This past weekend, I had the incredible opportunity to travel to Reykjavik, Iceland for Iceland Noir 2018 - a crime fiction festival that takes place in Iceland's capital city every other year. And what an incredible trip it was! In this blog post, Iβll be sharing a day-by-day recap of my time in Iceland, including panel notes, book recommendations, lots of photos, and a whole lot more. A huge thanks to the entire Iceland Noir team for organizing such a memorable festival!
Read MoreBook Review: THE DARKNESS by Ragnar Jonasson
Ragnar Jonasson, you have simply outdone yourself. Just when I thought I couldnβt love Ragnarβs books more, he goes and writes THE DARKNESS - and man, is it excellent. Already known around the world for his modern classic Dark Iceland series, Ragnar proves with THE DARKNESS that his winning brand of crime fiction can work just as well - if not better - in a new series as it did in his Ari Thor books. THE DARKNESS has all the brooding atmosphere of the Dark Iceland books with a creativity and breath-of-fresh-air protagonist all its own. Readers will travel eagerly from the streets of Reykjavik to the desolate wilds of Iceland alongside Hulda, a detective whose retirement is on the horizonβand who is determined to make the most of her time left on the force. Thereβs an addictiveness to THE DARKNESS that elevates this readβJonasson beautifully balances slow-burning plotting with binge-worthy tension, and the result is just plain gripping. Thereβs so much that works so well in this book, and I have a feeling Jonassonβs new series will become my favorite of his workβ¦ that is, until we see what this talented writer comes up with next.
Read MoreExclusive Cover Reveal: THE RECKONING by Yrsa Sigurdardottir
Earlier this year, Minotaur Books launched Sigurdardottirβs 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, itβs exactly the kind of crime writing I love most. Suffice it to say, Iβve been not-so-patiently awaiting more details on the second installment in this superb series - and today on Crime by the Book, Iβm thrilled to share an exclusive first look at the cover of the second book in the Childrenβs House series: THE RECKONING, on sale February 12th, 2019 from Minotaur!
Read MoreBook Review: I REMEMBER YOU by Yrsa Sigurdardottir
Yrsa Sigurdardottir is a just-plain-incredible talent. Sigurdardottir is known as Icelandβs Queen of Crime, and every single book of hers that I read reinforces just how well-deserved this title really is. A hallmark of Yrsaβs crime writing is her ability to blend strong mystery writing with truly dark, almost horror-inspired plotlinesβand in I REMEMBER YOU, she puts her dark imagination on full display. I REMEMBER YOU is, in fact, better described as a ghost story than a crime novel, though at its heart it certainly has a compelling mystery for readers to unravel. In this hair-raising story of suspense, a group of friends set out to a remote Icelandic village in order to renovate a house they have recently purchased. But as they settle in and begin their work, it becomes clear that something on the island doesnβt want them to stay... I REMEMBER YOU is slow-burning, immersive, utterly chilling suspenseβI was glued to this book from the first page to the last. You know that feeling when youβre loving a book so much, you just want to savor every single page? That was me with I REMEMBER YOU.
Read MoreAuthor Q&A: Yrsa Sigurdardottir, THE LEGACY (Childrenβs House Series)
Today (2/13/18) is publication day for THE LEGACY by Yrsa Sigurdardottir, an outstanding crime novel that launches a new series for Icelandβs Queen of Crime in the US! THE LEGACY is an exceptional blend of methodical police procedural and dark, horror-inspired imaginationβa potent combination that delivered one of my early-favorite 2018 reads. Iβm delighted to welcome Yrsa Sigurdardottir to Crime by the Book today to talk crime writing, her new series, where she gets all her twisted ideas from, and a whole lot more.
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