This is a softcover book. I purchased it at a library book sale.

I've read several of these Detective Erlendur books now but I started with one of the later ones, Arctic Chill, which spurred me on to find some of the earlier books in the series. I actually read the first book twice because it goes by two different titles, Tainted Blood and Jar City. This is Book #3 so I have missed one book, Silence of the Grave, which I may try to read if I run across it.

This book is set just before Christmas and Christmas in Iceland seems to be quite a big deal. In fact quite a few tourists come to Reykjavik at this time of year to take in the celebrations. So when a murder takes place in a hotel the manager is concerned that the investigation not disturb any of the guests. The victim was the hotel doorman, Gulli, and he was killed just before he was due to appear as Santa Claus at the party given for the children of the hotel employees. He appeared to have been killed in the middle of a sex act because he had a condom hanging from his penis. Gulli lived in a small room in the basement of the hotel and that was where his body was found. He didn't own much and the only decoration in the room was a poster from a Shirley Temple film called "The Little Princess".

Bit by bit Detective Erlendur and his associates find out details about Gulli's life. When he was a young boy he had an angelic voice and two recordings were made of him singing. His voice broke when he was appearing on stage for a big concert at the age of 12. The two recordings are now quite valuable as a collector from Britain tells Erlendur. This collector becomes the prime suspect but he denies that he was responsible for Gulli's death. Erlendur stays in a room in the hotel partly to immerse himself in the case but also because Christmas is a lonely time of year for him. His daughter, a drug addict trying to stay clean, visits him a number of times and even provides some help with the case. Erlendur is hoping to clear up the case before Christmas and then take his daughter to his apartment for a Christmas Eve dinner. He is able to meet this deadline but his daughter has started using again which certainly puts her at risk. Nevertheless they head off into the night to have a traditional meal of lamb and Erlendur gets a call from a woman who might become someone important in his life wishing him Merry Christmas.

I am taking this book to the Winnipeg BookCrossers Meetup. If no-one claims this book you can find it on the OBCZ shelf.

When you find a BookCrossing book it is yours to do with what you like. You can read it and keep it or pass it on or if you don't think it is your kind of book pass it on to someone who might like it or release it in a spot for someone else to find like you just did. Whatever you choose it would be great if you could write a short note letting us know what new adventures the book is on.

This book is currently sitting on the Winnipeg Official Bookcrossing Zone bookshelf in Second Cup, 254 Edmonton St., Winnipeg MB.

It is waiting there for a new reader to take home, read, and release back into the wild!

Winnipeg bookcrossers meet at my location every month to chat about books, swap great reads, and release on the OBCZ shelves. Please join us! We love to see new faces! If you want to get notices of the meetings you can join our Facebook Group or our Yahoo Email Group! You will enjoy the comfy atmosphere, the fabulous coffees and teas, and the yummy treats!

This book has disappeared from my bookshelf. Write home, little book, and let all your previous holders know what adventures you have been on.