In her exchange visit to Iceland, Kent’s discovery of Agnes, the last female executed in Iceland, was serendipitous. Her fascination with the murderess was immediate and propelled her into researching, interviewing and traversing the steps of the young servant girl with utter fascination.

The story begins in October 1795 when Agnes is born as an illegitimate child to Ingveldur and another servant, Magnus, at a home in Flaga. Agnes is suspicious that the married farmer of the house is in fact her real father and although it is never confirmed, given the dynamic of the working class at the time, it’s not a stretch to imagine this being the case. Five years later, Agnes’ half-brother Joas is born. At age 6, Agnes is abandoned by her mother and becomes a servant girl at the household of Kornsa where two years later her adoptive mother, Inga, dies in childbirth and the gruesome memory stays with Agnes forever. When Agnes is confirmed with the church at 13 years old, allowing her to take Holy Communion, there is promise for the girl who is said to have ‘an excellent intellect’.

Eighteen years later, Agnes takes the position recently vacated by Karitas as housekeeper for Natan as his farm in Illugastadir and her life begins to unravel. Shortly after her arrival, murders are reported and two dead bodies are found incinerated in the burnt farmhouse. District Commissioner Bjorn Blondal, an upright man of the law, finds Agnes Magnusdottir, Fridrick Sigurdsson and Sigridur (Sigga) Gudmundsdottir guilty of murder and the Land Court upholds the death sentence on the 27th October 1828. The condemned three spend their time in captivity in Stora-Borg but for reasons unknown, Agnes is transported to the family farm at Kornsa to spend her remaining time under house arrest.

A previous acquaintance sees Agnes request Assistant Reverend Toti (from Breidabolstadur) to be her spiritual advisor and he agrees, despite the reservations the District Commissioner holds. When Agnes arrives at Kornsa in June 1829, it is just over six months until her execution date. The Icelandic Supreme Court rules that Fridrick, Sigga and Agnes should be put to death for murder and arson. Although young Sigga’s appeal is granted and is reduced to life imprisonment in Copenhagen, Agnes and Fridrick are put to death in January 1830. On the 12th of January 1830, Agnes and Fridrick are marched up to a cliff side overlooking the ocean, made to kneel down and are beheaded, one after the other. The spot is marked today in Iceland – a small stone ledge with a small-carved message inscribed.

Glossary of Terms

One of the more challenging aspects of the novel is the language used. It’s important to understand the terms and how Icelandic names are formulated.
Simply put, a child born in Iceland adopts the name of their father as their surname. For example, Agnes was thought to be born of Magnus so she becomes Agnes Magnusdottir. The ‘dottir’ pertains to being ‘daughter of (Magnus)’ whereas a son would become ‘Magnusson’. See the following examples for further clarification –

• Steina Jonsdottir (her name is Steina and she is Jon’s daughter/‘dottir’)
• Fridrick Sigurdssson (his given name is Fridrick and he is the ‘son’ of Sigurd)