Silence of the Grave (Reykjavik Murder Mysteries - No. 2)

Enjoyed learning a little of the history, learning names I have never heard before. Would eventually like to buy the other books by this author that include the same characters from Silence of the Grave.

Nastiness and kindness blende nicely into a story where the whodunnit is less important than the who-is-in-there. Again, the story reveals the effects of violence at different levels and how revenge and retribution keep on keeping on. Not much information teaching in here--a glimpse of the history of town development, a hint of unexplained family tragedies--but much tempering the speed of discovery using the excavation of a body as the core narrative. Restraining the eager reader.

Shallow character development, weak ending. I kept forcing myself to go back to reading it after I would put it down for some time, because I am a person who just has to finish a book. I would not recommend it however

Worst novel I've read in past year. Plot is thin, detective work is minimal, dialogue is inane, written at a 10 grade reading level, many errors in translation including misspelled words, sentences out of order. Character development is very limited, way excessive description of domestic abuse (the abuse is relevant to story line, but repetitive details take up almost one-third of an already short book. Nothing described is even close to normal police procedures; dialogue occasionally not sensible. Described behavior of some characters interviewed makes no logical sense. I'd never recommend this book to a friend; won't buy another of his. Read Stieg Larsson, and Henning Mankell, and then look elsewhere.

This is a book in which nothing happens; a skeleton is found and the events leading up to the death are told in flashbacks interwoven with another plot in which nothing happens. The first half of the book held my interest through the characters, their situations and the underlying themes but after the that the slow, brooding progress of the story was just painful. I skimmed the second half of the book just to see if it unfolded the way I expected (it did -- highly predictable).

***Spoilers you have been warned***

I loved Jar City because of the dark bleak mood setting that’s described in Erlandur’s world. This one proves to be just the same. Coupled with a well written mystery that goes back into the past, this one lived up to the previous.

The book goes back and forth in time. It features on the past of a woman and her family and the horrendous abuse she endures. It leads up to the mystery surrounding the body found in the present. It’s good background storytelling and put in the missing pieces gradually as you progress in the book. Then as it goes forward to present day, you have Erlandur and his crew attempting to figure out the mystery but it also focuses on Erlandur’s past, and his attempt at patching things up with Eva Lind as she’s in a coma at the hospital.

Don’t expect twists and turns or any special revelations in this novel. It’s a subtle mystery but so well written that it’s a quick read and you’re so immersed into the book that the pages do fly by. It’s the writing style that makes it so good. The mood and setting is again, dark as usual. It’s more bleak than the previous one due to the subject matter and with what Erlandur experiences.

Admittedly, this isn’t for everyone. The physical, mental, emotional abuse featured in this book is hard to read. You sympathize with the mother and her children and Grimur is just one awful piece of garbage. Erlandur’s ghosts from the past is also revealed in this book and he’s got quite a lot of baggage on his shoulders (not including his ex wife and Eva Lind) but it gives his character more substance and he’s not just a presence in the novel. You also learn more about his colleagues (although I’d like to learn more about Elinborg) as they have their lives as well. I like this aspect of the novel as it shows what they do out of duty and gives them a more realistic human feel to the book.

Not much of a mystery but makes for really good reading, not only do the characters flesh out more but the writing is so well done. Recommended and I’ll be moving onto the next book after this one.

Silence of the Grave, the fourth installment of Arnaldur Indriðason’s Inspector Erlendur series, is sneaky good. Rather than hitting you over the head with a sudden, grisly murder and in-depth character studies, the story unfolds so slowly that you might wonder if there really was a crime at all.

It begins when a medical student spots a toddler gnawing on what appears to be an old bone while he waits for his younger brother at a child’s birthday party. This leads to Inspector Erlendur and his team being called in to investigate. The scene turns out to be an archeological dig of sorts; although it is not ancient, it probably dates back to World War II. Despite the fact that the unknown skeleton has been interred for decades, Erlendur is impatient to learn the identity of the deceased, but the forensic team will not be rushed.

As the recovery effort inches ahead and the police investigation ensue, Erlendur notices redcurrant bushes. Who planted them, Erlendur wonders. Who lived here? Later, he learns that there was a chalet. Eventually, he has a name, information to follow, some of it leading nowhere. Whose body is buried in the wall? Is it male or female?

The author gives us ideas as he shows us who lived in that run-down building. A family of five. A mother, husband, two boys and a girl. All are magnificently developed over the course of the book. I must caution readers: There is domestic abuse here, physical, emotional, and psychological abuse that recurs throughout the book. It cannot be skimmed, in my opinion, unless one totally skips these chapters, and to do so is to miss the much of the essence of the story.

Would it be possible to continue this series without reading Silence of the Grave? Since I have not yet read the next book, I cannot presume to answer that question. However, knowing what Arnaldur Indriðason reveals about Erlendur during the course of this book as he sits with his gravely ill daughter Eva Lind, I would say that it is an important book to read because of what we learn about Erlendur. We see him being more introspective than at any time in previous books. More honest. Perhaps, even though he doesn’t wear his feelings on his sleeve, more emotional.

We also get to know his partners, ElÍnborg and Sigurdur Óli, better. Now, this doesn’t come easily in the first chapter or two. It takes patience to get to know these characters because that’s the way Indriðason writes. Slow and steady wins the race. Imagine my surprise when I got to the end and found that I really enjoyed this book. When all is said and done, there is a lot more to it than would appear after the first, oh, one-third of the book. If you expect and need a fast-paced, action-packed thriller, then this book, this series, is not for you. But if you enjoy a skillfully drawn tale that takes you to another time and place, then you quite possibly could love this book.

4 stars

We get right into it with 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.”

A skeleton is uncovered at a construction site for a new housing development outside of Reykjavik. The excavation of the skeleton is turned over to a crew from the university: a professor and some anthropology students. This takes weeks. Initially we don’t even know if it is a male or female skeleton but we do know it’s been in the ground for 50 or 60 years.

Fortunately Iceland has a low murder rate and three detectives with time on their hands so they immediately start investigating all disappearances 50 years ago in that area. They come up with four people ranging from an Icelandic man who worked at the American Air Force base during WW II to a female who may or may not have thrown herself over a cliff during a love affair.

