Last Rituals [Hardcover]

I read this book with great delight. It's well-plotted with lots of research in medieval witch-hunt that gives the story depths and an interesting angle. The characters comes alive with originality and the central lawyer-turned-detective is a divorced single mother of two that retained an unfaillible sense of humour thorough the whole grim inquest. Given its macabre character, this dead-pan humour comes as a welcome surprise. Her grounded no-nonsense approach reminded me at times of Inspector Irene Huss in the Helene Tursten books.
The novel has hints of an Icelandic 'Secret History' gone into withcraft.
I certainly will read her next one !

I felt compelled to write a review of this book and drag it out of three and a half star ignominy. I read a number of novels in 2009 and this stood out as one of the most enjoyable; notably, over and above Stieg Larsson's much lauded Swedish crime `caper' The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.

Undoubtedly Last Rituals is linear in plot structure (although reasonable portions are told from viewpoints other than the heroines) and a low body count may not satisfy every reader. What the book does accomplish well however is a tight, closed, murder mystery, that avoids the `global crisis' pitfall that too many crime books fall into: you know, where one murder turns out to be international terrorism or the end of the world! The characters are somewhat formulaic (headstrong female meets surly, but thaw-able, detective with mysterious client) but likable and with more than hints of realism; conveyed notably via the protagonist frustrated dealings with her kids and secretary. I don't know whether it's appropriate to say but I do think this is probably more of a female book: strong woman with issues, thrown in at the deep end, will-they-won't-they chemistry etc...Whilst the technical nature of the book is nowhere near that of Kathy Reich's it does take many of her character's traits and interactions, adjusting them well to the Icelandic setting (for a measure of the interaction think Brennan and Booth from Bones).

A spattering of humour adds to the enjoyment of the book, but there weren't any moments where I cringed, either as a result of the humour or the plot. In terms of the plot it is at times dark but never inaccessible, there are diverse and varied twists that come fast enough to create a compelling narrative. Nothing ever seemed too fortuitous either (another common pitfall), instead steps forward are achieved through rational and realistic logic, with some genuinely interesting and intriguing questions and leads. The cast of secondary characters in also diverse, from University professors to `magic' fixated Goths, and as a result does keep you guessing.

Part of the attraction of Scandinavian crime fiction is (and correct me if I'm wrong) the picturesque image of the settings. The depiction of Iceland is great and the one prolonged foray outside Reykjavík is necessary and conveys a further enjoyable image. The atmosphere throughout the whole book is very well measured.

I am very much looking forward to the second book in paperback: out April.

On the basis of this captivating novel,Iceland has produced
another great crime novelist to rival the award-winning Arnaldur
Indridason. A wealthy German student of withcraft and sorcery is
brutally murdered in Reykjavik.His parents consider that the police
have arrested the wrong culprit and hire a female Icelandic lawyer
and German security man to investigate.Their meticulous enquiries
take them deep into the history of sorcery,whilst their own relationship grows.The effects of the dead man's dark interests on his friends is chillingly conveyed.This is an intelligent enthralling read,not without moments of humour.