Reykjavik Noir
3 primary works
Book 1
A young mother resorts to smuggling cocaine into Iceland, as she struggles to keep custody of her son, with devastating results … First in the addictive, award-winning Reykjavik Noir Trilogy by the Queen of Iceland Noir.
***Longlisted for the CWA International Dagger***
‘ Stylist, taut and compelling’ Daily Express
‘Snare will ensnare you’ Marie Claire
‘A taut, gritty, thoroughly absorbing journey into Reykjavik’s underworld’ Booklist
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After a messy divorce, young mother Sonia is struggling to provide for herself and keep custody of her son. With her back to the wall, she resorts to smuggling cocaine into Iceland, and finds herself caught up in a ruthless criminal world.
As she desperately looks for a way out of trouble, she must pit her wits against her nemesis, Bragi, a customs officer, whose years of experience frustrate her new and evermore daring strategies. Things become even more complicated when Sonia embarks on a relationship with a woman, Agla. Once a high-level bank executive, Agla is currently being prosecuted in the aftermath of the Icelandic financial crash.
Set in a Reykjavík still covered in the dust of the Eyjafjallajökull volcanic eruption, and with a dark, fast-paced and chilling plot and intriguing characters, Snare is an outstandingly original and sexy Nordic crime thriller, from one of the most exciting new names in crime fiction.
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'A tense thriller with a highly unusual plot and interesting characters' The Times
‘Tense, edgy and delivering more than a few unexpected twists and turns’ Sunday Times
'Sharp shocks of chapters hit with increasing energy ... a towering powerhouse of read and I gobbled it up in one intense sitting’ LoveReading
‘The intricate plot is breathtakingly original, with many twists and turns you never see coming. Thriller of the year’ New York Journal of Books
'This first novel of a planned trilogy is stylish, taut and compelling and a film adaptation is in the pipeline. With characters you can’t help sympathising with against your better judgement, Sigurdardottir takes the reader on a breathtaking ride’ Daily Express
‘Lilja Sigurdardottir delivers a diabolically efficient thriller with an ultrarealistic plot … We cannot wait for Sonja’s next adventure’ L’Express
‘A smart, ambitious, and hugely satisfying thriller. Striking in its originality and written with all the style and poise of an old hand. Lilja is destined for Scandi super stardom’ Eva Dolan
‘For a small island, Iceland produces some extraordinary writers, and Lilja is one of the best. Snare is an enthralling tale of love and crime that stays with you long after you have turned the last page’ Michael Ridpath
‘Zips along, with tension building and building … thoroughly recommended’ James Oswald
‘Crisp, assured and nail-bitingly tense, Snare is an exceptional read, cementing Lilja’s place as one of Iceland’s most outstanding crime writers’ Yrsa Sigurdardottir
‘Clear your diary. As soon as you begin reading Snare, you won’t be able to stop until the final page’ Michael Wood
‘Snare is a great read and the finale is both shocking and unexpected … a Wizard-of-Oz ending, without the laughs. Terrific and original stuff' European Literature Network
***Longlisted for the CWA International Dagger***
‘ Stylist, taut and compelling’ Daily Express
‘Snare will ensnare you’ Marie Claire
‘A taut, gritty, thoroughly absorbing journey into Reykjavik’s underworld’ Booklist
––––––––––––––––––––––––
After a messy divorce, young mother Sonia is struggling to provide for herself and keep custody of her son. With her back to the wall, she resorts to smuggling cocaine into Iceland, and finds herself caught up in a ruthless criminal world.
As she desperately looks for a way out of trouble, she must pit her wits against her nemesis, Bragi, a customs officer, whose years of experience frustrate her new and evermore daring strategies. Things become even more complicated when Sonia embarks on a relationship with a woman, Agla. Once a high-level bank executive, Agla is currently being prosecuted in the aftermath of the Icelandic financial crash.
Set in a Reykjavík still covered in the dust of the Eyjafjallajökull volcanic eruption, and with a dark, fast-paced and chilling plot and intriguing characters, Snare is an outstandingly original and sexy Nordic crime thriller, from one of the most exciting new names in crime fiction.
