In Swanby one is sheltered from the outside world.
Everything is beautiful.
Yet it rarely occurs to anyone to move here.

A rich, elegant, and mysterious woman has bought a house in Swanby, but appears to have no interest whatsoever in interacting with the other townsfolk. One day a priceless frog statue  disappears from her home. At the same time, it seems that Doddi, Milla’s classmate, has vanished. While an exhaustive search for Doddi ensues, friends Milla and Gudjon G. Georgsson attempt  to find an explanation for his disappearance, solve the riddle of the frog statue, and determine whether the two are connected. In the process they get caught up in a bizarre criminal case where they realize the importance of being helpful, the joy of friendship, and the superpower that courage instills.

• The Reykjavik Children’s Literature Prize 2020
• Selected as one of the Best Children’s Books 2020, by Frettabladid Daily

“The Secrets of the Abandoned House and The Mysterious Statue and the Boy Who Vanished are really well-written, thrilling and compelling stories where the reader is pulled into the fascinating world of Milla and Gudjon G., Rich Rolf, the princess, and all the dangerous types who lurk around in the dark. Many parts of the stories are reminiscent of traditional mysteries for young readers, where adventurous children solve a riddle, find themselves in treacherous situations and manage to get to the bottom of the mystery through tenacity and imagination. But the thoughtful voice of Milla as the narrator, the unconventional duo of friends and the particular atmosphere makes these novels unique and different.”

MARIA BJARKADOTTIR, BOKMENNTABORGIN.IS