Deceit

by Jónína Leósdóttir, Quentin Bates (Translator)

Hver í ósköpunum felur nálar í ávöxtum sem eru til sölu og í hvaða tilgangi? Við þá ráðgátu glímir rannsóknarlögreglukonan Soffía en fær ekki mikla aðstoð á vinnustaðnum sem er hálflamaður vegna Covid-19. Fyrrverandi eiginmaður hennar, sálfræðingurinn Adam, hefur áður aðstoðað lögregluna við úrlausn flókinna glæpamála en nú ræður hún hann sem sálfræðilegan ráðgjafa. Saman rannsaka hjónin fyrrverandi hverja vísbendinguna á fætur annarri, þó að Adam kysi heldur að vera heima að sinna sínum málum, faglegum og persónulegum. Jónína Leósdóttir hefur getið sér gott orð fyrir bækur sínar, meðal annars glæpasögurnar um eftirlaunakonuna Eddu á Birkimelnum. Hér heldur hún áfram að flétta snjallar ráðgátur með leiftrandi skemmtilegt fólk og flókin persónuleg úrlausnarefni í forgrunni.

Genres: Fiction, Mystery, Crime

305 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 21, 2022

About the author

Jónína Leósdóttir has a BA in English and Literature from the University of Iceland, and has also studied at the University of Essex.
She has written biographies, novels, short stories and plays.
Jónína is married to the former prime minister of Iceland, Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir.

Reviews

[Raven · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jonina Leósdóttir is a new name to many of us, despite being a highly prolific writer in her native Iceland, and Deceit is her first crime novel to be translated into English, courtesy of Quentin and Sylvia Bates. This is the first book I have read, across any genre, set firmly within the boundaries of the Coronavirus pandemic, and also introduces us to the very interesting dynamic of a divorced couple working together to track down the perpetrator of a series of harmful incidents…

The dynamic between Adam, a psychologist and the very epitome of Britishness in many of his traits and behaviour, and his ex-wife Soffía, a hard-headed and focused detective, works very well on more than one level. Their differing perceptions of the investigation in hand and the potential suspects- all tied to one family- results in moments of tension and annoyance, compounded by their being ex-partners too. The grounded, serious and methodical approach of Adam is undone frequently by the more aggressive attitude and impulsive investigatory style of Soffía, which adds colour and a certain degree of humour to the plot. I think that Leósdóttir does a fine job of bringing to the reader’s attention the way that Adam has worked to become a naturalised citizen in Iceland, but cleverly refers to the very British nature of his upbringing and background, and how this still sets him at odds within his adopted homeland. Soffía is a great character, reminding me very strongly of Saga Norén in The Bridge, with her prickly attitude and moments of extreme tactlessness, and we know with Soffía that this is just part of her character generally, as evinced by the allusions to, and reveals of, her and Adam’s former marriage.

I think as this is the first Covid centred book I have read, it was interesting to see how Leósdóttir worked this into the plot, as in the early days of the pandemic, society became insular and isolated, and the mundane and work centred tasks of day-to-day life, became a minefield of navigating restrictions and keeping your distance from others. The author explores this very adroitly, homing in on her characters differing perceptions of how to keep themselves safe, or conversely exhibiting a more than lax attitude to the simple actions that help decrease the chances of infection. Ex-pat psychologist Adam is definitely a member of the former, having an almost paranoid approach to protecting himself from the disease, and when called upon to assist in this investigation,

” Adam realised now how difficult being dragged away from isolation and tranquillity had been, like a baby being pulled from the womb under caesarean section”

and maintaining his strict adherence to hygiene and social distancing. Throughout the course of the book Leósdóttir makes references to both the escalating spread of Covid in Iceland itself, and further afield to keep the reader rooted in a specific time.

Although I was not entirely convinced by the veracity of the central investigation itself, which seemed a little weak in comparison with Leósdóttir’s unquestionable gift for characterisation, it played out soundly enough with the premise for the crimes, and the revealing of the perpetrator handled well enough to keep the reader engaged. The only other small criticism that I have is that I felt the whole Adam/Jenny story line was not explored in depth, feeling a little superfluous without a more detailed overview of Adam’s feelings and motivation in this hidden aspect of his life, and maybe could have added a deeper level of understanding of his character generally.

