Reykjavík Nights: An Inspector Erlendur Novel

The year is 1974 in this series prequel. Called to a domestic dispute, Erlendur is reminded of a homeless alcoholic named Hannibal who drowned in a nearby pond the previous year. It was assumed the victim was drunk and accidentally drowned. A rookie cop, Erlendur is intrigued by unsolved cases, especially disappearances. Having met Hannibal several times on his beat, Erlendur begins looking at the files regarding the drowning and searching for clues on his own time. He also remembers that a young woman disappeared at the same time as Hannibal's death. Erlendur also probes this case, wondering if the two occurrences might be linked. While this story is not as riveting nor as dark as previous titles (most recently Strange Shores), young Erlendur is still a solid character, socially awkward, a loner, driven even then. Readers get a glimpse into the man and his entrée into criminal investigation. His police partners play minimal, more comical roles in this installment. At the end, Erlendur meets his future CID mentor who will apparently play a key role in his future.