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Back Cold as Hell Save as PDF
Chapters (115)
  1. COLD AS HELL
  2. PRONUNCIATION GUIDE
  3. CONTENTS
  4. 1
  5. 2
  6. 3
  7. 4
  8. 5
  9. 6
  10. 7
  11. 8
  12. 9
  13. 10
  14. 11
  15. 12
  16. 13
  17. 14
  18. 15
  19. 16
  20. 17
  21. 18
  22. 19
  23. 20
  24. 21
  25. 22
  26. 23
  27. 24
  28. 25
  29. 26
  30. 27
  31. 28
  32. 29
  33. 30
  34. 31
  35. 32
  36. 33
  37. 34
  38. 35
  39. 36
  40. 37
  41. 38
  42. 39
  43. 40
  44. 41
  45. 42
  46. 43
  47. 44
  48. 45
  49. 46
  50. 47
  51. 48
  52. 49
  53. 50
  54. 51
  55. 52
  56. 53
  57. 54
  58. 55
  59. 56
  60. 57
  61. 58
  62. 59
  63. 60
  64. 61
  65. 62
  66. 63
  67. 64
  68. 65
  69. 66
  70. 67
  71. 68
  72. 69
  73. 70
  74. 71
  75. 72
  76. 73
  77. 74
  78. 75
  79. 76
  80. 77
  81. 78
  82. 79
  83. 80
  84. 81
  85. 82
  86. 83
  87. 84
  88. 85
  89. 86
  90. 87
  91. 88
  92. 89
  93. 90
  94. 91
  95. 92
  96. 93
  97. 94
  98. 95
  99. 96
  100. 97
  101. 98
  102. 99
  103. 100
  104. 101
  105. 102
  106. 103
  107. 104
  108. 105
  109. 106
  110. 107
  111. 108
  112. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
  113. ABOUT THE AUTHOR
  114. ABOUT THE TRANSLATOR
  115. COPYRIGHT

Daníel and his colleague Helena had explained to her that the majority of people who disappear in Iceland were never found. 260The country was so wide and so sparsely populated, much of it not easily accessible, with its cracks in the lava, fissures and river valleys, mountain lakes so cold that they never gave up bodies, and the restless sea all around.

Her mother turned at the top of the steps, raised a hand to her lips and blew a kiss. Áróra sent a kiss back, smiled and waved as her mother vanished around the corner to head for the security gate. She felt a stab of regret at seeing her go, but she would see her again before long, when she either had some answers or had accepted that there would never be any.

Áróra stood still for a moment once her mother had gone, then left the terminal and walked across to the car park. There was a smell of fuel in the air and a roar from the runway as a jet prepared to take off. At any other time, she would have been impatient to get away, but now everything had changed. Now her sister was one of the lost souls that this country held on to, and as long as she didn’t know where her sister’s resting place was, she couldn’t leave. She couldn’t abandon Ísafold.

261

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

An author has many things to be grateful for – because when a book hits the shelves it is not solely the work of the person whose name is on the cover. I have many people to thank for this English-language publication of Cold as Hell, starting with my publisher back home in Iceland, Forlagið, who seem to have an endless belief in my writing and have been more that supportive on this crime-writing journey of mine. In particular I want to mention my Icelandic editor, Sigríður Rögnvaldsdóttir, who is my rock. The foreign-rights agents at Forlagið have been fantastic and have made sure that my books travel like the wind and get translated into many languages, some of which I cannot even read my own name in.

My English translator is Quentin Bates, who, as a fellow crime writer, knows the genre like the back of his hand. He also knows Iceland like an Icelander, having lived in the country for years and having family ties that bring him back on a regular basis. I could not be more grateful – for having a translator with whom I have such a good working relationship, but whom I am also proud to call a friend.

The Orenda team is a gathering of completely fantastic people, who are so good at their jobs, I am in awe. West Camel re-edits my books for English readers, making sure that the text runs smoothly and beautifully, and that the strange Icelandic quirkinesses that Quentin and I take for granted are explained.