too much data for old brain to retain without help.
It holds the attention effectively by focusing on one pair of men in the here and now working a case off assumptions and investigations done decades earlier.
We get a taste of Iceland "occupied" by Allied forces with Iceland parents working to keep their daughters sheltered at home and not always succeeding. There are colorful stories of residents of the "Shadow District" with childhood memories, family problems of all sorts and police detectives being misled.
It is a somewhat poignant start with the death of a healthy 90-year old man not many people knew, but his mission is eventually revealed. Allow a piece of time to read this excellent book....in other words, yes - it is a tad longer than I like. Happy to have found a new author to explore!
Note: I lied again. I read this author's Jar City some time ago, once again proving I need to track my books on Goodreads. Too much data for old brain to retain without help.
Read
November 30, 2017I don't have a number popping into my head but I'll give it some thought as far as the star rating goes and come back to it later.
While reading this book I learned something very important about myself in terms of reading mystery/crime/detective novels and it is this:
after decades of immersing myself in the genre, it's highly likely that I'm going to figure out the basics of how things play out in terms of solution, so I have to start looking at these books in terms of the journey. Let's just say that these days I'm pleasantly surprised when I don't figure it out, but I have to learn to more appreciate what comes before the ending. Here, I once again heard the little bell go "ding" in my brain just after 100 pages in, which translates to something along the lines of "by Jove, I think I've got it," and since once again I was right, I decided that I had to look beyond the solution and focus on the getting there. Once I decided on going this route, I didn't walk away as disappointed as I might have been.
What Indridason has done here is to take a modern crime and root it in the past. While all faithful readers of his Erlendur series know that this is pretty much Indridason's trademark, in this book he's taken it to a new level this time. We not only have an investigation going on in the present, but it parallels an investigation into a crime that happened in 1944. We are there for that past investigation with the team of Flovent and Thorson as they make their discoveries; in the present, a retired detective named Konrad is sort of following in their footsteps to discover why a man who has just been murdered is so interested in this old case, as evidenced by newspaper clippings that he was examining before his death. So basically, Indridason has written this story in parallel time frames, which is a clever set up indeed.
--if you want a spoiler-free blurb re plot you can click here. Otherwise, read on.
Another benefit of not focusing solely on the mystery itself is that in this book, the author not only gets into the occupation of Iceland, but Iceland at that time was on the edge of independence, a situation that is clearly explained here. There's also quite a bit here about Icelandic folklore and folk beliefs which I found quite interesting and which fit nicely into the plot, and if you want to get a bit more into what's happening underneath the main mysteries involved here, you'll see that Indridason also gets into the changes on several levels brought about by the war. And then, of course, there's the main event, which is the introduction of the team of Thorson and Flovent. When it comes down to it, there are a number of reasons that I'm happy to have read this book, and since I am a huge fangirl of this author and have been reading his work since before the advent of the "Scandinavian noir" phenomenon, I'll probably read the next one too.
While reading this book I learned something very important about myself in terms of reading mystery/crime/detective novels and it is this:
after decades of immersing myself in the genre, it's highly likely that I'm going to figure out the basics of how things play out in terms of solution, so I have to start looking at these books in terms of the journey. Let's just say that these days I'm pleasantly surprised when I don't figure it out, but I have to learn to more appreciate what comes before the ending. Here, I once again heard the little bell go "ding" in my brain just after 100 pages in, which translates to something along the lines of "by Jove, I think I've got it," and since once again I was right, I decided that I had to look beyond the solution and focus on the getting there. Once I decided on going this route, I didn't walk away as disappointed as I might have been.
What Indridason has done here is to take a modern crime and root it in the past. While all faithful readers of his Erlendur series know that this is pretty much Indridason's trademark, in this book he's taken it to a new level this time. We not only have an investigation going on in the present, but it parallels an investigation into a crime that happened in 1944. We are there for that past investigation with the team of Flovent and Thorson as they make their discoveries; in the present, a retired detective named Konrad is sort of following in their footsteps to discover why a man who has just been murdered is so interested in this old case, as evidenced by newspaper clippings that he was examining before his death. So basically, Indridason has written this story in parallel time frames, which is a clever set up indeed.
--if you want a spoiler-free blurb re plot you can click here. Otherwise, read on.
