An Old-Fashioned Cerebral Murder Mystery

A tourist guide discovers a body in the ice on an Icelandic glacier. The pathologist recognizes the body as Sigurvin who had been missing for 30 years. She calls a retired detective, Konrád, who led the investigation back then. The prime suspect, Hjaltaín, at the time is quickly arrested as he was about to fly to Thailand. He will only talk with Konrád. Being given a green light from his old boss, he interviews Hjaltaín who still professes his innocence. He states that he was leaving for a medical treatment for his cancer that isn’t available in Iceland. After this meeting, Konrád’s old boss warns him not to interfere with the investigation. A woman contacts Konrád to see if he can find the killer of her brother, Villi. He saw a man who likely met Sigurvin the night he died. That man had threatened to kill her brother who was a hit and run victim almost twenty years later. The takes off from here.

The main storyline consists of several intertwined threads. One is the investigation of the Sigurvin’s murder. The main thread is Konrád’s investigation of Villi’s death. Since there is a strong tie to Sigurvin’s murder, Konrád comes to an understanding with his old boss concerning sharing of information and some participation. The third main storyline is Konrád looking into the murder of his less than sterling father. Except for just a few chapters, the story is told by Konrád. There are not any gun battles, chases, or other action scenes. This is an old-fashioned, shoe leather investigations. This made me think more than usual and captured my interest to continue reading this novel.

I understand that Konrád was a character in the Detective Erlendur series of novels. This novel is my first novel by Arnaldur Indridason that I have read so my review is based solely reading just this novel. Konrád’s B-storyline was quite rich. Much of it occurs with the thoughts and reasoning. His interactions with other and familiar characters also added a richness to my reading of this novel. Unfortunately, the other characters were not as developed as the Konrád character, but I never felt that I was missing anything because of lack of context with any of the characters.

On a plus side, there are not any intimate scenes. Violence is described in the less edgy after the fact. There is some vulgar language, but the level did not raise a red flag for me. This book should be readable by most readers.

My largest issue with this book was the translation that was definitely very British. I can deal with most British informal, but I just can’t see an Icelander using the following words, bloody, bloke and mate. Since this is not traceable to the author, it did not affect my rating. For some of the British informal, I did use the easy Internet access of my e-reader to find the meaning of some of the informal language. I liked the ending. There was only one loose thread not tied up at the end. This was the main storyline thread on Konrád’s father’s murder. I suspect that it will be an underlying thread through some if not all the books in this series. Often, I read late at night when I should have gone to sleep. Then I continued to read when I woke up.

I have two Icelandic authors that I want to read their next works. I think that I just found a third. I rate this novel with four stars.

I received a free e-book version of this novel through NetGalley from St. Martin Press. My review is based only by my own reading experience of this book. I wish to thank St. Martin Press for the opportunity to read and review this novel early.

I enjoyed this mystery--it was not too gory or intense--but it wasn't anything special or exciting. I will not be seeking out any of the other installments in the series.

Arnaldur Indridason's "The Darkness Knows," translated by Victoria Cribb, is a gloomy novel of Icelandic noir about a retired detective, Konrád, who has too much time on his hands. He spends a great deal of it brooding about his late wife and past mistakes. He awakens from his lethargy when one of his cold cases unexpectedly heats up. A tour guide discovers the well-preserved corpse of Sigurvin, a man who had vanished thirty years ago in a glacial area but, thanks to global warming, the ice that had concealed his body has receded. In addition, our hero investigates the death of a young man who was hit by a car six years earlier and left to die. Konrád has reason to suspect that this tragic incident is connected to Sigurvin's murder.

The author focuses on how selfish, deceitful, greedy, and cowardly people affect those who are unlucky enough to interact with them. Among the unsavory characters depicted here are sloppy drunks, down-on-their-luck misfits, and elderly curmudgeons. Although Marta—the Chief Inspector of the Reykjavík CID—is annoyed that Konrád is meddling in police business, he is not dissuaded from conducting his own private search for the perpetrator.

Indridason evocatively describes Iceland's unique climate, exotic landscape, and economic turmoil. In his determination to uncover the truth, this likable and determined seeker of justice questions men and women who may have pertinent information to share. Unfortunately, this is a talky and slow-moving novel with an implausible and unsatisfying conclusion. Konrád is an insightful and dedicated sleuth; he deserves a better vehicle for his talents.

