Cold as Hell by Lilja Sigurdardóttir translated by Quentin Bates

Áróra returns to Iceland when her estranged sister goes missing, and her search leads to places she could never have imagined. A chilling, tense thriller – FIRST in an addictive, nerve-shattering new series – from one of Iceland’s bestselling authors…

Icelandic sisters Áróra and Ísafold live in different countries and aren‘t on speaking terms, but when their mother loses contact with Ísafold, Áróra reluctantly returns to Iceland to find her sister. But she soon realizes that her sister isn’t avoiding her … she has disappeared, without trace.

As she confronts Ísafold’s abusive, drug-dealing boyfriend Björn, and begins to probe her sister’s reclusive neighbours – who have their own reasons for staying out of sight – Áróra is led into an ever-darker web of intrigue and manipulation.

Baffled by the conflicting details of her sister’s life, and blinded by the shiveringly bright midnight sun of the Icelandic summer, Áróra enlists the help of police officer Daníel, as she tries to track her sister’s movements, and begins to tail Björn – but she isn’t the only one watching…

Slick, tense, atmospheric and superbly plotted, Cold as Hell marks the start of a riveting, addictive new series from one of Iceland’s bestselling crime writers.

I read my purchased copy of Cold as Hell ahead of my review being shared as part of the blog tour. My thanks to Anne Cater of Random Things Blog Tours for the opportunity to join the Cold as Hell tour.

Áróra and Ísafold are sisters but they do not get on. It’s been several years since the pair spoke, Áróra lives in England, while Ísafold prefers Iceland. But Ísafold has fallen off the grid – she has not been in contact with her mother who is worried about what may have happened. Áróra is called – get to Iceland, find your sister.

The fact Ísafold is missing does not immediately concern Áróra but she takes herself to Iceland and is soon at Ísafold’s house. Her partner is not remotely interested in helping Áróra and doesn’t even care where Ísafold may be – she is not there and that seems enough for him. His dismissive behaviour perplexes Áróra and when she speaks with her mother after this encounter she doesn’t appear to have much of an idea how to track her sister. But mum’s can be full of good ideas and she recommends Áróra seek out an investigator (Daniel) who may be able to lend his support and skills. Giving up is not an option.

So an investigation is unofficially launched with Áróra and Daniel digging deeper and uncovering secrets.

There is a second distraction for Áróra though. She has met a guy in Iceland and while the two are in his hotel room she discovers his father owns the hotel. Áróra also realises she is naked in bed with a man who has just left prison and she has no idea what crime may have been committed to put him there. She flees into the night fearing for her safety but it subsequently transpires her new acquiantance had been charged with financial crime. This is of deep interest to Áróra who wants to know more about this man and the crimes he committed.

I cannot get enough of Financial Crime stories and I love that Lilja Sigurdardóttir features some wickedly clever financial scams in each of her books. The crashing of the global economies in 2008, when financial markets took a hit around the world, was particularly hard on Iceland – seeing the continued manipulation of financial issues in stories set in Iceland does make each of the crimes Lilja Sigurdardóttir writes about seem more cruel than may otherwise have been the case. But I do still love reading them.

I am reading more translated fiction these days than I have ever done at any previous time in my life. This is only possible through the work of all the translators who have a command of language far beyond anything I could ever hope to achive. Their hard work and diligence brings stories like Cold as Hell to my bookshelves and I get to enjoy books which would otherwise be strangers to me. You may note that this review has been titled to include Quentin Bates as translator; going forward I plan to always show the translator when reading a text not originally written in English.

In the case of Cold as Hell I love how Quentin Bates conveys the tone and emotion of the story. Áróra’s initial frustration at her mother’s concern over her sister’s disappearance. Her own bemusement at the reaction she recieves in Iceland from Björn when he does not seem to have any interest in the whereabouts of the woman he lived with for three years. Then the more subtle fascination Áróra has with Daniel as she outlines why she is worred about Ísafold. With those subtle indicators of emotion and intrigue I become more drawn to all the players in this game, they are not binary “good guy, bad guy” characters, there are shades of emotions, subtle deceptions and telling tics and Quentin Bates brings them all through to give the story the nuance I seek.

Cold as Hell builds the layers of mystery and dead end investigations but you are drawn along with the story. Nothing is quite what it seems and Lilja Sigurdardóttir is masterly in her weaving of layers to everyone’s story. Add in the whole financial crime element and I was more than happy to be lost in this story.

Cold as Hell is published by Orenda Books and is available in paperback, digital and audiobook format. You can order a copy here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B08WRJXYGY/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i0

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October 27

Betrayal – Lilja Sigurdardóttir

When aid worker Úrsula returns to Iceland for a new job, she’s drawn into the dangerous worlds of politics, corruption and misogyny … a powerful, relevant, fast-paced standalone thriller.