We learn a bit about the private lives of the three detectives, most notably an older man who has a drug-addicted daughter, and we follow his travails with her. One of the detectives is female so we have the usual gender tension between her and the older man.

A major focus of the story goes back fifty years to the daily life of the man working at the air base. He has a wife and two boys and the story to some extent becomes a catalog of the physical, verbal and psychological abuse he inflicts on his wife and boys. You have to have a strong stomach for some of it.

And near the end a surprise from the grave.

A good read that kept my interest to the end. There’s some local color of Iceland (the book is translated from the Icelandic) and two maps at the front of the book. I wish the author had not given us five character names beginning with “E” to deal with, especially two of the detectives, Elinborg and Elendur – a bit confusing at first.

Multi-layered police procedural situated in the year 2000 and full of flashbacks to the years preceding WW II and the wartime occupation of Iceland by Britain and the US, when Reykjavik became a magnet to the rural poor. It all starts with a human rib bone found at a building site on the capital’s outskirts. Who is it from? A team of archaeologists carefully investigates the site and its outcome becomes clear towards the end of the book. Meanwhile, inspector Erlendur and two colleagues follow up tiny clues from records and other sources to assess what was once built on or near the bone site. Erlendur is simultaneously gripped by stabs of remorse at his daughter Eva Lund’s intensive care bedside. The book's flashbacks concern a terrible case of domestic violence that went on for many years.
AI’s oeuvre covers many aspects of Iceland’s recent history and culture, starting with his strict adherence to Icelandic transliteration of names. He makes Erlendur occasionally scold colleagues for using English/US expressions, reads himself only Icelandic history and old tales of missing persons and here, bemoans culinary imperialism: just one restaurant still cooks traditional Icelandic cuisine (brr). AI’s patriotism peaked with a novel that has not been translated in English, called “The King’s Book”, an Indiana Jones-type quest for Icelandic evidence to underpin Nazi efforts to create an un-Christian Germanic religion. It failed in the book, as in reality.
This dark thriller is quite intense reading stuff and occasionally, spiritually rich and challenging.

This is the second English translation from Icelandic of Indridason’s Inspector Erlendur series. I read this immediately upon finishing the first book in the series, JAR CITY. Other than the main characters who are all more reveled in this book there is not much similarity to the two stories…except to say Indridason is really a very good writer.
SILENCE is a dark and disturbing book that begins with a baby crawling across the floor chewing on a human bone. This leads to the discovery and unearthing of a skeleton buried years earlier and the opening of a cold case. Who is in the grave and who might the murderer be never mind that it may have happened during World War II when the British and then Americans were stationed nearby.
Indridason’s narrative is two separate stories interwoven. Erlendur trying to solve the case while watching over his pregnant daughter who is in a coma. And a family that lives on the hill during the war suffering from domestic violence. The bully of a father beats up and verbally abuses his wife and threatens to kill the whole family. The domestic violence story is very real, horrible and disturbing. Yet, the hook of who might be in the grave drives the novel to a very satisfying and hard to guess ending.
This really is not the typical police procedural or mystery novel. It is much more literary. If the book had been written with just the World War II domestic violence narrative it would have been a well written text. Similar to JAR CITY this book really blends the perceptions we have about good and evil, right vs wrong, and what exactly might be justifiable in defiance of conventional morality. Real life is always a bit more of a mess than just wrapping up who done it.
I recommend the book highly but with the reservations that the subject matter might disturb if you’re looking for just light reading.

"Silence of the Grave" is an English translation of the original Icelandic crime novel, "Grafarþögn", by Arnaldur Indriðason. The original novel dates from 2001, and was the fourth of Arnaldur's novels to feature Inspector Erlendur, the second to make it into English translation, after "Jar City/Tainted Blood". This 2005 English translation by Bernard Scudder is an excellent idiomatic rendering into real British English, winning the British Crime Writers' Association Golden Dagger award for best crime novel of the year. The original also won the Glass Key Award by Crime Writers of Scandinavia for best Nordic crime novel, 2003.

The story is considerably darker than many in the Reykjavik Murder Mysteries series and contains some extremely graphic scenes of domestic violence that some readers may find disturbing. The author builds a narrative suspense, however, that is handled to perfection and which makes this one of the finest examples of Nordic crime noir to be had. We learn more of the back story of both Erlendur and his yuppie colleague Sigurdur Óli than in the earlier book too, although Elínborg features very little here. The contemporary domestic problems of the two detectives provide intriguing contrasts and parallels with the books central story-line, providing the book with a wider social commentary which enriches the reader further. It is also not without elements of the under-stated wry humour that this author does so well -- having Erlendur opt to bring in a team of academic archaeologists rather than a forensic team to excavate a skeleton discovered on a building site (and then discovering that they are even more painstaking and fussy in their working methods) being a classic example.

All in all, this is a well-balanced and well-presented story, and one that keeps the reader entertained, engaged and pretty much guessing at its outcome right up the very last page. Top notch stuff!

This is the second installment in Arnaldur Indridason's Detective Inspector Erlendur Svinssson series, and it definitely does, in my opinion, top "Jar City" -- the first book in the series. Evenly paced and highly suspenseful, it is no wonder that "Silence of the Grave" won the Golden Dagger Award. I certainly was riveted by this novel and (literally) read on relentlessly till the very last page.

When skeletal remains are discovered at the building site of a new housing estate, Detective Inspector Erlendur Svinsson and his team are called in to take charge of the case. The first thing the team must do is establish just how long the skeleton has lain buried, and then determine if this indeed a case of murder, or something else. And if certain members of Erlendur's team (Detective Sigurdur Oli in particular) aren't too sure why they're wasting so much time on a cold case, it is obvious that Erlendur holds to the belief that every suspicious death deserves an investigation, and that Erlendur at least feels that there is something suspicious about this mysterious burial. Elendur's quest to learn the truth will take him back to Iceland during W.W.II, and to the guilty secrets of two families in particular. This case will also lead him to reexamine on his own past and his own failed relationships with his ex-wife and his two children, and to wonder if it is not too late to repair the damage...