The Darkness Knows is a slow paced Icelandic noir thriller. Konrad, a retired detective is haunted by a cold case. When a current Murder reminds him of the unsolved case of the past, he is once again gripped by the cold case. I enjoyed getting to know Konrad. His life is interesting and lead me to care about him and this haunting murder that he longs to solve. I look forward for the next book in the series. Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s press for my copy.

Konrad has retired from the Reykjavik police when a body is discovered on a glacier of a missing man from many years ago. The original case was Konrad's. The original person thought to be the murderer kept saying, "I didn't do it." Plis a sister of a man killed in a hit'n run feels there is a connection between the two deaths. She asks Konrad
to investigate.
The mystery has all the twists and turns that one expects from Indridson's work. Read and learn how Konrad unravels the twisted threads that are years old.

After thirty years an old, unsolved case is once again in the news. The renewed focus brings to light the missteps and biases of the original investigation and the resulting consequences.

Konrad is a retired police detective, he isn't so much haunted by the memory of his deceased wife as much as he is still adjusting to the changes – to being alone. After thirty years one of his old unsolved cases resurfaces when a body is found due to Climate Change and glacier melting. This seems to give Konrad some motivation to get outside himself and, initially at the request of the police, he begins to re-investigate the old case.

I've read a couple of other books by this author and enjoyed them. This one is a bit different. It has a very somber, almost claustrophobic feel to it (Iceland, after all), and the main character is difficult to really connect with but there are some great twists amid a somewhat meandering plot. I'm on the fence with this one but I just can't rate it at more than three stars.

If you like bleak, gloomy, introspective mystery then you are going to LOVE this one.

***I received a free digital copy of this title from NetGalley.

Grim and dour and compelling. Once again Arnaldur Indridason crafts an Icelandic thriller with killers and glacial morbid motives. The retired detective has his furrowed morality and there is a twist that upends expectations. Were the plot not constructed as carefully as it is, the twist would be contrived but instead is suitable to the crime and the protagonists. Recommended.

A body is found exposed on a glacier in Iceland, resurrecting a (literally) cold case. A retired cop, still bothered by that murder case, is asked to visit a man who has always insisted on his innocence, but who is also a compulsive liar, which doesn't help his case. When a woman asks the former detective to find out who killed her brother in a hit and run, a connection between the two deaths slowly emerges.

And I mean slowly. I'm a great fan of Arnaldur's books but this one didn't draw me in as the others did. Konrad, the retired detective, is as gloomy as Erlander but without a team of detectives to lighten things up and provide some contrast. The mystery itself didn't have the social roots that made many of the Erlander series engaging, or the narrative brio (such as the two timelines in Silence of the Grave). The pace picked up toward the end, but overall I found myself disappointed, perhaps because my expectations for this author are high.

3.5 stars, rounded down
There’s something about Icelandic noir thrillers that I really enjoy. In addition to the dark, barren landscapes and the cold biting air, the people seem to have a certain reserve to them as well.
The Darkness Knows is the first in a new series by Arnaldur Indridason. Konrad is a retired detective, haunted by a case that was never solved. So, when the body of the murdered man shows up in a glacier thirty years later, his curiosity is piqued and he begins re-examining the case.
The book moves at a slow pace. Konrad is an interesting character, and we are told much about his life. We learn his father was murdered, another crime that was never solved. The investigation is hampered by the time lapse between the murder and now. People have died, others recant their testimonies. There are lots of possible suspects and I didn’t have a clue as to how it would come together.
The interaction between Konrad and Marta, the actual police detective on the case, was realistic and worked well. It will be interesting to see how this series progresses.
With translated books, I’m never sure if choppy writing is due to translation or the author’s style. The writing here is pretty basic, stark almost.
My thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an advance copy of this book.

The Darkness Knows by Arnaldur Indridason was received directly from the publisher and I chose to review it. Firstly, I cannot say I have ever heard of this author., though this is part of a series of nordic crime thrillers with the same retired police investigator as the lead. The book takes place in Iceland and mentions dated talking points of global warming instead of the current phase of climate change due to colder weather forcing the change in terminology. As stated, this is a crime thriller so if you, or someone you buy books for enjoys crime thrillers and/or Iceland, this may be the book to buy. The holidays are coming up as well.

