Jar City
Book description
An old man is found murdered in his Reykjavik flat.
A cryptic note and a photograph of a young girl's grave are left behind.
DID THE DEAD MAN'S PAST COME BACK TO HAUNT HIM?
Inspector Erlendur discovers that several decades ago the victim was accused, but not convicted, of an…
Why read it?
2 authors picked Jar City as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?
Reykjavik Police Inspector Erlendur and his associate, Sigurdur Oli, are sent to investigate the murder of an old man bashed with an ashtray. They soon uncover his sordid past, in which he was accused of rape. Traipsing from clue to clue, interviewing tangential witnesses, they learn more about why he was killed and eventually discover the perpetrator, whose life was tragically altered by the actions of the murdered man. Erlendur and Oli are like the Odd Couple but complement each other in their work. The title refers to the practice of keeping organs in jars for medical research, which figures…
From P.M.'s list on Scandinavian writers to get acquainted with.
Another work of fiction, (in fact, another Icelandic Noir), this book explores modern ramifications of Nordic kinship relationships and the limited Icelandic gene pool. It has a tremendous sense of place and is deeply wintry and claustrophobic. An unsettling mystery by a modern master of the form.
From Elizabeth's list on understanding the Viking mindset and relationship with the world.
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