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missrhinnan's review against another edition
mysterious
fast-paced
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
2.0
haveabookmoment's review against another edition
2.5
Islantilaisen viisiosainen dekkarisarja. Mielenkiintoisia henkilöhahmoja ja onnistuneita juonikulkuja vaikkakin yhtäkkinen ylimaallinen osuus hieman hämmensi ainakin tätä lukijaa. Sarjan vertaamista Satu Rämön Hildur-sarjaan on vaikea välttää.
juniperusxx's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.5
Pidän tästä sarjasta tosi paljon. Lilja Sigurðardóttirin luomat erikoiset hahmot ovat virkistävän poikkeavia muihin lukemiini dekkareihin verrattuna, ja kompaktista sivumäärästä huolimatta tähänkin osaan mahtui useampi kiinnostava juoni. En yleensä pidä kirjoissa liiasta realiteeteista irtoamisesta, mutta pienen 'jälleensyntyneen' tytön tarina oli hyvällä tavalla hurja.
yvo_about_books's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
4.5
Finished reading: February 9th 2025
"Home. What a fluid concept that was. In the same way his own character was fluid."
I love a good dose of Nordic noir, and Lilja Sigurdardottir is without doubt one of my favorite Icelandic authors. I loved the first three books of the series, and I've been eagerly anticipating the newest sequel Dark As Night... Arora makes for such a great main character, and I've been looking forward to finally learn more about her sister's disappearance. A little warning before I continue: this is definitely a series to read in order, because you will encounter major spoilers for the previous books along the way and the missing sister case spans all four books. Plus, it's hard to get a proper feel for the characters otherwise... Especially with one of the side characters Lady Gugulu playing such a key role in this sequel. I would definitely never have guessed the truth about Lady Gugulu's background, and I can't deny it added a whole lot of danger and suspense to the plot. Both Arora and Daniel have their own investigations again in this sequel, and they decided to swap as both cases hit a little too close to home... I loved that we finally get some answers, although there are still a lot of questions left so I'm keeping my fingers crossed there will be another sequel in the future. If you enjoyed the previous books of the series, I have no doubt that Dark As Night will be a winner for you as well! It's without doubt one of the strongest books of the series and a fantastic piece of Nordic noir!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Gun violence, Homophobia, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Violence, Kidnapping, Grief, Murder, Abandonment, Injury/Injury detail, and Deportation
adrianjd's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Another corker from Lilja. Always look forward to her books and this one does not disappoint.
alimbrux's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.25
cclaytonr's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
I liked the plot but felt like skipping over pages which were, if not totally unrelated, then not necessary to the story. Of course this is my opinion and I like the series and hope this books sells well and is well-liked. It just wasn’t my favorite in the series.
doreeny's review against another edition
4.0
This is the fourth installment in the Áróra Investigations series. Besides crime investigation, this book has some spy thriller and speculative fiction elements.
As in the previous books, there’s more than one case to investigate. Áróra receives a phone call from a woman who claims her 3-year-old daughter Ester Lóa is the reincarnation of Ísafold, Áróra’s sister who disappeared three years earlier. Ísafold is presumed dead though no body has ever been found, but now Ester Lóa seems to have more information. While Áróra and her boyfriend Daníel set out to check the veracity of Ester Lóa’s claims, Lady Gúgúlú, Daníel’s drag queen tenant, leaves a goodbye note stating she is leaving the country. Daníel questions this sudden leave-taking and becomes convinced something is wrong when three threatening men pay him a visit.
I was once again totally drawn into the book so I found it difficult to put down. I enjoyed encountering Áróra and Daníel who behave consistently. Intelligent and determined but flawed Áróra remains as likeable as before. But I also enjoyed revisiting with other characters like Helena, Sirra, and Bisi from the earlier books and learning what has happened to them in the interim. Lady Gúgúlú is a favourite character and it was interesting to learn about his background which explains something mentioned in previous books that always bothered me.
