I'm such a huge fan of Ragnar Jonasson, overall I would say he is my favourite 'Scandi Crime' author and what I loved the most about this book was that it merged lots of elements from his other books into one brilliant novel. There was the classic Icelandic Noir atmosphere with just the right amount of spookiness, a historical angle and a few unexpected twists along the way. I loved everything about the setting, the story, the characters and in particular, the main protagonist, police officer Helgi Reykdal who is the ultimate detective for crime fiction fans as he is also a crime fiction fan! I would love to read a follow up to this story and would be really interested to see how it develops.

I have become a serious fan of Icelandic mystery writers, and this one did nothing to make me change my mind.

In 2012, a 30-year-old cold case is being researched by a Master’s candidate in criminology whose hometown was the scene of the murders. Helgi Reykdal would rather be in London than Reykjavik, but as the story advances it becomes clear there are a lot of things he would rather be doing but is too shy of conflict to challenge his status quo. So, in a way, his final solution to the mystery of who murdered the workers at the asylum in Akureyi seems more like serendipity than investigation.

If you’ve met Mr. Jönasson, you’ll have also met his seminal character Hulda Hermannsdottir, who puts in a cameo appearance just before Helgi takes over her job. Whether we’ll be seeing more of her replacement remains to be seen; but like Hulda he is so very human one tends to hope so to see what effect his new job, not yet undertaken as the book closes, has on his passive-aggressive escape-into-a-classic-mystery personality.

“He loved the intellectual puzzles the books contained, the tidiness of the mysteries, and their solutions in contrast to the messiness of real life.”

As is the case with most mysteries from Iceland, this one is as much about how a crime affects the lives of those involved, and how different people react both at the time it occurs and, as in this case, long after most have forgotten it happened. From the moment the mutilated body of Yrsa, head nurse of the sanatorium, is discovered, suspicion falls on handyman Broddi not because he had ever shown any propensity to violence but because it was:

“…more reassuring if she could endow the invisible menace with a face, and her choice had fallen on the caretaker. The look in his eyes, which she had previously interpreted as friendly, now seemed sinister to her; his affable greetings in the corridors of the hospital struck her as cold and devoid of feeling.”

So, one lie of omission leads to others, and one man’s life is ruined not because he committed a crime, because he was acquitted of all charges, but simply because “I didn’t like him so it was easy to believe he was a murderer”.

If you’re tired of mysteries where you’ve figured out whodunit before you’re halfway done reading, this one’s for you. Likewise if you’re like me and enjoy fiction where those involved in the crime all seem to have little to recommend them. It’s that kind of reality that makes this book as entertaining as all that came before it.

This book was perfect for this time of year. It had a few spooky vibes and lots of intriguing twists and turns. And like most of Jonasson’s books, it was around 300 pages, so it didn't drag on. Unlike the previous two books on this list, the story was interesting and the plot engaging. Most of the characters were unlikable. But Jonasson has a way of making you want to know what happened to them that turned them the way they are. And the twist at the end was not completely shocking, but I think it was well done. If you've read any books by the author before, this one lives up to its expectations. It's atmospheric and entertaining, yet the author manages to wrap it up quickly while still surprising you at the end. So far, it's been my favorite book of the month, if I had to choose. Although I still only gave it three stars.

I was intrigued by the premise of this book, especially the detail of the severed fingers in the first murder. Plus, the setting seemed appropriately creepy - a cold case of two murders that happened at a TB sanatorium? Fascinating! T

Unfortunately, the only character that I ended up rooting for was Hulda, which was a bit of a letdown. I also felt that the resolution of this mystery was a bit...odd, and I'm not sure it worked for me. I did enjoy the switches between character perspectives, as I liked seeing how the same events were interpreted differently.

Overall, I would say this fell a bit flat for me, but I enjoyed it and would be willing to give another one of Ragnar Jonasson's books a chance, as this was the first of his that I've read.

This book took the reader right down many different paths in what appears to be a traditional murder mystery with the addition of exploring two timelines. Although I tend to be more traditional in my reading tastes and prefer one linear plot line , Jonasson captured my interest with his characters. A rather sad bunch, and seemingly isolated from greater society, the book is a fascinating example of Icelandic noir. And, I admit, I was very surprised by the ending! This is a solid, entertaining read for fans of this genre.

This one had me very excited but I could not get into it. I kept putting it down, picking it back up but ultimately, I gave up and DNF.

