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Ice and Crime #2
Fjötrar
Fjötrar segir frá konu sem finnst látin í klefa sínum í fangelsinu á Hólmsheiði. Guðgeir og félagar hans rannsaka málið sem reynist hafa ótal þræði og teygja anga sína víða, alla leið til stóra skjálftans um aldamótin þar sem ungur maður hvarf sporlaust. Lögreglan stendur frammi fyrir stórum spurningum og kynnist hversu langt fólk er tilbúið að ganga til að viðhalda ákveðinni mynd af sér út á við og hvers fjölskyldur eru megnugar til að vernda leyndarmál sín.
Fjötrar er eftir Sólveigu Pálsdóttur sem er leikkona og starfaði lengi við leiklist og kennslu í framhaldsskóla áður en hún sneri sér alfarið að ritstörfum.
Fjötrar er fimmta bók Sólveigar Pálsdóttur sem fagnaði sextugsafmælinu sínu á dögunum. Bækur Sólveigar hafa verið tilnefndar til Blóðdropans, þýddar á þýsku og sem stendur vinna bresk framleiðslufyrirtæki að gerð sjónvarpsþátta eftir síðustu bók hennar, Refnum. Sólveig er bæjarlistamaður Seltjarnarness 2019, fyrst rithöfunda.
Fjötrar er eftir Sólveigu Pálsdóttur sem er leikkona og starfaði lengi við leiklist og kennslu í framhaldsskóla áður en hún sneri sér alfarið að ritstörfum.
Fjötrar er fimmta bók Sólveigar Pálsdóttur sem fagnaði sextugsafmælinu sínu á dögunum. Bækur Sólveigar hafa verið tilnefndar til Blóðdropans, þýddar á þýsku og sem stendur vinna bresk framleiðslufyrirtæki að gerð sjónvarpsþátta eftir síðustu bók hennar, Refnum. Sólveig er bæjarlistamaður Seltjarnarness 2019, fyrst rithöfunda.
286 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2019
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228 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews
March 21, 2021
Two things that you probably need to be aware of going into reading this novel. One, it starts with a character taking their own life and two, the reasons for that are hard, raw and really tragic. It's hard to say much about it without giving the game away but there is an incident which happens in the victim's past which changes the course of their future, leading to their decision to take such a tragic step. The fact that they chose to send a video of it to a Social Media influencer ... well that just adds to the mystery.
The story brings us back into the world of Guðgeir Fransson who we first met investigating the mysterious disappearance of a young woman in The Fox. Fransson is in the process of moving home with his wife, little knowing how close his move will bring him to the case he is soon to be investigating. The apparent suicide of Kristín Kjarr. But nothing is ever straightforward and it would be a very short book if it were. His investigations lead him to a powerful family, a dark history, a string of cases which track back across Europe to Scotland. Mysterious, disturbing and terrifyingly close to home when the case takes a personal turn for the team, it can be a little hard to read at times, but the darkest moments are kept off the page, sparing readers the worst of the emotion, even though the. aftermath is very, very clear.
I like the characters that the author has created, especially Fransson. He is a very warm character, committed to his family and his job and his determination and instinct make him a great character to spend time with. Whilst before he was largely working solo, we get to see his interactions with his team and with his family this time around and he has a fabulous amount of support about him which makes a really great ensemble.
The way in which the author slowly builds the mystery and the tension works perfectly, especially as we learn more about the family at the centre of the whole story, their suspicious and evasive behaviour, adding a layer of conflict which keeps the pacing tight. The story is scarily believable, the antagonist entirely heinous and without any kind of conscience, and it certainly makes you think about how much you would be willing to forgive for family.
With brilliant translation as always by Quentin Bates, the story kept me completely hooked and I finished it over just two evenings. The ending, whilst perhaps not quite the traditional picture of justice, certainly made me smile and I will be intrigued now to see what could possibly come next.
The story brings us back into the world of Guðgeir Fransson who we first met investigating the mysterious disappearance of a young woman in The Fox. Fransson is in the process of moving home with his wife, little knowing how close his move will bring him to the case he is soon to be investigating. The apparent suicide of Kristín Kjarr. But nothing is ever straightforward and it would be a very short book if it were. His investigations lead him to a powerful family, a dark history, a string of cases which track back across Europe to Scotland. Mysterious, disturbing and terrifyingly close to home when the case takes a personal turn for the team, it can be a little hard to read at times, but the darkest moments are kept off the page, sparing readers the worst of the emotion, even though the. aftermath is very, very clear.
I like the characters that the author has created, especially Fransson. He is a very warm character, committed to his family and his job and his determination and instinct make him a great character to spend time with. Whilst before he was largely working solo, we get to see his interactions with his team and with his family this time around and he has a fabulous amount of support about him which makes a really great ensemble.
The way in which the author slowly builds the mystery and the tension works perfectly, especially as we learn more about the family at the centre of the whole story, their suspicious and evasive behaviour, adding a layer of conflict which keeps the pacing tight. The story is scarily believable, the antagonist entirely heinous and without any kind of conscience, and it certainly makes you think about how much you would be willing to forgive for family.
With brilliant translation as always by Quentin Bates, the story kept me completely hooked and I finished it over just two evenings. The ending, whilst perhaps not quite the traditional picture of justice, certainly made me smile and I will be intrigued now to see what could possibly come next.
April 13, 2021
Discover the locations in Silenced here
Review to follow for blog tour but in the meantime here's the BookTrail location map!
November 6, 2022
And so to Silenced, the follow up to Sólveig Pálsdóttir’s excellent Icelandic debut The Fox, (translated by Quentin Bates, as this one is) which introduced us to detective Guðgeir Fransson. In the previous book Fransson was temporarily idling away his time whilst on suspension from the police, but this book sees him return as a detective, caught up in a particularly tangled and violent investigation…
Despite having enjoyed The Fox, I was even more impressed by this one, where the writing and plotting felt much tighter overall, and the complexity of the case with its shifting timeline was much more gripping from the outset. Bringing together the elements of a missing person case, and a series of sexual assaults which result in the suspicious suicide of one of the victims, history begins to repeat itself, and a deeper forensic analysis of the events some twenty years previously, brings Fransson and his colleagues on the trail of a sadistic and organised offender.
