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Inspector Erlendur #3
Jar City
When a lonely old man is found murdered in his Reykjavík flat, the only clues are a cryptic note left by the killer and a photograph of a young girl’s grave. Inspector Erlendur, who heads the investigation team, discovers that many years ago the victim was accused, though not convicted, of an unsolved crime. Did the old man’s past come back to haunt him?
As the team of detectives reopen this very cold case, Inspector Erlendur uncovers secrets that are much larger than the murder of one old man--secrets that have been carefully guarded by many people for many years. As he follows a fascinating trail of unusual forensic evidence, Erlendur also confronts stubborn personal conflicts that reveal his own depth and complexity of character.
As the team of detectives reopen this very cold case, Inspector Erlendur uncovers secrets that are much larger than the murder of one old man--secrets that have been carefully guarded by many people for many years. As he follows a fascinating trail of unusual forensic evidence, Erlendur also confronts stubborn personal conflicts that reveal his own depth and complexity of character.
275 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2000
995 people are currently reading
15061 people want to read
About the author
Arnaldur Indriðason
53 books3,293 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 2,471 reviews
March 22, 2020
رغم الكآبة التي سيطرت على خط الأحداث، إلا أن الرواية مشوقة وتلمس المشاعر الإنسانية بقوة في بعض أقسامها
May 15, 2018
This book is an interesting study of old crimes that generate new crimes through genealogy. Reykjavik Police Inspector Erlendur is called to the scene of a murder of an old man, Holberg. He discovers that the man was accused of rape back in 1962 and that there was a child.
Erlendur follows the investigation while at the same time dealing with his drug addict daughter. She tells him that she is pregnant and is trying to give up drugs. He is divorced from his wife and tries to help her on his own.
I enjoyed reading this book and give it 4 out of 5 stars. The translation was very good.
Update, May 15, 2018. My wife and I visited Iceland last summer for 11 days. It is a beautiful, scenic country. Reykjavik is a lovely city with some interesting sites, including Regan/Gorbachev meeting place.
If you can, go to Iceland
Erlendur follows the investigation while at the same time dealing with his drug addict daughter. She tells him that she is pregnant and is trying to give up drugs. He is divorced from his wife and tries to help her on his own.
I enjoyed reading this book and give it 4 out of 5 stars. The translation was very good.
Update, May 15, 2018. My wife and I visited Iceland last summer for 11 days. It is a beautiful, scenic country. Reykjavik is a lovely city with some interesting sites, including Regan/Gorbachev meeting place.
If you can, go to Iceland
December 2, 2017
I am HIM
This cryptic message is left with the body of an elderly man when he is found dead in his apartment in Reykjavik. So begins Arnaldur Indridason’s brilliant contribution to the Nordic Noir sub-genre of crime literature. First published in 2000 in Iceland under the title Mýrin, I read and thoroughly enjoyed the English translation by Bernard Scudder published in 2005 by Minotaur Books.
A compelling police procedural that shows a law enforcement task force in Reykjavik investigating a murder, Indridason goes further and provides intriguing background for a crime that has a long history of wrongs leading up to the fateful moment.
Some crimes, when brought into the light, reveal other wrongdoings hidden in the shadows. Some secrets, when uncovered, reveal more hidden pains that can reach far back into families. Indridason’s greatest achievement in this book, is his ability to draw diverse elements of a criminal investigation, especially the human costs, into a cognizant whole.
Jar City is the name given to a forensic collection of body parts and specimens and this novel also explores the importance and historic relevance of genetic testing and how these procedures have evolved and how the Icelandic culture is particularly well suited for such science.
One of the better contributions to the genre, very entertaining.
This cryptic message is left with the body of an elderly man when he is found dead in his apartment in Reykjavik. So begins Arnaldur Indridason’s brilliant contribution to the Nordic Noir sub-genre of crime literature. First published in 2000 in Iceland under the title Mýrin, I read and thoroughly enjoyed the English translation by Bernard Scudder published in 2005 by Minotaur Books.
A compelling police procedural that shows a law enforcement task force in Reykjavik investigating a murder, Indridason goes further and provides intriguing background for a crime that has a long history of wrongs leading up to the fateful moment.
Some crimes, when brought into the light, reveal other wrongdoings hidden in the shadows. Some secrets, when uncovered, reveal more hidden pains that can reach far back into families. Indridason’s greatest achievement in this book, is his ability to draw diverse elements of a criminal investigation, especially the human costs, into a cognizant whole.
Jar City is the name given to a forensic collection of body parts and specimens and this novel also explores the importance and historic relevance of genetic testing and how these procedures have evolved and how the Icelandic culture is particularly well suited for such science.
One of the better contributions to the genre, very entertaining.
July 7, 2023
A compelling modern murder mystery in a unique setting
Inspector Erlendur Sveinsson is a homicide detective. He isn't as rough around the edges nor is he quite as libertarian in his approach to law enforcement but Harry Bosch has got nothing on Erlendur when it comes to toting a heavy load of psychological baggage. Long divorced at age 50, Erlendur leads a lifestyle that isn't particularly healthy. He's convinced he has heart issues but, like so many misguided men, is unwilling to go to a doctor to confirm what he is convinced will be bad news. Eva Lind, his penurious, greedy, self-centered daughter is pregnant and carries her arrogant attitude in a very large chip on her shoulder.
Erlendur is investigating the murder of Holberg, an angry old man who was accused and acquitted of rape many years earlier. The only clues are an odd note apparently left by the killer ("I am HIM") and a old photograph of a young girl's grave, misplaced, lost or hidden underneath a desk drawer. JAR CITY can't really be called suspense because there's nothing of that bone-chilling anticipation or frisson of fear that readers experience from the very best suspense thrillers. It's much more of a police procedural, a top quality and utterly compelling psychological drama that follows Erlendur, who proves himself a very skilled and intuitive detective, down a very twisted but entirely realistic trail of forensic clues to a haunting, bleak and emotional climax.
JAR CITY aside from being a first-rate mystery, also delves into important, timely issues related to privacy of medical data and the use or misuse of genetic information. (For those readers that are not aware of this, because of its limited and highly isolated gene pool, Iceland is one of the world leader's in the collection of genetic information and its susbsequent use in epidemiological research related to genetic illness.) Author Indridalson also tugs mightily on his readers' heart-strings as he develops the on-again, off-again tempestuous relationship between Erlendur and his wayward daughter.
A riveting plot, a dense psychological drama, a unique setting with a very special set of localized characteristics and tense, heartbreaking emotional moments make JAR CITY a very special debut novel that deserves a space on any mystery lover's shelves. Highly recommended.
Paul Weiss
Inspector Erlendur Sveinsson is a homicide detective. He isn't as rough around the edges nor is he quite as libertarian in his approach to law enforcement but Harry Bosch has got nothing on Erlendur when it comes to toting a heavy load of psychological baggage. Long divorced at age 50, Erlendur leads a lifestyle that isn't particularly healthy. He's convinced he has heart issues but, like so many misguided men, is unwilling to go to a doctor to confirm what he is convinced will be bad news. Eva Lind, his penurious, greedy, self-centered daughter is pregnant and carries her arrogant attitude in a very large chip on her shoulder.
Erlendur is investigating the murder of Holberg, an angry old man who was accused and acquitted of rape many years earlier. The only clues are an odd note apparently left by the killer ("I am HIM") and a old photograph of a young girl's grave, misplaced, lost or hidden underneath a desk drawer. JAR CITY can't really be called suspense because there's nothing of that bone-chilling anticipation or frisson of fear that readers experience from the very best suspense thrillers. It's much more of a police procedural, a top quality and utterly compelling psychological drama that follows Erlendur, who proves himself a very skilled and intuitive detective, down a very twisted but entirely realistic trail of forensic clues to a haunting, bleak and emotional climax.
JAR CITY aside from being a first-rate mystery, also delves into important, timely issues related to privacy of medical data and the use or misuse of genetic information. (For those readers that are not aware of this, because of its limited and highly isolated gene pool, Iceland is one of the world leader's in the collection of genetic information and its susbsequent use in epidemiological research related to genetic illness.) Author Indridalson also tugs mightily on his readers' heart-strings as he develops the on-again, off-again tempestuous relationship between Erlendur and his wayward daughter.
A riveting plot, a dense psychological drama, a unique setting with a very special set of localized characteristics and tense, heartbreaking emotional moments make JAR CITY a very special debut novel that deserves a space on any mystery lover's shelves. Highly recommended.
Paul Weiss
August 2, 2015
رواية تمزج بين الادب البوليسي والرعب.. يصور الكاتب جريمة تقع في إحدى المدن الآيسلندية حيث تعثر الشرطة على جثة رجل ستيني داخل شقته ويقوم المحقق أرنالدور بتحريات واسعة وبمكر وعبقرية (وشئ من الحظ) بكشف خيوط الجريمة والعثور على القاتل.. ينقلك الراوي الى مجتمع غريب وجريمة غير مألوفة .. رواية مشوقة جداً تتمنى ان تنهيها في جلسة واحدة..
March 28, 2023
This Nordic thriller opens with the death of a 75 year old man in a dingy flat in Reykjavik from a blow to the head. Called to the murder scene, Detective Erlendur Sveinsson of the Reykjavik police searches his apartment, but apart from a note left on the body stating “I am him” and a photo of a child’s grave he finds no evidence of a robbery gone wrong and few clues as to why the man was murdered. Further investigation reveals that the man was charged with a vicious rape forty years before but was not convicted. Erlendur has a feeling that the man’s murder was personal and despite some indifference from his colleagues, starts to unravel his past history, a journey that will take him to Iceland’s centre for genetic research.
