Another library book for the Library Read-a-thon.   I have been looking forward to this one for a while so I am happy I finally got to it.  I enjoyed the Icelandic setting and  Inspector Erlendur is a great character.  

This is the first of Arnaldur Indridason’s books that I have read and I love his style of writing.  Throughout the book are episodes of dry humor and plain speaking.  An example from early in the book is:

“Perhaps he did not know his assailant well.  Perhaps the visitor had attacked him without any preamble, the moment the door opened.  Without taking off his shoes.

Can you murder someone in your socks?

Erlendur looked all around and  told himself he really must organize his thoughts better.”

Another is :

“”Isn’t this your typical Icelandic murder?”…

“What?” said Erlendur, engrossed in his thoughts.

“Squalid, pointless and committed without any attempt to hide it, change the clues or conceal the evidence.”

“Yes,” said Erlendur.  “A pathetic Icelandic murder.””

As an overview, the characters were well drawn and developed, even likable, which was surprising in the case of Erlendur’s daughter, a drug addict.   At first, I didn’t really see the point of her story but it was connected seamlessly in the end.

The only weakness was in the actual main mystery itself.  I figured it out about half way through and   in my opinion it was somewhat improbable.  There is just so much else good in this book, that I would still recommend it and will read more in the series.