The theme of family and loyalty lies at the heart of the book. Franssson’s reconciliation with his estranged wife and child, moving to a new home and starting afresh draws him into the path of a new neighbour, who comes to be more centrally involved in the investigation. The case itself revolves around a very dysfunctional family, where a sense of twisted loyalty and the harbouring of disturbing secrets, cause this investigation to become even more troubling, and violence strikes at the heart of the investigative team. Pálsdóttir smoothly incorporates the more settled home life of Fransson, with the Eythorsdottir family, who all carry mental and physical scars from the events of the past, and bar their daughter, Andrea (a social influencer) are obstinately unwilling to assist Fransson as their troubled past begins to impinge on the present. They are a particularly unpleasant and obtuse group of individuals, bound up in a situation of manipulation and control but as Fransson chips away at the case, the true extent of their general unpleasantness become increasingly clearer.
Fransson is a solid character, being both a team player, but willing to go out on a limb when inspiration strikes, and refreshingly does not seem to carry the traits of most detectives in crime fiction, as an alcoholic maverick with commitment issues. He is magnanimous as one of his female colleagues is promoted above him, a keen listener and supportive as one of the team suffers a brutal physical attack in the course of the investigation. I was also struck by how rounded the characterisation of his police colleagues was as well, as sometimes they can fade into the background around the central police protagonist, and I particularly like the character of Særós, his superior officer, and the small details of her private life that are gradually revealed as the book progresses.
Throughout the book there are some interesting deviations into the world of social media and the nature of art, and how the deep and dark nature of the visceral paintings of Kristín Kjarr, a disturbed and abused young woman in prison, carry more weight and emotion, than Andrea Eythorsdottir’s ‘art’ as a somewhat fatuous and shallow social influencer. As much as Andrea sees her role as artfully presenting products and influencing her followers to buy them, the true power of art is actually borne out by Kristín’s paintings and drawings, that arise out of pure emotion and fear.
As I said in the introduction, I found Silenced a much more polished book overall, again with an excellent translation by author Quentin Bates, and this bodes very well as the Ice and Crime series progresses. I found the plot compelling, and I liked the little sub-topics that Pálsdóttir explores in relation to her characters and plot. She builds a sense of tension exceedingly well throughout, and as I become more familiar with detective Guðgeir Fransson, I like his sense of fairness and cool headed professionalism, the way he interacts with others, and how he sensitively puts the victim at the heart of his search for justice. Recommended.
Despite having enjoyed The Fox, I was even more impressed by this one, where the writing and plotting felt much tighter overall, and the complexity of the case with its shifting timeline was much more gripping from the outset. Bringing together the elements of a missing person case, and a series of sexual assaults which result in the suspicious suicide of one of the victims, history begins to repeat itself, and a deeper forensic analysis of the events some twenty years previously, brings Fransson and his colleagues on the trail of a sadistic and organised offender.
The theme of family and loyalty lies at the heart of the book. Franssson’s reconciliation with his estranged wife and child, moving to a new home and starting afresh draws him into the path of a new neighbour, who comes to be more centrally involved in the investigation. The case itself revolves around a very dysfunctional family, where a sense of twisted loyalty and the harbouring of disturbing secrets, cause this investigation to become even more troubling, and violence strikes at the heart of the investigative team. Pálsdóttir smoothly incorporates the more settled home life of Fransson, with the Eythorsdottir family, who all carry mental and physical scars from the events of the past, and bar their daughter, Andrea (a social influencer) are obstinately unwilling to assist Fransson as their troubled past begins to impinge on the present. They are a particularly unpleasant and obtuse group of individuals, bound up in a situation of manipulation and control but as Fransson chips away at the case, the true extent of their general unpleasantness become increasingly clearer.
Fransson is a solid character, being both a team player, but willing to go out on a limb when inspiration strikes, and refreshingly does not seem to carry the traits of most detectives in crime fiction, as an alcoholic maverick with commitment issues. He is magnanimous as one of his female colleagues is promoted above him, a keen listener and supportive as one of the team suffers a brutal physical attack in the course of the investigation. I was also struck by how rounded the characterisation of his police colleagues was as well, as sometimes they can fade into the background around the central police protagonist, and I particularly like the character of Særós, his superior officer, and the small details of her private life that are gradually revealed as the book progresses.
Throughout the book there are some interesting deviations into the world of social media and the nature of art, and how the deep and dark nature of the visceral paintings of Kristín Kjarr, a disturbed and abused young woman in prison, carry more weight and emotion, than Andrea Eythorsdottir’s ‘art’ as a somewhat fatuous and shallow social influencer. As much as Andrea sees her role as artfully presenting products and influencing her followers to buy them, the true power of art is actually borne out by Kristín’s paintings and drawings, that arise out of pure emotion and fear.
As I said in the introduction, I found Silenced a much more polished book overall, again with an excellent translation by author Quentin Bates, and this bodes very well as the Ice and Crime series progresses. I found the plot compelling, and I liked the little sub-topics that Pálsdóttir explores in relation to her characters and plot. She builds a sense of tension exceedingly well throughout, and as I become more familiar with detective Guðgeir Fransson, I like his sense of fairness and cool headed professionalism, the way he interacts with others, and how he sensitively puts the victim at the heart of his search for justice. Recommended.
June 9, 2021
A series to watch
May 16, 2021
This is the second novel by Sólveig Pálsdóttir to be published in the English language following The Fox which was issued in late 2020. Like the first, The Silenced features detective Guðgeir Fransson. I read recently in an interview in Crime Fiction Lover that it’s actually the fifth story in the “Crime & Ice” series yet the first three were published by a different Icelandic author and English language rights have not yet been acquired for these. Nonetheless the Fox was a very strong introduction to Pálsdóttir’s writing and The Silenced firmly builds on the strength of the earlier title to provide an even more compelling story.
In the opening chapter of the book a newly introduced character receives a video of another woman committing suicide. It is an ominous start to a novel that focuses upon the consequences of violent crimes and psychological cruelty committed against women.
Following The Fox where we saw Guðgeir Fransson temporarily living in a remote part of Iceland, he had returned to Reykjavík and is reunited with his wife Inga. They are in the process of moving house when Fransson meets his new neighbour Andrea Eythórsdóttir. She has evidently been drinking and when she discovers that Fransson is a police officer she talks of the disappearance of her older brother Jóhannes and her displeasure with the police investigation that was carried out at the time. Fransson gives a vague commitment to look into it.
A woman in found dead in her cell at the Hólmsheiði prison and when Fransson visits the scene, he is left with the impression that there was more behind her death than is initially revealed. The prisoner, Kristin Kjarr, had been rehabilitating well and as an artist spent much of her time painting. Among her pictures are many which appear to feature the same man. He and his colleague Elsa Gudrun start to examine her background to see who she associated before she was imprisoned including seeing her grief stricken, but still in denial, father.
