“In this riveting prequel set in late-1960s Reykjavík, Indridason plumbs the backstory of his series lead, somber Insp. Erlendur Sveinsson. As a young cop, Erlendur patrols at night, writes speeding tickets, and escorts drunks to the station house. When Hannibal, a tramp he's acquainted with, dies of apparently natural causes, Erlendur starts to investigate on his own time. In the process, he learns about Reykjavík's down-and-out population--which Indridason presents humanely and without sentimentality--and about becoming a detective. His obsession with Hannibal and what happened to him foreshadows the concerns of the more mature Erlendur in books set years later, such as 2014's Strange Shores. Erlendur connects Hannibal's case to that of a missing woman and a criminal enterprise that may strike readers as amateurish (one tactic is stolen from the then-new TV detective show Ironside). The investigation slowly but surely gathers powerful, page-turning momentum. This installment stands on its own, but it's all the more impressive for giving new insight into Erlendur.” —Publishers Weekly (starred) on Reykjavik Nights

“Indridason's prequel unfolds with the same precision, economically depicted characters and authenticity as his Inspector Erlendur novels, but a livelier energy replaces the middle-aged Erlendur's noir melancholy.” —Kirkus Reviews

“Indridason has crafted a stellar prequel to his popular series, offering both insight into Erlendur's gloom and a glimpse of what he was like before the cloud settled in fully.” —Booklist

“Will thrill fans.” —Library Journal

“What's Icelandic for ‘we have ourselves a winner?” —Newsday

“Puts Iceland on the map as a major destination for enthusiasts of Nordic crime fiction.” —Marilyn Stasio, The New York Times Book Review

“Keeps readers guessing until the very last pages.” —Washington Post Book World

“Indridason and Stieg Larsson have produced two of the best crime novels of the year.” —The Independent (UK)

“Every one of these writers is good [Hakan Nesser, Kjell Eriksson, Karin Fossum], but in my book, Arnaldur Indridason is even better.” —Joe Queenan, Los Angeles Times