The Legacy by Yrsa Sigurdardottir

What they said:-

The first in an exciting new series from the author of THE SILENCE OF THE SEA, winner of the 2015 Petrona Award for best Scandinavian Crime Novel.

The murder was meant as a punishment - but what sin could justify the method?

The only person who might have answers is the victim's seven-year-old daughter, found hiding in the room where her mother died. And she's not talking.

Newly promoted, out of his depth, detective Huldar turns to Freyja and the Children's House for their expertise with traumatised young people. Freyja, who distrusts the police in general and Huldar in particular, isn't best pleased. But she's determined to keep little Margret safe.

It may prove tricky. The killer is leaving them strange clues: warnings in text messages, sums scribbled on bits of paper, numbers broadcast on the radio. He's telling a dark and secret story - but how can they crack the code? And if they do, will they be next?

What I thought:-

A jolly good detective and psychological thriller set in Iceland, where the police and specialist psychological trauma service work together to try to elicit facts to help solve a gruesome and difficult murder case.  I found this an interesting story, counterpointing the developing relationship between detective Huldar and psychologist Freyja with the unfolding discovery of victims of a very twisted murderer.  Lots of twists and turns will keep the reader guessing his or her identity, and there is an interesting ending.  Yrsa Sigurdardottir writes really well and is brilliantly translated by Victoria Cribb.  Hopefully the next books in this series will also be made available to us in due course, because I would like to see how Huldar and Freyja's relationship will develop as well as reading more of this author's writing.

The Woman in Black by Kerry Wilkinson

Kerry Wilkinson has created a fascinating character in Detective Sergeant Jessica Daniels and in this, the third in the series, she seems to be learning better to work in a team while retaining her ability to think outside of the box and combine instinct and deduction to solve some of the crimes that fall to her to investigate.

The story starts with a severed hand being left in a very public place in Manchester.  A mother is reporting her son missing and then a package arrives at the police station, addressed to Senior Detective.  The parcel reveals a finger removed from the hand - and DNA evidence shows that the hand and finger are not the missing young man.

Then a second hand and finger surface, and  it is a DNA match for the missing son.  Similar modus as last time, but this time it is addressed to Jessica, so it feels as if it's getting personal, and seems as if there might possibly be a serial killer at work - except there are only hands and fingers, but no further body parts.  Careful scrutiny of security camera footage suggests the hands are being planted by a woman dressed in a hooded black cape and low heels. The search is on for connections between victims, and to discover what is going on.

This is a really gripping story and a very satisfying read.  Happily, there are more cases to enjoy in the series beyond this one, but I am totally hooked on these books and am happily anticipating the next instalment.