Review of STOP DEAD by Katrín Júlíusdóttir

 4 Stars

This is the second in the Iceland Mysteries series, set three years after Dead Sweet which I reviewed in 2024 (https://schatjesshelves.blogspot.com/2024/02/review-of-dead-sweet-by-katrin.html).

Sigurdís has just finished studying forensic psychology in Florida when she receives a phone call informing her that the death of her father Agnar, an apparent suicide, is being re-investigated. She returns to Iceland to be with her family. Though she cannot be involved in Agnar’s case, she is drawn into another one, that of the murder of Olga Einarsdóttir, a ruthlessly ambitious journalist. As Sigurdís investigates, she learns that Olga was disliked by virtually everyone, so there is no shortage of suspects.

The character of the likeable Sigurdís is one major appeal of the book. Her intelligence and determination stand out; even when the case seems to be going nowhere, she doesn’t give up. Her childhood was not easy since Agnar was abusive, but she is now attending therapy sessions to help herself. She remains close to her younger brother and her aunt Halla who rescued the siblings from the dysfunctional family home. She has matured as a detective; she admits that she has learned from her past mistakes when she “followed her hunches without bothering to give her colleagues much idea of what she was doing.”

In my review of Dead Sweet, I predicted that a romance would develop between Sigurdís and Unnar, and I was happy to be proven correct. I knew that the American boyfriend wouldn’t stand a chance once Sigurdís returned to Iceland. The complication, however, is that Unnar is now Sigurdís’s supervisor, even if only temporarily.

This is a fast-paced breezy read. It is very cleverly plotted with a good smattering of both clues and red herrings. These keep readers engaged as they form their own theories. Brief passages featuring Olga’s past and the viewpoint of a “bad guy” are interesting additions. Tension ramps up over time. We learn, for instance, that Sigurdís is being followed and may be in danger.

The case is solved at the end, but the closing is also somewhat open-ended. The last sentence, before the epilogue, certainly grabs attention. And then there’s the unknown: what will Sigurdís’s mother say in the radio interview about Agnar’s death? I look forward to reading the next book in the series.