This is the first in the Hidden Iceland Series by Ragnar Jonasson.  I loved his entire Dark Iceland series, so I was excited to see this and it did not disappoint.

Hulda is a Detective Inspector at the end of her career.   Hulda is carrying a secret and this secret impacts the choices she makes. One decision in particular, how she handles an interview with a woman guilty of running down a pedophile, has far reaching repercussions.  This story intertwines with the final case she works on, a cold case involving the death of a Russian immigrant woman, who was seeking asylum.  The further Hulda investigates, the more convinced she becomes that to salvage what is left of her career, she needs to solve this case.  

Hulda is definitely not a team player, although to be fair she has spent much of her career butting up against a very solid glass ceiling and dealing with blatant sexism.  The portrayal of her treatment seemed very realistic and gave depth to her character and added to the understanding of her interactions.

Along with Hulda’s story, we are also given glimpses into the last journey of  an unnamed immigrant woman as a hint to what Hulda uncovers.  The sense of fear and isolation is well drawn in each of these episodes that are just a few paragraphs long.

This is a great mystery with some shocking reveals and a  completely unexpected ending.