TITLE: Betrayal
AUTHOR: Lilja Sigurdardottir
PUBLISHER: Orenda Books
PUBLISHING DATE: October 1, 2020
FROM GOODREADS:
Burned out and traumatised by her horrifying experiences around the world, aid worker Úrsula has returned to Iceland. Unable to settle, she accepts a high-profile government role in which she hopes to make a difference again. But on her first day in the post, Úrsula promises to help a mother seeking justice for her daughter, who had been raped by a policeman, and life in high office soon becomes much more harrowing than Úrsula could ever have imagined. A homeless man is stalking her – but is he hounding her, or warning her of some danger? And why has the death of her father in police custody so many years earlier reared its head again? As Úrsula is drawn into dirty politics, facing increasingly deadly threats, the lives of her stalker, her bodyguard and even a witch-like cleaning lady intertwine. Small betrayals become large ones, and the stakes are raised ever higher…
Burned out and traumatised by her horrifying experiences around the world, aid worker Úrsula has returned to Iceland. Unable to settle, she accepts a high-profile government role in which she hopes to make a difference again. But on her first day in the post, Úrsula promises to help a mother seeking justice for her daughter, who had been raped by a policeman, and life in high office soon becomes much more harrowing than Úrsula could ever have imagined. A homeless man is stalking her – but is he hounding her, or warning her of some danger? And why has the death of her father in police custody so many years earlier reared its head again? As Úrsula is drawn into dirty politics, facing increasingly deadly threats, the lives of her stalker, her bodyguard and even a witch-like cleaning lady intertwine. Small betrayals become large ones, and the stakes are raised ever higher…
Exploring the harsh worlds of politics, police corruption and misogyny, Betrayal is a relevant, powerful, fast-paced thriller that feels just a little bit too real…
MY THOUGHTS: First look at that cover. Doesn't it just give you chills? The colder months are rapidly approaching in my neck of the woods making me even more drawn toward chilling, thrilling reads. And a book set in Iceland fits the bill.
Ursula has recently returned home to Iceland and accepts a government position. She is trying to help a woman get justice for her daughter, who had been raped by a policeman, but she soon learns she may be in over her head. Ursula has a troubled past with law enforcement herself as her father died while in police custody many years ago. The two cases are driving her to figure out what is really happening and with some help, sometimes in mysterious places, she may get to the bottom of things.
While I'm not one who is usually interested in political books, the fact that this one centered around possible police corruption, albeit in another country, still struck home. And Betrayal ended up being a very intriguing read. I immediately liked Ursula and was very invested in her tale. I wanted to see her succeed. I also enjoyed some of the secondary characters and while Stella, the cleaning lady, seems an odd addition, I found her very interesting.
Betrayal is a deep look into government roles and how dark and seedy things can get at times. Ursula is a great female protagonist and it's nice to see her in a position of power, even if it does seem like it's more than she bargained for at times. This novel contains short chapters which I believe added to the quick pace of the plot. If you are looking for a fascinating looking at politics in a foreign country, then give this stand-alone novel a try.
RATING: 4 Paws
Thanks for the blog tour support xx
ReplyDeleteI'm intrigued by stories set in Iceland, and this sounds really good😁
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