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Bastei Lübbe (Bastei Lübbe Taschenbuch) (2004), Edition: 15. Aufl. 2004, 368 pages
Description
Fiction. Mystery. Suspense. Thriller. HTML: Inspector Erlendur returns in this gripping Icelandic thriller When a skeleton is discovered half-buried in a construction site outside of ReykjavIk, Inspector Erlendur finds himself knee-deep in both a crime scene and an archeological dig. Bone by bone, the body is unearthed, and the brutalizing history of a family who lived near the building site comes to light along with it. Was the skeleton a man or a woman, a victim or a killer, and is this a simple case of murder or a long-concealed act of justice? As Erlendur tries to crack this cold case, he must also save his drug-addicted daughter from self destruction and somehow glue his hopelessly fractured family back together. Like the chilly Nordic mysteries of Henning Mankell and Karen Fossum, Arnaldur Indridason delivers a stark police procedural full of humanity and pathos, a classic noir from a very cold place..… (more)
Media reviews
With only two of his novels currently circulating in English translation, Arnaldur Indridason puts Iceland on the map as a major destination for enthusiasts of Nordic crime fiction.The author raises the same ghosts in SILENCE OF THE GRAVE applying his austere style to a crime of such emotional
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breadth and sociological complexity that it acquires the sweep and consequence of epic storytelling.
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The title of Arnaldur Indridason' s new book, Silence of the Grave , gives an indication of the case that confronts the Icelandic detective Erlendur and his colleagues in the Reykjavik police: the discovery of a skeleton on the outskirts of the city. It is a fascinating mystery, which develops
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slowly while we learn more about the unhappy Erlendur and his relationship with his estranged family. Indridason's low-key style is far from the fast-moving thrillers that fill the best-seller lists, but he's a writer worth seeking out.
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User reviews
LibraryThing member lit_chick
A skeleton is discovered at a construction site on a Reykjavik hillside, and embattled Detective Erlandur and his team work to unravel the decades-old mystery. Given the circumstances, there are few alive who know the story behind the crime, and fewer still who are able to tell the story. Silence
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of the Grave is recommended crime fiction - fast paced, layered, and suspenseful. A page turner! Show Less
LibraryThing member DeltaQueen50
Silence of the Grave by Arnaldur Indridason is the gripping second instalment in his Erlendur series which is set in Iceland. When a shallow grave is found on a building site, Erlendur and his crew painstaking dig into the history of the area and, with two avenues to explore, they slowly put the
This is a dark tale of family violence that is slowly revealed in a series of flashbacks. The author doesn’t shrink from showing the terrible damage and emotional scars that domestic abuse leaves. In fact, be prepared for a stark look at the underbelly of Reykjavik as we are taken on a tour of drug dealings and their side effects. Erlendur himself is a cold, detached man haunted by his own demons, his son and daughter have little to do with him, his ex-wife despises him, and he is not able to forgive himself for events from his past. A absolute loner who, nevertheless, is unrelenting when it comes to solving his cases.
I liked the first book in this series, but with Silence of the Grave, Arnaldur Indridason has moved to a new level. This intense, multi-layered story totally caught and held my attention from the first sentence to the last.
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pieces together to discover the identity of the skeleton found in the grave. This is a dark tale of family violence that is slowly revealed in a series of flashbacks. The author doesn’t shrink from showing the terrible damage and emotional scars that domestic abuse leaves. In fact, be prepared for a stark look at the underbelly of Reykjavik as we are taken on a tour of drug dealings and their side effects. Erlendur himself is a cold, detached man haunted by his own demons, his son and daughter have little to do with him, his ex-wife despises him, and he is not able to forgive himself for events from his past. A absolute loner who, nevertheless, is unrelenting when it comes to solving his cases.
I liked the first book in this series, but with Silence of the Grave, Arnaldur Indridason has moved to a new level. This intense, multi-layered story totally caught and held my attention from the first sentence to the last.
