Reviews

• “Suspenseful, compelling and unique.”

• “Given the dark subject matter, this is a surprisingly funny book /…/ a quirky and interesting read.”

• “Considering its population is only around 300,000, Iceland seems to have more than its fair share of good crime writers. Yrsa Sigurdardóttir keeps up the standard with Last Rituals, a grisly chiller set in the depths of winter /…/ Her mystery is absorbing and, untypically, instead of the usual gloomy middle-aged man, her sleuth is a young woman /…/ It's an accomplished debut, with credible characters and a personable heroine.”

• “This is entertaining, well-plotted and cleverly combines the historical and macabre with Thóra's life.”

• “Last Rituals shows that Yrsa Sigurdardóttir has arrived, fully formed, it seems, as something of a unique talent in the field /…/ What makes Sigurdardóttir's crime debut such an exhilarating experience is the way in which she takes familiar ingredients but throws off a series of innovative riffs on these concepts /…/ Her acute sense of place that gives such character to her work, and readers may feel a keen desire to visit Reykjavik after reading Last Rituals.”

• “Fans of peculiar and grisly crime novels will find much in Last Rituals to titillate them.”

• “An intricately plotted tale that keeps the reader guessing whodunit, or indeed whether it was murder at all, right until the very end.”

• “After its grisly opening, Last Rituals turns out to be a surprisingly light and playful novel /…/ Lawyer Thóra Gudmundsdóttir is an engaging detective… coping with her truculent teenage son and embarking on an unsuitable romance.”

• “A debut jammed with suspense.”

• “Enjoyable. A good read. The story is informative and interesting, and makes an encouraging start to a promised series.”