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Konráð #2
La ragazza del ponte
Un'anziana coppia è preoccupata per la nipote. Sanno che ultimamente Danní si è messa a frequentare brutti giri legati alla droga e non avendo sue notizie da qualche giorno temono le sia successo qualcosa. Per questo decidono di chiedere aiuto a Konráð: la nonna di Danní, che era un'amica di sua moglie, ha rivestito importanti incarichi pubblici e non vuole dare nell'occhio rivolgendosi alla polizia. Konráð è un ex poliziotto in pensione, e a Reykjavík la sua fama lo precede; il fiuto non gli manca, ma è distratto, svagato, e da molti anni rimugina sulla sorte del padre, accoltellato da un assassino tuttora sconosciuto. Questa volta, però, scavare nel passato e concentrarsi su dettagli all'apparenza irrilevanti lo condurrà alla verità: la triste vicenda di una ragazzina annegata nel laghetto della Tjörnin quasi cinquant'anni prima potrebbe essere la pista giusta da seguire per risolvere anche il caso di Danní, che nel frattempo viene ritrovata cadavere nell'appartamento del fidanzato. La morte di Danní è stata un incidente o qualcuno voleva farla tacere per sempre? In un noir teso e sottile, Indriðason pone l'accento sul destino delle donne, che pagano il prezzo più alto per l'odio e la violenza degli uomini; e dimostra come anche il segreto più nascosto, sepolto sotto una coltre di inganni e di bugie, possa essere svelato.
352 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2018
344 people are currently reading
1262 people want to read
About the author
Arnaldur Indriðason
53 books3,297 followersArnaldur Indriðason has the rare distinction of having won the Nordic Crime Novel Prize two years running. He is also the winner of the highly respected and world famous CWA Gold Dagger Award for the top crime novel of the year in the English language, Silence of the Grave.
Arnaldur’s novels have sold over 14 million copies worldwide, in 40 languages, and have won numerous well-respected prizes and received rave reviews all over the world.
Arnaldur’s novels have sold over 14 million copies worldwide, in 40 languages, and have won numerous well-respected prizes and received rave reviews all over the world.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 331 reviews
January 13, 2023
3.5 rounded up
Location:- Reykjavik
In 1961 a young man, a wannabe poet, sees a doll in a pond; he fishes it out and to his horror submerged beneath lies the body of a twelve year old girl. Two years on Eygló believes she sees a ghost of a young girl at a birthday party attended by all her classmates. Fast forward to the present day when twenty year old Danni goes missing who is believed to be a drug mule. Her very concerned grandparents, under no illusions, consult retired detective Konráð and ask for his help. Could there possibly be a connection to the drowned girl decades before?????
This Icelandic (very) noir has several complex storylines to it so it’s a bit disjointed and confusing at the start. However, it begins to click and settle and you see the direction it’s heading. It’s quite hard to discern the character of Konráð, he’s a complicated man and not necessarily easy to like but you do admire his dogged spirit and determination to ferret out the truth. To this day he is haunted by the death of his father in 1963 who was fatally stabbed with the case still unsolved. Eygló’s father is connected to Konráð’s and I do enjoy the supernatural element that she brings to the storytelling. This does in fact help to tie the plot strands together though initially is puzzling.
The writing is solid, it’s not especially exciting in tone but is told in a straightforward, logical manner. It is very dark in places, taking a deep dive into a horrifying topic and is as stark as the Icelandic winter landscape and leaves you feeling the chill. The backdrop of Iceland, especially Reykjavik adds just the right atmosphere to the plot.
This is a novel that is well worth sticking with, it gets better as it goes along though it’s far from a pretty tale.
With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Random House UK/ Vintage for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.
Location:- Reykjavik
In 1961 a young man, a wannabe poet, sees a doll in a pond; he fishes it out and to his horror submerged beneath lies the body of a twelve year old girl. Two years on Eygló believes she sees a ghost of a young girl at a birthday party attended by all her classmates. Fast forward to the present day when twenty year old Danni goes missing who is believed to be a drug mule. Her very concerned grandparents, under no illusions, consult retired detective Konráð and ask for his help. Could there possibly be a connection to the drowned girl decades before?????
This Icelandic (very) noir has several complex storylines to it so it’s a bit disjointed and confusing at the start. However, it begins to click and settle and you see the direction it’s heading. It’s quite hard to discern the character of Konráð, he’s a complicated man and not necessarily easy to like but you do admire his dogged spirit and determination to ferret out the truth. To this day he is haunted by the death of his father in 1963 who was fatally stabbed with the case still unsolved. Eygló’s father is connected to Konráð’s and I do enjoy the supernatural element that she brings to the storytelling. This does in fact help to tie the plot strands together though initially is puzzling.
The writing is solid, it’s not especially exciting in tone but is told in a straightforward, logical manner. It is very dark in places, taking a deep dive into a horrifying topic and is as stark as the Icelandic winter landscape and leaves you feeling the chill. The backdrop of Iceland, especially Reykjavik adds just the right atmosphere to the plot.
This is a novel that is well worth sticking with, it gets better as it goes along though it’s far from a pretty tale.
With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Random House UK/ Vintage for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.
February 10, 2021
Ein solider drei-Sterne-Krimi! Ich mag die düstere Stimmung der Island-Krimis dieses Autors und auch eine Erzählweise ist für mich sehr angenehm. Leider war die Handlung in diesem Roman zu konstruiert für meinen Geschmack.
March 16, 2023
A main character that is hard to read and not very likable. Several plot lines that come together, but the characters stay a bit flat. A writing style that’s sometimes not able to keep the reader fully interested.
But still: an interesting book where the city of Reykjavik plays an important role and it’s somehow logical the atmosphere of the story is as cold, dark and bleak as the city it’s set in.
Konrad may have left the police force, people still ask him for his help. And one day two older people, who have a very loose acquaintance with Konrads deceased wife, ask him to help find their missing granddaughter. They fear for her because she admitted to smuggle drugs and her boyfriend is somehow involved in it too. Very reluctantly Konrad agrees so have a look but soon this leads to him being drawn back into his own past, and especially the time around the death of his father.
The missing granddaughter, the death of Konrad’s father and the girl that drowned by the bridge some 50 years ago all come together with a bit of an unusual twist. Although Konrad is not the average retired policeman, you cannot but admire him for his perseverance to try and solve the mysteries, for himself but for the bereaved who seek his help.
Thanks to Netgalley and Harvill Secker for this review copy.
But still: an interesting book where the city of Reykjavik plays an important role and it’s somehow logical the atmosphere of the story is as cold, dark and bleak as the city it’s set in.
Konrad may have left the police force, people still ask him for his help. And one day two older people, who have a very loose acquaintance with Konrads deceased wife, ask him to help find their missing granddaughter. They fear for her because she admitted to smuggle drugs and her boyfriend is somehow involved in it too. Very reluctantly Konrad agrees so have a look but soon this leads to him being drawn back into his own past, and especially the time around the death of his father.