Arnadldue Indridason is a very gifted storyteller, and I have to thank both him and his brilliant translator, Bernard Scudder, for the 4 very pleasurable hours I spent reading "Silence of the Grave." The novel was evenly paced, taut and completely riveting. The book is divided into two subplots -- one subplot deals with the events of the past, while the other subplot centers on the current investigation. It is not an easy thing to do, going backwards and forwards in time, while still managing to maintain a level of suspense and to keep readers guessing as to the identity of the unearthed skeleton. And yet, the author managed this feat with ease, skill and finesse. And even though I expected and suspected certain developments, the denouncement still took me by some surprise. Truly, "Silence of the Grave" was very well done, and if you're looking for a fresh voice in the police procedural genre and one that will hold your interest from beginning to end, you will want to check both "Silence of the Grave" and "Jar City" out.

Detective Inspector Erlendur Sveinsson is at his best in uncovering this multi layered case of a newly discovered skeleton. Who this skeleton was or how it got to be located on the slopes of Grafarholt hill is the mystery to be solved. When was this person buried? For a professional opinion on the age of this skeleton Erlendur calls the National Museum who submits the name of an archaeologist, Skarphedinn.

Elinborg and Sigurdur Oli are again at work with Erlendur as they investigate the history of and interview the residents of that area both past and present.

The mystery of that skeleton is just the beginning of unraveling a tale of sorrow behind it. A tale that only a true story teller could put down in ink. A tale that involves past secrets kept hidden for reasons known only to those who experienced that sorrow.

At the same time we are brought into another unsolved mystery regarding a missing girl. The girl was engaged to be married shortly but then was believed to have thrown herself into the sea. The reasoning behind her action has yet to be discovered and it appears her sister is no willing participant to this investigation.

Erlendur is going through perhaps one of the worst trials of his life with his daughter, Eva Lind. Can any good result from this latest travesty?
This novel is not to be missed but prepare yourself, dear reader, to be mesmerized by the skill of this writer and the contents of each chapter.

Winner of the coveted golden Dagger Award presented by the British Crime Writers' Association.

The location is the main focus of interest in this Icelandic novel. A long-buried set of human remains comes to light as Reykjavik sprawls out building sites to wider suburbs. In this land there are regular and datable ash falls from volcanic eruptions which help to narrow down the year of death. Fierce winter snow with isolating effects, fishermen who accept death as a work hazard and a distrust of foreigners combine to create the mindset of the cast of characters. Iceland was occupied during World War II, first by a Scottish regiment of the British Army, then by Americans. The occupation years are recalled during the investigation.
The chief detective, Erlendur, discovers two equally sad and overlapping tales which might possibly identify the body; a fiancee so distraught that she drowned herself - that's the story anyway - and an isolated family with a jealous, drunken wifebeating husband and a mother who twice tried to run away before resigning herself to her fate.
The saddest part of this book is discovering that Icelanders have just the same social problems as anyone else; wifebeaters, poverty-stricken families, loneliness, separated parents losing touch with children, and the new horror of heroin which has claimed Erlendur's daughter.
Interwoven are flashbacks to the life of the isolated family all those years ago, so we are in no doubt that the buried person must be some part of the resolution of their tale - but for good or ill? We want to believe that the detective will find there has been a good ending, and that keeps us reading.

Channel surfing one evening I came upon the Icelandic film Jar City and was intrigued by the stark landscape and Nordic chill of what I learned was a film based on a novel by Arnaldur Indridason. This book continues the series.

As is the case with Wallander and other Nordic detectives, Indridason's Inspector Erlendur is a flawed, unhappy man who has a knack for solving crimes. The environment is bleak and intense, and in Iceland, there is a frontier element missing in the more prosperous Sweden, Denmark and Norway. It helped to have seen that landscape in Jar City -- hard to imagine how the American remake that is in production can match the Icelandic original.

What makes Silence of the Grave compelling as a novel, however, is not just atmosphere, but the deep-running psychology of a 60-year-old incident -- I hesitate to say crime -- that Erlendur tracks down when a skeleton is discovered on the outskirts of Reykjavik during construction of a new housing development. The portrayal of a wife-beating brute and the effect of his abuse on his family is intense and hard-hitting. The suspense is maintained by the painfully slow unearthing of the skeleton by an archeological team. After all, what hurry is there getting to the bottom of a death that clearly occurred decades ago.

I have the feeling it is not a great translation, but it's hard to know if a certain stylistic clumsiness is in the original or is due to the translator. The characters and atmosphere, the boldness of the plotting, more than compensate in any case, so the book is decidedly gritty.

The parallel development of Erlendur's character, his relationship with his daughter, the troubling secrets of his own past add another layer of psychological texture that makes the book very satisfying to read. Indridason takes a page out of Henning Mankell's book to make Erlendur's assistants mildly interesting in their own rights.

So Iceland is well represented in the new wave of Nordic crime writers. The harsh environment of these countries touching the Arctic Circle is anything but cozy, and strips society and the characters of the novel down to the essentials. It helps that the writers are not without talent and that we are now getting access to them in serviceable translations.

Indridason along with Nesbo were profiled in a Travel & Leisure magazine I read, so I decided to download this book. I loved it. Between Indridason and Nesbo, those Scandos can sure write amazing books. The thing is amazingly well-done in this book is how this book seamlessly moves between the past, a good 45-50 years before the present. I have to admit, I have never seen it done this well, so well, that I don't even realize we were in the present right away. The detective is portrayed very well, as are the people's bones found from the past. The husband is vicious, his wife a sympathetic character and her children portrayed very well. I especially like Simon. Simon eludes to a very strange "closed bedroom door" experience with his younger brother and father; which leads the readers mind many places.

As the reader, you wonder who those bones are that were found. You don't find out until almost the end of the novel. While you can speculate all you want, especially with the violence that occurs in the older household, you never know for sure who is in that "grave."

This is a writer to read. The scenery is dreary, and that darkens the plot. The war years are portrayed well, and accurately. Simon's older handicapped sister, from another father, blossoms in to a caring, lovely adult; even though she experience great verbal abuse by her step-father.

With the two simultaneous plot lines that work so well together, plus the actual characters themselves, @krautgrrl says this is a must read for anyone who likes suspense.

'Silence of the Grave' by Arnaldur Indridason. There are not enough words to explain how excellent this book is. Book 2 of the Reykjavik Murder Mysteries (it's the first one I've read), it's described as a thriller, but I'm not sure that's a fair representation of this well-written, richly layered novel.

