Il commesso viaggiatore

Reykjavik Wartime Mystery #2

by Arnaldur Indriðason, Alessandro Storti (Translator)

Nel 1941, in piena Seconda guerra mondiale, la neutrale Islanda è appena passata dall’occupazione inglese a quella americana. I militari non hanno grande considerazione degli «indigeni» e la tensione è palpabile, anche a causa delle relazioni ambigue che si stabiliscono tra i soldati e le ragazze del posto, che inseguono l’illusione di una vita migliore. In questo clima teso viene ritrovato in un piccolo appartamento di Reykjavík il cadavere di un uomo, un commesso viaggiatore dalla vita irreprensibile. È stato ucciso con un colpo di pistola alla nuca. E il proiettile in questione è americano. Sulla sua fronte l’assassino ha tracciato con il sangue una svastica. Quel simbolo sembra acquisire un senso quando si scopre di più sul proprietario dell’appartamento, un certo Felix Lunden, figlio di un medico filonazista di origini tedesche. L’omicidio è legato a una vendetta politica? A condurre le indagini è Flóvent, l’unico agente rimasto a presidiare la polizia locale dopo lo scoppio della guerra, ancora alle prime armi ma pieno di buona volontà. Viste le delicate implicazioni del caso, le autorità gli affiancano un agente della polizia militare, il giovanissimo Thorson, un canadese che non rinnega le sue origini islandesi. I due formano inaspettatamente un’affiatata coppia di investigatori, che dovrà muoversi con cautela nella città presidiata dalle truppe di occupazione, senza scartare nessuna pista.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Crime, Historical Fiction, Nordic Noir, Thriller, Audiobook

336 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2015

About the author

Arnaldur 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.

Reviews

[Paromjit · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is historical fiction set in WW2 in Reykavik, Iceland in 1941, where the country has gained strategic significance for the Allied forces in the battle against Hitler's Nazi Germany, with Britain initially occupying, and then superseded in importance by the American military in the process of taking over. The streets swarm with servicemen who inevitably get involved with local women and prostitutes, leading to uneasy relations with Icelanders and the occupying forces. A young travelling salesman is found shot dead in an apartment in what looks like an precision execution killing with a swastika of blood on his forehead. Flovent, the sole member of Reykavik CID and Canadian Thorsen, a military man with personal Icelandic connections are charged with looking at the case. Neither man has any experience in murder investigations, a fact that bonds the two men as they attempt to find the killer. Their main suspect is another salesman, Felix Lunden, in whose home the dead man was found.

Unable to locate Felix, they try to interview his unco-operative and difficult father, Dr Rudolph Lunden, which as they dig deeper leads them to the younger, cruel, manipulative Felix's involvement with illegal and morally reprehensible German Nazi experimental research on young children. The dead man's girlfriend, Vera, had left him for a volatile British soldier, Billy Wiggins, but her dubious past makes her a potential suspect. The gun and the execution style killing suggests military involvement, which opens a whole can of worms as the turbulent period of history is rampant with spies, counter-espionage, traitors and assassins. The military threaten to take over the civilian investigation, but can Florent and Thorson get to the truth before that happens?

It took me a little while to get into this novel, and I felt there was an insufficient sense of place and location, but what eventually gripped me was the family drama of the Lundens, their Nazi sympathies, the estrangement between Rudolph and his son, Felix, how Rudolph's use of his son shaped him into the man he became, a support act in German ambitions, and the rise of Nazi philosophy, thinking and action. The character of Vera reveals just how many young women were bored with rural Icelandic life and its poverty, and could understand their excitement at having new, young and exciting men with money in the form of soldiers offering them opportunities and temptations. I feel that the novel is less successful in its historical picture of WW2 and Iceland's role in it, and better at looking at the personal angles of its characters in that period. Many thanks to St Martin's Press for an ARC.

[Tim · Rating 1 out of 5]

Very disappointing in comparison to, "The Shadow District." 2 of 10 stars

[Berengaria · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars rounded up

Arnaldur, we have to talk.

I understand that ever since killing off Erlendur, you've been groping around for a replacement hero to write about.

You've tried several of Erlendur's colleagues, both past and present, and they've - for the most part - been utter failures. Konráð has been your very best try, Elínborg wasn't too bad (why didn't you try more with her?) but someone at your publishing house really should have put their foot down about Briem and Sigaður Óli.

Really. No, really.

And now these two. Flóvent and Thorson. They're about as oatmeal bland as Sigaður Óli, but not nearly as professional. At least they aren't as bad as Briem. (Thank Baldur, Norse god of writers, for small favors.)

