As if the burial of an entire Icelandic village by a volcanic eruption in 1979 was not gruesome enough, now more recently deceased bodies have been found in one of the basements. There's no way they were victims of the ash and dust from the volcano, so how did they get there, and who murdered them?

Of course, the owner of the house, Markus Magnusson, becomes the prime suspect, especially since he was once accused of killing his childhood girlfriend. Trying to clear his name, her hires attorney Thora Gudmundsdottir to represent him. But the more she delves into the past, as well as the current series of events, the twists and turns she uncovers to her case -- and the locals involved.

This darkly atmospheric psychological suspense is full of unusual characters, as well as numerous surprising twists and turns. This novel was a top crime book in the UK -- and deservedly so.