A teenage girl goes missing from a remote island off the coast of Iceland in the 1950s, and the case quickly grows cold. Thirty years later, it still haunts the country — what happened to sweet, innocent Lára? Did she run away, or did something tragic befall her? One investigative journalist decides to start digging up the past in a new series of articles about the case, and as he gets closer to the truth, things will take a dangerous twist.

Full disclaimer, I am an absolute sucker for Nordic crime fiction. Any other sub-genre of crime, meh. But a Scandinavian author? Gimme! So I knew I had to read this one, and I'm glad I did. I loved the way the beginning of the book established Lára's disappearance with chapters set in the preceding decades, building up to the present-day 1980s setting. I was fully shocked by part of Valur's story, and even more shocked by the reveal at the end! This is crime fiction, not a thriller, but to me, it was un-put-down-able, and I finished it very quickly.

Highly recommend this engaging translated novel! Thank you to Ragnar Jónasson, Katrín Jakobsdóttir, Minotaur/SMP, and NetGalley for my advance digital copy.

There's just something about Iceland . . . it's so unique, which makes books written by Icelandic authors unique (in my opinion). And it's not just because I have been there because I have been many places around the world.

"Reykjavík" does not disappoint. I loved the setting and the timeframe (it mostly takes place in the 80s) and I liked the twists and turns. And I was thrilled to figure out "whodunit" literal seconds before the main character figures it out.

All around, this was a very enjoyable read. "The Girl Who Died" is definitely moving up in my TBR stack!

My thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for letting me read and review this book.

A thirty year old, missing girl case in Iceland is still a major news story. The policeman who was on the case is still haunted because he was not able to solve it. Each anniversary the newspapers revisit the case. After thirty years, one newspaper reporter, Valur, tries to finally find the missing girl when he gets a mysterious phone call with a new clue. As he gets too close to the truth, he is in danger. Eventually, Sunna (Valur’s sister), must take all of the clues and pick up where Valur had gotten to unravel the 30 year old mystery.

This was a nice Icelandic mystery where the police are secondary characters. The side stories, especially the Reagan/Gorbachev summit, were an interesting touch.

Thirty years ago, a fifteen year old girl went to work on a small island for a prominent couple. She was signed up for the the summer.
According to the couple, she lest rather abruptly, giving her notice and apologizing for short notice.
Except she never appeared at her parents home. They filed a police report and leads were followed up on but she was not seen again.
Now, thirty years later a newspaper writer is revisiting her disappearance hoping for clues or at least to stir some interest that could lead to answers. The reporter dies in an apparent accident. His sister and girlfriend resume his search as tribute to him.
Wonderful writing, intricate characters and great plotting. I do recommend.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me this ARC.

I was really surprised at how I struggled with this one... I'm a big fan of Jónasson's writing and typically burn through his books in no time. The tracking of an unsolved case sounded right at my alley, and I expected to fall into the story as I usually do. But I struggled with this one almost from the beginning, and it never really gelled for me. I didn't connect well with the characters and the plot seemed plodding and drawn out. This one just wasn't for me.

These Icelandic mystery novels that have made it into English translations are next level. I especially like this author's books.

A thirty year old cold case gets attention on the anniversary of a 15 year old girl's disappearance. The girl went missing somewhere between a harbor island where she was acting as a maid and the city. Did she ever make it off the island? Is she still living somewhere? Why did she take all of her belongings? A young reporter for the local news magazine starts looking into the case and the book really takes off from there.

This is a pretty straightforward mystery with thriller aspects to it. Although thriller implies you know the perpetrator, which you definitely do not. If you like a good, dark mystery, I definitely recommend this.

I always enjoy Ragnar Jonasson's books but this collaboration with Katrin Jakobsdottir is outstanding! Good story and excellent writing and pacing. It hooked from the start.

in 1956, fifteen-year-old Lara, who had been working for a couple on an unoccupied island near Reykjavik, vanishes without a trace after telling the couple she was going home. In the close-knit country of Iceland, this is a mystery that grips the country for years to come.

In 1986, on the thirtieth anniversary of her disappearance, journalist Valur Robertsson was assigned to rehash the case to see if he can find any new clues. What he finds not only sheds light on what happened to Lara but puts his own life in jeopardy.

This is an engaging story with an interesting cast of characters. The mystery of what happened to Lara not only gripped the citizens of Iceland but this reader as well. Just when I thought I'd figured out what happened to her, a new twist appeared that sent me off down another line of thought. If you like a good mystery, I highly recommend this book. It's a winner.

Reykjavik is a gripping cold case thriller that kept me hooked from the first page while allowing just enough clues for me as a reader to work on the mystery alongside the characters.

Pacing and dialogue were particularity strong aspects of this novel and I will definitely be looking up more of the authors work.