Flóvent's interrogation techniques are just painful. He constantly ends up blabbering more info to suspects without getting hardly any back. Sure, yes, he doesn't have too much experience with homicide, fine, but he was a cop who dealt with the impoverished and serially criminal. If that's all the better he is at questioning, they must have run rings around him.

And poor Thorson is just there to provide a plot link to the Allied occupation of Iceland in WW2, isn't he? Nice of you to make him gay -- but that would be story relevant where exactly?

Worst than bland characters, though, is a plot that starts out strongly, but then sails for a good 200 pages on nothing but fumes before crash landing in a muddled heap at the end.

I know you have problems tying off your plots well, but this was even too fast for your standards.

The clues and investigation pertinent info in the sagging middle of the novel seem to come deus ex machina (otherwise known as "trail of overly stretched coincidences"), scenes are insufficiently paced and placed and we can guess what really happened to Eyvindur early on - so why have us traipse after Thorson and Flóvent for 300 pages until they figure it out, too?

And- sorry- what about Thorson's chewed up arm?

Dog bites are not only painful, they're also dangerous. And yet Thorson never sees a doctor, doesn't take any pain meds, has no thoughts about rabies (which as a Canadian, he should) or infection, and seemingly utterly forgets about his bandaged, bleeding arm the moment he returns to the city. No pain, no comments from others ...just like it never ever happened.

C'mon, man. Where's your editor?

I hope the next installment of the series, called "Petsamo" in the original and "Graue Nächte" in German (no English translation as of yet) is better. Fingers crossed!

[Mai · Rating 1 out of 5]

Disappointing

Everything about this book was weak. The characters were written in a very poor way, and they have no depth.
The way they led this investigation was very weak and made them sound like a bunch of amatures who has no idea what they were doing. And that interrogation, my gawd, even kids can do better than this.
Like if you're writing a full book about a murder case at least do your homework in knowing and understanding how the investigations and interrogations happens.
And the way they were dealing with the evidence was a total mess.
The level of defection and stupidity in the interrogation'a questions was really something else.
I'm a huge fan of anything WW2 related, but they added the WW2 touch in the most boring and dull ways.
The script,the events and the plot were very tacky. And don't get me started with the atrocious ending.
I don't really understand the hype behind the book.
This is nothing but a waste of paper.

[Jill · Rating 4 out of 5]

My second adventure into Nordic noir. I don't usually read mysteries, but I've read 2 books by the author and have enjoyed both stories.

[Ellen · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Shadow Killer by Arnaldur Indridason.

Arnaldur Indridason is known for the Inspector Erlendur series for which he was awarded the CWA Gold Dagger Award is the only author to win the Glass Key Award for the Best Nordic Crime Novel two years in a row. This is his 2nd in the Reykajavik Wartime Mystery series. His 1st-The Shadow District won the Premio RBA de Novela Negra, the world's most lucrative crime fiction prize.

The most enjoyable as well as intriguing aspect of this book is the author's style of writing. The step by step deduction as the mystery is unraveled and slowly, oh so slowly, a beacon of light appears in the distance. Detective Flovent and Thorson of the military police are paired together once again.

It's this authors process of laying bare the real facts and dismissing the falsehoods that has kept me waiting for each newly published treasure. The Shadow Killer is another in depth look at detective work at its painstakingly best.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED FOR MYSTERY LOVERS THAT DEMAND A FIRST CLASS MYSTERY.

[Alan (on December semi-hiatus) Teder · Rating 4 out of 5]

Murder during the Blessed War
Review of the Harvill Secker hardcover (March 15, 2018) translated by Victoria Cribb from the Icelandic language original Þýska húsið (The German House) (December 1, 2015)

This was a police procedural 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).

Although The Shadow Killer (orig. 2015) is the 2nd of Indriðason's Reykjavik Wartime Mysteries following The Shadow District (orig. 2013), chronologically it documents the very first case of Icelandic CID detective Flóvent and erstwhile partner Canadian-Icelandic military policeman Thorson.

A man is found murdered in a Reykjavik apartment with a case of travelling salesman samples. At first he is assumed to be the apartment's occupant Felix Lunden, but the landlady eventually realizes it is a stranger. Felix Lunden himself has gone missing. He is the son of a known Nazi sympatizer Rudolf Lunden and when a German cyanide poison capsule is found in his effects it seems likely that the case relates to espionage. The murdered man was shot with a Colt 45 pistol, a sidearm of the occupation forces, which is why the military police are brought in. Was it a case of mistaken identity or was some sort of lover's triangle involved? Flóvent and Thorson have to uncover various family secrets before the truth is revealed.

