Today I’m taking part in a blog tour for Corylus Books, a lovely indie publisher with a focus on translated crime fiction. Back in September last year I took part in a blog tour for Murder at the Residence by Stella Blómkvist so I was looking forward to reacquainting myself with the tenacious lawyer in Murder Under the Midnight Sun. This novel was published in Iceland in 2015 and translated by Quentin Bates in 2023. The identity of the author remains a mystery…
Here is the blurb from Corylus Books:
“What does a woman do when her husband’s charged with the frenzied killing of her father and her best friend? She calls in Stella Blómkvist to investigate – however unwelcome the truth could turn out to be.
Smart, ruthless and with a flexible moral code all of her own, Stella Blómkvist is also dealing with a desperate deathbed request to track down a young woman who vanished a decade ago.
It looks like a dead end, but she agrees to pick up the stone-cold trail – and she never gives up, even if the police did a long time ago.
Then there’s the mystery behind the arm that emerges from an ice cap, with a mysterious ruby ring on one frozen finger? How does this connect to another unexplained disappearance, and why were the police at the time so keen to write it off as a tragic accident?”
As the blurb demonstrates, and as with Murder at the Residence, Stella finds herself with several plates to spin. Murder Under the Midnight Sun packs a lot into just 214 pages without ever seeming relentless or overwhelming. It’s expertly paced.
The Icelandic setting plays a part in the police’s indifference to the historic disappearance of a young British holidaymaker.
“People have vanished in Iceland before and never been found, without any indication of foul play.”
[…]
She’s far from the only missing person that Iceland’s natural world hasn’t given back.”
If anything, this serves to heighten Stella’s determination as she’s more than happy to butt up against the police, often with the help of her friend, the news blogger Máki. It’s through Máki that Stella finds herself increasingly caught up in Cold War intrigues that want to stay buried, and early on there’s a stunning set piece whereby Stella nearly ends up buried herself, down an icy crevasse.
The past and present are woven together seamlessly and the smaller population of Iceland make the connections between characters seem less contrived than they could in a more populous setting. The modern day murder of Stella’s friend Rannveig’s father and best friend was just convoluted enough to keep me guessing while being resolved satisfactorily in a short novel.
My one reservation – which I didn’t have with the previous novel – was Stella’s conduct in her private life. I’ve absolutely no issue with her being a woman who goes after what she wants. But when what she wants is a woman in a highly vulnerable state, and when her method of getting that woman is to ply her with strong alcohol, I’m not alongside. I don’t have to like everything about a protagonist to enjoy a novel and I did really enjoy Murder Under the Midnight Sun. If Stella can just be more respectful of informed sexual consent in future, that would make my enjoyment unreserved.
That aside, I did like Stella’s relentless pursuit of answers and her humorous self-belief:
“My cousin Sissi gazes at me with frank admiration in his eyes.
‘You’re one of a kind,’ he says.
I smile demurely. I agree entirely with his sentiment.”
Fingers crossed for more Stella translations!
Here are the stops from the rest of the tour, so do check out how other bloggers got on with Murder Under the Midnight Sun:
madame bibi lophile recommends 
Happy blog touring!
This is too gruesome for me but I still enjoyed reading about it.
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Thank you! The gory details aren’t dwelt upon thankfully, as I have no stomach for it, but I do understand It’s not for everyone!
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Not usually my cup of tea but so many bloggers whose opinion I trust, including you, seem to have enjoyed this one, and your mention of Cold War intrigues makes me keener.
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Yes I’m not a big murder/thriller reader either, but I enjoy these Stella stories. I liked the Cold War thread too!
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This does sound good, Madame B, though I think I would be with you re your one hesitation – after all, if this was a man taking that kind of an action with a woman, we’d be protesting madly!
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Absolutely Kaggsy, capability to consent isn’t dependent on the gender of your partner at all. That was my one reservation – otherwise Stella is a very engaging lead.
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This does sound interesting Madame Bibi as did the last one you reviewed. I only wonder if it would get too dark for me (I do agree on your reservation too).
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It’s darker than I tend to read, but that’s not hard given I tend to stick to GA crime! But I don’t find these Stella ones too dark or gruesome. The murderous details aren’t dwelt upon or gratuitous. But I do understand your reservations Mallika – the world is dark enough without encountering things we’d rather not in our reading choices as well.
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A ring on a frozen finger: what an image!
As is the bloody fingerprint in the typeface on the cover!
I’m still hoping to read a little more crime fiction this year, but so far I’ve only squeezed ONE book in. Maybe the hot weather will insist on it. (Ironically, given the temperature of this mystery you’re discussing here! Or…maybe suitably!)
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Yes, that bloody fingerprint is so striking isn’t it? I think I tend to read more crime in the winter, but actually summer is the perfect time, especially for cooling down with some Nordic noir! I hope you enjoy whatever you choose Marcie.
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I really enjoyed watching the Icelandic mystery series “Trapped” in one exceptionally hot summer not long ago. (Watching S2 in the winter wasn’t quite the same, but because I’d become so strangely attached to the characters, I was still game.) Over the years, I’ve definitely read more mysteries in hot weather than cold, but I can see why others feel differently!
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Oh yes, Trapped was great! I didn’t know there was a second series, I’ll have to see if I can get hold of it. Thank you for alerting me to it!
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I think there were actually three? The most recent one was titled Entrapped because the focus is slightly different than the previous two seasons, so I nearly missed that one.
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Ooh, I will have a hunt around – thank you!
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The consent issue is odd. As Kaggsy says, we’d be outraged if it was a man – what’s sauce for the gander! Otherwise it does sound good. I bet MarinaSofia must know the secret identity of the author. Let’s take her out and get her drunk… 😉
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I’d be really interested to know who it is!
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I need to read more Corylus Books, I trust their editorial choices.
I highly recommend Little Rebel by Leroy. Fascinating crime fiction.
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They are a great publisher. Thank you for the recommendation, I will look out for it!
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Billet on my blog!
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Despite not reading modern crime very often at all, I always rather like the sound of some Icelandic mysteries. I think I would certainly share your reservations about that behaviour too though.
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I don’t read much modern crime either, but I did enjoy this. I’m just hoping she doesn’t carry on that behaviour in other volumes though!
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