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After a messy divorce, attractive young mother Sonia is struggling to provide for herself and keep custody of her son. With her back to the wall, she resorts to smuggling cocaine into Iceland, and finds herself caught up in a ruthless criminal world. As she desperately looks for a way out of trouble, she must pit her wits against her nemesis, Bragi, a customs officer, whose years of experience frustrate her new and evermore daring strategies. Things become even more complicated when Sonia embarks on a relationship with a woman, Agla. Once a high-level bank executive, Agla is currently being prosecuted in the aftermath the Icelandic financial crash. Set in a Reykjavík still covered in the dust of the Eyjafjallajökull volcanic eruption, and with a dark, fast-paced and chilling plot and intriguing characters, Snare is an outstandingly original and sexy Nordic crime thriller.
271 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 15, 2015
486 people are currently reading
2939 people want to read
About the author
Lilja Sigurðardóttir
31 books451 followersLilja´s newest book, Netið ((Tangle) was published by Forlagid publishing in October 2016 and is the second book in the Reykjavík Noir Trilogy.
Lilja started her writing career in 2008 when she sent a manuscript of a novel to a competition run by the publishing house Bjartur whose aim was to find the Icelandic Dan Brown. Lilja got a publishing deal out of the competition and in 2009 her first book, the crime novel Spor (Steps), came out, which she wrote in her spare time. Her second book, Fyrirgefning (Foregiveness) was published a year later but after that Lilja wrote mostly for theatre for the coming years. She won the Icelandic Theatre Awards for Best Play of the Year in 2014 for her staged debut Stóru börnin (Big Babies). But in 2015 she started a new crime series with Icelands biggest publisher Forlagid. The series has been called The Reykjavík Noir Trilogy, and the first book in series, Gildran (Snare) became an instant success.
Lilja started her writing career in 2008 when she sent a manuscript of a novel to a competition run by the publishing house Bjartur whose aim was to find the Icelandic Dan Brown. Lilja got a publishing deal out of the competition and in 2009 her first book, the crime novel Spor (Steps), came out, which she wrote in her spare time. Her second book, Fyrirgefning (Foregiveness) was published a year later but after that Lilja wrote mostly for theatre for the coming years. She won the Icelandic Theatre Awards for Best Play of the Year in 2014 for her staged debut Stóru börnin (Big Babies). But in 2015 she started a new crime series with Icelands biggest publisher Forlagid. The series has been called The Reykjavík Noir Trilogy, and the first book in series, Gildran (Snare) became an instant success.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 411 reviews
April 4, 2018
"Snare" is a brilliant crime thriller with a very clever and intelligent storyline which is unique, original and gripping. It has a suspenseful plot line with incredible well defined characters and with it being so thrilling and fast paced this addictive book will have you reading well past your bedtime - I did and loved every minute!
It's the first in the Reykjavik Noir Trilogy and considering how good this book is I really can't wait for the next two!!
Set in a Reykjavik that is still covered in the dust of a recent volcanic eruption, Sonja has just gone through a messy and heartbreaking divorce which saw her handing over custody of her son to her husband. Falling into the ruthless and frightening criminal world to stay afloat she starts smuggling cocaine into Iceland. Desperately now looking for a way out of trouble she pits her wits again her nemesis, Bragi, a customs officer who has been watching her from afar, every time she lands in Iceland. To complicate matters, Sonja is in a relationship with a woman, Alga. Once a high level bank executive she is now currently being prosecuted in the aftermath of the Icelandic financial crash.
I really loved Sonja and truly felt for her predicament, sympathising with her at every move, she's not a bad person but just drawn into a situation she has no control over and is meticulously planning a way out of it all, in the hope of regaining custody of her son Tomas. All through the book I felt trapped in the 'snare' with Sonja and felt her every emotion and action that she took.
I also liked the side storyline of Braji and his devoted wife Valdis, who suffering from Alzheimer's appears to be being abused in the care home she is in. Emotional and breathtaking this atmospheric thriller about love and crime really does keep you enthralled until the exciting climax!
There's an excellent glossary at the beginning too, to thoughtfully help with the pronunciation of any Icelandic names you don't understand. Fabulously translated by the incredibly talented Quentin Bates, this book's narrative and dialogue flows seamlessly and really makes for an enjoyable read.
"Snare" is written by Icelandic crime writer Lilja Sigurdardottir, who has already written four crime novels and this book is hitting the bestseller lists worldwide with translation and film rights have already been bought. I can definitely see this author becoming very famous globally and I for one cannot wait to read her future offerings!
5 stars
It's the first in the Reykjavik Noir Trilogy and considering how good this book is I really can't wait for the next two!!
Set in a Reykjavik that is still covered in the dust of a recent volcanic eruption, Sonja has just gone through a messy and heartbreaking divorce which saw her handing over custody of her son to her husband. Falling into the ruthless and frightening criminal world to stay afloat she starts smuggling cocaine into Iceland. Desperately now looking for a way out of trouble she pits her wits again her nemesis, Bragi, a customs officer who has been watching her from afar, every time she lands in Iceland. To complicate matters, Sonja is in a relationship with a woman, Alga. Once a high level bank executive she is now currently being prosecuted in the aftermath of the Icelandic financial crash.
I really loved Sonja and truly felt for her predicament, sympathising with her at every move, she's not a bad person but just drawn into a situation she has no control over and is meticulously planning a way out of it all, in the hope of regaining custody of her son Tomas. All through the book I felt trapped in the 'snare' with Sonja and felt her every emotion and action that she took.
I also liked the side storyline of Braji and his devoted wife Valdis, who suffering from Alzheimer's appears to be being abused in the care home she is in. Emotional and breathtaking this atmospheric thriller about love and crime really does keep you enthralled until the exciting climax!
There's an excellent glossary at the beginning too, to thoughtfully help with the pronunciation of any Icelandic names you don't understand. Fabulously translated by the incredibly talented Quentin Bates, this book's narrative and dialogue flows seamlessly and really makes for an enjoyable read.
"Snare" is written by Icelandic crime writer Lilja Sigurdardottir, who has already written four crime novels and this book is hitting the bestseller lists worldwide with translation and film rights have already been bought. I can definitely see this author becoming very famous globally and I for one cannot wait to read her future offerings!
5 stars
March 14, 2022
3.5 rounded up.
Some time ago I grabbed a bunch of Scandi noir books when they were on sale on Amazon. This is the first I have read and, even so, I read it in 3-4 sittings over about a week in between other reading commitments.
Sonja is caught in a “snare” of being an unwilling drug mule. I can’t remember exactly how she got caught up but when she was caught by her husband, Adam, in ‘flagrante delicto’ with another woman it began. He wanted a divorce and he wanted custody of their son Tomas. Sonja wants to fight for custody but she doesn’t have the means so she goes to a friend, a lawyer, who suggests the drug smuggling may be a good earner. How dumb can you be?
Of course she is not happy about it but she’s very good at it. Every kroner she earns, and a small amount of cocaine skimmed off each shipment, go into the kitty for her fight for Tomas. Things get darker quickly though. At first she was smuggling a kilo at a time which was relatively easy to get through customs. Then they wanted her to carry three kilos and she had to get more inventive. There is also an elderly customs agent who has his eye on her. After she survives the second, very thorough, search at customs she wants to quit but this is not allowed and she gets a savage beating.
But when she gets a picture of Tomas with the man who beat her up she gets serious about getting out. She has an unlikely ally who presents a possible way to get out of this snare but so doing shows her the depths of betrayal by someone she trusted.
It was an interesting and enjoyable story, full of largely unlikeable characters. Even Sonja was not totally likeable but she was the best of them. There was a sub plot about many of the same characters being investigated for financial crimes, this was set just after the global financial crisis and Iceland did not come out of it well. The side plot was not very interesting to me. But I have the next two books and I’m looking forward to reading them.
Some time ago I grabbed a bunch of Scandi noir books when they were on sale on Amazon. This is the first I have read and, even so, I read it in 3-4 sittings over about a week in between other reading commitments.
Sonja is caught in a “snare” of being an unwilling drug mule. I can’t remember exactly how she got caught up but when she was caught by her husband, Adam, in ‘flagrante delicto’ with another woman it began. He wanted a divorce and he wanted custody of their son Tomas. Sonja wants to fight for custody but she doesn’t have the means so she goes to a friend, a lawyer, who suggests the drug smuggling may be a good earner. How dumb can you be?
