Girls Who Lie (Forbidden Iceland Book 2)

Eva Björg Ægisdóttir returns with the second installment in the "Forbidden Iceland" saga featuring detective Elma, a young police officer who lives in Akranes, a town on the west coast of Iceland and deals with a number of complex investigations along with her limited circle of colleagues. Akranes is also Ægisdóttir's hometown, even though today she resides in Reykjavik. Her debut, The Creak on the Stairs, has been more than well-received by the global readership and Eva established her name as one of the most prominent contemporary Icelandic crime authors. Even though I really enjoyed the first book, I need to state that Girls Who Lie is a much more mature novel where the author proves that she has developed her writing style as is evident to whoever reads this well-crafted text. In terms of genre categorization, this is a straightforward police procedural with some splashes of mystery and whodunit. The first half of the book unravels slowly as the investigative team runs to a brick wall every time they think that they may have found a valid lead, but in the second part, the tempo accelerates and beware of a major rug-pulling moment at the beginning of the third and final act. Ægisdóttir plays with the reasonable assumptions that the reader makes as he follows the story and the twist comes out of the blue thus making the reading experience all the more enthralling. The themes that the author explores are similar to her first writing attempt, the well-hidden secrets of families, the devastating effect of lies and their consequences, the plague of bullying and intimidation to weaker children and many more.Seven months earlier, a young, troubled woman, Mariana, disappeared from the face of the earth leaving only a cryptic note to her only daughter, Hekla, and the case is initially dismissed by the CID as either a case of suicide or they think that Mariana vanished of her own accord. When the body of a young woman turns up in a cave in the Grabrok lava fields, Elma and her team quickly identify the victim as Mariana. Thus now it is a homicide case and the lead detectives will have to return to their initial investigation that took place half a year earlier when they were still just searching for a missing woman. Soon, they realize that their attempts to find Mariana have been less than satisfying and there are a lot of holes and unanswered questions that now are part of a serious murder case. Elma, who is the protagonist in the story, is drawn into a world of dysfunctional family relations, abuse, and horrible secrets from the past that resurface as the plot moves forward. At the same time, we get some glimpses into her personal life and state of mind as the author makes sure that we get some time peering into Elma's inner thought process and become acquainted with some distressing events of her past that haunt her until today.Hekla is a teenage girl who grew up with a mother that constantly reprimanded and belittled her and she was placed in foster care at the age of three after Marianna abandoned her all alone in the house and got lost on a drug-fueled binge. Child Protection Services intervened and sent Hekla to a wealthy middle-aged couple who came to love her as a true daughter. After a while, it was clear that Hekla preferred to stay with her support family and wished as little contact with Marianna as possible. This fact elicited a lot of tension between the girl's biological and foster mother, as they had to quarrel for nearly all the matters regarding Hekla's upbringing. Hekla seems to be a person of key interest to the investigation and Elma's instinct is further confirmed when she realizes that the girl has a lot of secrets and catches her lying in some circumstances. Through Hekla's questioning, several crucial points emerge and the investigators begin to question her behavior while at the same time deciding to look more closely in her circle of friends and acquaintances. Hekla's story is a bit sad and it may distress a sensitive reader as in many parts she narrates her nightmarish childhood, living with an unstable parent who couldn't even take care of herself. At some point, Elma wonders if the Child Protection Service's insistence to keep a biological family united, even when extreme cases of abuse are involved, serves any true purpose and broods about the lack of a proper, meaningful orientation of relevant institutions.Ægisdóttir employs, once again, the double narrative and we follow the story through the penetrating description of the stages of an active murder investigation while at the same time, we witness the narration of a woman whose identity is not revealed who chronicles her life after giving birth to an unwanted child. These interjecting chapters add a more mysterious flavor to the text and the reader keeps wondering about the connection of the woman's sad tale with the main plotline that revolves around Mariana's murder. Of course, everything is explained in the last part of the novel that leaves a rather sweet taste and meets the expectations of the most demanding crime fiction fans. There is nothing missing from the mix and it should be also mentioned that the setting of the novel is wonderfully outlined by the author. It helps, of course, that Akranes is the place where she grew up, so she has first-hand knowledge of the place and the peculiarities of the small Icelandic community. The characterization is fulfilling and we very quickly become comfortable with the main characters and familiar with the relationships between them. Perhaps, I would like some more background information concerning Elma's personal history as it is hinted that she has to bear some highly traumatic scars from her past.I found Girls Who Lie to share some elective affinities with Yrsa Sigurðardóttir's latest "Freya and Huldar" series as both authors' books seem to adopt a similar narrative pattern while at the same time retaining a strict police procedural character that is reminiscent of the mood and tone of other momentous Nordic crime writers such as Ragnar Jonasson and Arnaldur Indridason. Eva Björg Ægisdóttir is now in the same league as the most important names in the genre and her work leaves promises for an even more enticing future. It seems that her talent equals her great looks and I'm sorry to have to wait for a full year for the next installment to arrive. It should be noted that the Icelandic author stated in an online interview that she is currently writing the fourth novel in the series, but, unfortunately, Girls Who Lie is the latest English translation of her work. Looking forward for more.