Although Jar City is the third book in this series, it is the first translated into English and works well as a self-contained murder mystery. Erlendur’s character is clearly described as well as his neglect of himself following his divorce, his poor health resulting from his bad diet and constant smoking and his difficult relationships with his son and his daughter Eva Lind, a drug addict. However, he is a man who cares very much about people and is intent on finding the truth for the victims of crime. A little slow to get going, but quickly becoming a fascinating and intriguing mystery.
Although Jar City is the third book in this series, it is the first translated into English and works well as a self-contained murder mystery. Erlendur’s character is clearly described as well as his neglect of himself following his divorce, his poor health resulting from his bad diet and constant smoking and his difficult relationships with his son and his daughter Eva Lind, a drug addict. However, he is a man who cares very much about people and is intent on finding the truth for the victims of crime. A little slow to get going, but quickly becoming a fascinating and intriguing mystery.
August 30, 2013
I've taken an interest to Iceland ever since I read Halldór Laxness. Seeing there are a few Icelandic authors in translation - or maybe they are indeed just a few - I wanted to explore this country through the detective novels of Arnaldur Indriðason, as well. Luckily, he gives some interesting insights into the social aspect of Icelandic people. Well, more like the criminality aspect, through phrases such as:
Icelandic murders aren't complicated.
Icelandic judges were notoriously lenient.
Icelandic murderers generally don’t leave anything behind but a mess.
My Gr friend Linda has been to Iceland and she told me that this is considered one of the safest countries in the world. This baffled me, so I've read more about it and came upon an interesting BBC article: an US law student went to Iceland to study the reason behind the low criminality rate. In a country where almost one person out of three owns a gun, the few crimes that occur don't usually involve firearms. Hmm, strange. Give one angry American a gun and he'll know what to do with it! Even Police members are unarmed, the only officers permitted to carry firearms are on a special force called the Viking Squad, and they are seldom called out.
I'm really fascinated now.
[In Iceland]...violent crime was virtually non-existent. People seemed relaxed about their safety and that of their children to the point where parents left their babies outside and unattended. This reminded me of the Beaumont children cold case in Australia, which greatly influenced Australian society in that a lot of people who left their children unattended, believing their country was safe, improved their supervision. I hope this never happens in Iceland, which should remain like it is, a happy and miraculous exception.
But what are the reasons behind this amazing fact? It seems that Iceland's social welfare and education systems promote an egalitarian culture and there is virtually no difference among upper, middle and lower classes. It looks like Icelandic people managed to put in practice the teachings of Prophet Mani.
A study of the Icelandic class system done by a University of Missouri master's student found only 1.1% of participants identified themselves as upper class, while 1.5% saw themselves as lower class. The remaining 97% identified themselves as upper-middle class, lower-middle class, or working class.
On another web-site, the question "How Safe is Reykjavik, Iceland?" is answered with Crime in Reykjavik is basically non-existent, even petty thieves are only rarely seen. The only area in Reykjavik that a single female may not want to visit late at night is Austurvöllur Park - and that's only because it's a popular place for winos, who like to keep to themselves anyway. Ha ha, not even wankers or exhibitionists - I guess it's too cold for that!
I'm sorry this is not actually a review, but I've found all this information fascinating and I wanted to share it with you. Inspector Erlendur deals with a crime that defies the Icelandic tradition, in that it's not simple and careless, but puzzling and brain-racking. The criminal leaves a note behind (we don't find out what it says until the middle of the book). Were it not for the presence of another layer to the story - about the detective's personal life - this novel would get 4 stars from me. It was much better than Silence of the Grave, because it dealt more with the actual investigation (which was also much more interesting) and less with domestic drama. The atmosphere is bleak, it rains without ever seeming to stop, and Erlendur has family issues, mainly with his daughter, who is a drug addict. Reading the novel, I've got under the impression that there is a serious issue with drugs in Iceland, but further info showed that it is not the case. I guess Indriðason wanted to place his inspector in the worst living conditions, which seems to me a bit too forced. In Silence of the Grave we find out about more tragedies in his life, which makes me wonder if every book in the series brings additional misfortune to Erlendur, poor man.
Two other interesting facts in the novel:
1. Icelanders eat boiled sheep's head, which I find to be gross. I won't post a picture, no, no. It is a traditional dish called Svið, which originated in harsh times when people started to use every part of a slaughtered animal. Here's a funny account of eating such dish:
Never did I expect to taste such a barbaric dish as a sheep's head. But a decade later there it was on my plate, looking up at me with a sorrowful glaze in its eyes. I pulled the jaw apart and stabbed a clump of meat with my fork. When in Iceland... And it wasn't bad. Really. The cheek, where most of the meat is found, was tender and rather tasty. Dipped in a little rhubarb jelly, it was even better. Just beware of the eyes. Those baby blues are considered a delicacy. Well, really, it's the entire eye socket that some Icelanders find so appetizing, with or without the actual eyeball included. So plop that hunk of meat into your mouth and try to think about something else. Anything else. - Lara Weber, Chicago Tribune
2. Indriðason talks in his novel about a Genetic Research Centre, which actually has a base in reality. In such a centre would be gathered medical data about all the Icelanders, linked with a genealogy database in which the family of every single Icelander would be traced back to the Middle Ages.
They called it establishing the Icelandic genetic pool. The main aim was to discover how hereditary illnesses were transmitted, study them genetically and find ways to cure them, and other diseases if possible. It was said that the homogenous nation and lack of miscegenation made Iceland a living laboratory for genetic research. - Arnaldur Indriðason
Icelandic murders aren't complicated.
Icelandic judges were notoriously lenient.
Icelandic murderers generally don’t leave anything behind but a mess.
My Gr friend Linda has been to Iceland and she told me that this is considered one of the safest countries in the world. This baffled me, so I've read more about it and came upon an interesting BBC article: an US law student went to Iceland to study the reason behind the low criminality rate. In a country where almost one person out of three owns a gun, the few crimes that occur don't usually involve firearms. Hmm, strange. Give one angry American a gun and he'll know what to do with it! Even Police members are unarmed, the only officers permitted to carry firearms are on a special force called the Viking Squad, and they are seldom called out.
I'm really fascinated now.
[In Iceland]...violent crime was virtually non-existent. People seemed relaxed about their safety and that of their children to the point where parents left their babies outside and unattended. This reminded me of the Beaumont children cold case in Australia, which greatly influenced Australian society in that a lot of people who left their children unattended, believing their country was safe, improved their supervision. I hope this never happens in Iceland, which should remain like it is, a happy and miraculous exception.
But what are the reasons behind this amazing fact? It seems that Iceland's social welfare and education systems promote an egalitarian culture and there is virtually no difference among upper, middle and lower classes. It looks like Icelandic people managed to put in practice the teachings of Prophet Mani.
A study of the Icelandic class system done by a University of Missouri master's student found only 1.1% of participants identified themselves as upper class, while 1.5% saw themselves as lower class. The remaining 97% identified themselves as upper-middle class, lower-middle class, or working class.
On another web-site, the question "How Safe is Reykjavik, Iceland?" is answered with Crime in Reykjavik is basically non-existent, even petty thieves are only rarely seen. The only area in Reykjavik that a single female may not want to visit late at night is Austurvöllur Park - and that's only because it's a popular place for winos, who like to keep to themselves anyway. Ha ha, not even wankers or exhibitionists - I guess it's too cold for that!
I'm sorry this is not actually a review, but I've found all this information fascinating and I wanted to share it with you. Inspector Erlendur deals with a crime that defies the Icelandic tradition, in that it's not simple and careless, but puzzling and brain-racking. The criminal leaves a note behind (we don't find out what it says until the middle of the book). Were it not for the presence of another layer to the story - about the detective's personal life - this novel would get 4 stars from me. It was much better than Silence of the Grave, because it dealt more with the actual investigation (which was also much more interesting) and less with domestic drama. The atmosphere is bleak, it rains without ever seeming to stop, and Erlendur has family issues, mainly with his daughter, who is a drug addict. Reading the novel, I've got under the impression that there is a serious issue with drugs in Iceland, but further info showed that it is not the case. I guess Indriðason wanted to place his inspector in the worst living conditions, which seems to me a bit too forced. In Silence of the Grave we find out about more tragedies in his life, which makes me wonder if every book in the series brings additional misfortune to Erlendur, poor man.
Two other interesting facts in the novel:
1. Icelanders eat boiled sheep's head, which I find to be gross. I won't post a picture, no, no. It is a traditional dish called Svið, which originated in harsh times when people started to use every part of a slaughtered animal. Here's a funny account of eating such dish:
Never did I expect to taste such a barbaric dish as a sheep's head. But a decade later there it was on my plate, looking up at me with a sorrowful glaze in its eyes. I pulled the jaw apart and stabbed a clump of meat with my fork. When in Iceland... And it wasn't bad. Really. The cheek, where most of the meat is found, was tender and rather tasty. Dipped in a little rhubarb jelly, it was even better. Just beware of the eyes. Those baby blues are considered a delicacy. Well, really, it's the entire eye socket that some Icelanders find so appetizing, with or without the actual eyeball included. So plop that hunk of meat into your mouth and try to think about something else. Anything else. - Lara Weber, Chicago Tribune
2. Indriðason talks in his novel about a Genetic Research Centre, which actually has a base in reality. In such a centre would be gathered medical data about all the Icelanders, linked with a genealogy database in which the family of every single Icelander would be traced back to the Middle Ages.