Overall I enjoyed Deceit as an introduction to Jonina Leósdóttir and maybe a potential series featuring Adam and Soffía as I liked the dynamic between them very much. Once again, Icelandic translators extraordinaires Quentin and Sylvia Bates deliver a fluid and entertaining translation with their customary quirks in translation for the English-speaking audience. Recommended.

[Ken Fredette · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought that Jónína Leósdóttir's story called Dedeit hit the problem of bulling right on the head. Her main character's were Adam and Soffía, a couple that were now ex's. Soffía was a detective and Adam was a psychologist. Soffía was on a case that she consulted her ex-husband on, which was a case that was on finding needles in fruit and in toilet paper. This sounds easy to figure out but it lead to several people who were related and having problems with finding needles in food. People died and a dog of one of the people died as a result. We have another problem in that a relation was having a hard time in finding out that she had a disease that lead to death. She needed to find her real father in this search, but played a role in scaring someone. This story gets really complicated and is a fun read which I recommend.

[Kristín · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ég hef verið að lesa Eddumál Jónínu Leósdóttur og hef verið hrifin af þeim bókum og þá sérsaklega Eddu. En hér kom nýjar og athyglisverðar persónur fram. Reyndar minnir Soffía mig pínulítið á Eddu því hún er drífandi og veður svolítið í hlutina en mér sýnist Soffía vera meira hross en Edda. Það er hins vegar Adam sem er sérstaklega áhugaverður. Hann er breskur fram í fingurgóma sem þýðir auðvitað að ýmislegt í fari ódannaða hrossins pirrar hann og það er í raun ótrúlegt að þau hafi verið lengi gift. Ég átta mig ekki alveg á því hvort hann er sýklahræddur eða hvort hann er bara svona reglufastur; alla vega fylgir hann Víði í einu og öllu. (Ég velti því reyndar fyrir mér hvernig bókin mun endast. Fólk mun auðvitað vita um covid og allt það, rétt eins og við vitum um spænsku veikina, en mun fólk eftir tuttugu ár vita hvað þríeykið var og hver Víðir var? Kannski.) En Adam er flóknari en virðist í fyrstu og ég ætla ekki að ræða það frekar. Sakamálið var ólíkt því sem við höfum átt að venjast úr sakamálasögum undanfarinna ára en ráðgátan er ekkert síður áhugaverð og eins og í Eddumálum eru í raun tvö mál í gangi. Nokkuð snyrtilega var leyst úr málum þótt sumt hafi verið orðið fyrirsjáanlegt áður en að því kom en það breytir því ekki að ég hafði gaman af. Ég mun pottþétt lesa meira um Adam og Soffíu ef fleiri bækur verða skrifaðar um það tvíeyki.

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Deceit is the first book in a new series from Icelandic author Jónína Leósdóttir and the first of her novels to be translated into English. The author is successful in her homeland and it's really clear to see why. Her writing is accessible, and at times, very witty. Her characterisation is first class. The novel is wonderfully translated by Quentin Bates, keeping the very Icelandic flavour and also playing on the Britishness of one of the lead characters.

Set in the very early months of the COVID19 pandemic, and featuring two fabulous characters, this is a story that is as much about the investigation of a crime as it is about the intricacies of human relationships.

Soffía is a detective in the Reykjavík police force; she's Icelandic through and through. Abrasive, doesn't mince her words and just wants to get things done. Adam is her ex-huband, an English psychologist who works for a private practice in the city. With COVID laying so many police staff low, people are isolating and getting sick, Soffía is struggling to find a team to help to investigate a spate of malicious attacks taking place in the city. Adam has, in the past, worked as a consultant to the police force, and despite his objections, he's soon engaged to help her with this investigation too.