Avoid reading any reviews that give away the story, because it would really spoil the experience.The mystery in the author's first book (Creak on the Stairs) was good, but this one is great. In this second book, she is a master at daring the reader to judge a character as she reveals details. But, be careful. Sometimes the best clue is not what is said, but what is not said. If you think about it afterward, it will make sense at the end of the book.And, as in her first book. She does a fantastic job bringing the reader into Iceland. This second book was like coming home to a familiar place.

I really enjoyed the book although I have to admit to reading it a bit out of order.I was becoming increasingly confused by the information in the italicized chapters, having difficulty relating it to the current story line. So I decided to just get through it fast by first reading through the italicized chapters. Once I finished, my interest in the story was sparked and I went back to the beginning and have really enjoyed the process of detective reasoning.This is definitely a much more compelling story than the first book in the series. I am looking forward to the continuation of the series.There is something about the way this author wraps up her stories that I appreciate, especially in this book. She is not as literal in ending her story as some of the established scandi noir writers. Can’t wait to read more.

The straight narrative of the police investigation is alternated with inner monologues from a number of unnamed characters with remarkably similar circumstances, so there were lots of “Wait, who IS this?” You really have to invest in this book! But, if you do, you will be deeply rewarded.

My first read by this author... an amazingly well-developed story full of intriguing plot changes, requiring constant re-thinking by this reader. She has joined my growing list of favorite Icelandic authors!

very good story. it moves at a good pace and the characters are well thought out.

WorksGood story, well told, entertaining. Great translation, for once I didn't wonder if Scandinavians had embedded numerous British idioms into their lexicon. Bloody hellV

Running two parallel yet intersecting plots adds to the depth of the story. An unfulfilling, yet believable twist to the ending.

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.

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.

This a competently-written novel made accessible for the English reader by a translator whose first language appears to be English English rather than “American” or “International” English. This is actually done so well that the author appears to have an English voice, which is obviously not the reality. It is nice to be flattered, though, and this is not going to happen with a novel written in any EU-member language anytime soon.The plot concerns single mothers and how different their place in society can be, dependent on small differences of privilege and, to be honest, luck. (A few decades ago, many Icelandic men earned a dangerous living at sea and single mothers were not unusual. The same would have been true in much of coastal Britain, too, a generation or two earlier. “Old fashioned” prejudices against single mothers may, in fact, be 19th or 20th century innovations depending on how far North you are.)The heroine, Elma, a small town female police detective, has to navigate a lot of assumptions, many of them false, and omissions (because it took several months for her missing person case to become a murder case) to get anywhere near the truth. The reader, too, is led into false assumptions to teach them a lesson. There is tension and excitement as the novel approaches what seems to be a traditional Icelandic happy ending, which allows life to go on without the exact truth becoming generally known or “justice” really being done.

I love this series and marvel at the plots as they are so dfferent from anything else I have read. The characters are totally believable and the pairing of Elma and Saerve works so well. I enjoyed the first book so much that I read this one straight after. Thankyou Eva for a brilliant book, can't wait for the next one.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and I would definitely recommend this author/ Can' t wait for her next book. A well written Icelandic noir and while reading it, it made me want to pack my bags and go visiting Iceland . Superb build up.