They called it establishing the Icelandic genetic pool. The main aim was to discover how hereditary illnesses were transmitted, study them genetically and find ways to cure them, and other diseases if possible. It was said that the homogenous nation and lack of miscegenation made Iceland a living laboratory for genetic research. - Arnaldur Indriðason
November 23, 2017
[9/10]
"Squalid, pointless and committed without any attempt to hide it, change the clues or conceal the evidence."
"Yes," said Erlendur. "A pathetic Icelandic murder."
First impressions can be misleading. At first glance the murder of a lonely seventy year old man in his own apartment is just a sordid, simple robbery gone wrong. But as Inspector Erlendur Sveinsson of the Reykjavik Criminal Investigations Division starts to poke into the past history of the deceased, the case gets darker and darker, with unsavory ramifications going back decades and with revelations about Holberg (the victim) that makes one wonder why didn't somebody put an end to his miserable life much sooner.
Nordic crime fiction is already famous for its dark undertones and its dour policemen, but this novel is in a class of its own when it comes to depression.
Erlendur got back to the block of flats where he lived at around 10 p.m. and put a ready meal in the microwave to heat through. He stood and watched the meal revolving behind the glass. Better than television, he thought. Outside, the autumn winds howled, nothing but rain and darkness.
Not only is Erlendur divorced (most cops are) and unhealthy (heart problems), but he has a drug addict son coming out for the third time from a stint in rehab and a rebellious teenage daughter knocked up by a stranger at a party. Erlendur has every reason to be depressed, but, also in the best Nordic tradition, he is doggedly doing his job, leaving no stone unturned, even if it means looking at hundreds of hours worth of hardcore pornography, wading in basements filled with ordure or digging up the coffins of small children who died decades earlier.
They saw a tired middle-aged man with dark lines under the eyes, several days' stubble on his cheeks, thick eyebrows that stuck out, his bushy ginger hair that was all in a tangle, strong teeth that sometimes showed behind pallid lips, a weary expression that had witnessed all the worst dregs of human filth.
Erlendur reminds me in the best possible way of Martin Beck (the protagonist of the Swedish "Story of Crime" by Per Wahloo and Maj Sjoberg). He may appear dour and depressive to outsiders, but inside he is raging against the injustices done to innocents. I can see myself easily continuing with this series by Arnaldur Indridason, based on how much I was moved by this first lecture (although this is apparently the third in the series)
"You think it won't affect you. You reckon you're strong enough to withstand that sort of thing. You think you can put on armour against it over the years and can watch all the filth from a distance as if it's none of your business, and try to keep your senses. But there isn't any distance. And there's no armour. No-one's strong enough. The repulsion haunts you like an evil spirit that burrows into your mind and doesn't leave you in peace until you believe that the filth is life itself because you've forgotten how ordinary people live. This case is like that. Like an evil spirit that's been unleashed to run riot in your mind and ends up leaving you crippled."
Erlendur heaved a deep sigh. "It's all one great big bloody mire."
—«»—«»—«»—
I've been vague on purpose about the finer points of the investigation. I would like to mention though, in light of the current shitstorm in the media about predatory males, that statutory rape is one of the major issues in this particular investigation:
"Did she get over it?"
"Never. She was a very sensitive woman, my sister. A beautiful soul and easy prey for anyone to harm. They sensed that, both of them. They attacked her in their own separate ways. Savaged their prey... The beasts."
also: the title is not a reference to an American military base in Iceland, as I was led to believe (I'm not sure where I got this impression from), but it's about privacy concerns regarding a national genetic database that records the medical history of every person, living or dead, from Iceland. It's also about corrupt policemen and callous doctors who are more concerned with their specimen collections than with the dramas in the lives of their patients.
"That's one of the problems with this kind of genealogy database. Diseases tend to jump out of the family tree at random and then pop up again when you least expected them."
"And you keep all these secrets. Old family secrets. Tragedies, sorrows and death, all carefully classified in computers. Family stories and stories of individuals. Stories about me and you. You keep the whole secret and can call it up whenever you want. A Jar City for the whole nation."
May 15, 2018
As Jar City begins, a seventy-year-old man is found dead in his musty, malodorous flat, obviously the victim of foul play. Reykjavik police Inspector Erlendur and colleague Sigurdur Óli find a strange note on the body. Three words. The third word is “HIM.” We don’t learn the rest until much later. Common thinking is that it must have been a botched robbery, but to Erlendur, that means that the note doesn’t fit. Erlander is not a common thinker. He does not always follow conventional practices or procedures. He follows his instincts.
Now fifty years old, divorced, and father of a grown son, with whom he has virtually no contact, and a daughter Eva Lind, who constantly shows up to ask for money, which she owes her drug dealers. Theirs is a tumultuous relationship, one that gets under the skin of Erlendur but at the same time, concerns him deeply.
Reykjavik, Iceland, is not known for its violent crime. As a traffic cop twenty years earlier, Erlendur dealt with a lot of drunk drivers and domestic assaults. Murders were rare. This crime appears as if it could have been an accident, if it weren’t for the note. The note leads Erlendur to dig into the dead man’s past. He uncovers accusations of violent crimes and the death of a young child believed to have been fathered by the man, Holberg. What does that have to do with his murder? Despite the opinion of Sigurdur Óli and their superior officer, Erlendur proceeds with his own course of action, following his intuitions about the people involved. Throughout the course of the investigation, Erlendur engages in discussions with persons from Holberg’s past, which leads him to a trail of clues that have him using both old-fashioned and modern genetic methods. What is Jar City? We don’t learn that until at least half way into the book.
In addition, he constantly confronts issues of parenthood and familial relationships during his work on this case. As his professional duties show him both the negative and positive aspects of parenthood, so too does his own life. Eva Lind asks if she can stay with him, provided he stop criticizing her. He starts telling her about the case, most of it, anyway, and I could just feel a bond forming like they had never had before. She begins to display a maturity that she’s never shown in the past, and he begins to treat her more as an equal.
This man, who sees the worst that people do to one another and sometimes wonders if what he does is really worth it, really has a gentle, compassionate side. He may not express it in words, but he is a kind, decent man. I know that I will be reading more of this Reykjavik inspector, Erlendur.
5 stars
Now fifty years old, divorced, and father of a grown son, with whom he has virtually no contact, and a daughter Eva Lind, who constantly shows up to ask for money, which she owes her drug dealers. Theirs is a tumultuous relationship, one that gets under the skin of Erlendur but at the same time, concerns him deeply.
Reykjavik, Iceland, is not known for its violent crime. As a traffic cop twenty years earlier, Erlendur dealt with a lot of drunk drivers and domestic assaults. Murders were rare. This crime appears as if it could have been an accident, if it weren’t for the note. The note leads Erlendur to dig into the dead man’s past. He uncovers accusations of violent crimes and the death of a young child believed to have been fathered by the man, Holberg. What does that have to do with his murder? Despite the opinion of Sigurdur Óli and their superior officer, Erlendur proceeds with his own course of action, following his intuitions about the people involved. Throughout the course of the investigation, Erlendur engages in discussions with persons from Holberg’s past, which leads him to a trail of clues that have him using both old-fashioned and modern genetic methods. What is Jar City? We don’t learn that until at least half way into the book.
In addition, he constantly confronts issues of parenthood and familial relationships during his work on this case. As his professional duties show him both the negative and positive aspects of parenthood, so too does his own life. Eva Lind asks if she can stay with him, provided he stop criticizing her. He starts telling her about the case, most of it, anyway, and I could just feel a bond forming like they had never had before. She begins to display a maturity that she’s never shown in the past, and he begins to treat her more as an equal.
This man, who sees the worst that people do to one another and sometimes wonders if what he does is really worth it, really has a gentle, compassionate side. He may not express it in words, but he is a kind, decent man. I know that I will be reading more of this Reykjavik inspector, Erlendur.
5 stars
September 23, 2018
"- (...). Oamenii dispar, vor să dispară, își planifică singuri dispariția."
"- (...). Nimeni nu e suficient de puternic. Repulsia te bântuie ca un spirit rău care își face adăpost în mintea ta până ce crezi că mizeria e viața însăși și pentru că ai uitat cât de obișnuit trăiesc oamenii."
"- (...). Nimeni nu e suficient de puternic. Repulsia te bântuie ca un spirit rău care își face adăpost în mintea ta până ce crezi că mizeria e viața însăși și pentru că ai uitat cât de obișnuit trăiesc oamenii."
July 5, 2012
This very intriguing novel introduces Inspector Elendur Sveinsson of the Reykjavik Police Department. In Iceland, where virtually everyone is related, people are known by their first names. Erlendur is in the throes of middle age and not in the best of health. He lives alone and has two troubled children, including a daughter who's in debt to drug dealers.
An elderly man is murdered in his basement apartment and the killer leaves an enigmatic note lying on the body. Some of Erlender's colleagues believe that the victim, whose name is Holberg, was killed by someone attempting to rob him. But the note makes no sense in that context and Erlendur continues to look for another explanation.
He discovers that over forty years earlier, Holberg had been accused of a particularly viscious rape but had not been convicted of the crime. Erlendur begins unravelling the tangled history of the victim's early life in the hope that it will shed some light on the mystery surrounding his death. The investigation resonates deeply in Erlendur's own life as he wrestles with the questions of family, love and obligation, both personally and in the crime he is investigating.
Because of the setting and the general circumstances of Erlendur's life, this book has a very Scandinavian feel about it. It takes a while for the momentum to gather, but once it does the reader is off on a compelling ride through a very tangled and unusual mystery. It's hard to imagine a crime fiction reader who won't put this book down anxiously awaiting the arrival of the second Erlendur case.
