The wealthy, powerful Snæberg clan has gathered for a family reunion at a futuristic hotel set amongst the dark lava flows of Iceland's remote Snæfellsnes peninsula. Petra Snæberg, a successful interior designer, is anxious about the event, and her troubled teenage daughter, Lea, whose social-media presence has attracted the wrong kind of followers.
Ageing carpenter Tryggvi is an outsider, only tolerated because he's the boyfriend of Petra's aunt, but he's struggling to avoid alcohol because he knows what happens when he drinks … Humble hotel employee, Irma, is excited to meet this rich and famous family and observe them at close quarters … perhaps too close…
As the weather deteriorates and the alcohol flows, one of the guests disappears, and it becomes clear that there is a prowler lurking in the dark. But is the real danger inside … within the family itself?
Eva is back with a sinister sequel to the award-winning Forbidden Iceland series. So if you’ve not picked up her writing before, here’s a great place to start — it’s a brilliant addition to the series but also powerful enough to stand alone, although after reading one you’ll probably want to read them all.
You can’t see me is an atmospheric, dark story of betrayal and murder set against a glistening backdrop of unassuming decadence and deviance. Immediately this glittering scene with it’s privileged and wealthy case feel suspicious, shadows of doubt on every single person leading us on a maddeningly intense search for the truth. Full of misdirection, confusion and shadowy corners, this novel is like your classic locked-room murder mystery but with a cinematic edge and powerful storytelling. The narration jumps quickly in short chapters between the family and onlookers, each voice distinct but always keeping us slightly at arms length and never giving too much away.
The harsh wintery surroundings and secrets give an isolated, claustrophobic aura, and watching the dark mystery unravel and the family unravel along it was devilishly entertaining. Everything was richly descriptive, the scene always set masterfully and small details just make it more immersive, leaving us to wonder if it’s a clue or if we’re being mislead too. At times there’s definitely some tangents and thought-dumping but the pace was pretty steady throughout and made it too easy to read in one sitting.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Thank you to Anne at Random Things Tours and Karen at Orenda Books for inviting me to take part in this tour. I was gifted an advanced reviewers copy of this title in return for an honest review.
Thanks for the blog tour support.
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