Where the Shadows Lie

Magnus Jonson is a Boston cop who took the unusual step of reporting one of his colleagues for accepting payment to destroy evidence in a gang killing. Since then the gang leader has been trying to silence Magnus for good as he is the only witness in the case. After he and his girlfriend are nearly killed, Magnus’ boss tells him about a request from Iceland’s police authorities to have an American policeman advise them as their country starts to experience similar crimes to those which have been common in the US for years. As Magnus was born in Iceland and speaks the language he is the ideal candidate for the assignment and it is hoped it will put him out of reach of the gang until the case can be brought to trial. In Iceland show more Magnus’ first case is the investigation of the murder of a Professor of Icelandic literature who appears to have been killed due to his knowledge of the whereabouts of a written version of a previously secret ancient Icelandic saga which was the basis for one of the English speaking world’s most famous literary works.

Ridpath has created a very believable and enjoyable novel here about a man who feels like an outsider no matter where he is. Although he has lived in the US since he was 12 Magnus doesn’t fit in with the Boston Police anymore because he has reported his colleague and that’s just not the done thing (a sentiment I will never understand no matter how many times I see it depicted). And though he was born in Iceland he doesn’t quite fit in there either. He can’t be a ‘proper’ policeman until he does some study but even then he won’t be able to carry a gun (police in Iceland don’t) and many of the local cops aren’t thrilled to have an American telling them what do do. I really found myself feeling quite sorry for Magnus, especially as all this was followed up by learning some unpleasant things about his own family that meant his personal history wasn’t what he’d been led to believe either. No wonder the man went on a bender.

This is all set against a great backdrop of the country itself which is revealed differently to the way a native writer would do so but it is equally engaging. The adventure surrounding the saga is compelling, involving both outsiders desperate to own the written version as well as the current descendants of the original creators of the saga who have been impacted by their family’s role in the saga for generations. Involving elements of myth and legend this could have become a really corny plot line but was handled intelligently and very credibly. More general aspects of modern Iceland are also displayed thoughtfully including the country’s current financial woes and attitudes to foreigners of various kinds. The range of reactions to Magnus joining the local police, from outright hostility to near sycophancy, had a realistic feel as well.

I’m always a little wary of books written by people who don’t live in or have extensive experience of their setting but Ridpath’s love for the country is palpable and infectious. He has created an intriguing protagonist and an entertaining series debut. He has also left much scope to explore both the characters’ histories and the country in future installments of the series which I very much look forward to reading.

My rating 3.5/5 show less

Warning: I will say this review contains spoilers, because I go into specifics about items that are discussed in general terms on the dust jacket.

This is the first in a series that introduces Magnus Jonson, aka Magnus Ragnarsson, an Icelander-American who returns to the country of his birth to hide out from a criminal gang that is after him. While he's in Iceland, he is seconded to the Reykjavík police, who are currently investigating the murder of a professor. It seems that the professor has been translating a previously undiscovered saga for sale to a private collector. But what about this saga would prompt someone to kill for it?

I made myself laugh with this book when the early stages of the case threw up the name "Isildur" and I show more said "Hey, like Lord of the Rings!" Turns out that that's exactly what this saga is: a prototype for LOTR, complete with corrupting ring of power that may actually exist. If it did, that would definitely be a big incentive for someone to kill. Suffice it to say I really enjoyed this book simply for exploring the idea of this saga. Ridpath also includes an author's note explaining the inspiration for this story.

