I really like the idea of this story, but the pace was a little too slow. At moments I felt that the storyline could’ve been cut shorter. I would read another Ragnar Jonasson and compare the two. Hopefully his next one has a somewhat faster pace.

Nordic Noir is quickly becoming a must have genre. This is my first read by Jonasson and it certainly won't be my last..

Anytime a novel has a supernatural aspect I am hooked. Spooky reads are among my favorite genres, and The Girl Who Died embodies this whole heartedly. This book leaves you believing in the Supernatural. The Girl Who Died is a slow burn mystery, with Gothic undertones and brilliantly describes the remote setting of the story. Jonassan paints a gorgeous pictures with amazing description, and brillant writing. I loved how i could envision the scenes because of how well they were portrayed. There is a lot of back and forth with Una in this book as she tries to explain away the uncanny occurences, and you can't help but find yourself immersed in the story!

Thank you to netgalley and minotaur for the copy in exchange for an honest review

Anything I’ve read by Jonasson has been wonderful. This suspenseful mystery, taking place in one of the remotest areas in Iceland is no exception. Jonasson uses the area’s remote location to his advantage as he crafts a story of loss and isolation,

The Girl Who Died is my first Ragnar Jonasson mystery, but I hope not my last. Its slow build lulls the reader into a sense of comfort, but then little asides that at first seem inconsequential will fuel a budding sense of unease. I enjoyed the descriptive narrative that never wandered into verboseness. Una, as the main character, lent a sense of unfocused lethargy at first, but that soon became a sharpened sense of dread and foreboding that perfectly set up the third act. The addition of the parallel narrative also led to the book's furtiveness and a somewhat unfinished feel. However, this style rather than being fragmented gave rise to anticipation. The Girl Who Died unconventional style is perfect for those readers who enjoy unique endings.

When Una took the job as a primary school teacher at the end of the world to teach two young girls, she hoped to get away from the city and find herself in the process. When she arrives to the small village of 10 inhabitants and is not entirely welcome she knows she is in for a long winter. She soon starts to feel things are not quite right in the little town of Skalar, secrets and threats combined with the haunting of her little attic space work to compound her isolation. I enjoyed this book, the twists and turns and characters were mysterious enough I keep me reading. I felt the ending was a little abrupt, but it was still good. I received an ARC of this book, all opinions are my own.

Jonasson always brings the good stuff. LOVED this one. it's creepy and a little bit weird, and even a little unsettled. And I enjoyed all of that. Our main character moves to a small, seedy type town to run away, but she finds herself in a place where she's bitten off more than she could chew. No one she meets is safe. Everyone is creepy and weird as hell, And I wanted to her GET OUT. But we all know that no one listens to us, right?

4/5 Stars

I expected more from this book. I felt like it could have been much better!
Una wants a new start and decides to move to a tiny town of only 10 people to continue her career as a teacher to two young girls. She feels the isolation will be good for her and she has no real ties to her current home. Una feels like an outsider and isn’t really finding anyone welcoming! The town is shrouded in secrets including the home where she is staying, which is haunted by a young girl who died over half a century ago. It was slow moving and didn’t seem to pick up until the last few pages!
Interspersed is also another POV from a murder with characters that were never introduced!
It was just all over the place with no rhyme or reason and the end just wasn’t my cup of tea!
Thanks Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

A lonely woman, haunted by her past, takes a job at the end of the world but discovers that her new home is less than idyllic

Thank you so much to @netgalley and @minotaurbooks for this ARC!!!
This suspenseful mystery definitely caught my attention. 30 year old Una is at a low point in her life and takes a teaching job in a remote and creepy village in Northern Iceland! This book tends to be on the slow burn side but it was really creepy. I was not aware of the supernatural element which isn't my forte but I overall did enjoy this one! There is a gripping twist at the end but I was left with "what" and "why" questions!! I still do hope everyone gives this chilling atmospheric book the chance it deserves!

A schoolteacher goes to a remote village in Iceland to teach the two children in the town. But the villagers are not all that friendly and she quickly becomes lonely and also plagued by nightmares about the girl that died in the room where she is now resides.

Well, it's readable enough, but not very compelling as the characters are pretty much unlikeable and uninteresting and the plot rather implausible.

After hearing so many good things about Ragnar Jónasson's writing, I was so excited to read The Girl Who Died. Unfortunately, this was one of those stories I couldn't get into. Seeing the glowing reviews from other readers, I'm sure this will be a great fit for some; just not me. However, I'll be watching for Jónasson's next book.

First time reading Ragnar Jonasson, and really enjoyed his writing. The characters were developed really well, and I cared for them. The plotting might be a little slow compared to other mysteries, but it worked really well. Will need to track down other books by Ragnar Janasson. #TheGirlWhoDied #NetGalley

Una, the protagonist of this novel, is not enjoying her life in Reykjavik. She has few friends, or few she keeps in touch with; she visits her mother occasionally; her apartment is small and not in a great part of the city. Perhaps she should look for a change. And then a friend shows her an ad for a teaching job on the far side of Iceland, essentially at the end of the world. For one year to teach two children. Is this the answer to her unspoken prayer (as she doesn’t believe in prayer)?

