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Kalmann Odinsson is the self-appointed Sheriff of his town. Day by day, he treks the wide plains which surround the almost deserted village, hunts Arctic foxes and lays bait in the sea — to catch the gigantic Greenland sharks he turns into the Icelandic fermented delicacy, hákarl. There is nothing anyone needs to worry about. Kalmann has everything under control.
Inside his head, however, the wheels sometimes spin backwards. One winter,
after he discovers a pool of blood in the snow, the swiftly unfolding
events threaten to overwhelm him. But he knows that his native wisdom and
pure-hearted courage will see him through. There really is no need to
worry. How can anything go wrong with Kalmann in charge? He knows
everything a man needs to know about life – well, almost.
“A Swiss author writes a book that takes place in Raufarhöfn and creates characters that are more Icelandic than anything Icelandic. What kind of magician is this?”--Hallgrímur Helgason, author of 101 Reykjavík
"An endearing slice-of-life mystery. The narrative charms of Schmidt's unlikely detective will keep readers turning the pages. Nordic crime fans won't want to miss this unusual take on a familiar story."--Publishers' Weekly
"This is a tremendous book. An absolute must buy-and-read. It’s 300 pages long and I took it down in one sitting because I was so enraptured by the world, the story, the characters. Very strong stuff indeed. Thank you, Bitter Lemon Press — more please!--Bookgasm
Star Book--Book of the Month
"This affectionately comical yet beautiful and unique Icelandic mystery ensures the reader sits on the edge of a precipice before understanding strikes. An unforgettable reading experience."--LoveReading
“A novel that reads like an Icelandic Fargo. Crude, droll, bloody, very funny and with a multitude of surprising twists”. – Radio Ö1, Vienna
Joachim B. Schmidt, born in 1981, emigrated from Switzerland to Iceland in 2007. He is the author of several novels and short stories and is also a journalist and columnist. Schmidt who is Swiss and Icelandic lives in Reykjavik with his wife and their two children. Foreign language rights to Kalmann have been sold in eight countries so far.