'Iceland's outstanding crime novelist' Daily Express On a jagged, bleak lava field just outside Reykjavik stands the Gallows Rock. Once a place of execution, it is now a tourist attraction. Until this morning, when a man was found hanging from it... The nail embedded in his chest proves it wasn't suicide. But when the police go to his flat, a further puzzle awaits: a four-year-old boy has been left there. He doesn't seem to have any link with the victim, his parents cannot be found, and his drawings show he witnessed something terrible. As detective Huldar hunts the killer, and child psychologist Freyja looks for the boy's parents, the mystery unfolds: a story of violence, entitlement, and revenge. Praise for Yrsa Sigurdardottir 'Iceland's outstanding crime novelist' Daily Express 'A magnificent writer' Karin Slaughter 'The undisputed queen of Icelandic Noir' Simon Kernick 'Believe all the hype - this is crime at its best' Heat NetGalley Reader Reviews 'Just as compelling as the previous books in the series. All of Yrsa Sigurðardóttir's books are extremely well written and a joy to read. There is plenty of suspense and twists in this story (. . .) I read this book in one sitting, I was unable to put it down. Highly recommended' 'There is such a skill to the author's writing, the way in which she creates tension and atmosphere and uses setting to bring and edge to the story, that it is difficult to put down. And she brings such a range of emotions out in me as a reader that I feel slightly battered myself when I finish reading . . . Truly powerful storytelling and characters I have come to love' 'I was hooked from the very first page and enthralled and completely drawn in throughout the book. (. . .) This is a story which builds and weaves perfectly. It's so twisty'

Rif wants to escape from his dull destiny by buying a boat. The villagers declare him insane. After all, everyone knows the magic ocean is unnavigable. Only the old priestess of the village takes pity on him. She has her reasons because she transforms before his eyes into a young warrior girl. The girl is a bodyguard employed by a mysterious client. She invites Rif on a journey and trains him to improve his fighting skills before they reach the magic forest. They meet all kinds of wondrous creatures and entities; Adrian, the pub-holder, wood-enhancer. Yelena, the guardian. Runo, the magistrel, Borildor forest, the magical forest. Goodkind, the woodling, the tribe of the hollow oak woodlings. Homast, the town wizard of Yuvileno and Imit, the very annoying time-watcher. Gradually the young man realizes the journey is more than discovering the world.People he has never seen seem to know him. Situations he experiences look familiar, and his companions seem to know the outcome. Is he the center of this world ?

"On a jagged, bleak lava field just outside Reykjavik stands the Gallows Rock. Once a place of execution, it is now a tourist attraction. Until this morning, when a man was found hanging from it...The nail embedded in his chest proves it wasn't suicide. But when the police go to his flat, a further puzzle awaits: a four-year-old boy has been left there. He doesn't seem to have any link with the victim, his parents cannot be found, and his drawings show he witnessed something terrible.As detective Huldar hunts the killer, and child psychologist Freyja looks for the boy's parents, the mystery unfolds: a story of violence, entitlement, and revenge"--Provided by publisher.