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strangerita's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
krobart's review against another edition
3.0
See my review here:
https://whatmeread.wordpress.com/2023/10/05/review-2247-girls-who-lie/
https://whatmeread.wordpress.com/2023/10/05/review-2247-girls-who-lie/
chery_swedish's review against another edition
3.0
Quitadle las placas a Elma y Sævar. Esos dos no resuelven ni un caso.
cransuz's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
booksbybindu's review against another edition
5.0
‘Girls Who Lie’ is an outstanding book. It’s taut, chilling, completely gripping, a fascinating location and oh my the tension! This is the second book in the Forbidden Iceland series but it can be read as a standalone. However, I recommend you read ‘Creak on the Stairs’ as it's brilliant - plus it just won a CWA Dagger so you know it's a great series!
Iceland and its country is another character in this book as Eva brilliantly describes the landscape and its weather, to the extent that you feel you are there hearing the windows rattle in the wind. Plus, I don't think I have ever read a book where the deposition site is a cave in a lava field before! So unique.
The addition of the chapters in which you find out about the life of a young mother 15 years ago made for a gradual build-up of information and tension. As a reader, you wanted to know more and the background behind the mother's experience. I must say when the ‘ah-ha’ moment arrived I was not expecting it at all! Well done Eva!
I really enjoyed the interaction between Elma and Saver as they were a good counterbalance to the dark aspects of the book. The development of both their characters I felt made them come across as more human and well rounded. I can't wait to see what happens to them in the next book. It's these two characters which made the book compelling.
Random point here - I can't wait to try a danish pastry that is so long it has to be cut into pieces. That sounds like heaven!
I can't wait for the next in the series.
Iceland and its country is another character in this book as Eva brilliantly describes the landscape and its weather, to the extent that you feel you are there hearing the windows rattle in the wind. Plus, I don't think I have ever read a book where the deposition site is a cave in a lava field before! So unique.
The addition of the chapters in which you find out about the life of a young mother 15 years ago made for a gradual build-up of information and tension. As a reader, you wanted to know more and the background behind the mother's experience. I must say when the ‘ah-ha’ moment arrived I was not expecting it at all! Well done Eva!
I really enjoyed the interaction between Elma and Saver as they were a good counterbalance to the dark aspects of the book. The development of both their characters I felt made them come across as more human and well rounded. I can't wait to see what happens to them in the next book. It's these two characters which made the book compelling.
Random point here - I can't wait to try a danish pastry that is so long it has to be cut into pieces. That sounds like heaven!
I can't wait for the next in the series.
underdarkrivers's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
kellyvandamme's review against another edition
5.0
Wave a book at me that has the word lie in the title and you know I’m going to want to read it. Tell me it’s Nordic Noir and written by an up-and-coming author whose debut I devoured last year and wild Icelandic horses couldn’t keep me away! The volcanic grounds of Iceland have produced quite a few fantastic authors and with Girls Who Lie, Eva Björg Ægisdottir shows she is right up there with the best of them.
Girls Who Lie is the second Forbidden Iceland thriller featuring police officer Elma, whom we were introduced to in The Creak on the Stairs. There is one specific aspect of Elma’s personal past carried over to Girls Who Lie that may be a bit of a spoiler if you were to read The Creak later, but her current case is brand-new and I’m sure Girls Who Lie works perfectly well as a standalone, if you are so inclined. (The Creak is really good though, so my advice would be to start there anyway.)
Girls Who Lie alternates between two storylines. The first storyline is told from the POV of Elma. A body has been found in a cave: Maríanna, who was missing and presumed dead by suicide, now appears to have been murdered. Elma and her partner are trying to work out what happened, and as their investigation progressed I was sleuthing from the sidelines, mentally adding, crossing off and re-adding names to my suspect list.
The second storyline is told from the POV of an unnamed woman, starting with the birth of her daughter, and steadily progressing in time. Starting with postnatal depression and then going from low to low, this woman is struggling with her fussy, at times violent child, and neither of them is very happy. Here too, I was sleuthing like it was my job: was this woman one of the people in Elma’s storyline, was her daughter? Finally the pieces started to slot into place, the picture becoming a little clearer with every chapter and now I just want to go back, start over, find out what clues I missed.
What I love about reading is that you can stay in the comfort of your own home, or at your desk at work, or be physically anywhere really, while your mind is travelling the world, discovering new places or revisiting places you’ve been and feel nostalgic about. That is exactly what Girls Who Lie did: part of me stayed on the sofa with the cat, while part of me roamed the lava fields of Iceland, felt the chill in the air, and the looming gloom of a long dark winter. It simply oozes atmosphere. I loved the mystery, I loved the police procedural aspect, I loved Elma, she’s such a brilliant protagonist, but the setting, the vibe, the atmosphere are like a huge juicy cherry on top an already properly lush cake. Recommended!
Girls Who Lie is the second Forbidden Iceland thriller featuring police officer Elma, whom we were introduced to in The Creak on the Stairs. There is one specific aspect of Elma’s personal past carried over to Girls Who Lie that may be a bit of a spoiler if you were to read The Creak later, but her current case is brand-new and I’m sure Girls Who Lie works perfectly well as a standalone, if you are so inclined. (The Creak is really good though, so my advice would be to start there anyway.)
Girls Who Lie alternates between two storylines. The first storyline is told from the POV of Elma. A body has been found in a cave: Maríanna, who was missing and presumed dead by suicide, now appears to have been murdered. Elma and her partner are trying to work out what happened, and as their investigation progressed I was sleuthing from the sidelines, mentally adding, crossing off and re-adding names to my suspect list.
The second storyline is told from the POV of an unnamed woman, starting with the birth of her daughter, and steadily progressing in time. Starting with postnatal depression and then going from low to low, this woman is struggling with her fussy, at times violent child, and neither of them is very happy. Here too, I was sleuthing like it was my job: was this woman one of the people in Elma’s storyline, was her daughter? Finally the pieces started to slot into place, the picture becoming a little clearer with every chapter and now I just want to go back, start over, find out what clues I missed.
What I love about reading is that you can stay in the comfort of your own home, or at your desk at work, or be physically anywhere really, while your mind is travelling the world, discovering new places or revisiting places you’ve been and feel nostalgic about. That is exactly what Girls Who Lie did: part of me stayed on the sofa with the cat, while part of me roamed the lava fields of Iceland, felt the chill in the air, and the looming gloom of a long dark winter. It simply oozes atmosphere. I loved the mystery, I loved the police procedural aspect, I loved Elma, she’s such a brilliant protagonist, but the setting, the vibe, the atmosphere are like a huge juicy cherry on top an already properly lush cake. Recommended!
bookguyinva2022's review against another edition
5.0
First off, who the H is the actual H? What a twisty tale of lies. My head is still swimming.This one will keep you guessing until the end and beyond.
ninagudruna's review against another edition
4.0
4.5* geggjaður krimmi, í senn spennandi, upplýsandi og það er greinilegt að höfundur kynnti sér vel aðstæður og bakgrunnsupplýsingar sem þurfti til skrifanna. Vel farið með viðkvæm málefni og spennnan í hámarki í gegnum alla bókina.