I had previously read several of Indriðason's earlier books from his detective series featuring Inspector Erlendur Sveinsson, but eventually grew tired of their angsty tormented Scandi-noir style. Flóvent and Thorson were a much more comfortable partnership. The only angst being a hint that Thorson may have a troubled sexual identity. The setting of wartime Iceland was also unique and it was interesting to learn about the background to the Allied occupation of a 'neutral' country.

The translation by Victoria Cribb, who has 30 books of translation from Icelandic to English to her credit (as of October 2022), read very well.

Trivia and Links
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.

[Carlo Hublet · Rating 3 out of 5]

Indridason reste dans ses histoires sur le passé, mais cette fois en direct. Espionnage. En pleine guerre 40-45, un duo d'inspecteurs inédit, un jeune flic islandais et un policier américain, en fait un fils d'Islandais émigré au Canada.
Espionnage et histoires de jalousie annexes. Le tout un peu confus. Plutôt déçu, moi le fan de cet auteur islandais.
Toujours aussi plaisant: la description du paysage islandais sous occupation anglo-américaine, un sujet qui passionne vraiment Indridason. J'espère que les deux autres ouvrages de la série me séduiront davantage.

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good read that kept me page turning set in wartime Iceland. The plot was intriguing and Flovent and Thorson are two characters who I am enjoying getting to know.

[Steve Payne · Rating 3 out of 5]

During the British/US occupation of Iceland in World War II, a travelling salesman is found murdered in a basement flat, killed by the bullet from a Colt.45.

This is the second of Arnaldur Indridason’s Icelandic wartime novels (the first being The Shadow District).

This novel plateaued for me after a gripping first one hundred pages. After this, I found myself reading on purely for the denouement. There are 54 chapters; but the novel peaks in Chapter 9, when one of the two detectives on the case interviews the father of the chief suspect. It’s a great scene between a lowly investigator (Flovent) and a man (Rudolf) looking down through his nose from the stratospheres - answering questions with questions and with more than a touch of the how dare yous!

‘Do you think he could be on the run from the police?’ Flovent asked. ‘Could he have gone into hiding?’

Evidently Rudolf had had enough of the visit. ‘Was there anything else?’ he snapped.

‘Else?’

‘That you have to say to me?’

‘I think you misunderstand the situation, sir,’ said Flovent. ‘I’m here on behalf of the police to seek information from you. Not the other way round.’

‘Yes, well, I have nothing to say to you,’ said Rudolf. ‘Would you please leave me alone now.’

‘I’m afraid that’s – ‘

‘I am asking you to leave,’ said the man, raising his voice again. ‘I have nothing more to say to you.’

‘Do you have any idea of your son’s whereabouts?’ Flovent persisted. ‘Can you help us track him down? We need to speak urgently.’

‘I insist that you leave my property!’ Rudolf was shouting now.

‘Is he here with you?’ Flovent went on doggedly. ‘Is Felix here in your house?’

‘You fool of an Icelander. You know nothing. Nothing! Get out of my house.’

[I'm smiling on re-reading this now: if this was a 1940s film, I could easily imagine a sniffy Claude Rains playing Rudolf, being doggedly interviewed by an increasingly irritated Humphrey Bogart as Flovent].

It’s the type of interrogation another of my favourite writers, Anne Perry, does well. Here, it’s bullying from a sense of power and nationality, whereas Perry concentrates on Victorian England’s class structure.

I’m an admirer of Arnaldur Indridason, and all the more so for his avoidance of sensationalism. But here, I felt the occasional islands of conflict and intrigue were surrounded by waters that were far too calm, and infinitely too vast. It’s worth a read, but my expectations after reading the more compelling first novel of the series, were set high.

[Nancy Oakes · Rating 4 out of 5]

I seriously have to ask myself why the Hardy Boys book with the same name gets a higher rating than this book, which is so damn good.

The Shadow Killer and its predecessor The Shadow District, are both what I call historical crime fiction, and while it's true that The Shadow District starts out as a contemporary read, it is a blend of both present and past, and I've come to realize that this is a hallmark of pretty much all of Arnaldur Indridason's books. It was true in his Inspector Erlendur novels, and it's certainly the case in this newest one, which continues the series featuring Detective Flóvent of Reykjavik's CID ("the only detective...") and Thorson, an MP who is a West Icelander from Manitoba whose parents had migrated to Canada. Whereas in the previous book the two had already been working together, this book goes back a bit further and Flóvent and Thorson meet for the first time here as they team up to solve the case of a murdered traveling salesman found shot in the eye.

As the case progresses, a darker, uglier side of history raises its head; but the book also examines change, especially in terms of the impact on the Icelandic population from the presence of foreign troops in a previously closed society. I have to say that I'm a bit flabbergasted by the 3.3 average rating given to this book by goodreads readers, because a) it deserves so much better, and b) it is so rich in history, something that anyone who reads Indridason's work should have known before even turning the first page, since as I said, it's sort of a hallmark of his in all of his work. Oh, and don't miss the reference to the subject of Hannah Kent's excellent Burial Rites found here.

