My Soul to Take: A Novel of Iceland

Written by Yrsa Sigurdardottir

Narrated by Elizabeth Wiley

In the mystical Snaefellsnes region on Iceland's west coast-at a New Age health resort in a renovated farmhouse-the body of a young woman is discovered, savagely beaten, with pins inserted into her feet. Thora Gudmundsdottir, lawyer and single mother of two, has been retained to represent the resort's owner and prime suspect. But a fresh corpse is not the only abomination Thora encounters here-for local legend says this place is haunted, and a bizarre series of inexplicable occurrences soon suggests it is so.

As Thora digs deeply into the farm's past, she unearths a shocking history of evil and depravity, and her once-solid view of reality begins to waver. But a second murder, shockingly similar to the first, pulls Thora back to earth by making two inescapable truths abundantly clear: the killer she seeks is very real . . . and is not finished yet.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Tantor Media, Inc
• Release date: Aug 16, 2016
• ISBN: 9781515978398

Yrsa Sigurdardottir

Yrsa SigurdardÓttir is an award-winning author of five children's novels and a division manager with one of Iceland's largest engineering firms. She lives with her family in Reykjavík, Iceland.

Reviews for My Soul to Take

[missbrangwen · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Available in English as "My Soul To Take". The main character is called Thóra in the English translation, but it is Dóra in the German one, so as before, I am sticking to Dóra.This crime novel sees Dóra, a divorced lawyer, traveling to the Icelandic coast where she stays in a hotel offering all kinds of esoteric services. The hotel's owner wants her to investigate a possible breach of contract concerning the sale of the land. He believes that the place is haunted. Dóra does not believe in ghosts, but she agrees to have a look at the problems because she could do with a little holiday... Her holiday turns out a bit more stressful than expected when the hotel's architect is found dead on the beach. Is the murder connected to a wartime story that Dóra finds some hints to? Is all this about land and money? Or is there really a ghost, returning from the dead each night?It is hard for me to rate this novel because while I loved the setting and the case, Dóra got on my nerves in this one, as did her private life. In my view, her relationship to Matthias, a German banker whom she meets in book 1, is strange in this novel, and he adds nothing to the story. To my mind, Dóra acts weird about him, and the added plot line of her children just seems like a distraction and is over the top. This caused my enjoyment of the novel to dwindle, although I am not sure if some of it is down to the translation (the jokes, for example, might come across differently in Icelandic or English).In contrast, I adored the bleak seaside setting, the rocky beach, the old farms with their desolate buildings and dark secrets. Although I am not an experienced reader of the genre, I believe that this setting is nordic noir at its best. The background stories of revenants and superstitions add to the eerie atmosphere. The characters seemed very real to me and I enjoyed uncovering the secrets and different layers of this place's history with Dóra. However, I do think that the plot could have played out a little better and the investigation could have been more interesting. I was hoping for a little more excitement. I will definitely continue with this series, although maybe not too soon because I need a break now after reading the first three books in a relatively short time frame.

[seriousgrace · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

The tiny Icelandic town of Snaefellsness is not known for a high crime rate, so when two people are murdered in a similar fashion, the whole town buzzes with alarmed alertness. Why would anyone torture both victims with pins in their feet before killing them? More questions: what does a dead fox have to do with one of the victims? Does the New Age health resort in an old farmhouse have anything to do with either victim? What secrets are hidden in this renovated farmhouse? Thora Gudmundsdottir, lawyer to the owner of the resort, must defend Jonas as the main suspect, but that's not why she was initially called to Snaefellsness. Her client was planning to sue the previous owners of the farmhouse because they didn't disclose it was haunted. The ghosts of children are said to moan and wail on the property.Sigurdardottir is crafty. The introduction of World War II Nazi flags and swastikas gave the plot a darker (and unnecessary) tone. The themes of incest and rape are enough.

[over.the.edge · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

My Soul To TakeBy Yrsa Siguroardottir Translated by Bernard Scudder & Anna Yates2009William Morrow Set in modern day Iceland, in this absorbing page turner Thora Gudmundsdottir is a lawyer hired to represent the owner of a New Age spa and resort who wants to sue the previous owner because they feel the place is haunted and were not told. Thora immediately leaves for a stay at the spa and is drawn into a murder investigation of the owner, Jonas, accused of the murder of an architect. The mutilated body is found on the beach with no real clues. Then a second body is found.....This is a book that will keep you guessing. The plot is powerful and seductive. Multiple twists and clues dropped, but the truth is not revealed until the last few chapters. Excellent noir mystery, the details of Iceland's culture and landscape added much to this thriller.Recommended.

[catzkc · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Well, Thora is still the same vain, stuck-up, dim-witted twit she was in the first book of this series. Fortunately the story and, especially the setting, make up for a lot of that in this book. A solid 3, maybe 3 1/2 stars.

[kerns222 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Gruesome murders followed by cutsie flirting. New age Icelander meets old style ghosts. Woman lawyer hangs with German detective. Mystery writer tries to snag reader with a red herring on every page. Almost bearable.

