This was in my top 5 reads of 2017 (https://eurocrime.blogspot.com/2017/12/favourite-euro-crime-reads-of-2017-karen.html). I like a cold case and it was interesting to read about Iceland in the War. The structure of the book meant that it did feel a little repetitive at times but I liked all the detectives involved, past and present. For me, unlike in the sequel, the first half was much better than the first.

A crime drama set in World War 2 Iceland and the present day. An old man is found dead at home, a routine inquiry turns into a murder investigation linking the murder and the disappearance of two young women during the last stages of World War 2. This is a twisted, compelling novel filled with historical detail and well written characters and the first in a series. I look forward to reading more from this author.

<http://freshfiction.com/review.php?id=64370>

This is a very detailed story about 2 murders which happened in Iceland towards the end of the 2nd World War. It goes backwards and forwards from the past to the present whilst Thornson tries to correct a miscarriage of justice and his efforts to find the real perpetrator. Good characters and an interesting historical background. Every loose end was tied off, fascinating read.

Haven't read this author before but will certainly look out for more in this series. Enjoyed the way the narrative moved between the two time frames providing clues from past and present yet maintaining the momentum and suspense right up to the end.

A competent and well plotted mystery with a double narrative covering the present and World War II - it didn't appeal as much as his previous series, unfortunately.

Full review on my blog, see link below.

Anyone familiar with Indridason's successful Detective Erlendur series of Icelandic crime novels will not be disappointed with this wartime/present day crime investigation. Equally, readers unfamiliar with Indridason's other works will be delighted to find a rich seam of crime investigation that departs from the all-too-well-trodden police procedurals by a clever use of novel settings; an intriguing use of two parallel narratives that keep the reader abreast of developments in the original 1944 investigation alongside the twenty-first century hunt for a killer; and a series of passing references to Icelandic folk traditions that play a modest part in the developing story. Indridason's ability to secure an empathetic relationship between reader and plot characters is a particular strength in all his work and The Shadow District is no exception. A particularly clever plot device is the setting of the cold case element of the story in the closing years of the Second World War, and the largely forgotten impact of the Allied occupation of Iceland on the lives of ordinary Icelanders

I always enjoy reading books by Arnaldur Indridason. This one lived up to my expectations. It is set in present day Iceland and wartime Reykjavik. Two murders tie the stories together. It is atmospheric and well written and a pleasure to read. I recommend Arnaldur Indridson as an author worth reading. His books are an insight into Icelandic culture and I am always drawn in from the first page. As with all of his books I have read this book in one sitting to find out what happens.

This is a standard police procedural, it gets more interesting towards the end, but there are better versions out there. I have read other crime novels set in Iceland that give more of a feel for the place, so found the lack of that disappointing. I didn't particularly care for any of the characters, though Flovent is probably the most sympathetically drawn. If I'd picked this up when there was nothing else to read it would've been ok, but there are too many better books for me to recommend this one.

This was my first Arnaldur Indridason book and I am sure it will not be my last. The poet comes through even though the book is set firmly in prose. His ability to paint the picture and give the reader an insight into the characters emotions comes rarely these days.
The plot outline is out in the publisher's blurb so I will not re-impose it here. What I found fascinating was the world in which the initial crime is set never having even known which side Iceland was in WW2 and to meet the people and to get an idea of their feelings and their aspirations was great. Recently a TV production put me off Icelandic procedural crime books but this has pulled me in and also the attraction of the authors ability means I will be reading more.

A fantastically moving detective novel that spans two distinct time zones. The first date is 1944 in Iceland, the Shadow District of the title, an area where the local Icelandic women used to fraternise with the British and American troops who were occupying the country. A young woman is murdered and no arrest was ever made, perhaps due to political pressure from high up.
The second time zone is the present day. Konrad is a recently retired CID officer, who is helping to investigate the death of a 90 year old gentleman. He finds old newspaper cuttings relating to the war time murder in the mans room and is immediately intrigued as Konrad grew up in that area and remembers his father talking about the death and holding a seance for her parents. Konrad decides to discover the truth and help restore reputations concerning false arrests.
I loved this story! I found it to be well researched and composed, full of suspense and an undercurrent of guilt runs through both time zones. It is a fascinating story that is full of social history and a very convincing interweaving of truth and lies between 1944 and the present day. We have so many strands to follow in this novel that at times it can be initially confusing, but do persevere as the end result is sad but fulfilling. I have posted a copy of this review on Goodreads today. I have had such enjoyment reading this novel, thank you.