Recommended -- it is not as action packed as most Scandinavian crime novels, but patient readers who enjoy quality writing will be rewarded.

http://www.crimesegments.com/2018/07/...

[Matt · Rating 4 out of 5]

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 both 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 tackles wartime Iceland, a travelling salesman is found murdered in his flat, sending the authorities to investigate. Reykjavik's sole police detective, Flovent, is joined by a young US Military Police investigator, Thorson, to determine who might be responsible. The strains of the war weigh heavily on all involved, leading Flovent and Thorson to parse through truths and lies to get the answers they need. Arnaldur Indriðason presents a great thriller that keeps his two protagonists busy until the final page turn.

After a travelling salesman is found shot in the head within a small apartment in Reykjavík, panic ensues. When a young US Military Police Investigator, Thorson, is sent to join Reykjavik's sole detective, Flovent, on the scene, the investigation begins with a flurry of accusations, particularly when the murder weapon is identified as a US Army pistol. Iceland is filled with American military personnel in the summer of 1941, trying to protect the country from the Nazi surge. As Flovent and Thorson begin asking questions, a new focus grips them and turns the case into something far darker than originally presumed.

Soon, the focus moves away from the Americans to a group of German residents, based on clues found at the scene. A pill manufactured in Germany, a bloody swastika painted on the victim's head, and some personal skirmishes between the victim and a doctor from the group. Dr. Rudolf Lunden vows that he has nothing to do with the man or the crime at all. However, Flovent and Thorson are not yet ready to simply believe the man, who appears somewhat coy about his family and sentiments during the war. It is only when the detectives uncover the truth about the doctor's estranged son, Felix, that the case opens up in ways that could lead to its resolution.

Felix is rumoured to be a German spy, on the run from the assignment he was given. This could pave the way not only for a motive, but also to help shape a pathway to better understanding what took place. Felix seemed to make a poor impression on many in Reykjavik and could have been using his experience squeezing truths out of others for his own good. As Flovent and Thorson push for more, the truth comes to light and the pieces soon fall into place, though nothing is as it seems. A great second novel in the collection that shows the varied abilities of Arnaldur Indriðason once again.

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 this is more a mystery with historical connections. The narrative proves effective from the outset, mixing history and a fast-paced mystery for the reader's enjoyment. The setting and sentiments of the time are able to flavour the story, creating a curiosity towards Iceland for the attentive reader. Characters are well-placed and offer a little more backstory for the protagonists, as well as historical significance of others, which helps the reader who might not have been familiar with the role Iceland played in wartime Europe. Plot points serve to surprise and keep the mystery at the forefront, using twists and misdirection to develop a strong story for all. I will continue with my Arnaldur Indriðason binge, which has yet to disappoint.

Kudos, Mr. Indriðason, for a great wartime thriller that kept me hooked!

Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/

[Roman Clodia · Rating 3 out of 5]

In lots of ways this is a conventional police procedural but what gives it some level of credibility is the historical setting of Iceland in WW2. The crime story is flimsy and complicated with too many sub-plots (Nazi experiments, spying, blackmail, murder) and the investigation seems to go round in circles with too many suspects simply refusing to tell the investigators what they want to know in order to keep the plot revolving.

Despite some misgivings, the backdrop is fascinating with the British and Americans effectively occupying Iceland in order to defend it from German invasion; and the interactions with local Icelanders feel more telling than the crime.

A light crime romp, then, with a setting that adds authenticity and history colour.

Thanks to the publisher for an ARC via NetGalley.

[Jules · Rating 1 out of 5]

I loved Shadow District, which made this book extra disappointing. This book was a muddle- by the end I had lost interest in the murder and couldn't stay awake for the final reveal(s).