I do wonder how these people ever spent time together as a married couple, let alone have a child together! They couldn't be more different if they tried. Whilst Soffía is pretty laid back about the whole COVID restrictions thing, Adam is utterly paranoid about constant hand washing, sanitising and keeping to the two metre rule. Their exchanges throughout are often laugh out loud funny as Adam is pushed to his limits by his ex-wife's attitude.

Despite this, Adam is intrigued by the case and gives it everything he has, whilst also taking on a new client whose story seems a million miles away from what's happening in the city.

The author cleverly weaves multiple stories from one very dysfunctional family into the plot, adding a depth that really makes the reader begin to wonder where this is going to. It's a tale of neglect and cruelty at times and how the events of a childhood can have such long reaching effects for those involved.

I enjoyed this story very much, it's full of unexpected reveals, and packed with wonderfully crafted characters.

[Duncan Beattie (Fiction From Afar) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve long enjoyed reading novels set in Iceland since I first read Arnaldur Indridason’s Jar City around 15 years ago, so I was excited to read Deceit, the first translation of Jónína Leósdóttir. In her homeland she is known not just as a novelist, playwright and former journalist but also as the spouse of the Prime Minister of Iceland from 2008 until 2013. Her works to date have included a dozen plays, eleven novels, two biographies and a collection of articles she originally wrote for a women's magazine. A prolific author following her thirteenth publication she decided to switch to the crime genre to create a series of five novels which would be placed firmly under cosy crime. They feature a recently retired bookshop manager and amateur sleuth called Ebba who has plenty of time and energy, boundless curiosity and an attraction to mysteries.

Deceit is her first novel in a new series which the author wrote during the Coronavirus lockdown. Unlike many novels penned within that time, Leósdóttir chose to featuring the pandemic within her story with the novel being set in those uncertain months of spring 2020 when concern was highest about infection rates and the lack of vaccination. Covid-19 actually provides quite a handy tool for the author as it forms a good reasoning for a small cast of characters that feature in the novel. It also forms a bone of contention between the two protagonists one being extremely cautious and unwilling to go within 2 metres of another individual, while the other has a much more lax approach.

Deceit is quite a compelling but rather novel which at its heart features a middle aged divorced couple who solve crimes together. 49 year old English expat Adam is the main character in the story which is told in his perspective with a third person narrative. He has spent over two decades living in Iceland and while the relationship that brought him to the country has broken down he remains in the country close to his student daughter Margret. As well as having private patients, Adam provides a consultancy the Icelandic police when they have requirements for a psychologist. He is most frequently contacted by detective Soffía who just happens to be his ex-wife. The lucid and easily readable translation Sylvia Bates & Quentin Bates clearly reveals in Adam a man set in his ways and in many ways old before his time, except for one particular aspect of his private life.

With many of her police colleagues are in self isolation, Soffía reaches out to Adam when the police are alerted to fruit which has been pierced by needles in a small corner shop. While Adam is reluctant to leave his basement flat and very nervous of contracting Covid, he gradually gets pulled deeper into the case as Soffía continues to contact him with every subsequent development. As the malicious activities widen in scope and area, Adam has to try to help Soffia find a connection between them in order to establish a motive and discover the culprit. A large degree of deduction is required to do so.

With Adam being a non-Icelandic character it did mean the novel could focus on some specific characteristics of the country that I found particularly interesting. A key aspect to the book that I did enjoy emerged though the reminder that Iceland is a very small country in population side and gene pool. As a result many Icelanders are often very related in some way to each other. Within Deceit there are a selection of characters who are related to one other to form an extended family with tensions and rivalries between them. This is an important factor which you might expect would be used more regularly in Icelandic crime fiction. Like the aforementioned Jar City the novel also creatively considers the theme of inherited diseases with an emotive secondary story arc relating to one of Adam’s patients which was intriguing but also very sensitively dealt with.

Deceit is quite unorthodox for crime fiction in that the police character’s sidekick is in an advisory role rather than a fellow officer. Not just an advisor too but also her ex-husband. As we follow the insights into their marriage there is a very specific revelation about the principle reason for their separation which came as quite a surprise. Using sparingly in this story, I think this would definitely be a feature of any subsequent stories in the series, as would Adam's relationship with his daughter. While the author can get away with a small investigative team due to the pandemic, I would expect a more normal police station team environment to unfold in future novels.

