Detective Erlendur series (book 1)

This book is included in The Icelanders Cometh crowdfunding campaign run by the Jolabokaflod Book Campaign to raise money for UK libraries to spend on titles translated into English by Icelandic authors to mark World Book Night and UNESCO’s World Book and Copyright Day.

Synopsis

A man is found murdered in his Reykjavik flat. There are no obvious clues apart from a cryptic note left on the body and a photograph of a young girl’s grave.

Delving into the dead man’s life Detective Erlendur discovers that forty years ago he was accused of an appalling crime, but never convicted. Had his past come back to haunt him?

As Erlendur struggles to build a relationship with his unhappy daughter, his investigation takes him to Iceland’s Genetic Research Centre, where he uncovers disturbing secrets that are even darker than the murder of an old man.

Jar City is the first book in the series starring Detective Erlendur available in English.

Reviews

‘A chilling read.’ The Times

‘Highly recommended … thoroughly gripping … impressively moving.’ Time Out

‘A chilling Icelandic saga of the DNA age. This careful, sparsely-written book operates at a deeper level than most crime fiction.’ Jane Jakeman, The Independent

‘A fascinating window on an unfamiliar world as well as an original and puzzling mystery.’ Val McDermid