When Mekkin’s brother-in-law is found murdered in a society built to prevent violence, her investigation spirals into danger and secrecy, drawing her family into the centre of a crime that should not exist … An utterly gripping standalone speculative mystery from the bestselling author of Cold asHell…
**Shortlisted for Icelandic Crime Book of the Year**
'Icelandic crime-writing at its finest' Shari Lapena
'Icelandic crime queen Lilja Sigurðardóttir goes from strength to strength' Financial Times
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Reykjavík, 2052. Europe is peaceful, prosperous and almost crime-free, governed by Ɐlfa, the artificial intelligence that manages infrastructure, safety and daily life. Mekkín works at the Ministry, close to the core of the system that keeps society running. She lives with her partner, Sabína, an artist.
When Sabína’s brother Birkir, a committed dissident who lives beyond the reach of Ɐlfa, is found brutally murdered, that fragile sense of order begins to fracture. Violent crime has effectively been eliminated, and Birkir’s death is not just shocking, but inexplicable. What was he involved in, and who would dare to commit murder in a world designed to prevent it?
As the investigation unfolds, Sabína is drawn ever deeper into the case. Mekkín’s position at the Ministry brings scrutiny she cannot escape, their relationship begins to fracture, and their teenage son’s recent integration into the system places him uncomfortably close to the forces now circling the family. As Sabína pieces together Birkir’s final days, the answers begin to point far closer to home than either of them ever expected, forcing her to decide what she is prepared to sacrifice to uncover the truth…
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