While it has its peculiarities, I believe that Deceit is a very worthy Icelandic export as it convincingly reflects some of the unique aspects of the country’s society. While many novels by Icelandic authors could be set in a range of possible locations, Deceit is a novel that could only work the way it does because it is set in Iceland. For that reason more than any other it is definitely worthy of your investigation.

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. Fresh, and quite unique in character, it kept me intrigued from start to finish. There are a series of incidents occurring across Reykjavik, minor in scale compared to the current Covid pandemic, but enough to pique the interest of local detective, Soffia, who believes there may be more to the vandalism and leaving of needles in food than meets the eye. She engages the assistance of her ex-husband, Adam, a Psychologist, in trying to understand more about the mindset of the person, or people, who might be behind such an act.

I really liked the two characters of Adam and Soffia. They really are chalk and cheese, Soffia far more gung-ho and determined than Adam who, for a Psychologist, has a seemingly unhealthy obsession and paranoia about the virus and a rigidity when it comes to following the covid-rules. You could argue there was very good reason for that given the book is set in a pre-vaccine world, but there is more of a compulsion about his actions, which is at odds with what is, by all accounts, a more chaotic mind. This may seem like a very typical set up -cop and psychologist - but believe me when I say that this is a far from conventional pairing, and Adam is nursing his own secrets which give his character, not an edge exactly, but certainly make him an interesting man to get to know.

Beyond our two central protagonists we meet the owners of the businesses who seem to be being targeted by this mini-terrorist. There is nothing random about the venues, even if the victims themselves do not share a clear connection. The investigation draws our pair into an extended family situation, one which is far from harmonious. There are many surprises in store and the author keeps readers on edge, diverting suspicion just when you think you have sussed out who is behind everything. And whilst I did see some elements of the story coming, there are other things, other revelations, which really do catch you unaware. Between stalkers, copycats and firestarters, the team, and therefore readers,are really kept on their toes.

The book touches on many subjects, including serious illness and transgender issues, but the key theme throughout seems to be of family. Of the ties that band and the the tensions that can also drive people apart. From the familial links between our two main protagonists, to those of the intended victims, even of one of Adam's private clients, there is a strong mixture of emotions underpinning the story and this is what really drew me in, perhaps more so than the case itself. It's not a fast paced story, but it doesn't need to be as the characters held my attention throughout. Definitely looking forward to more by this author.

[Thebooktrail · Rating 4 out of 5]

Discover the locations in the novel

An oddly quirky novel that intrigued me as much as it kept me turning those pages.

In a nutshell, it’s about a divorced couple who are middle-aged. Adam is an expat and along with his ex-wife goes about solving crimes. He has been in Iceland for more than 20 years so knows the country and people well. He might have gone back to the UK but for his daughter.

Adam works with the police as a consultant on certain cases. One of the police usually asks for his help – and it’s usually his ex Soffia. That’s an unsual situation and awkward at times. As the author mentions COVID, then we get to see how there are fewer police around and in the office and often Soffia and Adam are the only ones who seem as if they want to even venture outside.

liked the duo that was Adam and Soffia – their differences, their cultures, their view points and everything that results from a broken marriage. The characters are complex and damaged in many ways. As I read I found that they were an odd couple in that all of the other characters are born and bred Icelanders and they view the couple as strange in many ways. Iceland is a very closed society it would seem from this book. If you are Icelandic, then you are accepted into society and if you’re an ‘outsider’ you’re certainly seen as different. Everyone seems to be related to each other in the country – well it is small – and this comes across in a secondary thread where someone inherits a disease.

This felt very remote and claustrophobic – more so due to the Covid pandemic landscape. Odd and quirky, I would also call it fresh and unique. I can see the threads of the series and it’s definately a series i want to return to.