The book starts out with a young child's birthday party, where a baby is seen gnawing on a human rib. The bone was picked up from a construction site, where human remains appear to have been buried. the problem is, how long ago? Is there a contemporary murder mystery to solve, or does this body come from the middle ages, unearthed by permafrost and development? Or somewhere in between?

Our protagonist, the detective Erlendur, leads a team through the layers of soil and history to try to determine who the body is; in the meantime, the author weaves a number of intriguing subplots that all seem, effortlessly, to mesh together. The author plays with our sense of timing, which is resolved by the middle of the book (I don't want to give it away), but there are a number of mysteries circulating throughout the story.

The sympathy you feel for Erlendur when dealing with his hesitant team is only magnified by your feelings for him when he tries to take care of his estranged daughter, who lies comatose in hospital, while juggling his emotionally explosive ex-wife and angst-ridden young adult son.

The story has left me starving for more from this author. For now, the rest of the books in this series are in my MUST READ list.

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 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

"Silence..." is a powerful, riveting read. It is NOT for readers who enjoy Dan Brownish style "normal-man/woman-turned-superman-saves-the-world" type thrillers. It is rather more like, for lack of better term, for those who like the "Nordic" thrillers such as the "Millenium Trilogy" and those by Jo Nesbo, including the extraordinary 'The Redbreast, just to cite the ones I've read. These thrillers are marked by:
a) the authors tackles serious themes in the context of the mystery (e.g. domestic violence in "Silence.."; racism and nationalist extremism in "Redbreast'...) and do so in a non-sentimental, almost brutal way
b) the leading characters are absolutely captivating, albeit Harry Hole (Jo Nesbo's protagonist) and Erlindur (Indridasun's) seem cast from similar mold: both are moody, eccentric, loners yet deeply ethical and human. It is very easy (at least for me it was) to empathize and sympathize with them
c) the complex yet plausible plot lines absolutely rip, sans miraculous escapes and other gimmicks
d) there is some powerful drama around close relations or family which is handled without sentimentality

If I had to choose, I think I would pick "Redbreast" over "Silence" perhaps because the secondary cast of characters in "Redbreast" was incredibly special (including the "bad" guys) and because the plotline was so intricately crafted. But it would certainly be "Silence.." over "The Girl with the Dragoon Tattoo" any day. A great read for serious thriller lovers

This was our library mystery book club read for the month. I have become fond of books from across the pond. Mo Hayder, Ken Bruen, James Thompson, Peter James, Stephen Booth, are some of my favorite authors. SILENCE OF THE GRAVE is set in a village on the outskirts of Reykjavik, Iceland. Inspector Erlendur and his team are investigating a skeleton a construction crew uncovered. Archeologists are called in for the slow, meticulous unveiling. Without knowing if the deceased is a male or female, the police have the painstaking job of figuring out the who, what, where, when and how. Interspersed through the book is a glimpse into a family controlled by an abusive husband and father. The author doesn't identify these "glimpses" as backstory but you soon learn that it is since the family is living during WW II. The physical and mental torment this young mother is subjected to is heart-wrenching and painful to read. Erlender himself has family problems with a drugged out estranged daughter who is in a coma after having a miscarriage. His ex-wife is barely civil to him and his own childhood haunts him. There is a lot this reader learned about the occupation of Iceland by the British soldiers and then the Americans during the war. That information certainly was skipped in my history classes. I hadn't read Jar City, the first in the series, but I will definitely check it out.

I don't know what it is about thrillers written in the Scandanavian countries that compel the authors to have protagonists who are burdened with problems and doubts. This book is no exception.

Out protagonist is a middle-aged divorced policeman who has an ex-wife who despises him and two children who basically ignore him except when they are telling him how much they hate him. In addition to dealing with all of those things, he is faced with the discovery of a body of unknown age uncovered in the digging of a new development. From there the plot basically splits, telling his story while alongside it telling about a very troubled family that lived in the area during World War II.

As usual with this series, the writing is first rate and really pulls the reader into the tale. The hero's domestic problems tend to impinge a bit on his work, but as the book progresses we learn something about why he has turned into the person he now is. With well-drawn characters and quite realistic scenarios, this is another excellent addition to the Icelandic thriller bookshelf. There are further books in this series and I fully intend to get them all and read them avidly.

In the award winning "Silence of the Grave", Arnaldur Indridason again demonstrates that he's an extremely accomplished crime drama author. This excellent novel intertwines two stories from the past and the present surrounding a police investigation conducted by Reykjavik inspector Erlendur and his team. During construction in the elite Millenium Quarter on the outskirts of Reykjavik, human remains were discovered. Construction was halted and an archeologic team was brough in to work the site and remove the skeleton.

Meanwhile in flashback fashion Indridason relates a story of a family who lived in the Milennium Quarter area back around the time of World WarII in a long gone chalet. The family of two sons and a daughter who was both physically and mentally disabled by a childhood bout of meningitis, was subjected to despicable and disturbing domestic violence. The nurturing mother was beaten severely and regularly by her monstrous husband who was playing out his sadistic inner demons by ruining her life. As the novel progresses the two stories begin to meld.

Indridason is terrific in his ability to develope the character of Erlendur who struggles with his personal life. A large ago divorce estranged him from his children. His daughter Eva Lind a long time drug addict who is seven month pregnant was found after being missing lying in a pool of blood. She is now resting in a coma in a local hospital. Her infirmity resulted in an unfortunate meeting with his banshee like ex-wife whose still simmering hatred for Erlendur resulted in a hurtful encounter. Indridason delves deeply into Elendur's personality giving us insight into where his motivations have evolved from.

Indridason does a masterful job of telling two parallel stories at the same time. The first story is set during World War II, and the second story is Erlendur's investigation into a skeleton found by a child. The first story builds suspense as the reader wonders whether or not the woman and her children will ever escape the husband. Until the very end, you are not completely sure who is buried in that grave, but you are hoping it is not one of them. On the other hand, it could be the fiancee of another man that went missing around the same time. And, while the mystery that sparks the excellent police procedural plays out, there is the always underlying story of Erlendur and his family life, or lack thereof. Erlendur is a mystery, with bits and pieces coming to light as the novel progresses. As I waited for the story to play out, I was in a constant state of tension. With many mysteries, I have the story figured out long before I get to the end. I enjoyed being left guessing, so much so, that I have downloaded the third novel in the series.