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LibraryThing member sjmccreary
Erlendur and his investigative team are called to the scene when human bones are discovered at a construction site outside Reykjavik. Even though they clearly aren't ancient, a local archealogist was called to unearth the skeleton, which was assumed to be 50-70 years old. The slow pace of the dig
This is the 4th book in the series about Erlendur, a divorced police detective with plenty of problems of his own, however it is only the 2nd to be translated into English (after "Jar City"). Arnaldur does a wonderful job conveying the beauty of the Icelandic spring, coming after the harsh Icelandic winter. He provides a delightful glimpse into a culture for which the USA and UK aren't unfamiliar, but are definitely foreign. I especally enjoyed Erlendur's subtle reactions to Jim, at the British embassy, and Ed, a former US serviceman who married an Icelandic woman and stayed after the war, when they both insisted on being called by their diminuitive nicknames.
As police procedurals go, this is not the very best or most detailed and involved. However, I think it is well-written and has the distinct advantage of being placed in a foreign and exotic (to us) location. A fair amount of attention is given to Erlendur and his personal situation as he tries to work out his own reactions to his past and his family. But not so much introspection that I began squirming in my chair, anxious to get back to the real story. On the contrary, I enjoyed these interludes which provide a chance to learn who the man Erlendur really is. I am looking forward to the next in the series, and will also be hoping for his earlier works to be translated.
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gave the investigators plenty of time to discover clues as to the possible identity of the victim. Since, until the skeleton is recovered, nothing is known about the gender or age or condition of the body, it is difficult to know where to begin. As the body seems to be from that era, much of Erlendur's attention is focused on the British and American troops which were stationed in Iceland during WW2 near the burial site and the local people who had unregistered residences due to the unusual conditions of the war.This is the 4th book in the series about Erlendur, a divorced police detective with plenty of problems of his own, however it is only the 2nd to be translated into English (after "Jar City"). Arnaldur does a wonderful job conveying the beauty of the Icelandic spring, coming after the harsh Icelandic winter. He provides a delightful glimpse into a culture for which the USA and UK aren't unfamiliar, but are definitely foreign. I especally enjoyed Erlendur's subtle reactions to Jim, at the British embassy, and Ed, a former US serviceman who married an Icelandic woman and stayed after the war, when they both insisted on being called by their diminuitive nicknames.
As police procedurals go, this is not the very best or most detailed and involved. However, I think it is well-written and has the distinct advantage of being placed in a foreign and exotic (to us) location. A fair amount of attention is given to Erlendur and his personal situation as he tries to work out his own reactions to his past and his family. But not so much introspection that I began squirming in my chair, anxious to get back to the real story. On the contrary, I enjoyed these interludes which provide a chance to learn who the man Erlendur really is. I am looking forward to the next in the series, and will also be hoping for his earlier works to be translated.
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LibraryThing member ctpress
The second book in the ScandiCrime-series with Islandic investigator Erlendur. This is even better than the first one Jar City - a very realistic and well-written novel about several broken homes with alienated family members.
A skeleton is found buried on a hillside outside Rejkjavik. As they try
And we spend a lot of time with Erlendurs own family-problems, his daughter Eva and her drug-abuse - and Erlendur slowly opens up and admit past failures to a daughter who is in a coma. There will be several voices from the grave. I was almost more caught up in the story of Erlendur and Eva - and now I want to read on to see what happens next with them.
A skeleton is found buried on a hillside outside Rejkjavik. As they try
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to uncover who it is - we are told in series of flashbacks a story of domestic violence in a family during the Second World War. And we spend a lot of time with Erlendurs own family-problems, his daughter Eva and her drug-abuse - and Erlendur slowly opens up and admit past failures to a daughter who is in a coma. There will be several voices from the grave. I was almost more caught up in the story of Erlendur and Eva - and now I want to read on to see what happens next with them.
