I return to Icelandic Noir by reading Betrayal by Lilja Sigurdardottir
Betrayal – the blurb
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
Runes, Molly and Ebola
I loved the Reykjavik Noir series by Sigurdardottir and was excited to see what standalone Betrayal would bring to the table. It’s an eclectic mix of Ebola backstory, witchery and politics with a strong sense of setting. Add to it a twisting, turning plot and you have a read you can storm through. Ursula is not quite Snare’s Sonja (Reykjavik Noir), but she has clearly been through a lot and is in a role of considerable power. Whilst all of the chief suspects were men (in fact was there any male who wasn’t potentially a suspect?) I was disappointed that the other women in the story were all weak, There was Eva, always on hand with a fresh blouse. Stella, the cleaner who sold trash and even the girlfriend of Gunnar whose name I can’t remember who seemed to be present just to prove what a patient guy Gunnar was. And was it me or was Greta, the only other female who had any sort of profession, constantly referred to as overweight? Rant aside, I liked the plot and enjoyed reading about the spells and runes that run through the various cultures. If you’re an Icelandic Noir fan I’ve no doubt you will enjoy Betrayal.