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 any reason to be -- his grown 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.

summary, without spoilers: 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. It seems that the bones are laying in an area that will soon become a housing development, and archaeologists are excavating in the area prior to this happening. 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.

One of the things you have to take for granted when reading this story is that the translator is English and some of the idioms used by the characters may seem quaint. Maybe that's the way Icelanders are, but that is a small price to pay to be able to read this novel. Anyone who attempts to read this book without first reading "Jar City" will be doing themselves a great disservice. It's important to read an author like Arnaldur in order because each novel unraps the main character like you would an artichoke. You need to see each petal as it's revealed by the author.

The story is intriguing for the way Arnaldur lets it unfold. It begins like a lot of "Cold Cases" or "CSIs". A body is found at a construction site. The body is at least fifty years old and there's no way to tell if it's a murder or an old graveyard. So where do you start? Well you find someone who knows how to excavate a body without destroying all the forensic evidence. While the body is being exhumed, you go looking for people who would have been in the area fifty years ago.

The story is made easier in that the land had been an area for summer housing for many years, but was now becoming part of a suburban estate.
So that little has disturbed the area over the last fifty years. On the other hand, most if not all the people who lived there then, are dead.

Intertwined within the story of the body, is a second story that explains little by little what led up to the burial of the body. At the same time, Inspector Erlendur (who reminds me a lot of Inspector Rebus) is dealing with his own devils. He walked out on his wife, daughter and son when the children were little and has had little contact with them since. His daughter has been living on the streets, and doing what junkies do to get drugs, she is pregnant and in no shape to have a child. Erlendur is also dredging up a horror from his past, that in some ways mirrors the main story relating to the buried body.

The ending is something you cannot guess, and best of all it is not the result of the author throwing 'red herrings' in front of us to conceal what happens. A great read, and I'm looking forward to the three books that follow this one.

When I first began reading this author's first translated novel, _Jar City,_ I didn't think I was going to enjoy it. Then I got caught up in it and it's stayed in my mind ever since. This second novel featuring the dour, laconic Detective Erlendur Sveinsson of Reykjavik, isn't as gray in tone and texture as the first one, but it's just as unsettling, . . . not unlike an Icelandic saga, in fact. Again like the first book, the plot hinges on a crime committed long ago, revolving this time on the identification of a body found in a foundation excavation in a new housing subdivision. The story shifts between the present day, in which Erlendur has to deal with a university archaeologist who has undertaken to excavate the body (their forensics expert being on vacation in Spain at the moment), and the days of the Allied occupation during the 1940s, when an entire family is living in continual fear of domestic abuse. Because, even though the cover rather erroneously calls this a "thriller," it's really a story about strained family relationships and all the variations that situation can take. Erlendur has a very iffy relationship with his pregnant, drugged-out daughter, and a twenty-year nonspeaking relationship with his ex-wife. One of his detectives is in the middle of a crisis with his live-in girlfriend, who wants commitment. A vicious wife-beater has a sick relationship with everyone in the house. Another possible victim whose body it might be had a series of troubled relationships with fiancé and family. And on and on. Anyone who has read Henning Mankell will see a resemblance in Erlendur to Kurt Wallender. (Maybe it's a Scandinavian thing.) So, don't expect a lot of cop-type action here, but do expect a very well-written novel.

Well if you are like me you've never read anything by an Icelandic author. But it seems we've all been missing out. 'Silence of the Grave' is a very well written and translated (into British English) whodunnit. A body is discovered in a sprawling Reykjavik suburb. As the forensic team slowly exhumes the body it becomes clear that the body is at least fifty years old. The author then does a masterful work in pealing back the layers of time to determine what went on back there two generations ago. Of course in the end all is revealed.

To be sure, nothing stands out as particularly stellar about 'Silence of the Grave'. Rather it is an example of doing everything right: plot, dialogue, characterizations. The overall feel reminds me of the mystery novels by Sjowall/Wahloo, the eccentric Swedish duo who pumped out great stuff in the 1970s.

Bottom line: an example of how a mystery novel should be written. Recommended.

This is another great book by Indridason. It is the second book in the series about detective Erlendur. At the very beginning of the story, bones are discovered by children. A skeleton is uncovered that is over 75 years old. It is up to Erlendur to discover the history of the skeleton and decide if a murder was committed.
The story is very exciting, as the story shifts back and forth from the present and 75 years ago. If you enjoy a good mystery, then you will enjjoy this book. I definitely recommend it.

On the outer perimeter of Reykjavik, Iceland, a construction crew uncovers the remains of a body. The corpse had been placed in this shallow grave over five decades ago when the area was undeveloped hills. Inspector Erlendur leads the investigation into the death of this identified male at the same time a forensic archeologist excavates the location to insure no other clues are damaged or lost.

While Erlendur works on what is probably going to end up a cold case, he finds the investigation fascinating and enables him to avoid the domestic abuse cases that seem prevalent. Many prominent leaders would prefer past and present family violence ignored. Erlendur would like to do that as those cases eat at the cop perhaps because his drug addicted daughter remains in a coma following a miscarriage. However, the police or society will not be able to pretend that a brutal beating of a young woman did not occur.

The subplots tie together to make a delightful police procedural that emphasizes the locale as much as the criminal activity. The crusty Inspector is a fine protagonist with woes caused by feelings of guilt as he fears her failed his daughter; yet it is Iceland that holds the plot collectively as one strong story line. The abuse theme will haunt readers well after the tale is finished as Arnaldur Indritason provides a deep extremely well written Icelandic police procedural.

Harriet Klausner

I am in the process of reading this series and this is the second book. I am impressed by the author's skill in capturing current and past events while at the same time providing an in-depth analysis of the main characters. I also believe I connected strongly with this story because the abuse that occurred at both the physical and psychological levels brought back childhood memories somewhat similar to those described in the book. The author took me on an emotional journey that one does not normally expect in a detection series. This is indeed excellent writing and I plan to read the entire series.