Another benefit of not focusing solely on the mystery itself is that in this book, the author not only gets into the occupation of Iceland, but Iceland at that time was on the edge of independence, a situation that is clearly explained here. There's also quite a bit here about Icelandic folklore and folk beliefs which I found quite interesting and which fit nicely into the plot, and if you want to get a bit more into what's happening underneath the main mysteries involved here, you'll see that Indridason also gets into the changes on several levels brought about by the war. And then, of course, there's the main event, which is the introduction of the team of Thorson and Flovent. When it comes down to it, there are a number of reasons that I'm happy to have read this book, and since I am a huge fangirl of this author and have been reading his work since before the advent of the "Scandinavian noir" phenomenon, I'll probably read the next one too.
November 12, 2017
A new series by Indridason and as with previous books by this author the occupation by the Allies during WW II underlies the story. This one revolves around a cold case in Reykjavik, no pun intended, that took place in 1944. There are parallel stories in the book: one is the actual investigation at the time of the crime and the second is the current one. The author is very methodical and logical in his approach to narration. He plods along making sure all the loose ends are covered as to that there are no holes in the thread of the story. His stories do not have a lot of physical action but the result of his meticulous narration is very satisfying. In addition, his coverage of Icelandic traditions, history and social behavior is quite revealing.
February 5, 2019
A wonderful crime mystery which spans 75 years, moving from the investigation of the murder of a young woman in 1944 to the death of a 90-year-old man in present day Iceland. The latter was one of two policemen who investigated the 1944 murder and it seems he had reopened the case which took place in the Shadow District of the Icelandic capital, Reykjavik.
Konrad, a former detective, discovers newspaper cuttings in the dead man’s home which relate to The Shadow District killing. When a pathologist's report shows that the elderly man was smothered to death, Konrad checks out the wartime murder at the request of his former colleague, Marta, a police inspector.
The story moves effortlessly between the two investigations in 1944 and the present day as Arnaldur Indriðason brings the pieces of the separate inquiries together. Another great story from one of the world's best crime writers. Highly recommended.
Konrad, a former detective, discovers newspaper cuttings in the dead man’s home which relate to The Shadow District killing. When a pathologist's report shows that the elderly man was smothered to death, Konrad checks out the wartime murder at the request of his former colleague, Marta, a police inspector.
The story moves effortlessly between the two investigations in 1944 and the present day as Arnaldur Indriðason brings the pieces of the separate inquiries together. Another great story from one of the world's best crime writers. Highly recommended.
December 16, 2017
Book #1 in the Reykjavik Wartime Mysteries series
In the first book of a new crime series Mr Indridason introduces us to new players while providing a great window into Icelandic culture and exploring at the same time his signature themes of greed and abuse of power once more.
This story covers a fascinating period. Here we have two policemen, one Icelandic working in Reykjavik and the other is a Canadian and a member of the armed forced, he is of Icelandic heritage and speaks Icelandic. Stephan and Flovent are the wartime players on the case. As the story moves back and forth in time, Konrad a retired policeman working in our time becomes interested in the case from the war years and here we go back in time……this is very well done.
As the narrative switches between two investigations and two timelines, Mr. Indridason precise prose keeps the details of the separate timeline clear without any embellishment. With minimalist words and gentle dialogue the author has skillfully weaves two classic whodunit cases.
Mr. Indridason has definitely did a lot of research to find the right atmosphere for the time and give us an enlightening storyline filled with aspects surrounding the relationship between the Icelandic women and the troops “The Situation” as it was known. The social and historical climate and the police procedural are all deftly orchestrated to make a captivating and emotional charged drama.
This is a gripping and a very captivating read.
In the first book of a new crime series Mr Indridason introduces us to new players while providing a great window into Icelandic culture and exploring at the same time his signature themes of greed and abuse of power once more.
This story covers a fascinating period. Here we have two policemen, one Icelandic working in Reykjavik and the other is a Canadian and a member of the armed forced, he is of Icelandic heritage and speaks Icelandic. Stephan and Flovent are the wartime players on the case. As the story moves back and forth in time, Konrad a retired policeman working in our time becomes interested in the case from the war years and here we go back in time……this is very well done.
As the narrative switches between two investigations and two timelines, Mr. Indridason precise prose keeps the details of the separate timeline clear without any embellishment. With minimalist words and gentle dialogue the author has skillfully weaves two classic whodunit cases.
