Yrsa Sigurdardottir

A family is haunted by the ghost of a young girl who was killed in a hit-and-run on her way to babysit the family’s son. Meanwhile, Thora Gudmundsdottir takes on the case of a man with Down syndrome who was found not criminally responsible for burning down the facility where he lived. As is usually the case in mystery novels where two different cases are followed in parallel, the threads are gradually joined up, and the intrigue lies in figuring out how the cases are related (in addition show more to finding out what happened, obviously).

Once again, Yrsa shines at writing about ghosts and hauntings. I am a total wuss and cannot read this sort of thing at night, but I will happily read her spookier fiction by day. The atmosphere she creates can’t be beat. I also liked how she used Thora’s research and investigation to present for the reader information about Down Syndrome and other disabilities, as well as the conditions in which many people with disabilities live and the challenges in ensuring that the most vulnerable citizens of a country have access to appropriate care. And the story is leavened throughout with glimpses into Thora’s increasingly chaotic family life. The book as a whole balances all of these elements well, and Philip Roughton’s translation brings out the humour and finds some good solutions to presenting Icelandic-language references for an English audience.

Recommended for readers of the Thora series. Yrsa’s work overall is recommended for anyone looking for great books set in Iceland. show less

This was an excellent piece of Scandicrime. Once I got reading the book, I could hardly put it down.

In Hofn, a small village on the south coast of Iceland, the new owners of a house find find some boxes left behind by the man who sold them the house. They return them, and the former owner notices an old muddied child's shoe among the items, with the name " Salvor" written on the sole. He is puzzled by this , not knowing anyone by the name Salvor. Shortly after the return of these items, the show more nursing home where his mother , an Alzheimer's patient, lives, calls to say his mother has had a heart attack, and asks him to tell his sister Salvor as well. His mother has been after asking her. But who is Salvor?

Meanwhile, a group of inexperienced hikers have gone missing in the midst of a harsh winter near the Hofn area. Johanna, a part of the search and rescue team, is out trying to locate the the hikers, who are feared dead.

In a remote, deserted radar station in Hofn, Hjorvar works mainly by himself, with one other worker taking the alternate shifts. One night, the phone that is connected to the entry/exit gate of the station rings. Horvar answers and a child's voice asks for her mother. Chillingly, it turns out that this phone has been disconnected for years.

Are these events connected? This novel had my blood running cold at times, and glad that I don't live alone.

Highly recommended. show less

Dóra is a lawyer in Reykjavik and things are looking grim because of the fiscal crisis that has hit Iceland hard. When she is approached by a new client, she decides to take the job, although her client is highly unusual. She ends up reviewing a case that is already a year old. A young man who has Down's syndrome was found guilty of burning down his previous care home, killing five people who were in the building. Dóra agrees with her client that the young man might be innocent, but the show more case is extremely complicated.

I was disappointed by the previous book in the series, however, this one was the best so far. It mostly lacked the aspects that got on my nerves in the previous installments. The case was fascinating and while the novel could have been shortened a bit, all in all it had a good pace and was gripping throughout. I couldn't wait to read on and find out more. The author skillfully weaves the plot and its many different aspects, and also includes Icelandic folklore in an interesting way. Some chapters were so spooky that I was glad not to be home alone!

The author takes care in being sensitive when depicting people with disabilities and the issues involved. There are musings about these topics which sometimes come across a bit heavy-handed and preachy, and although she tries so hard some of the contents seem to be ableist, but then it must be kept in mind that the book is more than fifteen years old.

I am looking forward to reading the sixth and last book in the series. show less

Good ghost stories are hard to find so I am very happy to be able to recommend I Remember You by Icelandic author Yrsa Sigurdardottir. Building on separate stories that involve missing children, she develops her story slowly and keeps the chills coming.

The book consists of two separate plot lines which are presented in alternate chapters. In the first one, three friends take themselves off to a remote, isolated and abandoned fishing village in order to renovate a house that they wish to show more turn into a guest house for hikers coming into the area. They are thwarted at every turn by ever threatening appearances of a ghostly boy. All too soon it becomes apparent that this boy means them harm. Meanwhile a young doctor is grieving the mysterious disappearance of his own son while at the same time learning of another young boy who disappeared over forty years ago. These are both intense and frightening story lines that the author brings together into one cohesive finish.

I Remember You is a dark story of children disappearing, of bullying, simmering malice and revenge. It’s been awhile since a ghost story has actually managed to frighten me but this multilayered tale certainly managed that and was delightfully creepy and atmospheric as well. show less