Forty Words for Sorrow

About the book

‘One of the best novels of [the year]... Giles Blunt has a tremendous talent.’ -Tony Hillerman

‘Forceful... surprising... [Blunt’s] insights into suffering and madness give his characters their true voice.’ -The New York Times

In the quiet Canadian town of Algonquin Bay, a frozen body has been found in an abandoned mine shaft. She is quickly identified as Katie Pine, a teenager who had disappeared months ago. At the time, Detective John Cardinal insisted that Katie was no ordinary runaway. His relentless pursuit and refusal to give up on the case got him demoted from Homicide. But now the Canadian police force wants Cardinal back on the case-with a new associate by his side. And as these two untrusting partners gather evidence of a serial murder spree, a pair of sociopaths is closing in on the next victim.

Winner of The Macallan Silver Dagger for Fiction

Nominated for the Arthur Ellis Award for Best Novel

Praise for this book:

"Intensely vivid characters, terrible crimes and a brutal deep-frozen landscape... Giles Blunt is a really tremendous crime novelist." - Lee Child

"One of the finest crime novels I've ever read." - Jonathan Kellerman