The Creak on the Stairs

This was a really good mystery. I kept thinking I'd figured it out and then, nope! It was great. Elma was such a good detective too. I didn't love some of the misdirection, especially when it wasn't relevant, but that's a mystery for you. I could see reading more of this series.

(This was also particularly good for me in that I'd been to Akranes in 2007. I remembered a couple of the places talked about and have a book I could pull out to look at other things. I liked that a lot.)

This wasn't really a bad book, I just didn't enjoy it at all. The descriptions of the Icelandic countryside and small-town living were good, but the whole thing was so dreary and miserable and nothing was resolved. If I wanted that I could read about a real murder case. Also I felt that a few things were held back until late in the narrative for no real reason (particularly what had happened with Elma's ex and what was going on with Magnea) even though the characters were thinking about those things all the time and that annoyed me.

An Icelandic crime procedural. This taps into the strong history of Nordic noir novels. The Icelandic setting provides a suitably bleak setting for a grim story of abuse, emotional damage and murder in a small tight nit community. The Nordic countries have been producing some of the best crime noir novels over the last couple of decades. The powerhouses of the genre all seem to come from this region. As a resident in Norway, it always fascinates me seeing the references to Scandi culture. The ironic thing is that these countries are in reality some of the safest in the world with a very low level of violent crime. Eva Bjorg definitely follows in the veins of the Nesbø and Larsson type novel, with a gritty realism and emotional trauma. The images of abuse that we get teased with are frightening in their realism. All the protagonists are in some way damaged or compromised. The small community setting lends a claustrophobia to the proceedings - everyone knows everyone and there are several possible motives out there.

The pacing of the novel is good - the way the jigsaw pieces are gradually placed together makes the reveal at the end feel well earned. There is nothing especially innovative in the story here, but the way it is constructed and the genuineness of the voice gives it a powerful dynamic. Definitely a new voice in Nordic Noir that I will have to follow more!

The Creak On The Stairs is a debut novel by Eva Björg Ægisdóttir, and what an amazing start to this new nordic noir series. It hooks you straight away, as does the Icelandic setting and you know you are in for a thrilling read with a darker side emerging as you turn the pages.

The characters are well developed although with an air of mystery surrounding them, leaving you intrigued and wanting to know more.

The story line was fascinating and is written in a dual timeline; a mysterious young child telling her chilling, dark story and Elma's investigation into the body found by the lighthouse. I loved how the story was written and was completely captivated by the descriptive imagery, the emotive language and plot as it unfolded. The pace quickened as the story was told, revealing more layers and depth.

There are some very dark and twisted moments in the book that really haunt you and evoke emotion yet it is balanced beautifully so that you can enjoy the novel without being weighed down with the harrowing and disturbing story line. There is plenty of suspense and a lot of surprises that I didn't quite see coming.

Many thanks to Orenda Books and Anne Cater for inviting me to join the blog tour.