[Dimitris Passas (TapTheLine) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I want to thank NetGalley and Minotaur Books for providing a free copy (in the Kindle e-book format) of this novel which i was expecting for some time as a devoted fan of Icelandic, and Nordic in general, crime fiction. Arnaldur Indridason, the writer of the excellent Inspector Erlendur book series, transports us to the gloomy times of the Second World War and also offers a historical account of the situation in the capital of Iceland, the city of Reykjavik, where British and American forces had established army barracks and bases in order to protect the Icelanders from a probable Nazi invasion. ''The Shadow Killer'' is the second novel in the new series by A. Indridason, the first was ''The Shadow District'', and even though it is definitely not his best book, it still preserves the high-quality standards which made Indridason one of the very best of Nordic crime fiction's novelists. His prose is simple and austere and manages to engage the reader in the plot, while the dialogue seems natural and unforced. The plot is not overly complicated and is easy to follow, as always in Indridason's books, and while one cannot claim that ''The Shadow Killer'' is the typical page-turner, it still remains an enjoyable reading experience. The central flaw of the book concerns the characters, as there can be no real comparison between Inspector Flovent and Inspector Erlendur, who is one of the most beloved, though grumpy and fastidious, protagonists in Scandinavian crime fiction. Flovent's character seems to be flat and uninteresting and personally, i didn't care or feel any sympathy for him, throughout the development of the story. The same is applicable to Flovent's sidekick, the Canadian-Icelander Thorson who is awkward and seems constantly out of place.
The story itself concerns a murder of an Icelander called Eyvindur who works as a traveling salesman and is married to Vera, an unfaithful wife who is involved in intimate relationships with British soldiers. Eyvindur is found shot in another man's apartment and the duo of Flovent and Thorson are puzzled as to who really was the target of the killer, Eyvindur or Felix (the apartment's owner)? Is it a case of mistaken identity or not? The investigation will bring to light political intrigues and secrets as well as military espionage agents who took action by the time of the Second World War in Iceland on behalf of the Nazi regime.
''The Shadow Killer'' is an easy read, without being the nail-biting suspense novel some may expect, and is a worthy addition to the bookshelf of every Scandinavian/Nordic Noir fan around the world. Indridason's writing style guarantees a prime reading experience.

[Effie Saxioni · Rating 4 out of 5]

Μια πολύ ωραία ιστορία, που εκτυλίσσεται σε μια κομβική στιγμή του Β' παγκοσμίου πολέμου για την Ισλανδία.Βήμα βήμα(πολύ κυριολεκτικά!),φτάνουμε στη λύση της δολοφονίας,με ένα δίδυμο συνεργατών που αρχικά φαίνονται παράταιροι λόγω συγκρουόμενων συμφερόντων.Συγκρίνοντάς το με τη σειρά του επιθεωρητή Ερλεντούρ,η γραφή παραμένει στο ίδιο ύφος,όμως αυτή τη φορά μου φάνηκε πως καθυστέρησε λίγο να με βάλει στο κλίμα.4,5⭐

[Lynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Shadow Killer is set in WWII in Iceland. It is the second in the Reykjavik wartime mystery series. Once again, we meet Thorson, an Icelandic Canadian, who is working as a military police officer and Flovent, the only detective on the Reykjavik police force.

A travelling salesman is found shot to death with a swastika painted on his forehead in blood. There's an interesting find in his luggage which Thorson investigates. The reason for this murder is questionable with two contrasting motives under consideration.

This is a contemplative mystery with little action. Arnaldur Indrioason excels at the development of a time period with all the social and political influences on society's mores. I appreciate Indrioason's understated writing, it differentiates his work. 3.5 bumped up to 4.

[Amos · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thought I wasn't really digging this story....until I looked up and realized that the sun had set and I'd finished the book. D'oh!!

3 1/2 Sneaky Stars

[Rowena Hoseason · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the Shadow series, Reykjavik is reeling, not from the onslaught of an armed invasion but from the cultural upheaval that comes when a ‘protective’ military takes up garrison; when the young people comes flooding in from the countryside, abandoning the seasonal pace of a simple life for the accelerated sophistication of urban existence. Too many of the new arrivals discovered only poverty, exploitation, deceit and abuse. In The Shadow Killer the policemen must mop up the mess when blood is spilled in civilian situations.

Into this situation, Indriðason deposits a dead body, a missing person, an inexperienced investigator and a military man – inevitably under pressure from his superiors. Local policeman Flóvent and soldier Thorson (Canadian of Icelandic descent) start tugging on loose threads. Pretty soon they have a tangle of personal betrayals, eugenics experiments, Nazi sympathisers and emotional abuse to unravel.

The plot proceeds at a measured rate – this certainly is no fast-paced page-turner, and nor is it a whodunit where the reader stands much chance of pre-empting the dénouement. It is, however, the type of criminal investigation where you can immerse yourself in the intricacy of the story.

This is the second book in the Shadow series, not that it matters if you haven’t read the first. The characters seem barely related to the protagonists in The Shadow District; I’ve read both, but wasn’t really clear about the timeline. The relationship between Flóvent and Thorson seemed curiously muted in Killer, and for most of the time they work in parallel, not in partnership.

If Flóvent and Thorson tend to fade into the background, it’s so that the stories of the witnesses, suspects, conspirators and victims can take centre stage. Their tangled sins and secrets might serve to mislead, or to bring us closer to the truth. Either way, their revelations give us an insight into the lives of a unique people at a time of extreme stress.