Of course she is not happy about it but she’s very good at it. Every kroner she earns, and a small amount of cocaine skimmed off each shipment, go into the kitty for her fight for Tomas. Things get darker quickly though. At first she was smuggling a kilo at a time which was relatively easy to get through customs. Then they wanted her to carry three kilos and she had to get more inventive. There is also an elderly customs agent who has his eye on her. After she survives the second, very thorough, search at customs she wants to quit but this is not allowed and she gets a savage beating.
But when she gets a picture of Tomas with the man who beat her up she gets serious about getting out. She has an unlikely ally who presents a possible way to get out of this snare but so doing shows her the depths of betrayal by someone she trusted.
It was an interesting and enjoyable story, full of largely unlikeable characters. Even Sonja was not totally likeable but she was the best of them. There was a sub plot about many of the same characters being investigated for financial crimes, this was set just after the global financial crisis and Iceland did not come out of it well. The side plot was not very interesting to me. But I have the next two books and I’m looking forward to reading them.
October 11, 2017
Snare is told via three separate points of view, that of Sonia, Bragi and Agla. All of their lives and stories merge at some point in really interesting ways and the cat and mouse game between Sonia and Bragi was unbelievably tense and exciting. My heart was in my throat for most of this book, as much as I shouldn’t have wanted Sonia to keep getting away with drug running I couldn’t help but sympathize with her and truly hoped she would find a safe way out.
Sigurdardottir is a fantastic writer, the scenes where Sonia was in the airport were so well written I felt panicky and anxious myself. There was a dark desperation lingering throughout this one, a strong sense of urgency that worked so incredibly well alongside the chilly Icelandic setting.
Snare was a highly original and tense read that I flew through, it gripped me immediately and caught me in its own unique snare, I read it in one breathless sitting. This was a different type of crime read, the type of book Orenda is known for, fresh, exhilarating and compelling. If you haven’t had the pleasure of reading anything by them before you should definitely check out their catalog or if all else fails start with this one, it’s outstanding.
Quick side note, I just saw it’ll be the start of a new series and I couldn’t be more excited!
Sigurdardottir is a fantastic writer, the scenes where Sonia was in the airport were so well written I felt panicky and anxious myself. There was a dark desperation lingering throughout this one, a strong sense of urgency that worked so incredibly well alongside the chilly Icelandic setting.
Snare was a highly original and tense read that I flew through, it gripped me immediately and caught me in its own unique snare, I read it in one breathless sitting. This was a different type of crime read, the type of book Orenda is known for, fresh, exhilarating and compelling. If you haven’t had the pleasure of reading anything by them before you should definitely check out their catalog or if all else fails start with this one, it’s outstanding.
Quick side note, I just saw it’ll be the start of a new series and I couldn’t be more excited!
June 23, 2023
A psychological thriller from Iceland, told from different points of view and written in a quite laconic way.
Funny and absurd scenes alternate with cruel and terrifying sequences, and I didn’t see the turn coming which the storyline takes at the end …
Particularly interesting: the extremely complicated lesbian relationship between the two female characters Sonja and Agla, which is comical, tragic and moving at the same time.
A suspenseful novel and the first volume of a trilogy. I’m already curious to read the rest of the books!
4.5 Stars.
Funny and absurd scenes alternate with cruel and terrifying sequences, and I didn’t see the turn coming which the storyline takes at the end …
Particularly interesting: the extremely complicated lesbian relationship between the two female characters Sonja and Agla, which is comical, tragic and moving at the same time.
A suspenseful novel and the first volume of a trilogy. I’m already curious to read the rest of the books!
4.5 Stars.
October 7, 2017
Ah, Scandi-Noir! We meet once more and again, you didn’t let me down. Snare is one superb tense ride, centred around three characters who all find themselves trapped one way or another.
After a messy divorce, Sonja loses custody of her son. When we first meet her, she’s smuggling drugs into the country. But there’s more to her situation than meets the eye. It becomes clear quite early on that she’s not exactly a willing participant but is finding it hard to escape the hold the vicious criminal world has on her.
Then there’s Bragi, a customs officer. Close to retirement, he refuses to stop working because he has nothing to go home to since he had to make the tough decision of placing his wife in a care home. Bragi has years of experience and is keen to show the young recruits how it’s done so when his instincts tell him Sonja is up to no good, he’s like a dog with a bone.
And finally we have Agla, a bank executive, who’s under investigation in the aftermath of the financial crisis in Iceland. She and Sonja have an incredibly complicated relationship. Agla carries a lot of guilt and shame with her which may just force her to sacrifice herself in order to protect a secret she’s not willing to face up to.
The setting in Iceland works like a charm with its cold, dark and rather short days. It really adds to the level of tension and the threatening vibe, especially in combination with the ashes from the erupted volcano with the difficult name falling from the sky depending on how the wind blows.
What really got me though, were the moments when Sonja was at the airport. I’m a nervous wreck when I have to fly and go through security, even though I know I’m not doing anything wrong! Sonja, however, comes across as completely cool and collected, able to fool just about anyone. I found myself in this odd situation of barely being able to breathe until she made it out safely.
The author has created some brilliant characters and even though Sonja is basically a criminal in her own right, I felt for her and truly liked her. She’s just an ordinary woman who finds herself in extraordinary circumstances, who realises she’s way smarter than she thought and capable of things she never even considered. Especially when it relates to her son, who is always her first priority.
Snare is utterly chilling, compelling and incredibly original. With a brilliantly executed plot and characters you shouldn’t really sympathise with but somehow do, I was completely enthralled. Full of suspense and intrigue, this crime story about love and revenge had me hooked from start to finish.
I can’t possibly leave out the amazing translation by Quentin Bates. At no point did I ever feel I wasn’t reading the original version. This is a fantastic addition to my ever-growing Scandi-Noir shelf and I very much look forward to more by Lilja Sigurdardottir.
After a messy divorce, Sonja loses custody of her son. When we first meet her, she’s smuggling drugs into the country. But there’s more to her situation than meets the eye. It becomes clear quite early on that she’s not exactly a willing participant but is finding it hard to escape the hold the vicious criminal world has on her.
Then there’s Bragi, a customs officer. Close to retirement, he refuses to stop working because he has nothing to go home to since he had to make the tough decision of placing his wife in a care home. Bragi has years of experience and is keen to show the young recruits how it’s done so when his instincts tell him Sonja is up to no good, he’s like a dog with a bone.
And finally we have Agla, a bank executive, who’s under investigation in the aftermath of the financial crisis in Iceland. She and Sonja have an incredibly complicated relationship. Agla carries a lot of guilt and shame with her which may just force her to sacrifice herself in order to protect a secret she’s not willing to face up to.
The setting in Iceland works like a charm with its cold, dark and rather short days. It really adds to the level of tension and the threatening vibe, especially in combination with the ashes from the erupted volcano with the difficult name falling from the sky depending on how the wind blows.
What really got me though, were the moments when Sonja was at the airport. I’m a nervous wreck when I have to fly and go through security, even though I know I’m not doing anything wrong! Sonja, however, comes across as completely cool and collected, able to fool just about anyone. I found myself in this odd situation of barely being able to breathe until she made it out safely.
The author has created some brilliant characters and even though Sonja is basically a criminal in her own right, I felt for her and truly liked her. She’s just an ordinary woman who finds herself in extraordinary circumstances, who realises she’s way smarter than she thought and capable of things she never even considered. Especially when it relates to her son, who is always her first priority.
Snare is utterly chilling, compelling and incredibly original. With a brilliantly executed plot and characters you shouldn’t really sympathise with but somehow do, I was completely enthralled. Full of suspense and intrigue, this crime story about love and revenge had me hooked from start to finish.
I can’t possibly leave out the amazing translation by Quentin Bates. At no point did I ever feel I wasn’t reading the original version. This is a fantastic addition to my ever-growing Scandi-Noir shelf and I very much look forward to more by Lilja Sigurdardottir.
September 22, 2018
W „Pułapce” czytelnik nie znajdzie brutalnych opisów, ani scen pełnych bezmyślnej przemocy, odnajdzie natomiast emocje i wybory, z którymi może się zidentyfikować. Czego zabrakło? Pazura ostrości i kryminalnej głębi. „Pułapka” okazała się stonowaną powieścią sensacyjną, subtelną w dawkowaniu kryminalnych doznań, ale satysfakcjonującą dla tych, którzy szukają w kryminałach czegoś nieco odmiennego. Lilja Sigurdardottir pokazuje rozpad jednostki rodzinnej, stratę, tęsknotę za bliskością oraz związaną z nią samotność bohaterów. Główny nacisk kładzie na skomplikowane relacje i uczucia, co sprawia, że wątek narkotykowy, który przecież napędza fabułę, jest główną osią, wokół której poruszają się wszyscy wkręceni w intrygę, wydaje się mniej istotny, chociaż wiemy, że gdyby nie narkotyki, to historia Sonji nigdy by się nie wydarzyła.
