Eva Björg Ægisdóttir – författare

When a woman’s body is discovered at a lighthouse in the Icelandic town of Akranes, investigators discover shocking secrets in her past. First in the disturbing, chillingly atmospheric, addictive new Forbidden Iceland series.**WINNER of the CWA John Creasey New Blood Dagger****SHORTLISTED for the Amazon Publishing Readers Award for Best Independent Voice****SHORTLISTED for the Amazon Publishing Readers Award for Best Debut Novel****WINNER of the Storytel Award for Best Crime Novel 2020****WINNER of the Blackbird Award for Best Icelandic Crime Novel**‘Eva Björg Ægisdóttir’s accomplished first novel is not only a full-fat mystery, but also a chilling demonstration of how monsters are made’ The Times'Fans of Nordic Noir will love this moving debut from Icelander Eva Björg Ægisdóttir’s. It's subtle, nuanced, with a sympathetic central character and the possibilities of great stories to come' Ann Cleeves‘An exciting and harrowing tale from one of Iceland’s rising stars’ Ragnar Jónasson_________________When a body of a woman is discovered at a lighthouse in the Icelandic town of Akranes, it soon becomes clear that she’s no stranger to the area.Chief Investigating Officer Elma, who has returned to Akranes following a failed relationship, and her collegues Sævar and Hörður, commence an uneasy investigation, which uncovers a shocking secret in the dead woman’s past that continues to reverberate in the present day …But as Elma and her team make a series of discoveries, they bring to light a host of long-hidden crimes that shake the entire community. Sifting through the rubble of the townspeople’s shattered memories, they have to dodge increasingly serious threats, and find justice … before it’s too late.For fans of Yrsa Sigurdardottir, Ruth Rendell, P D James, Sarah Hilary and Camilla Lackberg_________________‘Elma leaves Reykjavik CID for a job with the police in her hometown of Akranes, deeming it “every bit as quiet as it appeared to be” — until the discovery of a murdered woman starts to unravel a thread of long-buried crimes hidden deep in the community. Elma is a fantastic heroine’ Sunday Times  ‘We’re used to Icelandic writers lowering the temperature — in more ways than one — and Ægisdóttir proves to be adept at this chilly art as any of her confrères (and consoeurs). Elma is a memorably complex character, and Victoria Cribb’s translation is (as usual) non-pareil’ Financial Times‘A deserted lighthouse and a murdered woman set the scene for this haunting and compelling mystery where the dark secrets of a small town are shockingly exposed. As chilling and atmospheric as an Icelandic winter’ Lisa Gray, author of Thin Air‘The setting in Iceland is fascinating, the descriptions creating a vivid picture of the reality of living in a small town. The Creak on the Stairs is a captivating tale with plenty of tension and a plot to really get your teeth into’ LoveReading‘At each stage, Ægisdóttir is not giving us information but asking things of us. She’s getting us to think through the implications: what if it’s him, what if it’s her, what would it mean? We’re involved, we’ve got skin in the game and we can’t ask for more as readers’ Café Thinking

When a depressed, alcoholic single mother disappears, everything suggests suicide, until her body is found on the lava fields. Icelandic Detective Elma and her team are thrust into a perplexing, chilling investigation in book two in the award-winning, international bestselling Forbidden Iceland series…‘Chilling and addictive, with a twist you won't see coming. I loved it!' Shari Lapena‘An exciting and harrowing tale’ Ragnar Jónasson‘Complex, gripping and moving’ The Times‘Eerie and chilling. I loved every word!’ Lesley Kara_____________When single mother Maríanna disappears from her home, leaving an apologetic note on the kitchen table, everyone assumes that she’s taken her own life … until her body is found on the Grábrók lava fields seven months later, clearly the victim of murder. Her neglected fifteen-year-old daughter Hekla has been placed in foster care, but is her perfect new life hiding something sinister?Fifteen years earlier, a desperate new mother lies in a maternity ward, unable to look at her own child, the start of an odd and broken relationship that leads to a shocking tragedy.Police officer Elma and her colleagues take on the case, which becomes increasingly complex, as the number of suspects grows and new light is shed on Maríanna’s past – and the childhood of a girl who never was like the others…Breathtakingly chilling and tantalisingly twisty, Girls Who Lie is at once a startling, tense psychological thriller and a sophisticated police procedural, marking Eva Björg Ægisdottir as one of the most exciting new names in crime fiction._______________Praise for Eva Björg Ægisdottir***WINNER of the CWA John Creasey (New Blood) Dagger***‘Fans of Nordic Noir will love this … subtle, nuanced, with a sympathetic central character and the possibilities of great stories to come’ Ann Cleeves‘Not only a full-fat mystery, but also a chilling demonstration of how monsters are made’ The Times‘Beautifully written, spine-tingling and disturbing … a thrilling new voice in Icelandic crime fiction’ Yrsa Sigurðardóttir‘As chilling and atmospheric as an Icelandic winter’ Lisa Gray‘Elma is a fantastic heroine’ Sunday Times‘Eva Björg Aegisdóttir is definitely a born storyteller and she skilfully surprised me with some amazing plot twists’ Hilary Mortz‘An unsettling and exciting read with a couple of neat red herrings to throw the reader off the scent’ NB Magazine‘Chilling and troubling … reminiscent of Jorn Lier Horst‘s Norwegian procedurals. This is a book that makes an impact’ Crime Fiction Lover‘Elma is a memorably complex character’ Financial Times‘The twist comes out of the blue … enthralling’ Tap The Line Magazine  For fans of Ragnar Jonasson, Camilla Lackberg, Ruth Rendell, Gillian McAllister and Shari Lapena

Icelandic detective Elma faces mortal danger as she investigates the death of a young man in a mysterious Akranes house fire, and a Dutch au pair’s perfect placement turns deadly … The breathtaking third instalment in the award-winning Forbidden Iceland series.***WINNER of the CWA John Creasey (New Blood) Dagger***‘Her best, boldest work to date: a mystery both merciless and compassionate, subtly eerie yet flat-out frightening, featuring a detective as complicated as Jo Nesbø’s Harry Hole. This is virtuoso suspense writing’ A J Finn  ‘Chilling and addictive, with a completely unexpected twist … I loved it’ Shari Lapena  ‘Another beautifully written novel from one of the rising stars of Nordic Noir’ Victoria Selman_________________________The small community of Akranes is devastated when a young man dies in a mysterious house fire, and when Detective Elma and her colleagues from West Iceland CID discover the fire was arson, they become embroiled in an increasingly perplexing case involving multiple suspects. What’s more, the dead man’s final online search raises fears that they could be investigating not one murder, but two.A few months before the fire, a young Dutch woman takes a job as an au pair in Iceland, desperate to make a new life for herself after the death of her father. But the seemingly perfect family who employs her turns out to have problems of its own and she soon discovers she is running out of people to turn to.As the police begin to home in on the truth, Elma, already struggling to come to terms with a life-changing event, finds herself in mortal danger as it becomes clear that someone has secrets they’ll do anything to hide…____________________________‘A creepily compelling Icelandic mystery that had me hooked from page one. Night Shadows will make you want to sleep with the lights on’ Heidi Amsinck  ‘I loved everything about this book: the characters, the setting, the storyline, an intricately woven cast … this book had me utterly gripped!’ J M Hewitt  ‘With the third release in the Forbidden Iceland series, Eva Björg establishes herself as not just one of the brightest names in Icelandic crime fiction, but in crime fiction full stop. Night Shadows is an absolute must-read!’ Nordic Watchlist  ‘The author writes so beautifully you are immediately immersed in the chilly surrounds … a genuinely excellent novel’ Liz Loves Books  ‘One of the most compelling contemporary writers of crime fiction and psychological suspense’ Duncan Beattie,Fiction from Afar  Praise for the Forbidden Iceland series:  ‘Fans of Nordic Noir will love this’ Ann Cleeves‘Elma is a fantastic heroine’ Sunday Times‘Complex, gripping and moving’ The Times‘An exciting and harrowing tale’ Ragnar Jónasson‘Eerie and chilling. I loved every word!’ Lesley Kara‘Not only a full-fat mystery, but also a chilling demonstration of how monsters are made’ The Times‘Beautifully written, spine-tingling and disturbing … a thrilling new voice in Icelandic crime fiction’ Yrsa Sigurðardóttir‘As chilling and atmospheric as an Icelandic winter’ Lisa Gray‘An unsettling and exciting read with a couple of neat red herrings to throw the reader off the scent’ NB Magazine‘Chilling and troubling … reminiscent of Jorn Lier Horst‘s Norwegian procedurals. This is a book that makes an impact’ Crime Fiction Lover‘Elma is a memorably complex character’ Financial Times‘The twist comes out of the blue … enthralling’ Tap The Line MagazineFor fans of Ragnar Jonasson, Camilla Lackberg, Ruth Rendell, Gillian McAllister and Shari Lapen

A wealthy Icelandic family gathers for a reunion in a remote hotel on the isolated lava fields, but when someone goes missing, dark secrets are exposed and everyone is a suspect … the chilling, gripping prequel to the addictive, award-winning Forbidden Iceland series…  ‘A country house mystery worthy of Agatha Christie’ The Times Crime Book of the Month  ‘As storms rage, people fall prey to a sinister figure. A canny synthesis of modern Nordic Noir and Golden Age mystery’ Financial Times  'In a Forbidden Iceland novel, there's no terrain more treacherous than the mind … a deep-dark thriller to read with the lights on' A J Finn  'Riveting, exciting, entertaining and packed with intrigue … like Succession on ice' Liz Nugent  **WINNER of the STORYTEL AWARD for Crime Book of the Year***  ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––  The wealthy, powerful Snæberg clan has gathered for a family reunion at a futuristic hotel set amongst the dark lava flows of Iceland's remote Snæfellsnes peninsula.  Petra Snæberg, a successful interior designer, is anxious about the event, and her troubled teenage daughter, Lea, whose social-media presence has attracted the wrong kind of followers. Ageing carpenter Tryggvi is an outsider, only tolerated because he's the boyfriend of Petra's aunt, but he's struggling to avoid alcohol because he knows what happens when he drinks … Humble hotel employee, Irma, is excited to meet this rich and famous family and observe them at close quarters … perhaps too close…  As the weather deteriorates and the alcohol flows, one of the guests disappears, and it becomes clear that there is a prowler lurking in the dark.  But is the real danger inside … within the family itself?  Masterfully cranking up the suspense, Eva Björg Ægisdóttir draws us into an isolated, frozen setting, where nothing is as it seems and no one can be trusted, as the dark secrets and painful pasts of the Snæberg family are uncovered … and the shocking truth revealed.  Succession meets And Then There Were None … A Golden Age mystery for the 21st Century, with a shocking twist.  ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––  'A tense, twisty page-turner that you'll have serious trouble putting down' Catherine Ryan Howard  'Your new Nordic Noir obsession' Vogue  'Confirms Eva Bjorg Aegisdottir as a leading light of Icelandic noir … a master of misdirection' The Times  Praise for the Forbidden Iceland series  **Winner of the CWA John Creasey (New Blood) Dagger****Shortlisted for the Petrona Award for Best Scandinavian Crime****Shortlisted for the CWA Crime in Translation Dagger****Shortlisted for the Capital Crime Award for Best Thriller**  'Chilling and addictive, with a completely unexpected twist … I loved it' Shari Lapena  'Beautifully written … one of the rising stars of Nordic Noir'Victoria Selman  'Fans of Nordic Noir will love this' Ann Cleeves  'Eerie and chilling. I loved every word!' Lesley Kara  'Creepily compelling' Heidi Amsinck  'Elma is a memorably complex character' Financial Times  'Exciting and harrowing' Ragnar Jónasson  'Fantastic' Sunday Times  'So atmospheric' Heat

