A 1970s murder mystery draws the reader into an eerie exploration of humanity’s connection to music.

Electronic music artist Grima ventures to East Iceland, gearing up to perform at the Eistnaflug metal festival—a setting far from her usual milieu due to her unique tastes and perception of the event as overly conventional. This journey becomes a turning point when she discovers a Swedish folk album, linked to a chilling murder mystery from the early 1970s. As a long-forgotten tune begins to exert a mystical influence over her, Grima finds herself ensnared in a web of eerie connections. 

Lake of Fire offers a philosophical and horrifying exploration of music, weaving a fresh narrative into Icelandic literature. It traverses time and space, shifting between contemporary Iceland and Sweden’s “progg” movement, and spanning from ancient times to futuristic realms.

“[Gunnar’s] most ambitious work to date but also his most masterfully crafted narrative”
EINAR FALUR INGOLFSSON / MORGUNBLADID DAILY

“This book is nothing short of remarkable—a genuinely outstanding accomplishment”
THORGEIR TRYGGVASON, KILJAN, ICELANDIC NATIONAL TV

“The slow-burning weirdness escalates until the horror utterly possesses the reader.”
ALEXANDER DAN, AUTHOR OF SHADOWS OF THE SHORT DAYS

“An otherworldly and elaborate novel. “
INGI MARKUSSON, AUTHOR OF THE SHADOW BRIDGE

“The book is an artfully crafted horror story that weaves together mythology and mysticism with the enchanting power of music, playing with the boundaries of reality and fantasy, magic and madness, and keeps the reader in its gripping hold until the very last page.”
THE LITERATURE WEB