Writing in Ice: A Crime Writer’s Guide to Iceland

If you had to choose a new location for a crime series, where would you look? Michael Ridpath had to do just that. He chose Iceland, a country of fjords, glaciers and volcanoes, of long, manic summer days and long, sinister winter evenings, a place where everyone is on Facebook and everyone’s grandmother has spoken to an elf.

This is his account of researching the country: the breathtaking landscape, its vigorous if occasionally odd people, the great heroes and heroines of its sagas, and (of course) those troublesome elves; with a little bit thrown in about how to put together a good detective story. Entertaining and informative, it’s a guide to Iceland for the visitor, and a guide to crime writing for the reader.

Praise for Michael Ridpath’s Magnus Iceland Mysteries: “Michael Ridpath continues to amaze me with his great sense of place with regards to Iceland.” – Yrsa Sigurdardóttir, No1 bestselling Icelandic author.

“International thriller writing at its best, fine characters, page-turning suspense and a great, fresh location” – Peter James“

Obviously, Icelandic readers will read 66 Degrees North with critical eyes and try to find errors in the author’s presentation of Iceland and the Icelanders. But it’s impossible to see that the book is written by a foreigner who just recently got to know the country he is writing about.” – Morgunbladid, Reykjavík.