Synopses & Reviews
An international sensation, published in over twenty five countries around the world, Arnaldur Indridason attained instant fame in the English-speaking mystery world after winning the Gold Dagger Award for Silence of the Grave. His other crime novels in the series, Jar City and Voices, have also been published to highest acclaim—U.S. readers who have already discovered this extraordinary writer are eagerly anticipating this latest Inspector Erlendur Sveinsson thriller.
Following an earthquake, the water level of an Icelandic lake suddenly falls, revealing a skeleton that is weighed down by a heavy radio device bearing inscriptions in Russian. Inspectors Erlendur, Elinborg, and Sigurdur Olis investigation takes them back to the Cold War era, when bright, left-wing students in Iceland were sent to study in the “heavenly state” of Communist East Germany.
But one of the students went missing, and her friends suspected that her “heavenly state” was all too real. Erlendur follows a long cold trail that leads back to Iceland, international espionage, and murder.
Another astonishing Reykjavík thriller from one of crime fictions brightest stars, The Draining Lake is Arnaldur Indridasons most gripping book yet.
Review
Unanimous Acclaim for Arnaldur Indridason and the Inspector Erlendur Sveinsson series
“The best new series Ive read this year. Arnaldur Indridason is already an international literary phenom---and it's easy to see why. His novels are gripping, authentic, haunting and lyrical. I can't wait for the next.”
- Harlan Coben on Silence of the Grave
“Arnaldur Indridason is a writer of astonishing gravitas and talent.”
- John Lescroart on Jar City
"A book as subtle and moving as it is suspenseful."
- Wall Street Journal on The Draining Lake
“A commanding new voice . . . puts Iceland on the map as a major destination for enthusiasts of Nordic crime fiction.”
- Marilyn Stasio, The New York Times Book Review on Silence of the Grave
"Exceptional fiction that transcends its genre."
- Library Journal (starred review) on The Draining Lake
“No wonder Arnaldur Indridason won so many awards. He's a great storyteller, and American readers will overwhelmingly agree.”
- C.J. Box, Anthony Award winning author of Blue Heaven on Jar City
“Indridason keeps readers guessing until the very last pages.”
- Washington Post Book World on The Draining Lake
“Excellent . . . compelling . . . the denouement of this astonishingly vivid and subtle novel is unexpected and immensely satisfying.”
- Publishers Weekly (starred review) on Silence of the Grave
"A must-visit locale for mystery fans."
- St. Louis Post-Dispatch on The Draining Lake
“Classic mystery fiction, both compassionate and thrilling. Indridason is one of the brightest stars in the the genre's dark skies.”
- John Connolly on Jar City
“Remarkable . . . another top-notch story from Indridason, its lyrical melancholy matched by the depth of its characterizations.”
- Kirkus Reviews (starred review) on Voices
“Reminiscent of Simenon.”
- Reginald Hill on Jar City
“Every one of these writers is good [Hakan Nesser, Kjell Eriksson, Ake Edwardson, Helene Tursten, Karin Fossum], but in my book, Arnaldur Indridason is even better.”
- Joe Queenan, Los Angeles Times
“Dark, haunting . . . touched me in a way that few mystery novels do.”
- Hallie Ephron, The Boston Globe on Jar City
“A wonderfully storyteller. It's impossible to put the book down once you begin reading.”
- The Globe and Mail on Voices
"An undiluted pleasure. This series places Indridason at the center of the best of contemporary crime fiction. He is a master storyteller, and has a real gift for evoking complex humanity."
- The Guardian on The Draining Lake
“Fans of mystery in general and Henning Mankell and Karin Fossum can only exult.”
- Library Journal (starred review) on Jar City
“Indridason has definitely vaulted onto the A-list of Scandinavian crime authors.”
- Booklist on Silence of the Grave
Review
"[A] remarkable series."--
The New York Times Book Review "Indridason keeps readers guessing . . . until the very last pages of this moody investigation."--The Washington Post Book World
"The missing-persons theme and the exploration of Icelandic history and society remain the trademarks of this outstanding series; this time the addition of international espionage will remind readers of Henning Mankell in The White Lioness and The Dogs of Riga."--Booklist
"This is exceptional fiction that transcends its genre."--Library Journal
"An undiluted pleasure . . . This series places Indridason at the center of the best of contemporary crime fiction. He is a master storyteller and has a real gift for evoking the complex humanity at the heart of the most dour-seeming individuals."--The Guardian (UK)
"A book as subtle and moving as it is suspenseful."--The Wall Street Journal
Synopsis
In this new extraordinary mystery from Gold Dagger Award-winner Indridason, the water level of an Icelandic lake falls suddenly, revealing a skeleton weighed down by a heavy device bearing Russian inscriptions. The investigation leads back to Iceland, international espionage, and murder.
