It's time for another brilliant Orenda blog tour. This time, we are celebrating a debut novel, a piece of Icelandic noir by Eva Björg Ægisdóttir, The Creak on the Stairs. I also have a great giveaway for you to enter. Details are at the foot of this post.
The first in the electrifying new Forbidden Iceland series,
The Creak on the Stairs is an exquisitely written, claustrophobic and
chillingly atmospheric debut thriller by one of Iceland’s most exciting new
talents
When the body of a woman is discovered at a lighthouse in
the Icelandic town of Akranes, it soon becomes clear that she’s no stranger to
the area.
Chief Investigating Officer Elma, who has returned to
Akranes following a failed relationship, and her colleagues Sævar and Hörður,
commence an uneasy investigation, which uncovers a shocking secret in the dead
woman’s past that continues to reverberate in the present day…
But as Elma and her team make a series of discoveries, they
bring to light a host of long-hidden crimes that shake the entire community.
Sifting through the rubble of the townspeople’s shattered memories, they have
to dodge increasingly serious threats, and find justice … before it’s too late.
My Thoughts
The tension is set from the beginning and the reader is immediately put on notice that this is not going to be a comfortable read. Throughout the story, you are fed snippets from a disturbed childhood which makes the situation seem more uneasy. Chief Investigating Officer Elma has returned to Akranes and although she was brought up there, she nevertheless, seems to be something of an outsider. You get to see her settling back into the town and trying to come to terms with her reservations about life there.
Beneath the surface, there is grief which gnaws away at the characters and slowly the secrets emerge. You feel the claustrophobia of the small-town life and the atmosphere is dark throughout. This is a great debut novel which is skilfully crafted and which establishes some characters who I hope will appear again in future instalments.
In short: dark, taut, restricted writing
About the Author
Born in Akranes in 1988, Eva moved to Trondheim, Norway to
study my MSc in Globalisation when she was 25. After moving back home having
completed her MSc, she knew it was time to start working on her novel. Eva has
wanted to write books since she was 15 years old, having won a short story
contest in Iceland.
Eva worked as a stewardess to make ends meet while she wrote
her first novel. The book went on to win the Blackbird Award and became an
Icelandic bestseller. Eva now lives with her husband and three children in
Reykjavík, staying at home with her youngest until she begins Kindergarten.
Thanks to Eva Björg Ægisdóttir, and Karen Sullivan and Anne Cater of Orenda Books for a copy of the book and a place on the tour.
Check out these brilliant bloggers!
Giveaway (Worldwide)
To win an e-copy of The Creak on the Stairs, just Follow and Retweet the pinned Tweet at @bookslifethings and good luck!
Closing Date is 3rd June 2020
and there is one winner.
*Terms and Conditions – Worldwide. The winner will be selected at
random via Tweetdraw from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter
and/or email. If no response is received within 7 days then I reserve the right
to select an alternative winner. Open to all entrants aged 18 or over. Any personal data given as part of the
competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with
third parties, with the exception of the winners’ information. This will passed
to the giveaway organiser and used only for fulfilment of the prize. I am not
responsible for despatch or delivery of the prize.
Thanks for supporting the blog tour Pam xx
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