When a woman's body is discovered at a lighthouse in the Icelandic
town of Akranes, investigators discover shocking secrets in her past.
First in the disturbing, chillingly atmospheric, addictive new Forbidden
Iceland series.
**WINNER OF THE CWA JOHN CREASEY NEW BLOOD DAGGER**
**WINNER of the Storytel Award for Best Crime Novel 2020**
**WINNER of the Blackbird Award for Best Icelandic Crime Novel**
**SHORTLISTED for the Amazon Publishing Readers Award for Best
Independent Voice**
**SHORTLISTED for the Amazon Publishing Readers Award for Best Debut
Novel**
**LONGLISTED for the CWA New Blood Dagger**
'Eva Björg Ægisdóttir's accomplished first novel is not only a full-fat
mystery, but also a chilling demonstration of how monsters are made'
The Times
'Fans of Nordic Noir will love this moving debut from Icelander Eva
Björg Ægisdóttir's. It's subtle, nuanced, with a sympathetic central
character and the possibilities of great stories to come' Ann
Cleeves
'An exciting and harrowing tale from one of Iceland's rising stars'
Ragnar Jónasson
_________________
When a body of a woman is discovered at a lighthouse in the Icelandic
town of Akranes, it soon becomes clear that she's no stranger to the
area.
Chief Investigating Officer Elma, who has returned to Akranes following
a failed relationship, and her collegues Sævar and Hörður, commence an
uneasy investigation, which uncovers a shocking secret in the dead
woman's past that continues to reverberate in the present day ...
But as Elma and her team make a series of discoveries, they bring to
light a host of long-hidden crimes that shake the entire community.
Sifting through the rubble of the townspeople's shattered memories, they
have to dodge increasingly serious threats, and find justice ... before
it's too late.
For fans of Yrsa Sigurdardottir, Ruth Rendell, P D James, Sarah Hilary
and Camilla Lackberg
_________________
'Elma leaves Reykjavik CID for a job with the police in her hometown of
Akranes, deeming it "every bit as quiet as it appeared to be" -- until
the discovery of a murdered woman starts to unravel a thread of
long-buried crimes hidden deep in the community. Elma is a fantastic
heroine' Sunday Times
'We're used to Icelandic writers lowering the temperature -- in more
ways than one -- and Ægisdóttir proves to be adept at this chilly art as
any of her confrères (and consoeurs). Elma is a memorably complex
character, and Victoria Cribb's translation is (as usual) non-pareil'
Financial Times
'A deserted lighthouse and a murdered woman set the scene for this
haunting and compelling mystery where the dark secrets of a small town
are shockingly exposed. As chilling and atmospheric as an Icelandic
winter' Lisa Gray, author of Thin Air
'The setting in Iceland is fascinating, the descriptions creating a
vivid picture of the reality of living in a small town. The Creak on
the Stairs is a captivating tale with plenty of tension and a plot to
really get your teeth into' LoveReading
'At each stage, Ægisdóttir is not giving us information but asking
things of us. She's getting us to think through the implications: what
if it's him, what if it's her, what would it mean? We're involved, we've
got skin in the game and we can't ask for more as readers' Café
Thinking
