Whiteout by Ragnar Jónasson - Blog Tour

I am delighted to be today's stop on the blog tour for Whiteout by Ragnar Jónasson. Whiteout was published by Orenda Books on 1 November 2017. Read my review...


Whiteout
By Ragnar Jónasson
Published by Orenda Books (1 November 2017)
I bought the ebook and pre-ordered the hardback, then received an ARC from the publisher

Publisher's description

Two days before Christmas, a young woman is found dead beneath the cliffs of the deserted village of Kálfshamarvík. Did she jump, or did something more sinister take place beneath the lighthouse and the abandoned old house on the remote rocky outcrop? With winter closing in and the snow falling relentlessly, Ari Thór Arason discovers that the victim's mother and young sister also lost their lives in this same spot, twenty-five years earlier. As the dark history and its secrets of the village are unveiled, and the death toll begins to rise, the Siglufjordur detectives must race against the clock to find the killer, before another tragedy takes place.  

My verdict
Yet again, Ragnar Jónasson has written a compelling crime novel. I often compare his books to those of Agatha Christie (many of which he has translated into Icelandic). Whiteout, in particular, has a cosy crime feel to its plot, with a fairly small cast of suspects and a 'locked room (house, in this case)' scenario. Yet it's much darker than the Christie books - and obviously covers modern themes.

The book is intriguing from the first page, introducing readers to a young woman called Ásta Káradóttir who has returned to her childhood home. This fleshes out Ásta's character straight away, so that when she's found dead at the base of some cliffs you already feel something for her. She's not just a random dead body - she's already someone the reader 'knows'. For me, this certainly made me want to discover what happened to her, and whether her death was just an accident. The fact that her mother and younger sister also died in the same spot, 25 years earlier, suggests something more sinister is going on. It's up to Ari Thór and his colleague Tómas to investigate.

I read most of the book in one sitting. As expected, Whiteout is atmospheric and well written (and well translated), with haunting poetic descriptions of the old lighthouse and nearby abandoned house. Each of the suspects was present in the house that night. All appear to be harbouring secrets and may have a possible motive. I spent my time going round in circles trying to work out the 'whodunnit'. In the end I gave up trying, realising I just had to wait until Ragnar Jónasson revealed the truth at the end.

Whiteout is full of secrets and surprises. It has left me wanting more - in a good way, I should add. I'm (almost) tempted to learn Icelandic, so that I don't have to wait too long to read the next book in this series. In the meantime, I'll have to head back to the beginning of this Dark Iceland series and read the books again.

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Rupture by Ragnar Jónasson - Blog Tour

I am delighted to be today's stop on the blog tour for Rupture by Ragnar Jónassen, which was published by Orenda Books on 15 January 2017. Here's my review (plus details of a giveaway at the end) ...

Rupture
By Ragnar Jónasson
Translated by Quentin Bates
Published by Orenda Books (15 January 2017)
ISBN: 978-1910633571

Publisher's description

1955. Two young couples move to the uninhabited, isolated fjord of Hedinsfjörður. Their stay ends abruptly when one of the women meets her death in mysterious circumstances. The case is never solved. Fifty years later an old photograph comes to light, and it becomes clear that the couples may not have been alone on the fjord after all…

In nearby Siglufjörður, young policeman Ari Thór tries to piece together what really happened that fateful night, in a town where no one wants to know, where secrets are a way of life. He's assisted by Ísrún, a news reporter in Reykjavik who is investigating an increasingly chilling case of her own. Things take a sinsister turn when a child goes missing in broad daylight. With a stalker on the loose, and the town of Siglufjörður in quarantine, the past might just come back to haunt them.

My verdict
I love this Dark Iceland series and believe that Rupture may possibly be the most intriguing so far.

Rupture is set in a small Icelandic community, which becomes quarantined (and even more isolated than usual) when a deadly virus strikes at its heart. Stranded by the epidemic, Ari Thór begins to investigate a 60-year-old cold case of poisoning at a remote fjord, looking for a mysterious young man in a old photograph. He seeks the help of Isrun, a news reporter in Reykjavik (first introduced in Blackout), who is investigating a hit and run and the disappearance of a young child.