If you prefer your crime novels to be all about the central detective and his/her domestic situation, then the Shadow series may not suit you. Fans of the Erlendur investigations might struggle to find a key character to latch onto in these stories. For me, it’s the country itself – Iceland is the protagonist, fighting an internal war which sets the past against the future. It’s a nation in flux, torn between the competing ideologies of the Allies and the Axis, and depicted with quiet dexterity by an accomplished author.
8/10

There's more about this book (and many other crime-thrillers) at http://www.murdermayhemandmore.net

[Bruce Hatton · Rating 3 out of 5]

This novel, the second in the Reykjavik Wartime series is actually a prequel to the first novel The Shadow District. It is set in 1941, at a time Iceland was occupied by both British and American forces and chronicles the first meeting between the series’ two main characters: Flovent, a Reykjavik police officer and Thorson, a Canadian of Icelandic parentage who works for the U.S. military.
A travelling salesman is found shot dead by an American service revolver. Flovent and Thorson’s subsequent investigations reveal links to espionage and early experiments in eugenics.
I did feel that, already having read The Shadow District, it did act as something of a spoiler to this novel. Whereas this novel is set in a single timeframe, that one was set both in the present day and 1944, and, through it, we learn what eventually happens to both Flovent and Thorson.
This is not a bad novel by any means, but Arnaldur has certainly written better.

[eyes.2c · Rating 4 out of 5]

World War 11 intrigue

World War II Reykjavík. It's 1941, a man is found dead, a cyanid pill in his suitcase. Iceland as an area of interest is host to armed forces from both the British and Americans
The murder investigation by a member of the understaffed Reykjavík police with the support of a Canadian RMP officer (officers Flóvent and Thorson) turn up a strange trail of events as they look at the why and what of the man they seek.
Lives are turned inside out, harsh events from the past come to light. Their discoveries impact the current political situation and war effort.
Another enthralling entry into in to the Nordic Noir genre.

A NetGalley ARC

[Raven · Rating 5 out of 5]

Now to two books by the undisputed king of Icelandic crime, Arnaldur Indridason, The Shadow District, and The Shadow Killer, which I read back to back, and both set in wartime Reykjavik. My only slight annoyance with doing this, was that the first book is set in 1944, and the second in 1941, and as the first book ties up what happens to the two main protagonists in subsequent years, I was frustrated by going back in time in the second with this knowledge of the future in my head. On a more positive note, however, I thought both books were pretty flawless in their period detail, dramatic tension, and with a thoroughly likeable pair of investigators, Flovent, a police detective, and Thorsen, a military policeman with Icelandic and Canadian roots. There was a good sense of equanimity in the structure of their working relationship, and both characters had pleasing emotional depth and quirks to their personalities. As both are young men, Indridason not only builds into their characters a slight sense of impetuousness, but balances this with moments of mature emotional clarity, as they seek to track down murderers, with the opposing weight of the police force and the military sometimes seeking to thwart their progress.
Although both books focus on fairly linear murder plots, both are superbly enhanced by the wealth of detail that Indridason weaves into the stories, focussing on the country’s gaining of independence and, the role of Iceland in supporting the allied war mission, and the social implications, particularly on families, women and personal wealth, by this massive influx of British and American military personnel. Prior to reading these books I had no awareness whatsoever of the singularly important part that Iceland played in WWII, and certainly for me I found the military detail fascinating, and I was utterly intrigued by the whole concept of ‘the Situation‘- the sense of judgement meted out by families and society alike on young women fraternising with the allied personnel. This is pertinent to both books, and by the incorporation of a creepy subplot based on equally creepy totems of Icelandic folklore, the role of women and their subjugation plays heavily throughout. I found these different themes of home, family, folklore, war and society work in perfect tandem with each other, leading to a real multi faceted reading experience, with the characters of Flovent and Thorsen holding the whole narrative together. I would highly recommend both books but maybe read them in date order!

[Barbara Nutting · Rating 4 out of 5]

Flovent and Thorson, the not very dynamic-duo, manage to solve the mystery in their own sweet time. Spies, espionage and Nazis lead them on a merry chase. Never knew anything about Iceland and World War II and now I do. I’m enjoying these slower paced Icelandic stories. Read and learn.

[gem · Rating 3 out of 5]

Engrossing and jam packed full of action, this is a really great crime novel.
What I loved most about this was the time period in which it was set as there was so much to explore and it really added an element of reality to the plot, as some things which are mr ruined really would have been happening.
Although it’s 2nd in the series the reader doesn’t miss out by not having read book one.
I’ll definitely be reading more books by this author!

