At first light by Barbara Nickless is a delightful and very satisfying thriller. What I really liked in this book are pieces of information about Vikings and their ancient alphabets. It is both very well researched and well presented. Although I have no clue whether they were true or not, they surely made the story intriguing. Since mostly what we know about Vikings comes from second hand sources and the book is a thrill ride and not a researcher’s work, I simply like the writer’s way of presenting things.
The novel has two primary characters: First one is Detective Addie Bisset, and second one is her companion the forensic semiotician Dr. Evan Wilding. Somebody who studies signs is called a semiotician, and for this case Evan additionally knows about various runes, languages, history and more. Evan is a dwarf with height of four foot five, and we are acquainted with him as he is with his pet goshawk named Ginny, who has been authorized to chase pigeons in the park in Chicago. At the point when Addie is called to an exceptionally bizarre ritualistic murder scene with mysterious runes, she quickly brings Evan to assist with the case.
Obviously there are riddles to be solved to discover the identity of the killer, and Evan’s remarkable expertise makes him the ideal person. There is a lot of spotlight on the two primary characters; with Addie being a practically strong female detective, while Evan is a splendid academic type; and there are even a few clues at a slight romantic tension between these two companions. The pair should cooperate to settle the secret, before more lives are lost.
I would rather not ruin the suspense for the reader, however I must say I learned so much more about Vikings and Norse folklore. Barbara took us on an amazingly layered, wild ride with a flawed but brave hero. Overall! I really enjoyed At first light by Barbara Nickless. I recommend this book to everyone who enjoys good fiction.
Also Read: The Last Rose of Shanghai By Weina Dai Randel is a Terrific Historical Novel