4 stars

Arnaldur Indridason never disappoints. I have read most of his former books, and I think this is one of his best. I love the bits of history, the descriptions of the land and, of course the story. This novel seems to have more than one layer, and it is hard to determine the outcome of the story, which makes for a good read! I recommend it to all mystery lovers!

This story about a retired policeman who gets caught up in a 30 year old mystery when the body of the missing person turns up on a glacier.
Having been to visit Iceland, I was so excited to read this book. But, it left me flat. I found the story disjointed at times and difficult to follow.
The characters were interesting but most were without much character development and would just come and go in the story. An interesting but disappointing read for me.

Set in Iceland where a frozen body is found after 30 years missing

Murder case is reopened and retired detective Konrad solves finally solves it.

Very slow moving. Not many suspects but ending was unexpected

The Darkness Knows follows Konrad, a retired police detective, as he investigates the discovery of s body in a melting glacier. Sigurvin’s disappearance had been an unsolved case that had haunted Konrad for years. Indridason’s books always combine the brooding Icelandic landscape with sinister characters that seem to complement it. Konrad’s grief since the loss of his wife adds to his anguish. Once again, Indridason delivers a fine, dark tale.

My thanks to St. Martin's Press, Arnaldur Indradsson and Netgalley.
I'd just be happy to get the name right!
Fact is that St. Martin's is often on my go to list of publisher's. Believe me, I only have maybe 5!
But this? No.
It's Iceland. I can only think that this character should retire. How can someone be such a depressive downer, and still work?
I can stay home and be bummed out. This was not for me.
And truthfully! I've read too many authors over the years that make Iceland awful! I'm done!
I think that Iceland would probably be so much better than these massive depressed imaginings!

Thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and Minotaur Books for the opportunity to read this compelling ARC. I had previously enjoyed a couple of this author's books and am a big fan of Nordic Noir, especially those with an Icelandic setting. I found the atmosphere to be cold and dark, like the personality of its new protagonist, retired Detective Konrad. It is both an in-depth character study and an intensive police procedural that made it slow-paced, as investigations into cold cases must be in real-life situations.

We learn that Konrad is a gloomy person, direct and abrupt with others. His father was harsh with him and abusive towards his mother. His mother left home with his sister, but he was forced to remain with his father, a criminal and used his son in some of his criminal schemes. Konrad's father was murdered years before, and that killing has never been solved. Konrad was bullied in school because of a withered arm. He learned to be brutal in revenge as a result. However, this disability did not prevent him from becoming an effective police officer. This handicap comes into the story towards the end.

His beloved wife died of cancer. He left the police force six years before to care for her and retired amidst his grief at her death. He feels guilty about being unfaithful to her with a co-worker. He denies being bored in his retirement but has not acquired a fulfilling pastime and only takes pleasure with visits with his grandchildren at his son's home.

Konrad has been haunted by a cold case he was never able to solve. Thirty years earlier, a businessman, Sigurvin, disappeared in 1985. His former partner, Hjaltain, was arrested on circumstantial evidence and a witness claiming he heard the two men arguing before his disappearance. Hjaltain was released due to inadequate proof of his involvement and always proclaimed his innocence. Konrad thought him guilty.

A group of German tourists have just discovered Sigurvin's body uncovered by melting ice in a glacier. The body has been perfectly preserved for thirty years. Forensic evidence points to murder. A police officer draws him reluctantly back into the case. She tells him that Hjaltain is back in prison and has requested to speak to him. Konrad agrees because he has always been bothered by the case and is bored. He hopes Hjaltain is prepared to confess to him. He is ordered not to get involved in the case beyond his interview with the imprisoned man. Hjaltain still professes his innocence, and Konrad is rude and unsympathetic to him during their encounter. He also pleads with Konrad to find the true culprit.

Konrad becomes more involved in the case after a woman visits him, requesting he find out who killed her brother, a man named Villi, in a hit and run in 2009. It becomes evident that the two cases may be connected. As a young boy, Villi encountered a strange man around the time and at the place where Sigurvin vanished. The man threatened the young boy that he would kill him if he ever spoke of his presence. His sister believes he was deliberately killed for what he witnessed as a child.