Thank you to Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

[Kristinn Logi · Rating 2 out of 5]

Engin spenna, ágætt plott en ekki spennandi og fekk mig lítið til að reyna að sjá fyrir endann. Endinn gekk vel upp. Ágæt nostalgíulýsing á Reykajvík stríðsára. Pirrandi með eindæmum hvað samtölin í bókinni eru einsleit og löng, enginn vill svara neinu og bregðast allir illa við öllum spurningum. Hefði gefið henni 2,5 stjörnur

[Mick Dubois · Rating 5 out of 5]

IJsland 1941, de grootste Amerikaanse troepenconcentratie op het noordelijk halfrond bevindt zich in IJsland een strategisch punt in de oorlog tegen de nazi’s. Wat ik niet wist was dat de Amerikanen al voor ze officieel deelnamen aan de tweede wereldoorlog al zo massaal aanwezig waren in IJsland. Ik dacht dat ze tot aan Pearl Harbour ‘neutraal’ waren. Dat de Britten er een hoofdkwartier hadden lijkt me logisch, maar dat ze zo vroeg al de controle over gaven aan de Amerikanen was me niet bekend. Indridason zal wel weten waarover hij praat, want ook in zijn ‘Erlendur’ reeks, wordt er regelmatig gerefereerd aan gebeurtenissen tijdens de Amerikaanse bezetting, die voortduurde tot lang na de oorlog en tot diep in de koude oorlog. Ik heb dus even opgezocht hoe het nu zat:

“Op 9 april 1940 capituleerde Denemarken aan Duitsland. IJsland viel onder de Deense kroon. De IJslandse regering weigerde de Britse zijde te kiezen in de oorlog. Wegens de strategische ligging van het eiland besloten de Britten het te bezetten. Amerikaanse strijdkrachten losten de Britse een jaar later af op 8 juli 1941, hoewel dit land op dat moment nog niet officieel betrokken was bij de oorlog. Zij bleven er voor de gehele duur van de oorlog. IJsland werkte wel samen met Britten en Amerikanen maar bleef officieel neutraal.”
Main article: Occupation of Iceland
“British troops arrived and many stayed in the city of Reykjavik, causing much social disruption among the citizens. Women and young girls were thought to have had sexual relationships with the British soldiers. Reports also showed an increase in prostitution. This interaction also caused some hostility between the soldiers and Icelandic men. The large-scale interaction between young Icelandic women and soldiers came to be known as Ástandið ("the condition" or "situation") in Icelandic”

Het verhaal zelf gaat over een handelsreiziger die dood wordt aangetroffen in een kelderwoning. Hij kreeg een nekschot en de kogel is afkomstig uit een Amerikaans wapen. Vanwege die connectie wordt de IJslandse rechercheur Flovent aangevuld met Thorson, een Canadese MP van IJslandse afkomst. Geen van beiden heeft veel ervaring met moord, maar ze kunnen, tegen alle verwachtingen in, wel met elkaar opschieten. Al snel blijkt dat de vermoorde niet de bewoner van het appartement is maar een andere handelsreiziger. Beide mannen hadden elkaar gekend als kind en toen is er vanalles gebeurd dat nu wordt opgerakeld. De dode had net een relatie achter de rug met een vrouw die nu een verhouding heeft met een Engelse militair. Ook kan er sprake zijn van spionage. Er zijn dus pistes genoeg om te onderzoeken. Ondertussen willen de Amerikanen het onderzoek naar zich toe trekken, maar geen van beide speurders wil daar van weten.
Omdat ik ondertussen al de verhalen van Indridason over inspecteur Erlendur al heb gelezen, ben ik aan een andere korte reeks van hem begonnen. Het zijn andere hoofdpersonen en dit keer zit er ook geen verdwijning (al kan je de vlucht van Felix misschien wel zo noemen) in het verhaal, maar de stijl en de thema’s zijn wel dezelfde. Ook in zijn andere boeken gaat het immers vaak over dingen die met de Amerikaanse bezetting te maken hebben.
Het einde is een beetje teleurstellend. We komen wel te weten hoe het allemaal in elkaar steekt, maar van een echte straf is eigenlijk geen sprake. Zoals in het echte leven dus.
Wie is de tweejarige die op het einde van het boek naar de parade kijkt? Even dacht ik toch weer aan Erlendur, maar die groeide op in de hooglanden. De schrijver zelf is te jong. Misschien is het Marion Briem?