Three stories in one! Murder, regrets and a family's disturbing history create dark shadows. Only retired detective Konrad's classic investigation can shed light.

This is powerful and expert police crime story - with twists to burn - characters spanning 50 years - before and after- make decisions that makes sense but intrusive catastrophe haunts them all until it is unveiled. An intransigent family drive a desperate young girl to nearly exposing an event that is not uncovered until years later when policeman on that unsolved case is found murdered - I've said more than I should - but this is top rate again from this special author.. highly recommend!

Wartime Reykjavik and the body of a young woman is found behind the National Theatre. Joining forces to solve the case are a local detective and a Canadian military policeman with Icelandic roots. There investigations lead to the linked death of another girl out in the north country and to a young student. In the present day retired detective Konrad is helping the police solve the murder of a 90-year man but his investigations lead to the wartime crimes and they cast doubt on the who was the real perpetrator.

Written between two time zones this novel juxtaposes crime-fighting past and present. Iceland was a major military base firstly for the British and then for the US, young woman were courted by soldiers and this was known as 'The Situation'. Descriptions for wartime Iceland were detailed and evocative and I loved the links to folklore as well. The plot was suitability labyrinthine and satisfied and the characters are developing nicely for further instalments.

THE PAST

In wartime Reykjavik, a young woman is found strangled behind the National Theatre, a rough and dangerous area of the city known as ‘the shadow district’. An Icelandic detective and a member of the American military police are on the trail of a brutal killer.

THE PRESENT

A 90-year-old man is discovered dead on his bed, smothered with his own pillow. Konrad, a former detective now bored with retirement, finds newspaper cuttings in the dead man’s home reporting the shadow district murder that date back to the second world war. It’s a crime that Konrad remembers, having grown up in the same neighbourhood.

A MISSING LINK

Why, after all this time, would an old crime resurface? Did the police arrest the wrong man? How are these cases linked across the decades? Will Konrad’s link to the past help him solve the case and finally lay the ghosts of wartime Reykjavik to rest?

It has been a while since I have read any crime. In fact, I’ve checked and I haven’t read or reviewed any so far in 2017. Time to remedy that oversight. Over the last couple of years, I’ve developed a taste for the occasional crime thriller and I like to include some in my schedule from time to time. A man can’t live on horror, fantasy and sci-fi alone you know. Sometimes you need to mix things up a little.

The latest crime novel to capture my interest is The Shadow District by Arnaldur Indriðason. The novel has a plot split over two distinct time periods. The first strand details a murder during the latter days of the Second World War. Another murder, taking place in the present day, appears to have some sort of connection to the first. The big question is how exactly are these two unsolved crimes, over seventy years apart, linked to one another?

Though separated by many years the investigators tasked with finding answers, Stefan and Konrad respectively, both share the same tenacious attitude towards their work. Each man steadfastly refuses to let a case go until they have uncovered the truth to their complete satisfaction. Watching how the nature of the crimes changes both men is fascinating. Neither man ever dreamed of being a detective but both have a natural curiosity and attention to detail that make them perfect for the role. Watching how they work from different directions, but eventually converge towards similar conclusions, is very well handled. The chapters set during the war are particularly effective as they give the author the opportunity to explore how attitudes to crime, sexuality and feminism were markedly different decades ago. Indriðason’s use of the political landscape and genuine attitudes towards foreign soldiers stationed in Iceland gives the story an added air of authenticity.

I’ve managed to find the perfect musical recommendation to accompany The Shadow District. Not only is Broadchurch The Final Chapter crime related but it is also composed by an Icelandic musician, Ólafur Arnalds. I certainly found it a nice fit with the overall tone of the novel.

The Shadow District was originally published in Iceland under the title Skuggasund in 2013, and has now been translated by Victoria Cribb. As far as I can tell, the transfer appears flawless. The narrative flows smoothly and ensures that the reader is never confused or abruptly jarred from the action. I’ve had that issue in the past with works originally published in another language, but that is not the case in this instance.

I’ve not read any of Arnaldur Indriðason’s other novels but a quick Internet search reveals the author to be quite prolific. Based on my experience with The Shadow District, I would certainly be interested to read more of his work. If you are looking for a crime thriller that spans generations and keeps you guessing right up until the final pages, then I would certainly suggest that Indriðason’s latest is worth a try. This is solidly entertaining fiction worthy of your time.

