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ieattoomanycookies's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
donnadeck's review against another edition
4.0
The Darkness Knows is a prime example of how to write Icelandic Noir.
An unsolved case that has long troubled Inspector Konrad is reopened when the body of a missing man is discovered in the melting ice of a glacier. The death was not accidental. Thirty years have passed since the disappearance, and Konrad has never completely stepped away from the case. Now retired, Konrad begins an unofficial investigation. Former friends and associates of the deceased are interviewed. Old memories come to the surface. Forgotten conversations are recalled.
This was a thoroughly enjoyable book. The resolution was not expected, and I wholeheartedly recommend it.
An unsolved case that has long troubled Inspector Konrad is reopened when the body of a missing man is discovered in the melting ice of a glacier. The death was not accidental. Thirty years have passed since the disappearance, and Konrad has never completely stepped away from the case. Now retired, Konrad begins an unofficial investigation. Former friends and associates of the deceased are interviewed. Old memories come to the surface. Forgotten conversations are recalled.
This was a thoroughly enjoyable book. The resolution was not expected, and I wholeheartedly recommend it.
plotspawspinot's review
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
onlyaaaaa's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
ngalbani's review
5.0
I found this book interesting; it was the first novel from this author and my first Nordic noir book.
The story is a good, maybe a little slow pacing but I loved the atmosphere and the everyday life descriptions. I think I will look forward to reading the next book in the series.
There are a couple of things that I did not like: the first is about the “wording” often I had the feeling of a little too refined words (English is not my first language) and I don’t know if this is the author’s style or stylish choice from the translator. The second thing, more important, I didn’t like the ending it came a little too abruptly. Overall these are minor things and I really enjoyed the book and I want to thanks NetGalley and St.Martin Press for the ARC and the opportunity to know Arnaldur Indridason work.
The story is a good, maybe a little slow pacing but I loved the atmosphere and the everyday life descriptions. I think I will look forward to reading the next book in the series.
There are a couple of things that I did not like: the first is about the “wording” often I had the feeling of a little too refined words (English is not my first language) and I don’t know if this is the author’s style or stylish choice from the translator. The second thing, more important, I didn’t like the ending it came a little too abruptly. Overall these are minor things and I really enjoyed the book and I want to thanks NetGalley and St.Martin Press for the ARC and the opportunity to know Arnaldur Indridason work.
justinew80's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.25
lgpiper's review
4.0
A German tour group, visiting one of Iceland's numerous glaciers, finds a body embedded in the ice. When the authorities investigate, they discover that the body is that of Svanhildur, a man who disappeared without trace some 30 years previously. At the time of the original disappearance, a police inspector, Konrád, tried diligently to find the culprit responsible, but failed. He could find no concrete evidence to prove the guilt of his prime suspect, Hjaltalín. All they had were some eyewitness accounts of an argument between Svanhildur and Hjaltalín the evening before Svanhildur was reported missing. In addition, the two appear to have had a falling out over a business connection. Neither of these issues provided the concrete evidence required to convict Hjaltalín, who maintained strenuously that he was innocent.
Now, thirty years later, Konrád is retired from the force and has no interest in pursuing the crime further ... well, except that he can't seem to keep from checking out a thing or two. Over time he becomes obsessed with the case, which had been the greatest failure of his career. He gets a few hints of new information. The sister of a man named, Villi, comes to Konrád to tell him that her brother used to talk quite a lot about having seen someone in the area where Svanhildur had been killed at the time Svanhildur went missing. But then, Villi was killed in a hit and run accident, and there had been no closure for the sister because no car, nor driver, had been found that could be tied to the hit and run. Might it have been related to Svanhildur's murder, an effort to shut Villi up?
And so it goes. We get some other people showing up who might have been involved. We also get some back story into Konrád's life along the way. How he had had an abusive father who was a petty crook, and who eventually died in an unsolved case; how Konrád had grown up bullied because he had a withered arm; how Konrád lost his wife Erna, and has never recovered from the loss; and a few hints at some other things here and there.
Overall, it's a rather interesting tale, set in an interesting location, Iceland. Presumably the setting is well drawn given that the author is an Icelander himself.
