Silence of the Grave

By: Arnaldur Indridason

Narrated by: George Guidall

Length: 8 hrs and 20 mins

Publisher's Summary

Inspector Erlendur returns in this gripping Icelandic thriller

When a skeleton is discovered half-buried in a construction site outside of ReykjavIk, Inspector Erlendur finds himself knee-deep in both a crime scene and an archeological dig. Bone by bone, the body is unearthed, and the brutalizing history of a family who lived near the building site comes to light along with it. Was the skeleton a man or a woman, a victim or a killer, and is this a simple case of murder or a long-concealed act of justice?

As Erlendur tries to crack this cold case, he must also save his drug-addicted daughter from self destruction and somehow glue his hopelessly fractured family back together. Like the chilly Nordic mysteries of Henning Mankell and Karen Fossum, Arnaldur Indridason delivers a stark police procedural full of humanity and pathos, a classic noir from a very cold place.

©2002 Arnaldur Indridason, English translation ©2005 by Bernard Scudder (P)2012 Recorded Books

Lovely, Dark & Deep

"Silence of the Grave" is difficult to read. I wanted several times to stop listening. Not because the novel is not good, but because it is so terrible and raw at times. It opens with the discovery of a rib bone at a construction site. Inspector Erlendur and his team are called in to investigate. From there a second story begins. It takes place prior to and during world war two. It is the story of a cruelly battered woman and her three small children. It is the story of how the bones made their way into the grave. It was heart wrenching to listen too. Back in Erlendur's day, as he investigates the mystery, he is also dealing with his daughter's drug induced miscarriage and the coma she falls into as a result. The novel goes from there. It is beautifully written and the mystery is more than compelling. The author does a wonderful job of fleshing out each of the characters in the novel and giving them a "soul". The novel was absorbing, and as I mentioned terrible. I found it worth the journey to reach the end and discover all of the secrets the unknown grave held. Although I admit, I will be chosing lighter fare for my next novel. I recommend this novel to any fan of the "Nordic Mystery" genre. I must also mention the superlative narration of George Guidall. He reads the novel perfectly.

7 of 7 people found this review helpful

shocking

this book was tense and humbling it was something that will stay with Me for awhile.

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

Satisfying and interesting, but sad tale.

I found this book haunting and compelling. The narration was excellent. Each character and thread ultimately sad but told with humanity. The conclusions realistic - some resolutions, some hope for the future and some questions remaining unanswered.

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

Facing the Subject Head On

This is not just a mystery; it's an indictment of spousal abuse. Unfortunately, it rings true today, and far beyond the boundaries of Iceland, as well. It has a wealth of detail and character development, sometimes a bit too much. The narrator, George Guidell, does his excellent job.

4 of 5 people found this review helpful

Talk about depressing!!!

If you could sum up Silence of the Grave in three words, what would they be?

domestic violence, drug abuse

Has Silence of the Grave turned you off from other books in this genre?

well, I probably won't read another book by this particular author for awhile.

Which scene was your favorite?

The ending.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

The two story lines were both VERY VERY depressing; it wasn't a good fit for me at this point.

Any additional comments?

A story of domestic violence and drug abuse.

4 of 5 people found this review helpful

slow as an Icelandic winter.

I only listened to about 4 chapters of this book as it was such a slow plot it was boring.

More Twists and Turns Then SF's Lombard Street

I've enjoyed Indridason's novels and I don't know why I had overlooked this one. The story line keeps you quessing and trying to figure out who-dunnit. As always, the narration was fantastic. Always an enjoyable listen and hard to stop listening

Keep me hanging!!!!

What did you love best about Silence of the Grave?

I apologize this must be over my head but why would I love where the grave is ????.

Did the plot keep you on the edge of your seat? How?

there was a movie that kept me like that it was presidio this movie had me til the end. This is my 2nd book there isn't much this days that can do that but so far this books are, I love it keep me in that zone.!!!

Which scene was your favorite?

when she found love and got to see what that really feel like.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

cry.!!!

Any additional comments?

I didn't think I would like a book that was translated from another country but I really love this one it give me a insite of how my are other brother and sister are to me that is the bast thing that can happen don't stop I would love to know more about Iceland and the surrounding Country in your books. Thank you for your life in book or what your country like.

Could not stop listening

This is a terrific series. The characters, plot, dialogue and narrative are paced so the listener can easily follow but complicated enough to keep interest at a high pitch. The narrator brings each character a personality without overdoing the acting. I've bought the next in the series, and looking forward to another great mystery.

Excellent story.

Any additional comments?

For those of us that experienced the "soul murder" of domestic violence, this book describes it accurately.