Children's House

3 primary works

The Legacy

by Yrsa Sigurdardottir

Published 23 March 2017

The murder was meant as a punishment - but what sin could justify the method? The only person who might have answers is the victim's seven-year-old daughter, who was found hiding in the room where her mother died. And she's not talking. Newly promoted, out of his depth, Detective Huldar turns to Freyja and the Children's House for their expertise with traumatized young people. Freyja, who distrusts the police in general and Huldar in particular, isn't best pleased. But she's determined to keep little Margret safe. It may prove tricky. The killer is leaving them strange clues: warnings in text messages, sums scribbled on bits of paper, numbers broadcast on the radio. He's telling a dark and secret story - but how can they crack the code? And if they do, will they be next?

The Reckoning

by Yrsa Sigurdardottir

Published 3 May 2018

'Yrsa is a magnificent writer' Karin Slaughter

Yrsa Sigurdardottir, winner of the 2015 Petrona Award for best Scandinavian Crime Novel, delivers another tour de force in her second novel in the Freyja and Huldar series.

A chilling note predicting the deaths of six people is found in a school's time capsule, ten years after it was buried. But surely, if a thirteen-year-old wrote it, it can't be a real threat...

Detective Huldar suspects he's been given the investigation simply to keep him away from real police work. He turns to psychologist Freyja to help understand the child who hid the message. Soon, however, they find themselves at the heart of another shocking case.

For the discovery of the letter coincides with a string of macabre events: body parts found in a garden, followed by the murder of the man who owned the house. His initials are BT, one of the names on the note.

Huldar and Freyja must race to identify the writer, the victims and the murderer, before the rest of the targets are killed...

'The Reckoning is another chilling, atmospheric tale from the undisputed Queen of Icelandic Noir. I loved it.' Simon Kernick

The Absolution

by Yrsa Sigurdardottir

Published 18 April 2019

The new novel from the internationally bestselling, prizewinning, queen of Icelandic crime.

All he wants is for them to say sorry.

The police find out about the crime the way everyone does: on Snapchat. The video shows the terrified victim begging for forgiveness. When her body is found, it is marked with a number 2...

Detective Huldar joins the investigation, bringing child psychologist Freyja on board to help question the murdered teenager's friends. Soon, they uncover that Stella was far from the angel people claim - but even so, who could have hated her enough to kill?

Then another teenager goes missing, and more clips are sent. Freyja and Huldar can agree on two things at least: the truth is far from simple. And the killer is not done yet.

A brilliantly suspenseful story about the dark side of social media, The Absolution will make you wonder what you should have said sorry for...

Praise for Yrsa Sigurdardottir

'Iceland's outstanding crime novelist' Daily Express
'A magnificent writer' Karin Slaughter
'The undisputed queen of Icelandic Noir' Simon Kernick
'Believe all the hype - this is crime at its best.' Heat