[jan0fleming · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The bestselling Icelandic crime writer returns with the second in a series featuring lawyer Thora Gudmundsdóttir. Sigurdardóttir's crime debut, Last Rituals, marked her break from a prizewinning career as a children's novelist but was also notable for its welcome dose of humour. She does the same here. Gudmundsdóttir is relaxing at a farmhouse health resort when a grisly murder occurs and she discovers that stories about the farmhouse being haunted may link to terrible events decades before. Once again, she must balance her investigation and her private life - a grumpy ex-husband and teenage son, a needy daughter and a new German boyfriend. This is both frightening and funny - a terrific trick if you can pull it off.

Tightly plotted storyline linking the present day with past events and a touch of the supernatural. I like Thóra with her dry sense of humour and pragmatic approach and her conversations with 'tag along' boyfriend Matthew are great fun.

Maybe a tad too long but an enjoyable book to loose yourself in on a dark winter evening.

[christineellei · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This is the second book in the Icelandic series. Once again Thora and Matthew get unwittingly involved in a murder investigation, this one with a few ghosts and a couple of nazi’s thrown in, and all taking place at a “new age” health spa in Iceland. I am becoming very fond of Thora and her slightly dysfunctional family. I love her intelligence, her independence and her attitude. It made for an enjoyable read.

[jselliott-1 · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

Possibly one of the worst cases of a crime fiction novel I've ever read. I'm hoping it was something about being lost in translation, but I don't think so. It opened beautifully, but the rest of the novel simply had the protagonist asking everyone questions, then coming up with wild speculations. If the victims weren't already dead, she could have bored them that way. Bleargh.

[mtrumbo_2 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Two fold mystery that is set at a new age spa on the cliffs of Iceland. Unfortunately the story and characters never really took off for me.

[jellyfishjones · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

While a solid follow-up to her first mystery novel, Last Rituals, I didn't feel it was quite as strong. She manages to juggle a multitude of characters and plot twists well and maintains wry humor of protagonist Thora which I enjoy so much. However, the background story of her children and relationship to German banker Matthew were not nearly as well integrated into the main plot as in the first novel. Overall an enjoyable effort, but less than the author previously demonstrated she's capable of.

[5eva5 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Attorney Thóra Gudmundsdóttir is hired to review a land purchase because of alleged hauntings, but then a woman is found murdered and Thóra, with a little help from Matthew, decides to investigate. This series has turned out to be a bit of a goldmine for me. Sigurðardóttir's characters are completely believable and truly engaging, her plots convoluted but not improbable, and the descriptions of the Icelandic landscape very evocative. Sigurðardóttir is definitely en route to becoming a favorite mystery writer of mine - hope her continued writings confirm it.

[cathyskye · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

First Line: The child felt the cold creeping up her legs and back, and she tried to sit up straight in the front seat to get a better view.The body of a young woman is found on the beach of a New Age health resort, and attorney Thóra Gudmundsdóttir is asked to be present when the resort owner is questioned by the police. At first her time away could be considered a bit of a vacation away from the workplace and her children, but the feeling doesn't last long. The entire area is thought to be haunted, and as Thóra searches for the truth, even she can't explain some of the things she witnesses during her investigation. Has local legend gone wild, or is the resort's eery past tied in with the young woman's murder?Thóra is just the sort of character I wouldn't mind having as a friend, especially with her sense of humor. Her teenage son would be driving many other parents to drink, but Thóra has the knack of understanding that hormone-fueled teens are capable of doing crazy things, and she does an excellent job of remaining on a (more or less) even keel while trying to provide guidance and moral support. She can even see a glint of humor here and there on the horizon.I like this series, not only for showing me the landscape and weather of Iceland, but also its legends and little known history. The plot moves smoothly and definitely has an eerie edge to it, and Sigurdardóttir has populated it with well-drawn characters. Although you'd be able to read more about Thóra by reading the first book in the series, it's not necessary to do so. My Soul to Take stands alone quite well. I'm really looking forward to reading the next book in the series!

[downtownlibrarian · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A Scandinavian mystery that, for all its darkness, has a bit of humor. Definitely recommended.

[gilly1944 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Enjoy her writing and her characters. Good atmosphere.

[sandylee_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is the second in the Thora Gudmundsdottir series which is set in Iceland. Thora’s client owns a New Age resort which he believes is haunted. He feels the rumors and folklore will hurt his business and asks for Thora’s assistance. There is a lot of history to the property where the resort has been built and some old farm houses are still standing. But something happened years ago during an era when people left their children in the cold to die because they couldn’t feed them. There were also rumors of Nazi sympathizers. When the body of Birna, the architect for the resort, is discovered, the suspicion falls on Jonas, Thora’s client. The past and present are linked and it is suspected that Birna discovered secrets about the past. Then a second body is found and Jonas is arrested for both murders. Although the story moves at a slower pace than Last Rituals, Thora is a likeable character whose personal life is woven into the plot, from her ex-husband to her two children, the son whose young girl friend is ready to delivery, and Thora’s new boyfriend (Matthew from book one) who tracks her down and assists in the case. Thora’s personal life isn’t an intrusion into the book’s plot and is actually a comical relief, especially when the future daughter-in-law goes into labor.