#TheDarknessKnows #NetGalley
Now, thirty years later, Konrád is retired from the force and has no interest in pursuing the crime further ... well, except that he can't seem to keep from checking out a thing or two. Over time he becomes obsessed with the case, which had been the greatest failure of his career. He gets a few hints of new information. The sister of a man named, Villi, comes to Konrád to tell him that her brother used to talk quite a lot about having seen someone in the area where Svanhildur had been killed at the time Svanhildur went missing. But then, Villi was killed in a hit and run accident, and there had been no closure for the sister because no car, nor driver, had been found that could be tied to the hit and run. Might it have been related to Svanhildur's murder, an effort to shut Villi up?
And so it goes. We get some other people showing up who might have been involved. We also get some back story into Konrád's life along the way. How he had had an abusive father who was a petty crook, and who eventually died in an unsolved case; how Konrád had grown up bullied because he had a withered arm; how Konrád lost his wife Erna, and has never recovered from the loss; and a few hints at some other things here and there.
Overall, it's a rather interesting tale, set in an interesting location, Iceland. Presumably the setting is well drawn given that the author is an Icelander himself.
#TheDarknessKnows #NetGalley
kaleenazagrzebski's review
3.0
Normally, I love books set in Iceland. I love the creepy, melancholy atmosphere. But, this one fell a little flat for me. When I think about the plot of the book, I would give it 3.5-4 stars. The frozen body of a man who disappeared thirty years ago is found on a glacier, but no one was ever convicted of the crime. Another man is killed years later in a hit and run accident, but after further investigation, the accident may have ties to the man found on the glacier thirty years ago. Where this book fell flat for me was with the main character. I just couldn’t connect with him and it made it really difficult to get hooked on this book.
I don’t know that I would pick up the next book in this series, but I would definitely pick up another book by this author.
I don’t know that I would pick up the next book in this series, but I would definitely pick up another book by this author.
liberrydude's review against another edition
3.0
A rather rambling and slowly paced investigation by a retired policeman who is anything but your typical law enforcement professional. But this is Iceland.
A body is discovered by German tourists on a glacier. It’s the remains perfectly preserved of a man who disappeared in 1985. Konrad, the officer who investigated the disappearance and was unable to solve the crime is reluctant to get involved after getting a call from his colleagues still on the force. He’s retired. But he’s bored too. So he starts making inquiries. Eventually another death, a hit and run accident years later ends up connecting to the missing man.
But the reader is also dealing with Konrad’s life slowly being revealed piece by piece. There’s a depressing miasma coupled with futility vibe about this story- both the victims and the investigators. Police misconduct, destruction of reputations, abuse, alcoholism, and poverty all create a melancholy sense of hopelessness that pervades this story. Not sure I want to read anymore of them that have yet to be translated into English.
A body is discovered by German tourists on a glacier. It’s the remains perfectly preserved of a man who disappeared in 1985. Konrad, the officer who investigated the disappearance and was unable to solve the crime is reluctant to get involved after getting a call from his colleagues still on the force. He’s retired. But he’s bored too. So he starts making inquiries. Eventually another death, a hit and run accident years later ends up connecting to the missing man.
But the reader is also dealing with Konrad’s life slowly being revealed piece by piece. There’s a depressing miasma coupled with futility vibe about this story- both the victims and the investigators. Police misconduct, destruction of reputations, abuse, alcoholism, and poverty all create a melancholy sense of hopelessness that pervades this story. Not sure I want to read anymore of them that have yet to be translated into English.
ru_ro's review
4.0
Thank you Macmillan and Minotaur Books for the advanced copy. The intricate plot of The Darkness Knows unravels at the slow-burn pace typical of Nordic Noir. A retired detective haunted by a cold (in more ways than one) case, navigates not only the tangled web of 30-year-old evidence, but also his personal grief and memories attached to a recent loss. Each character is, in their own way, plagued with personal demons, tragedy, and the lasting effects of Iceland’s financial collapse. Indridason’s writing brings Iceland to life, from the desolate, baron ice caps to the crowded city streets, and shows how the globalization of Iceland has impacted its insular, formally isolated community. A great read; I look forward to seeing where this Konrad series goes next.