The Quiet Mother

Detective Konrad tries to solve a woman's murder and find her lost child from fifty years before. For readers of Ann Cleeves, Ian Rankin and Jo Nesbo.

'The undisputed King of the Icelandic Thriller' Guardian

'One of the greats of modern crime fiction' Sunday Times

A woman is found murdered in her Reykjavik home, her apartment ransacked. On her desk lies a note with retired detective Konrad's phone number. Days earlier, she had begged him to find the child she gave up nearly fifty years ago. But Konrad, reluctant to reopen old wounds, turned her away. Now, haunted by guilt, he vows to uncover the truth—for her and for himself.

As Konrad digs into her tragic past, he is drawn into a web of secrets, lies, and betrayal. Each revelation points to a hidden life that connects her death to a decades-old murder—and to shadows from Konrad's own family history.

The Quiet Mother is a masterful blend of human tragedy and relentless suspense, where every discovery comes at a cost. Arnaldur Indridason once again proves why he is the voice of Nordic Noir, delivering a harrowing tale of guilt and redemption.