Girls Who Lie (Forbidden Iceland Book 2)

Another enjoyable book by this author. That’s two so far in this series and hopefully there are more to come.In many ways both books have much in common. Chapters set in the modern day are interspersed with an historical storyline that tantalisingly reveal how and why we have reached the current situation. The strength of the story is how real and believable the characters are and it’s easy to get emotionally involved in their lives. In addition there is a tension and suspense that gradually builds, particularly in the historical part of the storyline. As in the previous book the story deals with a difficult domestic situation. This time it is a 15 year old girl coping alone with post natal depression and then later struggling to bring up an emotionally damaged child. The mother daughter relationship was particularly well done I thought.The story has a twist midway through which makes the reader view what had been previously revealed from a different perspective, which I found a clever idea.As with the previous book I found the ending believable but a little too predictable which meant four stars rather than five but this shouldn’t detract from an excellent story

Let's get the simple bit out of the way now - I loved this book. From the characters that the author creates to the sense of mystery and uncertainty that runs throughout the novel, it has everything I look for in a book and kept me hooked from the start to the very final pages. With a missing persons case becoming a murder investigation, all hampered by the passage of time, be prepared for intrigue, uncertainty and deception, all told in the Eva Björg Ægisdóttir's beautifully descriptive style.I've loved getting to know Elma over the course of the two books, this second story offering us more insight into her family life and her childhood, especially her 'rivalry' with her sister, as well as showing how great a Detective she is, what instincts she has for the duplicitous nature of the case's suspects. And duplicitous they are, as we find out over the course of the investigation. Told in a similar style to the previous book, The Creak On The Stairs, the book moves back and forth between past and present, slowly building the reader's understanding of what has happened and, potentially, why by allowing us insight into one of the character's pasts. The narrative focus in the scenes from the past follows a single character point of view, giving us a real insight into their personality, without giving away too much that it will spoil our enjoyment of the story. The scenes compliment the main investigation, and the gradual reveal ensure that the tension is kept tight and the mystery maintained to the end.The characterisations are well developed and explored as always, the many different personalities ensuring that we have plenty of suspects when it comes to who might have wanted to murder the victim, Marianna, and to hide her body in such an out of the way location. From the well meaning, but sometimes overinvolved foster parents of the victim's daughter, to the victim's neighbours, and even the daughter herself, it really does feel as though any of them could have motive and any could be guilty. Add into this the well paired team of Elma and her fellow detective, Sævar, and I was left with a cast of characters who really kept me invested in the story. Elma is a brilliant character, complex, slightly damaged, but coming out of her melancholy more, and then chemistry between her and Sævar is as strong as ever, even if neither really knows where they stand. It makes for a tantalizing story.This book really does go some way to exploring the human psyche, examining the motives and actions of one of the characters and the difficulty they have in establishing relationships, be it with family or with others. Which drove me to wonder if this was someone who was just damaged by her past or a straight up sociopath. The clues are all there, but carefully disguised meaning that the final reveal when it comes, the who and what, really hits home in style. I love the way in which the author has also explored the complexities of teenage years, of navigating friendships, attractions and the feeling of isolation that can come from being perceived to be a little different, especially at school.With dramatic settings and an ever growing tension, this is a fabulous murder mystery where nothing is quite what it appears. Definitely recommended.

I read a lot of crime fiction and thrillers (most of them are mediocre) and I love it when I find a new series to enjoy. I thought the first two books were great and look forward to the next one.

Girls Who Lie is an intriguing addition to the Forbidden Iceland series by Eva Björg Ægisdottir, which is turning into a fantastic new crime series. The atmospheric setting draws you in, and the clever, compelling storyline kept me hooked. It makes for a completely gripping, sinister and shocking read.I thought the first book in the series, The Creak on the Stairs, was very creepy. I thought it set the tone for the series very well, which Eva Björg Ægisdottir carries through perfectly into the second book.The author really does draw on the setting in this book, especially when the body of a missing woman, Mari'anna, is found on a lava field. This is one of the most original locations for hiding a body I’ve come across in crime fiction. It adds to the layer of intrigue surrounding the woman’s disappearance and who could be behind it. Now, Detective Elma and her team have to find out what happened to Mari'anna seven months earlier. But they have lost valuable time. Will they be able to find out who was behind it?Some of the most intriguing scenes in this book are when Eva Björg Ægisdottir takes us back in time to fifteen years ago when a young mother gives birth to her daughter. I wanted to understand why she didn’t feel anything for her child, and this made her character all the more fascinating. As Eva continues to visit this time, we begin to see this character grow. I wanted to know how what was happening in the past fed into what had happened in the present. Was the discovery of the missing woman’s body and these scenes somehow connected?Eva brings Elma’s character to life, and I liked the wit in her conversations with her colleague, Saver. The dialogue between them makes them feel like real people. The relationships that the characters have with each other are also what makes this story really compelling. I’m sure I’ll keep coming back to this series, excited to see what Eva Björg Ægisdottir has in store for us next.If you love crime novels with a strong, fascinating setting that makes you feel as though you’re there, then I highly recommend Girls Who Lie. This book will reel you in from the very first page and keep you invested in the plot and the characters. I can’t wait for the next book in the series.