Mr. Indridason has definitely did a lot of research to find the right atmosphere for the time and give us an enlightening storyline filled with aspects surrounding the relationship between the Icelandic women and the troops “The Situation” as it was known. The social and historical climate and the police procedural are all deftly orchestrated to make a captivating and emotional charged drama.
This is a gripping and a very captivating read.
October 31, 2017
Have you ever picked up a novel in an unfamiliar genre, expecting to be pushed out of your comfort zone, only to discover it fits your tastes very well?
As a librarian I’ve been aware of the popularity of Scandinavian noir but hadn’t read any of these books, figuring most were too dark and violent. Then a copy of Arnaldur Indriðason’s The Shadow District showed up. I began reading on Saturday morning and was finished by Sunday afternoon.
The subtitle says “a thriller,” but I’d call it more of a traditional crime novel, of the police procedural variety (sort of). The pacing is methodical, which disappointed some people on Goodreads, but I don’t think historical fiction readers will mind. The crimes aren’t graphically described, either.
The setting is Iceland, predominantly Reykjavík; the timeframe is both the present day and 1944. A ninety-year-old pensioner is found to have died in bed in his flat—not an unusual scenario. But when the hospital pathologist learns he was smothered, it becomes a police matter. Konrád, a retired detective, can’t resist getting involved when he learns about old news clippings in the man’s apartment about a young woman’s unsolved murder during WWII. Strangely, Konrád has a personal connection to that older case: his own father, a con man, had helped arrange a fake séance for the girl’s distraught parents.
The two murders, 70 years apart, are linked through more than just Konrád, of course, and it’s up to him to discover how. Back in 1944, during a late-night romantic tryst, an Icelandic woman and her American soldier boyfriend discover a young woman’s body behind the National Theatre in the city’s Shadow District. Two detectives, an Icelandic policeman and a Canadian-born man representing the American military police, team up to solve the crime.
“It’s not exactly a tough job… being a cop in Reykjavík,” remarks Thorson, the Canadian, to his unofficial new partner. The city’s population isn’t large, and there are a couple of “small world” scenarios in their investigation. The writing is deceptively straightforward. Midway through, I was surprised to note how complex the storyline had become. Good mysteries focus as much on character as plot, however, and The Shadow District emphasizes its characters’ humanity, the victims’ included.
All of their experiences draw in interesting elements from Icelandic history and culture, from the island’s American occupation during WWII, and the controversial romances between Yanks and local women (which becomes known as the “Situation”), to the deep-rooted beliefs in the “hidden people,” or huldufólk, in the country’s rural regions. Also, all Icelanders are addressed by their first names, and the author either assumes you know this or will pick it up from context. Similarly, the characters disdain excessive formality and, when called “miss” or “sir” by police, make it clear that it isn’t necessary.
There’s a bit of repetition early on, and the 1940s-set chapters aren’t noted as such, which creates some initial confusion. Taken as a whole, the novel stresses how the past is as alive as ever. The Shadow District is first in a new series, and I’ll be reading the others. Fans of other wartime mysteries, like those of Charles Todd, may want to try it.
First reviewed at Reading the Past.
As a librarian I’ve been aware of the popularity of Scandinavian noir but hadn’t read any of these books, figuring most were too dark and violent. Then a copy of Arnaldur Indriðason’s The Shadow District showed up. I began reading on Saturday morning and was finished by Sunday afternoon.
The subtitle says “a thriller,” but I’d call it more of a traditional crime novel, of the police procedural variety (sort of). The pacing is methodical, which disappointed some people on Goodreads, but I don’t think historical fiction readers will mind. The crimes aren’t graphically described, either.
The setting is Iceland, predominantly Reykjavík; the timeframe is both the present day and 1944. A ninety-year-old pensioner is found to have died in bed in his flat—not an unusual scenario. But when the hospital pathologist learns he was smothered, it becomes a police matter. Konrád, a retired detective, can’t resist getting involved when he learns about old news clippings in the man’s apartment about a young woman’s unsolved murder during WWII. Strangely, Konrád has a personal connection to that older case: his own father, a con man, had helped arrange a fake séance for the girl’s distraught parents.