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LibraryThing member SamSattler
Arnaldur Indirdason’s second mystery, "Silence of the Grave," is certain to please a broad range of mystery fans. That the novel is an intricately structured police procedural focusing on a very cold case going all the way back to World War II is already enough to appeal to most readers; that its
Reykjavik, like large cities all over the world, seems to be always expanding, and what was remote countryside just a few decades earlier now offers suburban housing and shopping for city workers that can afford to move outside the city. When one construction project exposes a skeleton that seems to have been buried for at least 50 years, Inspector Erlendur Sveinnson and his crew are brought in to sort things out. Erlendur, unlike some assigned to the case, is determined to identify the murder victim despite the fact that the murderer, and anyone that might remember the victim, are themselves probably dead.
As a team of archaeologists methodically works to unearth the skeletal remains of the victim, Erlendur directs an investigation that progresses almost as slowly as the diggers. In the tradition of the best police procedurals, it is one logical step at a time, sometimes even taking two steps forward before taking one step back. But the luxury of time and patience eventually will pay off for both teams.
Sensitive readers should be warned that Indridason does not let his readers blink or turn their heads when it comes to detailing the horrible physical and mental abuse one man dishes out to his wife and children. He tells it like it happens in the real world – often in enough detail to make one flinch while merely reading of the brutality. These sections, however, are not there for shock value; they are at the heart of the mystery.
Almost as painful to read, is Erlendur’s backstory. The man might be a good cop, but he is a flop as a father, having walked away from his marriage not long after the birth of his second child. Now, he has to deal with his drug addict daughter, Eva Lind, who is in a coma after having lost the baby she insisted on delivering despite her inability to clean herself up. Some of the book’s best moments come when Erlendur, having been advised to talk to his daughter despite her coma, but not knowing what to say, begins to tell her about his cold case – and about a heartrending incident from his own childhood that still haunts him.
"Silence of the Grave" is my second Erlendur novel, but it will most certainly not be my last. I particularly enjoy mysteries that keep me speculating all the way to the end but still come to a logical conclusion. I do not like trick endings or rabbits otherwise pulled from hats. Solid police procedurals with the added depth of a revealing backstory are what I enjoy most in a mystery; this one did not disappoint.
Rated at: 4.5
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abundant backstory makes the main characters come to life, and that the novel is set in Iceland, adds icing to the cake.Reykjavik, like large cities all over the world, seems to be always expanding, and what was remote countryside just a few decades earlier now offers suburban housing and shopping for city workers that can afford to move outside the city. When one construction project exposes a skeleton that seems to have been buried for at least 50 years, Inspector Erlendur Sveinnson and his crew are brought in to sort things out. Erlendur, unlike some assigned to the case, is determined to identify the murder victim despite the fact that the murderer, and anyone that might remember the victim, are themselves probably dead.
As a team of archaeologists methodically works to unearth the skeletal remains of the victim, Erlendur directs an investigation that progresses almost as slowly as the diggers. In the tradition of the best police procedurals, it is one logical step at a time, sometimes even taking two steps forward before taking one step back. But the luxury of time and patience eventually will pay off for both teams.
Sensitive readers should be warned that Indridason does not let his readers blink or turn their heads when it comes to detailing the horrible physical and mental abuse one man dishes out to his wife and children. He tells it like it happens in the real world – often in enough detail to make one flinch while merely reading of the brutality. These sections, however, are not there for shock value; they are at the heart of the mystery.
Almost as painful to read, is Erlendur’s backstory. The man might be a good cop, but he is a flop as a father, having walked away from his marriage not long after the birth of his second child. Now, he has to deal with his drug addict daughter, Eva Lind, who is in a coma after having lost the baby she insisted on delivering despite her inability to clean herself up. Some of the book’s best moments come when Erlendur, having been advised to talk to his daughter despite her coma, but not knowing what to say, begins to tell her about his cold case – and about a heartrending incident from his own childhood that still haunts him.
"Silence of the Grave" is my second Erlendur novel, but it will most certainly not be my last. I particularly enjoy mysteries that keep me speculating all the way to the end but still come to a logical conclusion. I do not like trick endings or rabbits otherwise pulled from hats. Solid police procedurals with the added depth of a revealing backstory are what I enjoy most in a mystery; this one did not disappoint.