Fresh from maternity leave, Detective Elma investigates complex case of a man murdered in a holiday cottage, while Sævar discovers something in a discarded box that could help crack the case. The multi-award-winning, NUMBER ONE bestselling Forbidden Iceland series continues…  ‘She uses complex plots to explore how monsters are made and demonstrate that “evil can lurk behind the most attractive of smiles”. Her many characters are people not puppets and she delights in pulling the rug from under their –and our – feet. If you have never read Aegisdottir, now is the time to start’ Mark Sanderson, The Times  ‘Meticulously plotted, this beautifully written novel has it all: a shocking murder, small-town secrets, a cast of suspicious characters and a compelling female detective … Eva Björg Aegisdóttir at her best’ Lesley Kara  ‘Emotive, atmospheric and chillingly suspenseful … one of the best thrillers I’ve read in a long time’ AA Chaudhuri  ‘A detective as complicated as Jo Nesbø's Harry Hole. This is virtuoso suspense writing' AJ Finn  ––––––––––––––  Fresh from maternity leave, Detective Elma finds herself confronted with a complex case, when a man is found murdered in a holiday cottage in the depths of the Icelandic countryside – the victim of a frenzied knife attack, with a shocking message scrawled on the wall above him.  At home with their baby daughter, Sævar is finding it hard to let go of work, until the chance discovery in a discarded box provides him with a distraction. Could the diary of a young boy, detailing the events of a long-ago summer have a bearing on Elma’s case?  Once again, the team at West Iceland CID have to contend with local secrets in the small town of Akranes, where someone has a vested interest in preventing the truth from coming to light. And Sævar has secrets of his own that threaten to destroy his and Elma’s newfound happiness.  Tense, twisty and shocking, Boys Who Hurt is the next, addictive instalment in the award-winning Forbidden Iceland series, as dark events from the past endanger everything…  –––––––––––––  ‘Your new Nordic Noir obsession’ Vogue  ‘So chilling’ Crime Monthly  PRAISE FOR THE FORBIDDEN ICELAND SERIES  ‘Chilling and addictive, with a completely unexpected twist’ Shari Lapena  ‘Riveting, exciting, entertaining and packed with intrigue’ Liz Nugent  ‘Fans of Nordic Noir will love this’ Ann Cleeves  ‘A tense, twisty page-turner that you’ll have serious trouble putting down’ Catherine Ryan Howard  ‘One of the rising stars of Nordic Noir’ Victoria Selman  ‘Eerie and chilling’ Lesley Kara  ‘A creepily compelling Icelandic mystery’ Heidi Amsinck  ‘Elma is a memorably complex character’ Financial Times  ‘An exciting and harrowing tale’ Ragnar Jónasson  ‘Fantastic’ Sunday Times  ‘So atmospheric’ Heat

Struggling to separate her dreams from reality, a young woman investigates the disappearance of her sister ten years earlier … worried that she might be next. A breathtaking, twisty standalone thriller from the international bestselling author of the Forbidden Iceland series…‘Truly addictive, I inhaled it in a single day’ Louise Candlish‘Dark, chilling and so atmospheric’ Claire Douglas‘Eva Björg Ægisdóttir just gets better and better’ Sarah Pearse‘This is psychological thriller writing of a rare order and evidence that any comments about the demise of Scandicrime are greatly exaggerated' Financial Times‘A complex, increasingly creepy tale of young love, dysfunctional families, long-buried secrets and pen pals who are not what they seem … Its psychological depth and physical shocks recall the work of the great Ruth Rendell’ The Times‘A masterclass of psychological