Rupture is chilling, atmospheric and very readable (beautifully translated by Quentin Bates). I whizzed through it in just a few hours - totally captivated by the vivid descriptions of the Icelandic setting and daily life and haunted by the suspicious death of the past.

Yet again, as with all Dark Iceland books, there are several seemingly unconnected strands. They flowed alongside one another until they gradually began to weave together, creating a tapestry of deception and lies. There was more than a hint of Agatha Christie within the plot, especially as Ari Thór gathered everyone together for the final reveal. I believe these Dark Iceland books will feature on classic crime fiction reading lists for decades to come.

I have one copy of Rupture to give away (UK only). To enter, follow me on Twitter (@VictoriaGoldma2) and RT my pinned Rupture giveaway tweet. Entries close at midnight on 5th February. Winner chosen at random on 6th February and will be notified by Twitter Direct Messaging.

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Expanding the Golden Age by Ragnar Jónasson

I am delighted to welcome Ragnar Jónasson to my blog today for his Blackout Blog Tour. Ragnar talks about the Golden Age of detective fiction and which titles he has enjoyed the most. Blackout was published in paperback by Orenda Books on 15 July 2016. You can read a snippet of my review below.

Expanding the Golden Age

By Ragnar Jónasson

I have sometimes been asked about my influences and in these cases I invariably mention the Golden Age of detecive fiction, along with more modern crime authors as well, of course. The Golden Age is usually defined as the era between the two world wars, and I thought I might use this opportunity to recommend a few Golden Age titles which I’ve enjoyed. 

These books are usually focused on the detection of a crime, although they can hardly be called police procedurals, and the element of the puzzle is quite important. Fair play is also of the utmost improtance and the reader is challenged to solve the case – indeed sometimes literally, as in the first book I’d like to mention, “The Roman Hat Mystery”, Ellery Queen’s first case, first published in 1929. The early Ellery Queen novels are superb examples of the Golden Age, and a particular favorite of mine, in addition to The Roman Hat Mystery, is The Dutch Shoe Mystery (1931), which is perfectly set in a mysterious hospital. 

Another great Golden Age writer from the US, if somewhat underrated perhaps, is S.S. Van Dine, the creator of the debonaire sleuth Philo Vance. My favorite is The Greene Murder Case (1928), set in the “gloomy Greene mansion in New York”, but I can also recommend, for example, The Scarab Murder Case (1929). 

I would also like to mention a classic novel by Anthony Berkely, The Poisoned Chocolates Case (1929), featuring Roger Sheringham, and it should be noted that the British Library will be re-issuing this title in October, with a brand new alternative ending by crime writer Martin Edwards. 

Another great Golden Age author is New Zealand’s Ngaio Marsh, and amongst her titles I would recommend “Enter a Murderer” (1935), the second Roderick Alleyn mystery, dealing with a murder in the theatre. 

I have of course failed to mention the Golden Age writer here above, Agatha Christie, as selecting my favorite of her novels would be the subject for another article.

About Ragnar Jónasson

Ragnar Jónassen was born in Reykjavik, Iceland, where he works as a writer and a lawyer. He also teaches copyright law at Reykjavik University and has previously worked on radio and television, including as a TV-news reporter for the Icelandic National Broadcasting Service.

Ragnar Jonasson is the award winning author of the international bestselling Dark Iceland series. He is the winner of the Mörda Dead Good Reader Award 2016 for Nightblind. TV rights to the series have been sold to production company On the Corner in the UK, producers of Academy Award winning documentary Amy.

He is also the co-founder of the Reykjavik international crime writing festival Iceland Noir.

