Murderous Travels: This Month Daniela M. Hartinger takes us to Iceland.

Velkomin á Íslandi! Welcome to Iceland, my dear travel companions, one of the most secure destinations on the planet. Since 2008, Iceland has consistently ranked first on the Global Peace Index due to its robust political structure, infrequency of natural disasters, and low levels of crime. It is not uncommon for an entire year to pass without a single homicide case, and it wasn't until 2013 that the country saw its first death at the hands of a police officer in its history.

It may seem like a dull location for crime fiction enthusiasts, but don’t worry! Surprisingly, this haven in the North Atlantic, with a population of roughly 320,000, has yielded an above-average number of crime fiction writers. Like authors from other Scandinavian countries, Icelandic crime writers have achieved great success in the international market, and their books have been translated into numerous languages.

Iceland's breath-taking and diverse terrain, harsh and lengthy winters, extreme weather patterns, and secluded location create a mysterious atmosphere that serves as a perfect setting for intriguing and scenic crime novels Icelandic crime authors may need to fictionally raise the homicide rate in their country, but they can draw on a variety of very real social issues for inspiration.

For a detailed discussion, let’s have a drink in the island’s capital, Reykjavík. Across from the famous Church of Hallgrímur, there is a quaint café where we can sit and admire one of the city’s tallest buildings. Its unique curved spire and side wings make it easily recognisable.

One of the most famous Icelandic crime fiction authors is probably Arnaldur Indriðason. 
His most popular series, featuring the protagonist Inspector Erlendur, is set in Reykjavík. 
There are eleven books in this series,

Ragnar Jónasson
is the author of the “Dark Iceland” series, set in and around Siglufjörður, a small town in the far north of the island, tucked away behind mountains and accessible only by tunnel. There are six books in the series.

In Lilja Sigurðardóttir's “Rejkavik Noir” trilogy, the protagonist is Sonja, a mother who turns to cocaine smuggling to maintain custody of her child.

Yrsa Sigurðardóttir's crime novels also have a female
character at the centre, lawyer Þóra Guðmundsdóttir.

 

Eva Björg Ægisdóttir’s The Creak on the Stairs won the CWA John Creasey (New Blood) Dagger award for crime fiction and has since been dubbed the "Icelandic Ruth Rendell".

 

Those who appreciate a touch of humour in their mysteries might enjoy Hallgrimur Helgason’s The Hitman’s Guide to Housecleaning.

While these authors write from a native perspective, it’s equally interesting to
experience the country through the creative pen of outsiders.

Quentin Bates, for example, is not only the English translator of the above-mentioned Ragnar Jónasson and Lilja Sigurðardóttir novels but also the author of the “Detective Gunnhildur Mystery” series. 

Michael Ridpath’s crime novels featuring Icelandic-American detective Magnus Ragnarsson have been repeatedly reviewed on theMystery People blog,
and his latest book, Whale Fjord, is fresh off the press
(see p. 3 of the February 2024 issue).

Joachim B. Schmidt, a Swiss expat living in Iceland, has written Kalmann, an atmospheric crime thriller laced with humour. 

 

 

 

With our suitcases and backpacks brimming with book recommendations, it’s about time we explore all the stunning locations that could serve as a backdrop for a (completely imaginary) murder scene.

Located in the southern area of Vatnajökull National Park, Jökulsárlón is a massive glacial lake marking the end of a glacier. Its shoreline has earned the nickname "Diamond Beach" due to the enormous icebergs resting on its black sand and serves as a fitting final resting place for…?

While visiting Vatnajökull National Park, why not take the opportunity to explore a glacier cave? As we enter the otherworldly realm of frozen water, we can appreciate the breath-takingly blue hue of the ice (did you know about this?). However, when we turn a corner, we see …a frozen body.

Home to countless spectacular waterfalls, Iceland offers a wide array of options for visitors. Among them, my personal favourite is Seljalandsfoss.  Be sure to wear your waterproof jackets and keep your beloved murder mystery books safe. A small cave behind the waterfall, accessible by foot, makes for a perfect photo spot. But what if not all visitors have made it back out into the daylight?

Last but not least, the ultimate place for disposing of aninconvenient corpse is probably a lava field. As author Eva Björg Ægisdóttir explains in an interview with her German publisher, a lava field serves as the ideal hiding spot, especially when it comes to murder. It is not uncommon for people to disappear without a trace in the vast and treacherous lava fields. It's almost as if the earth swallows them whole, leaving no evidence behind. How about a haunting mystery that remains unsolved, with only an abandoned backpack found amid the desolate landscape or a questionable suicide note as potential leads?

Let your imaginations run wild or continue this mental journey through gripping and intriguing mystery novels set in Iceland.

Until next time, and happy reading!

Photo credits:
Reykjavik’s church via Wikimedia Commons;
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Reykjavik%27s_church.jpg
Seljalandsfoss © Diego Delso, via Wikimedia Commons;

Daniela M. Hartinger grew up raiding the shelves of her local library for children’s detective novels and ended up devouring Agatha Christie and the like. She has combined her literary passion with her enthusiasm for foreign languages to work as a freelance book translator.
She also dabbles with writing and can’t resist a bar of chocolate – which, nowadays, she must share with her ever-hungry toddler son.

 www.danielahartinger.com