Pierwszy tom islandzkiej serii Reykjavik Noir intryguje, ale czekamy na więcej – więcej noir, więcej ciemności.
Pierwszy tom islandzkiej serii Reykjavik Noir intryguje, ale czekamy na więcej – więcej noir, więcej ciemności.
October 30, 2019
I have had this book for quite a while but glad that I finally got to read it.
Sonia is in a 'snare' through a series of events and working as a drug mule. She is divorced and gets to have her son every second weekend. She hopes to save enough to free herself of the snare and get shared custody of her boy.
Bragi is a customs officer nearing retirement. He soon becomes suspicious of the attractive young woman that is frequently passing through the airport.
The book unfolds like a train wreck, it is not pretty. However, once you start reading it you will not be able to put it down, it is a 'snare'.
Excellent first book in this series, I am keen to read more.
Sonia is in a 'snare' through a series of events and working as a drug mule. She is divorced and gets to have her son every second weekend. She hopes to save enough to free herself of the snare and get shared custody of her boy.
Bragi is a customs officer nearing retirement. He soon becomes suspicious of the attractive young woman that is frequently passing through the airport.
The book unfolds like a train wreck, it is not pretty. However, once you start reading it you will not be able to put it down, it is a 'snare'.
Excellent first book in this series, I am keen to read more.
March 11, 2022
Primele pagini ne prezinta personajele principale: Sonja, o mama care a pierdut custodia copilului in favoarea tatalui si acum incearca sa iasa la liman din punct de vedere financiar. Doar ca, afacetea de care se ocupa nu este tocmai nobila.
Agla, iubita lui Sonja, care este cercetata pentru jocuri cu bani, multi bani si conturi fictive.
Bragi, un agent vamal care se incapataneaza sa amane pensia pana in ultima zi cu putinta, spre marea iritare a celor din jur.
Si acum incepe cu adevarat actiunea din lumea drogurilor. Un thriller interesant.
Agla, iubita lui Sonja, care este cercetata pentru jocuri cu bani, multi bani si conturi fictive.
Bragi, un agent vamal care se incapataneaza sa amane pensia pana in ultima zi cu putinta, spre marea iritare a celor din jur.
Si acum incepe cu adevarat actiunea din lumea drogurilor. Un thriller interesant.
February 1, 2018
Time for some international reading. Iceland this time, a land of readers and writers if statistics are to go by. Also a land of brutal weather, terrible food and gorgeous scenery. All these ingredients were presents and permanently featured, it’s the story itself that was sort of underwhelming. Scandinavian fiction in general has a sort of flat aspect to it, but here it went beyond muted to plain averageness. Plus the ending was a definite detractor. Yes, I understand it’s a first in a new series and series are nearly impossible to avoid, ok, but every entry should still be self contained and offer a proper resolution. This one sort of just ended in a pretty unsatisfying way. The plot is this…a woman goes through an ugly divorce and subsequent financial challenges entangle her in a…yes, you got it, Snare. Now she, Sonja, has to shuttle cocaine into the country. All the while hoping to get out of the racket and get back the custody of her child. All the while maintaining a terribly dysfunctional love affair with Agla, a woman who is ashamed of her sexuality and also embroiled in a financial scam investigation. And then there’s a security person at the airport who is onto Sonja’s act. So it’s all challenging and complicated. And you’d think would be really compelling, but it’s just compelling enough. The Sonja and Agla thing is just a nuisance, you’d think a country that essentially pioneered gender equality, gay rights and all that would see their citizens have a more progressive mentality, but no, Agla’s so stuck in the closet, she can practically see Narnia from there and the entire relationship is just a sad mess. The state of the country in this book is also kind of a sad mess, set in 2010/2011 financial crisis, Iceland comes across as provincial and claustrophobic and gray. Maybe it just doesn’t mesh with my romanticized version of it. Or maybe it’s just the depressing reality of civilizations unable or unwilling to live up to the high standards nature sets. Anyway, this book had its moments, enough of them to make the reader care, probably enough to want to check out further installments…although it may not have been memorable enough to ensure the recollection of prior events by the time the sequel comes out. But actually I do think I may be invested enough in the character to want to see what's next. At least right now. Snare may also work as a manual for aspiring smugglers, Sonja has an OCD like precision about her work. But then again as the book demonstrates you might not want to go that way. The ending had a nice twist to it, really enhanced the story, although with the mystery out of the way, the next one is setting up to be just a straight up power struggle with known players. Time will tell. Maybe the author has some new tricks up her sleeve. Oh…is this still Scandinavian noir if it really isn’t that noirish? It’s definitely Scandinavian, but the style doesn’t really suggest noir. Maybe it’s become more of a general generic sort of thing now. Geographically specific thriller fiction. Thanks Netgalley.
September 20, 2023
Skandináv, ez kétségtelen, de hogy skandináv krimi-e... hm, mondjuk, ha a krimit épp olyan tágan értelmezzük, mint a szépirodalmat szokás. Tény persze, hogy ebben a regényben van egy rakás bűncselekmény, vannak benne drogkereskedők, meg a bankszektor hiénái (akik a bűnözői hierarchiában valahol a saját rokonaikat elfogyasztó tömeggyilkosok alatt helyezkednek el - megítélésem szerint), de mégsem tűnik kriminek. Nincs például egy gyilkosság sem, a nyomozók legjobb esetben is csak mellékszereplők, a bűncselekmények pedig inkább tűnnek egy mély morális, egzisztenciális, világgazdasági és/vagy magánéleti krízis kísérőjelenségeinek, mint autonóm történetelemnek. A szereplők jogi értelemben ugyan bűnőzők (bár ezt az ügyészségnek is bizonyítania kell...), de valójában csak felszínen akarnak maradni. Más kérdés, hogy a felszínen maradás érdekében rendre olyan dolgokat követnek el, ami miatt az olvasó erkölcsi iránytűje berezeg, és elbizonytalanodunk, megérdemlik-e egyáltalán a felszínen maradást. A morális szürkezóna a regény tere: értjük a szereplőket, helyenként szimpatizálunk velük, miközben tudjuk, hogy amit tesznek, igazából elfogadhatatlan.
De a lényeg talán az, ahogy meg van írva. Ezek a gyors vágások, a leíró részek teljes hiánya, a cselekmény áradása... Sigurðardóttir megvalósítja azt, ami magam is muszáj vagyok "letehetetlennek" nevezni. Egész egyszerűen azért, mert nem tudtam letenni - csak még ezt a rövid fejezetet, mondtam magamnak, jó, még ezt a fejezetet (összvissz két oldal), jaj, de késő van, de azért még egy utolsó fejezetet... aztán hopp, vége is lett a könyvnek. Mégsem tűnik úgy, hogy a tempó a mélység rovására menne - talán azért, mert ez a texturális sodrás tökéletesen intonálja azt, ahogy az események sodorják magukkal a szereplőket egyik elhamarkodott döntéstől a másikig. Hisz ez a tulajdonképpeni csapda: hogy nincs idő jól dönteni.
(Összpontszám: 4.3)
De a lényeg talán az, ahogy meg van írva. Ezek a gyors vágások, a leíró részek teljes hiánya, a cselekmény áradása... Sigurðardóttir megvalósítja azt, ami magam is muszáj vagyok "letehetetlennek" nevezni. Egész egyszerűen azért, mert nem tudtam letenni - csak még ezt a rövid fejezetet, mondtam magamnak, jó, még ezt a fejezetet (összvissz két oldal), jaj, de késő van, de azért még egy utolsó fejezetet... aztán hopp, vége is lett a könyvnek. Mégsem tűnik úgy, hogy a tempó a mélység rovására menne - talán azért, mert ez a texturális sodrás tökéletesen intonálja azt, ahogy az események sodorják magukkal a szereplőket egyik elhamarkodott döntéstől a másikig. Hisz ez a tulajdonképpeni csapda: hogy nincs idő jól dönteni.
(Összpontszám: 4.3)
October 27, 2017
Lilja Sigurðardóttir is a name I won’t quickly be forgetting, Snare was an enticing read, filled with tension and a few heart-stopping moments. As the blurb indicates, there are three storylines taking place in this novel. Sonja caught up in the drug smuggling ring, looking for a way out and hoping to gain custody of her son. Bragi, a customs official, who suspects something is amiss with the beautiful woman who travels so frequently. And lastly, Alga, Sonja’s ‘kind-of’ girlfriend who is facing prosecution. These storylines are weaved together perfectly to create a tension filled read.