Burned out and traumatised by her horrifying experiences around the world, aid worker Úrsula has returned to Iceland. Unable to settle, she accepts a high-profile government role in which she hopes to make a difference again.

But on her first day in the post, Úrsula promises to help a mother seeking justice for her daughter, who had been raped by a policeman, and life in high office soon becomes much more harrowing than Úrsula could ever have imagined. A homeless man is stalking her – but is he hounding her, or warning her of some danger? And why has the death of her father in police custody so many years earlier reared its head again?

As Úrsula is drawn into dirty politics, facing increasingly deadly threats, the lives of her stalker, her bodyguard and even a witch-like cleaning lady intertwine. Small betrayals become large ones, and the stakes are raised ever higher…

My thanks to Orenda Books for a review copy of Betrayal and to Anne Cater of Random Things Blog Tours for the opportunity to join the Betrayal blog tour.

When I first started this blog I had no expectation around where it may lead. I used to read quite a lot of books each week but would stick to familiar authors and got caught up in too many ongoing series but I didn’t really push myself into trying titles I would not normally have considered. To keep my blog fun for myself, I promised myself that I would try to bring myself out of my reading comfort zone and try new authors or consider reading books I would never likely have been aware of.

Why am I telling you this? Today’s review is the 800th post on Grab This Book – it is for an Icelandic political thriller and I am quite confident this is not a book which would have been on my radar had I not spent the last six years on the fringes of crime fiction’s blogging community. I would have missed out on this (and many other) great thrillers and it would mean I would not be encouraging more people to read Betrayal and enter the seemingly dark world of Icelandic politics.

Thanks for keeping me company over the last 800 blog posts. Regular readers will know that I have featured many books by the newly annointed winner of the Best Crime/Thriller Publisher Dagger Award – Orenda Books. When I am looking for stories which take me into new reading territories then the Orenda library is easily the best place to begin looking. “Mama Orenda”, Karen Sullivan has a phenomonal ability to find the most powerful authors and get incredible stories into the hands of readers.

To Betrayal: the story begins with Úrsula, who is being lined up to take a ministerial post in the Icelandic government. She is not affiliated with any party but both sides of the political divide agree she is a great neutral candidate to step into post. Always up for a challenge the former aid worker is putting warzones behind her to return home but is she stepping into a new type of conflict?

Úrsula has to find her feet quickly but her department seems well run and she can rely upon the support of her staff. On her first day a distressed mother appeals to Úrsula to assist with a rape case – her daughter was attacked by a police officer but her attempts for justice and a fair hearing for her daughter has gone nowhere.

Outside her office and without her knowledge a streetsleeper has recognised Úrsula and is determined to ensure she understands she has allied with “the Devil”. He will stalk her and find ways to leave messages for Úrsula and her initial decision to decline a ministerial car and bodyguard appear to be serious mistakes.

We also get to spend chapters in the company of some other interesting characters. First there is Úrsula’s bodyguard who is dealing with online attacks against his new boss and a jealous girlfriend at home. Then we have Úrsula’s smoking buddy; a cleaner at the ministry who may also be a witch but is certainly a party goer who winds up matchmaking for a TV newsreader. There is also Úrsula’s family, her colleagues and a journalist who is paying her lots of attention.

With so many plates spinning for Úrsula and story threads woven by Lilja Sigurdardóttir to keep her readers hooked you will find Betrayal spins along at a cracking pace. There’s always something to keep you wanting to read more and I was somewhat bereft when I reached the end of the book and realised my time with these engaging characters was over.

Betrayal is published by Orenda Books and is available in digital and paperback. You can order a copy here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Betrayal-Lilja-Sigurdard%C3%B3ttir-ebook/dp/B088671XP2/ref=sr_1_5?dchild=1&qid=1603730427&refinements=p_27%3ALilja+Sigurdard%C3%B3ttir&s=digital-text&sr=1-5&text=Lilja+Sigurdard%C3%B3ttir

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March 3

Cage and Fatal Forgery – Listening to Financial Crime

A Double Whammy of Audiobook Reviews today. As I work in financial services I particularly enjoy financial crime stories so when I recently listened to two such tales back-to-back it seemed appropriate to review them together too.

Cage – Lilja Sigurdarottir

Drugs, smuggling, big money and political intrigue in Iceland rally with love, passion, murder and betrayal until the winner takes all…in the masterful, explosive conclusion to the award-winning Reykjavík Noir trilogy.

The prison doors slam shut behind Agla when her sentence ends, but her lover Sonja is not there to meet her.

