‘Murder at the Residence’ by Stella Blomkvist

Published by Corylus Books Ltd,
28 August 2023.
ISBN: 978-1-73929892-0) (PB)

This is a story set in Iceland at the end of the financial crisis in 2008/9.  It is New Year, and a notorious financier is found beaten to death after a high-profile reception at the President's residence.  The body is found in a church and the dead man has been beaten with candlesticks stolen from the church.  The police are certain they have the killer - a young drug mule - but  maverick lawyer Stella Blomkvist is determined to get to the truth as she is not convinced the man in custody is the killer.  She is also concerned with the disappearance of a young stripper from one of Reykjavik's more seedier districts. 

Additionally, there is the issue of an old man's dying request to find his lost daughter.  Stella is an unusual character and her swearing and sexual innuendos might not be to everyone's taste.  Certainly, I feel the text needs attention and perhaps a re-edit and the translation from the original Icelandic is quite clunky at times. 

For a British reader the extensive use of Icelandic names of people and places might be problematic, and I felt a character list at the beginning of the book would have helped with the identification of the many characters. 

The story line however is fascinating, and I was interested to learn more about how devasting the financial crash was on Iceland and its financial situation and political upheavals. 
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Reviewer: Toni Russell

Stella Blómkvist 's books name have been a bestselling series in Iceland since the first book appeared in the 1990s and has attracted an international audience since the TV series starring Heiða Reed aired.  The books have been published under a pseudonym that still hasn’t been cracked. There's hardly a writer, journalist or other media figure in Iceland who hasn't at some point been under speculation as being the mysterious author of this hard-hitting series – and the name of at least one former Prime Minister has also been suggested.  The question of Stella Blómkvist’s identity is one that crops up regularly, but it looks like it’s going to remain a mystery…

Toni Russell is a retired teacher who has lived in London all her life and loves the city.  She says, ‘I enjoy museums, galleries and the theatre but probably my favourite pastime is reading.  I found myself reading detective fiction almost for the first time during lockdown and have particularly enjoyed old fashioned detective fiction rather than the nordic noir variety.  I am a member of a book club at the local library and have previously attended literature classes at our local Adult Education Centre.  I am married with three children and five grandchildren.