The Recently Read posts are not typical book reviews. As a writer, I do not believe I should be reviewing the hard work of other writers. These posts are simply books I have recently read and enjoyed and will share with you. They will not always be crime books as I am trying to widen my reading selection. I hope you enjoy some of these with me.
Someone To Watch Over Me by Yrsa Sigurðardóttir
A creepy, compelling thriller, SOMEONE TO WATCH OVER ME is the fifth Thóra Gudmundsdóttir novel from Yrsa, ‘Iceland’s answer to Stieg Larsson’ (Daily Telegraph).
Berglind hurried to her son and pulled him forcefully from the window. She held him close and tried at the same time to wipe the windowpane. But the haze couldn’t be wiped away. It was on the outside of the glass.
Pési looked up at her. ‘Magga’s outside. She can’t get in. She wants to look after me.’ He pointed at the window and frowned. ‘She’s a little bit angry.’
A young man with Down’s Syndrome has been convicted of burning down his care home and killing five people, but a fellow inmate at his secure psychiatric unit has hired Thora to prove Jakob is innocent. If he didn’t do it, who did? And how is the multiple murder connected to the death of Magga, killed in a hit and run on her way to babysit?
My Thoughts;
I find this one a little difficult to give my thoughts on as it was a book club read that ended up being a meeting that through various problems didn’t happen, but that said, I still read the book and enjoyed it, so I’m sharing my own thoughts on it with you.
Thóra Gudmundsdóttir is not a cop, or a private detective, she’s a lawyer and she’s been retained by a convicted paedophile to look into the burning down of the psychiatric unit and the following conviction of Jakob who has downs syndrome, for multiple murders.
This is a very clever story because in this above description alone you have several different layers running through a story of unraveling events to do with the fire. You have Thóra’s thoughts and feelings on working for the paedophile, the fact that this isn’t your usual cop crime novel, the extremely sensitive issues of mental health, psychiatric units and the easy conviction of Jakob.
I thought Sigurðardóttir covered the mental health issues extremely sensitively and Thóra as a character was well-rounded with not only this job to worry about but her own home life, including children, partner and her parents descending on her.
The setting of Iceland was just a wonderful frozen character of its own with Sigurðardóttir not only relying on the physical landscape but the economic landscape played a large role in explaining a lot of Iceland and its current climate.
Iceland is steeped in folklore and Someone to Watch Over Me weaves a little of the creepy unknown into it, giving the story yet another added layer, without detracting from the main point of the novel.
I enjoyed this novel and I still hope to get Yrsa Sigurðardóttir into a video chat interview at some point for the blog. She is incredibly busy but email discussion is ongoing and this has not been forgotten.
Prashant C. Trikannad says
Rebecca, although I haven’t read any yet, I can sense a certain kind of intensity in Scandinavian, and now Icelandic, crime fiction. This book has a most unusual premise. I’d be interested in your interview with Yrsa Sigurðardóttir.
Rebecca Bradley says
I do hope that we can pull it off, though her schedule is very tight. Stay tuned! 🙂
Cathy746books says
Sounds good. There seems to be a real buzz about Icelandic fiction at the moment, I read somewhere recently that they have the highest number of authors per head in all of Europe! There seems to be something about the cold and the snow that lends itself to crime fiction!
Rebecca Bradley says
I heard the buzz as well, which is what prompted me to read a few! And I do think there is something about a cold setting that makes crime fiction so much more unsettling.
Margot Kinberg says
Rebecca – This really is a fantastic series I think. And I think you’re spot on about this particular entry. It handles some difficult issues in a very effective and sensitive way, and the mystery itself is well-written. One of the things I like about the series is the balance between Thóra ‘s home life and her work life. Sometimes that’s not managed very well in some series, but this one gets it right I think.
Rebecca Bradley says
Margot, her work-life balance is portrayed quite wonderfully in this book and it is rare that is done in a lot of crime fiction and it’s a level headed work-life balance and I think that’s what I liked about it. There’s no massive drama about it. The drama is in the crime rather than the protagonists life.
Jacqui Murray says
I’m so glad you posted this. I’ve been considering reading this book–it showed up on one of my rec lists (Vine maybe?). I’ve been catching up on Lescroart, but am looking for the next read.
Rebecca Bradley says
Let me know what you think, if you do read it jacqui.
Carol Balawyder says
I was happy to discover this author because I want to read the Scandinavian crime writers. Also I like the idea of mental illness and Iceland. I think the title is great! I look forward to your video chat with Yrsa Sigurðardóttir. Hope it happens. Thanks for introducing her to me. 🙂
Rebecca Bradley says
I’m so hoping with can do the video chat. Yrsa’s schedule is pretty hectic, but we are hopefully. Keep your eyes peeled!
I have heard so many great things about Scandinavian crime fiction that I’ve read a few recently and I did really enjoy this one. I think Iceland is a great setting for crime. That layer of cold is just perfect.
Carol Balawyder says
Eventually, I want to do a series on my blog on Scandinavian crime writers. I like to approach my blog content in terms of series. I do it for awhile (maybe ten or twelve posts for each series) and then I go on to discover something else. Right now I’m in the process of researching for a series on the Femme Fatale in crime fiction but from the viewpoint of women crime writers. I’m anxious to sink my teeth into this series.
Rebecca Bradley says
I’ve found it’s been an interesting series to read and in sure you’ll enjoy reading them. I’ll look forward to reading your posts.
Carol Balawyder says
Thanks. Have a Happy Day 🙂
FictionFan says
This was one of my favourite books of last year, and I thought she got the creepy element just right – keeping it ambiguous enough so that you were never quite sure what was true. Glad you enjoyed it too, and still looking forward to the interview if it happens. 🙂
Rebecca Bradley says
The creepy was quite ambiguous wasn’t it?! I do hope we can do the interview Yrsa’s schedule is quite tight, but we are still in conversation. Fingers crossed!
Linda Powell says
Hello Rebecca I just find your blog today and I am looking for some good summer reading, I love to read crime fiction and I am going to try this novel, thanks for the review 🙂
Rebecca Bradley says
Hi Linda, thanks for stopping by. Let me know what you think if you read it. There is a list of books I’ve written about on the blog, in the sidebar of the front page, listed Categories – Recently Read. Summer is a great time for getting a great list of books! 🙂
Linda King says
Sounds like one to look out for! I wish my pile wasn’t already so tall! 🙂
Rebecca Bradley says
Linda, it’s ridiculous. My TBR pile is growing by the day! Flipping Kindles – making it so easy to just buy a book in the middle of the night! I don’t have the time to read them all, I’ve no idea why I keep buying them. But hey, we do right 🙂
diannegray says
I haven’t read her books yet, but I hope you can get Yrsa on a video chat – that’d be great! 😀
Rebecca Bradley says
It would be fabulous wouldn’t it! We are in conversation by email and her schedule is hectic, but we do hope to be able to do it at some point, so keep your eyes peeled.
cleopatralovesbooks says
This is a new to me author but I have added it to the TBR as it sounds just my type of read. Thanks for featuring it on your blog 🙂
Rebecca Bradley says
Our TBR piles just grow by the day don’t they?! Let me know what you think.
Joanna (Lazuli Portals Trilogy) says
I like clever novels, and always appreciate when the landscape becomes a fully realised character in its own right. Thanks for your thoughts on this book, Rebecca 🙂
Rebecca Bradley says
It was a really interesting book to read so I’m always happy to share 🙂