• Silence of the Grave

  • Reykjavik Murder Mysteries, Book 2
  • By: Arnaldur Indridason
  • Narrated by: George Guidall
  • Length: 8 hrs and 20 mins
  • 4.3 out of 5 stars (695 ratings)

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Silence of the Grave  By  cover art

Silence of the Grave

By: Arnaldur Indridason
Narrated by: George Guidall
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Publisher's summary

Inspector Erlendur returns in this gripping Icelandic thriller

When a skeleton is discovered half-buried in a construction site outside of ReykjavIk, Inspector Erlendur finds himself knee-deep in both a crime scene and an archeological dig. Bone by bone, the body is unearthed, and the brutalizing history of a family who lived near the building site comes to light along with it. Was the skeleton a man or a woman, a victim or a killer, and is this a simple case of murder or a long-concealed act of justice?

As Erlendur tries to crack this cold case, he must also save his drug-addicted daughter from self destruction and somehow glue his hopelessly fractured family back together. Like the chilly Nordic mysteries of Henning Mankell and Karen Fossum, Arnaldur Indridason delivers a stark police procedural full of humanity and pathos, a classic noir from a very cold place.

©2002 Arnaldur Indridason, English translation ©2005 by Bernard Scudder (P)2012 Recorded Books

What listeners say about Silence of the Grave

Average customer ratings
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Lovely, Dark & Deep

"Silence of the Grave" is difficult to read. I wanted several times to stop listening. Not because the novel is not good, but because it is so terrible and raw at times. It opens with the discovery of a rib bone at a construction site. Inspector Erlendur and his team are called in to investigate. From there a second story begins. It takes place prior to and during world war two. It is the story of a cruelly battered woman and her three small children. It is the story of how the bones made their way into the grave. It was heart wrenching to listen too. Back in Erlendur's day, as he investigates the mystery, he is also dealing with his daughter's drug induced miscarriage and the coma she falls into as a result. The novel goes from there. It is beautifully written and the mystery is more than compelling. The author does a wonderful job of fleshing out each of the characters in the novel and giving them a "soul". The novel was absorbing, and as I mentioned terrible. I found it worth the journey to reach the end and discover all of the secrets the unknown grave held. Although I admit, I will be chosing lighter fare for my next novel. I recommend this novel to any fan of the "Nordic Mystery" genre. I must also mention the superlative narration of George Guidall. He reads the novel perfectly.

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13 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Facing the Subject Head On

This is not just a mystery; it's an indictment of spousal abuse. Unfortunately, it rings true today, and far beyond the boundaries of Iceland, as well. It has a wealth of detail and character development, sometimes a bit too much. The narrator, George Guidell, does his usual excellent job.

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9 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

shocking

this book was tense and humbling it was something that will stay with Me for awhile.

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5 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    1 out of 5 stars

Talk about depressing!!!

If you could sum up Silence of the Grave in three words, what would they be?

domestic violence, drug abuse

Has Silence of the Grave turned you off from other books in this genre?

well, I probably won't read another book by this particular author for awhile.

Which scene was your favorite?

The ending.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

The two story lines were both VERY VERY depressing; it wasn't a good fit for me at this point.

Any additional comments?

A story of domestic violence and drug abuse.

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5 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Not what I expected

What did you like best about Silence of the Grave? What did you like least?

I thought that Silence of the Grave would be more like a Harry Hole or Harry Bosch book but not quite. I bought this book based on the fantastic reviews which were just a bit skewed in my opinion. I was hoping for a more macho storyline and am not one who enjoys soap operas and family dramas.

What was your reaction to the ending? (No spoilers please!)

The ending was a bit of a surprise in that it was very abrupt.

Have you listened to any of George Guidall’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

George Guidall is always a great narrator and this book was no exception.

Do you think Silence of the Grave needs a follow-up book? Why or why not?

I believe it is already a series.

Any additional comments?

I would like to see a search filter that delineates books rated highly by men vs those rated highly by women.

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4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Satisfying and interesting, but sad tale.

I found this book haunting and compelling. The narration was excellent. Each character and thread ultimately sad but told with humanity. The conclusions realistic - some resolutions, some hope for the future and some questions remaining unanswered.

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

5

One well thought out, well plotted mystery spanning 60 years, or not. One outstanding narrator. George Guidall. This could have missed being a 5 by a country mile- but it does not. It is lovely mystery with which to pass and enjoy time. Intelligent, fine characters, Iceland --how many countries are as interesting?

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars

DREARY

Any additional comments?

I used to be a fan of 'Nordic Noir' but it is getting awfully predictable. This is just plain lugubrious and dreary - with A LOT of social preaching ( yes - we all now get that the Scandinavian model of society has its downside) while more or less completely forgetting the actual story. Readers/listeners are NOT just punching bags for long social commentary masked as realist noir fiction. This was slow, depressing and felt like wading through mud. Not helped by this narrator - who I have heard and had trouble with before. Slow, and too 'folksy'. Very little variation. That was OK - just - in the Longmire books; but the combo in this one sinks the ship.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars

Wanted to review another book : Artic Chill

Should have taken reviews of Artic Chill to heart! It was awful and BORING. I was so disappointed because I have loved the author and of course, George Guidall is the BEST!
I returned Artic Chill. I plan to order another book by Indridason because I do not want to give up just because of one bad story. Honestly, the same questions were asked over and over and the story just never went anywhere. I was surprised to learn about racism being an issue. I have been fascinated with Iceland and have just begun to explore its history and culture. I have a lot to learn.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

loved the book.

hate having to type this.
it was better when we could just leave a star ranking.
you've made this a chore. nice job.

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