As a group of foreign businessmen tries to draw Agla into an ingenious fraud that stretches from Iceland around the world, Agla and her former nemesis María find the stakes being raised at a terrifying speed.

Ruthless drug baron Ingimar will stop at nothing to protect his empire, but he has no idea about the powder keg he is sitting on in his own home.

At the same time, a deadly threat to Sonya and her family brings her from London back to Iceland, where she needs to settle scores with longstanding adversaries if she wants to stay alive.

With a shocking crescendo, the lives of these characters collide, as drugs, smuggling, big money and political intrigue rally with love, passion, murder and betrayal until the winner takes all…in the masterful, explosive conclusion to the award-winning Reykjavík Noir trilogy.

My thanks to Karen Sullivan of Orenda Books who kindly provided a copy of the audiobook for me to enjoy.

Cage completes a trilogy – Snare and Trap are the first two books. Reading Trap and Snare will provide character back-story and set a scene but Cage is very much a title which could be enjoyed as a stand-alone read.

Both Snare and Trap focus on Sonya, she is the mother of a young boy who will do anything to keep her son safe, however, she is also one of the most effective drug smugglers in Iceland and lives a dangerous life. Those books are both wonderfully tense, unexpectedly shocking and Sonya is a great lead character. Cage shifts focus from Sonya to her sometime partner Agla. I was not expecting Sonya to be moved out of the limelight to the extent she was, but Agla is such a fascinating character and I was fully on-board with the change.

As Cage opens Agla is in prison but her release date looms. It is a daunting prospect for her and returning readers see how different this once confident individual has been changed as a consequence of her incarceration. Agla had expected to leave prison and be met by Sonya, but their relationship changed suddenly when Sonya had fled – seemingly unable to commit to a life with Agla. The rejection hurt Agla badly and her recovery and new reality are explored through the story.

Prior to her release, Agla had been approached by a senior executive of a large firm who wanted to recruit Agla (off radar) for her talent at financial manipulation and her ability to devise solutions around tough regulations. The challenge? To investigate unusual market practices in the aluminium markets.

Agla recruits an old adversary – Maria – to assist. Maria had once poured her energies into exposing Agla as a criminal but now her life has also been turned upside down. She is making a living as a journalist exposing corruption and bad practices. She reluctantly helps Agla and soon finds herself alone and imprisoned at the mercy of unknown agents.

Can Agla and Maria uncover the elaborate financial market manipulations? Will Sonya finally get the respite she seeks? And how does a young teen with a crate of dynamite and a desire to change the world fit into the story?

An explosive and powerful book which I utterly adored. The audiobook is brilliantly narrated (best recording of the trilogy) and the hours flew by as I listened.

Highly recommended.

Cage is published by Orenda Books and is available in paperback, digital and audiobook format. You can order a copy here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07QW4C2SN/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i0

Fatal Forgery – Susan Grossey

It is 1824, and trust in the virtual money of the day – new paper financial instruments – is so fragile that anyone forging them is sent to the scaffold. So why would one of London’s most respected bankers start forging his clients’ signatures? Sent to arrest Henry Fauntleroy, Constable Samuel Plank is determined to find out why the banker has risked his reputation, his banking house and his neck – and why he is so determined to plead guilty. As the case makes its way through the Regency justice system, exercising the finest legal minds of their generation and dividing London society into the banker’s supporters and detractors, Plank races against time to find the answers that can save Fauntleroy’s life.

I put out a shout on Twitter for audiobook recommendations and got a lot of excellent recommendations. Although I only had scope to pick up one or two of the suggestions at the time I was drawn to Susan Grossey’s Fatal Forgery (as the day-job is in financial services). The premise of a banker pleading guilty to fraud when the penalty of his actions led to the hangman’s noose was ticking all the right buttons.

The story begins in 1824 and we are in the company of Constable Samuel Plank. These are the days before a London police force was fully established but Plank and colleagues do maintain law and order and work with magistrates to keep the streets safe. Well that’s a relative measure but they maintained a degree of discipline. It is clear Plank is well respected, he can apply reason and sound decision making and he is not one to have his head turned by the offer of a coin or two.

Indeed it is coins which are at the heart of this story as Plank is caught up in the disturbing case of a banker (Fauntleroy) who has failed to properly act in the true interests of his customers and traded stock and dividends without their knowledge. The semantics and methods used by Fauntleroy are nicely explained by the author and although I have an awareness of most of the terminology used I am quite sure those outside financial circles would have no trouble understanding how the crimes had been committed. Forgery is a phrase which carries over many generations!

The story follows the investigation. The social unrest and outcry (bankers were most trusted in 1824). We also get a court case and there is a great social history aspect to the story too. Susan Grossey does a marvelous job in depicting Regency London and gives the reader a splendid insight into how life may have been.

