The first book in a sparklingly original trilogy
that weaves together terrifying tension and intriguing characters.

After a messy divorce, attractive young mother Sonja is struggling to provide for herself and win sole custody of her son. With her back to the wall, she resorts to smuggling cocaine into Iceland, and finds herself caught up in a ruthless criminal world. As she desperately looks for a way out of trouble, she must pit her wits against her nemesis, Bragi, a customs officer, whose years of experience frustrate her new and evermore daring strategies. Things become even more complicated by the fact that Sonja is in a relationship with a woman, Agla. Once a high-level bank executive, Agla is currently being prosecuted in the aftermath the Icelandic financial crash.

Set in a Reykjavik still covered in the dust of the Eyjafjallajökull volcanic eruption, and with a fast-paced and chilling plot and intriguing characters, Snare is an outstandingly original and sexy Nordic crime thriller, from one of the most exciting new names in crime fiction.

CWA International Dagger Longlist 2018
The Times and the Sunday Times Crime Club’s best books of the past five years, 2020
Longlisted for Prix du Meilleur Polar at Points, France, 2018
Cote Caen selection, Top Summer Reads in France, 2018
Nominated for The Drop of Blood – The Icelandic Crime Novel Award 2016
Thriller of the year (2017), selected by New York Journal of Books
Nominated for The First Book Award 2018, UK

Film rights sold to Palomar Pictures, California

REVIEWS

‘A tense thriller with a highly unusual plot and interesting characters’
The Times

‘Tense, edgy and delivering more than a few unexpected twists and turns’
Sunday Times

‘Sharp shocks of chapters hit with increasing energy … a towering powerhouse of read and I gobbled it up in one intense sitting’
LoveReading

‘The intricate plot is breathtakingly original, with many twists and turns you never see coming. Thriller of the year’
New York Journal of Books

‘Blown away by the author’s clever pen, we end up falling into the snare too … making me think that the Nordics have “thriller” in their DNA!’
Version Femina, France

‘This first novel of a planned trilogy is stylish, taut and compelling and a film adaptation is in the pipeline. With characters you can’t help sympathising with against your better judgement, Sigurdardottir takes the reader on a breathtaking ride’
Daily Express

‘Lilja Sigurdardottir delivers a diabolically efficient thriller with an ultrarealistic plot … We cannot wait for Sonja’s next adventure’
L’Express, France

‘A smart, ambitious, and hugely satisfying thriller. Striking in its originality and written with all the style and poise of an old hand. Lilja is destined for Scandi super stardom’
Eva Dolan

‘For a small island, Iceland produces some extraordinary writers, and Lilja is one of the best. Snare is an enthralling tale of love and crime that stays with you long after you have turned the last page’
Michael Ridpath

‘Zips along, with tension building and building … thoroughly recommended’
James Oswald

‘Tough, uncompromising and unsettling.’
Val McDermid

‘A thrilling story about ordinary people in extraordinary circumstances.’
Katrin Jakobsdottir, Prime Minister

‘Crisp, assured and nail-bitingly tense, Snare is an exceptional read, cementing Lilja’s place as one of Iceland’s most outstanding crime writers’
Yrsa Sigurdardottir

‘Clear your diary. As soon as you begin reading Snare, you won’t be able to stop until the final page’
Michael Wood

‘An emotional suspense rollercoaster on a par with The Firm, as desperate, resourceful, profoundly lovable characters scheme against impossible odds.’
Alexandra Sokoloff

‘Snare is a great read and the finale is both shocking and unexpected … a Wizard-of-Oz ending, without the laughs. Terrific and original stuff’
Max Easterman, European Literature Network

★★★★
‘Lilja Sigurdardottir has revealed herself to be another of Iceland’s major authors…
Personal tragedy is presented to the reader in short, effective chapters and an unpretentious style. Lilja Sigurdardottir always keeps her focus on the subject. …her characters are vibrantly alive in the eyes of the reader.’
Le Devoir

‘Snare will ensnare you.’
Marie-Claire, France

‘Lilja Sigurdardottir brings new life to the Icelandic thriller.’
Blog Anaїs serial lectrice

‘Snare is an especially captivating book with a very fresh approach. Beautifully written and free of embellishment. It is simply impossible to put it down. I enjoyed reading it very much.’
Radio Canada

FIVE STARS
‘Charming Icelandic crime. … Excessively elegant realism when ladies & gangsters are fighting over dignity and economic independence in the wake of the financial crisis… extremely well-written and charming. We are led into the lives of impressive multifaceted actors with both humor and excitement and rejoice that everything is set for a sequel.’
Adresseavisen, Norway

‘Lilja Sigurdardottir delivers a sparkling firework of a novel, tightly-plotted, fast-paced, and crackling with tension, surprises and vibrancy. The cat-and-mouse chase starts on the very first page and refuses to slow down even if her unforgettable protagonist tries to extract herself from the dangerous criminal world.
It’s a well-chosen setting of crumbling economically and morally, with Iceland’s capital still reeling from a financial crash and a volcanic eruption few months earlier. Sigurdardottir is a sensual, passionate writer, her exciting style brilliantly conveyed in a smooth translation by Quentin Bates. If the first glamorous instalment of the Reykjavik trilogy is just a starter, then I cannot wait for the rest of feast to be finally available in English, to be devoured by English readers.’
 Ewa Sherman, crimereview.co.uk