More from my “Killer Fiction” Review Archives
Posted on July 26th, 2009
My review of this book appeared originally in another publication and is reprinted here:
Jar City by Arnaldur Indridason
Publisher: St. Martin’s Minotaur.
ISBN: 0-312-34070-2
Inspector Erlendur Sveinsson, a fifty year old veteran police officer in Reykjavik, Iceland, knows that murders are actually quite rare in his country. Moreover, he knows that they are normally solved easily and quickly. However, when Erlendur arrives on the scene of Reykjavik’s most recent murder, he realizes that is nothing normal about this case.
A sixty-nine year old man has been discovered dead in his basement apartment, and pinned to his chest is a piece of paper upon which someone has scrawling a cryptic three-word message: “I AM HIM.” With very few other clues to work with—including a photograph of a graveyard headstone—Erlendur quickly knows that he is facing what is perhaps his most challenging case. And, as he pursues various obscure leads in the case, Erlendur follows a complicated trail of sexual violence, perverse relationships, and family secrets.
Arnaldur Indridason’s highly recommended novel is one of the most pleasant surprises of the 2005 publishing season. Winner of the 2002 Glass Key Award for the Best Nordic Crime Novel, Jar City is now finally available in this recent English translation.
Indridason’s fascinating mystery is an intricately plotted, ingeniously crafted thriller. Filled with vivid characterizations, provocative themes, and nicely detailed settings [about which I am particularly partial since I lived in Iceland for a year and a half], this first-rate police-procedural is an absolutely stunning success to which I am giving my highest praise.
Tags: Basement Apartment, Crime Novel, Family Secrets, Graveyard, Highest Praise, Jar City, Killer Fiction, Minotaur, Murders, Nordic, Photograph, Piece Of Paper, Pleasant Surprises, Reykjavik Iceland, Sexual Violence, St Martin, Stunning Success, Veteran Police Officer, Vivid Characterizations, Word Message
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