Sonja is one of those characters you can’t help but root for, yes, she’s smuggling kilos of cocaine into the country but she just so damn likeable! She’s very aware of the situation she’s in and is so close to being able to escape the criminal world; every time Sonja comes through customs, your heart starts beating a little faster, hoping she’s not caught. And this anxiety is heightened once Bragi sets his sites on her. So how does Alga’s storyline fit in, well you’ll just have to read this one for yourself to find out. But I’m willing to bet money that you cannot figure out how these intertwined storylines come together. It was so clever, so unexpected, and it made so much sense, I was mightily impressed.
In terms of characters, it was Sonja’s son, nine-year-old, Tómas who stole the show for me. It’s always hard for a kid when their parents separate, and I liked that it was Adam who had custody, as it’s not often in novels (or real life) that it’s the father with custody and the mother with every other weekend visitation. The love and loyalty Tómas had for his mother was so sweet and this has me rooting for Sonja even more.
Snare is a truly gripping read, elements of the storyline were so original, and this made it harder to predict were the plot was going. The ending was as it should be, it wrapped up the novel nicely and left me eager for more, so I’m extremely grateful Snare is the first book in the Reykjavik Noir trilogy! You know you’re hooked to a novel when you read words such as “Eyjafjallajökull”, and know you’re pronouncing it wrong but you don’t even care because the writing is so smooth, it just flows. When I saw this novel being described as a “sexy Nordic crime thriller”, I never paid too much attention to the word “sexy” because it’s not one I’d used to describe a book – but I totally get it now! Snare is racy, not only in its fast-paced delivery but it has this seductive quality to it; you’re drawn to its dark and tense atmosphere, but you’re also drawn to Sonja.
Thanks must be given to Quentin Bates for the wonderful translation that allowed me to read this book, it truly felt like nothing was lost in translation.
Snare is dark, exciting, and sits where it belongs – alongside my other favourite Nordic Noir novels; the film rights have already been sold. It’s official, Snare is a raging success, do yourself a favour and read this book!
*My thanks to Orenda Books for providing me with a copy of this book*
Sonja is one of those characters you can’t help but root for, yes, she’s smuggling kilos of cocaine into the country but she just so damn likeable! She’s very aware of the situation she’s in and is so close to being able to escape the criminal world; every time Sonja comes through customs, your heart starts beating a little faster, hoping she’s not caught. And this anxiety is heightened once Bragi sets his sites on her. So how does Alga’s storyline fit in, well you’ll just have to read this one for yourself to find out. But I’m willing to bet money that you cannot figure out how these intertwined storylines come together. It was so clever, so unexpected, and it made so much sense, I was mightily impressed.
In terms of characters, it was Sonja’s son, nine-year-old, Tómas who stole the show for me. It’s always hard for a kid when their parents separate, and I liked that it was Adam who had custody, as it’s not often in novels (or real life) that it’s the father with custody and the mother with every other weekend visitation. The love and loyalty Tómas had for his mother was so sweet and this has me rooting for Sonja even more.
Snare is a truly gripping read, elements of the storyline were so original, and this made it harder to predict were the plot was going. The ending was as it should be, it wrapped up the novel nicely and left me eager for more, so I’m extremely grateful Snare is the first book in the Reykjavik Noir trilogy! You know you’re hooked to a novel when you read words such as “Eyjafjallajökull”, and know you’re pronouncing it wrong but you don’t even care because the writing is so smooth, it just flows. When I saw this novel being described as a “sexy Nordic crime thriller”, I never paid too much attention to the word “sexy” because it’s not one I’d used to describe a book – but I totally get it now! Snare is racy, not only in its fast-paced delivery but it has this seductive quality to it; you’re drawn to its dark and tense atmosphere, but you’re also drawn to Sonja.
Thanks must be given to Quentin Bates for the wonderful translation that allowed me to read this book, it truly felt like nothing was lost in translation.
Snare is dark, exciting, and sits where it belongs – alongside my other favourite Nordic Noir novels; the film rights have already been sold. It’s official, Snare is a raging success, do yourself a favour and read this book!
*My thanks to Orenda Books for providing me with a copy of this book*
November 8, 2017
Find my full review here: http://crimebythebook.com/blog/2017/1...
A taut and engaging blend of Nordic Noir sensibilities and high-stakes action thriller! This is a strong series launch. Books involving the drug trade aren’t typically my cup of tea, but I enjoyed this one!!
A taut and engaging blend of Nordic Noir sensibilities and high-stakes action thriller! This is a strong series launch. Books involving the drug trade aren’t typically my cup of tea, but I enjoyed this one!!
October 14, 2017
Snare is definitely a book that will stay with me for a long time mainly because of its hard-hitting and sometimes harrowing, main story line about drug smuggling. It’s a subject we hear a lot about int he news and I’ve often wondered how and why people resort to drug smuggling in the first place, especially with all the risks involved. In Snare, the author offers up one explanation in a gripping and unflinching narrative that really had me breathless at times as I wondered what on earth would happen next. Some of the passages describing the drug smuggling are quite harrowing and horrifying. I’d like to think such things don’t happen in real life, but sadly i don’t think this is the case, except maybe the tiger?! (I hope). The fear and desperation some of the characters feel throughout the book is almost palpable a times and you really feel for them in those situations as well as disbelief that people can be so unfeeling and cruel.
I really like Sonja. I thought she seemed a very in control, clever and resourceful woman who had some ingenious methods for getting drugs into Iceland. These were quite thrilling to read about as you were never quite sure if she’d get caught or not and I did find myself holding my breath at times as events unfolded. I fond that I had a lot of sympathy wither her and the situation that she finds herself in, not just in the drug smuggling but the tense home situation with her ex husband. I felt indignant on her behalf for all the upset she was suffering and warmed to her throughout the book hoping she’d find a way out of the mess. Her relationship with her son Thomas was really beautiful to read about and helped provided some light relief in a tense book. The passages describing their time together and their obvious love for one another bought a tear to my eye and I had a smile on my face as I read about their exploits. It was very poignant to read about the restraints on their relationship and my heart ached for the pair of them, imagining what they must be feeling.
The author mentions some interesting information about Icelandic traditions and food which was fascinating to read about. I was particularly intrigued by snowflake bread and wish to try it for myself.
Snare is the first book in the Reykjavik Noir series and I very much look forward to reading more from her. I’m hoping that the same characters are involved as I would like to find out what happens next for Sonja.
Huge thanks to Orenda Books and Anne Cater for my copy of this book and for inviting me on the blog tour.
I really like Sonja. I thought she seemed a very in control, clever and resourceful woman who had some ingenious methods for getting drugs into Iceland. These were quite thrilling to read about as you were never quite sure if she’d get caught or not and I did find myself holding my breath at times as events unfolded. I fond that I had a lot of sympathy wither her and the situation that she finds herself in, not just in the drug smuggling but the tense home situation with her ex husband. I felt indignant on her behalf for all the upset she was suffering and warmed to her throughout the book hoping she’d find a way out of the mess. Her relationship with her son Thomas was really beautiful to read about and helped provided some light relief in a tense book. The passages describing their time together and their obvious love for one another bought a tear to my eye and I had a smile on my face as I read about their exploits. It was very poignant to read about the restraints on their relationship and my heart ached for the pair of them, imagining what they must be feeling.
The author mentions some interesting information about Icelandic traditions and food which was fascinating to read about. I was particularly intrigued by snowflake bread and wish to try it for myself.
Snare is the first book in the Reykjavik Noir series and I very much look forward to reading more from her. I’m hoping that the same characters are involved as I would like to find out what happens next for Sonja.
Huge thanks to Orenda Books and Anne Cater for my copy of this book and for inviting me on the blog tour.
January 9, 2018
Snare proved a curious mix for me, as my overriding feeling that this was almost two books running parallel to each other, with a gripping story of drug running, running alongside a slower Borgen-esque feeling of financial impropriety, and double dealing. I’ll be honest, and say that I didn’t take to the latter thread as much as the former, finding it a little turgid against the relative excitement of the drug smuggling narrative, and although I was slightly questioning of the veracity of single parent Sonja’s involvement in drug running, this was certainly the more compelling of the two storylines, and led to some real heart in the mouth moments. I also enjoyed playing witness to the touchingly sentimental ‘other’ life of customs officer Bragi, whose game of cat and mouse with Sonja was another enjoyable strand of the book. However, the emotional handwringing of Sonja’s romantic involvement with Agla, the bank executive under investigation, became increasingly tiresome, but cleverly the seemingly anodyne ending of the book must signpost further developments for the second part of the trilogy. A little unsure, but curious, and intrigued to see how the story progresses in the next instalment.
