Review by Booklist Review
Thora returns in her second case (following Last Rituals, 2007), this time representing a client convinced that a ghost is haunting his newly acquired property, a resort on the west coast of Iceland. Thora heads out to the coast to consult, looking forward to a weekend without her children. Markedly more cozy and less macabre than the previous book, this one is also slower paced, both in the reading and the investigation. Thora does not believe in the ghost, but when bodies start turning up around the resort, she decides to poke around. The historical elements and leisurely investigation are reminiscent of Indridason's Erlendur series, but it has a much brighter outlook, and unlike Erlendur, Thora is not a depressed, alcoholic loner just a slightly stressed single mom and small-time lawyer. Suggest to fans of Asa Larsson's Rebecca Martinsson series, another Scandinavian lawyer and murder investigator, or Helene Tursten's Inspector Huss novels, starring a happily married mother of two.--Moyer, Jessica Copyright 2009 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
In Sigurdardottir's engaging second crime novel to feature attorney Thora Gudmundsdottir (after Last Rituals), Jonas Juliusson, a client Thora assisted with a land purchase in West Iceland, calls for more help. The superstitious Juliusson, who believes one of the farmhouses on the land he bought to develop a spa and hotel is haunted, invites Thora to stay at his facility and investigate. Her arrival coincides with the discovery under some seaweed on the beach of the sexually abused corpse of architect Birna Halldorsdottir, who was working on a new building. Juliusson, who apparently sent a text message arranging a rendezvous with the victim at the time and place where she died, becomes the prime suspect. The lawyer shifts gears from ghost busting to amateur sleuthing. As Thora pursues an array of suspects and clues, Sigurdardottir keeps readers guessing whodunit. (May) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