I also enjoyed this book for its setting. Iceland is a striking place, and the scenery really comes through in this book: the forbidding slopes of Hekla, the brown and almost lifeless plains, the gravel roads, the sudden snowstorms, the thundering waterfalls. This is a good series to try if you like reading about Iceland. show less

Michael Ridpath’s latest offering, “Where the Shadows Lie” is a tight mix of crime and lore that takes the reader on a journey from crime-ridden streets to the slopes of a mysterious volcano. Fast-paced and well written, Ridpath keeps your attention while exploring 10th century sagas, corrupt policemen, contract killers, fanboys, family secrets, and a magical ring.
“Where the Shadows Lie” follows Magnus Jonson, an Icelandic born Boston detective that must flee to his native country to escape the hired guns involved in a police corruption trial for which he is a star witness. While in Iceland, he assists the National Police as they try to understand the murder of a college professor. As the investigation unfolds, evidence points show more to a mysterious manuscript, known only to one family and may have been the inspiration for one of the greatest sagas of all time: “The Lord of the Rings.”
As the investigation deepens and arrests are made, tantalizing clues are uncovered that suggests the legend of a magical ring may actually be fact and the ring may still exist. As time begins to run out on Detective Jonson, he must track down a killer among the surreal landscape of Iceland while dealing with a crippling family secret and avoid the hit man that has somehow found him.
Michael Ridpath takes a risk by tying a very good crime story to an ancient fable and it pays off. His creation is a must-read for any “Lord of the Rings” fan and should create new readers for Tolkien through his experiment. Ridpath’s research into Iceland and its people, customs, and geography, makes the British author seem native. “Where the Shadows Lie” has a lot going for it and the reward is worth the journey.

Reviewed by Brian Blocker for Suspense Magazine show less

If the story had not depended for much of it's interest on Lord of the Ring connections then it would deserve a higher rating, but the gimmicky aspects of the mystery kept alerting me to the fact I was reading fiction and I am a LotR fan. I like the characters and the setting, the pacing, and the way the complications were layered on.

A very different take on a murder mystery. A straight forward police procedural (set in Iceland) which has the Icelandic Sagas and the Lord of the Rings book as a backdrop. Very cleverly done. It dropped off a little in the middle but certainly picked up pace towards the end of the book. Different to so many mystery and suspense books out there. It will be interesting to see how this is taken forward into Book 2 in the series.

This was an interesting mystery by an author I'd never read before. The story begins when Magnus Jonson, an American detective born in Iceland, is send to Reykjavik on a two-fold mission. The first is to “hide out” until he can be called back to Boston to testify in the trial of a corrupt cop and the second is to help train other members of the Reykjavik Metropolitan Police in “serious crime investigation”.

He soon finds himself a member of the team investigating the death of a scholarly expert on old Icelandic sagas. There is a particular saga that is evocative of the Lord of the Rings trilogy and even involves an ancient gold ring, as well as correspondence from JRR Tolkien.

It's a fairly formulaic police procedural. Magnus show more feels left out by the lead detective so he breaks the rules so he can solve the crime. We've seen it many times before. What makes this more interesting is how the author connects Icelandic culture and history to a modern day crime story in what I consider to be an original idea.

Magnus is an interesting character and we learn more about his background throughout the story. While Magnus is likeable, the Icelandic culture was what made this above average for me. The plot line of a hitman searching for him seemed pointless whereas the storyline about the missing saga/ring and the numerous Icelandic characters were more than enough to carry the story.

The descriptions of the barren landscape of Iceland were fascinating to me. The author did a great job of creating the right atmosphere for the story. If you know something about the Lord of the Rings trilogy you'll probably enjoy it even more.

I would recommend this to any mystery fan who would like to read a creative story involving Icelandic mythology and history merged together in a murder mystery. show less

It's got Iceland's economic woes, an Icelandic saga and its magical ring that was supposedly the inspiration for Tolstein's ring storyline in Lord of the Rings, the obligatory murder or two, an Icelandic-American policeman from Boston helping out while on witness protection, interesting characters, and Iceland the place. You do get a sense that this is written by an outsider, but that is not a criticism. He has researched well and Ridpath's fondness for, and knowledge of, Iceland are evident. This is a new departure for Ridpath who 'til this crime thriller wrote financial thrillers. I liked this new departure, it is well structured, pacy, inventive, and overall a good read. Should be of interest too to Lord of the Rings fans. First in show more his 'Fire & Ice' series, I can highly recommend. show less