December 24, 2022
Kinda fluffy
2 1/2 Lukewarm Stars
2 1/2 Lukewarm Stars
August 29, 2019
In some instances, the gripping pace of a thriller can come at the expense of character depth. Not so in Lilja Sigurðardóttir’s Snare. This excellent example of noir fiction takes us into the underbelly of Iceland, following a tangled web of brilliantly well-realised characters, each as complex and morally ambiguous as the next.
Sonja is struggling to make ends meet in the wake of a messy divorce which saw her lose custody of her young son. Drawn into a dangerous crowd, she now works as a drug smuggler, bringing cocaine into Iceland to raise the funds she needs to try and get her son back. Customs officer Bragi is growing increasingly suspicious of Sonja’s activities, the two quickly becoming involved in a high-stakes game of cat and mouse. But Bragi has problems of his own, with fears that his wife – who is suffering from advanced Alzheimer’s – is being mistreated in her care home. Meanwhile, Sonja’s sort-of-girlfriend, Agla, is struggling to come to terms with their budding relationship and what it means for her sexuality. Working in banking, she is also undergoing investigation for misconduct in relation to the financial crisis that hit the country hard.
As you can glean from the above, there’s no shortage of exciting subplots to keep you hooked throughout the entire narrative. The various threads link together directly, but they are also connected thematically, with each character’s story looking at obsession and addiction in some shape or form. Though she struggles with the labels that come with a same-sex relationship, Agla can’t keep her distance from Sonja, and speaks of being literally addicted to her. Her reliance on alcohol also sits in interesting contrast with Sonja’s drug smuggling, which is undoubtedly fuelling the addictions of others. Bragi, meanwhile, could be described as being addicted to his job, the threat of retirement looming uncomfortably close. The case he’s drawn into will force him to question just how far his loyalty can be pushed. With no one wholly good or bad, the author urges us to question where we draw the line on the issue of justice, and if there’s ever a valid reason for good people to do bad things.
The backdrop of the financial crash, and the Icelandic streets dusted with volcanic ash from the famous eruption of Eyjafjallajökull, help to add a certain grittiness, whilst also setting the story firmly in a specific time and place. Solid writing, great pacing, and seamless translation saw me fly through Snare. Page-turning tension and emotional complexity elevated what could have been a non-descript crime flick into something decidedly more nuanced. It could easily be enjoyed as a standalone, but it is technically the first in a trilogy. My eagerness to see where the author takes these characters next despite how rarely I reach for a multi-book series speaks volumes in itself.
Sonja is struggling to make ends meet in the wake of a messy divorce which saw her lose custody of her young son. Drawn into a dangerous crowd, she now works as a drug smuggler, bringing cocaine into Iceland to raise the funds she needs to try and get her son back. Customs officer Bragi is growing increasingly suspicious of Sonja’s activities, the two quickly becoming involved in a high-stakes game of cat and mouse. But Bragi has problems of his own, with fears that his wife – who is suffering from advanced Alzheimer’s – is being mistreated in her care home. Meanwhile, Sonja’s sort-of-girlfriend, Agla, is struggling to come to terms with their budding relationship and what it means for her sexuality. Working in banking, she is also undergoing investigation for misconduct in relation to the financial crisis that hit the country hard.
As you can glean from the above, there’s no shortage of exciting subplots to keep you hooked throughout the entire narrative. The various threads link together directly, but they are also connected thematically, with each character’s story looking at obsession and addiction in some shape or form. Though she struggles with the labels that come with a same-sex relationship, Agla can’t keep her distance from Sonja, and speaks of being literally addicted to her. Her reliance on alcohol also sits in interesting contrast with Sonja’s drug smuggling, which is undoubtedly fuelling the addictions of others. Bragi, meanwhile, could be described as being addicted to his job, the threat of retirement looming uncomfortably close. The case he’s drawn into will force him to question just how far his loyalty can be pushed. With no one wholly good or bad, the author urges us to question where we draw the line on the issue of justice, and if there’s ever a valid reason for good people to do bad things.
The backdrop of the financial crash, and the Icelandic streets dusted with volcanic ash from the famous eruption of Eyjafjallajökull, help to add a certain grittiness, whilst also setting the story firmly in a specific time and place. Solid writing, great pacing, and seamless translation saw me fly through Snare. Page-turning tension and emotional complexity elevated what could have been a non-descript crime flick into something decidedly more nuanced. It could easily be enjoyed as a standalone, but it is technically the first in a trilogy. My eagerness to see where the author takes these characters next despite how rarely I reach for a multi-book series speaks volumes in itself.
December 6, 2017
Snare – An Extraordinary Thriller from an Icelandic Author
Orenda Books are on a roll, they keep finding the best of Icelandic Noir, having Quentin Bates translate, and giving the English reader a new author. Lilja Sigurðardottir is already a successful playwright and author, and she has written a brand-new series and Snare is the first in the series of Reykjavik noir series.
Sonja has recently gone through a terrible divorce from her Adam, and she did not get a very good deal from her lawyer. Her son Tomas lives with her ex-husband and only allows him to stay over at Sonja’s rarely and then he complains.
With the whole world seemingly against her and the need to earn some cash she has been snared as a drugs mule. Running drugs from Denmark and the UK at regular intervals, and at the same time safely putting some money in a safety deposit box and she also has some product saved too.
When she tells her contact she wants out she is beaten up and is in agony, and it does not help that a customs officer, Bragi, is on her trail and has worked out her routine. The more that she wants to get out the more she has been snared and there is no escape. Her love life is in tatters and her lover Agla is in the midst of a trial for share manipulation and the relationship is going down rapidly.
Snare is a taut, reassuringly excellent thriller in the best traditions of Icelandic Noir, that once you start you will not be able to put down. There are some great characters, and you will fall for Sonja and have some sympathy for the position she is in. The tension builds throughout the book and gives you a tense ending.
This really is an extraordinary thriller.
Orenda Books are on a roll, they keep finding the best of Icelandic Noir, having Quentin Bates translate, and giving the English reader a new author. Lilja Sigurðardottir is already a successful playwright and author, and she has written a brand-new series and Snare is the first in the series of Reykjavik noir series.
Sonja has recently gone through a terrible divorce from her Adam, and she did not get a very good deal from her lawyer. Her son Tomas lives with her ex-husband and only allows him to stay over at Sonja’s rarely and then he complains.
With the whole world seemingly against her and the need to earn some cash she has been snared as a drugs mule. Running drugs from Denmark and the UK at regular intervals, and at the same time safely putting some money in a safety deposit box and she also has some product saved too.
When she tells her contact she wants out she is beaten up and is in agony, and it does not help that a customs officer, Bragi, is on her trail and has worked out her routine. The more that she wants to get out the more she has been snared and there is no escape. Her love life is in tatters and her lover Agla is in the midst of a trial for share manipulation and the relationship is going down rapidly.
Snare is a taut, reassuringly excellent thriller in the best traditions of Icelandic Noir, that once you start you will not be able to put down. There are some great characters, and you will fall for Sonja and have some sympathy for the position she is in. The tension builds throughout the book and gives you a tense ending.
This really is an extraordinary thriller.
February 12, 2018
*Received on NetGalley*
The ending just didn't do it for me. Super lackluster and devoid of any real thrill.
The ending just didn't do it for me. Super lackluster and devoid of any real thrill.
March 6, 2025
Lilja made a good story even better by flying off to London or Copenhagen as Sonja's pickups places before she would fly back to Iceland. It was an exceptionable round you go type of story that was really hard to except as noir but it actually was. I like the action it gave and made the story believable by all the characters that had some function in it. I'll let the people make there minds up in reading this story, they won't regret it at all. The only thing I found was the actual use of snare too much.
I felt that Lilja made it very tense with all her flying and then she found out it was to much to have Tomas live with his father who was behind the snare.
I felt that Lilja made it very tense with all her flying and then she found out it was to much to have Tomas live with his father who was behind the snare.
January 6, 2021
Prima carte pe 2021. După 120 de pagini povestea e cam cuminte, scriitura la fel. Trei planuri: Sonja, mamă singură, cu un copil, o duce rău după divorț și e atrasă în laț, devenind transportator pentru niște traficanți de droguri (prea des apare cuvîntul „laț”, mult prea des). Are o iubită, Agla (care a fost și motivul divorțului), cercetată într-o afacere dubioasă a bănciii la care lucrează. Sonja atrage atenția lui Bragi, vameș la Aeroportul Keflavik. Cum ziceam, foarte cuminte totul, nimic spectaculos, nimic care să te zdruncine, să-ți taie respirația.