An elderly man is murdered in his basement apartment and the killer leaves an enigmatic note lying on the body. Some of Erlender's colleagues believe that the victim, whose name is Holberg, was killed by someone attempting to rob him. But the note makes no sense in that context and Erlendur continues to look for another explanation.
He discovers that over forty years earlier, Holberg had been accused of a particularly viscious rape but had not been convicted of the crime. Erlendur begins unravelling the tangled history of the victim's early life in the hope that it will shed some light on the mystery surrounding his death. The investigation resonates deeply in Erlendur's own life as he wrestles with the questions of family, love and obligation, both personally and in the crime he is investigating.
Because of the setting and the general circumstances of Erlendur's life, this book has a very Scandinavian feel about it. It takes a while for the momentum to gather, but once it does the reader is off on a compelling ride through a very tangled and unusual mystery. It's hard to imagine a crime fiction reader who won't put this book down anxiously awaiting the arrival of the second Erlendur case.
March 16, 2012
Rating: 3 bleak * of five
It's hard for me to believe this is a debut novel. The author is, of course, a journalist and so the possessor of writerly skills; still, a novel is something wholly and entirely other than what he could be expected to do in his sleep.
I think the first-novel-ishness comes out in a few small ways. He introduces a deeply disturbing sub-plot and does almost nothing with it. He has characters behave in some ways that don't scan with their stated behaviors. But on the whole, the book's as accomplished a noir as I've seen in many a long month.
I came away from this book chilled, angry, and annoyed at the unfairess of life. Perfect noir! I see that the author carefully crafted his story to elicit these feelings in me, and I salute his success. I am aware that the story was, for 2000, quite ground-breaking in its use of genetics as a plot-point, but it doesn't feel as amazing today, when "Scientific Adam" and "Scientific Eve" have been genetically identified. Still, I was impressed by the good handling of the subject matter...I wish it had been given a little more prominence in the story, but that's a minor cavil.
If you haven't yet read the book, I'd say you should, because its dark, gloomy pleasures are significally rewarding. I warn the squeamish: Violence exists here, and a lot of uccchy stuff that's not violent but is revolting takes place.
It's hard for me to believe this is a debut novel. The author is, of course, a journalist and so the possessor of writerly skills; still, a novel is something wholly and entirely other than what he could be expected to do in his sleep.
I think the first-novel-ishness comes out in a few small ways. He introduces a deeply disturbing sub-plot and does almost nothing with it. He has characters behave in some ways that don't scan with their stated behaviors. But on the whole, the book's as accomplished a noir as I've seen in many a long month.
I came away from this book chilled, angry, and annoyed at the unfairess of life. Perfect noir! I see that the author carefully crafted his story to elicit these feelings in me, and I salute his success. I am aware that the story was, for 2000, quite ground-breaking in its use of genetics as a plot-point, but it doesn't feel as amazing today, when "Scientific Adam" and "Scientific Eve" have been genetically identified. Still, I was impressed by the good handling of the subject matter...I wish it had been given a little more prominence in the story, but that's a minor cavil.
If you haven't yet read the book, I'd say you should, because its dark, gloomy pleasures are significally rewarding. I warn the squeamish: Violence exists here, and a lot of uccchy stuff that's not violent but is revolting takes place.
July 11, 2017
This is my first Arnaldur Indrioason novel featuring Inspector Erlendur, the weary
Icelandic detective who must solve a murder that spans several decades. The novel also won the "Glass Key Award" given annually to Nordic crime writers. I was impressed by the good writing and compelling plot and now want to read the series. Recommend to crime fiction readers.
Icelandic detective who must solve a murder that spans several decades. The novel also won the "Glass Key Award" given annually to Nordic crime writers. I was impressed by the good writing and compelling plot and now want to read the series. Recommend to crime fiction readers.
June 21, 2022
Μαζί με τον 'Ανθρωπο της λίμνης' (2004) είναι, ίσως, τα πιο σωστά δομημένα και οργανωμένα στο τομέα της πλοκής αστυνομικά μυθιστορήματα του Indridason. Όπως καί η ελαφρώς υποδεέστερη 'Σιωπή του τάφου', έτσι καί η 'Φορμόλη' (2000) βραβεύτηκε με το Glass Key Award 2002 και ήταν υποψήφιο και για άλλα 2 λογοτεχνικά βραβεία.
Στο συγκεκριμένο βιβλίο, αν προσέξει κάποιος αναγνώστης θα διακρίνει στη πλοκή στοιχεία και επίδραση από το 'Σημείο του Μπόρκμαν' του Νesser (1994), αλλά καί από το 'Postmortem' της Patricia Cornwell (1990), κάτι που γίνεται αισθητό και από την διαδικασία της έρευνας που διεξάγει ο επιθεωρητής Έρλεντουρ στη 'Πόλη της Φορμόλης'.
Αυτό που είναι πολύ σημαντικό είναι ότι οι 'πινελιές' του οικογενειακού δράματος που υπάρχουν είναι σε πολύ πιο ισορροπημένο βαθμό από άλλα του βιβλία, ενώ κάποιο διάλογοι, ειδικά, στο 1ο μέρος, 'τσακίζουν' κόκαλα και μπορεί, ενδεχομένως, να προκαλέσουν και ελαφρά συγκίνηση.
Εντυπωσιάζει το γεγονός ότι η γενετική 'κληρονομιά' κάποιων ανθρώπων μπορεί να μετατραπεί καί σε θείο δώρο, αλλά καί σε εφιάλτη, ενώ τονίζεται ότι πολλές, επίσης, οικογενειακές προστριβές μπορεί να έχουν τη ρίζα τους στη... Γενετική και τη Βιολογική Ψυχολογία.
Ολοκληρώνοντας να αναφέρω ότι το 2ο μέρος του βιβλίου είναι δυνατότερο όχι μόνο στο κομμάτι της δράσης, αλλά καί στη ψυχογραφική ανάλυση των ηρώων, οι οποίοι με τη συμπεριφορά τους και τις πράξεις τους στο παρελθόν έχουν επηρρεάσει και έχουν β��λει τη σφραγίδα τους στα μελλοντικά γεγονότα.
Βαθμολογία: 4,5/5 ή 9/10.
Στο συγκεκριμένο βιβλίο, αν προσέξει κάποιος αναγνώστης θα διακρίνει στη πλοκή στοιχεία και επίδραση από το 'Σημείο του Μπόρκμαν' του Νesser (1994), αλλά καί από το 'Postmortem' της Patricia Cornwell (1990), κάτι που γίνεται αισθητό και από την διαδικασία της έρευνας που διεξάγει ο επιθεωρητής Έρλεντουρ στη 'Πόλη της Φορμόλης'.
Αυτό που είναι πολύ σημαντικό είναι ότι οι 'πινελιές' του οικογενειακού δράματος που υπάρχουν είναι σε πολύ πιο ισορροπημένο βαθμό από άλλα του βιβλία, ενώ κάποιο διάλογοι, ειδικά, στο 1ο μέρος, 'τσακίζουν' κόκαλα και μπορεί, ενδεχομένως, να προκαλέσουν και ελαφρά συγκίνηση.
Εντυπωσιάζει το γεγονός ότι η γενετική 'κληρονομιά' κάποιων ανθρώπων μπορεί να μετατραπεί καί σε θείο δώρο, αλλά καί σε εφιάλτη, ενώ τονίζεται ότι πολλές, επίσης, οικογενειακές προστριβές μπορεί να έχουν τη ρίζα τους στη... Γενετική και τη Βιολογική Ψυχολογία.
Ολοκληρώνοντας να αναφέρω ότι το 2ο μέρος του βιβλίου είναι δυνατότερο όχι μόνο στο κομμάτι της δράσης, αλλά καί στη ψυχογραφική ανάλυση των ηρώων, οι οποίοι με τη συμπεριφορά τους και τις πράξεις τους στο παρελθόν έχουν επηρρεάσει και έχουν β��λει τη σφραγίδα τους στα μελλοντικά γεγονότα.
Βαθμολογία: 4,5/5 ή 9/10.
January 25, 2016
Having very recently read Reykjavík Nights: Murder in Reykjavík, which was a prequel that I really enjoyed, I was really looking forward to this book, which is the first in the series proper. I should say the first to be translated into English, because it is actually book 3 in Iceland. Which is too bad, because there are relationships which presumably were fleshed out in the first two novels, so you sort of come into them partway, if you know what I mean.
Anyway, in the prequel, Erlendur is a young traffic cop, while in this book, he is a 50 year old detective, with a partner, Sigurdur. He is also divorced, with two children, one of whom, his daughter Eva Lind, plays a fairly big part in the book, while his son isn't really mentioned at all.
I have to say that this book definitely did not disappoint at all. It's a very bleak book set in a fairly bleak place, that involves murder, rape and genetic diseases all blended together in a fairly fast paced, very entertaining crime novel. The parts of the book which involve the relationship between Erlendur and his daughter are really well done as well, and should get even more interesting as the series progresses.
It was fascinating to me to read a book set in Iceland, as I knew almost nothing about it. For example, the people in Iceland are always referred to by their first name, and don't even have real surnames. They are even listed in the phone book by first name. So what happens if there are a whole bunch of people with the same first name? I really don't know. Also, crime is apparently relatively uncommon in Iceland and the police don't seem to carry guns, as one is never mentioned in conjunction with any of the police officers in the story.
All in all, this book should definitely appeal to fans of Nordic crime fiction, or really any crime fiction at all. I'm looking forward to the next book already.
