Áróra returns to Iceland when her estranged sister goes missing, and her search leads to places she could never have imagined. A chilling, tense thriller – FIRST in an addictive, nerve-shattering new series – from one of Iceland’s bestselling authors…

‘Icelandic crime writing at its finest … immersive and unnerving’ Shari Lapena

‘Best-selling Icelandic crime-writer Sigurdardottir has built a formidable reputation with just four novels, but here she introduces a new protagonist who is set to cement her legacy’ Daily Mail

‘Another bleak, unpredictable classic’ Metro

**Winner: Best Icelandic Crime Novel of the Year**

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Icelandic sisters Áróra and Ísafold live in different countries and aren‘t on speaking terms, but when their mother loses contact with Ísafold, Áróra reluctantly returns to Iceland to find her sister. But she soon realizes that her sister isn’t avoiding her … she has disappeared, without trace. 

As she confronts Ísafold’s abusive, drug-dealing boyfriend Björn, and begins to probe her sister’s reclusive neighbours – who have their own reasons for staying out of sight – Áróra is led into an ever-darker web of intrigue and manipulation. 

Baffled by the conflicting details of her sister’s life, and blinded by the shiveringly bright midnight sun of the Icelandic summer, Áróra enlists the help of police officer Daníel, as she tries to track her sister’s movements, and begins to tail Björn – but she isn’t the only one watching…

Slick, tense, atmospheric and superbly plotted, Cold as Hell marks the start of a riveting, addictive new series from one of Iceland’s bestselling crime writers.

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‘Lilja Sigurdardottir doesn’t write cookie-cutter crime novels. She is aware that “the fundamentals of existence are totally incomprehensible and chaotic”: anything can and does happen … Isn’t that what all crime writers should aim for?’ The Times

‘The blinding midnight sun in Iceland’s summer is beautifully evoked as Arora establishes herself as a heroine to move the heart’ Daily Mail

‘Lilja is a standout voice in Icelandic Noir, and this book does not disappoint … Cold as Hell is her best yet’ James Oswald

‘Atmospheric’ Crime Monthly

‘Intricate, enthralling and very moving – a wonderful crime novel’ William Ryan

‘Three things we love about Cold as Hell: Iceland’s unrelenting midnight sun; the gritty Nordic murder mystery; the peculiar and bewitching characters’ Apple Books

‘Lilja Sigurðardóttir just gets better and better … Árora is a wonderful character: unique, passionate, unpredictable and very real’ Michael Ridpath

Praise for Lilja Sigurðardóttir

'Smart writing with a strongly beating heart' Big Issue

'Tough, uncompromising and unsettling' Val McDermid

'Tense and pacey' Guardian

'Deftly plotted' Financial Times

‘An emotional suspense rollercoaster on a par with The Firm, as desperate, resourceful, profoundly lovable characters scheme against impossible odds’ Alexandra Sokoloff

'Tense, edgy and delivering more than a few unexpected twists and turns' Sunday Times

‘The intricate plot is breathtakingly original, with many twists and turns you never see coming. Thriller of the year’ New York Journal of Books

'Taut, gritty and thoroughly absorbing' Booklist

'A stunning addition to the icy-cold crime genre' Foreword Reviews

Icelandic crime-writer Lilja Sigurdardóttir was born in the town of Akranes in 1972 and raised in Mexico, Sweden, Spain and Iceland. An award-winning playwright, Lilja has written four crime novels, with Snare, the first in a new series and Lilja’s English debut shortlisting for the CWA International Dagger and hitting bestseller lists worldwide. Trap soon followed suit, with the third in the trilogy Cage winning the Best Icelandic Crime Novel of the Year, and being chosen as a Guardian Book of the Year. Lilja’s standalone Betrayal was shortlisted for the Glass Key Award for Best Nordic Crime Novel. The film rights have been bought by Palomar Pictures. Lilja is also an award-winning screenwriter in her native Iceland. She lives in Reykjavík with her partner.

Categories

• Fiction / Thrillers / Suspense
• Fiction / Thrillers / Domestic

Product Details

ISBN: 9781913193881
ISBN-10: 1913193888
Publisher: Orenda Books
Publication Date: February 1st, 2022
Pages: 276
Language: English
Series: An Áróra Investigation

"Reading Cold as Hell sometimes gives you “the bizarre feeling of having been struck by a hand that had previously been so gentle”. Isn’t that what all crime writers should aim for? The good news, my “cuddle dumplings”, is that Arora will be back." —Times

“Thriller of the year.” —New York Journal of Books on Snare

“A taut, gritty, thoroughly absorbing journey into Reykjavik’s underworld.” —Booklist on Snare

“With its clever plot and brisk, tight pace, this hard-to-put-down Nordic thriller will be a treat for crime fiction fans.” —Library Journal on Snare

"fans of Nordic noir will find plenty to like." --Publishers Weekly on Trap

"Prime binge-reading.” --Booklist on Trap

“Sigurðardóttir knows how to ratchet up the tension…[Trap] is a worthy addition to the icy-cold crime genre popularized by Scandinavian noir novels.” --Foreword Reviews on Trap

"[A] lively conclusion...Fans already invested in this Nordic crime series will race through the pages."— Publishers Weekly on Cage

"Tough, uncompromising and unsettling." —Val McDermid on Betrayal

"Sigurdardóttir's secret sauce is constructing satisfying narratives from diaphanous stands of plot and fleeting glimpses of her characters' contrary natures. The result? Another bleak, unpredictable classic." —Metro

"Best-selling Icelandic crime-writer Sigurdardottir has built a formidable reputation with just four novels, but here she introduces a new protagonist who is set to cement her legacy." — The Daily Mail