ARNALDUR INDRIDASON

Jar City

(Mýrin, 2000)

An elderly man is found dead in his basement flat. The murderer has left a note which the police detectives Sigurdur Oli and Erlendur (known from two other books by the author) have to find out the meaning of. Getting at the truth leads the detectives to truly horrifying secrets from the past. A brilliantly plotted thriller with convincing character portrayal and interesting side-plots.

English synopsis available and translation of one chapter.

Operation Napoleon

(Napóleonsskjölin, 1999)

A fast paced Grisham-like thriller that takes place in modern Iceland, America and Nazi Germany at the end of World War II. A strong female, a bit of romance (an ex-boyfriend who is in the American Army in Keflavik, Iceland, helps her and pays for it with his life), and the magnificent nature of Iceland during the winter time - nail-biting suspense.

English synopsis available. English translation available from the first three chapters.

Silent Kill

(Dauðarósir, 1998)

The body of a young girl is found on the grave of Jon Sigurdsson, leader of Iceland's 19th century independence movement. Investigations reveal that her death is linked to a much larger case responsible for the greatest migrations in Icelandic history, which are still going on. The story is tightly written and fast-paced with sharp characterization.

German synopsis available. German translation available of the first eight chapters.

Sons of Earth

(Synir duftsins, 1997)

Modern, intelligent and fast-paced. Moving from the present to 1960s Reykjavik, Sons of Earth opens with the suicide of Daniel, a 40-year-old patient in a Reykjavik mental hospital. Simultaneously an elderly teacher - a man who had taught Daniel in the 1960s but had only recently begun visiting him at the hospital - burns himself to death. When Daniel's brother tries to find out what connected them, he begins to his horror to find evidence of a childhood drug testing programme which went wildly wrong.

English synopsis available together with Reader's Report.

A perfect catch for

thriller-lovers.

Morgunbladid newspaper

The story's originality lies in a dramatic and vivid text which invites adaptation for the stage or screen.

Morgunbladid newspaper

... Never before have I read such an effortlessly and capably plotted example of the genre by an Icelandic author. ...The narrative shifts quickly from scene to scene, 'cutting' from one incident to the next ...

Morgunbladid newspaper

Arnaldur Indridason (b. 1961) is the author of four fast-paced thrillers. He is also a journalist, film critic and historian.