Book Review: Gallows Rock (Freyja and Huldar Book 4) by Yrsa Siggurdardottir
Gallows Rock by Yrsa Sigudardottir.
Published by Hodder & Stoughton (Release date 23 July 2020)
ISBN: 978-1473693395
* Thank you to Hodder & Stoughton for providing a digital reading copy.
On a jagged, bleak lava field just outside Reykjavik stands the Gallows Rock. Once a place of execution, it is now a tourist attraction. Until this morning, when a man was found hanging from it...
The nail embedded in his chest proves it wasn't suicide. But when the police go to his flat, a further puzzle awaits: a four-year-old boy has been left there. He doesn't seem to have any link with the victim, his parents cannot be found, and his drawings show he witnessed something terrible.
As detective Huldar hunts the killer, and child psychologist Freyja looks for the boy's parents, the mystery unfolds: a story of violence, entitlement, and revenge.
This is the fourth in the Freyja and Huldar series but the first book I've ever read by Yrsa Siggurdardottir. However, you can read it as a standalone story - I was aware that there were back stories between the characters, but not knowing them didn't lessen any of the pleasure of reading it for me.
It might be my first introduction to Yrsa Siggurdardottir but it certainly won't be my last (I've already ordered a copy of her first book) as I was hooked from the very first page and enthralled and completely drawn in throughout the book.
The plot line
So we all want to feel that we're undiscovered crime experts when reading crime fiction - ah that smug feeling of contentment when you spot a link or clue before the investigators do! But you don't want to feel that you've cracked the case too early. I had my thoughts on where several of the directions the book was heading but in the majority, most of them completely took me by surprise. And that to me, is was makes the perfect crime fiction novel.
This is a story which builds and weaves perfectly. It's so twisty. The end chapters in particular are so twisty that you really don’t know where the story is heading. And just when everything seems nicely tied up - BAM! - another genius twist is added. Ending on an open note that leaves you wanting more, but not so open that you don’t feel sated.
The characters
A fantastic cast of characters. It was clear that there had been links and relationships between the characters that I knew nothing of (having not read the previous titles) but I soon got the gist of where the land lies between everyone.
I liked Huldar despite his clear inability to form long-lasting relationships but I feel like I didn't quite get the full measure of Freyja.
One of the minor characters - the ever eager and punctilious Lina, the student on work experience - was actually my favourite character and I'd love to see her character developed further and for her to feature more in future books.
But of course, the main spotlight has to shine on the formidable Erla. Terrifying as she is, she’s also at the centre of some of the more darkly humorous moments in the book - when she’s interviewing a suspect named Tomas and also a scene which had me laughing out loud involving her colleagues obvious fear of her - "Huldar doubted the staff in IT had exactly been competing for the job of discussing porn with Erla. They’d probably drawn straws and this poor sod had lost".
The writing
Yrsa Siggurdardottir is known as the Queen of Icelandic Noir. I found her writing to be fast-paced but not so fast that I felt I missed out on important details. It flows beautifully and effortlessly without stumbling over itself in an effort to hurry the plot along.
This was a really satisfying book. If you read a lot of crime fiction then you’ll know that they fulfil your appetite to varying degrees. While some may serve up a grab-and-run snack to fill a hole, Gallows Rock is more like one of those world cuisine all-you-can eat buffets where you’re fit to burst!
Twists galore and a surprising ending, this is a book you'll want to devour in one sitting.
This is the fourth in the Freyja and Huldar series but the first book I've ever read by Yrsa Siggurdardottir. However, you can read it as a standalone story - I was aware that there were back stories between the characters, but not knowing them didn't lessen any of the pleasure of reading it for me.
It might be my first introduction to Yrsa Siggurdardottir but it certainly won't be my last (I've already ordered a copy of her first book) as I was hooked from the very first page and enthralled and completely drawn in throughout the book.
The plot line
So we all want to feel that we're undiscovered crime experts when reading crime fiction - ah that smug feeling of contentment when you spot a link or clue before the investigators do! But you don't want to feel that you've cracked the case too early. I had my thoughts on where several of the directions the book was heading but in the majority, most of them completely took me by surprise. And that to me, is was makes the perfect crime fiction novel.
This is a story which builds and weaves perfectly. It's so twisty. The end chapters in particular are so twisty that you really don’t know where the story is heading. And just when everything seems nicely tied up - BAM! - another genius twist is added. Ending on an open note that leaves you wanting more, but not so open that you don’t feel sated.
The characters
A fantastic cast of characters. It was clear that there had been links and relationships between the characters that I knew nothing of (having not read the previous titles) but I soon got the gist of where the land lies between everyone.
I liked Huldar despite his clear inability to form long-lasting relationships but I feel like I didn't quite get the full measure of Freyja.
One of the minor characters - the ever eager and punctilious Lina, the student on work experience - was actually my favourite character and I'd love to see her character developed further and for her to feature more in future books.
But of course, the main spotlight has to shine on the formidable Erla. Terrifying as she is, she’s also at the centre of some of the more darkly humorous moments in the book - when she’s interviewing a suspect named Tomas and also a scene which had me laughing out loud involving her colleagues obvious fear of her - "Huldar doubted the staff in IT had exactly been competing for the job of discussing porn with Erla. They’d probably drawn straws and this poor sod had lost".
The writing
Yrsa Siggurdardottir is known as the Queen of Icelandic Noir. I found her writing to be fast-paced but not so fast that I felt I missed out on important details. It flows beautifully and effortlessly without stumbling over itself in an effort to hurry the plot along.
This was a really satisfying book. If you read a lot of crime fiction then you’ll know that they fulfil your appetite to varying degrees. While some may serve up a grab-and-run snack to fill a hole, Gallows Rock is more like one of those world cuisine all-you-can eat buffets where you’re fit to burst!
Twists galore and a surprising ending, this is a book you'll want to devour in one sitting.
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