The Shadow District is published by Harvill Secker and is available now.

Start here if you’ve never read any Icelandic crime, or never read anything by Arnaldur Indriðason, and fancy dipping a toe without needing to know racks of back-story from previous episodes. Alternatively, start here if you’ve read absolutely everything else translated into English by Arnaldur Indriðason and thoroughly enjoy his intelligent approach exploring the human condition through criminal investigations.

In this new series, two separate casts of characters, quite different in style and substance to the author’s established Erlendur series, begin tugging at threads when two dead bodies trigger suspicions. The result is a thoroughly satisfying story – a murder mystery which provides intriguing insights into Iceland’s little-known wartime history, the American ‘occupation’ and how it affected the somewhat stolid society of this small and isolated nation.

The mystery gradually unfolds in multiple threads based ‘back then’ and ‘here and now’. The repercussions of a murder in wartime Reykjavik, when a young woman was strangled in the city’s ‘shadow district’, resurface with the unnatural end of an elderly man’s existence in the current day. Enter Konrád, a retired detective with an unusual upbringing, and his historic counterparts – an American military policeman and an Icelandic investigator. In alternating chapters they discover more victims, a strange link to Icelandic folklore, and a convoluted connection to Konrád’s own father.

In fact, the quirky digressions from the central narrative add significant sparkle to proceedings. Konrád’s dad was apparently a wrong ’un who held séances to separate vulnerable mourners from their money; condemned by society as a conman. But was he? There are hints of something more…

Equally, the interactions between the soldiers and civilians in the 1940s segments are extremely illuminating. Meanwhile, Konrád’s conversations with his 21st century colleagues provide opportunities for delightfully dry dialogue and social commentary. This isn’t a novel packed with pulse-pounding cliffhanger chapters, but something rather more considered and progressively paced.

So The Shadow District offers more depth than you might initially imagine. It’s a pleasing progression of logical investigation, as the different detectives track down witnesses, tease out crucial testimony and join the dots over many decades. It delivers an involving mystery, convincing characters and a smattering of social history. I look forward to the next one…

8/10

I have enjoyed a few of Arnaldur Indridason's Erlendur novels. I'm afraid that I didn't think that The Shadow District, the beginning of a new series, was nearly so good.

The story is told largely in two time frames: in present day Reykjavik an elderly man is found dead, and turns out to have been smothered. He has cuttings which relate to a murder in Reykjavik during World War Two. Konrad, a retired policeman, begins to investigate both the present day killing and the wartime murder. Intercut with this is the story of the investigation of that murder by two policeman at the time. The stories develop in parallel, as links and new revelations slowly (painfully slowly) begin to be revealed.

For me, the whole thing lacked much credibility and the pace is positively funereal. I'm all for slow, atmospheric plots, provided that what is around the plot itself is interesting and involving. Here it felt plodding and rather turgid. The history of wartime Iceland is rather interesting, I suspect, but there were so many lengthy expositions (often rather repetitive) and long, long back-stories of lots of characters that it became rather a slog. The sudden, late introduction of a third timeframe, told from the point of view of the present-day victim to explain what happened to him seemed very contrived, and a conveniently neat and thoroughly implausible confession made the ending seem a bit silly.

The translation doesn't help. It's not terrible, but the prose feels a bit stilted and often pretty stale, with clunky clichés like "he nearly jumped out of his skin" or "they talked about everything under the sun" cropping up far too regularly.

So, a disappointment for me. I won't be bothering with any more in the Konrad series, and can't really recommend this.

(I received an ARC via Netgalley.)

The Shadow District tells the story of a murder which is investigated by different detectives, once in the past and then again in the present. The murder of a young girl during WWII is never officially solved which leaves the first detective unrestful. When at a very old age he comes too close to identifying the killer, he is killed himself which leads to a new investigation.
Both stories are told alternately and this setting actually seemed quite interesting. Unfortunately however, the whole story turned out to be very slow-going and at times also a bit far-fetched. There were also seances mentioned but they didn't really fit in with the rest and seemed to be just pagefillers.
Usually I enjoy Arnaldur Indridason's books, the Erlendur stories as well as the independent ones, but this time I was rather disappointed.

(I received a free digital copy via Netgalley/the publisher. Thanks fir the opportunity!)