Arctic Chill - Boek - Bantam Press - Internationaal

A dark-skinned young boy is found dead, frozen to the ground in a pool of his own blood. The boy's Thai half-brother is missing; is he implicated, or simply afraid for his own life? While fears increase that the murder could have been racially motivated, the police receive reports that a suspected paedophile has been spotted in the area. Detective Erlendur's investigation soon unearths the tension simmering beneath the surface of Iceland's outwardly liberal, multi-cultural society while the murder forces Erlendur to confront the tragedy in his own past.

The novel blends a stark crime narrative with a penetrating look at social issues in Iceland, as the investigation probes motives, loyalties and the shadows of a troubled history. The atmosphere is tense and morally intricate, inviting readers to question appearances and consider how prejudice and fear shape a community’s response to violence.

Features

• Detective Erlendur investigates a racially charged murder
• Missing Thai half-brother raises questions of involvement
• Suspected paedophile reported in the area
• Icelandic society and its underlying tensions explored
• Focus on past tragedy shaping present events
• 352 pages, published 2009 by Bantam Press