BORGARBÓKASAFNIÐ
Tinna Birna Björnsdóttir, a specialist at Úlfarsárdalur City Library, is a devoted fan of crime fiction and plans to kick off her summer holiday with a novel that promises plenty of suspense.
Which book are you planning to read on holiday?
“Lokar augum blám by Margrét S. Höskuldsdóttir. It’s a crime novel set in Iceland’s Westfjords and follows the police team Ragna and Berg. Two kayakers disappear, while a couple searching for a quieter life begins renovating a house with a troubled past. It sounds like the perfect book to read between meals at the summer cottage!”
What sparked your interest in the book?
“Margrét won the Icelandic crime fiction award Blóðdropinn (The Blood Drop) for this novel earlier this year, so I’m excited to finally have time to read it. I read her previous book featuring Ragna and Berg, and I’ve always enjoyed following a series from one book to the next.”
Do you read different kinds of books in the summer than in the winter?
“I don’t think so. If I do, it’s entirely subconscious!”
Do you have a favourite or particularly memorable summer reading memory?
“I read The Flatey Letters by Kristjana Friðbjörnsdóttir when I was a child, and it quickly became one of my favourite books. One summer, I visited Flatey Island with my family and was determined to write my own letters about the journey, just like the protagonist does in the book. I never actually mailed those letters, though, but that’s another story.”
What are your favourite books?
“I recently decided to read books by Toshikazu Kawaguchi, including Before the Coffee Gets Cold and Tales from the Café, after hearing so many good things about them. They absolutely lived up to the praise. They’re quick reads, but they leave a lasting impression, so I can wholeheartedly recommend them.”
Do you have a favourite literary genre?
“Crime fiction is almost always my favorite. I love books that grip you so completely that it’s hard to put them down. In between, I also enjoy heartwarming novels about everyday life, they make for wonderfully comforting reading.”