The missing granddaughter, the death of Konrad’s father and the girl that drowned by the bridge some 50 years ago all come together with a bit of an unusual twist. Although Konrad is not the average retired policeman, you cannot but admire him for his perseverance to try and solve the mysteries, for himself but for the bereaved who seek his help.
Thanks to Netgalley and Harvill Secker for this review copy.
June 19, 2025
A truly compulsive, dark and tragic tale. Retired Detective Konrád is drawn into one case, while also investigating the murder of his own father, and uncovers another historical crime. It was fascinating to see how the author deftly weaves the various separate characters together into one complex story.
Passages that particularly interested me or are marvelously described, or both:
“Elísabet, who also lived alone, had worked at a library for many years, and although no one knew better than Konrád how kind and gentle she was at heart, she could be a harsh critic, pettish and intimidating, with her raven-black hair and piercing brown eyes.”
“She opened her eyes and stared at the peeling paint on the ceiling. In it, she could make out all kinds of shapes and colours that danced before her eyes and coalesced into images that played in the air, as if emanating from an invisible projector.”
“Her apparel reminded him a bit of his sister Beta – both looked like vagabonds from an Icelandic folk tale. She wore an anorak that had lost its lustre, a woollen hat, a heavy skirt, knee-length socks and tatty trainers.”
“They had asked her why she was tiptoeing around them like a cat around a bowl of hot porridge.”
Talking of porridge, it was fascinating reading the description of someone adding liverwurst to their hot breakfast porridge to make it salty, especially as I grew up eating porridge with syrup or brown sugar on it, allowing it to melt, and then, savoring the sweetness. It had never occurred to me to add cured meat instead.
Passages that particularly interested me or are marvelously described, or both:
“Elísabet, who also lived alone, had worked at a library for many years, and although no one knew better than Konrád how kind and gentle she was at heart, she could be a harsh critic, pettish and intimidating, with her raven-black hair and piercing brown eyes.”
“She opened her eyes and stared at the peeling paint on the ceiling. In it, she could make out all kinds of shapes and colours that danced before her eyes and coalesced into images that played in the air, as if emanating from an invisible projector.”
“Her apparel reminded him a bit of his sister Beta – both looked like vagabonds from an Icelandic folk tale. She wore an anorak that had lost its lustre, a woollen hat, a heavy skirt, knee-length socks and tatty trainers.”
“They had asked her why she was tiptoeing around them like a cat around a bowl of hot porridge.”
Talking of porridge, it was fascinating reading the description of someone adding liverwurst to their hot breakfast porridge to make it salty, especially as I grew up eating porridge with syrup or brown sugar on it, allowing it to melt, and then, savoring the sweetness. It had never occurred to me to add cured meat instead.
February 9, 2023
My interest in this book was twofold: (1) I was eager to get a behind-the-scenes look at Icelandic culture and geography to get a fuller picture of this isolated island and ‘experience’ a bit of what I’d missed on our short visit and (2) I’d heard Arnaldur Indriðason was THE Scandinavian writer of crime fiction and I wanted to see why he was so popular.
I was disappointed.
Why?
✔️swearing
✔️overuse of commas
✔️stilted flow of sentences slowed my reading/comprehension
✔️inability to maintain my interest
✔️unappealing main character; extremely moody and overly introspective
✔️rambling narrative; unclear direction and slow development
Things I liked:
✔️the sense of place is excellent
✔️he wrote about a place he knows well and it shows
✔️intricate mystery
✔️unique cast of characters
✔️the succinct style; no over-explaining shows faith in his readers
I wish I’d known that I was starting on book two! I wonder if I would have struggled less if I’d had some of Detective Konrad’s backstory or if I’d have understood his outlook a bit better. I would disagree that this can be read as a stand-alone. I discovered that Konrad has been a character in multiple books and wonder if the author feels that he doesn’t need to give readers any backstory.
I was so in awe of the uniqueness of Reykjavik when we visited that I was oblivious to the darker side of the isolation - drug and alcohol abuse. Arnaldur Indriðason definitely paints a heartbreaking view of his beloved homeland and the real struggle for many of the Icelandic youth.
Please don’t let my disappointment influence your reading options. The author obviously has a dedicated following who, for the past 24 years on November 1st, look forward to his new publication. My curiosity is satisfied.
I was gifted this copy by St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.
I was disappointed.
Why?
✔️swearing
✔️overuse of commas
✔️stilted flow of sentences slowed my reading/comprehension
✔️inability to maintain my interest
✔️unappealing main character; extremely moody and overly introspective
✔️rambling narrative; unclear direction and slow development
Things I liked:
✔️the sense of place is excellent
✔️he wrote about a place he knows well and it shows
✔️intricate mystery
✔️unique cast of characters
✔️the succinct style; no over-explaining shows faith in his readers
I wish I’d known that I was starting on book two! I wonder if I would have struggled less if I’d had some of Detective Konrad’s backstory or if I’d have understood his outlook a bit better. I would disagree that this can be read as a stand-alone. I discovered that Konrad has been a character in multiple books and wonder if the author feels that he doesn’t need to give readers any backstory.
I was so in awe of the uniqueness of Reykjavik when we visited that I was oblivious to the darker side of the isolation - drug and alcohol abuse. Arnaldur Indriðason definitely paints a heartbreaking view of his beloved homeland and the real struggle for many of the Icelandic youth.
Please don’t let my disappointment influence your reading options. The author obviously has a dedicated following who, for the past 24 years on November 1st, look forward to his new publication. My curiosity is satisfied.
I was gifted this copy by St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.
May 29, 2024
Another wonderfully dark gut punch by the incomparable Mr Indridason, aka the Icelandic master of gloomy-ass tales populated by monsters disguised as humans, and the trails of broken souls and ruined lives left in their wake.
Damn, this dude kills it just about every time...
4 Hollowed-Out Stars
Damn, this dude kills it just about every time...
4 Hollowed-Out Stars
July 23, 2022
4 stars
Sacrilege time: I like Konráð better than Erlendur.
There, I said it.
The atmosphere in Stúlkan hjá brúnni ("The Girl on the Bridge") is dense and looming without being depressing or overly weighty. That Arnaldur simply throws you into chapters, forcing you to pay attention for clues to make sense of which of the three plot strands you're in now, I very much enjoyed. It added an edge to the story, a slightly cocked view into the narrative that brought the whole book together stylistically.
The plot twists and reveal were well paced, logical and surprising. The historical and paranormal elements were also done quite well, and I very much appreciated that although Konráð isn't a believer in the paranormal, he still is wiling to consider and investigate it...even if Eyglo is a bit of a pill at times.
The only real problem is that it wobbles at the beginning, attempting to rehash the events of book 1 and Konráð's backstory while launching all 3 plot lines. Too much juggling. But at about chapter 15, it rights itself and takes off.
Konráð as a character:
What I find so refreshing about him is that he's not a boringly normal Sigður Óli (or any of several other fictional Icelandic cops) and he's not a reclusive, taciturn, sometimes difficult to deal with Erlendur. He's somewhere in the middle. A genuinely nice man whose unique background makes him more understanding while being in a position to independently judge crime and the criminals that perpetrate them better than most.