The two murders, 70 years apart, are linked through more than just Konrád, of course, and it’s up to him to discover how. Back in 1944, during a late-night romantic tryst, an Icelandic woman and her American soldier boyfriend discover a young woman’s body behind the National Theatre in the city’s Shadow District. Two detectives, an Icelandic policeman and a Canadian-born man representing the American military police, team up to solve the crime.
“It’s not exactly a tough job… being a cop in Reykjavík,” remarks Thorson, the Canadian, to his unofficial new partner. The city’s population isn’t large, and there are a couple of “small world” scenarios in their investigation. The writing is deceptively straightforward. Midway through, I was surprised to note how complex the storyline had become. Good mysteries focus as much on character as plot, however, and The Shadow District emphasizes its characters’ humanity, the victims’ included.
All of their experiences draw in interesting elements from Icelandic history and culture, from the island’s American occupation during WWII, and the controversial romances between Yanks and local women (which becomes known as the “Situation”), to the deep-rooted beliefs in the “hidden people,” or huldufólk, in the country’s rural regions. Also, all Icelanders are addressed by their first names, and the author either assumes you know this or will pick it up from context. Similarly, the characters disdain excessive formality and, when called “miss” or “sir” by police, make it clear that it isn’t necessary.
There’s a bit of repetition early on, and the 1940s-set chapters aren’t noted as such, which creates some initial confusion. Taken as a whole, the novel stresses how the past is as alive as ever. The Shadow District is first in a new series, and I’ll be reading the others. Fans of other wartime mysteries, like those of Charles Todd, may want to try it.
First reviewed at Reading the Past.
July 27, 2018
Indridason on top form. A convincingly presented, double-layered story, told in Indridason's typically sparse and concise style, taking place in Reykjavik during WWII and today, and introducing the new protagonist Konrad. It paints a fascinating picture of how life in Iceland changed in the 40s and 50s in more or less every aspect as thousands of British and American soldiers poured into the country, bringing with them a new kind of life.
Konrad seems not quite as sceptical towards all these innovations as his predecessor Erlendur was, he kind of sees them as inevitable. I especially liked how Indridason takes the plight of Icelandic women in a deeply paternalistic society into focus, and depicts it with feeling and compassion.
(P.S.: I'd love to be able to read this in Icelandic, which is more or less Old Norwegian from the 11th century, to be able to judge Victoria Cribb's translation. It sounds not translated at all and reads as if the book was written in modern English altogether. Would be interesting to find out whether this is a good thing or not. Maybe I'll have a lok at the German translation, to try and gather if Cribb's translation keeps close to the text or not).
Konrad seems not quite as sceptical towards all these innovations as his predecessor Erlendur was, he kind of sees them as inevitable. I especially liked how Indridason takes the plight of Icelandic women in a deeply paternalistic society into focus, and depicts it with feeling and compassion.
(P.S.: I'd love to be able to read this in Icelandic, which is more or less Old Norwegian from the 11th century, to be able to judge Victoria Cribb's translation. It sounds not translated at all and reads as if the book was written in modern English altogether. Would be interesting to find out whether this is a good thing or not. Maybe I'll have a lok at the German translation, to try and gather if Cribb's translation keeps close to the text or not).
January 1, 2014
Skemmtilegur og vel skrifaður krimmi. Höfundur hnýtir tvær mismunandi tímalínur saman í góða fléttu sem heldur manni við efnið, án þess að koma mikið á óvart þegar hún er rakin upp við lesturinn. Ég myndi segja að söguþráðurinn sé upp á þrjár stjörnur, en það sem virkilega lyftir sögunni upp á hærra plan er góð persónusköpun og afar næm lýsing á Íslandi stríðsáranna.
Ég mæli með þessari bók, ekki síst fyrir "byrjendur-í-Arnaldi".
Ég mæli með þessari bók, ekki síst fyrir "byrjendur-í-Arnaldi".
February 6, 2020
A retired cop in Iceland decides to investigate the mysterious murder of an old man. He had a criminal record for rape back in the early 60's, but of course, this all goes back to World War 2, the way all these mysteries seem to go.
Fairly good, if predictable.
Fairly good, if predictable.
