Novel set on Jeju and in Seoul
Noir set in EAST ICELAND
1st April 2024
The Fox by Sólveig Pálsdóttir, noir set in East Iceland.
Translated by Quentin Bates.
The Fox by Sólveig Pálsdóttir, and translated by Quentin Bates, is set in rural East Iceland, where daily life has altered little over the years and can still be a struggle. Solveig’s vivid descriptions of the geography and the weather reflect this hard way of life and give the reader a real sense of place. Chief Inspector Guðgeir Fransson of Reykjavik police has chosen to escape to this setting while he is suspended from his job after a tragedy at work. This past trauma has affected his marriage and his wife has also suspended their relationship for the term of one year. He has condemned himself to spend the year of this ‘sentence’ far away across the country in Höfn, a tiny town where nothing much happens and everyone knows everyone else’s business. Or at least they think they do. The comings and goings of Sajee, a young Sri Lankan woman with a distinctive appearance, ought to draw attention and someone should have noticed when she disappeared. Guðgeir realises something is amiss and his detective instinct kicks in. He has no official authority but he knows something is off and he’s determined to discover what it is.
The Fox is an entertaining read and I enjoyed it. It kept me guessing and I felt thoroughly engaged with the characters, both good and bad. My only issue was with the relevance of the title, which didn´t seem to reflect the most important aspects of the book. Maybe I missed something!
Two of the characters aren’t local to Höfn, which provides the author with the perfect excuse to describe the country through their eyes and enlighten the reader at the same time. I´ve mentioned the importance of the dramatic scenery and oppressive weather conditions but local superstitions and customs also come into play. The locals are keen to share tales of Iceland‘s mythical Hidden People and to share gossip about local families that stretches back many years. These elements both help and distract Guðgeir, as his search goes from mild curiosity to a vital impulse to locate the missing woman. The Fox is both intriguing and fascinating; definitely one for lovers of Icelandic detective fiction. Even better – it’s the first in a series!
Sue for the TripFiction Team
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