Die Reykjavíker Anwältin Dóra Guðmundsdóttir nimmt einen alten Fall wieder auf: Jakob, ein junger Mann mit Down-Syndrom, soll einen Brand in seinem Behindertenheim gelegt haben, bei dem fünf Menschen ums Leben kamen. Jakob lebt inzwischen in einer Psychiatrischen Einrichtung für Straftäter, zusammen mit dem verurteilten Sexualstraftäter Jósteinn. Ausgerechnet der engagiert Dóra, weil er Jakobs Unschuld beweisen will. Obwohl Dóra den Mann höchst unsympathisch findet und nicht genau weiß, warum er die Sache noch einmal aufrollen will, beginnt sie zu recherchieren und stößt auf mysteriöse Hinweise: Dóra bekommt immer wieder kryptische SMS, Angehörige eines Opfers haben offenbar etwas zu verbergen, ein Radiomoderator wird in seiner Sendung von unangenehmen Anrufen belästigt, und eine junge Mutter glaubt, dass ihr kleiner Sohn vom Geist seines toten Kindermädchens heimgesucht wird, das bei einem Autounfall mit Fahrerflucht ums Leben kam. Schließlich führt eine heiße Spur die Anwältin ins isländische Justizministerium …

Someone To Watch Over Me
(Thora Gunmundsdottir Series #5)
by Yrsa Sigurdardottir
2013
Minotaur
5.0 / 5.0

Thora Gunmundsdottir is a high priced lawyer in Iceland. In this book of the series, #5, Thora has been hired by a convicted pedophile, Josteinn, who is locked in a home for the criminally insane, He wants Tora to prove another perosn in the hospital is not guilty of the crime that had him sent there. Jakob, a young man with Downs syndrome, is accused of starting a fire in his care facility, killing 4 disabled children and a security guard. Authorities believe he is responsible for the murder and belongs in the facility. But is Jakob even capable of this, or is he being made a scapegoat? And is the fire related to the rape of Lisa, also in the facility?
Yrsa is one of the best thriller/horror writers. Her ability to weave complex stories with a message, and to build characters and suspense make her stories so suspenseful and twisted. This was great insight also into the way people with mental, physical or psychological handicaps are seen in Iceland.
Outstanding....recommended. ( )

A family is haunted by the ghost of a young girl who was killed in a hit-and-run on her way to babysit the family’s son. Meanwhile, Thora Gudmundsdottir takes on the case of a man with Down syndrome who was found not criminally responsible for burning down the facility where he lived. As is usually the case in mystery novels where two different cases are followed in parallel, the threads are gradually joined up, and the intrigue lies in figuring out how the cases are related (in addition to finding out what happened, obviously).

Once again, Yrsa shines at writing about ghosts and hauntings. I am a total wuss and cannot read this sort of thing at night, but I will happily read her spookier fiction by day. The atmosphere she creates can’t be beat. I also liked how she used Thora’s research and investigation to present for the reader information about Down Syndrome and other disabilities, as well as the conditions in which many people with disabilities live and the challenges in ensuring that the most vulnerable citizens of a country have access to appropriate care. And the story is leavened throughout with glimpses into Thora’s increasingly chaotic family life. The book as a whole balances all of these elements well, and Philip Roughton’s translation brings out the humour and finds some good solutions to presenting Icelandic-language references for an English audience.

Recommended for readers of the Thora series. Yrsa’s work overall is recommended for anyone looking for great books set in Iceland. ( )

Great crime mystery mixed in with Icelandic family life. ( )

Jakob was born with Down's Syndrome and lived most of his life with his mother but as he grew towards adulthood the expense and difficulty of caring for Jakob meant that the Icelandic state decided he should move to a facility for disabled people. Jakob resented this and one night the home burnt down, killing all the residents except Jakob. Convicted of murder Jakob has been placed in a secure unit. However one man believes he is innocent, the only problem is that he is a psychopath. Jakob's case is taken on by Thora Gudmundsdottir, a lawyer with a chaotic life but a passion for the truth. As she peels away the layers surrounding the case it is clear that there are people with much to hide.

This book was widely acclaimed as one of the best crime novels of last year and, whilst I wouldn't regard it that highly, it is a really good read. There is a sense of time and place but rather than focusing on Iceland's landscape and beauty, this novel uses the Icelandic banking crash to influence approaches and decisions and is better because of that. The attitude of the public, and many in authority, to the special needs of the home's residents are highlighted. Whilst it would be easy for Sigurdardottir to focus on the psychopathic nature of one of her characters, the approach is gently restrained. ( )