Considering this has been the coldest, snowiest February on the books in Rhode Island, it seems appropriate to have just finished reading Arnaldur Indridason’s ARCTIC CHILL, the fourth in his Detective Erlendur series. But exposing myself to the frigid backdrop of Iceland is always a pleasure when my companions are the enigmatic Erlendur and his partners, Elinborg and Sigurdur Oli, as they set out to solve yet another mystery.

Erlendur is intensely private and socially awkward, but he is doggedly dedicated to solving his cases. His back story is guilt laden from a long ago failed marriage and an even more distantly past incident from his childhood, from which an obsession with missing persons has emerged. Still, the reader can’t help but like this lonely, misfit as he tries to navigate relationships, not only with his coworkers, but especially with his formerly estranged children. As they slowly return to his life, daughter Eva Lind and son Sindri bring with them problems of their own, adding a complicated dimension to Erlendur’s life. The road to reconciliation is as rugged as an Icelandic landscape and at times as unforgiving and harsh as its climate, but you will root for them to come through it united.

And although Erlendur’s obstinacy frustrates everyone around him, it is the trait which serves him best in unraveling the mysteries he’s entrusted to solve. And that tenacity, combined with his silent brooding nature, will bring him closer to thawing the inner ice storms that have tormented him his entire life.

If you wish to give Detective Erlendur and his sidekicks a chance, start with JAR CITY, the first of Indridason’s books to be translated into English, and follow in order. Each offers a separate, stand alone mystery, but the back story is easier to follow if you read them in chronological order. They also offer an opportunity to gain insight into Iceland’s richly unique culture.

HYPOTHERMIA is next on my list of Indridason’s novels. But having been undone by this winter, I might wait until the heat of summer to reach for it, when a nice dip in an Icelandic mystery will be just the chill I need.

PS ~ Special thanks to my sister-in-law, Lala, for introducing me to Erlendur.