––––––––––––––––––––––––
'A tense thriller with a highly unusual plot and interesting characters' The Times
‘Tense, edgy and delivering more than a few unexpected twists and turns’ Sunday Times
'Sharp shocks of chapters hit with increasing energy ... a towering powerhouse of read and I gobbled it up in one intense sitting’ LoveReading
‘The intricate plot is breathtakingly original, with many twists and turns you never see coming. Thriller of the year’ New York Journal of Books
'This first novel of a planned trilogy is stylish, taut and compelling and a film adaptation is in the pipeline. With characters you can’t help sympathising with against your better judgement, Sigurdardottir takes the reader on a breathtaking ride’ Daily Express
‘Lilja Sigurdardottir delivers a diabolically efficient thriller with an ultrarealistic plot … We cannot wait for Sonja’s next adventure’ L’Express
‘A smart, ambitious, and hugely satisfying thriller. Striking in its originality and written with all the style and poise of an old hand. Lilja is destined for Scandi super stardom’ Eva Dolan
‘For a small island, Iceland produces some extraordinary writers, and Lilja is one of the best. Snare is an enthralling tale of love and crime that stays with you long after you have turned the last page’ Michael Ridpath
‘Zips along, with tension building and building … thoroughly recommended’ James Oswald
‘Crisp, assured and nail-bitingly tense, Snare is an exceptional read, cementing Lilja’s place as one of Iceland’s most outstanding crime writers’ Yrsa Sigurdardottir
‘Clear your diary. As soon as you begin reading Snare, you won’t be able to stop until the final page’ Michael Wood
‘Snare is a great read and the finale is both shocking and unexpected … a Wizard-of-Oz ending, without the laughs. Terrific and original stuff' European Literature Network
Book 2
When Sonja’s son is kidnapped by her ruthless ex-husband, she’s thrust back into the world of cocaine smuggling, but this time she’s got a plan of her own… High-stakes jeopardy presides in book two of the dark and original, nail-bitingly fast-paced Reykjavik Noir trilogy…
‘Tense, edgy and delivering more than a few unexpected twists and turns’ Sunday Times
‘Tough, uncompromising and unsettling’ Val McDermid
‘Tense and pacey, this intriguing mix of white-collar and white-powder crime could certainly be enjoyed as a standalone, but I would suggest reading its excellent predecessor, Snare, first’ Guardian
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Happily settled in Florida, Sonja believes she’s finally escaped the trap set by unscrupulous drug lords. But when her son Tomas is taken, she’s back to square one … and Iceland.
Her lover, Agla, is awaiting sentencing for financial misconduct after the banking crash, and Sonja refuses to see her. And that’s not all … Agla owes money to some extremely powerful men, and they’ll stop at nothing to get it back.
With her former nemesis, customs officer Bragi, on her side, Sonja puts her own plan into motion, to bring down the drug barons and her scheming ex-husband, and get Tomas back safely. But things aren’t as straightforward as they seem, and Sonja finds herself caught in the centre of a trap that will put all of their lives at risk…
Set in Reykjavik – still covered in the dust of the Eyjafjallajökull volcanic eruption and the aftermath of the banking crisis – Trap is an award-winning, deliciously dark and outstandingly original slice of Nordic Noir, from one of Iceland’s finest crime writers.
––––––––––––––––––––––––
Praise for the Reykjavik Noir Trilogy
‘A tense thriller with a highly unusual plot and interesting characters’ Marcel Berlins, The Times
‘With characters you can’t help sympathising with against your better judgement, Sigurdardottir takes the reader on a breathtaking ride … Stylish, taut and compelling’ Jon Coates, Daily Express
‘Pacey and tense, Trap is full of delicious carnage that could translate well to the screen’ New Zealand Listener
‘This is a searing portrait of the less salubrious parts of the Icelandic psyche as well as a riveting thriller’ Sunday Express
'Sharp shocks of chapters hit with increasing energy ... a towering powerhouse of read and I gobbled it up in one intense sitting’ LoveReading
‘The intricate plot is breathtakingly original, with many twists and turns you never see coming. Thriller of the year’ New York Journal of Books
‘Sigurdardottir provides a skilful combination of Nordic noir, hardboiled financial thriller and high-octane narco drama, filled with sympathetic characters that you can’t help identifying with even as they break the law’ Crime Fiction Lover
‘The action is fast, helped by the short chapters switching us from one set of characters to another, the villains ruthless, and the undercover world of Iceland vividly evoked. A treat for fans’ Promoting Crime
‘Smart, ambitious and hugely satisfying’ Eva Dolan
‘Zips along with tension building and building’ James Oswald
'An emotional suspense rollercoaster on a par with The Firm’ Alexandra Sokoloff
‘Compelling … this is prime binge-reading’ Booklist
‘The suspenseful Trap takes full advantage of its fresh setting and is a worthy addition to the icy-cold crime genre popularized by Scandinavian noir novels’ Foreword Reviews
‘Tense, edgy and delivering more than a few unexpected twists and turns’ Sunday Times
‘Tough, uncompromising and unsettling’ Val McDermid
‘Tense and pacey, this intriguing mix of white-collar and white-powder crime could certainly be enjoyed as a standalone, but I would suggest reading its excellent predecessor, Snare, first’ Guardian
––––––––––––––––––––––––
Happily settled in Florida, Sonja believes she’s finally escaped the trap set by unscrupulous drug lords. But when her son Tomas is taken, she’s back to square one … and Iceland.
