They led, many have followed

The irresistible logic of capitalist growth and human self-interest. Of course they believed they were doing the right thing at every step. And many of the rulers they defeated were more despotic, But the way in which it inevitably led to political corruption has so many echoes today. Essentially the joint stock company is a malignant social organisation which survives as a vehicle for greed and dreams. 

Average small town average crime mystery

Elma, the young detective, was a bit hard to believe in - her back-story didn't seem quite right (and it turned out in the end that she didn't know her long term boyfriend who she broke up with just beforw moving back to her home town was dyding of some unspecified disease).  Dealing with the Icelandic names sometimes makes it a bit difficult to remember who is who, but aside from that it is a good quick read.

Towards the end the circle of suspects narrows although the police have no hard evidence, but we have already been told who the paedophile is (the slacker brother of the town big-man)

but right at the end suddenly everyone seems to be let off the hook - the town big-man's wife seems to get away with attempting to murder her husband, who she thought was the paedophile. His brother, who was the original criminal that started the chain of event does a flit and gets away with it, and various other loose threads are left dangling.