I just finished reading 3 books (in 3.5 days) by a wonderful author I've recently discovered: Arnaldur Indridason & he's Icelandic.

The 3 books that have been translated into English are: JAR CITY (2004), SILENCE OF THE GRAVE (2005) & VOICES (2006). Two more are scheduled for release late next year and I can hardly wait!!!

It's truly a fascinating read and it pulled me in FAST, drawing me to the next novel and then the next at a pretty fast clip.

There's not the kind of action, drama, gruesomeness that is in many crime/thriller novels these days. There is a feeling that you accompany the detectives on their journey to a resolution. You can feel the cold, see the landscape, experience the smells and the warmth of a fire!

It's like watching a foreign movie. You're drawn into an interplay with the characters as they evolve. If Arnaldur Indridson's books were made into movies, they'd need Alfred Hitchcock as the director. Both can (could) tease you with fear that's been subtly created.

I can't say enough. Check this author out yourself.

I found this book a little slow. It perhaps contained too much about Erlandur's private life as compared to the investigation in which he was involved. It was not a page turner. But it did reveal facets of life in Iceland, it's history and life in general which I found interesting and sometimes eye opening. I will certainly try the next in the series, hoping for something a bit more enticing. I'm currently reading the vault by Ruth Rendell. With this book I have to stop myself turning the pages!!

This is the 4th Erlendur novel I've read and it is just like the prior 3. Unless you're bored or want to be bored find something else to occupy your time. All of Indridason's Erlendur novels start slow and stay slow until you're 75% of the way thru before they begin to pique your interest.

This is an immensely pleasurable read. I visited Iceland and am delighted to find an author who brings the people and this culture to life. This is my second book by this author with the lead character maturing through the stories. I will definitely read more books by this author.

This is a lugubrious novel, dark, penetrating, relentless. Seldom is there relief from the shadows of this story. Yet after the long search for discovery and understanding of the negative forces dominating the story, we are lead to the light of perseverance and determination. The story moves inexorably to a sort of completeness, its characters relieved of their past. I was happy to shed those negative elements, but left with an appreciation for the writer's tale.

As a decades old skeleton is slowly and carefully unearthed, so detective Erlendur Sveinsson slowly and meticulously uncovers the solution, fleshing out the bare bones of the story by painstaking detective work.Erlendur is lonely, miserable, and he doesn't seem to have that much going for him. His ex wife hates him, his children avoid him, and his daughter is a pregnant drug addict. Indridason is one of those authors who do social realism really well. The main theme of SILENCE OF THE GRAVE is domestic violence - past and present. And a very compelling and sad tale it is too. It made me feel quite melancholy as I was reading it and heartsick for several of the characters.

Erlendur and the gang try to identify the skeleton of a murder victim found in an unmarked grave that has been buried for decades in this sequel to Jar City. Like its predecessor, this case is far more than what it seems. Indri'ason skillfully weaves together two tales of past and present, further developing Erlendur and his colleagues through their personal struggles, while relating the tragic history of the family responsible for the crime. A gripping, suspenseful tale of familial love and the horrors of domestic abuse, Silence of the Grave won the prestigious British Crime Writers' Association Golden Dagger Award. Don't miss it.

Arandur's novel, set in Iceland, has been translated by a Briton. Once one gets past the anglicisms and the inevitable slight awkwardness when one reads something in translation, the book is a very enjoyable read. The writer does an excellent job of portraying the nuances of life in isolation very far to the north. It is part of a series of novels, all featuring a somewhat scruffy and aging detective, Inspector Erlandur whose seemingly haphazard approach to solving crimes is the complete opposite of, say, Sherlock Holmes.

The harsh landscape of Iceland is the setting for this novel which recounts two stories, one set in World War II and converging to the present and the other centered on the life of the chief investigating officer. Iceland is a vast island with a small population dispersed over a harsh landscape subject to sudden storms. People caught outside frequently go missing with their fate forever unknown by their families. This fact lurks like a skeleton in both stories, past and modern, and the center of this novel is a skeleton that is found in a shallow grave as the foundations for a new subdivision are being dug.

The uniquely Icelandic setting is intriguing and the translation is well done in spare prose that lets the stark emotion of the characters speak for themselves. The grim subjects of wife beating and drug abuse are a reminder that the storied past of saga has a human side. This type of story has been done before, with the revelations of the past illuminating and exploding the lives of the investigators. This novel read like a conjuring trick with the story in the past being told forwards and the story about the investigator being told backwards. I found it interesting for the Icelandic setting and the story of an old murder somewhat suspenseful. Until the author revealed the connection at the end, the investigator's problems seemed like an irritating interruption. Clever, but not fair to the reader.

As ususal, interesting twist and juxtaposition of two timelines. Although Eva Lind 's situation was sad, I felt Erlendur was too exhausted with her to be his effective self as a problem solver. The mystery unraveled itself without much input from his insight that's always based on his emotional maturity. The description of violence in domestic abuse was so vivid that I had to stop a few times. Good thing, in a book, I guess.

"... There's just one thing I want to know," Erlendur said. "What was her name?" "... Mikkelina has told me about her, but never what her name was." - "Her name was Margret." - "Margret." ------- " ... At that very moment a small tear began to form in one of Eva Lind's eyes as she lay motionless in the gloom of intensive care... A few minutes later she opened her eyes."

A subtle touch of magic and a hint of the supernatural, among other things, tie Indridason's writing to old Icelandic sagas, making his tough, dark mysteries uniquely Icelandic and universally human.

Very painful subject matter to put a light on and to read. Writer Arnaldur Indridason is an Icelander on a mission, and the rurally-bred, urban-by-default Reykjavik Detective Erlendur Sveinsson is Indridason's master creation; a modern to give voice to the wise, wary soul of Iceland past.

An overall great sense of the place, history, geography and people of Reykjavik and Iceland, old and new.

"Erlendur looked around at the new houses under construction. He looked up at the brown geothermal water tanks and to where he knew Lake Reynisvatn lay, then turned and looked east over the grassland that took over where the new quarter ended. Four bushes caught his attention, standing up out of the brush about 30 metres away. He walked over to them and thought he could tell that they were redcurrant bushes. They were bunched together in a straight line to the east of the foundation and he wondered, stroking his hands over the knobbly, bare branches, who would have planted them there in this no man's land."

