"The Girl by the Bridge", by Arnaldur Indridason

Detective Konrad, book 2

With this latest, Mr. Indridason shows beyond doubt that he is a superb crime fiction virtuoso. Tasked by an elderly couple to find their wayward missing granddaughter retired Detective Konrad investigates the case. But soon started he is derailed by a strange connection to a little girl who drowned in the city pond decades ago....while in the back of his mind is the fate of his father who was stabbed to death decades ago.....

This is another perfectly fit the Nordic Noir mould with a detective haunted by his past , multiple crimes to solve, horrors of sexual abuse, torture and drugs use. Set mainly in the cold and dark city of Reykjavik, Mr. Indridason short and succinct sentences conveys very well a bleak atmosphere to his narration to give us chills along the way. But the stilted flow of sentences and the rambling narrative may be an annoyance to some. You have to pay attention and not let you mind drift in order to enjoy this mystery at its fullest.

It starts with scenes from the 60’s and transports us to the present day with a storyline that dabbles in ghosts, clairvoyance and questionable events or scenes. This story is full of turns and red herrings and the ending leaves a pleasant surprise....I didn’t like most of the characters, although well-drawn I couldn’t care less what happened to them.

“The Girl by the bridge” is a good mystery and a great way to spend time with but once read fast forgotten.

I had the opportunity to receive this ARC from St-Martin press via Netgalley