[Andy Wormald · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have a real thing for Icelandic crime and this is another to add to the list. For me this was something different and also at times unexpected, the time frame for the setting was one of the first I have read, however it not only worked but enhanced the story line, in someways it added in that it concentrated and narrowed the list of characters and locations and the fact that Covid was starting to hit, the attitudes to safety between the characters was there to see. In someways Covid provides the perfect backdrop to the setting and location, the rules had to be followed, the author does not try to take liberties but weaves the pandemic into the narrative

Soffia and Adam make for interesting characters especially as they were previously married and whilst it is clear that there is nothing between them, they work as professionals with a respect and understanding. They are wonderfully written especially Adam who I found to be interesting to say the least, They really sort of shouldn’t work as a pair but they do, the duty is to the job in hand, the fact that they are looking at the investigation from differing view points and have their own approach makes for an interesting dynamic. I definitely feel as though there is more to be discovered and played out about each character

In fact you get a real sense of the characters within the book as people, each there to enhance the story

To be honest I wasn’t quite sure what to expect when I set out reading, however, the book kept me engaged and gripped throughout, never quite knowing in which direction the author was going to take me, the plot line is wonderfully constructed and the author draws out the suspense and drama

In someways there is an underlying tenseness throughout the book in part due to Covid, it all adds to the atmosphere

The book is superbly pitched, with a clever plot which has a real depth, combined with strongly written protagonists and a narrative full of intrigue.

Overall this is a story which works on every level, character and location, terrific plot line, moments of the unexpected, the twists come just at the right moments, the quality of the writing brings it all together, keeps the reader guessing until the end

Another welcome addition of Icelandic Noir and one to watch out for 5*

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have read books set in Iceland before but thought that they concentrated more on the area they were set than its inhabitants. One of the strongest points of this novel was its characters.
Soffía is the only detective who is assigned to the case concerning needles that have been used to cause harm and she enlists the help of Adam, ex husband and ex pat psychologist. Throughout the entire novel I couldn’t work out how they were ever married, they had absolutely nothing in common. It was their relationship that showed the differences between the British and the Icelanders. Adam was a little more uptight than many Brits but I found him believable. I thought Soffía was wonderful, Impatient and tactless and at times ruthless but I also could see her humour and determination to get a result despite the setbacks caused by the pandemic. Another prominent character was Jenní, you didn’t see that much of her, but she was definitely one who I wanted to know more about.
I always told myself I wouldn’t read a book that concerned the pandemic but in hindsight nobody can pretend that it didn’t happen. The author used it to show its impact on the police force, in the number of officers available, how interviews had to be conducted with social distancing etc. She also showed the differing views : Adam was very strict, Soffía more inclined to take chances both professionally and in her personal life.
This was an interesting case involving a mostly awful family with a completely unexpected ending,but for me the strongest part of the novel were the characters. I see huge potential for further novels.

[Lesley · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a dedicated crime / thriller reader, it can be hard to find a book that differs from the norm. With so many books in these genres, it must be so difficult to write a story that is different from what has already been done. I'm delighted to say that Deceit stands out from the crowd.

Set in Iceland, well-known siblings and their businesses are being targeted in nasty attacks. From negative hotel reviews to needles being planted in food, things are getting more and more serious. But who is responsible and why?

The plot was novel and held my attention. I managed to figure out one element, but certainly didn't predict everything!

Author Jónina Leósdóttir has created very engaging characters in Adam and Soffia, respectively a psychologist and police officer, who were once married to eachother. It is a wonder they ever managed to tolerate one another and yet Adam's hypervigilant approach to life and Soffia's more full-on attitude seem to do the trick when working together on a case.

Set at the point when Covid-19 really took hold, the virus and its impact on society is almost like another main character, influencing Adam's behaviour in particular.

I will certainly look out for more from Jónina Leósdóttir and credit is also due to Quentin Bates for his translation.

Thanks to the author and Corylus Books for the opportunity to take part in this Blog Tour.