... Erlendur has honed in his senses and is now off to solve the mystery of the bones found in the foundations of the new Millenium Quarter development of subdivisions in the rapidly expanding Reykjavik, Iceland.

(PS: If you like reading modern fiction about things Icelandic, I recommend THE TRICKING OF FREYA by Christina Sunley).

This novel confirms the talent that popped up in Jar City. Like all first rate crime, the strory transcends the facts: here, the bigger issue is family---what is it, how does one generation influence the one that follows, is forgivness possible? Erlendur, the protaganist, makes for a believable character---he lives alone, is estranged from his daughter, is sad and hates the relentless spring and summer sunshine imposed by latitude upon Iceland. He and his colleagues investigate a buried body(Great first line: "He knew at once it was a human bone, when he took it from the baby who was sitting on the floor chewing it."). Each of the leads, and sub plots, look at the issue of family, each from a different angle. It is subtly done, never heavy handed.

At first I had trouble with the nordic names of the people. It really troubled me as I didn't know if they wree male or female or who they were, but I kept reading it and I'm glad I did. The story starts kind of slow but the descriptions were so vivid that I kept on reading. It quickly became a gripping book. Not that the story is that great or original but I highly enjoyed the back and forth between the present and the past. Again, it really seemed vivid to me, as if I was watching a movie (darn, this book would make an awesome movie, I'm sure of it).

Give it a try, it's a great book. Now I just want to read another book from this author.

I am in awe of the talent it took to create this book. I have been an avid reader my entire life, therefore, it takes something really imaginative to hold my interest. This author has absolutely done that. It's the first book I have ever read by this author and now I can't wait to get my hands on more. True, I had trouble pronouncing some of the names and towns in the book, but no matter, it didn't take away from the sheer power of the story. It kept my on the edge of my seat up to the very last page. After I closed the book, all I could do was sit there and say, "Wow."

The story evolves slowly and mixes events many years past with the present. An old mystery is revealed and we gain an insight into Erlunder's character. Pacing is slow but enjoyable. Interesting facts about the presence of British and American soldiers in Iceland during WW II.

Won't rehash what others have said (re: plot). I could not put this book down and read it practically straight through. Great mystery and writing style. Can't wait to read something else by this writer.

Have now added Indridason to my increasing list of Scandinavian writers...though, officially, Iceland isn't part of Scandinavia. Only a matter of time till these "crime-fiction" guys rise to the top of the list of really good authors on the American scene. Or maybe they already have and I'm just behind the times. Hmm?

We are going to Iceland in January so I wanted an author that would give me some insight. This book was an excellent mystery by an Icelandic author, but not so much insight into the culture. Not the book's issue, but mine. I would recommend it for a good story and a well written crime novel

I love a good murder mystery and Silence of the Grave doesn't disappoint. I bought the paperback in Reykjavik airport and just finished it. The gripping thread is the domestic violence story--it is real and riveting, but never so graphic as to be repulsive. The other stories in the novel: Erlendur's own family problems, the dogged Elinborg and the darkly comic Sigurdur Oli--make this a complex and subtle novel whose conclusions roll out one by one and leave the reader wanting more of these characters and their lives. It doesn't hurt to have visited Reykjavik, but it's not mandatory for the reader to enjoy Silence of the Grave.

This is a novel that would make a refreshing television series; a clear contrast to the monotony (IMHO) of forensic technology shows like CSI. I only wish they were available to read on my Kindle (they are not at the moment.)I loved them--I want to read all the rest now too!

A first sentence that has a baby chewing on a human bone made it impossible not to read more, and the book held me to the very end. Whodunits are often predictable and it is rare to find one as uniquely told. On the surface, it is a crime novel, and a good one at that. Deeper, it reveals more about the human condition than most, despite the fact that it provides a bleak view of spousal abuse, drugs, and murder. There are a few spots where one can tell the book has been translated, and a few puzzling sections, nevertheless it is a great read.

With Inspector Erlendur and his two subordinates as they search for more than just a murderer. This story takes a look back at Iceland in WWII and does a great job of weaving past and present together.

I read "Silence of the Grave" and am now reading Indridason's book "Jar City." I'm enjoying both of them. I've never been to Reykjavik, but the author provides a good description of the city. The main character in both books is Inspector Erlendur, who has got plenty of problems of his own (ran out on his wife and 2 kids when they were young, the kids want little or nothing to do with him now. His daughter is a drug addict, etc.) Erlendur is the gritty, bulldog detective type who catches the few murders that are committed in Iceland. While my favorite detective is Porfiry Petrovich Rostnikov (Stuart Kaminsky), Erlendur's character is well written. I look forward to reading future Indridason books.

The author sets up a detailed and interesting drama that reveals communities, on the far reaches of our planet, are not that much different than ours. The bonus for the reader is that the island nation is a character itself, with its plots and influences, moving the story along, like a strong and influential human actor would enhance any mystery.

I have not read the first in the series, but I was impressed with this second novel. The story was engaging and the writing lovely. The main character is interesting, though enigmatic at this point. It kept me guessing to the end. I enjoy Nordic mysteries, and while this series doesn't approach Mankell for depth and texture (yet) I would recommend it for those who like intelligent detective novels.

Readers who are not from and have never visited Iceland yet would like to know more about the country might find this book interesting (as I did) for the information about the country that can be gleaned or deduced from "Silence of the Grave." People simply hoping to read a good mystery (or a good novel) will probably not derive much pleasure from this poorly plotted book. Perhaps other books in the series are better, but this one does not prompt me to find out.

While there is nothing particularly super about this novel, yet it seems to do most everything right: the dialogue, the plot, and the characters. The story bounces seamlessly back and forth from the present to World War II. You are never quite certain who the body next to the red currant bushes is. But along the way, you get more and more of what makes Erlendur tick. He and his dysfunctional family are compelling and I'm looking forward to reading the next book in the series.

Superbly written. Indridason knows his procedurals as well as his psychology. I recommend this book and this author. The characters are vividly fleshed out and it is interesting to learn a bit about Icelandic culture. However, be prepared for an exquisitely accurate account of the dynamics and ramifications of abuse. It is so well written that it could trigger strong emoional reactions.