Gata. Vreo două întorsături ale poveștii - doar una m-a surprins, era prea la îndemînă și nu credeam că va fi folosită - dar tot n-a avut zvîcul ăla pe care-l aștept de la o carte polițistă. (De fapt, nici n-a fost polițistă, s-a vrut doar un thriller.) Iar personajele, deși cu o mie de probleme, nu m-au prea făcut să empatizez cu ele. Dacă ar fi fost de două ori mai voluminoasă cartea, poate ar fi fost timp - și loc - pentru o poveste mai bogată, pentru niște personaje mai pregnante... poate chiar și pentru o scriitură mai elaborată. Bine, asta îmi doresc eu, poate unii caută simplitatea, caz în care a fost OK.
Gata. Vreo două întorsături ale poveștii - doar una m-a surprins, era prea la îndemînă și nu credeam că va fi folosită - dar tot n-a avut zvîcul ăla pe care-l aștept de la o carte polițistă. (De fapt, nici n-a fost polițistă, s-a vrut doar un thriller.) Iar personajele, deși cu o mie de probleme, nu m-au prea făcut să empatizez cu ele. Dacă ar fi fost de două ori mai voluminoasă cartea, poate ar fi fost timp - și loc - pentru o poveste mai bogată, pentru niște personaje mai pregnante... poate chiar și pentru o scriitură mai elaborată. Bine, asta îmi doresc eu, poate unii caută simplitatea, caz în care a fost OK.
January 30, 2018
Review to come
June 16, 2020
Ihre Liebe wird ihr zum Verhängnis. Als ihr Mann Adam sie mit Agla zusammen erwischt, ist es ganz aus zwischen ihm und Sonja. Die Ehe war da schon längst gescheitert, aber für ihren Sohn Tómas war sie geblieben. Ein neues Leben ohne ihren Mann und sein Einkommen aufzubauen, ist nicht einfach und bald schon gerät Sonja in arge Schwierigkeiten, aus denen ein Freund ihr anbietet zu helfen. Nur einen Botendienst soll sie erledigen, doch der hat es in sich. Sie soll Kokain nach Island schmuggeln. Unerwarteterweise ist Sonja gut darin, völlig unauffällig bewegt sie sich als Businessfrau auf den Flughäfen und akribisch bereitet sie den Transport vor. Doch genau das wird ihr zum Verhängnis: ihr attraktives unscheinbares Auftreten fällt Bragi Smith auf. Der Zollbeamte hat viele Jahre Erfahrung und erkennt die Schmuggler. Es ist nur eine Frage der Zeit, bis ihm Sonja ins Netz geht.
„Das Netz“ ist Band 1 der Reykjavík Noir Trilogie von Lilja Sigurðardóttir. Mit Sonja Gunnarsdóttir hat die isländische Autorin eine ungewöhnliche Protagonistin geschaffen. Eine Mutter, die nach der Trennung in eine schwierige Lage gerät, die von mächtigen Männern gnadenlos ausgenutzt wird, sich aber dann zunehmend ihrer Stärken bewusst wird und diese für sich einzusetzen weiß. Sie kennt ihre Gegner nicht wirklich, zu unbedarft ist sie noch, doch als sie erkennt, in welchem Netz sie gefangen ist, weckt dies ihre Kämpfernatur.
Die Spannung des Krimis wird gleich durch zwei parallel verlaufende Bedrohungen aufrechterhalten: zum einen ist Sonja den Drogenbossen wehrlos ausgeliefert; sie lebt zwar noch in der Illusion, sich irgendwann freikaufen zu können, dass dies aber eher einem Wunschdenken geschuldet ist, kann man sich als Leser ausrechnen. Auf der anderen Seite ist ihr der Zollbeamte Bragi auf die Spur gekommen, der sie gleichermaßen zu Fall bringen kann und die Aussicht, das Sorgerecht für ihren Sohn zu erhalten damit bedroht. Emotional sitzt sie ebenfalls zwischen den Stühlen. Der nicht enden wollende Kampf mit ihrem Ex-Mann ist genauso zermürbend wie die Beziehung zu Agla, die sich nicht wirklich zu der Beziehung mit einer Frau bekennen kann und will.
Bei all den Sorgen fehlt Sonja der Kopf, um die Ermittlungen, die gegen die Bankmitarbeiterin Agla eingeleitet wurden, ernsthaft zu verfolgen. Diese hat offenbar nicht unwesentlich daran Anteil, dass der kleine Inselstaat in eine finanzielle Katastrophe geraten ist, doch nun soll sie für ihre Spekulationen und Geldwäsche bezahlen.
Man muss den Krimi sicher als Teil einer Serie sehen, denn so ganz glücklich lässt er mich nicht zurück. Viele Fragen bleiben offen und der Cliffhanger zum Ende ist ohnehin etwas, das ich nicht wirklich schätze. Die kurzen Kapitel tragen zu dem schnellen Erzähltempo bei, im Laufe der Handlung nimmt diese auch deutlich an Spannung und Komplexität zu, bevor gleich mehrere Enthüllungen so manches in einem völlig anderen, aber nicht minder interessanten Licht erscheinen lassen. Die Autorin hat eine komplexe Geschichte erschaffen, die von der außergewöhnlichen Protagonistin lebt und mit einigen Überraschungen aufwartet.
„Das Netz“ ist Band 1 der Reykjavík Noir Trilogie von Lilja Sigurðardóttir. Mit Sonja Gunnarsdóttir hat die isländische Autorin eine ungewöhnliche Protagonistin geschaffen. Eine Mutter, die nach der Trennung in eine schwierige Lage gerät, die von mächtigen Männern gnadenlos ausgenutzt wird, sich aber dann zunehmend ihrer Stärken bewusst wird und diese für sich einzusetzen weiß. Sie kennt ihre Gegner nicht wirklich, zu unbedarft ist sie noch, doch als sie erkennt, in welchem Netz sie gefangen ist, weckt dies ihre Kämpfernatur.
Die Spannung des Krimis wird gleich durch zwei parallel verlaufende Bedrohungen aufrechterhalten: zum einen ist Sonja den Drogenbossen wehrlos ausgeliefert; sie lebt zwar noch in der Illusion, sich irgendwann freikaufen zu können, dass dies aber eher einem Wunschdenken geschuldet ist, kann man sich als Leser ausrechnen. Auf der anderen Seite ist ihr der Zollbeamte Bragi auf die Spur gekommen, der sie gleichermaßen zu Fall bringen kann und die Aussicht, das Sorgerecht für ihren Sohn zu erhalten damit bedroht. Emotional sitzt sie ebenfalls zwischen den Stühlen. Der nicht enden wollende Kampf mit ihrem Ex-Mann ist genauso zermürbend wie die Beziehung zu Agla, die sich nicht wirklich zu der Beziehung mit einer Frau bekennen kann und will.
Bei all den Sorgen fehlt Sonja der Kopf, um die Ermittlungen, die gegen die Bankmitarbeiterin Agla eingeleitet wurden, ernsthaft zu verfolgen. Diese hat offenbar nicht unwesentlich daran Anteil, dass der kleine Inselstaat in eine finanzielle Katastrophe geraten ist, doch nun soll sie für ihre Spekulationen und Geldwäsche bezahlen.
Man muss den Krimi sicher als Teil einer Serie sehen, denn so ganz glücklich lässt er mich nicht zurück. Viele Fragen bleiben offen und der Cliffhanger zum Ende ist ohnehin etwas, das ich nicht wirklich schätze. Die kurzen Kapitel tragen zu dem schnellen Erzähltempo bei, im Laufe der Handlung nimmt diese auch deutlich an Spannung und Komplexität zu, bevor gleich mehrere Enthüllungen so manches in einem völlig anderen, aber nicht minder interessanten Licht erscheinen lassen. Die Autorin hat eine komplexe Geschichte erschaffen, die von der außergewöhnlichen Protagonistin lebt und mit einigen Überraschungen aufwartet.
December 7, 2017
A snare is a trap from which it is difficult to escape. This book certainly lives up to its name. I was caught in Lilja Sigurdardottoir's trap from the very first paragraph and she kept me captive until I turned the final page. This is one hell of a story, a mind blowing read.
Lead character Sonja is ensnared, she's caught up in a seedy, dangerous underworld. Smuggling cocaine into Iceland in order to save enough money to get her beloved son back from his father; her estranged husband.
