The Reckoning satisfies on almost all levels: a dark and cleverly twisted plot that moves at a fast pace and well developed characters. It falls just short of perfection in its setting. While the entire novel takes place in Iceland, as described the setting could have been any cold northern country. But this is just a nitpick about a book that satisfies on so many levels. I eagerly await the next entry in this series.

As good if not better than The Legacy. Well worth the read and looking forward to more from this author!!

This very dark and disturbing crime novel was well-crafted and well-paced but for me crossed a line by being gratuitously violent and extreme. Of course a crime novel is likely to have grisly murders, psychologically damaged victims and perpetrators, evil criminals. But this book would have been just as gripping and effective without some of the more gruesome details, and any novel that deals with child abuse needs to be particularly sensitive. Although I can see why so many readers have enjoyed the book, for me it went beyond what is acceptable in depicting violence. And some of the scenarios stretched credibility to the limit. However some of it I did find compelling, especially the relationships between the various law enforcement protagonists, and it’s not a bad book – in fact it’s quite a good one – but I only chose it as I enjoy reading fiction from other countries and I won’t be tempted to read another from Yrsa Sigurdardottir.

You know when you read a book by an author and suddenly want to read everything that person has ever written? That just happened, that is this book. I love detective mysteries and this was so perfectly written, it felt like it was written for me.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC

I have developed a liking for police thrillers. And I have an interest in these type of books set in other countries. So when I saw The Reckoning is set in Iceland, I needed to read it. I am glad that I did. I got insight into how the Icelandic criminal system worked as well as their version of CPS.

The Reckoning is book 2 in the Children’s House series. When I saw that, I was immediately put alert. In my experience, the second book in any series lacks. It is usually a filler between the 1st book and the 3rd book. But not in this case. The Reckoning is a stand-alone book. There were a few references to book 1 but they did not take over this book. That alone made me like the book.

I wasn’t sure if I liked Huldar or not, at first. He didn’t exactly fit into the image I had of an Icelandic police officer. His appearance, for one. Whenever I picture a police officer (especially ones in a foreign country) has clean cut and neat. Huldar was not that. I also had doubts about his professionalism. At one point in the book, he was sleeping with his boss. But, I did come to like him. He was a good police officer who was dedicated to tracking down the threats that were in the time capsule. He treated the suspects (and victims) with respect.

I thought that Freyja was a mess in this book. She was in a codependent relationship with her incarcerated brother. She had suffered a demotion at work because of Huldar. And, to top it off, she was back to working with Huldar, who was also trying to pursue a relationship with him. I also did wonder why she was in the plot during the first half of the book. But, as the book went on and more of the main plotline was revealed, I started to understand why. She also played a pivotal role at the end of the book.

I thought that main plotline was heartbreaking. I loved how the author kept who the killers were until the end of the book. I loved how she tied everything together. I will say that the identity of the killers were surprising. I didn’t see it coming. As for the writer of the threat, I did call that one. But, the reason behind the threat, I didn’t.

What did surprise me in this book was the twist that the author threw in at the end of the book. All I have to say about it is “Whoa“. I did not see that coming. I could understand why those people did what they did.

I gave The Reckoning a 3.5-star rating. This was a fast-moving mystery with an engaging plotline. The main characters were dysfunctional and did take a while to grow on me. The main plotline was heartbreaking. I liked how the author kept who the killers were under wraps until the end of the book. What I also liked was the twist that was thrown in at the end. I didn’t see that coming.

I would give The Reckoning an Adult rating. There is sex (not graphic). There is violence. There is language. There are trigger warnings. They would be rape, sexual abuse, sexual harassment, and physical abuse. I would recommend that no one under the age of 21 read this book.

I would reread The Reckoning. I would also reccomend this book to family and friends.

A good read with many twists and turns. There is a few times when you want to smack the investigators upside the head and shout wake up and connect the dots..

I loved Huldar and Freyja in The Legacy so was anxious to continue this series set in Iceland. It did not disappoint either as there were plenty of suspects in the cold case of young Vaka who was raped and then murdered. Now the convicted killer is being released from prison and others connected to the case are turning up dead. Is he murdering again? Or is it his son who was most likely abused at home and has anger issues? Lots of twists and turns and a nice unpredictable ending!