March 9, 2022
Le grand écart absolu. Le spécialiste des crimes non résolus du passé mêle son duo d'enquêteurs 40-45 Fovent et Thorson à l'inspecteur Konrad, retraité mais acteur du XXIe siècle. Sur la même enquête. 60 ans d'écart. Du grand art. Exigeant pour le lecteur, allers-retours permanents passé-présent, mais l'effort en vaut la peine. Avec toujours comme décor l'histoire passionnante de ce petit pays arctique, son Parlement né avant l'an mille, ses elfes et ses politiques modernes, d'une grande banalité: profiteurs, égoïstes, honnêteté loin derrière la bonne réputation obligée, comme dans n'importe quel pays de la planète.
Une géniale idée, cette enquête de partenaires qui ne se sont jamais croisés.
Une géniale idée, cette enquête de partenaires qui ne se sont jamais croisés.
October 29, 2017
Arnaldur Indridason has a pretty good story about WWII and does it in such a way that he brings out all the facts that are available in each case. It starts out with the case of an old man found out to have been murdered during the postmortem, during todays date. Go back to WWII, and we find a couple looking for privacy and stumble upon a body of a 20 year old women. The police inspector in charge is Marta and she has Konrad, who's retired, work on the case to ease their expanding workload. Konrad had worked with Flovent but had no idea about Thorson, the murdered man. All the facts had to be obtained by Konrad to fill in the gaps of both murders. He followed the leads he got from one character to the next character and so on until he finally figured out who murdered who.
It was a sensible story in that everyone had a piece of the puzzle to contribute in solving of the murders. We also found out that there will be another WWII book with Flovent. My readers will be delighted to know this.
It was a sensible story in that everyone had a piece of the puzzle to contribute in solving of the murders. We also found out that there will be another WWII book with Flovent. My readers will be delighted to know this.
March 31, 2014
Otro excelente libro de Indridason. Confieso que lo compré sin leer de que trataba el caso, así que me sorprendió que el detective no fuera Erlendur como en los libros anteriores sino tres investigadores: la dupla Flóvent y Thorson en el caso ocurrido durante la Segunda Guerra Mundial y Konrád en el presente.La novela abarca dos investigaciones que guardan relación a pesar de que las separan 60 años. A través de la historia vemos la situación de Islandia durante la Segunda Guerra, la relación entre los islandeses y los militares estadounidenses y todo lo que esto conllevaba. Durante toda la novela vamos siguiendo las dos investigaciones mostradas a través de saltos temporales (ya visto en novelas anteriores) y descubriendo la relación entre ambas. Indridason también toca temas como la homosexualidad, la superstición, el aborto, la situación de la mujer en la Islandia de la época. Una novela que deja con ganas de más, muy pero muy buena.
August 13, 2021
Yeah. Uhm. Ik heb hier niet zo veel positiefs over te zeggen.
Het hele verhaal schreeuwt: ik ben plot driven, maar het is op geen enkel moment spannend. Heden en verleden wisselen elkaar zeer regelmatig af. De gebeurtenissen in het verleden zijn nauwelijks interessant te noemen en het familieschandaal dat er gevolg van is, interesseert me eigenlijk helemaal niet. De auteur doet weinig moeite om gevoel in het verhaal te leggen.
Op diezelfde manier zijn de personages weergegeven: weinig diepgaand en afstandelijk. Zelfs van het hoofdpersonage Konrad weten we vrijwel niets af, behalve dat hij gepensioneerd politieman is. De personages hadden echt veel meer uitgewerkt moeten zijn, dat had zoveel meer diepgang gegeven aan het verhaal. Want waarom kiest Konrad ervoor om juist deze zaak te onderzoeken? En waarom kan Thorson de zaak niet laten rusten? Het is allemaal erg oppervlakkig en dat is jammer, want nu is er niets wat het boek enigszins de moeite waard maakt.
Het hele verhaal schreeuwt: ik ben plot driven, maar het is op geen enkel moment spannend. Heden en verleden wisselen elkaar zeer regelmatig af. De gebeurtenissen in het verleden zijn nauwelijks interessant te noemen en het familieschandaal dat er gevolg van is, interesseert me eigenlijk helemaal niet. De auteur doet weinig moeite om gevoel in het verhaal te leggen.