Konrad begins a slow, deliberate investigation as a private citizen and retired police officer, methodically uncovering clues. This involves questioning anyone involved in the earlier cases who are still alive, going through old files, and surveillance of suspects from his car. The book became slow-paced and tedious for me at this point, and there was a minimum of action. However, I felt this must be how attempts to solve cold cases must be in real life. Because Konrad does not have police authority to investigate, doors are slammed in his face if witnesses do not want to cooperate. The lead investigator from 1985 is a corrupt cop who is hostile towards him.

What is surprising is that many of the witnesses and suspects still have sharp and vivid memories after all that time. They recall things they did not reveal in the past or admit to giving false testimony. Konrad's investigation uncovered clues, such as acquaintances from a childhood Boy Scout troop, fraudulent spiritualism, liquor and drug smuggling, a vehicle demolition shop, forced statements, and a hidden stash of money. Can all these clues be tied together?

I was left wondering if the police will now reinstate Konrad in some capacity. The long-ago murder of his father is still unresolved, and will he continue to investigate it further? He is feeling some guilt about the imprisonment of Hjaltain, who has since died, protesting his innocence. Konrad also has a secret about his role in the act of recent revenge that cannot be uncovered. There is much to be resolved, and I am looking forward to the second book featuring Detective Konrad. Hopefully, this gruff, sad detective will show a glimmer of happiness in the next book in the series.
Recommended to those who like Nordic Noir and a slow-paced, detailed police procedural.

Thanks to Minotaur and Netgalley for the early copy of this in exchange for a review.

I was really intrigued with the setting of this one- Iceland. I loved the description of the landscape and the culture.

The story was a murder mystery with someone who had been missing for 30 years found preserved in a glacier. Soon the case reopens and a retired detective is back to figure it out.

I was a little bored with the story since murder mysteries aren’t quite my thing. Overall it’s a great story for people that are into that.

I’m a big fan of this author. I’ve read all of his novels that have been translated, and have considered learning Icelandic for the rest. His stories are more than whodunits, delving deeply into the lives and motivations of the suspects, victims and detectives. This seems to be a new series, but the main character is retired detective Konrad, from his Shadow District series. There are some throwbacks to those books, but this is a new story. Not unusually with Indridason, this is a very cold case. A man disappeared and his body didn’t turn up until thirty years later. Frozen in a glacier. This was probably Konrad’s biggest unsolved case so, even if he’s retired, he has to get involved. The author just has a gift, he weaves an intricate and unpredictable plot without relying on shocking twists. The investigation takes center stage. Out of all the great Nordic writers, Indridason is one of the best.
I chose to read this book and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased. Thank you, NetGalley/Yale University Press!

The first Detective Konrad mystery. A body is found at a glacier that turns out to be a man who went missing 30 years before. Konrad was the investigator on the case at the time of the disappearance. Konrad, now retired, is sucked back into finding out who murdered this man.

Usually I really enjoy Icelandic mysteries, but I found this one a slow burn with too many unresolved issues and a rather unsatisfying ending.

As a positive, there were some strong, well developed characters and as always with Icelandic mysteries, the story is very atmospheric.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is the first installment of a new series by established Icelandic mystery writer, Arnaldur Indridason. Widowed detective Konrad encounters a “cold case” several years into his retirement – literally, as the frozen corpse is spotted by tourists visiting a glacier. Thirty years prior the deceased, Sigurvin, had gone missing, but his body was never found. A business partner was arrested for murder and then released when nothing could be proven. Although Konrad is no longer on the force, his former colleagues share information with him as he revisits the evidence and witnesses from the past. (One curious detail: because of being frozen for 30 years, Sigurvin has not aged in appearance, unlike Konrad and the others.)

This is a “thinking” mystery, as opposed to high-speed chases and breakneck action. The setting and atmosphere add to the experience. The detective, while haunted (by the murder of his father and the cancer death of his wife), is not too dysfunctional. I would not mind spending more time in Konrad’s company, and Indridason has left enough loose ends to fill future books.

I love Icelandic mysteries and read this one concurrently with Egill Bjarnason’s nonfiction book, "How Iceland Changed the World." Hope to visit the island country sometime.