Anyway, in the prequel, Erlendur is a young traffic cop, while in this book, he is a 50 year old detective, with a partner, Sigurdur. He is also divorced, with two children, one of whom, his daughter Eva Lind, plays a fairly big part in the book, while his son isn't really mentioned at all.
I have to say that this book definitely did not disappoint at all. It's a very bleak book set in a fairly bleak place, that involves murder, rape and genetic diseases all blended together in a fairly fast paced, very entertaining crime novel. The parts of the book which involve the relationship between Erlendur and his daughter are really well done as well, and should get even more interesting as the series progresses.
It was fascinating to me to read a book set in Iceland, as I knew almost nothing about it. For example, the people in Iceland are always referred to by their first name, and don't even have real surnames. They are even listed in the phone book by first name. So what happens if there are a whole bunch of people with the same first name? I really don't know. Also, crime is apparently relatively uncommon in Iceland and the police don't seem to carry guns, as one is never mentioned in conjunction with any of the police officers in the story.
All in all, this book should definitely appeal to fans of Nordic crime fiction, or really any crime fiction at all. I'm looking forward to the next book already.
February 16, 2017
This was a great Scandi- Crime Noir book that I've read for my Scandi Noir "real life" book club. I had never read this author before so dived in with a clear set of expectations.
I was quickly hooked into the storyline and characters. A man is found murdered in Iceland where the book is set and from that murder unravels a spiel of other stories and revelations. It was like a magic box, more and more new surprises kept popping up to keep you guessing.
The writing is very good. I found the book translated very well from Icelandic to English and this author has a rhythmic writing style that's easy to read and enjoy as you go.
Detective Erlender is the lead detective and the main man of this crime series and I really liked him a lot. He's determined, focused and very imperfect as a human being. His character shone with realism which I love.
I was riveted to this mystery and felt quite moved by some of the side crimes uncovered and the ending of the book left me feeling quite a bit emotional. A book of hidden depths and the path to solving the crime is really fascinating.
I'd highly recommend this book to any crime or mystery lover, especially if you like your crime Scandinavian flavoured. From crime books to TV some fantastic stuff comes out way from this part of Europe. I'll be discussing this book at my book club this week and am keen to hear what others thought of it. Enjoyable, fabulous plot with depth and good quality writing - 5 stars.
Oh! And this book reads absolute fine as a stand alone. It's book three in the series but I didn't once feel like I needed to read the first two books to enjoy this one. I read a second-hand paperback version that I bought off Amazon.
I was quickly hooked into the storyline and characters. A man is found murdered in Iceland where the book is set and from that murder unravels a spiel of other stories and revelations. It was like a magic box, more and more new surprises kept popping up to keep you guessing.
The writing is very good. I found the book translated very well from Icelandic to English and this author has a rhythmic writing style that's easy to read and enjoy as you go.
Detective Erlender is the lead detective and the main man of this crime series and I really liked him a lot. He's determined, focused and very imperfect as a human being. His character shone with realism which I love.
I was riveted to this mystery and felt quite moved by some of the side crimes uncovered and the ending of the book left me feeling quite a bit emotional. A book of hidden depths and the path to solving the crime is really fascinating.
I'd highly recommend this book to any crime or mystery lover, especially if you like your crime Scandinavian flavoured. From crime books to TV some fantastic stuff comes out way from this part of Europe. I'll be discussing this book at my book club this week and am keen to hear what others thought of it. Enjoyable, fabulous plot with depth and good quality writing - 5 stars.
Oh! And this book reads absolute fine as a stand alone. It's book three in the series but I didn't once feel like I needed to read the first two books to enjoy this one. I read a second-hand paperback version that I bought off Amazon.
June 24, 2014
المتابع لأدب (الجريمه) من المؤكد انه سيلاحظ تطور ملموس بشدة .
من دويل لأجاثا كريستى الى الطفرة الرهيبه فى العقود الأخيرة .
والفرق شاسع فعلا تبعا للتطور الرهيب فى الوسائل المعيشيه المختلفه.
ورغم كلاسيكة (أجاثا) التى لا تقاوم وعبقريتها الفذه الا اننا لا نقدر أن ننكر ابداع أدب الجريمهالحديث الذى كاد أن يزحزح كريستى من على عرشها (دان براون كمثال).
المهم أننا فى هذا العمل أمام ادب جريمه من الطراز الرفيع.
جريمة ما فى ايسلندا تتعمق وتتشعب بطريقه مذهله.
تطور أدب الجريمه لم يكن فقط فى الأدوات الحديثه ولا التطور المعيشى بل طال التطور (تحديث للغه والتعمق فى النفوس الروائيه المختلفه)
اللغه رغم انها مترجمه الا انها مبدعه وبسيطه وسهله.
الأحداث متسلسله بصورة سلسة وبسيطه.
الوصف كافى جدا ويقدم المطلوب
الشخصيات مؤثرة جدا ومتطورة فى حد ذاتها.
لم يخلو العمل من ثوابت أدب الجريمه من تشويق واثارة ومفاجأة بل كان متميز جدا فيها
من دويل لأجاثا كريستى الى الطفرة الرهيبه فى العقود الأخيرة .
والفرق شاسع فعلا تبعا للتطور الرهيب فى الوسائل المعيشيه المختلفه.
ورغم كلاسيكة (أجاثا) التى لا تقاوم وعبقريتها الفذه الا اننا لا نقدر أن ننكر ابداع أدب الجريمهالحديث الذى كاد أن يزحزح كريستى من على عرشها (دان براون كمثال).
المهم أننا فى هذا العمل أمام ادب جريمه من الطراز الرفيع.
جريمة ما فى ايسلندا تتعمق وتتشعب بطريقه مذهله.
تطور أدب الجريمه لم يكن فقط فى الأدوات الحديثه ولا التطور المعيشى بل طال التطور (تحديث للغه والتعمق فى النفوس الروائيه المختلفه)
اللغه رغم انها مترجمه الا انها مبدعه وبسيطه وسهله.
الأحداث متسلسله بصورة سلسة وبسيطه.
الوصف كافى جدا ويقدم المطلوب
الشخصيات مؤثرة جدا ومتطورة فى حد ذاتها.
لم يخلو العمل من ثوابت أدب الجريمه من تشويق واثارة ومفاجأة بل كان متميز جدا فيها
December 12, 2014
Hannah Kent, a contemporary Australian writer, has commented about "Iceland" as:
In Iceland, you can see the contours of the mountains wherever you go, and the swell of the hills, and always beyond that the horizon. And there's this strange thing: you're never sort of hidden; you always feel exposed in that landscape. But it makes it very beautiful as well.
Arnaldur Indriðason, a very famous author of Iceland, has spun a mind-blowing thriller story, Jar City, which has sold over 6 million copies in the world and has been translated in more than 20langugaes. The original Icelandic version of this book is called, Mýrin and has been turned into a film by Icelandic director Baltasar Kormákur. Moreover, this is the third book in the series with Detective Erlendur.
Synopsis:
When a lonely old man is found murdered in his Reykjavík flat, the only clues are a cryptic note left by the killer and a photograph of a young girl’s grave. Inspector Erlendur, who heads the investigation team, discovers that many years ago the victim was accused, though not convicted, of an unsolved crime. Did the old man’s past come back to haunt him?
As the team of detectives reopen this very cold case, Inspector Erlendur uncovers secrets that are much larger than the murder of one old man--secrets that have been carefully guarded by many people for many years. As he follows a fascinating trail of unusual forensic evidence, Erlendur also confronts stubborn personal conflicts that reveal his own depth and complexity of character.
Inspector Erlendur is back yet with another brainstorming mystery. An old man found dead in his flat in Reykjavík. His head bashed in with an ashtray. More digging about this man's past reveals that he has once raped a woman and never convicted of the crime. The woman conceived a child and gave birth to a daughter who died terribly young due to a rare kind of brain tumor. Inspector Erlendur begins his investigation and eventually starts opening all the closed doors unlocking the mystery step-by-step. Moreover, Inspector Erlendur, a divorced man, has to face his troubled drug-addict daughter, Eva Lind, who shows up on his door with all her problems. Therefore, this story also features Inspector Erlendur facing with his own troubles from the past and his present life.
The story of the term 'Jar City' is very fascinating. When Inspector Erlendur goes to investigate about the little girl's tragic death from brain tumor in the morgue, he learns story behind 'Jar City'. When human organs preserved with formalin inside a jar and kept in a room, then it called 'Jar City', used specifically for the medical training purpose in Iceland.
The story is well told by the author from his protagonist Inspector Erlendur, who is not only a lonely soul fighting with his own ghosts from the past, but is also brave, intelligent and very determined to get to the bottom of the mystery. Not only well-told, but the story is also very well laid out for the readers. As you turn the pages of this book, you drown more in the depth of the mystery. Each page welcomes us with a new twist, and the author skillfully kept his whole mystery tightly under-wraps until the very end.
The author has a deep psychological grip on his characters that portray as multifaceted, flawed and sympathetic human beings and all are achingly vulnerable, wracked by fear, need and guilt. I love how his characters, being all flawed, managed to strike my mind and soul so strikingly. Especially with this Holberg character, although he is dead in the story, but while reading about his ordeals in his past, made me creep out of my own skin.
The whole atmosphere of this compelling mystery will draw you into the depth of this story. Moreover, the setting of the plot will capture will mind vividly. Moreover, you can easily feel the darkness eventually surrounding you. Arnaldur Indriðason gave me a free trip to Iceland! I get to see the landscapes, culture, the society, and the people of Iceland from the author's eyes very distinctively. The Icelandic picture that Arnaldur Indriðason has painted is truly spectacular.