Op diezelfde manier zijn de personages weergegeven: weinig diepgaand en afstandelijk. Zelfs van het hoofdpersonage Konrad weten we vrijwel niets af, behalve dat hij gepensioneerd politieman is. De personages hadden echt veel meer uitgewerkt moeten zijn, dat had zoveel meer diepgang gegeven aan het verhaal. Want waarom kiest Konrad ervoor om juist deze zaak te onderzoeken? En waarom kan Thorson de zaak niet laten rusten? Het is allemaal erg oppervlakkig en dat is jammer, want nu is er niets wat het boek enigszins de moeite waard maakt.
January 5, 2018
This was my fourth Indriðason novel and the start of a new series, The Reykjavik Wartime Mysteries. He has been published in the UK for almost 20 years now and this book is as strong as usual, confirming his place as a stalwart of Nordic crime.
There is a split timeline in this book, between the investigation into the death of a young woman outside the American barracks near to the National Theatre in 1944, and death of a 90 year old in the modern day, smothered by his own pillow.
This is a very solid story with engrossing and genuine characters that moves along at a good pace, indeed, an easy read. I guess die hard Indriðason fans don’t want him to change, but that would be my only complaint, that for a 5 star read, I want something just a bit different.
There is a split timeline in this book, between the investigation into the death of a young woman outside the American barracks near to the National Theatre in 1944, and death of a 90 year old in the modern day, smothered by his own pillow.
This is a very solid story with engrossing and genuine characters that moves along at a good pace, indeed, an easy read. I guess die hard Indriðason fans don’t want him to change, but that would be my only complaint, that for a 5 star read, I want something just a bit different.
April 5, 2016
prachtig verhaal, heel intrigerend hoe het verleden afgewisseld wordt met het heden om zo op het einde samen te smelten tot de oplossing van de zaak ...heel mooi !! je kunt het boek gewoon niet laten liggen
misschien had ik in het begin wat moeite omdat het deze keer niet ging om inspecteur Erlendur en zijn team (waar ik toch vooral fan van ben) :-) maar het heeft niks verminderd aan de waarde van het verhaal
misschien had ik in het begin wat moeite omdat het deze keer niet ging om inspecteur Erlendur en zijn team (waar ik toch vooral fan van ben) :-) maar het heeft niks verminderd aan de waarde van het verhaal
April 19, 2023
First book by this writer and I have really enjoyed it. I liked the two enquiries and the way everything ended. Another author to keep in mind.
October 22, 2017
Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the eARC.
I absolutely loved this book! A thoughtful, poignant and compassionate story, which takes place during WWII and the present in Reykjavik.
Konrad, a retired detective, starts working a case as an advisor for the short staffed police department, investigating the death of a 90-something man. Ostensibly having died peacefully in his bed, forensics prove he was smothered with a pillow. Who on earth would be coldblooded enough to kill an old man and why?
We then follow 2 men in 1940's Reykjavik, one an Icelandic detective and the other working for the US Military Police, as Iceland is occupied by the US. They are investigating the murder of young woman whose body was left in 'the Shadow District', a rundown area of Reykjavik.
The wartime years are fascinating; I didn't know anything about Iceland being occupied first by the British, then by the US and it's obvious the author has done a lot of research of that time period. Very interesting!
The mystery is a good one, sad but satisfying and the two threads seamlessly came together. I was sorry to come to the end, having thoroughly enjoyed the atmosphere of the book...can't wait for the next in the series. Love this author!
I absolutely loved this book! A thoughtful, poignant and compassionate story, which takes place during WWII and the present in Reykjavik.
Konrad, a retired detective, starts working a case as an advisor for the short staffed police department, investigating the death of a 90-something man. Ostensibly having died peacefully in his bed, forensics prove he was smothered with a pillow. Who on earth would be coldblooded enough to kill an old man and why?
We then follow 2 men in 1940's Reykjavik, one an Icelandic detective and the other working for the US Military Police, as Iceland is occupied by the US. They are investigating the murder of young woman whose body was left in 'the Shadow District', a rundown area of Reykjavik.
The wartime years are fascinating; I didn't know anything about Iceland being occupied first by the British, then by the US and it's obvious the author has done a lot of research of that time period. Very interesting!
The mystery is a good one, sad but satisfying and the two threads seamlessly came together. I was sorry to come to the end, having thoroughly enjoyed the atmosphere of the book...can't wait for the next in the series. Love this author!
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