[Caroline · Rating 4 out of 5]

Deceit is the first book in a new series by Jónína Leósdóttir, and the first of Jónína's books to be translated into English by Quentin Bates, an established author in his own right.
Deceit is set in Reykjavík, in the early days of the Covid19 pandemic. The main protagonists are Sóffia, who is a detective with the Reykjavík police, and her ex-husband Adam, a psychologist, originally from England. Sóffia enlists the help of Adam as she sets out to investigate a series of malicious acts against certain businesses in the city.
The story incorporates many issues besides Covid19, such as bullying, transgender issues and terminal illness.
I enjoyed this book, although I failed to warm to Sóffia. I hope that more of Leósdóttir's books will be translated into English.

[Sonja van der Westhuizen | West Words · Rating 4 out of 5]

What do you get when you bring together a hypochondriac psychologist with a brusque, socially awkward police officer? One failed marriage, but also a perfect crime-solving team. Adam, a British ex-pat living in Reykjavik, and Soffía, his Icelandic ex-wife, are the main characters in the first of a new crime series by Icelandic crime writer, Jónína Leósdóttir.

Full review: https://westwordsreviews.wordpress.co...

[Caroline · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the most unusual crime novel I’ve read this year, interesting unique crime ideas that really work in the Icelandic setting some of the plot points work so well because of the close knit community it is set in. I know the author has many more books out in their native Icelandic and I really hope that more are being translated as this is a refreshing and intriguing read. 5* from me

[John Mccormick · Rating 5 out of 5]

A clever intelligent Scandi Noir mystery, an odd sort of Police procedural set in Reykjavik during the Covid pandemic, with our heroine Soffia calling in the help of her English psychologist ex-husband to help with an odd case which gets stranger with the turn of each page. Well written or should that be translated I am never sure, a quality character driven story totally absorbing and engaging from first to last page. Be warned we are not in the hunt for some serial killer, there is little or no violence just a believable story, investigated by an amusing odd couple.
Another warning might result in a reigniting a taste for liquorice.
Totally recommended.

[Kollster · Rating 4 out of 5]

Frábær kósý krimmi!

[Ásdís Ósk Valsdóttir · Rating 5 out of 5]

Frábær bók, vel skrifuð og plottið ekki fyrirsjáanlegt. Mæli eindregið með henni enda er Jónína einn af mínum uppáhaldshöfundum.

[Agnes Ósk · Rating 3 out of 5]

Létt og hnyttin og skemmtileg persónusköpun. Eini gallinn er covid bakgrunnurinn. Of stutt síðan við vorum í þessu bulli

[Kevin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Review to follow

[Sigrun · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fín og fljótlesin bók - ágætispersónur og skemmtilegur söguþráður

[Paula · Rating 1 out of 5]

Awful.Not worth a longer review.

[Crimefictioncritic · Rating 4 out of 5]

Deceit is exceedingly clever and confronting, in terms of social commentary. And I loved everything about this book. It’s achingly fallible protagonist, British ex-pat and psychologist Adam, his strong, pragmatic ex-wife, Reykjavík detective Soffía, and its raw and strikingly authentic representation of the early days of the Covid-19 pandemic as seen through the lens of Icelandic society. I also much enjoyed how Leósdóttir dives right into the relationship between Adam and Soffía at the outset.

The book unfolds with a phone call between Soffía and Adam, where she asks if she can stop by his apartment to get his opinion on something. Adam isn’t keen since he’s caught up in the Covid hysteria and practicing self-imposed isolation, but reluctantly agrees. Then, once the call ends, his thoughts tell us much about these two people, their post-divorce relationship, and perhaps provide one clue for why their marriage ended.

“Adam ended the call without a word. Soffía hadn’t called to ask if she could come, but to announce that she was coming. There was a good reason why his parents referred to their former daughter-in-law as the Bulldozer.”

When Soffía arrives, she tells Adam she wants his help with a case she is investigating as a psychologist consultant, a role it seems he has filled in the past. Since his practice is suffering because people are reluctant to book appointments because of anxiety over Covid, Adam agrees because he needs the income. Then Soffía reveals the details. Someone has been inserting sewing needles into fresh fruit at a local healthy foods shop, and two non-life-threatening injuries have already occurred. And then the investigation begins and Leósdóttir deftly raises the stakes from there.