Here is a new Icelandic novel of mystery and suspense with ghostly overtones, from an author, Ragnar Jonasson, I have enjoyed reading before. There are strange people, odd circumstances, moments where I thought ‘why are you thinking or doing that’, but overall, I found this to be engrossing and interesting. I kept wondering what!?! throughout and the answers were only revealed slowly..

I recommend The Girl Who Died for those who would like an Icelandic mystery with a noir feel and a touch of the paranormal. These are not at all stock characters in a standard setting. This is a one off place (I hope).

A copy of this book was provided by the publisher through NetGalley in return for an honest review.

REVIEW: Although I initially lost interest while reading this ARC from @netgalley (and hence, didn’t give my feedback to the publisher before the archival date), I recently listened to the second half of the book on @scribd.

Basically, I’d give the first half of the book a 3.5/5 stars, and the second half, a 4.75/5 stars, so we’ll call it a 4-star read. The second half of the book really sped up in terms of plot development, so I became much more engaged by the mysteries at hand.

This definitely falls into the slow-burn suspense genre, but it felt a little bit too slow until a major event that takes place about halfway through the book. Once the stakes were higher, it felt like Jónasson really had a stronger grip on the characters’ motivations.

Definitely give this book a try if you like haunting, atmospheric vibes, small town mysteries, and an Icelandic flair. #photocredit📸 to @netgalley. #bookreview

CW: Suicide, depression, grief, loss of a child, murder, murder of a child, alcoholism, false confessions, accidental deaths, sexual harassment, ghosts, hallucinations, gaslighting, poisoning.

Thank you Netgalley and Minotaur Books for this e-arc to review.

and This was my first book by this author and I don’t know how to feel about it. I was eager to read this book and I guess from me being excited and others I saw that hyped this book up, I thought it would be a good introduction to this author. I was wrong. The protagonist, Una was easy to relate to but she ignored many red flags and came across as trying too hard to fit in. The other characters were unlikable and made it hard for me to finish the book. The story dragged in the first 100 pages or so, maybe more. It took forever to get to the conclusion and when the “twist” came, I was already bored from the dragging out. I will attempt to read another book by the author before I count him out. All in all, I rate this book ⭐️⭐️💫

I didn't like the translation. It was hard to get into and enjoy. The summary sounded great so I was sorry not to enjoy reading it. It just didn't feel natural and smooth.

Want to read something sinister and chilling on a hot summer day? I’ve got an outstanding recommendation. The Girl Who Died by Icelandic crime fiction writer, Ragnar Jonasson is an atmospheric, immersive story. If Agatha Christie is the queen of British cozy mystery then Jonasson is definitely the king of Scandinavian cozy crime fiction. The author does something innovative and interesting in his style writing. Books that place a large emphasis on ambience & atmosphere in describing the setting for a story can present a challenge, whereas the narrative may not resonate with readers if the character development is lackluster due to so much time devoted to creating the atmosphere. However, The Girl Who Died evokes incredible mood and fascinating characters. I’m always so impressed with Jonasson’s style of holistic writing. The Girl Who Died introduces readers to the protagonist, Una and this unusual story unravels as she must interact and respond to the sinister, secluded town of Skálar. In fact, this is exactly how the author conjures up his impeccable storytelling, using an atmospheric setting to shape his characters. If you're looking for a mystery to get lost in with otherworldly vibes, a chilling atmosphere, and a sense of foreboding that unseen danger is coming, then this is your next read. Huge thanks to @minotaur_books & Net Galley for my review copy!!

Nordic mysteries are always seem to revolve around small remote towns and the bizarre people that either currently or used to live there. The Girl Who Died is no different. In the mid-80s a woman answers an add for a teacher to come to Skalar, a town at the edge of Iceland. Una arrives in a town of 10 people (and only 2 children) and immediately feels as if she is not welcome by several of the people there. Things start to get interesting around Christmas when a man appears on her doorstep looking for someone in town and then the next day one of the children dies. All this time Una is living in a haunted apartment and she starts to question everything she has been told and investigate what is happening. This type of story might not be everyone cup of tea but I highly recommend this novel.

I loved this book. The setting was so unique, the idea of a village as small as 12 people is mind boggling and. very interesting to imagine. Great ending too, I won’t give away spoilers but my favorite endings are when some things are wrapped up and some “mysteries” remain.

I could see a sequel. Wouldn’t want to go crazy with a series but the author left himself a lot of room for the main characters to have new experiences together. Will read more of his work.

4.5 stars, rounding up to five!

I'm a sucker for a dark, suspenseful, supernatural-tinged mystery. A few months ago, I was invited to read a Minotaur sampler containing a tantalizing tidbit from The Girl Who Died and at that moment I knew it would check all my boxes -- and I was right! I really enjoyed this unique story of a woman alone in a secluded, possibly haunted Icelandic village. Jonasson has created such an unsettling and well written story, you begin to feel like you are isolated in Skálar with Una. If you're a fan of supernatural mysteries, Nordic noir, or just great writing, don't miss out on this one.

I'm so grateful to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press/Minotaur Books for the opportunity to read and review The Girl Who Died.