There is a great deal of suspense that will definitely keep readers turning pages. Lady Gúgúlú is in obvious danger: “He didn’t doubt they would kill him if they got hold of him. . . . His biggest fear, however, was that they might try to torture him first.” Anyone who tries to find him is also in danger. Then there’s the mystery surrounding Ester Lóa: how can she possibly know what she knows? In the end, some mysteries are solved, but a new puzzle emerges.
What impressed me again is the author’s intricate plotting. Alternating points of view are presented (e.g. Áróra, Daníel, Lady Gúgúlú, Helena). This narrative structure creates suspense through dramatic irony: the reader knows where Lady Gúgúlú is, but will friend or foe find him first? I like how one chapter often elaborates on what is learned in the previous chapter.
Some of the James Bond elements bothered me since I find them unrealistic, and though I know it’s a tenet of several religions, I’m not a fan of paranormal elements like transmigration. Nonetheless I tried to be less skeptical and “to go with the flow”. And I admit to liking Lady Gúgúlú’s final comment to Daníel: “’If you believe what your senses consider to be reality is in fact reality then you haven’t understood a word I’ve said to you about the inner life of the atom.’”
This is an enjoyable and quick read. The reader’s interest is maintained throughout, and the short, snappy chapters add to the quick pace.
Please check out my reader's blog (https://schatjesshelves.blogspot.com/) or substack (https://doreenyakabuski.substack.com/) for over 1,100 of my book reviews.
As in the previous books, there’s more than one case to investigate. Áróra receives a phone call from a woman who claims her 3-year-old daughter Ester Lóa is the reincarnation of Ísafold, Áróra’s sister who disappeared three years earlier. Ísafold is presumed dead though no body has ever been found, but now Ester Lóa seems to have more information. While Áróra and her boyfriend Daníel set out to check the veracity of Ester Lóa’s claims, Lady Gúgúlú, Daníel’s drag queen tenant, leaves a goodbye note stating she is leaving the country. Daníel questions this sudden leave-taking and becomes convinced something is wrong when three threatening men pay him a visit.
I was once again totally drawn into the book so I found it difficult to put down. I enjoyed encountering Áróra and Daníel who behave consistently. Intelligent and determined but flawed Áróra remains as likeable as before. But I also enjoyed revisiting with other characters like Helena, Sirra, and Bisi from the earlier books and learning what has happened to them in the interim. Lady Gúgúlú is a favourite character and it was interesting to learn about his background which explains something mentioned in previous books that always bothered me.
There is a great deal of suspense that will definitely keep readers turning pages. Lady Gúgúlú is in obvious danger: “He didn’t doubt they would kill him if they got hold of him. . . . His biggest fear, however, was that they might try to torture him first.” Anyone who tries to find him is also in danger. Then there’s the mystery surrounding Ester Lóa: how can she possibly know what she knows? In the end, some mysteries are solved, but a new puzzle emerges.
What impressed me again is the author’s intricate plotting. Alternating points of view are presented (e.g. Áróra, Daníel, Lady Gúgúlú, Helena). This narrative structure creates suspense through dramatic irony: the reader knows where Lady Gúgúlú is, but will friend or foe find him first? I like how one chapter often elaborates on what is learned in the previous chapter.
Some of the James Bond elements bothered me since I find them unrealistic, and though I know it’s a tenet of several religions, I’m not a fan of paranormal elements like transmigration. Nonetheless I tried to be less skeptical and “to go with the flow”. And I admit to liking Lady Gúgúlú’s final comment to Daníel: “’If you believe what your senses consider to be reality is in fact reality then you haven’t understood a word I’ve said to you about the inner life of the atom.’”
This is an enjoyable and quick read. The reader’s interest is maintained throughout, and the short, snappy chapters add to the quick pace.
Please check out my reader's blog (https://schatjesshelves.blogspot.com/) or substack (https://doreenyakabuski.substack.com/) for over 1,100 of my book reviews.
becden's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
raila_h's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75