Simon Cox - The Reykjavik Confessions: The Incredible True Story of Iceland’s Most Notorious Murder Case

A true story of false memories.

Over decades and decades in Iceland people have gone missing without anyone finding anything out. They just sort of disappear

In 1974, 18-year-old Gudmundur disappears after a boozy night in a fishing town near Reykjavik. Eleven months later Geirfinnur, a quiet family man, goes missing from Keflavik harbour in the southwest of Iceland after being summoned by a mysterious phone call from home. Both men are eventually presumed dead, but their bodies are never found.

This quiet island is in an uproar two disappearances with no forensics, no leads, no clue what has happened. Soon, the vanishings set in motion an almost surreal series of events, a remarkable tale of corruption, forced confession, false memory and madness that stretches over 40 years.

Based on author Simon Coxs celebrated BBC News investigation, The Reykjavik Confessions is a chilling journey of discovery into a dark corner of Icelandic history, and a riveting true-crime thriller that will have you gripped until the very last page.

Simon Cox is the chief investigative reporter at BBC radio current affairs, writing and presenting for a range of Radio 4 programmes. He has reported from over 30 countries covering stories ranging from Ebola in DR Congo to the Oklahoma Bombing in the USA. His original investigation into The Reykjavik Confessions was read by over a million people on the BBC News website, and he is consultant on an upcoming dramatization of the story. This is his first book.

Gudmundur Einarsson. The 18-year-old went missing in January 1974 after leaving a nightclub in Hafnarfjordur. He was assumed to have been killed. His body has never been found.

Geirfinnur Einarsson. The 32-year-old disappeared after going to a meeting at a caf in Keflavik in November 1974. He was assumed to have been killed. His body has never been found.

Saevar Marino Cieselski. The first suspect to be arrested and supposed ringleader of the gang. He spent 741 days in solitary confinement and was questioned at least 180 times. He was sentenced to 17 years in prison for the murders of Gudmundur Einarsson and Geirfinnur Einarsson. He died in 2011.

Erla Bolladottir. Saevars girlfriend. She spent 241 days in solitary confinement and was questioned at least 105 times. She was sentenced to 3 years in prison for making false accusations and obstructing the investigation.

Kristjan Vidar Vidarsson. Childhood friend of Saevars. He was questioned over 160 times and spent 682 days in solitary confinement. He was found guilty of the murders of Gudmundur and Geirfinnur Einarsson and jailed for 16 years.

Gudjon Skarphedinsson. Saevars former teacher who tried to import drugs into Iceland with him. He spent 412 days in solitary confinement and was questioned at least 75 times. He was jailed for 10 years for the murder of Geirfinnur Einarsson.

Tryggvi Runar Leifsson. Teenage friend of Kristjan and Saevar. He spent 627 days in solitary confinement and was questioned at least 95 times. He was jailed for 13 years for the murder of Gudmundur Einarsson. He died in 2009.

Albert Klahn Skaftason. Childhood friend of Saevar. He was in solitary confinement for 88 days and questioned 26 times. He was convicted of obstructing the investigation into Gudmundur Einarsson and jailed for 12 months.

Magnus Leopoldsson. Manager of Klubburin. Arrested in January 1976 over the murder of Geirfinnur Einarsson and held for 105 days in solitary confinement before being released without charge.

Einar Bollason. Erlas half brother. Arrested in January 1976 over the murder of Geirfinnur Einarsson and held for 105 days in solitary confinement before being released without charge.

Valdimar Olsen. Friend of Erlas half brother Einar. Arrested in January 1976 over the murder of Geirfinnur Einarsson and held for 105 days before being released without charge.

Sigurbjorn Eriksson. Owner of Klubburin. Arrested in February 1976 over the murder of Geirfinnur Einarsson and held for 90 days before being released without charge.

Njordur Snaeholm. Veteran detective who investigated the disappearance of Gudmundur Einarsson in Hafnarfjordur in January 1974.

Valtyr Sigurdsson. A magistrate who investigated the disappearance of Geirfinnur Einarsson from November 1974 until June 1975.

Haukur Gudmundsson. A detective who investigated the disappearance of Geirfinnur Einarsson from November 1974 until June 1975.

Orn Hoskuldsson. The Reykjavik magistrate who investigated the murders of Gudmundur and Geirfinnur Einarsson in 1975 until 1977.

Karl Schutz. A German detective hired by the Icelandic government in July 1976 until January 1977 to help solve the murder of Geirfinnur Einarsson.

Sigurbjorn Eggertsson. Detective who investigated the murders of Gudmundur and Geirfinnur Einarsson.

Eggert Bjarnasson. Detective who investigated the murders of Gudmundur and Geirfinnur Einarsson.

Gretar Saemundsson. Detective who investigated the murders of Gudmundur and Geirfinnur Einarsson.

Gisli Gudmundsson. Detective who investigated the murders of Gudmundur and Geirfinnur Einarsson.

Hallvardur Einvardsson. Deputy prosecutor who prepared the cases to bring to court.

Gunnlaugur Briem. Judge who investigated and passed judgement on the cases in 1977.

Gisli Gudjonsson. Former detective who became renowned forensic psychologist.

Gunnar Gudmundsson. Chief prison warden at Sidumuli jail.

Hlynur Thor Magnussson. Warden who worked at Sidumuli jail and befriended Erla Bolladottir.

Gudmundur Gudbjarnarson. Warden who worked at Sidumuli jail.

Rev Jon Bjarman. Prison chaplain who regularly visited the suspects in Sidumuli jail.

For Jo, Luli and Biba

From the moment I came across this case, it struck me as one of the highest public interest, exposing as it does the many failings of the Icelandic justice system. In order to write this book I interviewed many people, including some of the key players in the story. I also contacted all of the main investigators who were involved in the case and conducted extensive research on the material that had been revealed through the two official enquiries into the case. These enquiries and the interview testimonies showed repeated mistreatment of the suspects during their time in Sidumuli. Despite repeated attempts to speak to the investigators involved in the case, they did not want to talk generally about the case, nor did they answer specific allegations that had emerged from the official reports and interview testimonies about how the suspects had been treated while they were held in Sidumuli prison.