Simply the fact that Konráð can completely admit he doesn't know, could be wrong and hasn't cornered the market on truth and justice, is great.
True open mindedness...what a fantastic trait for a (ex-) cop sleuth! Or for anyone, actually...
I read this in French as part of my 2022 foreign language reading challenge. Suitable for those on the B2 reading level.
Sacrilege time: I like Konráð better than Erlendur.
There, I said it.
The atmosphere in Stúlkan hjá brúnni ("The Girl on the Bridge") is dense and looming without being depressing or overly weighty. That Arnaldur simply throws you into chapters, forcing you to pay attention for clues to make sense of which of the three plot strands you're in now, I very much enjoyed. It added an edge to the story, a slightly cocked view into the narrative that brought the whole book together stylistically.
The plot twists and reveal were well paced, logical and surprising. The historical and paranormal elements were also done quite well, and I very much appreciated that although Konráð isn't a believer in the paranormal, he still is wiling to consider and investigate it...even if Eyglo is a bit of a pill at times.
The only real problem is that it wobbles at the beginning, attempting to rehash the events of book 1 and Konráð's backstory while launching all 3 plot lines. Too much juggling. But at about chapter 15, it rights itself and takes off.
Konráð as a character:
What I find so refreshing about him is that he's not a boringly normal Sigður Óli (or any of several other fictional Icelandic cops) and he's not a reclusive, taciturn, sometimes difficult to deal with Erlendur. He's somewhere in the middle. A genuinely nice man whose unique background makes him more understanding while being in a position to independently judge crime and the criminals that perpetrate them better than most.
Simply the fact that Konráð can completely admit he doesn't know, could be wrong and hasn't cornered the market on truth and justice, is great.
True open mindedness...what a fantastic trait for a (ex-) cop sleuth! Or for anyone, actually...
I read this in French as part of my 2022 foreign language reading challenge. Suitable for those on the B2 reading level.
September 23, 2023
Sorry to say this but I was disappointed in this book. I have enjoyed the “Nordic Noir” books that I’ve read previously and was looking forward to trying this well-known but new-to-me Icelandic author. Unfortunately, the experience wasn’t a good one. I don’t know if the translation is to blame, but the book was very slow and the plot was all over the place.
The main character is Konrad, a retired detective. He has appeared in at least two other of Indridason’s books and it looks like there are at least two additional books in this series that haven’t yet been translated into English.
Konrad gets involved in a case because the grandmother of the missing girl was friends with Konrad’s wife (he’s a widower). This part of the plot involves drug smuggling and torture. The book also covers two cold cases: the titular Girl By The Bridge, whose body was found over 50 years before, and the murder of Konrad’s father, also many years ago when Konrad was a young man. There’s a whole theme of clairvoyance along the way. At least the chapters were quite short and that enabled me to keep going, instead of DNF’ing. The timeline is nonlinear, and chapters change focus without any warning, so sometimes you are trying to figure out where you are and who is involved. This, I assume, is the author’s writing style, not the translation, but I found it disconcerting. There were a lot of side characters to try to keep track of, and this bouncing around didn’t help. The mystery of the girl does get resolved but the mystery around Konrad’s father’s murder does not. I assume that story arc will continue in the next book in the series.
I’m trying to come up with something positive to say, but I’m not finding much other than the short chapters and the character of Marta, the younger detective who Konrad works with. Sigh.
Thank you to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for the opportunity to read an advance readers copy of this book, although I was rather late to it. All opinions are my own.
The main character is Konrad, a retired detective. He has appeared in at least two other of Indridason’s books and it looks like there are at least two additional books in this series that haven’t yet been translated into English.
Konrad gets involved in a case because the grandmother of the missing girl was friends with Konrad’s wife (he’s a widower). This part of the plot involves drug smuggling and torture. The book also covers two cold cases: the titular Girl By The Bridge, whose body was found over 50 years before, and the murder of Konrad’s father, also many years ago when Konrad was a young man. There’s a whole theme of clairvoyance along the way. At least the chapters were quite short and that enabled me to keep going, instead of DNF’ing. The timeline is nonlinear, and chapters change focus without any warning, so sometimes you are trying to figure out where you are and who is involved. This, I assume, is the author’s writing style, not the translation, but I found it disconcerting. There were a lot of side characters to try to keep track of, and this bouncing around didn’t help. The mystery of the girl does get resolved but the mystery around Konrad’s father’s murder does not. I assume that story arc will continue in the next book in the series.
I’m trying to come up with something positive to say, but I’m not finding much other than the short chapters and the character of Marta, the younger detective who Konrad works with. Sigh.
Thank you to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for the opportunity to read an advance readers copy of this book, although I was rather late to it. All opinions are my own.
July 17, 2025
With an upcoming trip to Iceland in the works, I wanted to tick off two boxes: a better understanding of the country and some crime thrillers to entertain me. After reading his thoroughly compelling Inspector Erlendur series, I found this collection by Arnaldur Indriðason, which has me even more excited for my upcoming trip. In the second novel, Detective Konrad is back, working an an off-the-books private investigator. A young woman who is involved in drug trafficking goes missing, which has the family engaging the services of Konrad. He’s also roped in to look an an old case from 1961, when a girl was found drowned next to a Reykjavik bridge. Konrad wants to help, but feels both cases could be dead ends with few people who care enough to help find answers. Indriðason delivers another winner in this addictive series.
A young woman has gone missing after admitting to her grandparents that she is smuggling drugs into Iceland for persons unknown. Panicked and needing answers, the elderly couple turn to retired Detective Konrad for answers. He agrees to help, but presses the importance of getting the police involved as well.
While he tries to find the woman, Konrad is called upon by a long-time friend who had had visions in her role as a medium. She admits that she has seen a young girl over the last number of years whose aura is unsettled. It appears this apparition is a girl who was found drowned next to a bridge in Reykjavík back in 1961. While it seems like a fruitless task, Konrad agrees to look for answers in this case as well.
All this searching has Konrad eager to solve his own father’s murder in 1963, when the man was found stabbed. The elder was a brutal father and had a temper like no other, but Konrad needs answers. These three cases will keep him busy and opens doors best left locked. What Konrad finds is chilling and sobering in equal measure. Arnaldur Indriðason provides a great read and wonderful story once more!
Arnaldur Indriðason has been someone whose books I wanted to read, but it is only now, with tickets to Reykjavík purchased, that I chose to take the plunge. I love Scandinavian noir thrillers, though this one is not as dark as some. The narrative proves impactful from the opening pages, spinning a story that readers will surely enjoy. The setting and language woven into the story adds something for those who want to feel connected to Iceland. Characters are impactful and full of backstory, helping to entertain those who need a little more from the book. Plot points serve to surprise and twist things in ways the reader could only come to expect from Arnaldur Indriðason. I cannot wait to see what’s next for Detective Konrad, retired or not!
Kudos, Mr. Indriðason, for another stellar novel!
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
A young woman has gone missing after admitting to her grandparents that she is smuggling drugs into Iceland for persons unknown. Panicked and needing answers, the elderly couple turn to retired Detective Konrad for answers. He agrees to help, but presses the importance of getting the police involved as well.
