Publisher's Synopsis
THE NAIL-BITING SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER FROM THE MILLION COPY BESTSELLING AUTHOR
A TIMES AND SUNDAY TIMES CRIME BOOK OF THE YEAR
'Is this the best crime writer in the world today?' The Times
'A world-class crime writer . . . One of the most astonishing plots of modern crime fiction' Sunday Times
'It is nothing less than a landmark in modern crime fiction' The Times
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'TEACHER WANTED ON THE EDGE OF THE WORLD . . .'
After her father's sudden, tragic suicide, Una spends her nights drinking alone in Reykjavik, stricken with thoughts that she might one day follow in his footsteps.
So when she sees an advert seeking a teacher for two girls in the tiny village of Skálar - population of ten - on the storm-battered north coast of the island, she sees it as a chance to escape.
But once she arrives, Una quickly realises nothing in city life has prepared her for this. The villagers are unfriendly. The weather is bleak. And, from the creaky attic bedroom of the old house where she's living, she's convinced she hears the ghostly sound of singing.
Una worries that she's losing her mind.
And then, just before midwinter, a young girl from the village is found dead. Now there are only nine villagers left.
And Una fears that one of them has blood on their hands . . .
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**WINNER OF THE CRIME FICTION LOVER BEST IN TRANSLATION AWARD**
'An intensely gripping mystery, Ragnar Jonasson is a poet of the "dark, wet and cold", of the "gloom, cold and rain". The climactic revelations are credible and moving' The Times
'Invigorating Iceland-set slice of Nordic Noir' Daily Mail
'With his trademark elegant prose and atmospheric sense of place, Jonasson weaves a slow-burning, haunting tale with a chilling ending' Daily Record
'A mist-shrouded blend of horror and psychological thriller . . . works in every way' Booklist
Praise for Ragnar Jónasson
'This is Icelandic noir of the highest order, with Jonasson's atmospheric sense of place, and his heroine's unerring humanity shining from every page' Daily Mail
'Triumphant conclusion. Chilling, creepy, perceptive, almost unbearably tense' Ian Rankin
'This is such a tense, gripping read' Anthony Horowitz
'Brilliantly effective. Each book enraptures us' The Times Literary Supplement
'Superb . . . chilling . . . one of the great tragic heroines of contemporary detective fiction' Sunday Times Crime Book of the Month
'A classic crime story seen through a uniquely Icelandic lens. First rate and highly recommended' Lee Child
'Chilling - a must-read' Peter James
'A stunningly atmospheric story. Pitch-perfect, beautifully paced. Ragnar Jónasson is at the top of his game, and a master of the genre' Will Dean
'Darkly claustrophobic . . . Perfect mid-winter reading' Ann Cleeves