Fransson establishes that Kjarr had previously been in a relationship with Jóhannes Eythórsdóttir before he went missing which had caused her so much suffering that she later tried to inflict revenge on the family. Further investigations show that Jóhannes had reputation as an abusive partner despite the denials of his elderly parents, sister Andrea and his brother Daði Eythórsdóttir.
Some of Fransson colleagues are drawn into some rapes that are reminiscent of those that Jóhannes had allegedly carried out. Fransson becomes convinced that Daði Eythórsdóttir is the one portrayed in Kjarr’s paintings and sketches and tries to put together the evidence to trap the businessman.
The truth is gradually revealed as the family gradually become less tight-lipped but the limited information that Fransson receives adds further to the mystery. There is a memorable conclusion as the book concludes in a thoughtful and unexpected manner.
I was very impressed with the quality of the writing in The Silenced and the fluid translation by Quentin Bates. The book highlights how women can be displaced and sidelined in a number of ways and not always through criminal activities. These timeless issues were treated sensitively and intelligently while there was also a contemporary depiction of the social media influencer. While The Fox was pretty much a solo investigation for Fransson, in The Silenced we see more interaction with his fellow colleagues such as Særós who we met briefly in the first novel and Elsa Gudrun a newly introduced character. This helps to round their personalities more fully.
Pálsdóttir enhances her growing reputation as a socially aware and convincing writer. I look forward to reading more of her novels in the future.
In the opening chapter of the book a newly introduced character receives a video of another woman committing suicide. It is an ominous start to a novel that focuses upon the consequences of violent crimes and psychological cruelty committed against women.
Following The Fox where we saw Guðgeir Fransson temporarily living in a remote part of Iceland, he had returned to Reykjavík and is reunited with his wife Inga. They are in the process of moving house when Fransson meets his new neighbour Andrea Eythórsdóttir. She has evidently been drinking and when she discovers that Fransson is a police officer she talks of the disappearance of her older brother Jóhannes and her displeasure with the police investigation that was carried out at the time. Fransson gives a vague commitment to look into it.
A woman in found dead in her cell at the Hólmsheiði prison and when Fransson visits the scene, he is left with the impression that there was more behind her death than is initially revealed. The prisoner, Kristin Kjarr, had been rehabilitating well and as an artist spent much of her time painting. Among her pictures are many which appear to feature the same man. He and his colleague Elsa Gudrun start to examine her background to see who she associated before she was imprisoned including seeing her grief stricken, but still in denial, father.
Fransson establishes that Kjarr had previously been in a relationship with Jóhannes Eythórsdóttir before he went missing which had caused her so much suffering that she later tried to inflict revenge on the family. Further investigations show that Jóhannes had reputation as an abusive partner despite the denials of his elderly parents, sister Andrea and his brother Daði Eythórsdóttir.
Some of Fransson colleagues are drawn into some rapes that are reminiscent of those that Jóhannes had allegedly carried out. Fransson becomes convinced that Daði Eythórsdóttir is the one portrayed in Kjarr’s paintings and sketches and tries to put together the evidence to trap the businessman.
The truth is gradually revealed as the family gradually become less tight-lipped but the limited information that Fransson receives adds further to the mystery. There is a memorable conclusion as the book concludes in a thoughtful and unexpected manner.
I was very impressed with the quality of the writing in The Silenced and the fluid translation by Quentin Bates. The book highlights how women can be displaced and sidelined in a number of ways and not always through criminal activities. These timeless issues were treated sensitively and intelligently while there was also a contemporary depiction of the social media influencer. While The Fox was pretty much a solo investigation for Fransson, in The Silenced we see more interaction with his fellow colleagues such as Særós who we met briefly in the first novel and Elsa Gudrun a newly introduced character. This helps to round their personalities more fully.
Pálsdóttir enhances her growing reputation as a socially aware and convincing writer. I look forward to reading more of her novels in the future.
May 7, 2021
Silenced by Sólveig Pálsdóttir is book two in the Ice and Crime series. Published with Corylus Books April 15th, Silenced won the 2020 Drop of Blood Award for the best Icelandic crime novel of the year, and is Iceland’s nomination for the Glass Key Award for the best Nordic crime novel of 2021. Translated by Quentin Bates, Silenced has been described as ‘compelling reading’ by Lilja Sigurðardóttir.
I haven’t read The Fox, Book 1 in this crime fiction series by Solveig Pálsdóttir, so I really went in not knowing what to expect. What I can tell you is that it opens on a shocker. A social media influencer is sent a video of the apparent suicide of a young woman, Kristín Kjarr, from her prison cell. The scene is shocking and Andrea Eythorsdottir throws her phone away in horror. Why is she being sent this terrifying video clip?
Detective Guðgeir Fransson is currently moving house into a new apartment complex with his wife. He is feeling the stresses of these very pressure-filled days but his life is about to get a lot more busy. Called to Hólmsheiði Prison, he examines the cell of Kristín Kjarr, following the discovery of her body by a prison officer. Kristín is an artist whose life was dotted with traumatic events. With no suicide note or obvious reason to anyone, she made the decision to take her own life. But Fransson is suspicious from the beginning. His instinct tells him there is a lot more to this story and as he starts to unravel this tightly wound web, he crosses paths with the very strange and dysfunctional Eythorsdottir family.
The tentacles of this case reach far and wide leaving very little trace of a clue and with his team working hard, Fransson is feeling very frustrated. But suddenly things get very, very personal. Fransson is angry, Fransson is upset. The time has come to put the pressure on but Fransson and his team are very unprepared for the nest of vipers they are about to uncover.
Silenced is an excellent title for this novel. Being silenced is a terrible infringement on anyone’s life and there are individuals in this novel who thrive on such heinous behaviour. The crimes committed in this book are brutal and unforgiving. The callousness and pure horror of the scenes find a home in the mind of the reader as the pure revulsion for the depraved acts enacted take root. The book ends in quite an unusual manner, almost controversial I would think. Certainly not what I was expecting and It left me asking questions. Definitely a great talking point for a book-club!
Silenced is another addition to the fabulous Nordic Crime fiction genre, adding to the multitude of translated work that is now available. Up to a few years ago my knowledge of translated work was extremely limited. Being part of the blogging community has expanded my literary journey and I am so very grateful for the opportunities given to read such works.
Silenced is at times an uncomfortable read with themes of abuse and violence running through the story but Sólveig Pálsdóttir handles it very well without unnecessarily embellishing scenes. Silenced is an intriguing tale, set within an Icelandic community, and introduces us to some wonderfully flawed characters and a very likable and engaging main protagonist.