While he tries to find the woman, Konrad is called upon by a long-time friend who had had visions in her role as a medium. She admits that she has seen a young girl over the last number of years whose aura is unsettled. It appears this apparition is a girl who was found drowned next to a bridge in Reykjavík back in 1961. While it seems like a fruitless task, Konrad agrees to look for answers in this case as well.
All this searching has Konrad eager to solve his own father’s murder in 1963, when the man was found stabbed. The elder was a brutal father and had a temper like no other, but Konrad needs answers. These three cases will keep him busy and opens doors best left locked. What Konrad finds is chilling and sobering in equal measure. Arnaldur Indriðason provides a great read and wonderful story once more!
Arnaldur Indriðason has been someone whose books I wanted to read, but it is only now, with tickets to Reykjavík purchased, that I chose to take the plunge. I love Scandinavian noir thrillers, though this one is not as dark as some. The narrative proves impactful from the opening pages, spinning a story that readers will surely enjoy. The setting and language woven into the story adds something for those who want to feel connected to Iceland. Characters are impactful and full of backstory, helping to entertain those who need a little more from the book. Plot points serve to surprise and twist things in ways the reader could only come to expect from Arnaldur Indriðason. I cannot wait to see what’s next for Detective Konrad, retired or not!
Kudos, Mr. Indriðason, for another stellar novel!
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
June 1, 2023
Cold Case Again for Konráð
Review of the Vintage Digital Kindle eBook edition (March 23, 2023) translated by Philip Roughton from the Icelandic language original Stúlkan hjá brúnni (The Girl by the Bridge) (2018).
This is the 2nd of the full-length Konráð novels, following The Darkness Knows (Icelandic original 2017/English translation 2021). Konráð also appears in a cameo role in the 1st book of the Reykjavik Wartime Mysteries series The Shadow District (Icelandic original 2013) where he retraces the steps of an earlier case by the wartime Flóvent and Thorson team. You could list the latter book as Konráð #0.5.
The pattern of the Konráð books is that the retired detective is asked to look into a present day case, usually as a favour, which has some sort of tie-in to an earlier cold case. In the background there is a running plot line of Konráð looking for possible clues to his own father's murder during the war years in Iceland.
In The Girl by the Bridge, the story opens in 1961 with a scene of a young poetry writer finding at first a doll and then a young girl's body in the water by a bridge. We learn later that the case was deemed an accidental death with no further follow-up. In the present day, Konráð is asked by friends of his late wife Erna to investigate the disappearance of their granddaughter. Konráð's psychic friend Eygló, the daughter of a onetime partner of Konráð's father in séance scams, is seen having visions of the earlier death. Konráð reluctantly takes on the current case, but the earlier case proves to not have been an accident after all.
I am really enjoying the two recent series by Arnaldur Indriðason, who is otherwise best known for his Inspector Erlendur series. I find it a bit surprising that the English translations are so many years behind the Icelandic originals as I think of Arnaldur as being one of the most popular of present day Icelandic authors. One further Flóvent and Thorson (Petsamo (#3 from 2016) and two further Konráð Tregasteinn (#3 from 2019) & Þagnarmúr (#4 from 2020) are yet to be translated into English.
Review of the Vintage Digital Kindle eBook edition (March 23, 2023) translated by Philip Roughton from the Icelandic language original Stúlkan hjá brúnni (The Girl by the Bridge) (2018).
This is the 2nd of the full-length Konráð novels, following The Darkness Knows (Icelandic original 2017/English translation 2021). Konráð also appears in a cameo role in the 1st book of the Reykjavik Wartime Mysteries series The Shadow District (Icelandic original 2013) where he retraces the steps of an earlier case by the wartime Flóvent and Thorson team. You could list the latter book as Konráð #0.5.
The pattern of the Konráð books is that the retired detective is asked to look into a present day case, usually as a favour, which has some sort of tie-in to an earlier cold case. In the background there is a running plot line of Konráð looking for possible clues to his own father's murder during the war years in Iceland.
In The Girl by the Bridge, the story opens in 1961 with a scene of a young poetry writer finding at first a doll and then a young girl's body in the water by a bridge. We learn later that the case was deemed an accidental death with no further follow-up. In the present day, Konráð is asked by friends of his late wife Erna to investigate the disappearance of their granddaughter. Konráð's psychic friend Eygló, the daughter of a onetime partner of Konráð's father in séance scams, is seen having visions of the earlier death. Konráð reluctantly takes on the current case, but the earlier case proves to not have been an accident after all.
I am really enjoying the two recent series by Arnaldur Indriðason, who is otherwise best known for his Inspector Erlendur series. I find it a bit surprising that the English translations are so many years behind the Icelandic originals as I think of Arnaldur as being one of the most popular of present day Icelandic authors. One further Flóvent and Thorson (Petsamo (#3 from 2016) and two further Konráð Tregasteinn (#3 from 2019) & Þagnarmúr (#4 from 2020) are yet to be translated into English.
February 11, 2022
7 plutôt que 8! Mais cote anecdotique. Sans doute encore un peu nostalgique du complexe Erlendur! Malgré les mêmes épices, le lointain passé, le présent ancré dans le XXIe se superposent. Se rejoignent?
Noir, sordide, surtout quand les enfants sont les victimes, j'imagine que ça puisse choquer. Mais jamais d 'équivoque, jamais la moindre trace d'apologie ou seulement de compréhension de ces déviances. Indridason est loin d'être isolé par ces choix parmi les auteurs moderdes de thrillers, le crime quasi élégant, disparu depuis Agatha Christie... Je préfêre quand même les sujets où l'enfant n'est pas central...
L'ambiance de l'éther et des fantômes: pas trop le style d'indridason, trop vrais, ces fantômes... Un peu tache dans le décor.
Noir, sordide, surtout quand les enfants sont les victimes, j'imagine que ça puisse choquer. Mais jamais d 'équivoque, jamais la moindre trace d'apologie ou seulement de compréhension de ces déviances. Indridason est loin d'être isolé par ces choix parmi les auteurs moderdes de thrillers, le crime quasi élégant, disparu depuis Agatha Christie... Je préfêre quand même les sujets où l'enfant n'est pas central...
L'ambiance de l'éther et des fantômes: pas trop le style d'indridason, trop vrais, ces fantômes... Un peu tache dans le décor.
May 20, 2023
The Girl by the Bridge (Hardcover) by Arnaldur Indridason.
Indridason won the Nordic Crime Novel Prize The Glass Key Award 2 years in a row for Jar City and Silence of the Grave. He is the winner of the CWA Gold Dagger Award for Silence of the Grave (English edition). He received the Premio RBA de Novela Policiaca, the world's most lucrative crime fiction prize for The Shadow District. His books are translated into 40 languages.
A lonely figure is crossing a bridge and spots a doll. Something to inspire his poetry. He believes the doll may have been dropped by a little girl and rushes to retrieve it from the water. The current dislodged the doll just before he could reach it and started to carry it away. He wades into the pond and as he gentle pulls the doll towards him he's astonished when he is confronted with a dead child.
