Book excerpt: 'Superior crime fiction set in Iceland' The Times 'As chilling as an Icelandic winter' S. J. Bolton When a shipowner is found dead, tied to a bed in one of Reykjavik's smartest hotels, Sergeant Gunnhildur sees no evidence of foul play. However, she still suspects things are not as cut and dried as they seem and, as she investigates the shipowner's untimely demise, she stumbles across a discreet bondage society whose members are being systematically exploited and blackmailed. But how does all this connect to a local gangster recently returned to Iceland after many years abroad, and the unfortunate loss of a government laptop containing sensitive data about various members of the ruling party? What begins as a straightforward case for Gunnhildur soon explodes into a dangerous investigation, uncovering secrets that ruthless men are ready to go to violent extremes to keep. The third dark and atmospheric thriller in Quentin Bates's Icelandic crime series. A chilling page-turner perfect for fans of Jo Nesbo, Henning Mankell and Søren Sveistrup's The Chestnut Man. Praise for Quentin Bates: 'A great read - leaves you craving the next installment' Yrsa Sigurðardóttir 'A perfect book to curl up with in front of the fire' The Bookbag 'Well written and absorbing' Woman's Way 'Captures the chilly spirit of Nordic crime fiction . . . Fans of Arnaldur Indridason's Reykjavík mysteries will want to add Bates to their reading lists' Booklist '[A] crackling fiction debut ... palpable authenticity' Publishers Weekly 'A superb new series' Eurocrime