I haven’t read The Fox, Book 1 in this crime fiction series by Solveig Pálsdóttir, so I really went in not knowing what to expect. What I can tell you is that it opens on a shocker. A social media influencer is sent a video of the apparent suicide of a young woman, Kristín Kjarr, from her prison cell. The scene is shocking and Andrea Eythorsdottir throws her phone away in horror. Why is she being sent this terrifying video clip?
Detective Guðgeir Fransson is currently moving house into a new apartment complex with his wife. He is feeling the stresses of these very pressure-filled days but his life is about to get a lot more busy. Called to Hólmsheiði Prison, he examines the cell of Kristín Kjarr, following the discovery of her body by a prison officer. Kristín is an artist whose life was dotted with traumatic events. With no suicide note or obvious reason to anyone, she made the decision to take her own life. But Fransson is suspicious from the beginning. His instinct tells him there is a lot more to this story and as he starts to unravel this tightly wound web, he crosses paths with the very strange and dysfunctional Eythorsdottir family.
The tentacles of this case reach far and wide leaving very little trace of a clue and with his team working hard, Fransson is feeling very frustrated. But suddenly things get very, very personal. Fransson is angry, Fransson is upset. The time has come to put the pressure on but Fransson and his team are very unprepared for the nest of vipers they are about to uncover.
Silenced is an excellent title for this novel. Being silenced is a terrible infringement on anyone’s life and there are individuals in this novel who thrive on such heinous behaviour. The crimes committed in this book are brutal and unforgiving. The callousness and pure horror of the scenes find a home in the mind of the reader as the pure revulsion for the depraved acts enacted take root. The book ends in quite an unusual manner, almost controversial I would think. Certainly not what I was expecting and It left me asking questions. Definitely a great talking point for a book-club!
Silenced is another addition to the fabulous Nordic Crime fiction genre, adding to the multitude of translated work that is now available. Up to a few years ago my knowledge of translated work was extremely limited. Being part of the blogging community has expanded my literary journey and I am so very grateful for the opportunities given to read such works.
Silenced is at times an uncomfortable read with themes of abuse and violence running through the story but Sólveig Pálsdóttir handles it very well without unnecessarily embellishing scenes. Silenced is an intriguing tale, set within an Icelandic community, and introduces us to some wonderfully flawed characters and a very likable and engaging main protagonist.
May 27, 2021
Silenced follows The Fox, in which we met Guðgeir Fransson, a detective with the Reykjavík police who was under a cloud and waiting for a decision on the future of his career (and also, his marriage). Now Guðgeir is back in Reykjavík and while he's not got his old job back (that role is held by his former protégé Særós) he is playing a useful part in investigations, at the same time as he and his wife move from a house that clearly holds painful memories.
That move brings Guðgeir across the path of Andrea Eythórsdóttir, a young social media influencer (I really enjoyed seeing Guðgeir grapple with that idea!) whose brother vanished twenty years before. Andrea is pretty traumatised by the whole thing and taking to the bottle, and Guðgeir begins to look into the case. He has barely got started however when he's called away to investigate the apparent suicide, in prison, of another young woman - swiftly followed by the first in a series of particularly brutal rapes.
Silenced has, as you'll have gathered, some dark themes. Like The Fox, it exposes patriarchal violence against, and control of, women and a content warning would be in order for the book since there are some frank (though not gratuitous) accounts of what happens. Pálsdóttir expertly weaves together a number of strands: Andrea, who as I have said, is herself troubled; her somewhat haughty family; Kristín, the young woman who died in prison and whose earlier life is seen both in flashbacks and in the words of a friend; and Guðgeir's own life, back on track but about to be upset when his student daughter announces that she is pregnant. I liked the way that Pálsdóttir then has Guðgeir reflect on that - on the extent to which the boyfriend may or may not become involved in parenting, on the childhoods and life chances of the people he meets as part of the investigation, especially the Eythórsdóttir children, and on his own earlier life. There's a sense of Iceland being a small place where paths cross often with different characters having attended the same college at different times, for example, as well as that closeness still allowing goodness knows what to happen in some families, unsuspected by those outside.
In contrast to all this exploration of human nature, I also enjoyed the sense of Guðgeir settling back into a familiar place, in contrast to his life as seen in The Fox where he was out of his element.
Which only makes it all the more disturbing, of course, when the attacks on women begin to mount and the team need to react and track down the perpetrator. That procedural aspect of the story makes this also an excellent book if seen primarily as a mystery (I did work out what was happening before the end) and I like the fact that, while dealing with very serious crimes, neither this book nor its predecessor give the centrality to murder that one so often finds in crime.
The translation by Quentin Bates is clear and strikes a good balance between keeping the setting and atmosphere clear - this is obviously Iceland! - and leaving the reader to puzzle over details or references with which they may be unfamiliar.
An excellent addition to a series that I am looking forward to following.
I gratefully acknowledge receipt of a copy of Silenced to review.
That move brings Guðgeir across the path of Andrea Eythórsdóttir, a young social media influencer (I really enjoyed seeing Guðgeir grapple with that idea!) whose brother vanished twenty years before. Andrea is pretty traumatised by the whole thing and taking to the bottle, and Guðgeir begins to look into the case. He has barely got started however when he's called away to investigate the apparent suicide, in prison, of another young woman - swiftly followed by the first in a series of particularly brutal rapes.
Silenced has, as you'll have gathered, some dark themes. Like The Fox, it exposes patriarchal violence against, and control of, women and a content warning would be in order for the book since there are some frank (though not gratuitous) accounts of what happens. Pálsdóttir expertly weaves together a number of strands: Andrea, who as I have said, is herself troubled; her somewhat haughty family; Kristín, the young woman who died in prison and whose earlier life is seen both in flashbacks and in the words of a friend; and Guðgeir's own life, back on track but about to be upset when his student daughter announces that she is pregnant. I liked the way that Pálsdóttir then has Guðgeir reflect on that - on the extent to which the boyfriend may or may not become involved in parenting, on the childhoods and life chances of the people he meets as part of the investigation, especially the Eythórsdóttir children, and on his own earlier life. There's a sense of Iceland being a small place where paths cross often with different characters having attended the same college at different times, for example, as well as that closeness still allowing goodness knows what to happen in some families, unsuspected by those outside.
In contrast to all this exploration of human nature, I also enjoyed the sense of Guðgeir settling back into a familiar place, in contrast to his life as seen in The Fox where he was out of his element.
Which only makes it all the more disturbing, of course, when the attacks on women begin to mount and the team need to react and track down the perpetrator. That procedural aspect of the story makes this also an excellent book if seen primarily as a mystery (I did work out what was happening before the end) and I like the fact that, while dealing with very serious crimes, neither this book nor its predecessor give the centrality to murder that one so often finds in crime.
