Crime mystery set in REYKJAVIK

11th April 2025

Dark as Night by Lilja Sigurðardóttir, crime mystery set in Reykjavik

TR: Lorenza Garcia

Dark as Night by Lilja Sigurðardóttir (and translated by Lorenza Garcia) is the latest in a series of Icelandic crime novels. They feature Áróra, a forensic financial investigator, and her boyfriend, Daniel, a detective with Reykjavik police. The novel begins with Áróra seemingly moving on from searching for her missing sister, Ísafold, who disappeared three years before. Instead, she is focusing on body building in the same obsessive way as her investigations previously. Her emotions are still raw though, which becomes apparent when a couple approaches her claiming that their three-year-old daughter believes she is Ísafold reincarnated. Naturally enough, Áróra doesn’t know how to react. Of course it is ridiculous but some part of her wants to believe it is true.

For his part, Daníel is treading on eggshells. He feels that their relationship is wonderful but it’s sometimes at risk, and that Áróra might call it off at any moment. Daniel wants to support her but he’s distracted by the disappearance of his tenant, the flamboyant Lady Gúgúlú. His suspicion that something isn’t right seems to be confirmed when three strangers appear, asking about Lady. They don’t believe Daníel’s explanation and he realises he must find his lost tenant before they do.

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I enjoyed following the delicately balanced relationship between Áróra and Daníel, and even more so the development of the character of Lady Gúgúlú, who turns out to have a vivid – if mysterious – past. The plot is engrossing and I found it a great pleasure to keep reading until I had finished the book. Lilja is a gifted storyteller: each book in this series stands alone, while developing a larger story with Áróra and Daníel at its centre.

The setting of the series is Reykjavik and its environs. This is critical to the storyline and region is beautifully portrayed. The author doesn’t just mention the scenery, however. She throws in the kind of important details that make Iceland unique – the way it is both part of and isolated from Europe, the industries that sustain it, the traditions and beliefs that are part of its culture, despite its very modern outlook.

This book will be an absolute boon to fans of Lilja’s writing – of which I’m one. More than that, it’s also a great way to begin a journey into Icelandic crime writing. After all, why not start with the best?

Sue for the TripFiction Team

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