P.S: I admired the Icelandic Police procedurals, which are very fast and effective in action.
Verdict: The book is already a huge hit in the whole world. By according to me, this book is going to make you feel like inside a Stieg Larsson’s novel.
Courtesy: Thanks to the TripFiction team for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.
In Iceland, you can see the contours of the mountains wherever you go, and the swell of the hills, and always beyond that the horizon. And there's this strange thing: you're never sort of hidden; you always feel exposed in that landscape. But it makes it very beautiful as well.
Arnaldur Indriðason, a very famous author of Iceland, has spun a mind-blowing thriller story, Jar City, which has sold over 6 million copies in the world and has been translated in more than 20langugaes. The original Icelandic version of this book is called, Mýrin and has been turned into a film by Icelandic director Baltasar Kormákur. Moreover, this is the third book in the series with Detective Erlendur.
Synopsis:
When a lonely old man is found murdered in his Reykjavík flat, the only clues are a cryptic note left by the killer and a photograph of a young girl’s grave. Inspector Erlendur, who heads the investigation team, discovers that many years ago the victim was accused, though not convicted, of an unsolved crime. Did the old man’s past come back to haunt him?
As the team of detectives reopen this very cold case, Inspector Erlendur uncovers secrets that are much larger than the murder of one old man--secrets that have been carefully guarded by many people for many years. As he follows a fascinating trail of unusual forensic evidence, Erlendur also confronts stubborn personal conflicts that reveal his own depth and complexity of character.
Inspector Erlendur is back yet with another brainstorming mystery. An old man found dead in his flat in Reykjavík. His head bashed in with an ashtray. More digging about this man's past reveals that he has once raped a woman and never convicted of the crime. The woman conceived a child and gave birth to a daughter who died terribly young due to a rare kind of brain tumor. Inspector Erlendur begins his investigation and eventually starts opening all the closed doors unlocking the mystery step-by-step. Moreover, Inspector Erlendur, a divorced man, has to face his troubled drug-addict daughter, Eva Lind, who shows up on his door with all her problems. Therefore, this story also features Inspector Erlendur facing with his own troubles from the past and his present life.
The story of the term 'Jar City' is very fascinating. When Inspector Erlendur goes to investigate about the little girl's tragic death from brain tumor in the morgue, he learns story behind 'Jar City'. When human organs preserved with formalin inside a jar and kept in a room, then it called 'Jar City', used specifically for the medical training purpose in Iceland.
The story is well told by the author from his protagonist Inspector Erlendur, who is not only a lonely soul fighting with his own ghosts from the past, but is also brave, intelligent and very determined to get to the bottom of the mystery. Not only well-told, but the story is also very well laid out for the readers. As you turn the pages of this book, you drown more in the depth of the mystery. Each page welcomes us with a new twist, and the author skillfully kept his whole mystery tightly under-wraps until the very end.
The author has a deep psychological grip on his characters that portray as multifaceted, flawed and sympathetic human beings and all are achingly vulnerable, wracked by fear, need and guilt. I love how his characters, being all flawed, managed to strike my mind and soul so strikingly. Especially with this Holberg character, although he is dead in the story, but while reading about his ordeals in his past, made me creep out of my own skin.
The whole atmosphere of this compelling mystery will draw you into the depth of this story. Moreover, the setting of the plot will capture will mind vividly. Moreover, you can easily feel the darkness eventually surrounding you. Arnaldur Indriðason gave me a free trip to Iceland! I get to see the landscapes, culture, the society, and the people of Iceland from the author's eyes very distinctively. The Icelandic picture that Arnaldur Indriðason has painted is truly spectacular.
P.S: I admired the Icelandic Police procedurals, which are very fast and effective in action.
Verdict: The book is already a huge hit in the whole world. By according to me, this book is going to make you feel like inside a Stieg Larsson’s novel.
Courtesy: Thanks to the TripFiction team for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.
May 17, 2020
Un libro cupo, nero, senza neanche una luce: stupri, bambini morti per malattie genetiche degenerative, donne che non riescono a denunciare le violenze e soffocano il dolore dentro di loro. Non si salva nessuno, anche il meteo è sempre grigio, scuro, piovoso e freddo. Un libro raggelante, che si fa leggere, ma che non mi ha entusiasmato.
July 17, 2014
5.0 out of 5 stars For Serious Mystery Enthusiasts Only!, February 18, 2014
This review is from: Jar City: An Inspector Erlendur Novel (An Inspector Erlendur Series)
"Jar City" by Arnaldur Indridason.
5 stars and more, much more.
Erlendur is the head inspector with Sigurdur Oli and Elinborg on his team. Erlendur is a deductive sleuth par excellence combined with compassion. He is called to a murder of a lonely old man living in a basement apartment. The first thing that greets them as they enter is not the body of the victim but rather the heavy odor of dampness. It reminds Elinborg of horses or horse enthusiasts. Is there more to it than this?
Holberg is the name of the victim. Erlendur soons discovers that Holberg is no stranger to the police although his record reaches into the past. It appears that Holberg was known to keep company with Ellidi and Gretar. Both these men were no strangers to the police and Ellidi is currently in prison. It's time for Erlendur to pay him a visit and find out more on his victim, Holberg. Erlendur soon learns that rape was part of Holberg's life and he may have left other victims in his wake.
Holberg's past includes being accused of rape by Kolbruin. an accusation that led nowhere since she conveniently was never taken seriously by the police. Erlendur starts digging deeper and pays a visit to Marion Briem who was working on the case before her retirement.
This is when a dark secret from the past starts to rear it's ugly head and the death of a 4 year old child is revealed. Audur the daughter of Kolbruin, the rape victim, was that child. To bring more of past secrets to light Erlendur pays a visit to Elin, Kolbruin's sister. That's when Erlendur discovers past secrets have present day consequences.
Through all this Eva Lind, Erlendur's daughter, resurfaces in his life. Erlendur wants desperately to reconnect with her by making up for time lost during her younger years.
Arnaldur Indridason won the Nordic Crime Award for this novel of suspense. It has been translated(thankfully) from the Nordic to English.
This review is from: Jar City: An Inspector Erlendur Novel (An Inspector Erlendur Series)
"Jar City" by Arnaldur Indridason.
5 stars and more, much more.
Erlendur is the head inspector with Sigurdur Oli and Elinborg on his team. Erlendur is a deductive sleuth par excellence combined with compassion. He is called to a murder of a lonely old man living in a basement apartment. The first thing that greets them as they enter is not the body of the victim but rather the heavy odor of dampness. It reminds Elinborg of horses or horse enthusiasts. Is there more to it than this?
Holberg is the name of the victim. Erlendur soons discovers that Holberg is no stranger to the police although his record reaches into the past. It appears that Holberg was known to keep company with Ellidi and Gretar. Both these men were no strangers to the police and Ellidi is currently in prison. It's time for Erlendur to pay him a visit and find out more on his victim, Holberg. Erlendur soon learns that rape was part of Holberg's life and he may have left other victims in his wake.
Holberg's past includes being accused of rape by Kolbruin. an accusation that led nowhere since she conveniently was never taken seriously by the police. Erlendur starts digging deeper and pays a visit to Marion Briem who was working on the case before her retirement.
This is when a dark secret from the past starts to rear it's ugly head and the death of a 4 year old child is revealed. Audur the daughter of Kolbruin, the rape victim, was that child. To bring more of past secrets to light Erlendur pays a visit to Elin, Kolbruin's sister. That's when Erlendur discovers past secrets have present day consequences.
Through all this Eva Lind, Erlendur's daughter, resurfaces in his life. Erlendur wants desperately to reconnect with her by making up for time lost during her younger years.
Arnaldur Indridason won the Nordic Crime Award for this novel of suspense. It has been translated(thankfully) from the Nordic to English.
Read
November 7, 2020هناك بعض الروايات تأتي في الأوقات الخاطئة، فلا نستطيع فهمها أو تقبلها أو العيش معها.. رغم أنه من المُمكن أن تكون جودتها لا بأس بها.. أخاف أن أظلم هذه الرواية.. أنهيتها ولكني لم أشعر أني قرأتها.. ذلك الشعور المُنهك أنني كُنت أقرأ بلا وعي وبلا تركيز.. لنا عودة قريبة بإذن الله.
May 8, 2016
This is a very enjoyable piece of Icelandic crime. We are introduced to Erlendur, a cop who has his own idiosyncrasies and his own way of working a crime scene. I found myself being drawn to his character as the book progressed, he is a man who I feel is quite complex even though he may not appear so. Erlendur has a drug addicted and pregnant daughter and it kills him to see her live her life this way, he is like any parent in this situation, tormented but lets her stay with him when she wants.
He is involved in the murder of an old man in his home and this begins quite an extraordinary story that is fast paced, full of intrigue and a great plot. Really good book, I will definitely read more from this author.
He is involved in the murder of an old man in his home and this begins quite an extraordinary story that is fast paced, full of intrigue and a great plot. Really good book, I will definitely read more from this author.
April 23, 2016
الرواية بتحكي عن العثور على جثة راجل عجوز في منزله و محطوط على جثته ورقة مكتوب فيها " أنا هو " و صورة ابيض و اسود لشاهد قبر بتاع طفلة صغيرة و بيبدأ المحقق الآيسلندي الشهير أورالندو التحقيق في القضية . دي أول تجربة ليا في الأدب البوليسي الإسكندنافي و بجد ما كنتش أعرف إن الناس دي بتكتب بوليسي حلو كده، و اللي عجبني أكتر هو قوة الخط الإنساني في الرواية و هو ده اللي خلاني أديها خمس نجوم و ده طبعاً غير الحبكة البوليسية الرائعة و الأسلوب الجميل و السهل للكاتب العبقري إرنالدور بجد رواية تحفة و أنصح بيها بشدة .