Received this in exchange for an honest review. Thank You NetGalley.
I have read books by Ragnar Jonasson in the past was was hoping to receive his newest. I was not disappointed.
Reykjavik was co-written by Mr. Jonasson and Ms. Katrin Jakobsdottir. What an excellent story.
If there were any errors or glitches, I was to engrossed to notice. Translation can be tricky.
Having been to Iceland and spent some time there, it was wonderful to revisit the land of Fire and Ice.
The story was well done; a cold case murder which was re investigated 30 years later by two main characters, a brother and sister. Lots of leads, dead ends, but a great plot. The story moves along to an unexpected conclusion.
I look forward to more by these two writers.
In in a error, I thought this was from Goodreads and left my review on June 30, 2023

I requested a digital copy in order to sample the prose on my phone (since I don't have a eReader) before requesting a physical copy for review. My review will be based on the physical ARC I read (if I qualify)

This is a very good story. It’s well written and translated! This story is a slow burn about Lara, a missing persons case from 30 years prior, on an island off Reykjavik. It was interesting to read about Icelandic life in the 1980s. The book is very atmospheric, feeling the rain and chill and the changing of the seasons. There were a lot of characters, but easy to keep track. I really enjoyed this book.

I have been a longtime fan of Ragnar Jonasson's thrillers, especially his Dark Iceland series.
The atmosphere he brought to his stories was vivid and transporting. I found this one disappointing, slow, and lacking sustained suspense and intensity. It fell flat for drama and excitement. I learned it was written in collaboration with Katrin Jacobsdottir, who has been Prime Minister of Iceland since 2017. This is a debut for her, and she has always been a fan of Agatha Christie.

The story begins in 1956 with the disappearance of a fifteen-year-old girl, Lara. She mysteriously vanished from the tiny island of Vidy, located off the coast from Reykjavik. She was employed for the summer as a maid for a prominent couple who had the only residence on the island. The couple claimed she had been a good worker and had not given advance notice or reason for leaving. Her distraught parents claimed something was wrong as she always kept in regular contact.

A young policeman, Kristjan, visited the island, but his inquiries were futile, and the couple were dismissive of his questions. Could Lara have been killed on the island or abducted and murdered on return to shore? Could she be a runaway, alive, and living under an assumed name? It was clear to Kristjan that his superior officers did not want the case pursued because of the prominence of the couple and their powerful friends.

The time shifts to 1986, thirty years later. It is still a well-known mystery, as such crimes are rare in Iceland, and her disappearance has never been solved. A young journalist, Valur, is pursuing the still-remembered unsolved case at the time of the country's 200th-anniversary celebrations. The boss of the weekly newspaper is very supportive and hints that Valur is close to solving the case and will give details in upcoming articles. This is publicity to save the failing newspaper by gaining more subscribers. Valur is diligently investigating, but has the newspaper placed Valur in danger? Is there a coverup to hide any new leads he may have found? Wealthy business and political friends of the couple may be anxious to stop further information from being revealed.

We now follow the story from the point of view of Sunna, Valur's sister. She is following leads into the mystery of Lara's disappearance, trying to discover she is now or where her body could be. It is a time of excitement in Reykjavik; reporters are swarming in for the Reagan/ Gorbachev summit, and the facts about what happened to Lara and the coverup are about to be revealed.

The story was easy to follow, but having it told from three different characters' viewpoints lessened the tension. I didn't know any of the many characters well enough to be engaged in the outcome.
I wish to thank NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC. The publication is due September 5.

love a good mystery. always like those mysteries that involved someone dying, but not at the hand with a knife or a gun. in this story, Lara, is missing and has been missing for a good long time. she was employed as summer help for a well known lawyer and his wife on an island, Videy. looking into the missing girl case is news reporter, Valur, who gets closer to discovering the truth but is killed as he was pushed in front of a bus. his sister, Sunna,
takes over his notebooks and uncovers the missing girl. had ideas of whom might have been involved, but totally missed. good book for summer reading.

This was my first book by these author, and having loved traveling to Iceland I was excited to go back via this book.
This is a murder mystery that deals with a 30-year-old missing person case.
The suspense feels minimal, and I wasn't surprised while reading this book
It's an ok book, simply not my style I would say.

Steeped in 1980's pop culture, this translation set in Reykjavík, Iceland starts with a missing 15 year old maid that disappeared in 1956. Fast forward to 1986, and an up and coming young journalist (remember newspapers?) is writing an article on a now solidly cold case.
Valur Robertsson, the journalist, is making headway into the case of Lara the missing maid, with the blessing of his editor. But someone doesn't want this case solved. Into the mix is an historic summit meeting between U.S. President Ronald Reagan and General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union Mikhail Gorbachev. Movies and music of the time are sprinkled into the story for a historical reference.
A group of 4 men and their wives end up being the focus of the investigation. The references to women are pretty accurate for the time frame. The men get all the career accolades and seem to have wives solely to promote their husbands socially. As there are many characters, a list and their role in the story has been provided in the front of the book.
Lots of red herrings and many characters keep the reader guessing throughout. Recommended for those who enjoy a Scandinavian Noir.