So begins retired Inspector Konrad's latest mystery. Originally he had returned to Reykjavik to find the person responsible for his father's murder. That is now joined with this newest puzzle he must piece together.
Reading this book and all of his other works was and continues to be a joy.
Indridason won the Nordic Crime Novel Prize The Glass Key Award 2 years in a row for Jar City and Silence of the Grave. He is the winner of the CWA Gold Dagger Award for Silence of the Grave (English edition). He received the Premio RBA de Novela Policiaca, the world's most lucrative crime fiction prize for The Shadow District. His books are translated into 40 languages.
A lonely figure is crossing a bridge and spots a doll. Something to inspire his poetry. He believes the doll may have been dropped by a little girl and rushes to retrieve it from the water. The current dislodged the doll just before he could reach it and started to carry it away. He wades into the pond and as he gentle pulls the doll towards him he's astonished when he is confronted with a dead child.
So begins retired Inspector Konrad's latest mystery. Originally he had returned to Reykjavik to find the person responsible for his father's murder. That is now joined with this newest puzzle he must piece together.
Reading this book and all of his other works was and continues to be a joy.
December 23, 2023
In 1961, a lonely young man sees a doll in the water as he is crossing a bridge. He suspects that a little girl may have dropped it so he tries to retrieve it. Just as he was about to reach it, the current started to carry it away. He waded into the pond and as he pulls the doll out, he is shocked when he sees submerged beneath lies the body of a dead child.
As the story turns to the present day, Danni, a twenty-year-old woman has gone missing. Her concerned grandparents contacted Konrad, a retired detective, asking for his help in finding her. They were aware that Danni was involved in the underworld as a drug mule. Konrad questions if there could possibly be a connection between Danni and the drowned girl decades before?
The character of Konráð is difficult to discern. He is quite the complicated man and not easy to like but one admires his tenacity and determination to solve the mysteries. Sadly, on a personal note in 1963, Konrad continues to be haunted by the death of his father who was fatally stabbed and to this day the case remains unsolved.
Set in Reykjavik, this Icelandic noir has several complex storylines which makes it seem disjointed and confusing at the beginning. As the plot threads come together the reader can anticipate the direction it is going. Of course, the Icelandic winter landscape adds the perfect atmosphere to the intriguing plot.
As the story turns to the present day, Danni, a twenty-year-old woman has gone missing. Her concerned grandparents contacted Konrad, a retired detective, asking for his help in finding her. They were aware that Danni was involved in the underworld as a drug mule. Konrad questions if there could possibly be a connection between Danni and the drowned girl decades before?
The character of Konráð is difficult to discern. He is quite the complicated man and not easy to like but one admires his tenacity and determination to solve the mysteries. Sadly, on a personal note in 1963, Konrad continues to be haunted by the death of his father who was fatally stabbed and to this day the case remains unsolved.
Set in Reykjavik, this Icelandic noir has several complex storylines which makes it seem disjointed and confusing at the beginning. As the plot threads come together the reader can anticipate the direction it is going. Of course, the Icelandic winter landscape adds the perfect atmosphere to the intriguing plot.
July 10, 2025
Arnaldur Indriðason's The Girl by the Bridge: A Detective Konrad Novel was finished by me as if I were in the middle of a whirlwind. In a sense, I was. Arnaldur is one of those mystery writers (like Ross Macdonald) who are able to juggle an incredibly complicated plot covering half a century without at any point losing the thread.
At first, there are two deaths which may or may not be murders: a 12-year-old girl is drowned in the Tjorn, Reykjavik's large pond; and a young woman who has acted as a mule smuggling Ecstasy into Iceland dies of a drug overdose. The two deaths are separated by some 50 years, and are strangely connected.
Retired detective Konrad of the Logreglan (Icelandic Police) is dragged unwillingly into investigating the disappearance of Danni by her grandparents. He winds up finding her dead body with a hypodermic needle sticking in her arm. As Konrad continues his unofficial investigation, a number of mysteries from his past life seem to fall into place.
An excellent mystery!
At first, there are two deaths which may or may not be murders: a 12-year-old girl is drowned in the Tjorn, Reykjavik's large pond; and a young woman who has acted as a mule smuggling Ecstasy into Iceland dies of a drug overdose. The two deaths are separated by some 50 years, and are strangely connected.
Retired detective Konrad of the Logreglan (Icelandic Police) is dragged unwillingly into investigating the disappearance of Danni by her grandparents. He winds up finding her dead body with a hypodermic needle sticking in her arm. As Konrad continues his unofficial investigation, a number of mysteries from his past life seem to fall into place.
An excellent mystery!
January 21, 2023
I think that this is one of Arnaldur Indridason's best book so far. I've read them all and this one's a lot different than his usual book. He peaks your interest in that he has his characters near and dear to the police, the first one a retired cop and the second a cop who would like to retire. They are bothered by grandparents who are looking for their granddaughter. And then they are taken back by their fathers (deceased) to the of a drowning of a girl 20 years prior. As it turns out Arnaldur has complicated the matter with the deceased fathers being rather small time criminals and rather bad with children. If your interest hasn't peaked so far he brings in the into the mix séances and psychic abilities. This book is full of turns and red herrings to my delight. I think that you will be pleasantly surprised by how things turn out.
August 21, 2023
Una ragazza scompare e i suoi nonni ingaggiano un detective privato per ritrovarla: lui è un poliziotto ormai in pensione e si metterà sulle tracce della ragazza, ritrovandola morta: ma si è suicidata oppure è stata uccisa?
Prima opera che leggo di questo autore islandese, Arnaldur Indridason, scrittore essenzialmente di crime e thriller. Devo dire che la storia cattura, anche se all'inizio è un po' lenta ma poi si riprende. Oltre al caso della ragazza che aveva problemi di droga si intreccia soprattutto un cold case, un caso irrisolto: una bambina che è stata ritrovata morta nel fiume molti anni fa e si sospetta che sia stata uccisa da un pedofilo. Infatti il titolo corretto sarebbe stato "La bambina del ponte" ma va bene, sono particolari. La storia ti cattura perché vuoi capire chi era rimasto impunito e vorresti arrestarlo di persona, anzi, spesso vorresti vederlo morto per il male che ha fatto l'assassino.
Sicuramente leggerò altre opere di questo autore.
Prima opera che leggo di questo autore islandese, Arnaldur Indridason, scrittore essenzialmente di crime e thriller. Devo dire che la storia cattura, anche se all'inizio è un po' lenta ma poi si riprende. Oltre al caso della ragazza che aveva problemi di droga si intreccia soprattutto un cold case, un caso irrisolto: una bambina che è stata ritrovata morta nel fiume molti anni fa e si sospetta che sia stata uccisa da un pedofilo. Infatti il titolo corretto sarebbe stato "La bambina del ponte" ma va bene, sono particolari. La storia ti cattura perché vuoi capire chi era rimasto impunito e vorresti arrestarlo di persona, anzi, spesso vorresti vederlo morto per il male che ha fatto l'assassino.
