YVONNE’S SHORTIES #322 – Blackout // The Accomplice

Time for another round of Yvonne’s Shorties! This time around a Nordic noir sequel I mostly enjoyed and a legal/crime thriller I LOVED.

Title: Blackout
(Dark Iceland #3)
Author: Ragnar Jonasson
Translator: Quentin Bates
Genre: Mystery, Thriller, Suspense
First published: 2011
Publisher: Orenda Books
Finished reading: September 30th 2022
Pages: 220
(Originally published in Icelandic: ‘Myrknætti’)

“You can’t pull up a tree when its roots have grown so deep.”

I read Snowblind and Nightblind back in January 2021, but somehow I never continued this series after that. I’m not sure why, because I did enjoy the first books despite the confusion around the ‘real’ order in which the books need to be read… So I thought it was about time I returned to Siglufjordur for another dose of Ari Thor and Icelandic noir. I’m not sure if I simply wasn’t in the right mood for Blackout, but I feel this is probably my least favorite of the series so far. Don’t get me wrong, it’s by no means a bad read and the case itself is interesting. I loved the descriptions of the Icelandic setting and it was the perfect backdrop for the plot. I think the main reason why Blackout didn’t work as well for me is that the pace was too slow and there were simply too many different POVs and storylines going on at the same time. Each character has something quite intense to hide/confess, but the full impact of each element is kind of lost with so many POV switches… The murder itself didn’t really get the focus I thought it deserved; in fact the storylines in general felt a bit underdeveloped as a direct consequence of the sheer quantity included in the plot. I haven’t been in the mood for slower reads in general lately though, so that might just be part of the problem. And I will still continue the series in the future, although I might wait until next year to do so.

Title: The Accomplice
(Eddie Flynn #7)
Author: Steve Cavanagh
Genre: Mystery, Thriller, Crime
First published: July 21st 2022
Publisher: Orion
Finished reading: October 5th 2022
Pages: 352

“It’s hard to describe the truth. It has a weight. A density. It makes a sound when it drifts through your breastplate, hits your soul and then falls into your guts. You feel it.”

The Eddie Flynn series is hands down one of my absolute favorites, and especially the last three books have blown me away. To say that The Accomplice was one of my most anticipated 2022 releases is an understatement, and I’ve been dying to read it ever since it was published and I got a copy. I couldn’t have picked this sequel up at a better time, and it ended up being just the exhilarating crime/legal thriller story I was craving. I’m a big fan of Eddie Flynn and the rest of the cast, and it was fantastic to be able to catch up with them again. This is another sequel that will hit close to home though, so be prepared! Also, this is definitely a series to read in order if you want to avoid spoilers and fully understand the dynamics between the characters. The Accomplice has a slightly less complicated plot this time around, but that doesn’t mean that there is no action or suspense. A serial killer hunt, a missing wife suspected of being an accomplice, a seemingly impossible case to win in court, a race against the clock, a kidnapping, multiple murders… And lots of twists and secrets to keep you busy along the way. The story uses a lightning fast pace and a multiple POV structure, and those POV switches only add to the suspense. I also always love a good serial killer POV! I did kind of suspect the ending, but that didn’t take away from my reading experience as a whole. I can guarantee that The Accomplice will appear on my list of 2022 favorites!