Review *A Lethal Legacy*

by Guðrún Guðlaugsdóttir

Translated by Quentin Bates

Published by Corylus Books

Are you ready for another excellent crime thriller from Corylus Books? Three elderly siblings have lived more or less peacefully in this isolated place their whole lives, until Brynjólfur is found dead in his own bed. Called on to help out at the farm, freelance journalist Alma is far from certain that the old man died a natural death. Determined to establish the facts of the matter, she finds herself caught up in a vicious family feud.

With threads including a mysterious death & the darkness of family history where the lines of memories are blurred beyond measure, this story will keep you wondering.

Are people trying to protect each other or deceive?

Unable to ignore her own curiosity & suspiscions, Alma takes on her own version of an investigation.

Circumstances dictate that the family mystery needs to be solved but the individuals might be leading each other toward danger.

*Alma was left sitting alone. She sensed all the untold tales that had gathered in that old kitchen over the decades. They seemed to crowd so tightly that they were on the point of choking her* The writing style allows us to walk through, alongside the characters with their tense relationships.

It is quite fascinating in places & nothing is lost in translation - the flow of the drama & deceit is without interruption. Readers will think of an innocent detail read earlier that's teasing their mind & only later will it slot into place, maybe in a surprising way.

Many elements contribute to the gritty success of the whole package - excellent, totally unique characters & nuggets of information that might just lead to doubt or could be pivotal.

We can feel the friction between individuals. It's interesting how shorter but varied chapter lengths can add to the pace of an already ideal piece of work. The Author:

With a long career as a journalist behind her, Guðrún Guðlaugsdóttir’s literary output has been prodigious, having written biographies, books of interviews, collections of short stories and a book of verse, as well as the enduringly popular series of novels featuring the exploits of journalist Alma Jónsdóttir. Guðrún lives in Kópavogur. She has no plans to retire, and is still writing when most people of her age are taking it easy.

Thank you Corylus Books & Ewa Sherman for having me on this tour.

Make sure you check out the reviews by everyone on the tour poster!

A Lethal Legacy is the first book by Guðrún Guðlaugsdóttir to be translated and published in English.