Sicuramente leggerò altre opere di questo autore.
November 17, 2024
Konrád and Erlendur are very similar characters, both are obsessed with long ago crimes.
This series is much darker, seamier and filled with sexual overtones. It was a good story with many sub plots. No one writes better Icelandic noir than Mr Indridason. He makes it feel very real.
This series is much darker, seamier and filled with sexual overtones. It was a good story with many sub plots. No one writes better Icelandic noir than Mr Indridason. He makes it feel very real.
June 7, 2023
Everything I said about The Darkness Knows and more.
Probably Arnaldur Indriðason’s best book and I absolutely loved and devoured the Inspector Erlendur series.
We know Iceland is a small community and everyone is related along the way; “Everyone here’s related somehow.” - Almost a nod to his earlier work - Jar City.
I urge anyone who has enjoyed Scandi crime fiction to find this author. The gentle pace of writing makes reading the novel despite being translated in English such a smooth and enjoyable process. Big up to the work of the translator, Philip Roughton.
In former detective Konrád the author has a wonderful foil for dealing with cold cases. With retirement comes more time and the heart of a policemen still beats in him. His approach is honest, unspectacular and sometimes heavy handed but he has a wealth of experience, an active mind and good interrogation skills. Asking questions you know need answering but feel you wouldn’t be able to ask. Therefore he finds answers drawing on contacts, ex-cons and a few friends.
In this account we have a number of cases Konrád becomes involved in which makes for a complex investigation but never a confusing one for the reader to follow.
He is still looking for answers in his Father’s murder which has thrown up associations and links in the psychic community. His Father was never a true medium but with others would scam those looking for answers from the after life. Never straying into the occult or giving credence to such practices this sense of mysticism adds a depth to the story that brings him to investigate a young girl’s drowning many years ago. A case which he feels was never handled properly. The circumstances surrounding it will not leave him so he feels compelled to search for answers.
I like that he always keeps an open mind; wanting facts, evidence to support his theories as his investigations widen into something more sinister.
Alongside these cold cases, due to friends of his late wife seeking his “professional” help, he is drawn into a very modern story of drugs and broken dreams and lives.
Indriðason is such a thoughtful and considered writer that in time elements in all his enquiries highlight common themes. It becomes an excellent piece on abuse and violence upon women and young children. It is a commentary on society where in the past things were perhaps covered up and matters not spoken about openly. It is an indictment on a previous generation, evident in most countries and where change is slow even today.
I like fiction to carry a barb or two to challenge a reader’s attitude without glorifying crime; without excusing historical behaviour and attitudes and justifying cause and effect. But there are victims a plenty here and happily justice for the perpetrators in one way or another.
This book does not preach or hammer home modern woke values. Rather it sadly reflects historic crimes and by being investigated shines a light on past responses. In the process I feel both informed and impassioned to tackle similar circumstances in my own experiences. Personally to be less judgemental but speak out about injustice, abuse and offending behaviour.
All tied up in a readable story that delivers enjoyment as well these insights.
Please read it for yourself and let me know.
Probably Arnaldur Indriðason’s best book and I absolutely loved and devoured the Inspector Erlendur series.
We know Iceland is a small community and everyone is related along the way; “Everyone here’s related somehow.” - Almost a nod to his earlier work - Jar City.
I urge anyone who has enjoyed Scandi crime fiction to find this author. The gentle pace of writing makes reading the novel despite being translated in English such a smooth and enjoyable process. Big up to the work of the translator, Philip Roughton.
In former detective Konrád the author has a wonderful foil for dealing with cold cases. With retirement comes more time and the heart of a policemen still beats in him. His approach is honest, unspectacular and sometimes heavy handed but he has a wealth of experience, an active mind and good interrogation skills. Asking questions you know need answering but feel you wouldn’t be able to ask. Therefore he finds answers drawing on contacts, ex-cons and a few friends.
In this account we have a number of cases Konrád becomes involved in which makes for a complex investigation but never a confusing one for the reader to follow.
He is still looking for answers in his Father’s murder which has thrown up associations and links in the psychic community. His Father was never a true medium but with others would scam those looking for answers from the after life. Never straying into the occult or giving credence to such practices this sense of mysticism adds a depth to the story that brings him to investigate a young girl’s drowning many years ago. A case which he feels was never handled properly. The circumstances surrounding it will not leave him so he feels compelled to search for answers.
I like that he always keeps an open mind; wanting facts, evidence to support his theories as his investigations widen into something more sinister.
Alongside these cold cases, due to friends of his late wife seeking his “professional” help, he is drawn into a very modern story of drugs and broken dreams and lives.
Indriðason is such a thoughtful and considered writer that in time elements in all his enquiries highlight common themes. It becomes an excellent piece on abuse and violence upon women and young children. It is a commentary on society where in the past things were perhaps covered up and matters not spoken about openly. It is an indictment on a previous generation, evident in most countries and where change is slow even today.
I like fiction to carry a barb or two to challenge a reader’s attitude without glorifying crime; without excusing historical behaviour and attitudes and justifying cause and effect. But there are victims a plenty here and happily justice for the perpetrators in one way or another.
This book does not preach or hammer home modern woke values. Rather it sadly reflects historic crimes and by being investigated shines a light on past responses. In the process I feel both informed and impassioned to tackle similar circumstances in my own experiences. Personally to be less judgemental but speak out about injustice, abuse and offending behaviour.
All tied up in a readable story that delivers enjoyment as well these insights.
Please read it for yourself and let me know.
April 18, 2023
Detective Konrad, book 2
With this latest, Mr. Indridason shows beyond doubt that he is a superb crime fiction virtuoso. Tasked by an elderly couple to find their wayward missing granddaughter retired Detective Konrad investigates the case. But soon started he is derailed by a strange connection to a little girl who drowned in the city pond decades ago....while in the back of his mind is the fate of his father who was stabbed to death decades ago.....
This is another perfectly fit the Nordic Noir mould with a detective haunted by his past , multiple crimes to solve, horrors of sexual abuse, torture and drugs use. Set mainly in the cold and dark city of Reykjavik, Mr. Indridason short and succinct sentences conveys very well a bleak atmosphere to his narration to give us chills along the way. But the stilted flow of sentences and the rambling narrative may be an annoyance to some. You have to pay attention and not let you mind drift in order to enjoy this mystery at its fullest.
It starts with scenes from the 60’s and transports us to the present day with a storyline that dabbles in ghosts, clairvoyance and questionable events or scenes. This story is full of turns and red herrings and the ending leaves a pleasant surprise....I didn’t like most of the characters, although well-drawn I couldn’t care less what happened to them.
“The Girl by the bridge” is a good mystery and a great way to spend time with but once read fast forgotten.
I had the opportunity to receive this ARC from St-Martin press via Netgalley
With this latest, Mr. Indridason shows beyond doubt that he is a superb crime fiction virtuoso. Tasked by an elderly couple to find their wayward missing granddaughter retired Detective Konrad investigates the case. But soon started he is derailed by a strange connection to a little girl who drowned in the city pond decades ago....while in the back of his mind is the fate of his father who was stabbed to death decades ago.....
