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Silence of the Grave The Reykjavik Murder Mysteries Arnaldur Indridason Bernard Scudder 9780312340711 Books

Download As PDF : Silence of the Grave The Reykjavik Murder Mysteries Arnaldur Indridason Bernard Scudder 9780312340711 Books

Silence of the Grave The Reykjavik Murder Mysteries Arnaldur Indridason Bernard Scudder 9780312340711 Books

Like others in the Erlendur series, this is a character-driven mystery with deep psychological undertones and more than one narrative stream. The novel begins with a baby chewing on a human bone and shortly thereafter a skeleton is found underneath a house. The big questions are who does this skeleton belong to and why is it buried in a construction site. As the novel progresses, these questions are explored and slowly answered.

One of the protagonists in this book is a battered woman who is repeatedly and violently abused by her husband. Domestic violence is graphically portrayed and very accurately rendered. As a clinical social worker who has dealt with domestic violence many times in my career, I applaud Arnaldur Indridason for his in-depth portrayal of the victim, perpetrator, and children. The cycle of abuse is addressed along with the fear, trauma, and impact on the family.

As in other books in this series, Erlendur continues to deal with his own guilt and shame resulting from his brother's death when they were both children. Erlendur and his brother were both caught in a freak snowstorm in rural Iceland and became separated. His brother's body was never found and Erlendur blames himself for his brother's death.

Erlendur also feels guilty about how his two adult children turned out. After he divorced his ex-wife when his children were toddlers, he was denied custody and did nothing to try and see his children. Now they are adults and have sought him out. His daughter is a pregnant drug addict and his son has almost nothing to do with him.

The novel meshes two stories, both about family secrets and the shame, secrecy and silence that these secrets mandate. The author does a wonderful job exploring the psychological under-currents of the crime and the different ways that families deal with shame and denial. If you like Scandinavian noir, this is a great series.


Tags : Silence of the Grave (The Reykjavik Murder Mysteries) [Arnaldur Indridason, Bernard Scudder] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. <DIV><DIV>“Now Iceland has its own Mankell.”<BR>---Holger Kreitling, <I>Die Welt</I> (Germany)<BR><BR>Last year <I>Jar</I><I> </I><I>City</I> introduced international crime-writing sensation Arnaldur Indridason to rave reviews and a rousing welcome from American thriller fans. And now,Arnaldur Indridason, Bernard Scudder,Silence of the Grave (The Reykjavik Murder Mysteries),Minotaur Books,0312340710,mon0000021945,Erlendur Sveinsson (Fictitious character);Fiction.,Mystery fiction.,Reykjavik (Iceland);Fiction.,Erlendur Sveinsson (Fictitious character),Fiction,Fiction - Mystery Detective,Fiction Mystery & Detective Police Procedural,Fiction-Mystery & Detective,GENERAL,General Adult,Iceland,MYSTERY AND SUSPENSE FICTION,Monograph Series, any,Mystery & Detective - Police Procedural,Mystery & DetectiveInternational Mystery & Crime,MysterySuspense,Noir,Reykjavik (Iceland),ThrillersSuspense,United States,Western Europe

Silence of the Grave The Reykjavik Murder Mysteries Arnaldur Indridason Bernard Scudder 9780312340711 Books Reviews

I have to say, this guy is a writer on par with Raymond Chandler, that other master of the Noir genre. The translator was no slouch, either. I wasn't left with the feeling that something was missing, although I think a glossary of Icelandic terms used in the book would have helped. However, I was able to infer what was meant by many of the terms by the context, or it became clear with further reading of the book.

The story spans a 70-year period in Iceland, from World War II to the turn of this century. The novel starts with a scene of a children's birthday party, where a baby is chewing on what looks like a white stone. An observant medical student takes notice, and upon inspection, he realizes it's actually a human rib bone. A search for the grave ensues by the birthday guests and the birthday boy's mother. The police are called, and that's how Erlendur gets involved in the case.

The story involves graphic scenes of domestic violence. While there aren't graphic depictions of physical violence against children, the verbal abuse is pretty awful. Erlendur's daughter is a drug user, so that life is depicted as well.

The writing was so good, that I was swept up in the story, even though on an emotional level, it wasn't easy reading. The plot jumps back and forth between the turn of the millennium and the American occupation of Iceland during World War II. This period of history especially interested me, because my mother spent part of World War II in Iceland, when she was prevented from returning to her native Norway by the Nazi occupation of that country. It was a fascinating period of time in Iceland's history, because they were in danger of being invaded by the Nazis and the allied troops were there to protect them. Along with the influx of soldiers, came a housing shortage, which resulted in some strange living arrangements for people, such as the family in the book.

More than that, I don't want to say, because I don't want to spoil the plot for anyone. But lovers of Scandinavian crime fiction, or "Ice Noir" as I like to call it (still hoping that term will catch on!) will enjoy this book, as will anyone who enjoys a good mystery that is well-written.
Utterly captivating. Thrilling, in that two stories, which appear to be separate, come gradually together. At the book raises tantalizing questions, then, in the end, provides answers that are truly earned and satisfying. Indridason’s prose is unadorned and forthright; a perfect structure upon which to hold up, display and make clear this remarkably engrossing story. The characters are vivid, human, complex and, particularly for such a grim story, delightful. The story is filled with surprises that reveal themselves with the same care and respect utilized by the lead archeologist who unearths the stumbled-upon skeleton. While certain details are hard to believe today, this is a period story. Well, half of it is. The hardship with which many people had to live in Iceland in the years covering WWII is devestating. Yet the author leaves us with a feeling of hope. Of justice done and future happiness. A dazzling accomplishment. The author’s empathy raises this tale of woe into something quite cathartic and satisfying. I thank him for that. Reading this book was a true pleasure. Difficult for those characters, for which you care a great deal, who had to suffer in ways that seem truly barbaric now, but we are left with lightness, with deft conclusions and hope for the future. A truly honest, devastating, fascinating and, yes, entertaining experience.
Like others in the Erlendur series, this is a character-driven mystery with deep psychological undertones and more than one narrative stream. The novel begins with a baby chewing on a human bone and shortly thereafter a skeleton is found underneath a house. The big questions are who does this skeleton belong to and why is it buried in a construction site. As the novel progresses, these questions are explored and slowly answered.

One of the protagonists in this book is a battered woman who is repeatedly and violently abused by her husband. Domestic violence is graphically portrayed and very accurately rendered. As a clinical social worker who has dealt with domestic violence many times in my career, I applaud Arnaldur Indridason for his in-depth portrayal of the victim, perpetrator, and children. The cycle of abuse is addressed along with the fear, trauma, and impact on the family.

As in other books in this series, Erlendur continues to deal with his own guilt and shame resulting from his brother's death when they were both children. Erlendur and his brother were both caught in a freak snowstorm in rural Iceland and became separated. His brother's body was never found and Erlendur blames himself for his brother's death.

Erlendur also feels guilty about how his two adult children turned out. After he divorced his ex-wife when his children were toddlers, he was denied custody and did nothing to try and see his children. Now they are adults and have sought him out. His daughter is a pregnant drug addict and his son has almost nothing to do with him.

The novel meshes two stories, both about family secrets and the shame, secrecy and silence that these secrets mandate. The author does a wonderful job exploring the psychological under-currents of the crime and the different ways that families deal with shame and denial. If you like Scandinavian noir, this is a great series.