If you're familiar with Arnaldur Indridason's 'Reykjavik murders' series, then you'll already know what a fine writer he is. If you haven't come across these novels before, they will appeal to anyone who enjoys Ian Rankin or Henning Mankell. Indeed the main character, Inspector Erlendur, does bear an uncanny similarity to Rebus and Wallander. Like them, he is a melancholic, middle-aged man who has been through an acrimonius divorce, has a difficult relationship with his daughter and spends many an evening alone in his flat eating warm-up meals. However, Erlendur is no pale imitation of other detectives and Indridason has successfully created a character who is intriguing and likeable in his own right. And after all, who wants a happy detective?