This author describes the snare vividly, not just dealing with operational aspects of the smuggling process but dealing with Sonja's desperation and determination too. Sonja's life is tangled and complicated. Her son Tomas is living with Adam, her ex husband, who is doing everything he can to make sure that Sonja and Tomas' relationship is not easy.
Also on the scene is Agla; the disgraced banker who is facing prosecution for her part in the downfall of the Icelandic financial sector. She's also the reason that Sonja and Adam are no longer married.
Whilst Snare is just a short book at around 220 pages, I felt as though I had travelled to Iceland many times, I experienced the tension of the customs checks at the airport and the huge relief as Sonja escaped detection, time and time again. It is the fact that as a reader I was backing Sonja all of the way, despite the fact that she was mixed up in highly illegal activities, that proves how well this author can write. She's created a character in Sonja that defies my logic; she's a warm, loving mother who cares for those closest to her, and helps her neighbour, yet she doesn't think twice about allowing an innocent person to take the blame, and a possible jail sentence so that she can escape.
The reader is also treated to the wonderful Bragi. Nearing retirement age, Bragi is a customs officer. He is a beautifully crafted character, with a deep deep sadness that makes him so incredibly realistic. As he sits alongside his wife of over 50 years, who no longer knows him, due to her dementia; and brushes her hair and feeds her porridge, my heart almost broke. Yet he too, has a steely determination that runs through him, and he may have met his match in Sonja.
Snare is incredible. I loved every single page; the setting, the characters and the intricately woven plot. I am delighted that Lilja Sigurdardottir has two more books to come in this fabulous new series.
Has to be in the running for my Top Books of 2017 list. Outstanding. I loved it.https://randomthingsthroughmyletterbo...
Lead character Sonja is ensnared, she's caught up in a seedy, dangerous underworld. Smuggling cocaine into Iceland in order to save enough money to get her beloved son back from his father; her estranged husband.
This author describes the snare vividly, not just dealing with operational aspects of the smuggling process but dealing with Sonja's desperation and determination too. Sonja's life is tangled and complicated. Her son Tomas is living with Adam, her ex husband, who is doing everything he can to make sure that Sonja and Tomas' relationship is not easy.
Also on the scene is Agla; the disgraced banker who is facing prosecution for her part in the downfall of the Icelandic financial sector. She's also the reason that Sonja and Adam are no longer married.
Whilst Snare is just a short book at around 220 pages, I felt as though I had travelled to Iceland many times, I experienced the tension of the customs checks at the airport and the huge relief as Sonja escaped detection, time and time again. It is the fact that as a reader I was backing Sonja all of the way, despite the fact that she was mixed up in highly illegal activities, that proves how well this author can write. She's created a character in Sonja that defies my logic; she's a warm, loving mother who cares for those closest to her, and helps her neighbour, yet she doesn't think twice about allowing an innocent person to take the blame, and a possible jail sentence so that she can escape.
The reader is also treated to the wonderful Bragi. Nearing retirement age, Bragi is a customs officer. He is a beautifully crafted character, with a deep deep sadness that makes him so incredibly realistic. As he sits alongside his wife of over 50 years, who no longer knows him, due to her dementia; and brushes her hair and feeds her porridge, my heart almost broke. Yet he too, has a steely determination that runs through him, and he may have met his match in Sonja.
Snare is incredible. I loved every single page; the setting, the characters and the intricately woven plot. I am delighted that Lilja Sigurdardottir has two more books to come in this fabulous new series.
Has to be in the running for my Top Books of 2017 list. Outstanding. I loved it.https://randomthingsthroughmyletterbo...
June 21, 2020
Bragi arbeitet seit 30 Jahren als Zollbeamter am Flughafen Reykjavik. Mit sicherem Instinkt markiert er die elegant gekleidete Frau bei ihrer Rückkehr nach Island in Gedanken sofort als verdächtig. Für eine Geschäftsfrau auf der Heimreise wirkt sie einen Tick zu angespannt und zu perfekt, die Spannung des Arbeitstages müsste bei der Ankunft In Island längst von ihr abgefallen sein. Irgendetwas wird die sorgfältig gestylte Frau schmuggeln, ahnt Bragi. Der erfahrene Zöllner steht kurz vor der Pensionierung. Ihm ist zuzutrauen, dass er ein letztes Mal einen großen Coup landen möchte, gerade weil Zoll und Polizei der flexibel agierenden Drogenbranche stets einen Schritt hinterher zu hinken schienen.
Sonja verdient das Geld für die Anwaltskosten im Sorgerechtsstreit um ihren Sohn Tómas als Drogenkurier. Eine sonderbar ungeklärte Beziehung verbindet sie mit der Ex-Bankerin Agla, die wegen ihrer krummen Geschäfte während des isländischen Banken-Crashs strafrechtlich verfolgt wird. Zu Sonjas sonst so akribischer Planung schien mir dieser Schwachpunkt kaum zu passen. Je mehr ich über das Frauen-Paar erfuhr, umso verdächtiger wirkte ihre Beziehung auf mich. Nicht nur die beiden Frauen bieten breite Angriffsfläche, in einem kleinen Land, in dem theoretisch jeder jeden kennen könnte …
In 125 extrem kurzen Kapiteln, die selten länger als 2 Seiten sind, drückt Lilja Sigurðardóttir kräftig aufs Tempo. Mehr als drei Personen in diesem Netz halten ihre Karten lange verdeckt und steuern auf einen großen Coup zu. Jede Figur und auch Sigurðardóttirs Leser können zunächst nur einen Teil des Bildes erkennen. Welche Überraschung wartet am Ende - wer wird Gewinner sein, wer Verlierer und wer das Werkzeug?
Lilja Sigurðardóttirs Spiel mit verdeckten Karten finde ich rasant wie originell, spannend allein schon durch das allmähliche Herausarbeiten der Motive der Figuren.
Sonja verdient das Geld für die Anwaltskosten im Sorgerechtsstreit um ihren Sohn Tómas als Drogenkurier. Eine sonderbar ungeklärte Beziehung verbindet sie mit der Ex-Bankerin Agla, die wegen ihrer krummen Geschäfte während des isländischen Banken-Crashs strafrechtlich verfolgt wird. Zu Sonjas sonst so akribischer Planung schien mir dieser Schwachpunkt kaum zu passen. Je mehr ich über das Frauen-Paar erfuhr, umso verdächtiger wirkte ihre Beziehung auf mich. Nicht nur die beiden Frauen bieten breite Angriffsfläche, in einem kleinen Land, in dem theoretisch jeder jeden kennen könnte …
In 125 extrem kurzen Kapiteln, die selten länger als 2 Seiten sind, drückt Lilja Sigurðardóttir kräftig aufs Tempo. Mehr als drei Personen in diesem Netz halten ihre Karten lange verdeckt und steuern auf einen großen Coup zu. Jede Figur und auch Sigurðardóttirs Leser können zunächst nur einen Teil des Bildes erkennen. Welche Überraschung wartet am Ende - wer wird Gewinner sein, wer Verlierer und wer das Werkzeug?
Lilja Sigurðardóttirs Spiel mit verdeckten Karten finde ich rasant wie originell, spannend allein schon durch das allmähliche Herausarbeiten der Motive der Figuren.
October 21, 2017
Sonja is a very convincing liar. Everything about her, from the successful business woman who her documents say she is, to the classy way she looks, it is all lies. Sonja is a high-class drug smuggler and to be honest she is bloody good at what she does. At just a phone call Sonja can be jetting off anywhere in the world to smuggle cocaine back into her home country of Iceland. Talk about crafty, phew I won’t even glance at a stranger in an airport ever again never mind talk to one! This is one very determined lady and boy is she ingenious in the ways she works. I think that it is impossible not to like Sonja especially as the story unfolds.
Now the story is told through three people, another being Bragi, a very wise old Customs Officer with a feel for travellers that just aren’t right. Sonja is like a beacon to him that flashes come and get me. Bragi becomes quite a determined fellow to catch this lady traveller out before he retires. It all makes for super reading.
Agla is the third cog in this wheel, the lady Sonja’s husband Adam found in bed with her and the final straw why Sonja and Adam’s marriage ended which resulted in him winning custody of their son. Agla also works at the bank where Adam works.
What a fabulous story. My heart raced at every airport arrival, every heart wrenching visit Sonja had with her son and every time she met the man she worked for. Loved the tenderness of Bragi, the uncertainty of Alga and the strength of Sonja. All caught in their own snares.
I really think I came face to face with what evil looks like in this book and it took my breath. Just Brilliant. This is all I want in a book. I am also ecstatic that this is the first of three books.