Set in cold, dark countries like Sweden, Norway, Iceland, Denmark, and Finland, emotional chilliness and an overarching sense of despair typically define Nordic crime fiction. The weather is perpetually cold, and the setting bleak, often expressed by brutal murder mystery plots. But Leósdóttir’s plotting and sense of place felt fresh, offering us something different.

Using only a rather innocuous crime, an offense far less serious than the gruesome murders we might expect at the opening of a Nordic crime novel, and the first faltering steps of the investigation, Leósdóttir effortlessly arrests our attention and yanks us into the story. I couldn’t put the book down once I started reading. And instead of giving us the usual climatic cold, bleak Icelandic landscape, and the associated sense of despair as a backdrop, she replaces the expected with the Covid pandemic instead, with its stark blend of stasis and fear. It permeates everything. And she pulls it off brilliantly, offering us the very eerie and desolate setting we expect from the genre. The cleverness and originality of that impressed me as much as anything else about this book. Then, to top it off, Leósdóttir gives us two cases blending into one, but in a believable and not overly coincidental way.

Though I had guessed the major twist concerning Adam before the reveal, it didn’t lessen my interest but only made me more curious to learn how it would play out within the rest of the plot. I think anyone who doesn’t guess that twist early will feel blown away by the reveal. And while she may have dropped one clue too many, which allowed me to work that one out, Leósdóttir still kept a few secrets and tricks up her sleeve.

Strikingly, I realized at this novel’s satisfying conclusion that, with every characterization, even those less than admirable, Leósdóttir achieves an uncommon level of emotional nuance and authenticity in her storytelling. This grounded, real-world quality extends especially to the events that trigger the antagonist’s actions. Leósdóttir clearly understands the human psyche well, and in Deceit expertly mines the fear and dread that a plague-ravaged world evokes. Mental and emotional trauma play a chillingly large role in this story. The book delves into the challenges of Huntington’s disease as well and on its impact for those suffering from the disease and the impact it has on their loved ones and families. This is a book you will remember long after reading the last page. It leaves us to wonder how much our upbringing and early years shape our experiences in later life.

Jónína Leósdóttir’s emotive and deeply thought-provoking crime narrative Deceit is a riveting read, and with only two months to go, definitely one of the best novels I’ve read this year. I’m left hoping desperately that more of her novels will appear in English.

[David Harris · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's been interesting over the past couple of years to see the different approaches that authors have taken to the covid-19 pandemic. Some ignore it, some write as though it is past and one with and life is back to normal. Only a few though - at least that I've seen - accept the challenge of setting events squarely in the midst of lockdowns, quarantine rules and public health campaigns.

That is what Jónína Leósdóttir has chosen to do with Deceit and I have to say, the result in absolutely cracking. Set in Iceland in March and April 2020, the book introduces each chapter with a newsflash giving infection statistics and updates on events, and the action closely its characters' varying responses.

Adam, a psychologist in private practice in Reykjavík, is inclined to take things very seriously, sanitising hands and anything that's newly come into his cosy basement flat, which he leave sonly reluctantly. Adam's ex-wife, detective Soffía, is rather more cavalier, while various owners of local businesses - cafés, a deli, a small hotel - bemoan the impact of the virus and the lockdown on their businesses. The story is interestingly sited at that point where the most serious issue was believed to be physical contact rather than airborne transmission, so there is less focus on masking and ventilation and more on distancing, leading to to some amusing scenes as the characters move around each other, so to speak. Having lived through all this only two years ago it's all very recognisable.

The inhabitants of Reykjavík are soon, however, about to face something much less humorous and indeed malign as potentially deadly tampering with fruit and other foods spreads around the capital and the country. At the epicentre are those same small business owners, but it's frustratingly hard for Soffía to link the cases together, or establish the motivation or perpetrator. She has few resources. Adam reluctantly assists, largely because he's nearly broke and the police will pay him for consultation, but most police time is going into enforcing covid rules so really the two of them are on their own.

They do, though, while bickering gently in the manner you'd expect of a long established couple, gradually come to understand the victims, if not the perpetrator, peeling away layers of lies and deception about a most remarkable - if reprehensible - man and his bizarre family.

