Silence of the Grave (Reykjavik Murder Mysteries, No. 2)

I'm not a big fan of this genre. In fact, the only reason I read this book was because they were available, and I was out of other reading material. I was pleasantly surprised to find myself completely engrossed from start to finish. The characters are all disturbingly flawed; haunted by their own personal demons, yet somehow managing to unravel a long-forgotten series of crimes. I imagine that crime fiction aficionados would find even more to love in this well-written, thought-provoking story.

In the award winning "Silence of the Grave", Arnaldur Indridason again demonstrates that he's an extremely accomplished crime drama author. This excellent novel intertwines two stories from the past and the present surrounding a police investigation conducted by Reykjavik inspector Erlendur and his team. During construction in the elite Millenium Quarter on the outskirts of Reykjavik, human remains were discovered. Construction was halted and an archeologic team was brough in to work the site and remove the skeleton. Meanwhile in flashback fashion Indridason relates a story of a family who lived in the Milennium Quarter area back around the time of World WarII in a long gone chalet. The family of two sons and a daughter who was both physically and mentally disabled by a childhood bout of meningitis, was subjected to despicable and disturbing domestic violence. The nurturing mother was beaten severely and regularly by her monstrous husband who was playing out his sadistic inner demons by ruining her life. As the novel progresses the two stories begin to meld. Indridason is terrific in his ability to develope the character of Erlendur who struggles with his personal life. A large ago divorce estranged him from his children. His daughter Eva Lind a long time drug addict who is seven month pregnant was found after being missing lying in a pool of blood. She is now resting in a coma in a local hospital. Her infirmity resulted in an unfortunate meeting with his banshee like ex-wife whose still simmering hatred for Erlendur resulted in a hurtful encounter. Indridason delves deeply into Elendur's personality giving us insight into where his motivations have evolved from.

I just finished reading 3 books (in 3.5 days) by a wonderful author I've recently discovered: Arnaldur Indridason & he's Icelandic. The 3 books that have been translated into English are: JAR CITY (2004), SILENCE OF THE GRAVE (2005) & VOICES (2006). Two more are scheduled for release late next year and I can hardly wait!!! It's truly a fascinating read and it pulled me in FAST, drawing me to the next novel and then the next at a pretty fast clip. There's not the kind of action, drama, gruesomeness that is in many crime/thriller novels these days. There is a feeling that you accompany the detectives on their journey to a resolution. You can feel the cold, see the landscape, experience the smells and the warmth of a fire! It's like watching a foreign movie. You're drawn into an interplay with the characters as they evolve. If Arnaldur Indridson's books were made into movies, they'd need Alfred Hitchcock as the director. Both can (could) tease you with fear that's been subtly created. I can't say enough. Check this author out yourself.

If you're a fan of crime fiction and well-plotted mysteries, and are on the lookout for a fresh new face in a crowded genre, then you'll be doing yourself a favor by trying Arnaldur Indridason and his captivating "Silence of the Grave". Back from last year's "Jar City" is Erlendur Sveinsson, the jaded Reykjavik police detective plodding bitterly though a life of regrets. A skeleton is found while excavating a new housing project, quickly determined to be decades old, and assumed a murder victim. With a supporting cast of eccentric archeologists and his own quirky investigative team, Erlender gets to the bottom of a gut-wrenching tale of domestic violence and child abuse. A word of warning - this is some tough material. Any idyllic views of a society tolerant to drug use may be shocked into sensibility with the author's unapologetic portrayal of life among the needles and crack vials. And Erlender is about as bleak a character as the barren Icelander setting in which he is cast - the subject matter adding to a general air of depression and despair. But this is powerful noir fiction, only heightened by the dark setting, as Indridason's prose captures the unique Scandinavian brand of fatalism. The mystery is tightly wound and fully engaging, taking more than a few twists along the way before reaching a cleverly poignant conclusion. In the end, a haunting tale of revenge with little redemption - a novel that you'll not easily forget. Clearly one of the year's best - don't miss it.