66° North

By Michael Ridpath

From the million-copy bestselling author, perfect for fans of Stieg Larsson, Anne Holt, and The Killing.

"Michael Ridpath is on the war path, trouncing the Scandinavians on their home turf. This is international thriller writing at its best, fine characters, page turning suspense and a great, fresh location." PETER JAMES

Iceland 1934: Two boys playing in the lava fields that surround their isolated farmsteads see something they shouldn't have. The consequences will haunt them and their families for generations.
Iceland 2009: the credit crunch bites. The currency has been devalued, savings annihilated, lives ruined. Revolution is in the air, as is the feeling that someone ought to pay the blood price... And in a country with a population of just 300,000 souls, where everyone knows everybody, it isn't hard to draw up a list of those responsible.
And then, one-by-one, to cross them off.
Iceland 2010: As bankers and politicians start to die, at home and abroad, it is up to Magnus Jonson to unravel the web of conspirators before they strike again.
But while Magnus investigates the crimes of the present, the crimes of the past are catching up with him.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Corvus
• Release date: May 1, 2011
• ISBN: 9780857894205

Michael Ridpath

Michael Ridpath spent eight years as a bond trader in the City before giving up his job to write full-time. He lives in north London with his wife and three children. Visit his website at www.michaelridpath.com.

Reviews for 66° North

[julesgdside · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

took me too long to get into the story. It was not easy to follow the storylines, or rather it wasn't easy to see where they led to and what they were supposed to tell about the protagonist.
though getting to the middle of the book was a struggle, it picked up pace somewhere around the middle and then I finished it in no time.
The book left some questions about Magnus' family history open and hence I will have to read another book in the line to find out the solution to the mystery behind the father's death.

[randall6hansen · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Enjoyable read. Good detective series and lots of cool information about Iceland and the great financial meltdown. A bit too much of the lore of old, however.

[olivermagnus · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Far North is the second book of Michael Ridpath's “Fire and Ice Trilogy” set in Iceland. Boston police detective Magnus Jonsson is still in Reykjavik working with the Icelandic police on violent crime issues. Magnus, currently teaching at the Icelandic police college, hears of the London murder of Oskar Gunnarsson, former head of Odinsbanki before it was nationalized. While he has no evidence, other than gut instinct, he connects it to the suicide of local banker Gabriel Orn. This leap is one of the weakest parts of the plot but is obviously necessary to advance the storyline.

There's quite a bit of background on the Icelandic credit crunch of 2009 where the krona was devalued, savings evaporated overnight and everyday Icelander's were financially ruined. It makes it possible to understand how angry the Icelanders were and how the bankers could have been targeted.

There is also a second storyline that plays out in the background that revolves around Magnus's family history and how he ended up in Boston. This began in the first book and is obviously leading us toward a conclusion in the final book of the trilogy.

The reason I rated this 3.5 stars instead of 4 is because the plot of Far North is weaker than the first book (Where the Shadows Lie). The back-story starts in 1934 and transitions in an awkward way but once I understood what was going on it made more sense.

Iceland is the star once again. I found the atmosphere, culture and people fascinating. I enjoyed it very much and am on my way to the local bookstore to see if I can find a copy of the next book, Meltwater. Maybe along the way I'll stop at the travel agency too!

[cygnet81 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I don't love the fast paced choppy style but I'm enjoying the local.

[rayaowen · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

A fascinating look at Iceland after the bank crash. The protagonist, Magnus, continues to struggle with his Icelandic/American identity and family history. His problematic relationship working with the Iceland police continues. I hope there's some movement in these themes next book. It's in my TBR pile.

[samm4-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Another good one in the Fire & Ice trilogy. It is just the tiniest bit Stieg Larsson-esque in feel in some parts, which can't be held against it. In addition to the main story, the background story and all the characters receive attention and further development. Arni comes into his own in this book. It keeps you guessing until the very end, and also sets up the story for the next book. While I enjoyed this marginally less than Where the Shadows Lie, it is still very worthy of 4 stars and I am looking forward to reading Meltwater. One point - keep an eye on the dates in the chapter headings, especially at the start of the book, until it becomes obvious what is going on.