Review of THE CREAK ON THE STAIRS by Eva Björg Ægisdóttir

 4 Stars

This police procedural, the first in the Forbidden Iceland series, is an exceptionally promising debut. 

The body of a woman, later identified as Elísabet Hölludóttir, is discovered near the lighthouse in Akranes on the west coast of Iceland.  Elma, recently returned from the Reykjavík CID after a failed relationship, becomes involved in the investigation into Elísabet’s death.  Along with her colleague Sævar and her boss Hörður, Elma investigates the dead woman’s past; Elma is convinced the motive for the murder lies in Elísabet’s childhood years in Akranes.  Slowly, long-buried secrets are uncovered.

There are two timelines.  The investigation takes place in November – December of 2017, and there is a precise description of the lines of inquiry followed by the team.  But there are also flashbacks to 1989 – 1992 which focus on the victim’s point of view and describe experiences in her childhood.  Readers will find these sections to be unsettling but they are crucial in explaining Elísabet’s personality.  The flashbacks add psychological depth by showing how her character was shaped by what happened to her. 

Since this is the first in a series, the character of the protagonist is carefully developed.  Elma is recovering from a failed long-term relationship and has grudgingly returned to her hometown where she has taken a job with the police department.  Having been away, she, unlike Hörður, tends to be much less concerned about ruffling the feathers of the community elite.   What emerges as a dominant trait is her determination to uncover the truth of what happened to Elísabet and why.  While working on the case, Elma gradually finds her place on the team and builds camaraderie with her colleagues. 

The novel excels at establishing a real sense of place.  The descriptions certainly brought back clear memories of my visit to Akranes a few years ago when my husband and I did a tour of Iceland.  Certainly, anyone who has lived in a small town will appreciate the realistic portrayal of small-town dynamics.  The claustrophobia of small-town life is emphasized with the repetition that “’everyone knows everyone else’s business,’” but though rumours abounds, residents are often reluctant to take action for fear of causing disturbance in a place where relationships and reputations are of paramount importance.  Of course the memories of those who have lived in the town all their lives can be helpful in providing backstories and useful information. 

What also impressed me is the exquisite crafting of plot.  The novel’s pace is rather sedate, perhaps best described as slow and steady, but revelations and twists occur regularly so my interest never waned.  There are hints that several people are keeping secrets:  one woman concludes, “there was one lie she would have to live with. One lie that she would never be able to shrug off” and another woman has a sleepless night because of “the pair of dark eyes that had met hers when she glanced across the restaurant.”  I found myself fully engaged as I read, often pausing to consider the ramifications of the latest clue or discovery.  Reading this book was like putting together a complex jigsaw puzzle.  At the end, when the last pieces fell into place, I was even more impressed with how cleverly the plot had been constructed. 

I would be remiss if I didn’t comment on the translation by Victoria Cribb.  The language flows so effortlessly that I totally forgot I was reading a translation from Icelandic.  Reading translated books can sometimes be a frustrating experience, but that is certainly not the case here. 

The Creak on the Stairs has multi-layered, intricate plotting and engaging characters with interesting backstories so I will certainly be picking up Girls Who Lie, the second installment in the series.

Note:  I received a digital copy of this novel from Orenda Books in return for an honest review.