My Soul to Take: A Novel of Iceland

 By:Yrsa Sigurdardottir

Published By: William Morrow

Hearing babies cry in the fog and seeing shadowy images of young girls in mirrors can be chalked up to skittish nerves and flights of fancy, not ghosts, as far as Thora Gudmundsdottir, single mother and attorney at law is concerned. Her client, Jonas, on the other hand is a true believer and he has promised her an all-expenses-paid indulgent weekend at his New Age resort if she will come and see these supernatural occurrences for herself.

She travels to the newly renovated health resort that was erected on the grounds of an old farmhouse with a bizarre history. Thora barely settles into her posh room when the resort’s architect is found murdered. Her body had been bludgeoned, she was raped and pins had been inserted into the souls of her feet. She is but the first victim that will suffer such hideous degradation.

Thora quashes her doubts of the continuing eerie events and delves into the disturbing secrets of the past to discover who is responsible for the macabre killings in this chilling, Icelandic thriller.

From prologue to epilogue, My Soul to Take by Yrsa Sigurdardottir keeps you fastened in your seat!

I admittedly stuttered over the names of most of the characters (well, and the author’s too), but forged on because the storyline was so fascinating. She conveys the culture and atmosphere of Iceland with finesse. Her heroine, Thora, has the doggedness of someone I would definitely want in my legal corner if the need ever arose.

This is the second book in the Thora Gudmundsdottir series. Not only will I look out for the next in the series, but seek out the first as well.

Originally reviewed for Armchair Interviews

Dare to Die

Carolyn Hart
Published By: William Morrow



“She came in the rain. Alone. On a bicycle.” These are the words that start a chain reaction of diabolic events on the quaint little seaside island, Broward’s Rock, where Max and Annie Darling reside in their much-loved Franklin house.

Because of worrisome repair work to their home, Max and Annie have had to take up temporary residence in a modern cabin and move their long-planned picnic party to the harbor pavilion. Not being natives to the island, they are unaware of the troublesome and upsetting past that the pavilion holds for so many of the island’s residents.

The usually blissful inhabitants of Broward’s Rock are feeling the strain of this new arrival, the tragic party setting and all that it could mean, especially for the murderer hiding among them.

One by one, disturbing events begin to take place making things cloudier rather than clearer for Annie. Her instincts beckon for answers and she gives forth great effort to let the authorities do the investigating, but when she and Max are nearly killed in a horrific fire that was definitely no accident, things get too personal for that. Will she discover the truth to both the past and the present before it’s too late?

I found the complicated web of suspects and unpredictable characters that litter this Death on Demand series mystery by Carolyn Hart most enjoyable. I particularly took pleasure in those characters that brought a bit of levity to the mix. Peppered throughout Dare to Die are the names of other authors along with the titles of their books.

What a delightful tribute Carolyn Hart has given them. To me, this speaks volumes to the caliber of author that she is.

Original review done through Armchair Interviews

Author’s Web site: http://www.CarolynHart.com