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When a celebrated government official is found dead after his surprise birthday party, a young police officer uncovers a terrifying world of financial crime, sinister cults and disturbing secret lives. Icelandic politician KatrÍn JÚlÍusdÓttir's award-winning, breathtaking debut, and first in a chilling series. When Óttar Karlsson, a wealthy and respected government official and businessman, is found murdered, after failing to turn up at his own surprise birthday party, the police are at a loss. It isn't until young police officer SigurdÍs finds a well-hidden safe in his impersonal luxury apartment that clues start emerging. As Óttar's shady business dealings become clear, a second, unexpected line of enquiry emerges, when SigurdÍs finds a US phone number in the safe, along with papers showing regular money transfers to an American account. Following the trail to Minnesota, trauma rooted in SigurdÍs's own childhood threatens to resurface and the investigation strikes chillingly close to home... Atmospheric, deeply unsettling and full of breakneck twists and turns, Dead Sweet is a startling debut thriller that uncovers a terrifying world of financial crime, sinister cults and disturbing secret lives, and kicks off an addictive, mind-blowing new series.
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Dead Sweet is the debut novel by Katrín Júlíusdóttir, translated into English by Quentin Bates.
The story follows the investigation into the murder of a well known Reykjavík citizen. Delving into the private and business life of the victim, the investigation team soon learn that all is not as it seemed.
There is a subplot relating to Sigurdís, one of the members of the investigation team. We learn of events from her past that had a knock on affect on her future.
The themes throughout the book are dark; namely abuse, both sexual and domestic. Dead Sweet is page turner nonetheless, with likeable characters and plenty of twists and turns. The final reveal was ingenious.