Exclusive Cover Reveal: THE RECKONING by Yrsa Sigurdardottir
Children’s House Series (Volume 2)
Minotaur Books; On Sale February 12, 2019
I seem to be on a Yrsa Sigurdardottir streak lately, and I’m far from complaining. After just recently devouring Sigurdardottir’s chilling thriller I REMEMBER YOU, I’ve found myself having Icelandic crime fiction withdrawals—but that’s all been solved by today’s very exciting post! Earlier this year, Minotaur Books launched Sigurdardottir’s newest series (known as the Children's House series) with THE LEGACY. THE LEGACY is an engrossing blend of masterful police procedural and chilling Nordic backdrop; in short, it’s exactly the kind of crime writing I love most. Suffice it to say, I’ve been not-so-patiently awaiting more details on the second installment in this superb series - and today on Crime by the Book, I’m thrilled to share an exclusive first look at the cover of the second book in the Children’s House series: THE RECKONING, on sale February 12th, 2019 from Minotaur!
THE RECKONING promises to serve up all the chills, dark imagination, and superb plotting that made THE LEGACY such a standout read. If it’s possible, the premise of THE RECKONING sounds even more engaging than that of THE LEGACY—and that’s really saying something, as THE LEGACY has been one of my favorite reads of 2018 so far. In this post, you can learn more about the already-released THE LEGACY (Book 1) and the forthcoming THE RECKONING (Book 2), and - of course! - catch the gorgeous cover for this new release from Iceland’s Queen of Crime.
About Yrsa Sigurdardottir's Children’s House Series
Book 1: THE LEGACY | Book 2: THE RECKONING
About THE LEGACY:
The only person who might have the answers to a baffling murder case is the victim’s seven-year-old daughter, found hiding in the room where her mother died. And she’s not talking.
Newly-promoted, out of his depth, detective Huldar turns to Freyja for her expertise with traumatized young people. Freyja, who distrusts the police in general and Huldar in particular, isn’t best pleased. But she’s determined to keep little Margret safe.
It may prove tricky. The killer is leaving them strange clues, but can they crack the code? And if they do, will they be next?
From CBTB’s Review of THE LEGACY:
“There’s something genuinely chilling about the characters and crimes Yrsa thinks up in her novels, and THE LEGACY is proof of exactly this. The crime that launches this book is, let’s just say… breathtaking in its brutality, and I found myself unable to turn away from it. Fans of big-name Nordic authors like Jo Nesbo and Stieg Larsson will feel right at home in the shocking crimes portrayed in this novel; the villain of this story is as dark and twisted as any of those written by the biggest names in Scandinavian crime fiction. And let’s not forget - into this already layered and complex plot, Yrsa also manages to effectively weave a storyline of disturbing and longstanding family secrets. There are many, many layers to THE LEGACY, and it’s a testament to Yrsa’s skill as an author that the reading experience here never feelings overwhelming or out of control. In her measured, slow-burning style, the author reveals to readers just enough information to bring them closer to the story’s central truth, while still maintaining tension and suspense from the first page to the last. Yrsa’s impeccable balance of detailed police investigation and far-reaching, twisted secrets makes for a compelling and widely appealing read. Whether writing ghost stories or detective novels, Yrsa’s dark imagination and singular storytelling voice combine to deliver outstanding crime fiction. ”
About THE RECKONING:
Vaka sits, regretting her choice of coat, on the cold steps of her new school. Her fathers appears to have forgotten to pick her up, her mother has forgotten to give her this week’s pocket money, and the school is already locked for the day. Grownups, she decides, are useless.
With no way to call home, she resigns herself to waiting on the steps until her fathers remembers her. When a girl approaches, Vaka recog'nizes her immediately from class, and from her unusual apperance: two of her fingers are missing. The girl lives at the back of the school, on the other side of a high fence, and Vaka asks to call her father from the girl's house. That afternoon is the last time anyone sees Vaka.
Detective Huldar and child psychologist Freyja are called in. Soon, they find themselves at the heart of another shocking case.
From the international number one-bestselling author of The Silence of the Sea, winner of the 2015 Petrona Award for Best Scandinavian Crime Novel, Yrsa Sigurdardottir returns with the follow-up to The Legacy.
Isn't that an incredible cover?! I have to say, everything about this book sounds fantastic. It's probably no surprise that this will be one of my most-anticipated reads of 2019 -- and I'm hoping that, if you haven't yet dipped into THE LEGACY, this cover reveal for its follow-up novel will give you the motivation needed to do so! Readers in the market for richly-developed and totally engrossing Nordic crime fiction will absolutely love Book 1 in Yrsa Sigurdardottir's Children's House series - and it looks like Book 2 will be just as excellent.
Pre-Order THE RECKONING:
Home ownership feel like a distant dream? Zillow listings have you convinced you’ll be renting for the rest of your life? The woman at the heart of Carissa Orlando’s debut The September House feels your pain—and she’s prepared to put up with a lot if it means she and her husband can finally have a place to call their own. In this case, that might just mean living in a house that’s haunted. Playful and irreverent, spine-tingling and spooky, The September House puts a fresh spin on the classic haunted house story, delivering an immersive tale about the secrets lurking within one building’s walls, and within the lives of its inhabitants.