This is another perfectly fit the Nordic Noir mould with a detective haunted by his past , multiple crimes to solve, horrors of sexual abuse, torture and drugs use. Set mainly in the cold and dark city of Reykjavik, Mr. Indridason short and succinct sentences conveys very well a bleak atmosphere to his narration to give us chills along the way. But the stilted flow of sentences and the rambling narrative may be an annoyance to some. You have to pay attention and not let you mind drift in order to enjoy this mystery at its fullest.
It starts with scenes from the 60’s and transports us to the present day with a storyline that dabbles in ghosts, clairvoyance and questionable events or scenes. This story is full of turns and red herrings and the ending leaves a pleasant surprise....I didn’t like most of the characters, although well-drawn I couldn’t care less what happened to them.
“The Girl by the bridge” is a good mystery and a great way to spend time with but once read fast forgotten.
I had the opportunity to receive this ARC from St-Martin press via Netgalley
February 22, 2023
I love the writing style used by this author. Short, succinct sentences that convey the sense of the cold Icelandic setting. This is a cold case for Konrad, one brought to his attention by his friend, Eyglo. There is just a hint of supernatural influence which was just enough. A young girl’s drowned body is found in a pond, put down to natural causes 20 years earlier when it occurred. But is there more to this story?
Meanwhile, Konrad has been asked to find the granddaughter of some family friends. When the girl is found, it brings up many additional questions. Konrad is reluctant to be involved after his retirement from the police force. The stories are slowly tied together and the story unfolds through witnesses from the past and present.
I see this is the second book in the Konrad series. I am definitely planning to read the first as I have already read and enjoyed many books by this author. If you enjoy Icelandic noir, I highly recommend this author. Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for the ARC to read and review.
Meanwhile, Konrad has been asked to find the granddaughter of some family friends. When the girl is found, it brings up many additional questions. Konrad is reluctant to be involved after his retirement from the police force. The stories are slowly tied together and the story unfolds through witnesses from the past and present.
I see this is the second book in the Konrad series. I am definitely planning to read the first as I have already read and enjoyed many books by this author. If you enjoy Icelandic noir, I highly recommend this author. Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for the ARC to read and review.
June 19, 2023
Arnaldur Indriðason is honestly one of the reasons behind my addiction to Nordic Noir. I became quite obsessed with his Detective Erlendur series, read them completely out of order but loved all of them. Since that series I have sampled just about everything I can get my hands on from across Scandinavia in terms of Nordic Crime and Scandi literature.
The Girl by the Bridge is the second of Indriðason’s Konrad series, the first being The Darkness Knows which I read a couple of years ago when the English translation became available. I found that book one of his weaker offerings and was left quite disappointed.
Having completed The Girl by the Bridge I certainly have my faith restored and starting to find some shape to this new character. Not quite there yet but certainly closer.
The storyline consists of a couple of parallel narratives.. one in the present day and one cold case. This concept is certainly nothing new and these storylines continue to to and fro through the book, eventually weaving together to form a complete picture. While there’s something very predictable about this structure, I found this a satisfying read and Indriðason has crafted a great page turner.
I would love to see more made of Konrad’s character.. there is plenty of info and intrigue that sits around him but I feel like I don’t really know him yet and would love that to be explored in future stories that feature him.
All in all a great installment in the Icelandic Nordic Noir collection. 4 stars
The Girl by the Bridge is the second of Indriðason’s Konrad series, the first being The Darkness Knows which I read a couple of years ago when the English translation became available. I found that book one of his weaker offerings and was left quite disappointed.
Having completed The Girl by the Bridge I certainly have my faith restored and starting to find some shape to this new character. Not quite there yet but certainly closer.
The storyline consists of a couple of parallel narratives.. one in the present day and one cold case. This concept is certainly nothing new and these storylines continue to to and fro through the book, eventually weaving together to form a complete picture. While there’s something very predictable about this structure, I found this a satisfying read and Indriðason has crafted a great page turner.
I would love to see more made of Konrad’s character.. there is plenty of info and intrigue that sits around him but I feel like I don’t really know him yet and would love that to be explored in future stories that feature him.
All in all a great installment in the Icelandic Nordic Noir collection. 4 stars
December 24, 2020
Boven water is een intrigerend verhaal, omdat je wilt weten hoe de drie zaken aflopen. Daarnaast was Boven water soms ietwat voorspelbaar. Ook mis ik erg de spanning in het verhaal en hadden de personages weinig diepgang, waardoor het eigenlijk op één hetzelfde tempo wordt verteld. Ook viel het einde van Boven water tegen (maar kan er niet meer over zeggen zonder te spoilen). --> Vanaf 16 januari is de hele recensie te lezen op mijn blog: www.elinebooks.com
August 31, 2019
For me it was a debate, 1 or 2 stars, definitely nothing more.
This author Arnaldur brought me back to reading fiction, which I stopped doing while in college.
His earlier books were really good, and I really enjoyed them. But unfortunately I think his books have become very predictable, shallow character creations and just wallowing in human evil
This author Arnaldur brought me back to reading fiction, which I stopped doing while in college.
His earlier books were really good, and I really enjoyed them. But unfortunately I think his books have become very predictable, shallow character creations and just wallowing in human evil
January 11, 2022
Avvincente come un libro giallo deve essere; malinconico come tutti i gialli di Indridason; pietas e amore di verità sono le due direttrici attraverso le quali si muove l’indagine; non c’è distanza tra chi indaga e chi è vittima perché, ci dice l’autore, la vita non risparmia amarezze e dolori a nessuno; qualcuno però è l’artefice delle sofferenze altrui e deve pagare per questo. Anche se tardiva, la verità viene alla luce: non consola, non può riparare al male fatto, non può annullare la sofferenza, ma può chiudere il cerchio e forse concedere un po’ di serenità.
February 1, 2023
I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley to read and review.
THE GIRL BY THE BRIDGE: A DETECTIVE KONRAD NOVEL by author Arnaldur Indridason is another in a series that feature the detective Konrad in Iceland, who while required to work on current cases also has his focus on a cold case involving a young girl’s drowning after a doll that possibly belonged to her led to the discovery of her body, although no progress took place after that leaving her long forgotten having occurred over twenty years ago, and he also decides to take on another case after being approached by the grandparents of a missing young woman, who seem to be genuinely concerned, but possibly more so due to an interest in avoiding negative publicity that could affect the grandfather who is a public figure.
Konrad is determined to make progress and possibly solve both cases, and becomes personally involved - even knowing that his life and career can become more difficult by getting too close to those involved in these cases.
Will he be successful in the drowning cold case with so little to work with in terms of possible witnesses or suspects? Somehow he has a suspicion that locating the missing doll is essential to helping solve the case in the absence of anything else to work with.
Has the young woman he’s been unable to locate disappeared of her own accord, or has she met with foul play as a result of bad choices made in her lifestyle and those she’s involved with?
