The first call was from a German woman named Amelia Guntlieb. Her son, Harold, had been a student at the university in Reyrjavik. He had been murdered and another student was in custody.  But Harold’s family felt the police had the wrong person in jail. She wanted Thora to investigate and find the real killer. She offered Thora a sum of money that topped Thora’s annual salary. But Thora knows nothing about investigating a murder, so she told Frau Guntlieb she would think about it, fully intending to decline the offer.

However, the second call changed everything. The mechanic called, telling Thora that it would  take more money than she’d been expecting to fix her car. A lot more. She didn’t have a choice. She would have to take the Guntlieb case. Otherwise, she’d have no car.

When Thora called Frau Guntlieb back and accepted the job she learned she would be working with Matthew Reich, a German who worked for the Guntlieb family. When she met him, she found that he had investigation experience as Frau Guntlieb had said, plenty of it. But he spoke not one word of Icelandic. Thora wondered if she would truly be running the investigation -or even assisting. It seemed more likely she had she been hired as a glorified translator. She was tempted to quit, but knew she couldn’t afford to do so.

During the course of the investigation, Thora learned that Harold was strangled with something that left a mark shaped like a cross or dagger. A bizarre symbol had been carved into his chest and his eyes had been removed.

Last Rituals is one of the strangest books I’ve ever read, yet one of the most absorbing. The solution isn’t even a thought until the end. I look forward to more from this fascinating author. Treat yourself to Last Rituals and enjoy!