Find Ragnar Jónassen on his website and on Twitter - @ragnarjo

Blackout
By Ragnar Jónasson
Published by Orenda Books (Kindle - 30 June 2016; Paperback - 15 July 2016)
ISBN: 978-1910633465

Publisher's description
On the shores of a tranquil fjord in Northern Iceland, a man is brutally beaten to death on a bright summer's night. As the 24-hour light of the arctic summer is transformed into darkness by an ash cloud from a recent volcanic eruption, a young reporter leaves Reykajvik to investigate on her own, unaware that an innocent person's life hangs in the balance. Ari Thor Arason and his colleagues on the tiny police force in Siglufjordur struggle with an increasingly perplexing case, while their own serious personal problems push them to the limit. What secrets does the dead man harbour, and what is the young reporter hiding? As silent, unspoken horrors from the past threaten them all, and the darkness deepens, it’s a race against time to find the killer before someone else dies...

My verdict
Blackout is Ragnar Jónassen's darkest book yet... All of the Dark Iceland novels read like old-fashioned whodunnits set in modern times. But they're certainly NOT formulaic, as each book has given me a completely different reading experience... As the jigsaw pieces slotted into place, there were several breath-holding final chapters.

Read my full review of Blackout here


Check out more brilliant books from Orenda Books here.

Blackout by Ragnar Jónasson

Blackout
By Ragnar Jónasson
Published by Orenda Books (Kindle - 30 June 2016; Paperback - 15 July 2016)
ISBN: 978-1910633465

Publisher's description
On the shores of a tranquil fjord in Northern Iceland, a man is brutally beaten to death on a bright summer's night. As the 24-hour light of the arctic summer is transformed into darkness by an ash cloud from a recent volcanic eruption, a young reporter leaves Reykajvik to investigate on her own, unaware that an innocent person's life hangs in the balance. Ari Thor Arason and his colleagues on the tiny police force in Siglufjordur struggle with an increasingly perplexing case, while their own serious personal problems push them to the limit. What secrets does the dead man harbour, and what is the young reporter hiding? As silent, unspoken horrors from the past threaten them all, and the darkness deepens, it’s a race against time to find the killer before someone else dies...

My verdict
I'm a huge fan of Ragnar Jónasson's Dark Iceland series. And there's no doubt that Blackout is his darkest book yet. This is actually set between the two previous books - Snowblind and Nightblind - and shows that the author is an incredibly versatile writer. All of the Dark Iceland novels read like old-fashioned whodunnits set in modern times. But they're certainly NOT formulaic, as each book has given me a completely different reading experience.

While reading Blackout, I felt like I was among old friends, with the book's familiar characters and location. Siglufjordur, where the series is set, is a small close-knit and somewhat claustrophobic community, where everyone knows one another and many of the locals are related. Blackout is set in 2010, right in the middle of the volcanic ash cloud disruption to European air space. This provides an even darker setting than usual and gives the author plenty of scope to write his stunning, vivid and very atmospheric descriptions of the Icelandic landscape.

Local policeman Ari Thor and his colleagues are investigating a brutal murder that took place on the shores of a fjord. Ari Thor takes less of a major role in this book, as a young reporter is conducting her own investigations into the identity of the killer. He's distracted by problems at work and those on the domestic front, fighting his own demons and making some highly rash decisions that he could regret later on.

The plot of Blackout is far more complex than that of the previous Dark Iceland books, with various different strands that at first seemed unrelated. The suspense and intrigue built up gradually with many surprises along the way. And as the jigsaw pieces slotted into place, there were several breath-holding final chapters.

I couldn't wait to read Blackout, so bought it soon after the ebook release. The only drawback now is that I have to wait until Spring 2017 to read the next book, Rupture. Looks like I may have to read all three of the current books again to tide me over until then.

Nightblind by Ragnar Jonasson - BLOG TOUR

I am delighted to be today's stop on the BLOG TOUR for Ragnar Jónasson's Nightblind, which is being published on 15 January 2016 by Orenda Books.

Nightblind
By Ragnar Jónasson
Published by Orenda Books (15 January 2016)
ISBN: 978-1910633113

Publisher's description
The peace of a close-knit Icelandic community is shattered by the murder of a policeman - shot at point-blank range in the dead of night in a deserted house. With a killer on the loose and the dark Arctic waters closing in, it falls to Ari Thór to piece together a puzzle that involves tangled local politics, a compromised new mayor and a psychiatric ward in Reykjavik where someone is being held against their will...