Yrsa Sigurdardottir is one of my favorite authors. Most of her standalone books are creepy and full of ghosts. Her procedurals are a little more conventional, even if they are still excellent. The Reckoning is the second book in a new series that follows cases involving the Children’s House. Obviously, crimes involving children have to be the most disturbing and child psychologist Freyja works with these victims. This kind of work must take a particular kind of person and Freyja can seem cold and removed. After their disastrous relationship in the first book, detective Huldar is still trying to get into Freyja’s good graces but the outcome of their previous case is still affecting their personal and professional lives. This new case doesn’t seem to be helping. We get a big cast of suspects and all of them are as unlikeable as they come, even if when we learn their backstory it is understandable how they are so messed up. It is interesting to see the cultural differences between Iceland and other countries. Huldar and Freyja are still complex characters and we get to know them a little better, even if Freyja doesn’t have too much to do this time around, so I hope in the next novel she’s more involved in the case. A subplot with a baby who is the reincarnation of Grumpy Cat made me laugh out loud which, considering the rest of the novel deals with child rape and murder, it’s a much needed relief.
I chose to read this book and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased. Thank you, NetGalley/St. Martin's Press!

Thank you NetGalley and Minotaur Books for the eARC.
The 2nd in the Children's House is a good read. I like police detective Huldar and child psychiatrist Freya and their backstroke a lot and hopefully they will eventually iron out their differences and get going with their romantic relationship. Huldar makes me laugh, master of the one -night stand and a total failure when it comes to romancing a woman. Freya, who's living in her incarcerated brother's apartment, looking after his dog, finds out she's an aunt. Her brother has a baby girl and she promises him she will visit the baby at weekends and tell him all about her. The descriptions of the baby are very funny and sweet, can't wait to find out more about her in the next book! I do feel sorry for the dog, though, he is alone much of the time because of the intense case Freya and Huldar are involved in. It's a harrowing one, because it involves child rape and murder, not a subject I 'm keen on, which is the reason for giving the book 4 stars instead of 5. There are some gruesome deaths, devastated parents driven mad and the pathetic, sad family of the rapist, who, when freed, causes an absolute mayhem of revenge.
I love Yrsa Sigurdardottir's books; have read all of them, and highly recommend them

This book from Iceland is told by the most amazing storyteller we currently have. Sigurdardottir writes with such depth that the reader is in the story with her. I read this book in one sitting, I couldn't put it down

Having read The Legacy, I was very familiar with the main characters Huldar, Freya, and Erla. And I'm hoping to see more of them in a future book. I was well prepared to not like this as much as The Legacy, only because I didn't see how she could do better. Boy, was I wrong.

This book is so intense. Just the subject matter alone will make you squirm. But Yrsa also has this knack of coming up with the most bizarre and frightening murders.

There isn't a dull moment in the book and the ending will blow your mind. Highly, highly recommend.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC. And thank you Yrsa for another wonderful book.

Hard to follow the plot. Not sure what message is being given.
Did not really enjoy this book. This author is usually pretty good with plot and storylines.
Character development was hardly addressed.

Another fantastic Icelandic thriller that you will not want to put down. Follow the twisting, turning path that will bring you to an ending you never saw coming..

Highly recommended!

I received a copy of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley.

This seems to be the second novel in a series, and, although there are references to the past, I thought it stood pretty well on its own. The translation into English was good, apart from the use of the word "patronymic", which I would argue is not remotely in common use.

A time capsule buried by school children is dug up, and one of the letter describes (using initials only) a list of people who must die. Huldur and his psychologist colleague/love interest Freyja look into the child who might have written this. In the meantime, gruesome murders start to occur. Some of this was fairly grisly, although mainly towards the end. I thought it was well plotted and well-motivated, although something about the ending was a little unsatisfactory. It was certainly extreme.

I look forward to the next book in the series.

In her sequel to The Reckoning, Sigurdottir reunites child psychologist Freyia with Detective Huldar in the case of a missing child. The last time anyone saw Vaka, she was waiting outside her school for her father to pick her up. He never shows up, so Vaka goes off with a girl she recognizes from her class, planning to call her father from the girl’s house. Somewhere in the short distance between school and the other girl’s home, Vaka has disappeared. I can’t get enough of Sigurdottir, her books are so fast paced, her characters so well developed and her mysteries so tangled I’m almost always surprised. Kudos also go out to the translator(s) who make these books accessible to all of us

The Reckoning by author Yrsa Sigurdardottir is an intense and gripping thriller! The characters are cozy and well developed as well as the plot itself. Really awesome book!

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for an arc copy of The Reckoning in exchange for an honest review!