August 26, 2019
I really enjoyed this, my first Inspector Erlendur mystery, and my first mystery set in Iceland. It started off a bit slow, but after some intuitive leaps and deductions by the inspector, it became quite fascinating and hard to put down. The characters were well portrayed and interesting. It seemed to be well translated too. I do want to read more books in this series, starting with those available at the local public library.
January 22, 2023
A seventy-year old man is murdered, hit on the head with a heavy glass ashtray, in his basement flat in Nordurmyri. Reykjavik CID arrive at the scene with Detective Inspector Erlendur in charge. He and his partner, Sigurdur Oli, begin the search for the murderer, who left a note on the body, with only three words, written in pencil. Another clue is found taped to the bottom of the desk drawer, a photo of a grave stone.
"Squalid, pointless and committed without any attempt to hide it, change the clues, or conceal the evidence," says Sigurdur Oli.
Erlunder agrees, "A pathetic, Icelandic murder."
The victim has a past. He was accused of rape many years ago but not convicted. Detective Erlendur must hunt, not just for the killer, but for his or her possible connection to the cold case.
The grim story is revealed slowly, and as the middle aged, seasoned detective delves into solving the mysterious crime, he struggles with personal demons, including a daughter, Eva Lind, whose drug addiction torments him.
The author, Arnaldur Indridason, is so gifted, you actually feel the cold, wet chill of autumn in Iceland. The many avenues of this story make you breathless. Indridason won the Nordic Crime Novel Award for Jar City and for the sequel, Lady in Green. The language may seem a bit awkward at times due to translation into English.
"Squalid, pointless and committed without any attempt to hide it, change the clues, or conceal the evidence," says Sigurdur Oli.
Erlunder agrees, "A pathetic, Icelandic murder."
The victim has a past. He was accused of rape many years ago but not convicted. Detective Erlendur must hunt, not just for the killer, but for his or her possible connection to the cold case.
The grim story is revealed slowly, and as the middle aged, seasoned detective delves into solving the mysterious crime, he struggles with personal demons, including a daughter, Eva Lind, whose drug addiction torments him.
The author, Arnaldur Indridason, is so gifted, you actually feel the cold, wet chill of autumn in Iceland. The many avenues of this story make you breathless. Indridason won the Nordic Crime Novel Award for Jar City and for the sequel, Lady in Green. The language may seem a bit awkward at times due to translation into English.
January 16, 2024
If you'd ask me to describe this book in one word, the chosen one should be HORRIBLE.
The main character has left his wife with two little children, he's as unhappy as someone could be. His daughter is an addicted whore, who carries a baby but doesn't know the father. His son is a jail for youngsters.
The murder is abject, so does the weather (the rainiest one in more than 80 years!), there are some morbid and macabre things the author could pass and all this hotch-potch is finished with a suicide. Nice, don't you think?
PS: the second star is for some of Indridason's skills and for my lost time...
The main character has left his wife with two little children, he's as unhappy as someone could be. His daughter is an addicted whore, who carries a baby but doesn't know the father. His son is a jail for youngsters.
The murder is abject, so does the weather (the rainiest one in more than 80 years!), there are some morbid and macabre things the author could pass and all this hotch-potch is finished with a suicide. Nice, don't you think?
PS: the second star is for some of Indridason's skills and for my lost time...
November 6, 2016
مؤلمة!!
"الأطفال فلاسفة ، سألتني ابنتي مرة في المستشفى لماذا لدينا عينان؟ أجبتها حتى نرى بهما، صححت لي قالت "حتى نذرف الدموع منهما"
تختلف القصص المأساوية ولكن يجمعها الألم نفسه.. لأول مرة اتعاطف مع القاتل عند قراءتي لرواية بوليسية ربما لأنه مجرم وضحية في آن واحد.
رواية جميلة لأرنالدور أندريداسون ولكن روايته "جثة في الفندق" راقت لي اكثر
"الأطفال فلاسفة ، سألتني ابنتي مرة في المستشفى لماذا لدينا عينان؟ أجبتها حتى نرى بهما، صححت لي قالت "حتى نذرف الدموع منهما"
تختلف القصص المأساوية ولكن يجمعها الألم نفسه.. لأول مرة اتعاطف مع القاتل عند قراءتي لرواية بوليسية ربما لأنه مجرم وضحية في آن واحد.
رواية جميلة لأرنالدور أندريداسون ولكن روايته "جثة في الفندق" راقت لي اكثر
June 2, 2025
Las marismas fue el primer libro que leí, en 2016, escrita por un islandés. Esta vez he vuelto a ella, como un intermezzo entre novelas más impactantes. Benditas sean las novelas policiales.
Tiene una interesante introducción sobre los apellidos en Islandia, que constituyen a partir de patronímicos (como los rusos, pero éstos además tienen un apellido que perdura a través de generaciones). En el caso de los islandeses, el apellido de los hijos de Arnaldur Indridasson no serían como el de su padre, sino Arnaldursson, en caso de ser varón, o Arnaldursdóttir en caso de ser mujer. Y utilizan más el nombre que el apellido o patronímico; hasta en la guía telefónica, que ordenada alfabéticamente por el nombre.
En la novela, Erlandur, junto con sus colaboradores Sigurd Oli y Elinborg, se encuentran con un hombre asesinado en un departamento en el sótano de un pequeño edificio llamado Las Marismas. Erlandur (en forma similar a su par sueco Wallander), tiene una vida personal desordenada: está divorciado, descongela su comida en el microondas, se duerme vestido, y tiene una hija adicta que cada tanto lo visita.
Siguiendo el rastro del muerto para dar con su posible homicida, se van enredando en historias ocurridas muchos años atrás, y que incluyen antecedentes de una mala vida y malas compañías, enfermedades transmitidas en forma genética, y muchos otros secretos ocultos.
La novela se sigue con gran interés, y los personajes principales juegan un papel esencial en la trama, con un final dramático, que personalmente ya intuía ("Esto no puede terminar de otra manera"). Seguramente me ayudó el hecho de que era la tercera vez que la leía, aunque sólo conservaba en la memoria vagos detalles de la historia.
Una buena novela, entretenida y bien escrita, muy instructiva en algunos aspectos, y con una última parte en la que no se puede soltar el libro.
Tiene una interesante introducción sobre los apellidos en Islandia, que constituyen a partir de patronímicos (como los rusos, pero éstos además tienen un apellido que perdura a través de generaciones). En el caso de los islandeses, el apellido de los hijos de Arnaldur Indridasson no serían como el de su padre, sino Arnaldursson, en caso de ser varón, o Arnaldursdóttir en caso de ser mujer. Y utilizan más el nombre que el apellido o patronímico; hasta en la guía telefónica, que ordenada alfabéticamente por el nombre.
En la novela, Erlandur, junto con sus colaboradores Sigurd Oli y Elinborg, se encuentran con un hombre asesinado en un departamento en el sótano de un pequeño edificio llamado Las Marismas. Erlandur (en forma similar a su par sueco Wallander), tiene una vida personal desordenada: está divorciado, descongela su comida en el microondas, se duerme vestido, y tiene una hija adicta que cada tanto lo visita.
Siguiendo el rastro del muerto para dar con su posible homicida, se van enredando en historias ocurridas muchos años atrás, y que incluyen antecedentes de una mala vida y malas compañías, enfermedades transmitidas en forma genética, y muchos otros secretos ocultos.
La novela se sigue con gran interés, y los personajes principales juegan un papel esencial en la trama, con un final dramático, que personalmente ya intuía ("Esto no puede terminar de otra manera"). Seguramente me ayudó el hecho de que era la tercera vez que la leía, aunque sólo conservaba en la memoria vagos detalles de la historia.
Una buena novela, entretenida y bien escrita, muy instructiva en algunos aspectos, y con una última parte en la que no se puede soltar el libro.
