Summary

In Chapter 21, Erlendur is in the Barónsstigur morgue with a pathologist. The pathologist gives Erlenur an in-depth description of how Holberg died. The pathologist says that Holberg received a serious blow to the head and he believes the attacker was right-handed. The pathologist also notes that a small benign tumor was found on Holberg’s brain and he has café au lait stains in various places on his skin.

Since Audur was described as having similar symptoms, Erlendur presses the pathologist for more information to determine if he was the one from whom Audur inherited her genetic disease. After the pathologist tells Erlendur the story of how a man named Thomas Harvey took Einstein’s brain after the autopsy for his own personal collection, he informs Erlendur that Audur’s brain is not where it should be.

Chapter 22 begins with the pathologist...