Narration duties are handled by Guy Hanson and he was very listenable. I repeat it often but the narrator can make or break the audiobook experience and Mr Hanson very much made Fatal Forgery a most entertaining addition to my listening library. There are further titles in the series and I fully intend to pick them up over the coming weeks.

Fatal Forgery is available in paperback, digital and audiobook formats and you can order a copy here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Fatal-Forgery/dp/B01LBBXQ2U/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=fatal+forgery&qid=1582408083&s=books&sr=1-1

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March 12

Trap – Lilja Sigurdardóttir

Happily settled in Florida, Sonja believes she’s finally escaped the trap set by unscrupulous drug lords. But when her son Tomas is taken, she’s back to square one … and Iceland.

Her lover, Agla, is awaiting sentencing for financial misconduct after the banking crash, and Sonja refuses to see her. And that’s not all … Agla owes money to some extremely powerful men, and they’ll stop at nothing to get it back.

With her former nemesis, customs officer Bragi, on her side, Sonja puts her own plan into motion, to bring down the drug barons and her scheming ex-husband, and get Tomas back safely. But things aren’t as straightforward as they seem, and Sonja finds herself caught in the centre of a trap that will put all of their lives at risk…

Set in a Reykjavík still covered in the dust of the Eyjafjallajökull volcanic eruption, and with a dark, fast-paced and chilling plot and intriguing characters, Trap is an outstandingly original and sexy Nordic crime thriller, from one of the most exciting new names in crime fiction.

I received a copy of the audiobook from the publisher, Orenda Books, so I could provide a review.

Last week I attended the Orenda Roadshow in Edinburgh and during the course of the evening we were treated to Lilja Sigurdardóttir reading from Trap. She read a passage about a dream her lead character, Sonia, was having and it was beautifully haunting. But Sonia explains it was a potent of troubled times ahead and, unfortunately for Sonia, she was right.

Sonia is a drug smuggler. She had tried to flee her native Iceland with her young son, Tomas, as she hoped to start a new life for herself away from the drugs and her ex-husband (it was her ex that arranged the shipments she had to smuggle).

For Sonia her freedom will be short lived and she finds herself back in Iceland with access to her son being withheld from her. If she wants any time with Tomas then she needs to start bringing drugs back into Iceland.

Sonia’s life is complex and fraught with tension. She crosses paths with some disreputable characters who add a wonderful depth to her trials. Her lover, Agla, is a financial genius who uses her talents to exploit loopholes and deceive the authorities to increase her personal gain. Agla has previously come unstuck and is waiting for sentencing for crimes committed prior to the 2008 Global Financial Crisis (an event which caused her good work to come undone).

Agla worked with Sonia’s husband and is more than a little happy to have won Sonia’s affections away from the man who is in part to blame for the predicament she finds herself in. This triangle of strong characters is fascinating as circumstances through the story change their attitude towards each other – the evolving dynamics making for great (and frustrating) interchanges.

The networks of crooks are terrific supporting characters. The drug runners. The suppliers. The financial criminals. Each faction have their pawns who also feed into the story and these pawns all hold some small power over their masters as one wrong word at the wrong time could bring an end to the best laid plans – that could mean prison time for Sonia or Agla. Readers feel the tension which the author builds into the schemes her characters have to develop to achieve their goals.

The events in Trap seem to propel Sonia from one crisis to another. The scenes where she is planning her travels (with cargo) build up to hugely tense set pieces as she risks discovery at customs checks. I felt I was living the fears she was experiencing, so caught up in the story was I!

Narration duties are a vital part of audiobook enjoyment and the pleasing news was that Trap was one of the best Nordic thrillers I have listened to. The story is wonderfully delivered by Suzannah Hampton who was a delight to listen to each day. The original text was translated to English by Quentin Bates and he gives Suzannah Hampton a terrific script to read from.

It should come as no surprise to find that I really enjoyed the time I spent with Trap. While the focus is mainly on the drug smuggling, I work in Financial Services so Agla’s story of financial misdemeanors was particularly enjoyable. More books featuring Sonia and Agla would be most welcome – particularly if they are even half as good as Trap.

Trap is published by Orenda Books and is available in paperback, digital and audiobook format. You can order a copy here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Trap-Reykjavik-Trilogy-Lilja-Sigurdardottir/dp/1912374358/ref=sr_1_fkmrnull_1?crid=GW14M3BASK6M&keywords=trap+lilja+sigurdardottir&qid=1552416298&s=gateway&sprefix=trap+lil%2Caps%2C143&sr=8-1-fkmrnull

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