Rated at: 4.5
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LibraryThing member mrtall
Silence of the Grave is a police procedural set in Reykjavik, peopled by a cast of morose Scandinavians with deep, dark memories and lots of depressing problems in their present-day lives.
The plot revolves around a skeleton discovered on a building site. Trying to track down its identity leads
I wouldn’t have thought it possible, but Arnuldur Indridasson manages to be even more Scandinavian than that super-Scandinavian Henning Mankell and his gloomy Swedes. What is it about these former Vikings? Are they born utterly bereft of a sense of humor? Although this book is a compelling murder/historical mystery, it’s got perhaps one too many scenes with a Bergmanesque depressive in a dark coat standing alone on a windswept moor next to a single dying flower staring off into the middle distance and seeing only the dour dinginess of his own sordid memories, if you know what I mean.
Recommended, but not if you’re already feeling blue.
The plot revolves around a skeleton discovered on a building site. Trying to track down its identity leads
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Inspector Erlunder Sweinsson and his team into investigations of a couple of deep, dark historical tragedies, one of which comes to life in a sort of narrative counterpoint as the book moves along. I wouldn’t have thought it possible, but Arnuldur Indridasson manages to be even more Scandinavian than that super-Scandinavian Henning Mankell and his gloomy Swedes. What is it about these former Vikings? Are they born utterly bereft of a sense of humor? Although this book is a compelling murder/historical mystery, it’s got perhaps one too many scenes with a Bergmanesque depressive in a dark coat standing alone on a windswept moor next to a single dying flower staring off into the middle distance and seeing only the dour dinginess of his own sordid memories, if you know what I mean.
Recommended, but not if you’re already feeling blue.
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LibraryThing member bcquinnsmom
Don't pick this one up if you want something warm and fuzzy -- it's definitely the opposite. But then again, it's gloominess somehow seems a propos, considering not only the main story here, but the ongoing story of Erlandur Sveinsson, the main character here. He's not a happy man, nor does he have
As the story opens, a baby is discovered playing with a piece of a human rib bone. The baby's mother makes her other child take her to where he found the bone, and an entire skeleton is discovered. The police are called in, and they have no choice but to wait until the archaeologists slowly and carefully work through the excavation to be able to even determine the sex of the bones. All that's known is that the skeleton is probably quite old, rather than recent, anywhere from 50 to 70 years old. While they wait for the archaeologists, Erelendur and his team begin trying to figure out just who may have lived around the area in the past, and to see if anyone may have gone missing around the time whoever it is laying in the ground was put in there. As the police begin their investigations, they become aware that a young woman went missing, presumed a suicide, and that the man to whom she was engaged was the owner of the property years ago, when the area was shared with a military base during WWII. Interwoven with this story is another
about a family of former residents of the area, a woman and her children who find themselves victims of the husband/father, a wife beater who not only uses physical violence, but "kills the soul" as he metes out his abuse. Between the two storylines, you'll find yourself literally unable to put the book down. That, along with Erlendur's personal problems and the ghosts of his past coming back to haunt him, make for one incredible read.
If you've read Jar City, you've got to read this one. The author's characterization is realistic, the story is moving and the writing is excellent. Highly recommended to those who enjoy good mysteries in general, or to those who are looking for at good Scandinavian mystery writer.
Most excellent.
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any reason to be -- his children hate him, his ex-wife lies about him and he's got ghosts from his past that continually haunt him. But as a detective, he's got to let all of that go so that he can do his job. As the story opens, a baby is discovered playing with a piece of a human rib bone. The baby's mother makes her other child take her to where he found the bone, and an entire skeleton is discovered. The police are called in, and they have no choice but to wait until the archaeologists slowly and carefully work through the excavation to be able to even determine the sex of the bones. All that's known is that the skeleton is probably quite old, rather than recent, anywhere from 50 to 70 years old. While they wait for the archaeologists, Erelendur and his team begin trying to figure out just who may have lived around the area in the past, and to see if anyone may have gone missing around the time whoever it is laying in the ground was put in there. As the police begin their investigations, they become aware that a young woman went missing, presumed a suicide, and that the man to whom she was engaged was the owner of the property years ago, when the area was shared with a military base during WWII. Interwoven with this story is another
about a family of former residents of the area, a woman and her children who find themselves victims of the husband/father, a wife beater who not only uses physical violence, but "kills the soul" as he metes out his abuse. Between the two storylines, you'll find yourself literally unable to put the book down. That, along with Erlendur's personal problems and the ghosts of his past coming back to haunt him, make for one incredible read.