The translation by Quentin Bates is clear and strikes a good balance between keeping the setting and atmosphere clear - this is obviously Iceland! - and leaving the reader to puzzle over details or references with which they may be unfamiliar.
An excellent addition to a series that I am looking forward to following.
I gratefully acknowledge receipt of a copy of Silenced to review.
May 14, 2021
I am a huge fan of translated fiction, especially Nordic Noir, and especially Icelandic Fiction. Silenced is brilliantly translated by Quentin Bates. He excels in keeping that authentic Icelandic feel to the story, his expertise and own experience of living in Iceland shines through, making this novel something to really savour.
Guðgeir Fransson has returned to Reykjavík to take charge of the Special Investigations unit. Not only is this a new chapter for him career wise, but he and his wife Inga are moving into a new apartment. Getting their new home ready is taking up all of his spare time. He's already met one of his new neighbours, Andrea Eythórsdóttir, who, when she found out that he was a police officer, began to tell him how the force had let her and her family down so badly. Her brother, Johannes Eythórsson, disappeared twenty years ago. It happened on the day that an earthquake hit Iceland, and Guðgeir vaguely remembers the case, but had no involvement in the investigation.
Guðgeir and his fellow officer Elsa Guðrún are called out to a death at the local prison. It appears that Kristín Kjarr has taken her own life, although the prison warden informs them that she had seemed in good spirits before her death. Kristín was a talented artist and had left many drawings in her cell. On closer inspection, it becomes clear that one man features heavily in the art work. That man is Daði Eythórsdóttir; the brother of Guðgeir's neighbour and the disappeared Johannes.
As the investigations proceed, it becomes clear that Johannes had many allegations against him. Kristín had accused him of rape, although the allegations were strongly denied by the wealthy and influential Eythórsdóttir family.
When a rape is reported, and then another, and then another that is far more personal to the police team, suspicions about Daði Eythórsdóttir are roused. Could he be following in his brother's footsteps, and why is Andrea suddenly so loathe to speak out? Has someone got to her? What does she have to hide? Who is silencing her?
This is complex and very cleverly written crime story with a strong message within it. By including events from the past, and the present, the author seamlessly shows how powerful men can silence women, and it's frightening and dark and distressing at times. All of the characters are so perfectly formed, with their flaws and their foibles exposed to all. I was totally invested in this story, and had no idea where we would end up. I was so impressed by how the story twisted around, to show so many sides and uncover truths.
Absolutely compelling reading. This author is one to watch, and the translation is so brilliantly done too. Highly recommended by me.
Guðgeir Fransson has returned to Reykjavík to take charge of the Special Investigations unit. Not only is this a new chapter for him career wise, but he and his wife Inga are moving into a new apartment. Getting their new home ready is taking up all of his spare time. He's already met one of his new neighbours, Andrea Eythórsdóttir, who, when she found out that he was a police officer, began to tell him how the force had let her and her family down so badly. Her brother, Johannes Eythórsson, disappeared twenty years ago. It happened on the day that an earthquake hit Iceland, and Guðgeir vaguely remembers the case, but had no involvement in the investigation.
Guðgeir and his fellow officer Elsa Guðrún are called out to a death at the local prison. It appears that Kristín Kjarr has taken her own life, although the prison warden informs them that she had seemed in good spirits before her death. Kristín was a talented artist and had left many drawings in her cell. On closer inspection, it becomes clear that one man features heavily in the art work. That man is Daði Eythórsdóttir; the brother of Guðgeir's neighbour and the disappeared Johannes.
As the investigations proceed, it becomes clear that Johannes had many allegations against him. Kristín had accused him of rape, although the allegations were strongly denied by the wealthy and influential Eythórsdóttir family.
When a rape is reported, and then another, and then another that is far more personal to the police team, suspicions about Daði Eythórsdóttir are roused. Could he be following in his brother's footsteps, and why is Andrea suddenly so loathe to speak out? Has someone got to her? What does she have to hide? Who is silencing her?
This is complex and very cleverly written crime story with a strong message within it. By including events from the past, and the present, the author seamlessly shows how powerful men can silence women, and it's frightening and dark and distressing at times. All of the characters are so perfectly formed, with their flaws and their foibles exposed to all. I was totally invested in this story, and had no idea where we would end up. I was so impressed by how the story twisted around, to show so many sides and uncover truths.
Absolutely compelling reading. This author is one to watch, and the translation is so brilliantly done too. Highly recommended by me.
November 27, 2021
Shallow and flat; not noir
Two-dimensional characters make formal, tedious conversation as they drive back and forth on police errands. No character development, no insights, no good descriptions redeem the book. It’s just an outline of a plot (a mystery you’ll solve by the halfway point) filled out with monotonous narration. Some of this is possibly due to the translator, but passages like the one where a character walks to the fridge, opens the door, takes out the orange juice, unscrews the top, pours a glass...these read as the author’s attempt to fill out the outline of the story to novel length. The author tells rather than shows, and characters are repeatedly said to be shocked, astonished, shaking with rage, in ways that don’t fit the scene or follow from what came before. The author seems to try to humanize the men, but the women in particular are just soft dolls for her to manipulate.
Two-dimensional characters make formal, tedious conversation as they drive back and forth on police errands. No character development, no insights, no good descriptions redeem the book. It’s just an outline of a plot (a mystery you’ll solve by the halfway point) filled out with monotonous narration. Some of this is possibly due to the translator, but passages like the one where a character walks to the fridge, opens the door, takes out the orange juice, unscrews the top, pours a glass...these read as the author’s attempt to fill out the outline of the story to novel length. The author tells rather than shows, and characters are repeatedly said to be shocked, astonished, shaking with rage, in ways that don’t fit the scene or follow from what came before. The author seems to try to humanize the men, but the women in particular are just soft dolls for her to manipulate.
May 25, 2021
I was engrossed in this from the start. The characters have moved on from where we last left them, and as is always good life seems to be moving gently along. Except it isn’t!
The main character is deeply layered and he is as flawed as some of the other people within the pages. Yet, his integrity wins out. I love him because he’s a flawed person, but he’s trying to do what he can.
A series of brutal rapes embroil him in the middle of a major investigation , and he is curious enough to want to follow a hunch from a conversation with his new neighbour.
This book oozes dark, deep Icelandic noir which is written to perfection and I was sad to put it down. Subliminal criminal pleasure!
Thanks for the advanced reading copy of this book to Corylus Books and the author.
