A skeleton with a broken skull was discovered at the bottom of the shallowed lake Kleyvarvatn. Nearby is a Russian-made radio transmitter tied with a rope. Inspector Erlend from the Reykjavik police takes over the investigation into the circumstances of the death. The tracks lead back decades into the era of the Cold War, total espionage, socialist ideas and underground political activities of Icelandic students in the GDR. The case threatens to turn into an international scandal. "The Drying Lake" is not just an exciting spy detective story created by the recognized master, Icelandic writer Arnald Indridason. This novel goes far beyond the genre and tells about the hopes and disappointments, dreams and personal dramas of the Cold War generation, which, decades later, were brought to public attention.