I’ve read a few books from Icelandic author Ragnar Jónasson.

Mixed feelings.

The Darkness, I think, is one of his best. An Icelandic TV adaptation is planned.

The lead character is a 64-year-old detective being forced unwillingly into retirement.

Original.

The body of a young Russian woman washes up on an Icelandic shore. After a cursory investigation, the death is declared a suicide and the case is quietly closed.

Over a year later Detective Inspector Hulda Hermannsdóttir of the Reykjavík police is forced into early retirement at 64.

She dreads the loneliness, and the memories of her dark past that threaten to come back to haunt her. But before she leaves she is given two weeks to solve a single cold case of her choice. She knows which one: the Russian woman whose hope for asylum ended on the dark, cold shore of an unfamiliar country.

Soon Hulda discovers that another young woman vanished at the same time, and that no one is telling her the whole story. Even her colleagues in the police seem determined to put the brakes on her investigation. Meanwhile the clock is ticking. …

Crime by the Book review

During the pandemic I had plenty of time to research future adventures.

#1 on my bucket list was cycling Norway.

Why?

• fantastic scenery
• cycle 24 hours a day in the north. Sleep whenever you want. There is no night during the Arctic summer.
• camp wherever you want. It’s called allemannsretten (loosely translated as ‘the right to roam‘) 
• low cost travel in expensive Norway
• free ferries for cyclists in Norway. We are good for the environment.

My inspiration was MatthewNorway. He put together my 3000km planned itinerary, as well. Wish me luck. 😀

I start south today. Canada Day. 🇨🇦

Shout out for Tromsø Outdoor, an excellent bike shop.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Having run out of books in Deaver’s Lincoln Rhyme series, I resorted to trying one of his stand alone novels.

Very good.

When a night-time call to 911 from a secluded Wisconsin vacation house is cut short, offduty deputy Brynn McKenzie leaves her husband and son at the dinner table and drives up to Lake Mondac to investigate. Was it a misdial or an aborted crime report?

Brynn stumbles onto a scene of true horror and narrowly escapes from two professional criminals. She and a terrified visitor to the weekend house, Michelle, flee into the woods in a race for their lives. …

jefferydeaver.com

Sounds somewhat conventional?

Not at all. This book is all twist and turns. It kept me guessing.

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HOW do you make backpacking VIDEOS interesting? 😀

The Balkans Mirage: A Journey on Wheels … documenting four friends’ ride through the Balkans-a geographical area in southeastern Europe known for its stunning vistas, great riding, history, and bridges—lots of bridges.

The 11-minute film follows the four fictionalized characters as they pedal 1,250 kilometers through Bosnia, Croatia, Montenegro, Albania, Kosovo, Macedonia, and Greece. …

Bikepacking.com

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Forever and a Day is a 2018 James Bond novel written by Anthony Horowitz and featuring original material by James Bond creator Ian Fleming.

A prequel to the events of Casino Royale, the book recounts Bond’s first mission as a double-0 agent …

Set in the French Riviera in 1950, Bond investigates the killing of the previous man designated 007 …

The Bond girl in this one is impressive – Joanne “Sixtine / Madame 16” Brochet.

Aside from all the Great Walks — I also need to get back to New Zealand to cycle some of the Great Rides of the New Zealand Cycle Trail project.

Love this tune.

“What Have They Done to My Song Ma” (1970) is a song written and performed by Melanie Safka.

Miley Cyrus created a new Backyard Sessions series and invited special musical guests to perform with her to make these music video collaborations. 

The Happy Hippie Foundation is a nonprofit organization that rallies young people to fight injustice facing homeless youth, LGBT youth, and other vulnerable populations.

Miley invited Melanie in 2015 for a duet on her classic.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

I’ve always loved this song.

Great guitar. Great vocals.

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Theodore Boone: The Abduction, written by John Grisham, is the second book in the Theodore Boone series. It is written for 11 to 13-year-olds.

It’s worth reading this series in order.

Grisham is such a good story teller, that I was convinced to stay with the plot. I was cheering for Theo.

His good friend, April, disappears from her bedroom in the middle of the night.

No one, not even Theo Boone – who knows April better than anyone – has answers.

As fear ripples through his small hometown and the police hit dead ends, it’s up to Theo to use his legal knowledge and investigative skills to chase down the truth and save April.

Children’s Books Wiki

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Theodore Boone: The Accused #3 is just as good.

Theo’s home town anxiously awaits the new trial of infamous murder suspect Pete Duffy.

There’s been a robbery and Theo is the accused. His reputation is on the line, and with the evidence building against him — and dangerous threats looming —Theo will do whatever it takes to prove his innocence–even if it means breaking a few rules.

It’s a page turner.

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Theodore Boone: The Activist #4 is a longer book. The case more complex.

Theo is still age-13, but starting to grow up.

Small town Strattenburg is divided over a hot political and environmental issue — whether or not to build a $200 million freeway bypass while schools, police, fire, and all other town budgets are being cut.

Theo finds himself right in the thick of it … strongly opposed to the plans.

But when he uncovers corruption beneath the surface, no one—not even Theo—is prepared for the risks—and potential harm—at stake.

Torn between his conscience and the law, Theo will do whatever it takes to stand up for what is right.

The end of this book is the best single scene in the series so far.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

The Coffin Dancer is a 1998 novel by Jeffery Deaver. Book #2 in the series featuring Lincoln Rhyme, a quadriplegic detective.

Rhyme is brilliant. But gets outwitted by a killer hired to do away with 3 witnesses in the last hours before their grand jury testimony.

It’s personal for Rhyme as the same man had killed two of his assistants 5 years before.

If you like surprise plot twists, this book is for you.