PBO.
Published by Orenda Books,
November 2017.
ISBN: 978-1-910633-80-9
November 2017.
ISBN: 978-1-910633-80-9
Sonja has been
snared into trafficking cocaine, and one last huge delivery will free her, but
Bragi, an Icelandic customs officer, is suspicious of this smartly dressed
frequent flyer ...
Set
in Reykjavik just after Iceland’s banking crash, this novel draws you instantly
into the worlds of the main characters. Sonja was divorced by her husband after
he found her in bed with another woman, Agla, and he has custody of their son –
the reason for Sonja’s desperation to get her life back on track. We also see
her fear and loathing of the criminal world she’s trapped in and meet the
people who don’t want to let her escape – the tiger scene is particularly
haunting.
Bragi
is almost at retirement age. His wife, Valdi, has slipped into dementia, and no
longer knows him, but he spends every moment he can with her at the nursing
home he fears mistreats her – her physical presence and his memories of her are
all that’s left of their life together. Agla, Sonja’s lover, is finding it hard
to come to terms with being gay, and she’s also under investigation in the
banking scandal, along with Sonja’s husband. The plotting is clever, and the
tension just keeps ratcheting up. The atmosphere of Iceland post-crash is
vividly evoked.
A
beautifully-crafted drug-crime novel with a pull-you-in plot and memorable
characters. Highly recommended
------
Lilja Sigurdardóttir an Icelandic
crime-writer was born in the town of Akranes in 1972 and raised in
Mexico, Sweden, Spain and Iceland. An award-winning playwright, Lilja has
written four crime novels, with Snare, the first in a new series, hitting
bestseller lists worldwide. The film rights have been bought by Palomar
Pictures in California. Lilja has a background in education and has worked
in evaluation and quality control for preschools in recent years. She
lives in Reykjavík with her partner.
Marsali Taylor grew up
near Edinburgh, and came to Shetland as a newly-qualified teacher. She is
currently a part-time teacher on Shetland's scenic west side, living with her
husband and two Shetland ponies. Marsali is a qualified STGA tourist-guide who is
fascinated by history, and has published plays in Shetland's distinctive
dialect, as well as a history of women's suffrage in Shetland. She's also a
keen sailor who enjoys exploring in her own 8m yacht, and an active member of
her local drama group. Marsali also does
a regular monthly column for the Mystery People e-zine.
Click on the title to read a review of her recent book Death
in Shetland Waters
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