Have read this before but wanted to re-read it. It introduces Erlendur and explicates more of his family history than some of the other books which pick up on aspects.
There are 4 plot themes:
Brilliant boy treble singer whose voice breaks at a critical moment and whose career ends then, ends up as a middle-aged doorman in a tourist hotel and is murdered.
Erlendurs family history, his daughter, and his brief attempt at a new relationship.
Elinburg’s case about child abuse by parent (subplot).
The hotel. It is brilliantly done and reads like a five act Shakespeare play.
Erlendur is a deeply sad (tragic?) figure, who takes the disgruntled detective to a new plane.
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