Synopsis
Inspector Erlendur returns in this international BestsellerFollowing an earthquake, the water level of an Icelandic lake suddenly falls, revealing a skeleton. Inspector Erlendur's investigation takes him back to the Cold War era, when bright, left-wing students in Iceland were sent to study in the "heavenly state" of Communist East Germany. Teeming with spies and informants, though, their "heavenly state" becomes a nightmare of betrayal and murder. Brilliantly weaving international espionage and a chilling cold case investigation, The Draining Lake is Arnaldur Indridason at his best.
About the Author
Arnaldur Indridason, author of the Reykjavík Thrillers, was born in 1961. He worked at an Icelandic newspaper, first as a journalist and then for many years as a film reviewer. He won the Glass Key Award for Best Nordic Crime Novel for both Jar City and Silence of the Grave, and in 2005 Silence of the Grave also won the Crime Writers Gold Dagger Award for best crime novel of the year. The film of Jar City (available on DVD) was Icelands entry for the 2008 Academy Award for Best Foreign Film. Indridason lives in Reykjavík with his family.
Reading Group Guide
Discussion Questions
1. How do Erlendur, Sigudur Oli, and Elinbourg piece together the clues that they found with the skeleton? What if they werent able to determine any information about the skeleton itself? Do you think they could have solved the case on the basis of the Russian listening device alone?
2. Erlendur continues to be haunted by the ghosts of his past, as his dead brother, his daughter Eva Lind, and his son Sindri force him to confront his painful memories. Does Erlendurs job as a detective who is obsessed with missing persons help him to come to terms with his past? Or is he merely torturing himself?
3. What kind of a place was Iceland during the Cold War? How might the Cold War have been different in Iceland than it was in Europe or the United States?
4. Which foreign embassies are most helpful to the investigation? Why were some embassies eager to help, while others were uncooperative? Was it just bureaucracy, or did certain embassies have a vested interest in how the case proceeded?
5. Was Tomas naive in his idealism for Soviet communism? Would he have been able to see the system for what it was without Illonas help, or would he have remained a hardliner?
6. Erlendur has had enough of Eva Linds drug addiction, and he was beginning to become indifferent to her struggles. But what his son Sindri told him about their childhood makes him feel differently. What did Sindri tell him? Why do you think Eva Lind and Sindri had such different feelings about their father?
7. Erlendurs old boss, Marion Briem continues to be on the scene, despite his illnesses. Why is Erlendurso drawn to Marion even though he cant say he actually likes him? Does he pity him because hes afraid hell end up like Marion? How did Marions tips further the investigation?
8. Erlendur was frustrated with Niels, the man who initially led the case to find the missing salesman back in the seventies. He thought Niels was lazy and indifferent. What makes Erlendur a better detective than Niels? How does Erlendurs ability to identify with the victims give him an edge over Niels?
9. Indridason carefully weaves contemporary and historic storylines, alternating between them. Discuss some of the clever ways in which the author tells the story and releases information to the reader, and how this heightens the suspense.
10. The woman Asta, who was still waiting after all these years for her Leopold to come home, knew nothing about his true identity. Why was she unable to move on and to start a new life without him? Was he just using Asta for a cover, or do you think he really loved her?
11. When Tomas finds out that Lothar is in Reykjavik, he trails him and finds Emil, who provokes him to a blind rage. If you were in Tomas place, what would you have done when you first saw Lothar? Who would you blame more, Emil or Lothar?
12. Do you think that Erlendur had any sympathy for Tomas? What did the two have in common? How were they different? Is Erlendur capable of forming intimate attachments with other people outside of his cases?
13. Why does the hydrologist who found the body in the beginning reappear in the end? Do you think the man she was with was the same man whom she wanted to avoid in the beginning? If so, why do you think she ended up with him?
14. Emils denunciation of Ilona eventually led to her death and ruined many lives. But what he did was perfectly in keeping with the law in East Germany at the time. Emil would not have been held accountable for his actions in any court of law. Did Emil deserve what happened to him? Was Tomas justified in killing him? Could there have been any other way that Emil might have been punished for what he had done? Was he capable of feeling remorse for his actions?