If you've read Jar City, you've got to read this one. The author's characterization is realistic, the story is moving and the writing is excellent. Highly recommended to those who enjoy good mysteries in general, or to those who are looking for at good Scandinavian mystery writer.
Most excellent.
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LibraryThing member damzlfly
I'm liking these Nordic mysteries. I suppose only the best of the lot get translated into English. This mystery is a story well-told. The main characters are mostly well-developed. The plot twists really don't produce any surprises; most of the last half of the novel is predictable after reading
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the first half. Even so, what Silence of the Grave lacks in originality, it makes up for in tight story-telling and patient character development. Show Less
LibraryThing member NordicT
What really made me love this book was how Inspector Erlendur struggled with his own his own tragic past (and present) while peeling back the layers of another family's horrid domestic situation during World War 2-era Iceland. Erlendur is not your average, hard-nosed gumshoe. He injects a hefty
I've become a bit obsessed with Iceland lately, and I loved getting to know the country through this book, as well as Jar City (another Erlendur novel by Arnaldur Indridason). I recognize Iceland, in general, is not as bleak as the Erlendur mysteries, but there is something mysterious about this remote island nation. The transformative effect of the UK and US occupations of Iceland during the war played a major role in this story, and their stimulatory effects on Reykjavik (and perhaps depressive effects on the countryside) were evident in the story's plot. It was fascinating to be immersed in both the modern Icelandic present, as well as 60 years in the past, when Iceland was still isolated and insulated from much of the world, all while wondering just who is buried in the plot of land at the edge of Reykjavik and how they ended up there.
I have to move on to other things, but if I'm not careful I'll find myself plowing through the entire Inspector Erlendur series, especially if they're as good as Silence of the Grave. Well, I suppose I'd be limited to those translated into English. Then again, I could try to learn some Icelandic...
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dose of humanity into the story, despite his efforts to objectively lead the criminal investigation. The outcome of Silence of the Grave offers some hope in the bleak world of domestic violence, or "soul murder," as it's described. But it is made all the more rewarding through its offer, to Erlendur, of some mercy, understanding and acceptance of past failures.I've become a bit obsessed with Iceland lately, and I loved getting to know the country through this book, as well as Jar City (another Erlendur novel by Arnaldur Indridason). I recognize Iceland, in general, is not as bleak as the Erlendur mysteries, but there is something mysterious about this remote island nation. The transformative effect of the UK and US occupations of Iceland during the war played a major role in this story, and their stimulatory effects on Reykjavik (and perhaps depressive effects on the countryside) were evident in the story's plot. It was fascinating to be immersed in both the modern Icelandic present, as well as 60 years in the past, when Iceland was still isolated and insulated from much of the world, all while wondering just who is buried in the plot of land at the edge of Reykjavik and how they ended up there.
I have to move on to other things, but if I'm not careful I'll find myself plowing through the entire Inspector Erlendur series, especially if they're as good as Silence of the Grave. Well, I suppose I'd be limited to those translated into English. Then again, I could try to learn some Icelandic...
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LibraryThing member jnavia
This is a cold case from a cold country, Iceland. Human bones are found buried on a hill outside Reykjavik, and Detective Inspector Erlendur Sveinsson and his team work to piece together the identity of the bones and the murderer, if indeed the person was murdered.
The reader reads two stories
Erlendur's own family life adds another layer of grey and drear to this suspenseful mystery. His daughter, pregnant and strung out on drugs, spends most of the time unconscious while Erlendur examines his role -- or his lack of a role -- in his children's lives.
