Hypothermia
Ratings2
Average rating4.5
15
Ratings2
Average rating4.5
The latest thrilling instalment in Indridason's CWA Gold Dagger Award-winning Reykjavik Murder Mystery series.One cold autumn night, a woman is found hanging from a beam in her summer cottage by Lake Thingvellir. At first sight it appears to be a straightforward case of suicide; the woman, Maria, had never recovered from the loss of her mother two years earlier and had a history of depression. But when Karen, the friend who found her body, approaches Erlendur and gives him the tape of a seance that Maria had attended, his curiosity is aroused.Driven by a need to find answers that even he does not fully understand, Erlendur embarks on an unofficial investigation to find out why the woman's life ended in such an abrupt and tragic manner. At the same time he is haunted by the unresolved cases of two young people who went missing thirty years before, and, inevitably, his discoveries raise ghosts from his own past.
Reviews with the most likes.
I'm glad Arctic Chill didn't shake me off this series, because man this was a fantastic read. One of the things I really like about a well executed crime novel is that the geography, timeline, and character map will have a clear shape by the end. This one really stands out in that respect. Hypothermia had a clear, powerful narrative, with effectively utilized flashbacks and incredible character moments. Eva is such a wonderfully chaotic character who I love and hate in equal measure. Nice to finally see the ex-wife for the first time since Eva's miscarriage way back when, even if the meeting this time was equally blergh.
I read an interview with Arnaldur Indridason where he said that he tries to only have “one murder per novel.” Considering that these books as a whole are super powerful and resonant, despite their lack of on-page violence (for the most part), this says a lot about his sense of craft. I'm now at the point where I'll gladly read anything with his name on the cover.
I'm beginning to feel a sense of melancholy about this entire series because this apparently is the penultimate Erlendur installment chronologically. Still, it'll be good to learn more about his coworkers in the following two books. Just know I'll feel quite bleak when I start Strange Shores, though undoubtedly I will go into the prequels once I finish it. I didn't think I was going to find my new favorite series this year, and if I did I sure didn't think it was going to be an Icelandic crime series. Really, really glad I picked up Jar City a few short weeks ago. It's been a terrific journey, and it's not over yet.
