The Body in the Bath

Welcome to some powerful Nordic noir that is partly a novel of suspense, with the shadow of Agatha Christie, and partly terrifying in its own right. At its center is detective Helgi Raykdal. As Christmas season approaches, Bergþóra, Helgi’s ex-girlfriend, fatally runs over the detective’s new girlfriend, Anita. A violent alcoholic, Bergþóra totally destroys the car and the future Helgi hoped to build with Anita. After a month’s absence, Helgi returns to work in Reykjavik brimming with anger. As someone who was physically abused by Helgi, who insists that Aníta’s death was an accident, Bergþóra somehow manages to walk free. To escape his sorrow, Helgi becomes involved in trying to resolve the disappearance of his predecessor, Hulda, a retired officer long presumed dead. But as the lines begin to blur, the shifts between the past and present merge. Will Helgi’s colleagues accept him back?—Brian Kenney