Reviews

Book Review…Red as Blood by Lilja Sigurðardóttir

When Flosi arrives home for dinner one night, he discovers that his house has been ransacked, and his wife Gudrun missing. Forbidden from contacting the police, he gets in touch with Áróra and her detective friend Daniel who specialises in finding hidden assets, try to get to the bottom of the case. Meanwhile, Áróra and Daniel continue the puzzling, devastating search for Áróra’s sister Ísafold, who disappeared without trace.

I haven't read the first book in this series but I definitely plan to. The action starts in first few pages and continues throughout the book. I loved the way the clues were laid out. You get just what you need to keep wondering and nothing is revealed until the perfect time. It definitely keeps you on your toes! There are a few things going on besides the kidnapping but the flow and the pace of the story is steady and you never feel overwhelmed! Great story! Thank you Random Things Tours and Lilja Sigurðardóttir for sharing this book with me!

ashleywatt's review

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challenging mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated

3.75

acrolo's review

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mysterious tense

4.5

juniperusxx's review against another edition

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adventurous mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix

4.0

Lilja Sigurðardóttirista on tullut näiden sarjan kahden ekan osan jälkeen yksi suosikkidekkaristeistani. Tässä osassa oli paljon tapahtumia - rahanpesua, kadonnut vaimo ja muita ihmissuhteiden käänteitä - mutta hyvin kirja pysyi kasassa ja sopivan jännittävänä aina loppusivuille saakka. Toivoisin, että sarjan seuraavakin osa olisi käden ulottuvilla :)

sofiagreenhill's review

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dark mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

yvo_about_books's review against another edition

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dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

4.5

Finished reading: February 16th 2024

"Every time life punches you to the ground, it knocks away some of the arrogance and the illusion of self-importance, and that makes it easier to understand the circumstances others find themselves in."

Lilja Sigurðardóttir is without a doubt one of my favorite Icelandic noir authors, and I'm still not sure why it took me this long to finally pick up the An Áróra Investigation series. I loved my time with the first book earlier this year, and I decided to continue with the series ASAP. Red As Blood is book number two, and I loved it just as much as the first one. It's the perfect dose of Nordic noir! There is just something highly addictive about her writing, and I literally couldn't stop reading. The short chapters only added to the speed, and I enjoyed how the plot offered you multiple POVs to help explore all the different angles. One of the things I love about this series is the fact that the main character Áróra isn't a detective, but instead a freelance financial investigator. This means that she doesn't exactly follow the rules, and it gives the series in general an unique touch. I do have to say that it is important to read the books in order, because you will find major spoilers for the developments in Áróra's personal life otherwise... That said, I liked those developments, and with how everything ended I'm already looking forward to pick up the next book. The case itself in Red As Blood has its predictable side and it's kind of hard to properly feel sorry for Flosi, but he does make for an interesting character. The plot twists themselves are well handled, and there were definitely some I didn't see coming. If you are looking for an excellent dose of Nordic noir, I can highly recommend this series!

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