Excellent story that is one of many novels by the author that I’ve read recently, one being another Konrad novel, and several others that include Inspector Erlendur, all of which I’d recommend highly.
Winter is in full swing here in MI where I reside, and reading these and other Iceland novels this season has given me a better feel for the conditions described in many of these books, now it’s time I get to work catching up on reviews for the majority of them before springtime arrives.
5 stars.
THE GIRL BY THE BRIDGE: A DETECTIVE KONRAD NOVEL by author Arnaldur Indridason is another in a series that feature the detective Konrad in Iceland, who while required to work on current cases also has his focus on a cold case involving a young girl’s drowning after a doll that possibly belonged to her led to the discovery of her body, although no progress took place after that leaving her long forgotten having occurred over twenty years ago, and he also decides to take on another case after being approached by the grandparents of a missing young woman, who seem to be genuinely concerned, but possibly more so due to an interest in avoiding negative publicity that could affect the grandfather who is a public figure.
Konrad is determined to make progress and possibly solve both cases, and becomes personally involved - even knowing that his life and career can become more difficult by getting too close to those involved in these cases.
Will he be successful in the drowning cold case with so little to work with in terms of possible witnesses or suspects? Somehow he has a suspicion that locating the missing doll is essential to helping solve the case in the absence of anything else to work with.
Has the young woman he’s been unable to locate disappeared of her own accord, or has she met with foul play as a result of bad choices made in her lifestyle and those she’s involved with?
Excellent story that is one of many novels by the author that I’ve read recently, one being another Konrad novel, and several others that include Inspector Erlendur, all of which I’d recommend highly.
Winter is in full swing here in MI where I reside, and reading these and other Iceland novels this season has given me a better feel for the conditions described in many of these books, now it’s time I get to work catching up on reviews for the majority of them before springtime arrives.
5 stars.
March 6, 2021
"Les fantômes de Reykjavik" d'Arnaldur Indriðason (lancé en 2018) fait penser immédiatement à "Petite Roque" (parue 1885) de Guy Maupassant qui raconte l'histoire d'une enquête policière sur le viol et meurtre d'une fillette. Presque cent-quarante ans plus tard Indriðason dame le pion à Maupassant. Son roman relate l'histoire de deux jeune filles violées et assassinées.
Les deux œuvres pose la question si un auteur qui écrit à fins commerciales a le droit de raconter de telles monstruosités. Dans le cas de Maupassant la question demeure ouverte. On constate qu'il a bien réussi dans son projet littéraire de mettre le lecteur mal à l'aise. Dans le cas d' Indriðason on constate plutôt qu'un écrivain dont les meilleurs jours sont bien loin en arrière essaie désespérément de garder son public et qui lance sur le marché un roman complètement grotesque.
Tout est excessif dans "Les fantômes de Reykjavik". Il y a des toxicomanes qui surdosent, des gens bien pensants qui son des idées malsaines, des politiciens qui cachent des secrets, et des spiritualistes qui rappellent les morts d'outre-tombe. Un poète est tellement horrifié qui perd sa vocation d'écrire. Une femme quitte son partenaire et un père malheureux se suicide. Vraiment Indriðason ne semble pas savoir quand trop c'est trop.
Les deux œuvres pose la question si un auteur qui écrit à fins commerciales a le droit de raconter de telles monstruosités. Dans le cas de Maupassant la question demeure ouverte. On constate qu'il a bien réussi dans son projet littéraire de mettre le lecteur mal à l'aise. Dans le cas d' Indriðason on constate plutôt qu'un écrivain dont les meilleurs jours sont bien loin en arrière essaie désespérément de garder son public et qui lance sur le marché un roman complètement grotesque.
Tout est excessif dans "Les fantômes de Reykjavik". Il y a des toxicomanes qui surdosent, des gens bien pensants qui son des idées malsaines, des politiciens qui cachent des secrets, et des spiritualistes qui rappellent les morts d'outre-tombe. Un poète est tellement horrifié qui perd sa vocation d'écrire. Une femme quitte son partenaire et un père malheureux se suicide. Vraiment Indriðason ne semble pas savoir quand trop c'est trop.
June 25, 2023
Another good, solid Icelandic police procedural from Arnaldur. If like me you have read the first as well, this a a good addition. If you have never read him, this would stand alone but of course best following the other. Inspector Konrad has retired but is drawn into a mystical-related cold case that requires him to use his old department's resources again. Having read all 11 of the Reykjavik Murder Mysteries, I am a devoted fan and recommend all his work.
June 23, 2023
Indridason's Detective Konrad may well run away from the competition for least exciting detective in a series. "The Girl by the Bridge" is a fine example of how excess introspection and lethargic technique can spoil a decent plot.
The novel begins with Konrad, a retired Reykjavik detective, being asked by a couple of old acquaintances to investigate a missing young lady who'd been involved in the drug trade. He quickly finds himself pulled, via his relationship with a rather spooky woman named Eyglo, into examining another old case involving an adolescent who'd drowned a couple decades before. As he thrashes around, albeit in slow motion, trying to find the missing woman and understand the circumstances around the drowning, he eventually discovers information about the death of his father, the cloudy circumstances of which have haunted him.
The Girl by the Bridge starts out slowly and pretty much continues that way until the final third or so. The writing is boring (it's a translation), the pace is glacial, and the sequences relating to Eyglo's visions were strange. I do enjoy Indridason's descriptions of Iceland and it's always interesting to me to read about differences in legal systems across countries. There was a satisfying conclusion but leading up to it was too slow for me.
The novel begins with Konrad, a retired Reykjavik detective, being asked by a couple of old acquaintances to investigate a missing young lady who'd been involved in the drug trade. He quickly finds himself pulled, via his relationship with a rather spooky woman named Eyglo, into examining another old case involving an adolescent who'd drowned a couple decades before. As he thrashes around, albeit in slow motion, trying to find the missing woman and understand the circumstances around the drowning, he eventually discovers information about the death of his father, the cloudy circumstances of which have haunted him.
The Girl by the Bridge starts out slowly and pretty much continues that way until the final third or so. The writing is boring (it's a translation), the pace is glacial, and the sequences relating to Eyglo's visions were strange. I do enjoy Indridason's descriptions of Iceland and it's always interesting to me to read about differences in legal systems across countries. There was a satisfying conclusion but leading up to it was too slow for me.
April 25, 2020
Mér fannst fyrstu 150 blaðsíðurnar svolítið leiðinlegar. Ég íhugsaði þess vegna að hætta lesa þessa bók en áðkvað að halda áfram. Hins vegar hélt ég síðustu 150 bladsíðurnar mjög spennandi! Ég er forvitinn um "Tregastein"!
I found the first half of the book (150 pages) a little boring. I even considered to stop reading and start with another book. However, I kept reading and I am happy I did. The last 150 pages were really good and made up for the - in my opinion - not so interesting beginning!
I found the first half of the book (150 pages) a little boring. I even considered to stop reading and start with another book. However, I kept reading and I am happy I did. The last 150 pages were really good and made up for the - in my opinion - not so interesting beginning!
August 9, 2023
Konrad is no Erlendur.
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