Arnaldur Indridason has become a new favorite writer of mine. I read this book first, then read the first book in the series, Jar City, and am now reading his newest, Voices. Bernard Scudder, the translator, has done a great job (though I don't know Icelandic, so I can't compare. I just know these books read very well). I recommend this series for anyone who loves mysteries where deep and troubling social issues are also explored.
The reader reads two stories
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simulaneously. One story is the story of a family where the husband beats and terrorizes his wife and children. You know who you want the victim to be, but you also know it could easily be any one of the family members, one of characters who interact with the wife beater along the way, or another woman who had gone missing years ago. Erlendur's own family life adds another layer of grey and drear to this suspenseful mystery. His daughter, pregnant and strung out on drugs, spends most of the time unconscious while Erlendur examines his role -- or his lack of a role -- in his children's lives.
Arnaldur Indridason has become a new favorite writer of mine. I read this book first, then read the first book in the series, Jar City, and am now reading his newest, Voices. Bernard Scudder, the translator, has done a great job (though I don't know Icelandic, so I can't compare. I just know these books read very well). I recommend this series for anyone who loves mysteries where deep and troubling social issues are also explored.
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LibraryThing member lechatnoirxvii
This book (second in the series) is a bit slow to get started, for me at least. Some new homes were being built on the Hill and some bones were discovered when breaking ground for the foundation for a new home. This book is all about what happen to the people who lived in the house on the hill with
To me, this book was a little bit slow but got extremely interesting in the last 100 pages or so. When I got to the final chapters I could not put it down. I defiantly recommend this book to anyone who likes mysteries and foreign books.
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the redcurrant bushes and whether or not the body that was discovered was of a member of that household. The book alternates between present day and the story of the household members, from the 1950s. It also follows Erlendur's daughter, who is in a coma most of this book for reasons from the first few chapters, we also learn more about the main character!To me, this book was a little bit slow but got extremely interesting in the last 100 pages or so. When I got to the final chapters I could not put it down. I defiantly recommend this book to anyone who likes mysteries and foreign books.
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LibraryThing member lriley
A police prodecural. Erlendur leads a team of detectives (Elinborg and Sigurdur Oli) in an investigation to discover the identity of two bodies found by chance at a housing development site. Speculation is that these bodies met with foul play and that they have been there 50-60 years. A team of
Off on another tangent Erlendur's pregnant and drug addicted daughter Eva Lind from his broken marraige has collapsed and had been rushed to the hospital and is now in a coma. Erlendur himself had discovered her body laying outside near the hospital. His marraige had ended in much acrimony. His former wife has passed her anger on to her children and Erlendur while not on the investigation is spending many sleepless nights in her hospital room explaining the past to his unconscious daughter.
As the investigation moves on at times Erlender is distracted by his daughter's condition. His team continue laboriously to close in on the truth which also is played out slowly to the reader in flashbacks to WWII era Iceland--a secluded house, a man who violently abuses his wife physically and psychologically. His step daughter and the couple's two sons as well living in terror of their father. The British army has constructed a military base nearby and the father finds work there after the American army takes over. He involves himself in criminal activity and becomes the focus of an investigation himself and for a short time is sent to prison. As the book moves towards its conclusion the step daughter comes forward to tell Erlendur her story.
The novel is very carefully plotted, One might call it a thriller in a sense but it is not really very frightening--more sad than anything. It is intelligent, well written. Indridason has excellent control of his pace. It's a page turner but not something I found myself rushing through. It's a book you might find yourself thinking about off and on even a couple weeks later. Thought provoking in the sense of what damaged and violent prone people can do. Anyway I liked it and would recommend it.
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geologists take over removing the bodies insisting on taking great care in this task. After archival records of the area prove useless Erlendur and his team start scouring the neighborhood for information concluding that since the bodies have been buried such a long time that the key to solving the case may lie in the recollections of older residents. Off on another tangent Erlendur's pregnant and drug addicted daughter Eva Lind from his broken marraige has collapsed and had been rushed to the hospital and is now in a coma. Erlendur himself had discovered her body laying outside near the hospital. His marraige had ended in much acrimony. His former wife has passed her anger on to her children and Erlendur while not on the investigation is spending many sleepless nights in her hospital room explaining the past to his unconscious daughter.
