Book nr 4 in the Konrád Series

A poignant and complex crime story about abuse and helplessness, enormous sacrifices, and grave misdeeds.

A brutal secret is discovered bricked up behind a cellar wall in a stone house in Reykjavik, where it has lain for decades encased in silence. Konrad, a former police officer, seeks to shed light on this past evil, but police immediately direct their attention to him: why didn’t he tell the truth about events on the day his father was murdered? What has he been keeping quiet about all these years?

Shortlisted for Best Translated Crime Fiction 2023 by The Swedish Academy of Crime Fiction.

R E V I E W S

“He is not called the king of Icelandic crime fiction for nothing … a superior author.”
LITERATURE. IS

★★★★★
Five stars, full house
“Arnaldur’s stories are well-thought-out and it is incredible how he connects old cases to current issues in every book. Konrad fits perfectly into this setting as he is fixated on unsolved cases from the past. The storytelling is smooth, and systematically alternates between current time and the years around 1960. …
Konrad’s conscience has been nagging him for decades and that is a main theme in the story …
Wall of Silence is like a plant with many branches and a strong trunk. Konrad moves around in his search for truth and even though he is mostly met with closed doors, a glimpse is enough for him to put the puzzle pieces together. …
Dusk doesn’t get any lighter.”
STEINTHOR GUDBJARTSSON, MORGUNBLADID DAILY

“Arnaldur Indridason, the Simenon of Reykjavik.”  
DIDIER JACOB, L’OBS, FRANCE

“Another masterpiece from Arnaldur Indridason.”
BERNARD CATTANÉO, LE SEMEUR HEBDO, FRANCE

“As always, the novel is masterfully executed, with twists and surprises.”
GUY DUPLAT, LA LIBRE BELGIQUE

“Besides the undeniable talent of the author in seamlessly transitioning from one era to another, the book stands out especially for its central theme, which is violence against women. Battered wife, domestic rape, incest— the plot revolves around an endless thread of brutalities suffered by women throughout history. A relentless scourge that structures this often grim and despairing crime novel, which magnificently embraces the feminist cause.”
XAVIER LEHERPEUR, FRANCE INTER – UNE HEURE EN SÉRIES, FRANCE

“Arnaldur Indridason continues to explore the dark side of his beloved Iceland. Political, social, and always human, the melancholic languor of his writing once again works wonders. For him, as is always the case in well-crafted crime novels, the investigation is merely a pretext to observe the sad condition of humanity.”
BLOG BAZ‘ART, FRANCE