Her lover, Agla, is awaiting sentencing for financial misconduct after the banking crash, and Sonja refuses to see her. And that’s not all … Agla owes money to some extremely powerful men, and they’ll stop at nothing to get it back.
With her former nemesis, customs officer Bragi, on her side, Sonja puts her own plan into motion, to bring down the drug barons and her scheming ex-husband, and get Tomas back safely. But things aren’t as straightforward as they seem, and Sonja finds herself caught in the centre of a trap that will put all of their lives at risk…
Set in Reykjavik – still covered in the dust of the Eyjafjallajökull volcanic eruption and the aftermath of the banking crisis – Trap is an award-winning, deliciously dark and outstandingly original slice of Nordic Noir, from one of Iceland’s finest crime writers.
––––––––––––––––––––––––
Praise for the Reykjavik Noir Trilogy
‘A tense thriller with a highly unusual plot and interesting characters’ Marcel Berlins, The Times
‘With characters you can’t help sympathising with against your better judgement, Sigurdardottir takes the reader on a breathtaking ride … Stylish, taut and compelling’ Jon Coates, Daily Express
‘Pacey and tense, Trap is full of delicious carnage that could translate well to the screen’ New Zealand Listener
‘This is a searing portrait of the less salubrious parts of the Icelandic psyche as well as a riveting thriller’ Sunday Express
'Sharp shocks of chapters hit with increasing energy ... a towering powerhouse of read and I gobbled it up in one intense sitting’ LoveReading
‘The intricate plot is breathtakingly original, with many twists and turns you never see coming. Thriller of the year’ New York Journal of Books
‘Sigurdardottir provides a skilful combination of Nordic noir, hardboiled financial thriller and high-octane narco drama, filled with sympathetic characters that you can’t help identifying with even as they break the law’ Crime Fiction Lover
‘The action is fast, helped by the short chapters switching us from one set of characters to another, the villains ruthless, and the undercover world of Iceland vividly evoked. A treat for fans’ Promoting Crime
‘Smart, ambitious and hugely satisfying’ Eva Dolan
‘Zips along with tension building and building’ James Oswald
'An emotional suspense rollercoaster on a par with The Firm’ Alexandra Sokoloff
‘Compelling … this is prime binge-reading’ Booklist
‘The suspenseful Trap takes full advantage of its fresh setting and is a worthy addition to the icy-cold crime genre popularized by Scandinavian noir novels’ Foreword Reviews
Book 3
Drugs, smuggling, big money and political intrigue in Iceland rally with love, passion, murder and betrayal until the winner takes all … in the masterful, explosive conclusion to the award-winning Reykjavík Noir trilogy…
***Guardian Book of the Year***
***WINNER of the Best Icelandic Crime Novel of the Year***
‘Tough, uncompromising and unsettling’ Val McDermid
‘One of the darkest and most compelling series in modern crime fiction … Tackling topical issues, the book will tell you a great deal about why the world’s in the state it is, while never neglecting its duty to entertain’ Sunday Express
‘A tense thriller with a highly unusual plot and interesting characters’ The Times
––––––––––––––––––––––––
The prison doors slam shut behind Agla, when her sentence ends, but her lover Sonja is not there to meet her.
As a group of foreign businessmen tries to draw Agla into an ingenious fraud that stretches from Iceland around the world, Agla and her former nemesis, María find the stakes being raised at a terrifying speed.