The main character is deeply layered and he is as flawed as some of the other people within the pages. Yet, his integrity wins out. I love him because he’s a flawed person, but he’s trying to do what he can.
A series of brutal rapes embroil him in the middle of a major investigation , and he is curious enough to want to follow a hunch from a conversation with his new neighbour.
This book oozes dark, deep Icelandic noir which is written to perfection and I was sad to put it down. Subliminal criminal pleasure!
Thanks for the advanced reading copy of this book to Corylus Books and the author.
May 12, 2021
With The Fox, Sólveig Pálsdóttir proved that she’s a master in atmosphere and setting. Silenced showcases a different strength – her mastery of characterisation and plot. This second translation into English by the formidable Quentin Bates conclusively cements Sólveig’s status as member Icelandic crime fiction royalty. Here’s why.
Full review: https://westwordsreviews.wordpress.co...
Full review: https://westwordsreviews.wordpress.co...
August 16, 2021
Silenced
Started out a little slow but developed into a great story with a neat plot. Being set in Iceland added a bit of something exotic and different for me. Definitely recommend it.
Started out a little slow but developed into a great story with a neat plot. Being set in Iceland added a bit of something exotic and different for me. Definitely recommend it.
July 16, 2023
Kristin Kjarr is found dead in her cell at Hólmsheiði prison. She had been imprisoned for driving her car into a house almost killing a young skateboarder and the elderly woman who was at home sick. It looks cut and dried – she has committed suicide. However, to Detective Guðgeir Fransson he feels that there is something not right. Guðgeir gets the agreement of his boss Særós to look into it.
The book is character driven and gives a well rounded perspective of the main characters in the story. Giving, for example, Guðgeir a life outside of work. It is whilst he is working on the floor of the new home he and his wife will be moving into that he meets Andrea, a neighbour. Andrea finding that Guðgeir is a policeman talks to him about her brother who went missing years before. He agrees to take a look at the case.
Jóhannes, Andrea’s brother, vanished on 17 June 2000 camping at the lakeside of Thrastarlunder. He was with his brother, Daði, and a friend. After being in Hveragerði and getting caught up in an earthquake when they returned to the campsite they couldn’t find him. In the end whilst no body was found it was assumed that he had died.
Elsa Guðrún is returning to work after a break and joins Guðgeir in the investigations. As they look into the older case they find connections with Kristin Kjarr. She had been Jóhannes girlfriend. She crashed her car into the home of Jóhannes parents. She had been drawing pictures of someone who looked like Daði.
There are lots of questions from Guðgeir. Why would you commit suicide when you only had a few days left to serve? What do the connections between the two cases mean? Why draw so many pictures of someone? Even more questions arrive as they continue to gather information. Why did Daði say he didn’t know Kristin? Why would Kristin crash into the Eythórson’s house? Kristin killed herself but why?
The more Guðgeir and Elsa investigate the more they find that there is a connection between Jóhannes case and Kirstin death. They find out that Jóhannes had raped Kirstin and that there were other possible victims. The family are not happy to have these facts brought out. Then there is an attack on a woman in her own home, is there a copycat rapist? Then history repeats itself in a devastating manner and very close to home! Can they find the perpetrator? Will justice be done?
The ending isn’t neatly packaged but I feel that the author wanted to do two things. Firstly, to show that in cases of rape, sexual assault or other sexual offences there is often no outcome, no justice because the perpetrator is not found or not convicted for some reason. Secondly, to allow personal closure to one of the characters. If you watch the video below the author does say that the ending had to be for all victims and so was more of a symbolic ending.
So, the ending reflects that justice has its hands tied, has been silenced. As it happens in real life it is good now and then to show it happening in the fictional world. And for one character the conclusion may not have brought justice – yet – but it did bring a kind of closure and an ability to move forward.
Sólveig Pálsdóttir is obviously very passionate about this kind of crime, why they are committed, why they are not always brought to justice and how the victims are affected.
This is a well written story about a heartbreaking crime which affected several characters in different ways. It is sensitively written and is in no way graphic. It is an important story to have been written in order to keep such crimes visible, give a voice to those who have never received any kind of justice and simply say we must be better at supporting victims of sexual assault, at finding the perpetrators and at bringing them to justice.
I look forward to reading more of this author’s work.
It is a must to acknowledge the translator without whom I and many others would not be able to read and enjoy foreign language books and to the publishers who bring these wonderful stories into our lives. Thanks to Quentin Bates and Corylus Books.
Book: Purchased
The book is character driven and gives a well rounded perspective of the main characters in the story. Giving, for example, Guðgeir a life outside of work. It is whilst he is working on the floor of the new home he and his wife will be moving into that he meets Andrea, a neighbour. Andrea finding that Guðgeir is a policeman talks to him about her brother who went missing years before. He agrees to take a look at the case.
Jóhannes, Andrea’s brother, vanished on 17 June 2000 camping at the lakeside of Thrastarlunder. He was with his brother, Daði, and a friend. After being in Hveragerði and getting caught up in an earthquake when they returned to the campsite they couldn’t find him. In the end whilst no body was found it was assumed that he had died.
Elsa Guðrún is returning to work after a break and joins Guðgeir in the investigations. As they look into the older case they find connections with Kristin Kjarr. She had been Jóhannes girlfriend. She crashed her car into the home of Jóhannes parents. She had been drawing pictures of someone who looked like Daði.
There are lots of questions from Guðgeir. Why would you commit suicide when you only had a few days left to serve? What do the connections between the two cases mean? Why draw so many pictures of someone? Even more questions arrive as they continue to gather information. Why did Daði say he didn’t know Kristin? Why would Kristin crash into the Eythórson’s house? Kristin killed herself but why?
The more Guðgeir and Elsa investigate the more they find that there is a connection between Jóhannes case and Kirstin death. They find out that Jóhannes had raped Kirstin and that there were other possible victims. The family are not happy to have these facts brought out. Then there is an attack on a woman in her own home, is there a copycat rapist? Then history repeats itself in a devastating manner and very close to home! Can they find the perpetrator? Will justice be done?
The ending isn’t neatly packaged but I feel that the author wanted to do two things. Firstly, to show that in cases of rape, sexual assault or other sexual offences there is often no outcome, no justice because the perpetrator is not found or not convicted for some reason. Secondly, to allow personal closure to one of the characters. If you watch the video below the author does say that the ending had to be for all victims and so was more of a symbolic ending.
So, the ending reflects that justice has its hands tied, has been silenced. As it happens in real life it is good now and then to show it happening in the fictional world. And for one character the conclusion may not have brought justice – yet – but it did bring a kind of closure and an ability to move forward.