Meantime, Adam is also providing private consultations, including helping a young woman near to despair.

Add in the mysterious Jenný, a woman who we sometimes encounter in Adam's flat but who avoids contact with others, and Deceit provides a gallery of fascinating and complex characters struggling with a wide range of issues. Adam's insights as a psychologist are often the key to understanding what's going on, although he's less adept at using it in his own life and with his family - his wife, his daughter. The mystery behind the events is in the end both simple and fiendishly rooted in real lives and past events, all of which need to be teased out and prove addictively plausible.

An enthralling and fun read, then, and I hope Corylus can bring us more translations of Leósdóttir's novels (hopefully also rendered into English by Sylvia Bates and Quentin Bates, whose version is lucid, compelling and clear).

[Louise · Rating 4 out of 5]

Deceit, billed as the first book in a new series, dives straight into the action: Soffia, a cop, is calling her ex-husband Adam, a psychologist, after needles have been found in fruit sold in a Reykjavik wholefoods store - she has few clues and wants his insight, especially since she has few colleagues available as it's April 2020 and Covid-19 is spreading through the force. He's reluctant, but Soffia gives him no option to refuse. And he's intrigued by the case despite himself.
Meanwhile, Adam takes on a new client, a man whose stepdaughter has been diagnosed with a hereditary condition after her mother has died without telling anyone who her biological father is - Rebekka doesn't want to meet this man so much as she wants to find him and kill him for passing on this disease. Adam does a little investigating into Rebekka's past between helping Soffia.
The needles case expands, and threats of various kinds are seen as a complex family link is found between those affected. While the crimes remain relatively low-key, the people and relationships come to the fore, which is where Leósdóttir really shines as a novelist. However, that's not to say things don't take a turn for the darker and more fatal, for they sadly do. In essence this is a novel of families, exploring how the troubles of childhood rear their heads in adult life and relationships, the consequences of trauma taking many years to show themselves.
I found the periodic Covid-19 updates both jarring and genuinely disturbing. However, the pandemic setting does perfectly show us Adam's obsessive nature, and as a general backdrop was interesting. Adam and Soffia provide most of the lighter moments in their interactions, as well as driving the investigation to its conclusions. They are like chalk and cheese - he is English, reserved, cautious, neat; she is Icelandic, brusque, bull in a china shop careless.
The plot is fresh and I found the style charming and warm - a tip of the hat here to translators Sylvia Bates and Quentin Bates - and even when things get tough it gives us the feeling the mysteries will be solved. Deceit was just the ticket to stave off some of the winter darkness that is rapidly descending.

[Angi Plant · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Icelandic Noir and Icelandic crime writing. The way of story telling is so different. It’s blunt, honest and always works from what we all do and say which is usually fudging how we really think and feel, then suddenly we get to the grass roots honesty of everything that the story is really about. This is original, scary and I had a few moments where my overactive imagination went ‘ouch’ or I felt a little queasy. It’s always the small things that get you most!

It’s the everyday clues we gloss over like a room freshly painted for so long and then out it all comes. This especially works with the two main characters in this book. From two different cultures, two different backgrounds, two different types of job, so existentially different and yet they were once married.

Set in the Covid pandemic it shows how differently people thought. Was it nothing, or about to kill you. Both characters have an opposite viewpoint and it really works. I’d definitely like to read more about the unconventional, but intriguing relationship of the two main characters, Adam and Soffía.

With thanks to Ewa Sherman, the publisher and the author for the advanced reading copy of this book.

[Liz · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a crime novel set in Iceland early in the pandemic. Adam and Soffia are a divorced couple: he is a psychologist and she a police officer. She turns to him for help as the police are stretched.
We see the story from Adam's viewpoint: he suffers from OCD and is also obsessed with not catching Covid. He throws away a bag of Soffia's sweets as if they have cyanide in them.
The plot is not bad and concerns a family connected by a father who is a serial adulterer. A subplot causes Adam a few moral crises. Seeing how Iceland coped with Covid was interesting, they seemed to be allowed out more than in the UK.
Very much worth a read.