Ruthless drug baron Ingimar will stop at nothing to protect his empire, but he has no idea about the powder keg he is sitting on in his own home.
At the same time, a deadly threat to Sonya and her family brings her from London back to Iceland, where she needs to settle scores with longstanding adversaries if she wants to stay alive…
––––––––––––––––––––––––
Praise for the Reykjavik Noir Trilogy:
‘Cage is the muted and more credible conclusion to a wayward, but diverting trilogy that began with Snare (2017) and continued with Trap (2018) — ironic titles for essentially escapist fiction … Compassion beats complexity every time’ The Times
‘In keeping with a lot of Icelandic fiction, Cage is written in a clean, understated style, the author letting the reader put together the emotional beats and plot developments. Smart writing with a strongly beating heart’ Big Issue
‘Deftly plotted though and with a forensic attention to the technicalities of stock exchange manipulations and drug running techniques’ Crime Time
‘With shocks and surprises in store, and that oh so satisfying end, Cage provoked, chilled, and thrilled me’ LoveReading
‘A novel about survival, about scheming, it’s about self-preservation and about clinging to a vestige of decency in a screwed up world. Superbly translated by Quentin Bates, who knows the language, the country, the people and crime writing intimately. Cage is a pacy thriller; you will find yourself invested in the story’ New Books Magazine
‘An emotional suspense rollercoaster on a par with The Firm, as desperate, resourceful, profoundly lovable characters scheme against impossible odds’ Alexandra Sokoloff
‘Clear your diary. As soon as you begin reading … you won’t be able to stop until the final page’ Michael Wood
‘Zips along, with tension building and building … thoroughly recommend’ James Oswald
‘The intricate plot is breathtakingly original, with many twists and turns you never see coming. Thriller of the year’ New York Journal of Books
***Guardian Book of the Year***
***WINNER of the Best Icelandic Crime Novel of the Year***
‘Tough, uncompromising and unsettling’ Val McDermid
‘One of the darkest and most compelling series in modern crime fiction … Tackling topical issues, the book will tell you a great deal about why the world’s in the state it is, while never neglecting its duty to entertain’ Sunday Express
‘A tense thriller with a highly unusual plot and interesting characters’ The Times
––––––––––––––––––––––––
The prison doors slam shut behind Agla, when her sentence ends, but her lover Sonja is not there to meet her.
As a group of foreign businessmen tries to draw Agla into an ingenious fraud that stretches from Iceland around the world, Agla and her former nemesis, María find the stakes being raised at a terrifying speed.
Ruthless drug baron Ingimar will stop at nothing to protect his empire, but he has no idea about the powder keg he is sitting on in his own home.
At the same time, a deadly threat to Sonya and her family brings her from London back to Iceland, where she needs to settle scores with longstanding adversaries if she wants to stay alive…
––––––––––––––––––––––––
Praise for the Reykjavik Noir Trilogy:
‘Cage is the muted and more credible conclusion to a wayward, but diverting trilogy that began with Snare (2017) and continued with Trap (2018) — ironic titles for essentially escapist fiction … Compassion beats complexity every time’ The Times
‘In keeping with a lot of Icelandic fiction, Cage is written in a clean, understated style, the author letting the reader put together the emotional beats and plot developments. Smart writing with a strongly beating heart’ Big Issue
‘Deftly plotted though and with a forensic attention to the technicalities of stock exchange manipulations and drug running techniques’ Crime Time
‘With shocks and surprises in store, and that oh so satisfying end, Cage provoked, chilled, and thrilled me’ LoveReading
‘A novel about survival, about scheming, it’s about self-preservation and about clinging to a vestige of decency in a screwed up world. Superbly translated by Quentin Bates, who knows the language, the country, the people and crime writing intimately. Cage is a pacy thriller; you will find yourself invested in the story’ New Books Magazine
‘An emotional suspense rollercoaster on a par with The Firm, as desperate, resourceful, profoundly lovable characters scheme against impossible odds’ Alexandra Sokoloff
‘Clear your diary. As soon as you begin reading … you won’t be able to stop until the final page’ Michael Wood
‘Zips along, with tension building and building … thoroughly recommend’ James Oswald
‘The intricate plot is breathtakingly original, with many twists and turns you never see coming. Thriller of the year’ New York Journal of Books