Synopsis
'An Icelandic tale, a haunting mystery, and a paean to the messy bonds of family.' - Victor LaValle, author of Lone Women
'A spectacularly eerie crime novel . . . had me turning pages late into the night!' - Hannah Kent, author of Burial Rites
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Years ago, a child went missing. Now it might happen again.
Unnur is a single mother to her beloved daughter, Lilja, and lives a deliberately quiet life in Reykjavík, working at a bakery under a fake name and trying to forget the last summer of her childhood. But when her ex-husband returns to Iceland with his new girlfriend, Unnur's carefully crafted reality begins to fray.
Because years ago, Unnur's childhood best friend, Freyja, disappeared and maybe this new woman had something to do with it. Maybe she might do the same thing to Unnur's daughter.
Faced with the risk of losing her daughter, Unnur must look to her past and remember what happened all those years ago. Where did Freyja go? And what did Unnur do?
Steeped in Icelandic folklore and myth, Freyja is at once a gripping story of a child's disappearance, a testament to the power of a mother's love, and an enthralling tale of redemption and forgiveness from a gifted new voice.
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'An eerie novel that will keep you up late into the night.' - Eowyn Ivey, author of The Snow Child
'Mythic and atmospheric . . . A twisty, compelling read.' - Janelle Brown, author of What Kind of Paradise
'A haunting, hypnotic novel . . .' - Chelsea Bieker, author of Madwoman
'A dark, glittering jewel of a debut.' - Crystal Hana Kim, author of The Stone Home
'There's plenty of terror-and even more love-in these pages.' - Gin Phillips, author of Ruby Falls
'Original, stunning, and unforgettable.' - Binnie Kirshenbaum, author of Counting Backwards
'Freyja will chill you to the bone. . .' - Melissa Larsen, author of The Lost House
'A spectacularly eerie crime novel . . . had me turning pages late into the night!' - Hannah Kent, author of Burial Rites
__________________________________________________________
Years ago, a child went missing. Now it might happen again.
Unnur is a single mother to her beloved daughter, Lilja, and lives a deliberately quiet life in Reykjavík, working at a bakery under a fake name and trying to forget the last summer of her childhood. But when her ex-husband returns to Iceland with his new girlfriend, Unnur's carefully crafted reality begins to fray.
Because years ago, Unnur's childhood best friend, Freyja, disappeared and maybe this new woman had something to do with it. Maybe she might do the same thing to Unnur's daughter.
Faced with the risk of losing her daughter, Unnur must look to her past and remember what happened all those years ago. Where did Freyja go? And what did Unnur do?
Steeped in Icelandic folklore and myth, Freyja is at once a gripping story of a child's disappearance, a testament to the power of a mother's love, and an enthralling tale of redemption and forgiveness from a gifted new voice.
__________________________________________________________
'An eerie novel that will keep you up late into the night.' - Eowyn Ivey, author of The Snow Child
'Mythic and atmospheric . . . A twisty, compelling read.' - Janelle Brown, author of What Kind of Paradise
'A haunting, hypnotic novel . . .' - Chelsea Bieker, author of Madwoman
'A dark, glittering jewel of a debut.' - Crystal Hana Kim, author of The Stone Home
'There's plenty of terror-and even more love-in these pages.' - Gin Phillips, author of Ruby Falls
'Original, stunning, and unforgettable.' - Binnie Kirshenbaum, author of Counting Backwards
'Freyja will chill you to the bone. . .' - Melissa Larsen, author of The Lost House
Details
06 August 2026
9781806173754Imprint: Zaffre
Reviews
Freyja is such an elegant and confident debut. Margrét Ann Thors depicts a mother's love as both fierce and fearsome, making the story feel mythic and grounded at once. An Icelandic tale, a haunting mystery, and a paean to the messy bonds of family.
A spectacularly eerie crime novel that draws on the mysteries of Icelandic folklore to deepen the uncertainties at its heart, Freyja had me turning pages late into the night!
An eerie novel that will keep you up late into the night. Unnur is desperate to escape the past and protect her young daughter, but she will learn that memory is fickle and changelings lurk in the shadows. Margrét Ann Thors beautifully evokes Iceland, with its cold winds, wave-battered cliffs, and mysterious folk tales. Gripping and heartfelt.
Mythic and atmospheric, Freyja tingles the senses like an incipient freeze. I love an icy noir that builds complicated relationships and unique settings, and Freyja fits the bill perfectly. A twisty, compelling read.
