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Hypothermia

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About this listen

One cold autumn night, a woman is found hanging from a beam at her holiday cottage. At first sight, it appears like a straightforward case of suicide; María had never recovered from the death of her mother two years previously and she had a history of depression. But then the friend who found her body approaches Detective Erlendur with a tape of a séance that María attended before her death and his curiosity is aroused.

Driven by a need to find answers, Erlendur begins an unofficial investigation into María's death. But he is also haunted by another unsolved mystery - the disappearance of two young people thirty years ago - and by his own quest to find the body of his brother, who died in a blizzard when he was a boy. Hypothermia is Indridason's most compelling novel yet.

 Crime Fiction Mystery Suspense Thriller & Suspense World Literature

Critic reviews

one of the most haunting crime novels you can expect to read: unsentimental, yet informed throughout by Indridason’s extraordinary empathy with human suffering
An intelligent, gripping and moody tale with superior characterisation (Marcel Berlins)
The narrative grips, the writing, excellently translated by Cribb, is resonant and lyrical, and the atmosphere is chillingly creepy (Laura Wilson)
Hypothermia is one of the most haunting crime novels I've read in a long time, unsentimental yet informed by the author's extraordinary empathy with human suffering (Joan Smith)
An insightful human story, beautifully written and translated (Jessica Mann)
Descriptions of Iceland's stunning crystalline landscape are lyrical and the overall storyline thoughtful and original (Carla McKay)
Indridason's best novel so far
Indridason has a remarkable understanding of grief and its persistence... Indridason combines psychological acuteness with great stylistic economy and a pleasing pace (Jane Jakeman)
A personal odyssey, suffused with a melancholy that, like the icy chill, seeps into the bones (Alastair Mabbott)
This Icelandic novelist keeps on getting better
All stars
Most relevant
This was an interesting book to read, I tend to get a little confused with all the names, but usually manage to get the point after a minute or two.

Good story, I'm not sure about the ending though, I cannot be more specific without a spoiler.

Good story well narrated

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Brilliant and intriguing - great mind exercise. Mix of horror, shock but sheer genius - loved it

A ghostly storey with a difference. Narrator perfect,

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A journey that winds through the decades as it in turn winds through the Icelandic scenery, so beautifully described. It transports the reader to a distant land that one feels like they have visited as the text is so well written. Unlike this review...

Dark gloomy Icelandic brilliant .

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An unusual layout to a novel. Not an intense listen but a story that was interesting and curious. I enjoyed it very much. The setting of Iceland is atmoapheric and I enjoyed hearing the Icelandic names of the places. The narrator is good.

A gripping tale

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What would have made Hypothermia better?

Plotting was simplistic and completely lacking in any surprises. A predictable mystery is such a disappointment.

What will your next listen be?

Back to far more complex, literary writers.

How did the narrator detract from the book?

This narrator is usually tolerable but it seems that he was unable to counteract the melodramatic dialogue with even a modicum of gravity. The attempt to mimic the female characters ( unnecessary) was quite an uncomfortable listen.

You didn’t love this book--but did it have any redeeming qualities?

The attempt to use Iceland as an exotic locale was fair but almost every other example of Nordic mystery I have read has done that task so much better.

Any additional comments?

How difficult it is to discern what might be a good listen when there are often skewed reviews to assist prospective listeners.

Such a silly, unoriginal story.

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