Into oblivion () by Arnaldur Indridason

 

Loyal readers of Arnaldur Indridason's Erlendur series will be thrilled by Into Oblivion, the mesmerizing follow-up to the gritty prequel Reykjavik Nights. Here devoted fans will get another glimpse of Erlendur in his early days as a young, budding detective, while also absorbing plenty about Iceland and what makes the place tick.

It’s 1979. A woman swims in a remote, milky-blue lagoon. Steam rises from the water and as it clears, a body is revealed in the ghostly light. Miles away, a vast aircraft hangar rises behind the perimeter fence of the US military base. A sickening thud is heard as a man’s body falls from a high platform.
Many years before, a schoolgirl went missing, and the world has forgotten her. But Erlendur has not. Erlendur is a newly promoted detective, and he is contending with a battered dead body, a rogue CIA operative, and America’s troublesome presence in Iceland. In his spare time he investigates a cold case. He is only starting out, but he is already deeply involved in his work.
The writer whose work The New York Times describes as "having the sweep and consequence of epic storytelling," has outdone himself in this multi-layered and masterful novel of suspense.

Thanks to MacMillan Books for synopsis.

Hypothermia (2009 Tran.from Icelandic 2009) by Arnaldur Indridason



 

 

A murder disguised as a suicide.  A doctor, having an affair and set to inherit his wife's millions, becomes a suspect.  However, there is not enough hard evidence to arrest him.  Detective Erlendur takes on the case in an unofficial capacity.  He learns that the wife was obsessed with the 'after-life", having kept a secret for 40 years - her mother had murdered her father, and had sworn Mari to secrecy.  Was Maria seeing ghosts or was she delusional? Erlendur also began to wonder about his won brother's death in a snow storm. It does seem that the doctor got away with murder.

 

Outrage (2008) by Arnaldur Indridason

Translated from the Swedish 2011

The murder victim rapes using a date-rape drug on his unsuspecting 'hook-ups'.  He, however, his found murdered (throat slit) in his home.  The woman he raped is accused and then her father is also help responsible, yet both are innocent, in spite of intense police interrogation. Yet this murder is linked to other crimes of rape and missing persons.  let's not omit two suicides also connected to the murdered man.  Connections to the man's rural home are made. This village is a place where secrets are held for generations.  All the while, the police officer must reconcile her police work with her family responsibilities. Not an easy task.

Black skies (2009) by Indridason, Arnaldur Eng trans 2012

Slow, slow, slow.

A swingers' group become connected to a murder through four young bankers involved in a schme to launder money. Detective Sigurdur Oli (who hates being called 'Siggi') has his relationship with his girlfriend fail while trying to solve the murder of a woman who participated in the club.  Sigurdur discovers that a personal friend and sister-in-law have an involvement with the swingers.  Lots of side stories. glacier trips, and issues surrounding child pornography, which come to light with a young street man who wants to talk.