Detective Erlendur series (book 2)

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

Building work in an expanding Reykjavík uncovers a shallow grave.

Years before, this part of the city was all open hills, and Erlendur and his team hope this is a typical Icelandic missing person scenario; perhaps someone once lost in the snow, who has lain peacefully buried for decades.

Things are never that simple.

Whilst Erlendur struggles to hold together the crumbling fragments of his own family, his case unearths many other tales of family pain. The hills have more than one tragic story to tell: tales of failed relationships and heartbreak; of anger, domestic violence and fear; of family loyalty and family shame.

Few people are still alive who can tell the story, but even secrets taken to the grave cannot remain hidden forever…

Reviews

‘This is strong stuff! … The writing has a directness and deceptive simplicity reminiscent of Simenon. Here is a new voice that demands to be listened to.’ Reginald Hill

‘A writer worth seeking out’ Sunday Telegraph

‘One of the most brilliant crime writers of his generation’ Sunday Times

‘Inspector Erlendur is one of the most compassionate detectives to come this way in a long time.’ New York Times