Sólveig Pálsdóttir is obviously very passionate about this kind of crime, why they are committed, why they are not always brought to justice and how the victims are affected.
This is a well written story about a heartbreaking crime which affected several characters in different ways. It is sensitively written and is in no way graphic. It is an important story to have been written in order to keep such crimes visible, give a voice to those who have never received any kind of justice and simply say we must be better at supporting victims of sexual assault, at finding the perpetrators and at bringing them to justice.
I look forward to reading more of this author’s work.
It is a must to acknowledge the translator without whom I and many others would not be able to read and enjoy foreign language books and to the publishers who bring these wonderful stories into our lives. Thanks to Quentin Bates and Corylus Books.
Book: Purchased
May 12, 2021
Andrea, half-dozing alone on her balcony in the Reykjavik sun, recalls another much sunnier day with her family, spoiled only by a persistent cockroach. What an unsettling little scene to open a novel with! Unsettling too is the fact one of her brothers, Jóhannes, went missing during an earthquake just a few weeks later, his body never found.
The sense of clashing realities continues as Andrea (who ostensibly makes her living as a social media influencer) carefully arranges a "spontaneous" tableau of champagne and sun cream on her balcony to post a photo online - then receives a message containing a video of clearly distressed woman swallowing pills. Disturbed by the video and her memories, when her new neighbour, Guðgeir Fransson, knocks on her door to borrow a hammer, on discovering he is a police detective Andrea finds herself telling him about her brother's case.
When Guðgeir is called to investigate a suicide in a woman's prison - who managed to find and swallow a large amount of pills - he is very interested in the fact that the woman, Kristin, has paintings and sketches all over her cell walls, many of them portraits of a man who looks very like Andrea's remaining brother, Daði. Guðgeir becomes more and more interested in the links between Kristin and Andrea's family, which turn out to be more complex than he first thought - they go back two decades, to when Kristin was Jóhannes' girlfriend, and to why they split up and the family's response.
As he and his team dig deeper into why Kristin took her own life, colleagues are investigating a series of brutal rapes in the city, including one victim that is particularly close to home. They discover that some years ago, there were a similar series of rapes by a man who was never caught. Is this a copycat? And how can they catch him when he is so careful about forensic traces?
The reveal is cleverly played out, and the ending was definitely not expected - and it's satisfyingly sharp, too, with a feeling of closure in among the loose ends.
This isn't the novel to pick up if you want to read about Iceland's landscape, history or folklore. The country is the backdrop, but Sólveig Pálsdóttir is firmly focused on her characters and their interaction, and wider themes. She pulls no punches in showing the impact of violence, but never goes into gratuitous detail about it.
It's sometimes a tough read because of its themes, but reality is tough, and I believe crime writers who ignore reality do readers a disservice. Overall it's a thoughtful, striking novel.
The sense of clashing realities continues as Andrea (who ostensibly makes her living as a social media influencer) carefully arranges a "spontaneous" tableau of champagne and sun cream on her balcony to post a photo online - then receives a message containing a video of clearly distressed woman swallowing pills. Disturbed by the video and her memories, when her new neighbour, Guðgeir Fransson, knocks on her door to borrow a hammer, on discovering he is a police detective Andrea finds herself telling him about her brother's case.
When Guðgeir is called to investigate a suicide in a woman's prison - who managed to find and swallow a large amount of pills - he is very interested in the fact that the woman, Kristin, has paintings and sketches all over her cell walls, many of them portraits of a man who looks very like Andrea's remaining brother, Daði. Guðgeir becomes more and more interested in the links between Kristin and Andrea's family, which turn out to be more complex than he first thought - they go back two decades, to when Kristin was Jóhannes' girlfriend, and to why they split up and the family's response.
As he and his team dig deeper into why Kristin took her own life, colleagues are investigating a series of brutal rapes in the city, including one victim that is particularly close to home. They discover that some years ago, there were a similar series of rapes by a man who was never caught. Is this a copycat? And how can they catch him when he is so careful about forensic traces?
The reveal is cleverly played out, and the ending was definitely not expected - and it's satisfyingly sharp, too, with a feeling of closure in among the loose ends.
This isn't the novel to pick up if you want to read about Iceland's landscape, history or folklore. The country is the backdrop, but Sólveig Pálsdóttir is firmly focused on her characters and their interaction, and wider themes. She pulls no punches in showing the impact of violence, but never goes into gratuitous detail about it.
It's sometimes a tough read because of its themes, but reality is tough, and I believe crime writers who ignore reality do readers a disservice. Overall it's a thoughtful, striking novel.
February 3, 2022
The second translated novel about Guðgeir Fransson (and apparently the fifth in the overall series) starts a few months after the previous one ended. Guðgeir Fransson is finally back in Reykjavík after his exile (where we met him in [The Fox]), had reunited with his wife and moving to a new apartment (we get more hints about what happened before his exile but the story is not clear - most likely it was in those early series novels which were not translated) and he is back in the police - not yet in his old job but close enough.
A woman kills herself in prison and it looks as a open and shut case - except that something just does not add up. Meanwhile Guðgeir gets accosted by his new neighbor who brings up her brother's disappearance 20 years ago. Then a string of brutal attacks connect to another one 20 years earlier - and things get even more convoluted.
I got frustrated with this novel a few times - the answer seemed obvious a lot earlier than any of the detectives even thought of it. But then I had to think about what the police really knows - we got a lot of extra information from different people and unlike the police, we only got the relevant parts of the story. And the author did throw a red herring or 3 to make us thinking that maybe the logical solution is not the solution - and even when it was obvious, there were part which ended up quite different.
The novel is part of a series but it can be read as a standalone if one so wishes. I like the author style - despite my misgiving on the whole police department not seeing the obvious in some places. She is not my favorite Icelandic author but she is readable. If any more of these get translated, I will read them.
A woman kills herself in prison and it looks as a open and shut case - except that something just does not add up. Meanwhile Guðgeir gets accosted by his new neighbor who brings up her brother's disappearance 20 years ago. Then a string of brutal attacks connect to another one 20 years earlier - and things get even more convoluted.
I got frustrated with this novel a few times - the answer seemed obvious a lot earlier than any of the detectives even thought of it. But then I had to think about what the police really knows - we got a lot of extra information from different people and unlike the police, we only got the relevant parts of the story. And the author did throw a red herring or 3 to make us thinking that maybe the logical solution is not the solution - and even when it was obvious, there were part which ended up quite different.