As the investigation moves on at times Erlender is distracted by his daughter's condition. His team continue laboriously to close in on the truth which also is played out slowly to the reader in flashbacks to WWII era Iceland--a secluded house, a man who violently abuses his wife physically and psychologically. His step daughter and the couple's two sons as well living in terror of their father. The British army has constructed a military base nearby and the father finds work there after the American army takes over. He involves himself in criminal activity and becomes the focus of an investigation himself and for a short time is sent to prison. As the book moves towards its conclusion the step daughter comes forward to tell Erlendur her story.
The novel is very carefully plotted, One might call it a thriller in a sense but it is not really very frightening--more sad than anything. It is intelligent, well written. Indridason has excellent control of his pace. It's a page turner but not something I found myself rushing through. It's a book you might find yourself thinking about off and on even a couple weeks later. Thought provoking in the sense of what damaged and violent prone people can do. Anyway I liked it and would recommend it.
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LibraryThing member annbury
Dark, dark, dark, beneath the midnight sun -- this one is Scandinavian noir squared. The crime is dark and bloody, and stretches back over the decades. The detective is deeply troubled, with a dysfunctional past and and a dope addict daughter. And the atmosphere -- gloom redoubled. But it's worth
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the uncomfortable ride, with a compelling story and a gripping writing style. I just wish there was a little more light at the end of the tunnel, or somewhere in the atmosphere. Show Less
LibraryThing member Robreads
Good, dark mystery in yet another grim Scandanavian country.
LibraryThing member hscherry
I was given this book by a friend, but so very glad I was. An interesting mixture of murder mystery, personal trials and even a bit of Icelandic history. Thoroughly enjoyed it!
LibraryThing member mikallofgren
Set in Iceland. Mystery coupled with a story of an abusive marriage during the 1940's. Well written and wrenching. The first sentence: "He knew at once it was a human bone, when he took it from the baby who was sitting on the floor chewing it." Interesting all the way through. Good character
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LibraryThing member Scrabblenut
This is the second book in Indridason's Icelandic mystery series, after the excellent Jar City. In this book, two parallel stories are followed, one from about 60 years in the past, and one in the present when a skeleton is found as a developer is excavating to build a house. The descriptions of
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domestic abuse in the past story are very hard to read about, but this sort of thing still goes on today. Once I got into the story, I very much wanted to know how it all ended. Indridason's police inspector, Erlandur, is a very human character with personal demons of his own, and very likeable. Show Less
LibraryThing member Wova4
I can't help but feel something is lost in the translation of Silence of the Grave into English, beyond the obvious hiccups where idiomatic phrases posed problems. Nonetheless, the ongoing characterization of the three primary investigators (Erlendur, Elinborg, and Sigurdur Oli) sets this mystery
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apart from its peers. Compared to Jar City, we see how much more so Erlendur is dysfunctional. Sigurdur Oli appears to have been set up as a representation of American ideas and values. Only Elinborg remains opaque, perhaps because she is a woman. The mystery, whose skeleton has been found in a suburban construction site, has such low stakes that it effectively becomes secondary to the characterizations. The ending isn't as tidy as I would have liked (especially not knowing what happened to the American Soldier), but Silence of the Grave makes for excellent reading. Show Less
LibraryThing member greglief
After reading "Jar City", I went to the library and checked out all of Indridason's other books which had been translated into English. "Silence of the Grave" was every bit the page turner as its predecessor. I look forward to reading the next saga in the life of Inspector
LibraryThing member lwatson1120
I read this book without reading “Jar City”. I just happened to come across this book at our library. It was a most excellent find for me. This was also my first book that was translated into English. The conversion to English was different for me to read, but oddly interesting at the same
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time. I rather enjoyed this book, even though the outcome was pretty much a given from the beginning. I was intrigued by the characters, and of the account of the badly abused family. I would recommend this book only if you had the proper time to sit and read it all. I will agree with a previous review that this is not a book to read if you want something happy to read about, but it is definitely worth reading. Show Less
LibraryThing member belsyl999
I see this book as a great tragedy. Yet, as I kept reading, I was hoping the family could escape. Killing the "monster" required great sacrifice from one of the characters. I'm looking forwardd to reading more of Mr. Indridason's books.
