White Out by Ragnar Jonasson

 "It was a sight Asta Karadottir would never forget, even though she had only been a child when she saw it--or maybe for that very reason. She had been in her room in the attic when it happened...But what she saw--the terrible event she witnessed--would never leave her. She had never told a soul about it. And now she had returned after a long exile."

The plot:  

When Asta is found dead at the bottom of the cliffs below the Kalfshamarsvik lighthouse on the northern coast of Iceland, Ari Thor Arason is called in to help his former boss, Tomas, investigate. Ari Thor brings his girlfriend, Kristin, along because it's almost Christmas Eve and she's eight months pregnant. Not many people live at Kalfshamarsvik, which narrows their list of suspects to just four people. It should be an easy investigation, until someone else ends up dead. 

Kalfshamarsvik Lighthouse in Iceland

My thoughts:

The Icelandic setting in White Out is so alluring! And I thought Asta's story, and Ari Thor's investigation into her death, was very compelling. It's fast-paced and there are several good twists. If I had to describe this mystery in one word it would be riveting. And even though I haven't read any of Jonasson's other books, and this is the fifth book in the Dark Iceland series, I never felt lost. Ari Thor is a great character. I look forward to checking out Jonasson's other books. 

Happy Reading!

Another excellent Icelandic mystery:  My Soul to Take by Yrsa Sigurdardottir

An Icelandic Mystery

It's supposed to be a relaxing New Age health resort on the west coast of Iceland, but Jonas Juliusson, the new owner, thinks it's haunted. So he calls in his lawyer, Thora Gudmundsdottir, to come investigate. But Thora's investigation quickly takes a dark turn when the young architect working at the resort is murdered on the beach and found naked, beaten, and with pins stuck in the souls of her feet. Now Jonas is one of the prime suspects. Thora, along with her German boyfriend, Matthew Reich, must act quickly to find out who the real murderer is before it's too late.

My Soul To Take by Yrsa Sigurdardottir is Nordic crime fiction at its best. There's something haunting about it. Sigurdardottir expertly weaves Iceland's unique culture and history into a deliciously compelling mystery. And Thora and Matthew are great characters; they also appear in Sigurdardottir's first novel, Last Rituals, which is a much darker and more disturbing mystery. I liked this novel better. It's fun and fast-paced and will keep you guessing until the very end.

Happy Reading!

Also by Yrsa Sigurdardottir: The Day is Dark