suspense from the superstar of Icelandic noir … addictively creepy’ Daily Express**WINNER of the Blood Drop Award for Iceland’s Best Crime Novel of the Year****SHORTLISTED for the Glass Key Award for Best Nordic Crime Novel** –––––––––– November, 1967, Iceland. Fourteen-year-old Marsí has a secret penpal – a boy who lives on the other side of the country – but she has been writing to him in her older sister’s name. Now she is excited to meet him for the first time. But when the date arrives, Marsí is prevented from going, and during the night her sister Stína goes missing – her bloodstained anorak later found at the place where Marsí and her penpal had agreed to meet. November, 1977. Stína’s disappearance remains unsolved. Then an unexpected letter arrives for Marsí It’s from her penpal, and he’s still out there… Desperate for news of her missing sister, but terrified that he might coming after her next, Marsí returns to her hometown and embarks on an investigation of her own. But Marsí has always had trouble distinguishing her vivid dreams from reality, and as insomnia threatens her sanity, it seems she can’t even trust her own memories. And her sister’s killer is still on the loose… ––––––––––––––– ‘Home Before Dark will have you checking your doors and windows before you go to bed’ Mirror ‘Winter’s darkness creates an eerie background for Marsibil’s growing instability and her dangerous war on secrets. A page-turning, twisty blend of coming of age themes, family trauma, and well-crafted menace’ Booklist‘That rare crime novel – pacy and well-plotted but also driven by well-drawn, believable characters. This original, clever novel kept me gripped and furiously turning the pages. Put this at the top of your TBR!’ Sarah Pearse ‘A chilling, atmospheric mystery with a devilishly unguessable solution. Truly addictive, I inhaled it in a single day’ Louise Candlish ‘Like an Icelandic winter, Home before Dark chilled me to the very core. An utterly gripping read, it kept me guessing till the last shocking twist’ Heidi Amsinck ‘Dark, chilling and so atmospheric, I was utterly gripped by this clever, twisty thriller … a must read’ Claire Douglas‘Addictive’ Crime Monthly‘With sharp twists and explorations of the damaging loyalties that warp those they’re meant to protect, the chilling, unrelenting noir novel Home Before Dark follows a missing persons case that masks enduring traumas’ Foreword Reviews Praise for Eva Björg Ægisdóttir ‘Chilling and addictive, with a completely unexpected twist … I loved it’ Shari Lapena‘Fans of Nordic Noir will love this’ Ann Cleeves‘This is virtuoso suspense writing’ A.J. Finn‘Riveting, exciting, entertaining and packed with intrigue’ Liz Nugent‘A tense, twisty page-turner that you'll have serious trouble putting down’ Catherine Ryan Howard‘Your new Nordic Noir obsession’ Vogue‘Beautifully written … one of the rising stars of Nordic Noir’ Victoria Selman‘Eerie and chilling. I loved every word!’ Lesley Kara‘Exciting and harrowing’ Ragnar Jónasson‘Fantastic’ Sunday Times‘So atmospheric’ Heat **Winner of the CWA John Creasey (New Blood) Dagger****Shortlisted for the Petrona Award for Best Scandinavian Crime****Shortlisted for the CWA Crime in Translation Dagger****Shortlisted for the Capital Crime Award for Best Thriller**

Struggling to separate her dreams from reality, a young woman investigates the disappearance of her sister ten years earlier … worried that she might be next. A breathtaking, twisty standalone thriller from the international bestselling author of the Forbidden Iceland series…‘Truly addictive, I inhaled it in a single day’ Louise Candlish‘Dark, chilling and so atmospheric’ Claire Douglas‘Eva Björg Ægisdóttir just gets better and better’ Sarah Pearse‘A complex, increasingly creepy tale of young love, dysfunctional families, long-buried secrets and pen pals who are not what they seem … Its psychological depth and physical shocks recall the work of the great Ruth Rendell’ The Times‘A masterclass of psychological suspense from the superstar of Icelandic noir … addictively