Blog Tour : Cage By Lilja Sigurdardottir

I received this book for free from the Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Drugs, smuggling, big money and political intrigue in Iceland rally with love, passion, murder and betrayal until the winner takes all … in the masterful, explosive conclusion to the award-winning Reykjavík Noir trilogy…
‘Tough, uncompromising and unsettling' Val McDermid
‘A tense thriller with a highly unusual plot and interesting characters' The Times
The prison doors slam shut behind Agla, when her sentence ends, but her lover Sonja is not there to meet her.
As a group of foreign businessmen tries to draw Agla into an ingenious fraud that stretches from Iceland around the world, Agla and her former nemesis, María find the stakes being raised at a terrifying speed. Ruthless drug baron Ingimar will stop at nothing to protect his empire, but he has no idea about the powder keg he is sitting on in his own home. At the same time, a deadly threat to Sonya and her family brings her from London back to Iceland, where she needs to settle scores with longstanding adversaries if she wants to stay alive.
PRAISE FOR LILJA SIGURDARDOTTIR
‘An enthralling tale of love and crime that stays with you long after you have turned the last page' Michael Ridpath
‘An emotional suspense rollercoaster on a par with The Firm, as desperate, resourceful, profoundly lovable characters scheme against impossible odds' Alexandra Sokoloff
‘Clear your diary. As soon as you begin reading … you won't be able to stop until the final page' Michael Wood
‘Zips along, with tension building and building … thoroughly recommend' James Oswald
‘The intricate plot is breathtakingly original, with many twists and turns you never see coming. Thriller of the year' New York Journal of Books
‘A searing portrait of the less salubrious parts of the Icelandic psyche as we as a riveting thriller' Sunday Express

Many Thanks to Anne Cater and Orenda Books for my copy of the book and my spot on the blog tour. All thoughts are my own.

Wow another killer read from Orenda Books. This is my second blog tour in the Nordic Noir genre this week and wow wow wow. This genre is relatively new to me, but I am quite simply loving it. The intrigue, the mystery and the amazing landscape make it the perfect ingredients for a five-star read. This really was the perfect series to binge read on those cold autumn nights, I read it and loved it. Let’s just take a moment to appreciate that moment when the book cover is as kick ass as the actual story. The cover is what instantly made me sign up for the blog tour plus the added bonus was that it was published by ORENDA which I knew would be an instant winner. The cover emits a sense of mystery that pushes you forward to find out just what the story is behind it. You should read this series in order otherwise the character arcs and development won’t be as clear as it should be.

The book was definitely set up differently but, in my opinion, it certainly added to its uniqueness. The road travelled had a few bumps along the way, but the journey wasn’t any less enjoyable. We are reintroduced to Agla – serving a jail sentence for playing her part in the crash of the financial crisis in Iceland. The dodgy financier had to do her time. Life is getting her down and she really doesn’t know if she can keep going on the way she is. She attempts something quite drastic…the bottom line is she fails in her attempt but is given a new lease of life when she is tasked with investigating certain deceptions in the aluminium sector. The only snag is that she can’t do this alone. Insert, Maria – ex prosecutor turned investigative journalist with The Squirrel. The history between these two characters is difficult and strained to say the least. Can the two characters trust and work with each other or will they double cross the first chance they get? Has Alga’s stint in prison actually changed her or is there still the undercurrent of criminality still lurking in her psyche? I really enjoyed the back and forth between them and loved where this storyline took them.

I’ve always enjoyed multiple POV’s in my thriller novels and this story is no different. I liked that we got the added POV of Anton, a bit of a troubled character that displayed some worrisome controlling undertones to his behaviour towards a girl. A girl that he believes he is deeply in love with. Yeah, a strange and depraved idea of what love should be. It’s her birthday soon, he has planned the perfect birthday gift for her. Well, what he is assuming is the perfect gift, maybe for Anton and his cronies’ mates. This stems from his distaste of what is currently happening in Iceland. His character displays such extremism and is extremely relevant to what is going on in the world today. The author has produced an important novel that highlights the issues with extremist viewpoints and how it has far reaching implications to the wider country.

The other characters we have met and loved along the way get tied up really nicely. The character arcs have been intricately developed and they meet the endings that they all deserve, even if it isn’t the one they wanted. The writing has been strong, and the plot has been tightly weaved to keep the reader gripped and invested in the story. Although I came to this trilogy late it had me gripped and I was actually quite sad that it had come to an end. That my friends, is the sign of a truly talented writer. The pace was sublime and found myself constantly thinking about the plot when I couldn’t find time to read. The translation was perfect, and the entire series was a hell of a rollercoaster ride. This genre is quickly becoming a firm favourite. It’s not without its twists and shocks and it totally adds to its unique quirkiness of the story. 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Icelandic crime-writer Lilja Sigurdardóttir was born in the town of Akranes in 1972 and raised in Mexico, Sweden, Spain and Iceland. An award-winning playwright, Lilja has written four crime novels, including Snare and Trap, the first two books in the Reykjavik Noir trilogy, which have hit bestseller lists worldwide. The film rights have been bought by Palomar Pictures in California. She lives in Reykjavík with her partner.