[Buchdoktor · Rating 4 out of 5]

In Reykjavik wird ein Mann erschossen aufgefunden, den die Polizei zunächst für den Mieter der Wohnung hält, den Handelsreisenden Felix Lunden. Als Tatwaffe wird ein amerikanischer Colt ermittelt, der zum US-Militär zu führen scheint; denn Island ist seit Sommer 1941 von der US-Army besetzt. Beide Vermutungen erweisen sich bald als falsch. Die Ermittlungen führt der einheimische Polizist Flóvent durch, dem als Verbindungsmann zur US-Militärpolizei der Kanadier Thorson zugeteilt wird. Thorsons Eltern stammen aus Island, er ist bereits in Kanada aufgewachsen. Beide Männer nehmen als ziemliche Greenhorns in Polizeiangelegenheiten ungewöhnliche Rollen ein. Polizeiliche Ermittlungsmethoden scheinen damals in Island noch in den Kinderschuhen zu stecken und Kapitalverbrechen höchst selten vorgekommen zu sein. Flóvent ist als einziger Ermittler in der Hauptstadt zurückgeblieben, seit seinen Kollegen kriegswichtigere Aufgaben zugeteilt wurden. Thorson bekommt von seinem Vorgesetzten bei derMilitärpolizei Druck, den nach Ansicht der US-Behörden unfähigen Einheimischen den Fall möglichst bald aus der Hand zu nehmen.

Für die Tat in einem im Krieg besetzten Land sammelt das Ermittlerduo einen ganzen Strauß an möglichen Motiven. Auch wenn der Tote nicht Felix Lunden ist, gibt es Hinweise, dass der wirkliche Felix in der Rolle eines Handelsvertreters für Deutschland spioniert haben könnte und das aufgefundene Opfer deshalb sterben musste. Weitere Fäden führen zu Felix Vater, der schon vor dem Krieg zur nationalsozialistischen Rassentheorie geforscht hat, und zu Vera, der kurzzeitigen Lebensgefährtin des Toten, die im Camp Knox offiziell eine Wäscherei für die US-Soldaten betreibt. Das Baracken-Camp Knox befand sich im Zweiten Weltkrieg dort, wo heute die Blaue Lagune dampft.

„Der Reisende“ erscheint als erster Band (um Flóvent) zu „Schattenwege“, das zwar früher veröffentlicht wurde, zeitlich jedoch Jahre später spielt. Da die amerikanische Besatzung in Island bis heute noch zitiert wird, fand ich das Szenario des Krimis viel versprechend, der aufzeigt, wie stark sich das Land im Krieg veränderte, das bis dahin von Fischerei und Landwirtschaft geprägt war. Die Figuren der beiden jungen Ermittler wirken völlig glaubwürdig, die in ungewöhnlichen Zeiten selbstständig ermitteln, ohne dass Vorgesetzte ihnen genaue Weisungen geben. In Friedenszeiten wären beide vermutlich reine Befehlsempfänger gewesen und evtl. Ermittlungserfolge hätten ihre Vorgesetzten sich ans Revers geheftet. Auch wenn mit den rassentheoretischen Untersuchungen von Lunden senior, den sozialen Bedingungen im Land und der Prostitution im Umfeld einer Armee reichlich viele Problemfelder in diesem Band untergebracht werden, hat mir die unkonventionelle Arbeitsweise des Ermittler-Duos gefallen, ebenso ihre Ernsthaftigkeit und Höflichkeit den befragten Zeugen gegenüber. Auf manche Leser wird der Plot überladen wirken, als sozialkritisches Zeitzeugnis fand ich den Kriminalfall mit seinen handelnden Figuren sehr ansprechend.

[Ken Fredette · Rating 4 out of 5]

Arnaldur Indridason has made main characters of Flovent and Thorson and did not say what would happen to them after the war. You read about them in the first book but he didn't repeat himself. In this book you met Eyvindur, a salesman, who was enamored with Vera but left him for a British soldier. Then we meet Felix Lunden and his father Rudolf Lunden, his nurse and housekeeper Brynhildur Holm and Rudolf's brother-in-law, Ebenezer Egilsson, who is the schools headmaster. It seems the story revolves around these four people with the school due to a study done by Rudolf Lunden on boys with criminal fathers. I could say more but you can read this story for yourself because it is so much more that this. Flovent and Thorson dig really deep into what leads to finding the murder of Eyvindur and the final outcome.

[Vassiliki Dass · Rating 2 out of 5]

Un échec, malheureusement. Depuis la série Erlendur rien ne va plus. Des dialogues à n’en pas finir, aucun sens de la description de l’ambiance de l’époque, une intrigue molle à vouloir s’endormir et ce qui m’a frappé pour la première fois : tous les personnages parlent de la même manière, qu’ils soient profs, médecins ou délinquants. Non M. Idridason, je suis une de vos premières fans mais là je dois vous dire la vérité, il faudrait selon moi arrêter un peu d’écrire et prendre de la distance

[flaminia · Rating 3 out of 5]

mezza stelletta in più perché flòvent in confronto all'ispettore erlendur è un allegrone che potrebbe benissimo fare il capo villaggio al club med.