Ashes to Dust

Thora peered at the floor, but couldn't see anything that could have frightened Markus that much, only three mounds of dust. She moved the light of her torch over them. It took her some time to realize what she was seeing and then it was all she could do not to let the torch slip from her hand. 'Good God,' she said. She ran the light over the three faces, one after another. Sunken cheeks, empty eye-sockets, gaping mouths; they reminded her of photographs of mummies she'd once seen in National Geographic. 'Who are these people?'

'I don t know,' said Markus...

Bodies are discovered in one of the excavated houses at a volcanic tourist attraction dubbed 'The Pompeii of the North'.

Markus Magnusson, who was only a teenager when the volcano erupted, falls under suspicion and hires attorney Thora Gudmundsdottir to defend him - but when his childhood sweetheart is murdered his case starts to look more difficult, and the locals seem oddly reluctant to back him up...

The third crime novel from international bestseller Yrsa Sigurdardottir, and the third featuring her popular heroine Thora, ASHES TO DUST is tense, taut and terrifying.

“'Yrsa Sigurdardottir has arrived, fully formed, it seems, as something of a unique talent in the field... [She] matches Tess Gerritsen and Kathy Reichs in the bloodchiller stakes.'”

Publishers and blurb writers are competing to hail the new monarch of Nordic crime fiction.. I would be tempted to offer a name not from the obvious crime soil of Sweden or Norway, but from bleak and moody Iceland... - Marcel Berlins, The Times

A chilling read, enhanced by Sigurdardottir's taut plotting, realistic characters, and dry humour. - Metro Crime Books of the Year

Stands comparison with the finest contemporary crime writing anywhere in the world - TLS

I can see why so many people are enthusiastic about Yrsa's work. It's very engaging, fresh and exciting. - James Patterson (on LAST RITUALS)

She is entitled to join the front ranks of Nordic crime writers. - The Times

A fascinating setting and realistic characters make this an engrossing read - and Sigurdardottir maintains the intrigue as her clever plot unravels - Metro

Brilliantly plotted and chilling - Daily Mirror

An absorbing mystery . . . Sigurdardottir makes the island under hot lava just as atmospherically chilling as she made Iceland's dark winters in her two prior novels - The Times

Yrsa Sigurdardottir works as a civil engineer in Reykjavik. Her books for children have won prizes and great acclaim. LAST RITUALS is her first adult novel.

Thora peered at the floor, but couldn't see anything that could have frightened Markus that much, only three mounds of dust. She moved the light of her torch over them. It took her some time to realize what she was seeing and then it was all she could do not to let the torch slip from her hand. 'Good God,' she said. She ran the light over the three faces, one after another. Sunken cheeks, empty eye-sockets, gaping mouths; they reminded her of photographs of mummies she'd once seen in National Geographic. 'Who are these people?' 'I don t know,' said Markus... Bodies are discovered in one of the excavated houses at a volcanic tourist attraction dubbed 'The Pompeii of the North'.Markus Magnusson, who was only a teenager when the volcano erupted, falls under suspicion and hires attorney Thora Gudmundsdottir to defend him - but when his childhood sweetheart is murdered his case starts to look more difficult, and the locals seem oddly reluctant to back him up...The third crime novel from international bestseller Yrsa Sigurdardottir, and the third featuring her popular heroine Thora, ASHES TO DUST is tense, taut and terrifying.

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