Now the story is told through three people, another being Bragi, a very wise old Customs Officer with a feel for travellers that just aren’t right. Sonja is like a beacon to him that flashes come and get me. Bragi becomes quite a determined fellow to catch this lady traveller out before he retires. It all makes for super reading.
Agla is the third cog in this wheel, the lady Sonja’s husband Adam found in bed with her and the final straw why Sonja and Adam’s marriage ended which resulted in him winning custody of their son. Agla also works at the bank where Adam works.
What a fabulous story. My heart raced at every airport arrival, every heart wrenching visit Sonja had with her son and every time she met the man she worked for. Loved the tenderness of Bragi, the uncertainty of Alga and the strength of Sonja. All caught in their own snares.
I really think I came face to face with what evil looks like in this book and it took my breath. Just Brilliant. This is all I want in a book. I am also ecstatic that this is the first of three books.
January 5, 2022
A stylish crime novel without a murder. In a country with an economy just about wiped out by the 2008 economic crash, a divorced woman is coerced into smuggling cocaine into the country to improve her financial prospects and win custody of her son. Her lover is investigated for market manipulation. An elderly customs official starts following her moves out of and into the country. With these three characters as focalisators Lilja weaves her tale. It is engrossing, not only because of the narrative tension, but also because of the characters' backstories. And it's the first part of a trilogy. Which means there's more joy coming from the same source. Which means the ending, satisfactory as it is, leaves enough space for the story to continue. Which means we have to wait for the second installment. We will be here - ready and waiting.
Teen die agtergrond van Ysland se ekonomiese ineenstorting in 2008 weef Lilja 'n misdaadverhaal sonder 'n moord. Sonja smokkel kokaïene uit Europa na Ysland toe; Agla word verdink van markmanipulasie; en Bragi kry snuf in die sneus oor Sonja se reise. 'n Pakkende verhaal, maar deel 2 en 3 moet nou vinnig verskyn dat ons verder kan lees!
Teen die agtergrond van Ysland se ekonomiese ineenstorting in 2008 weef Lilja 'n misdaadverhaal sonder 'n moord. Sonja smokkel kokaïene uit Europa na Ysland toe; Agla word verdink van markmanipulasie; en Bragi kry snuf in die sneus oor Sonja se reise. 'n Pakkende verhaal, maar deel 2 en 3 moet nou vinnig verskyn dat ons verder kan lees!
December 16, 2020
Undeva spre 3.5 stele.
Îi spune Reykjavik Noir trilogiei, dar nu e chiar noir. Poate că se referă la cenușa vulcanului adusă de vânt până în capitala Islandei acum vreo 10 ani? Poate din cauză că e cu traficanți de droguri și o femeie e prinsă-n laț de acești rechini nemiloși și șantajată cu propriul băiețel de nouă ani? Poate o fi din cauză că unul dintre personajele principale e anchetat pentru spălare de bani și manipularea pieței financiare, un scandal monstruos, ce era să falimenteze întreaga țară și de pe urma căruia islandezii mai trag și-acum ponoasele? Poate că sunt toate astea la un loc, am impresia.
Povestea se „citește” ușor, personajele sunt plăcute, intriga nu este extrem de complicată și relația cu scântei dintre cele două protagoniste reprezintă sarea și piperul poveștii, în opinia mea.
Mai pe larg, probabil, mai încolo, mai spre sfârșit de toamnă și început de iarnă.
Îi spune Reykjavik Noir trilogiei, dar nu e chiar noir. Poate că se referă la cenușa vulcanului adusă de vânt până în capitala Islandei acum vreo 10 ani? Poate din cauză că e cu traficanți de droguri și o femeie e prinsă-n laț de acești rechini nemiloși și șantajată cu propriul băiețel de nouă ani? Poate o fi din cauză că unul dintre personajele principale e anchetat pentru spălare de bani și manipularea pieței financiare, un scandal monstruos, ce era să falimenteze întreaga țară și de pe urma căruia islandezii mai trag și-acum ponoasele? Poate că sunt toate astea la un loc, am impresia.
Povestea se „citește” ușor, personajele sunt plăcute, intriga nu este extrem de complicată și relația cu scântei dintre cele două protagoniste reprezintă sarea și piperul poveștii, în opinia mea.
Mai pe larg, probabil, mai încolo, mai spre sfârșit de toamnă și început de iarnă.
September 21, 2019
Finished reading: September 18th 2019
"There was no way out. She was still caught in the snare, and the vicious beast had her in its bloody jaws, ready to rip away the most important part of her."
P.S. Find more of my reviews here.
March 5, 2026
Ich glaube, ich muss das mit den nordischen Thrillern einfach aufgeben.
Ich komm damit einfach nicht klar.
In dem Fall hier, wusste ich ja, dass es nur der erste Teil einer Trilogie ist. Trotzdem fühlt es sich an, als hätte ich eine ziemlich lange, ausführliche Einleitung gelesen. So richtig Spannung kam eigentlich nicht auf und auch kein Thriller-Feeling, das man nicht mehr aufhören kann, wie das z.B. bei Fitzek der Fall ist.
Eigentlich ist nicht viel mehr passiert, als dass ich alle Personen sehr ausführlich kennengelernt habe. Nicht, dass ich die unbedingt so nah kennenlernen wollte. Denn wirklich berührt hat mich keine davon.
Was mich bei dem Ebook zusätzlich noch genervt hat, ist die Tatsache, dass es immer angezeigt hat, dass Buch hätte 396 Seiten. Bei ungefähr Seite 320 ist der Band aber vorbei und es kommt Werbung und Leseproben von anderen Büchern.
Wenn das mal ein paar Seiten am Ende eines Ebooks sind, stört mich das gar nicht. Aber über 70? Das finde ich jetzt doch etwas übertrieben.
Ich komm damit einfach nicht klar.
In dem Fall hier, wusste ich ja, dass es nur der erste Teil einer Trilogie ist. Trotzdem fühlt es sich an, als hätte ich eine ziemlich lange, ausführliche Einleitung gelesen. So richtig Spannung kam eigentlich nicht auf und auch kein Thriller-Feeling, das man nicht mehr aufhören kann, wie das z.B. bei Fitzek der Fall ist.
Eigentlich ist nicht viel mehr passiert, als dass ich alle Personen sehr ausführlich kennengelernt habe. Nicht, dass ich die unbedingt so nah kennenlernen wollte. Denn wirklich berührt hat mich keine davon.
Was mich bei dem Ebook zusätzlich noch genervt hat, ist die Tatsache, dass es immer angezeigt hat, dass Buch hätte 396 Seiten. Bei ungefähr Seite 320 ist der Band aber vorbei und es kommt Werbung und Leseproben von anderen Büchern.
Wenn das mal ein paar Seiten am Ende eines Ebooks sind, stört mich das gar nicht. Aber über 70? Das finde ich jetzt doch etwas übertrieben.
July 25, 2018
Fuller review to follow for Blog tour but just had to write this now as this was very unique and sharp as a knife!
Visit the locations in the novel: Visit Iceland
Read this last night and I had to write a short review now simply because it’s quite unlike anything I’ve read before. The tension, being part of a drugs run. I even feel nervous going through customs anyway so when this woman does knowing she has something illegal in her bag – I can’t imagine! The tricks that both sides use – the smugglers and the officials are quite the eye opener but it’s the conditions that have led this woman to do this are also part of the story.
The chapters work well for this story theme as they’re short, compact and they flit from one person’s story to another, one angle of the CCTV camera to another.
The novel reads effortlessly thanks to the work of Translator Extraordinaire Quentin and the tension builds and twists until a very fitting ending. But it’s the journey of cool collected Iceland, through the long dark tunnel from the capital to the frozen north that took me on a ride on many levels. It’s going to be part of Hull Noir’s reading focus and I’m not surprised.
Visit the locations in the novel: Visit Iceland
Read this last night and I had to write a short review now simply because it’s quite unlike anything I’ve read before. The tension, being part of a drugs run. I even feel nervous going through customs anyway so when this woman does knowing she has something illegal in her bag – I can’t imagine! The tricks that both sides use – the smugglers and the officials are quite the eye opener but it’s the conditions that have led this woman to do this are also part of the story.
The chapters work well for this story theme as they’re short, compact and they flit from one person’s story to another, one angle of the CCTV camera to another.
The novel reads effortlessly thanks to the work of Translator Extraordinaire Quentin and the tension builds and twists until a very fitting ending. But it’s the journey of cool collected Iceland, through the long dark tunnel from the capital to the frozen north that took me on a ride on many levels. It’s going to be part of Hull Noir’s reading focus and I’m not surprised.
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