Sylvia
Sylvia
LibraryThing member miyurose
I felt like this was a much smoother read than the first book in this series, Jar City. I think that here, Indridason has smoothed out his story-telling and figured out more about who Erlendur really is. This book takes place a few months after the end of the first, and not only is Erlendur
The story moves effortlessly back and forth from the present day to World War II era Iceland. Even with the extra clues you get that Erlendur doesn’t, you’re never quite sure (until you’re told) who the body next to the red currant bushes is. And along the way, you learn a little more about Erlendur and what makes him tick. I find him and his very dysfunctional family rather compelling, and I’m looking forward to Voices, the third book in the series.
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investigating a set of bones found buried in the outskirts of Reykjavik, but his pregnant, drug-addicted daughter is also missing. Erlendur’s familiar compatriots from the first novel are also there to aid in his search.The story moves effortlessly back and forth from the present day to World War II era Iceland. Even with the extra clues you get that Erlendur doesn’t, you’re never quite sure (until you’re told) who the body next to the red currant bushes is. And along the way, you learn a little more about Erlendur and what makes him tick. I find him and his very dysfunctional family rather compelling, and I’m looking forward to Voices, the third book in the series.
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LibraryThing member MusicMom41
Indridason writes complex novels with layers of stories that run parallel to each other and sometimes appear to intersect. This novel centers on the mystery of a body discovered in a homemade grave that has been there for decades. Who is this person and how did the person die? Because of the age of
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the corpse an archeologist is called in and even though this is not an historic discovery it takes weeks to excavate the grave so even the sex of the victim is unknown. Inspector Erlendur and his team investigate possibilities of potential victims by tracking down missing persons’ lists from around the time it is estimated the victim died, early 1940s. They also try to discover who might have been living in this area at that time. This leads them to two possibilities and both of these stories are explored in their investigation. The story of Erlendur relationship with his family, especially his daughter, is continued from the first novel and I recommend that [Jar City] be read first in order to understand what is happening here. This is an intense, dark novel but it is compelling and satisfying reading. This author brings his characters to life and lets us feel their pain but there are brief rays of hope and courage that keep it from being depressing. I will definitely look for the next one, although not immediately. Recommended--4 stars Show Less
LibraryThing member jimrbrown
I had already read and enjoyed Tainted Blood (Jar City) before this but this story is even better. Another 'old' crime is investigated and the author shows he is far more than a murder mystery writer with his excellent treatment of domestic violence and the main character;s family issues. I can't
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wait to read the next book in the series. Show Less
LibraryThing member BillPilgrim
A buried skeleton is uncovered outside of Reykjavik when a foundation is dug for a house. It is apparently about 60-70 years old. The police investigate the case, and at the same time, switching back and forth between the two stories, we learn about a family who live in a chalet on that site during
Also, the detective is trying to help his estranged daughter, who is a drug addict.
I enjoyed the book. The various threads are all engaging and held my interest.
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WW2. Apparently, someone from or connected to that family ended up in the ground there.Also, the detective is trying to help his estranged daughter, who is a drug addict.
I enjoyed the book. The various threads are all engaging and held my interest.
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Awards
Crime Writers' Association Awards (Winner — 2005)
Glass Key Award (Winner — 2003)
CWA Duncan Lawrie Gold Dagger (Winner — Fiction — 2005)
This Mystery is Amazing! (#10 — 2014)
Language
Original language
Icelandic
Original publication date
2002
2005 (English: Scudder)
Physical description
368 p.; 4.92 inches
ISBN
3404151038 / 9783404151035