My verdict
Nightblind is an amazing Icelandic Noir novel, even better than Snowblind, the first in the series (even though I never thought that possible).

The story begins around five years after Snowblind. Ari Thór is still in Siglufjördur and is seemingly settled in a relationship with his girlfriend Kristín and their 10-month-old son Stefnir. His work colleague Tomás has moved to Reykjavík, and Ari Thór has been passed over for promotion in favour of another policeman, Herjólfur. When Herjólfur is murdered in a desolate house on the outskirts of town, the usually quiet Siglufjördur is thrown into a state of turmoil. Ari Thór is tasked with finding the killer among its shell-shocked inhabitants, while also dealing with trouble on the home front.

Yet again, Ragnar Jónasson has created a beautifully-written Agatha Christie-style murder mystery and Quentin Bates has translated it into English with perfection. Iceland is an ideal place to set a crime series - the vivid descriptions of the stark bitterly cold environment and desolate surroundings are truly fascinating and add depth to the atmospheric, dark plot.

As with Snowblind, this novel grabbed my attention straight away. It switches seamlessly between the descriptive passages and its many twists and turns, and kept me intrigued right until the end. The author's use of language is stunning and transports you into the heart of Iceland.

This is a fantastic book, and Ari Thór is a well-developed extremely likeable protagonist. I look forward to seeing how this series - and its characters - continues to grow and develop over time.

I received an Advance Reader Copy in return for an honest review.

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Snowblind by Ragnar Jónasson - BLOG TOUR

I am delighted to be today's stop on the BLOG TOUR for Ragnar Jónasson's Snowblind, which is being published in paperback edition on 15 June 2015 by Orenda Books.

Snowblind
By Ragnar Jónasson
Published by Orenda Books (E-book - 20 April 2015, Paperback - 15 June 2015)
ISBN: 978-1-910633038

Publisher's description
Siglufjörður: an idyllically quiet fishing village in Northern Iceland, where no one locks their doors - accessible only via a small mountain tunnel.
Ari Thor Arason: a rookie policeman on his first posting, far from his girlfriend in Reykjavik - with a past that he's unable to leave behind.

When a young woman is found lying half-naked in the snow, bleeding unconscious, and a highly esteemed, elderly writer falls to his death in the local theatre, Ari is dragged straight into the heart of a community where he can trust no one, and secrets and lies are a way of life. An avalanche and unremitting snowstorms close the mountain pass, and the 24-hour darkness threatens to push Ari over the edge, as curtains begin to twitch, and his investigation becomes increasingly complex, chilling and personal. Past plays tag with the present and the claustrophobic tension mounts, while Ari is thrust deeper into his own darkness - blinded by snow, and with a killer on the loose. Taut and terrifying, Snowblind is a startling debut from from an extraordinary new talent, taking Nordic Noir to soaring new heights.

My verdict
Snowblind is a literary whodunnit. Based in a remote Icelandic town, set against beautiful snow-covered peaks, this is an atmospheric chilling novel.

The town of Siglufjörður is remote at the best of times and becomes virtually isolated during the winter months. Nothing much usually happens in this small community, so none of the locals are suspicious when a tragic fatal accident occurs. But rookie detective Ari Thor, fresh from police training in Reykjavik, has a hunch that something is amiss. When a woman is found unconscious in the snow, there are two cases for him to solve. There are also snowstorms and avalanches for him to contend with, as well as relationship dilemmas.

This is a gentle slow-burning novel, with no graphic violence or big action scenes, and it kept me intrigued all the way through thanks to the sheer magic of its writing. There are beautiful descriptions of a harsh environment, stunning surroundings and a whole host of fascinating characters. There's certainly plenty there to make the reader fall in love with Iceland - and maybe with Ari Thor as well.

This is an excellent debut novel, with several twists and turns, and has been well translated by Quentin Bates. To me, it was like reading a modern-day Icelandic Agatha Christie novel. I look forward to reading meeting Ari Thor again soon.

I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.