Hypothermia

I'm glad Arctic Chill didn't shake me off this series, because man this was a fantastic read. One of the things I really like about a well executed crime novel is that the geography, timeline, and character map will have a clear shape by the end. This one really stands out in that respect. Hypothermia had a clear, powerful narrative, with effectively utilized flashbacks and incredible character moments. Eva is such a wonderfully chaotic character who I love and hate in equal measure. Nice to finally see the ex-wife for the first time since Eva's miscarriage way back when, even if the meeting this time was equally blergh.

I read an interview with Arnaldur Indridason where he said that he tries to only have “one murder per novel.” Considering that these books as a whole are super powerful and resonant, despite their lack of on-page violence (for the most part), this says a lot about his sense of craft. I'm now at the point where I'll gladly read anything with his name on the cover.

I'm beginning to feel a sense of melancholy about this entire series because this apparently is the penultimate Erlendur installment chronologically. Still, it'll be good to learn more about his coworkers in the following two books. Just know I'll feel quite bleak when I start Strange Shores, though undoubtedly I will go into the prequels once I finish it. I didn't think I was going to find my new favorite series this year, and if I did I sure didn't think it was going to be an Icelandic crime series. Really, really glad I picked up Jar City a few short weeks ago. It's been a terrific journey, and it's not over yet.