Product Description

In the wake of an earthquake, the water level of an Icelandic lake drops suddenly, revealing the skeleton of a man half-buried in its sandy bed. It is clear immediately that it has been there for many years. There is a large hole in the skull. Yet more mysteriously, a heavy communication device is attached to it, possibly some sort of radio transmitter, bearing inscriptions in Russian. The police are called in and Erlendur, Elinborg and Sigurdur Oli begin their investigation, which gradually leads them back to the time of the Cold War when bright, left-wing students would be sent from Iceland to study in the 'heavenly state' of Communist East Germany. "The Draining Lake" is another remarkable Indridason mystery about passions and shattered dreams, the fate of the missing and the grief of those left behind.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #11471 in Books
• Published on: 2008-08-07
• Original language: German
• Binding: Mass Market Paperback
• 304 pages

Review
A body found in a cold lake has roots in the Cold War.Sunna, a scientist with Iceland's Energy Authority, discovers a skeleton while taking an early morning walk around Lake Kleifarvatn, which has been recently drained. Inspector Erlendur is called in to investigate, along with sidekicks El'nborg and Sigurdur ili. Though a hole in the skeleton's skull clearly indicates foul play, identifying the remains proves trickier than expected. Meticulous research narrows the field of possible victims, but also reveals a striking anomaly: a cluster of young Icelandic men, perhaps involved in espionage, who left the country without a trace 30 years ago. An old Ford Falcon ultimately leads the team to the victim's name. Threaded through the contemporary investigation is the story of an initially anonymous protagonist who journeys to East Germany for training and falls hard for Ilona, a Hungarian operative. Her unexplained disappearance sets him onto a dangerous path. Back in the present, Erlendur struggles to find time for an affair with crime-scene tech Valgerdur, whom he met on his last case (Voices, 2007), when he achieved a new closeness with Eva Lind, his drug-addicted daughter. Eva's relapse drives a new wedge between them. Meanwhile, restless retired chief Marion, now yoked to an oxygen mask because of a lifelong smoking habit, keeps checking in to see if she can help.Beleaguered, dutiful Erlendur remains a compelling Everyman, and Indridason writes with clarity, precision and elegance. (Kirkus Reviews)

Review
`the story soon has you caught in it icy grip. And the scenery is spectacular'

Observer
`Atmospheric...A haunting, compassionate work'.

Customer Reviews

Draining to read
Set against the background of the Cold War, this novel uses the discovery of a skeleton in an Icelandic lake as the trigger for the investigation of a series of missing persons. Integral to the plot is the experiences of a group of Icelandic students in Leipzig (in former East Germany) in the 1950s. As in previous novels, Indridason is using a crime investigation to explore lots of themes - socio-economic change in Iceland, ageing and death, bereavement and betrayal. Like his earlier work, there is little that could be described as upbeat. However, whilst the story is bleak, it is fascinating and compelling.

INCISIVE BOOK, EXCELLENTLY TRANSLATED...
This is the first Indridason book which I have read and I found it excellent.

The action moves back and forth from the finding of a skeleton in a draining lake to the lives of the detectives and then to the lives of the students in communist East Germany. By the time that the lake begins to fill again, many old tragedies have been exhumed and explored....

The characters are alive and the concerns and interests of the young students are explored in detail and we come to care about the experiences of Lothar, Emil, Hannes, Tomas and particularly Ilona whose story is the connecting thread which holds them all together (or splits them apart).

The detectives, Erlendur, Elinborg and Sigurdur Oli,are real people and friends:
"What's the book called?" Erlendur asked.
"'More than Just Desserts'" Elinborg said. "It's a pun. Justice - get it - and desserts, and it's not just desserts..."
"Very droll" Erlendur said, casting a look of astonishment at Sigurdur Oli, who was trying to smother his laughter.

They have their moments of fun and laughter but also their personal tragedies:
"Erlunder lay staring up into the darkness...He thought about his brother, for whom he had been searching in vain all these years. His bones were lying somewhere.
Perhaps deep in a fissure, or higher up in the mountains than he could ever imagine....
'Don't you ever get tired of all this?'
Tired of this endless search."

Of course, the search is a metaphor for Erlendur's search for meaning and also for his profession which entails a constant search.
In this case, to find the identity of the body with the hole in its skull and also for some reason for its death.

It is only at the end that it all becomes apparent and yet another case has been solved. But many other questions have been answered and relationships have been explored.

The late, much lamented Bernard Scudder has translated this book with a sensitive touch, maintaining the tone and essence of the story and conveying to us the effect of the cold, icy environment on young and old alike.

Do buy it, it's well worth reading...

Dark
I am not a fan of Indridason's writing style, nor of the quality of the translation. His dialogues especially are stilted and dark, full of aggression, antagonism and rudeness even when the speakers profess to be cheerful. The multiple threads of the book, the lives of the protagonists and the mystery itself, are snipped into chunks and intermingled throughout the book, making it sometimes difficult to follow the plot line. I would prefer more concentration on the mystery and could do without the details about the lives of the detectives, which, for me, detract from the book.

Despite these reservations I have always enjoyed Indridason's works, and this one is no exception. One further comment - as the story lines of the lives of the detectives develop through his books, it is best to read them in order of being written.