The novel is part of a series but it can be read as a standalone if one so wishes. I like the author style - despite my misgiving on the whole police department not seeing the obvious in some places. She is not my favorite Icelandic author but she is readable. If any more of these get translated, I will read them.
May 25, 2022
Second book in a series,Silenced by Solveig Palsdottir,is a police procedural on multiple interconnected crimes. The standout theme that passes through the book is of power and patriarchy.
At the centre of the book are 2 women - Cathryn an artist/rape victim who has committed suicide in prison; Andrea - a social media influencer who is a victim of patriarchy;
Detective Guðgeir Fransson is settling back into service in a new structure when he gets pulled into seemingly 3 different cases - an old missing person report, a prison suicide and a series of brutal rapes that has started in the city. The police with a surprisingly reflective procedural investigate the crimes while coming to terms with their own personal conflicts.
Some of the parts are well written - like trying to understand social media influencer role, forms of power and patriarchy and a subtle distinction of the good people from the 'bad'.
But ultimately what doesn't work is too much reliance on coincidences and an urge to tie all that is happening in a book. Why can't each be a separate crime? College year books establish relationships between almost all characters! And almost unnatural and contrived acts that do not fall in with human behaviour (though I don't claim to be an expert)
The book ultimately suffers from credibility issues. Wish the series does not have a mandate of limiting to one central crime per book.
At the centre of the book are 2 women - Cathryn an artist/rape victim who has committed suicide in prison; Andrea - a social media influencer who is a victim of patriarchy;
Detective Guðgeir Fransson is settling back into service in a new structure when he gets pulled into seemingly 3 different cases - an old missing person report, a prison suicide and a series of brutal rapes that has started in the city. The police with a surprisingly reflective procedural investigate the crimes while coming to terms with their own personal conflicts.
Some of the parts are well written - like trying to understand social media influencer role, forms of power and patriarchy and a subtle distinction of the good people from the 'bad'.
But ultimately what doesn't work is too much reliance on coincidences and an urge to tie all that is happening in a book. Why can't each be a separate crime? College year books establish relationships between almost all characters! And almost unnatural and contrived acts that do not fall in with human behaviour (though I don't claim to be an expert)
The book ultimately suffers from credibility issues. Wish the series does not have a mandate of limiting to one central crime per book.
January 10, 2022
Guogeir Fransson is called out to The Holmshodi Prison on the outskirts of Reykjavik after the death of a young woman .Kristin Kjarr was a talented artist and Guogeir cannot understand why she would commit suicide with just weeks of her sentence left ..When Guogeir..who is in the process of moving to the centre of Reykjavik with his family - meets his new neighbour Andrea , an 'it ' girl and social media influencer, he is taken aback after he tells her he is a police officer...and she suddenly turns on him ..telling him the police were not there for her and her family when her brother Johanne vanished and was declared dead nineteen years ago ..As Guogeir and the team probe deep into the past , whilst dealing with a string of cold and vicious attacks..he finds that some secrets have a way of floating to the surface and making themselves felt ..Dark Secrets ...Black hearts ...A Cold Dark Chilling Icelandic read ...
May 30, 2023
As with the first book, I liked this, although, again, not the ending.
Our MC is a good character study.
Our story is perhaps what the wealthy, who sometimes think they are above it all, think they can get away with.
A really good procedural, with the typical MC off investigating what he's not supposed to be. Not a Nordic noir, just a good whodunit.
Enjoyng this series. GR sometimes doesn't like to reveal there is an English version of #3, which I have and looking forward to getting to it..
Our MC is a good character study.
Our story is perhaps what the wealthy, who sometimes think they are above it all, think they can get away with.
A really good procedural, with the typical MC off investigating what he's not supposed to be. Not a Nordic noir, just a good whodunit.
Enjoyng this series. GR sometimes doesn't like to reveal there is an English version of #3, which I have and looking forward to getting to it..
January 26, 2022
This Icelandic crime novel was tastefully written. You may wonder how that could be true. There was a vicious serial rapist who managed to escape detection for more than 20 years, but eventually had to return because his mother was dying. The detective, Gudgeir, skillfully brings the search to an end, but not before a female team member gets attacked by the elusive rapist. One problem that I had with the story is frequent switching from present to past as the events are presented.
October 19, 2022
Another Great Read
The second installment of the Ice and Crime Book once again has the detective still not promoted back to his original office, but solving cases nonetheless with a little help from his capable partners in the police force. I can never put these books down. They just leave me wanting to get to the end so I can see if I was right in choosing "who dun it".
The second installment of the Ice and Crime Book once again has the detective still not promoted back to his original office, but solving cases nonetheless with a little help from his capable partners in the police force. I can never put these books down. They just leave me wanting to get to the end so I can see if I was right in choosing "who dun it".
April 12, 2022
Excellent Reading
I really enjoyed the plots twists and turns. It was a good story with lots of different characters. I read it too fast as I was like a kid with candy who can't eat it fast enough.
I really enjoyed the plots twists and turns. It was a good story with lots of different characters. I read it too fast as I was like a kid with candy who can't eat it fast enough.
Read
May 26, 2022Ég las bókina í tveimur sólarsetum á svölunum. Ég kann ljómandi vel við aðalsögupersónurnar og fannst sagan nógu spennandi til að gleypa hana í mig. Ég sá ekki endinn fyrir, var búin að giska á aðeins annað en kom á daginn, en reikna svo sem ekki með að hún skilji mikið eftir.
February 26, 2023
Bok nummer to om Gudgeir Fransson. Gudgeir er tilbake i Reykjavik. Et opplagt selvmord, med mange løse tråder. Her blir man tatt 20 år tilbake i tid der brutale hendelser har skjedd og hovedmistenkte er forsvunnet.
November 20, 2021
Silenced I've and crime book2
What an excellent read this was I enjoyed the first book the fox but this was definitely a five star plus
What an excellent read this was I enjoyed the first book the fox but this was definitely a five star plus
December 22, 2021
Another dark Icelandic noir story, though I still can’t quite figure out the protagonist.
February 2, 2022
The second book by the author of The Fox. A thoroughly enjoyable read that kept me hanging on the edge of my seat.
July 27, 2022
Icelandic noir with a very unconventional ending.
November 9, 2022
This book has a better plot than the first book and has the solid police work which is a big plus for the series. The writing is also better.
December 3, 2022
Great book! Excellent writing. It kept my attention throughout the whole book. I would highly recommend this book. It's a mystery and suspenseful. Can't wait to read another book by this author
July 14, 2023
Góður krimmi. Vel skrifaður og fléttan þétt. Löggan viðkunnanleg. Hlakka til að lesa meira eftir þennan höfund.
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