Indifference (2022)

Indifference (2022)

A widow finds among her husband's belongings an old revolver that she has never seen before, and takes it to the police. A check shows that this is a murder weapon. Many years before, it was used when a man was shot and killed in a poor neighbourhood in Reykjavik, and the crime was never solved. This sparks the curiosity of retired detective Konrad, as his own father had a similar revolver, and he delves into long forgotten events to uncover links of which few people had been aware.

FIVE STARS OF FIVE POSSIBLE “Arnaldur Indridason is by far Iceland’s most outstanding author, and even beyond Iceland ... His latest novel is truly a masterpiece. ... He masters every strand of the plot ... creates a credible story, and the writing is so enthralling that one nearly feels spellbound while reading. All descriptions, characters, and interpersonal exchanges, not least the dialogues, are such that the reader feels he is in the centre of it all. ... Arnaldur describes the everyday life of those who were marginalized and not recognized. Those who were feeble, small, and defenceless were trudged upon; those who were violent got away with their misdeeds, civil servants abused of their position, and the omerta was general. Konrad deserves all the bad names he is given, yet one cannot help to feel compassion for him, he is endearing, one overlooks his misdeeds; instead, one wants to help him and stand by him. Arnaldur describes Konrad as a villain and yet a hero. Can anyone ask for more?” STEINTHOR GUDBJARTSSON, MORGUNBLADID DAILY