January 24, 2019
#রিভিউ
জার সিটি
আরনাল্ডর ইন্ড্রিডসেন
জনরা: মার্ডার মিস্ট্রি
অনুবাদ: সান্তা রিকি
রোদেলা প্রকাশনী
আইসল্যান্ডের রিকজাভিক শহরের এক ফ্ল্যাটে মৃত অবস্থায় পাওয়া গেল এক বয়স্ক লোককে।মাথায় আঘাতের ফলে তার মৃত্যু হয়েছে। এই কেস সমাধানের দায়িত্ব পড়লো ইন্সপেক্টর এরলেন্ডুরের ওপর। ক্রাইম সিনে তল্লাশি করে সে কিছুই পায়নি শুধুমাত্র একটা বাচ্চার কবরের ছবি ও একটি মেসেজ ছাড়া। যেখানে লেখা রয়েছে 'আমিই সে'। এরলেন্ডুরের ও তার সহকারী সে ছবিটি নিয়েই তদন্তে নামলো। তদন্ত এগোনোর সাথে সাথে বের হয়ে আসতে লাগল রহস্যময় কিছু অতীত। ষাটের দশকের কয়েকটা ধর্ষণ, একটি বাচ্চার মৃত্যু, কিছু মেডিকেল ক্রাইম ও এক ধরনের বিরল রোগ। উন্মোচিত হতে লাগল জার সিটির রহস্য। কি সম্পর্ক খুনির সাথে এসব কিছুর? কে এই খুনি আর জার সিটি জিনিসটাই বা কি? কি ঘটেছিল ষাটের দশকে আইসল্যান্ডে আর কেন-ই বা খুন হতে হল এই বৃদ্ধকে? জানতে পারলে নির্ঘাত চমকে উঠবেন।
এই ক্রাইম উপন্যাসটি মার্ডার মিস্ট্রি হলেও গতানুগতিক আমেরিকান মার্ডার মিস্ট্রির মতো না। জার সিটিতে এই একটি খুনের পেছনে রয়েছে অনেক সরল কিন্তু হৃদয়স্পর্শী কিছু ঘটনা। যা সুদূর বাংলাদেশেও অহরহ ঘটে থাকে। যে ঘটনা আপনাকে বিষণ্ন করে তুলতে বাধ্য। আইসল্যান্ডের অপরাধগুলোর সাথে সুন্দর জীবনবোধ, মানবিকতা ও নিষ্ঠুরতা উঠে এসেছে এ উপন্যাসে। ক্রাইম থ্রিলার আমার নেশা। আর আমেরিকান ক্রাইম থ্রিলারের বাইরের স্বাদ নেয়ার লক্ষ্যেই কোনো প্রিভিউ না দেখেই জার সিটি উঠিয়ে নেয়া। স্ক্যানডেনেভিয়ান থ্রিলারগুলো সবসময়েই অনন্য। এর আগে আরেক স্ক্যান্ডেনেভিয়ান লেখক স্টিগ লারসন ও জো নেসবোর লেখায় মুগ্ধ হয়েছি। এবার মুগ্ধ করলেন আরনাল্ডর ইন্ড্রিডসেন। অনেক সাধারণ একটা ক্রাইম গল্পকে অসাধারণ রহস্য, বিষণ্নতা আর জীবনবোধ মিশিয়ে ফুটিয়ে তুলেছেন লেখক। অনুবাদক আমার ভার্সিটির প্রাক্তন বড় আপু সান্তা রিকি। যার কথা না বললেই না। উনি এ অনুবাদটি না করলে এ লেখকের অসাধারণ কাজটি সম্পর্কে জানা হতো না। অনুবাদ বেশ সাবলীল। তবে বেশ কিছু জায়গায় নামের বিভ্রাট দেখা গেছে, যেটা বিভ্রান্তি উপহার দিয়েছে।
যারা ক্রাইম থ্রিলার ভালোবাসেন, ভিন্ন ধরনের কিছু স্বাদ পাওয়ার জন্য হলেও জার সিটি পড়া উচিৎ। হ্যাপি রিডিং।
জার সিটি
আরনাল্ডর ইন্ড্রিডসেন
জনরা: মার্ডার মিস্ট্রি
অনুবাদ: সান্তা রিকি
রোদেলা প্রকাশনী
আইসল্যান্ডের রিকজাভিক শহরের এক ফ্ল্যাটে মৃত অবস্থায় পাওয়া গেল এক বয়স্ক লোককে।মাথায় আঘাতের ফলে তার মৃত্যু হয়েছে। এই কেস সমাধানের দায়িত্ব পড়লো ইন্সপেক্টর এরলেন্ডুরের ওপর। ক্রাইম সিনে তল্লাশি করে সে কিছুই পায়নি শুধুমাত্র একটা বাচ্চার কবরের ছবি ও একটি মেসেজ ছাড়া। যেখানে লেখা রয়েছে 'আমিই সে'। এরলেন্ডুরের ও তার সহকারী সে ছবিটি নিয়েই তদন্তে নামলো। তদন্ত এগোনোর সাথে সাথে বের হয়ে আসতে লাগল রহস্যময় কিছু অতীত। ষাটের দশকের কয়েকটা ধর্ষণ, একটি বাচ্চার মৃত্যু, কিছু মেডিকেল ক্রাইম ও এক ধরনের বিরল রোগ। উন্মোচিত হতে লাগল জার সিটির রহস্য। কি সম্পর্ক খুনির সাথে এসব কিছুর? কে এই খুনি আর জার সিটি জিনিসটাই বা কি? কি ঘটেছিল ষাটের দশকে আইসল্যান্ডে আর কেন-ই বা খুন হতে হল এই বৃদ্ধকে? জানতে পারলে নির্ঘাত চমকে উঠবেন।
এই ক্রাইম উপন্যাসটি মার্ডার মিস্ট্রি হলেও গতানুগতিক আমেরিকান মার্ডার মিস্ট্রির মতো না। জার সিটিতে এই একটি খুনের পেছনে রয়েছে অনেক সরল কিন্তু হৃদয়স্পর্শী কিছু ঘটনা। যা সুদূর বাংলাদেশেও অহরহ ঘটে থাকে। যে ঘটনা আপনাকে বিষণ্ন করে তুলতে বাধ্য। আইসল্যান্ডের অপরাধগুলোর সাথে সুন্দর জীবনবোধ, মানবিকতা ও নিষ্ঠুরতা উঠে এসেছে এ উপন্যাসে। ক্রাইম থ্রিলার আমার নেশা। আর আমেরিকান ক্রাইম থ্রিলারের বাইরের স্বাদ নেয়ার লক্ষ্যেই কোনো প্রিভিউ না দেখেই জার সিটি উঠিয়ে নেয়া। স্ক্যানডেনেভিয়ান থ্রিলারগুলো সবসময়েই অনন্য। এর আগে আরেক স্ক্যান্ডেনেভিয়ান লেখক স্টিগ লারসন ও জো নেসবোর লেখায় মুগ্ধ হয়েছি। এবার মুগ্ধ করলেন আরনাল্ডর ইন্ড্রিডসেন। অনেক সাধারণ একটা ক্রাইম গল্পকে অসাধারণ রহস্য, বিষণ্নতা আর জীবনবোধ মিশিয়ে ফুটিয়ে তুলেছেন লেখক। অনুবাদক আমার ভার্সিটির প্রাক্তন বড় আপু সান্তা রিকি। যার কথা না বললেই না। উনি এ অনুবাদটি না করলে এ লেখকের অসাধারণ কাজটি সম্পর্কে জানা হতো না। অনুবাদ বেশ সাবলীল। তবে বেশ কিছু জায়গায় নামের বিভ্রাট দেখা গেছে, যেটা বিভ্রান্তি উপহার দিয়েছে।
যারা ক্রাইম থ্রিলার ভালোবাসেন, ভিন্ন ধরনের কিছু স্বাদ পাওয়ার জন্য হলেও জার সিটি পড়া উচিৎ। হ্যাপি রিডিং।
July 1, 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. I found this series by Arnaldur Indriðason, which has me even more excited. In the English translation debut, Inspector Erlendur leads an investigation into the murder of an old man with odd things around his body. Erlendur soon learns the victim has a past that could have led to enemies, though nothing is confirmed. Opening a cold case, Erlendur uncovers a number of secrets, some highly troubling and all of which could easily fuel a killer’s motive. Indriðason delivers a great English series debut that has me excited for this binge!
An elderly gentleman is found murdered in his Reykjavík apartment, surrounded by a cryptic note and the photograph of a young girl’s graveside. This is little for Inspector Erlendur to use, but he will still head up the case. It is soon revealed that the victim was involved in a crime, though never convicted of his actions. Erlendur can only surmise that the man’s past may have come back to haunt him.
Choosing to reopen the cold case, Erlendur scours for clues that could explain the killer’s motive and identity. The secrets that come to light explain more to an an old man’s murder, including a long-held scientific secret that could have grave consequences.
As Inspector Erlendur forges onward, he refuses to stand down until everything is revealed and truths cleanse the pile of secrets. It may be a daunting task, but no case matters more for Erlendur at this point. A great piece by Arnaldur Indriðason that has me eager to keep reading!
Arnaldur Indriðason has been an author I have seen for a number of years, but it is only now, with tickets to Reykjavík purchased, that I chose to read this series. I love Scandinavian noir thrillers, in which I feel this series fits well. A strong narrative keeps the reader enthused and captivated. As things gain momentum, Indriðason keeps the reader wondering what might await them. Strong characters and great setting depiction keeps the reader curious. Plot twists provide a strong sense of surprise and twists the story in effective ways. I am eager to see where things are headed and how Arnaldur Indriðason will get the reader there.
Kudos, Mr. Indriðason, for a stunning series debut that leaves many questions that beg for answers.
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
An elderly gentleman is found murdered in his Reykjavík apartment, surrounded by a cryptic note and the photograph of a young girl’s graveside. This is little for Inspector Erlendur to use, but he will still head up the case. It is soon revealed that the victim was involved in a crime, though never convicted of his actions. Erlendur can only surmise that the man’s past may have come back to haunt him.
Choosing to reopen the cold case, Erlendur scours for clues that could explain the killer’s motive and identity. The secrets that come to light explain more to an an old man’s murder, including a long-held scientific secret that could have grave consequences.
As Inspector Erlendur forges onward, he refuses to stand down until everything is revealed and truths cleanse the pile of secrets. It may be a daunting task, but no case matters more for Erlendur at this point. A great piece by Arnaldur Indriðason that has me eager to keep reading!
Arnaldur Indriðason has been an author I have seen for a number of years, but it is only now, with tickets to Reykjavík purchased, that I chose to read this series. I love Scandinavian noir thrillers, in which I feel this series fits well. A strong narrative keeps the reader enthused and captivated. As things gain momentum, Indriðason keeps the reader wondering what might await them. Strong characters and great setting depiction keeps the reader curious. Plot twists provide a strong sense of surprise and twists the story in effective ways. I am eager to see where things are headed and how Arnaldur Indriðason will get the reader there.
Kudos, Mr. Indriðason, for a stunning series debut that leaves many questions that beg for answers.
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
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