Silence in the Grave is the second Arnuldur Indridason book I've read (Jar City being the first). His books take the reader deep into the culture and history of Iceland at the same time they deliver a very human lead detective and a compelling mystery.

I'm not a big fan of this genre. In fact, the only reason I read this book was because they were available, and I was out of other reading material. I was pleasantly surprised to find myself completely engrossed from start to finish. The characters are all disturbingly flawed; haunted by their own personal demons, yet somehow managing to unravel a long-forgotten series of crimes.

I imagine that crime fiction aficionados would find even more to love in this well-written, thought-provoking story.

Well developed characters chase down clues to deaths over fifty years past. Good transition from past to present holds tale together; subplots add interesting sidelights.

Nice mix of war-time occupation problems, drug addictions and spousal brutality in balkanized, isolated community. Good read.

After enjoying Jar City, I was intrigued enough to purchase this second book. I was not disappointed by the main plot or by the continuation of the personal story surrounding Erlendur. The mystery itself is a good enough reason to buy the book. However, I found historical notes about Iceland and WWII to be very interesting. As a result, I will likely pick up the next in the series.

I greatly enjoyed reading this sequel to "Jar City!" I am a big fan of Henning Mankell's novels, but it was thrilling to discover Arnaldur Indridason! His writing kept me at the "edge of my seat;" his stories are gripping and also provide psychological depth to his characters. Just as Mankell does with Sweden, Arnaldur gives the reader some insight into Icelandic society.
I can't wait to read Arnaldur's future novels!

As I write this 11/19/06 the film "Mýrin" (Tainted Blood, Jar City, Nordermoor) has just won 5 Eddas (the Nordic Oscar). I am normally niggardly with stars, 4 for my best liked, 5 for masterpieces, 3 for well liked. Last year Silence of the Grave won the Golden Dagger, the English Detective Stories' award. As I read it in the original version, I viewed mr. Scudder's translation at the same time. Indridason is not the best of stylists and Scudder sometimes betters him. I remember one sentence off hand."Erlendur veit ekkert í sinn haus" verbatim means "E. knows nothing into his head." I think most people would translate it "E does not have a clue" but Scudder renders it "Erlendur does not know his arse from his elbow." I can remember there were more instances like this, where Scudder lifts the text to a higher standard. I am not as critical as mr Klovsjö of Sweden (see his critique on the store.co.uk) but I agree that the solution of the plot was a little thin and the main character's personal issues are a bit à la Martin Beck. Sjöwall / Wahlöö are obviously better writers though and must surely have won a golden dagger at some point. This depends on the translator though, and Bernard Scudder owns a big part in Indridason's golden dagger. I suggest that Icelandic readers read Scudder's translation, and everyone else, i.e. those who can read English.

A wonderful mystery, well written. It's main themes are broken families and domestic violence. Rich characters, couldn't put it down. Even when things seem their bleakest, there is always a glimmer of hope. Very highly recommended.

Have become a fan of Scandinavian and Icelandic crime fiction of this is one of Indridason's better efforts. This book grabs you and won't let go despite the sometimes tough subject matter. I liked this better than Jar City and I think the author was just more refined in the overall story telling. While not essential, I would recommend reading these books in order since there are recurring characters that add color to the story.

I liked this book. I read a lot of books from Norway. This was a fun little mystery trying to figure out the identity of the bones. I did, of course, but the little twist was unexpected and fun. There was a lot of tension throughout which made it hard to put down, I really wanted to find out what would happen next.

This is a police procedural about unearthing bodies in a construction site, but the author does not know police procedures. You do take photographs of the crime scene, you do not move the body until it has been examined by the forensic pathologist (you find one, even if your pathologist is vacationing in Spain), and when you find an important witness, you talk to them until you have all the facts (you do not let them go home to continue the story the next day). The author has violated all procedures--it does not make any sense. First and foremost, a police procedural must stick to reality to be credible. How can you reviewers let the author by with these blunders and give him so many stars?

I read the book to get insight into the Icelandic culture--you will get none of that here. The main character is a grim, despondent, sad character named Erlundur whose ex-wife hates him, and whose children hate him. I think I hate him, too. His daughter is a pregnant drug addict who overdoses, loses the baby, and vegetates in the hospital in a coma while the mystery unfolds--that is one of the parallel stories to the main story of unfolding who is buried at the site.

Where the author does come through is in describing the terror of the wife and family that is being abused by her husband. The abuser really deserves what he gets, and you can guess who lies in the ground fairly early. The story is slow to develop, and there are several narratives going on at once which I think is a clever idea which is carried off, well.

This author needs an editor to help him master his craft. His characters are about as well developed as a cardboard cutout. But there is promise here if he is willing to do the work.

This is mostly a tired, shoddy collection of unoriginal ugliness.

The scenes of domestic violence are gratuitous in themselves and in their ugliness.

Some of the historical background is interesting, but there's not a notable likable character and be it the translation or otherwise, too many sentences started like "Did not know...," "Felt the solitude..."

A skeleton is found on a hill in the outskirts of Reykjavik. It looks as if it has been there for a long time, but the excavation goes terribly slow because a team of archaeologists (who are very precise in their work) is performing the excavation dig .
While the bones are being excavated, Inspector Erlendur and his colleagues try to find out what happened 50 to 70 years ago. Slowly but surely they find out the terrible details.
There are several stories that they uncover - one is about a family consisting of a father, mother, 2 brothers and a handicapped sister. It soon becomes apparent that something horrible happened in the family - a very descriptive story of abuse.
Also, there is a story of a woman who went missing and was presumed to have committed suicide.
At the same time as these long ago stories are being discovered, Erlendur's drug-addicted daughter Eva Lind is in a coma and he finally finds the courage to tell her what he feels for her. In short, this is a wonderful, sensitive thriller with a lot of psychological insight, well-developed storylines and beautiful descriptions of the various characters.

This is one of the best books I've read in a very long time. I read Jar City first and was so intrigued by the characters and the story that I had to read Indridason's next book, Silence of the Grave. It is so beautifully written that at times it moved me to tears. The bleakness, fulility and despair of the characters was so incredibly written. And the ending was so touching and hopeful. I am in love with this author.