The absolution

Despite their mutual attraction, Reykjavik detective Huldar and child psychologist Freyja's attempts at romance have resulted in a disastrous series of misunderstandings and bitter disappointments. Fortunately for us, Rekjavik's criminals (and Huldar) don't recognize Freyja's efforts to forget they ever met. In their third investigation, a teenage girl, Stella, has been viciously murdered, and the killer has sent a video of her beating to her Snapchat contacts. When police find Stella's body, they also discover a note containing the words "number 2." Knowing all too well that Freyja won't agree, Huldar manages to convince her supervisor that she's integral to the investigation, and she's soon helping Freyja interview young witnesses. Before long, it's clear that the motive was revenge for Stella's unrelenting bullying of a schoolmate; but when the killer strikes another bully, Huldar and Freyja are no closer to identifying the killer's connection to the murdered teens or even the identity of the first victim. Sigurdardóttir is masterful at blending examinations of complex social ills with satisfying procedural details, and this episode proves to be a compassionate, timely bar-raiser in a fine series.

In Sigurdardóttir's stellar third Children's House thriller (after 2019's The Reckoning), Freyja , a frustrated child psychologist, joins forces with Huldar , an problem-ridden Reykjavík police detective, to try to catch a serial killer. The killer posts horrific images on Snapchat to announce the torture-slaughter of adolescent cyberbullies. The fraught relationship between Freyja and Huldar adds emotional depth; since a passionate but ill-fated one-night stand in 2018's The Legacy, Freyja has realized Huldar is the wrong man in the right body for her. The less conflicted Huldar remains attracted to her. Meanwhile, Freyja must gingerly tiptoe around Huldar's boss, Erla , who was once investigated for sexually harassing him. Sigurdardóttir indicts an education system that consistently lets its students down, parents who foster dysfunctional family life, and medical personnel who selfishly hide vital secrets. She also unflinchingly reveals the excruciating pain felt by bullies' victims. This heart-wrenching story deserves a wide audience. (Feb.)

In Sigurdardóttir's third "Children's House" thriller (after The Reckoning), teenager Stella dies slowly and cruelly, begging for forgiveness. When her murder is shared with all her "friends" on Snapchat, the community is traumatized. Her body is found with the number "2" nearby, which begs the question: Could there be a number one? Pressure ramps up when the murder of a teenage boy, #3, is captured similarly. The only connection is they were both considered bullies. Meanwhile, appealing, rule-breaking Det. Huldar is strongly interested in Freyja, the child psychologist serving as a consultant on this case. Attraction simmers between them, although this thread never fully materializes, which is slightly disappointing. The tension surrounding these crimes, however, is top notch, and among parents, schools, teens, and the police, the race is on to find a well-organized, merciless killer. VERDICT Sigurdardóttir creates an intense focus upon and thorough examination of bullying, including issues of isolation, suicide, counseling, and inept prevention in this excellent, gritty thriller that will appeal to series fans and readers of Kimberly McCreight's Reconstructing Amelia. [See Prepub Alert, 7/21/19.]--Gloria Drake, Oswego P.L. Dist., IL