Thank you to Minotaur Books for an early e-copy via Netgalley. All opinions are mine alone.

I’m not exactly sure what high blood pressure is, but I’m pretty sure I have it after concluding Reykjavik.

This book right here put me on a ride of a lifetime . There was no slowing down, I was thrown right into the chaos. Every time I caught my breath, I was gut punched by another twist and left speechless.

This book right here is THE book of the year and I want to be the first to let you know all that this book is a must read for all suspense lovers!

Once again i received the highest honor imaginable by being allowed to read and review this sure to be best seller before its release date.

Teaser :

What happened to Lára?

Iceland, 1956. Fourteen-year-old Lára decides to spend the summer working for a couple on the small island of Videy, just off the coast of Reykjavík. In early August, the girl disappears without a trace. Time passes, and the mystery becomes Iceland‘s most infamous unsolved case. What happened to the young girl? Is she still alive? Did she leave the island, or did something happen to her there?

Thirty years later, as the city of Reykjavík celebrates its 200th anniversary, journalist Valur Robertsson begins his own investigation into Lára's case. But as he draws closer to discovering the secret, and with the eyes of Reykjavík upon him, it soon becomes clear that Lára's disappearance is a mystery that someone will stop at nothing to keep unsolved . . .

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of Reykjavik, my first by Icelandic crime writer Ragnar Jonasson. I read this during a recent visit to Reykjavík, and the book provided a terrific atmosphere for my stay. The book mentions the 1986 summit between Reagan and Gorbachev, held at the Hofdi House, which I saw during my trip.
The story centers around a cold case from 1956 when 15-year-old Lara Marteinsdóttir disappears from her summer job as a maid for a prominent couple, Ottar Oskarsson and Olof Blondal, at their home on Videy, a small island off the coast of Reykjavík. The policeman who investigates, Kristján Kristjánsson, is discouraged by his superiors from questioning the couple, as well as other high-profile persons of interest. At first, the police chief discounts the case as a runaway teen who doesn't want to be found, but as time passes with no trace of her (nor evidence of foul play) the media picks up the story, turning it into the mystery of the decade.
Publicity eventually dies down, but every decade or so, on the anniversary of Lara's disappearance, some reporter revives the tale, fueling renewed interest and speculation about whatever happened to her. Kristján Kristjánsson is interviewed, and he considers the unsolved case the greatest failure of his career.
In 1986, in conjunction with the 200th anniversary of Reykjavik's foundation, upcoming young journalist Valur Róbertsson starts an investigation into Lára´s case. He runs into the same stonewalling Kristjánsson faced in 1956, and even Kristjánsson is not very helpful. But new leads from an anonymous source promise to shed some light on the mystery.
There are lots of characters with long, Icelandic names, and the story is told from multiple viewpoints over a period of 30 years. The major viewpoint characters are Kristjánsson, Valur, and Valur's younger sister, Sunna. The pacing is a little slow, but the story held my attention, and there was an interesting twist at the end.
Recommended for fans of cold cases and Icelandic noir.

As a huge fan of Nordic Noir master Jo Nesbo (of Harry Hole fame), I was excited to read Ragnar Jonasson’s missing person mystery, “Reykjavik.” However, this multi-narration novel left me blah, and I would read something else then pick it up again later and try again to get interested—perhaps it was lost in translation this time because I hear fabulous things about Jonasson’s writing.

This story centers around the disappearance of 14-year-old Lara from her job as a live-in housekeeper on an isolated island at a wealthy couple’s home in 1956. They claim to know nothing. Did she drown? Did they kill her? Did one of their guests murder her? Someone knows something, but no one is talking.

Thirty years later this cold case is revisited. What new clues can Icelandic authorities discover about Lara’s alleged vanishing so long after the fact?

TheBookMaven graciously thanks NetGalley, Author Ragnar Jonasson, and Publisher Minotaur Books for this advanced reader’s copy (ARC) for review.

I’ve been a fan of some of Ragnar Jonasson’s other books so I was curious to read this one. This time, it’s written in partnership with Katrin Jacobsdottir, and maybe that explains some of the clunkiness. The language is basic, although most scenes are easy to envision.
The story starts in 1956 when a 15 year old girl goes missing from her summer employment on an island outside Reykjavik. The young policeman handling the investigation is not allowed to fully investigate this case (due to her employers’ status and friends in high places). He continues to be haunted by his inability to solve it. Thirty years later and it’s still an open case when a young reporter decides to write a series of articles about her.
The book moved at a glacier’s pace and lacked drama. There are three sections, each having its own main character. There’s not a lot of character development to make up for the lack of excitement. The ending had a decent twist. It was an ok story but one I’ll probably forget in a few days’ time.
My thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for an advance copy of this book.

Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for this Advanced Readers Copy of Reykjavik by Ragnar Jonasson