creepy’ Daily Express**WINNER of the Blood Drop Award for Iceland's Best Crime Novel of the Year****SHORTLISTED for the Glass Key Award for Best Nordic Crime Novel**––––––––––November, 1967, Iceland. Fourteen-year-old Marsí has a secret penpal – a boy who lives on the other side of the country – but she has been writing to him in her older sister's name. Now she is excited to meet him for the first time.But when the date arrives, Marsí is prevented from going, and during the night her sister Stína goes missing – her bloodstained anorak later found at the place where Marsí and her penpal had agreed to meet.November, 1977. Stína's disappearance remains unsolved. Then an unexpected letter arrives for Marsí. It's from her penpal, and he's still out there…Desperate for news of her missing sister, but terrified that he might coming after her next, Marsí returns to her hometown and embarks on an investigation of her own.But Marsí has always had trouble distinguishing her vivid dreams from reality, and as insomnia threatens her sanity, it seems she can't even trust her own memories.And her sister's killer is still on the loose…–––––––––––––––‘That rare crime novel – pacy and well-plotted but also driven by well-drawn, believable characters … Put this at the top of your TBR!’ Sarah Pearse‘A chilling, atmospheric mystery with a devilishly unguessable solution’ Louise Candlish‘Like an Icelandic winter, Home before Dark chilled me to the very core. An utterly gripping read, it kept me guessing till the last shocking twist’ Heidi Amsinck‘Dark, chilling and so atmospheric, I was utterly gripped by this clever, twisty thriller … a must read’ Claire DouglasPraise for Eva Björg Ægisdóttir‘Chilling and addictive, with a completely unexpected twist’ Shari Lapena‘Fans of Nordic Noir will love this’ Ann Cleeves‘This is virtuoso suspense writing’ A.J. Finn‘Riveting, exciting, entertaining and packed with intrigue’ Liz Nugent‘A tense, twisty page-turner that you'll have serious trouble putting down’ Catherine Ryan Howard**Winner of the CWA John Creasey (New Blood) Dagger****Shortlisted for the Petrona Award for Best Scandinavian Crime****Shortlisted for the CWA Crime in Translation Dagger****Shortlisted for the Capital Crime Award for Best Thriller**

When the remains of a young woman and a baby are uncovered on a derelict farm, Detective Elma is drawn into a disturbing investigation, as a young mother settling in Akranes realises danger may be closer than she ever expected… The multi-award-winning, international bestselling Forbidden Iceland series continues…`She uses complex plots to explore how monsters are made and demonstrate that "evil can lurk behind the most attractive of smiles". Her many characters are people not puppets and she delights in pulling the rug from under their –and our – feet. If you have never read Aegisdottir, now is the time to start´ Mark Sanderson, The Times–––––––––When the skeletons of a young woman and a baby are uncovered on a long-abandoned farm in Hvalfjörður, it is clear they were buried years apart. West Iceland CID begins to investigate the disturbing discovery, aware that someone has gone to great lengths to keep the past hidden.In Akranes, Karitas, a young single mother seeking a new start, settles in with her four-year-old son and rents a basement flat from an eccentric landlord. A cautious sense of happiness returns when she meets the boy next door.But when news breaks that a local girl has been murdered, Karitas must decide who she can trust, knowing that one wrong choice could place her and her child in danger. Detective Elma is drawn into the case, forced to navigate long-hidden family secrets to understand a killer’s motive, while trying to hold together her increasingly troubled relationship with Sævar.Dark, atmospheric and rich with psychological suspense, The Last Tenant confirms Eva Björg Ægisdóttir as one of Iceland’s finest crime writers, as a meticulous investigation and a series of unsettling discoveries draw a close-knit community towards a reckoning no one can escape…–––––––––––––