Thank you for allowing me to read this book as an ARC.
I have loved all of this author's books so far and this one is no exception. The storyline set in the cold and gloomy climate in Iceland makes for a great read. The switching between 3 different time periods and POVs was well done and not confusing at all as it was so well laid out.
The actual story itself was great and not like others I have read. This author knows how to pull off an interesting story with great characters that make the reader vested in what's happening.
The ending did come a little bit too fast in my opinion, however, did not take away anything from how I loved this book. Highly recommended and a 5 🌟 read

I kind of wish I had known Death at the Sanatorium was a spinoff of The Darkness so I had thought to read that first, but for the most part this felt very much like a standalone where I wasn't necessarily missing anything. I have only read Ragnar Jónasson once before, but I love Nordic Noir and I kept seeing this all over Booksta, so obviously I had to read it. The multiple viewpoints on top of the time jumps confused me at first, but once I got a feel for things I was set! This was a very dark and mysterious read that kept me completely engaged from start to finish.

I can’t say I loved the audiobook, but I didn’t hate it, and overall, I thought Sam Woolf did a great job. The way he said Tina at first really distracted me, and I would have preferred a full cast, but these things wouldn’t keep me from recommending the audio if someone asked. The ending was quite shocking, and that last chapter was very WTF and abrupt which I didn’t love. Please give us a second book Jónasson! I will also say the audio did a really weird transition at the end so if you do decide to listen, make sure you have the book with you.

I don’t have a whole lot to say about this one. It lost me a few times between the time jumps and POV switches that I’m not sure I fully grasped the plot in some areas. Also what an abrupt ending! Though if what we think happened, happened, it makes sense about the abruptness.

Thank you NetGalley for the e-ARC.

I don't know why I always pick police procedurals knowing that they aren't really for me. That being said, this one held my attention more than others so fans of that genre will enjoy it.

It held my attention but was not as gripping as some of the other Nordic Noir novels that I have read. I was also a little taken aback by the ending.

Overall, I found it enjoyable enough, but not one that I personally loved. I would recommend it to others though.

I made it 55% of the way in to this novel, but will not be finishing it. There's nothing happening; no tension, no suspense, and there's one too many timeframes, especially when we hardly ever go back to 1950. None of them seem to really relate to each other in any important kind of way. I haven't picked it back up in four days, and if I'm dreading getting back to it, then it's not something I'm enjoying.

Thank you to NetGalley, Ragnar Jonasson and St Martin’s Press for the free ebook in exchange for an honest review.

I usually love Jonasson’s writing but something about the first half of this novel just didn’t speak to me. But the last half was amazing. I was totally into it and the twists were good. I loved seeing a character return from previous novels and I hope there will be another novel with these characters.

I enjoyed this mystery novel so much! I really liked that we had time jumps so that the reader got a sense of what was happening at certain times and how they added to the story.

This book was so thrilling I could barely put it down. I really liked how the story unfolded and it was full of twists and turns.

I will definitely be reading more from this author!

3.5 stars.
In 2012 Reykjavik, a young police officer, Helgi Reykdal, is taking a Masters program in Criminology. He has a disruptive home life with a volatile partner.

Helgi is writing his dissertation, and has a standing offer from the Reykjavik police service to join their ranks, but he is dragging his feet on making a decision, unwilling to consign his future to life in . To deal with his stress, he enjoys reading Golden Age mysteries, and decides to focus his paper on a 1983 murder that occurred in northern Iceland at a sanatorium that used to be a treatment facility for TB patients, and was later transformed into a regular hospital.

One early morning in 1983, Yrsa, a senior nurse, was found brutally murdered by a junior nurse, Tinna Einars. Detective Sverrir and his subordinate Detective Hulda Hermannsdottir are sent to investigate, and Sverrir quickly decided, after speaking to Tinna, who because of her uneasiness with the man, points them to Broddi, the hospital's caretaker. Broddi is arrested, but released after questioning. A week later, the chief physician falls to his death, and Sverrir rules it a suicide, and closes the case, despite Hulda feeling that more should have done to investigate.

Helgi begins speaking with former suspects of the 1983 murder investigation. He soon determines that there were avenues that Sverrir never pursued, and that the detective married Tinna soon after closing the case. His questions clearly touch off the peace achieved with the closing of the case, as a new murder happens. Helgi persists, and manages to deduce the truth of what happened at the sanatorium in 1983.

I enjoyed this swiftly moving mystery. I'm not familiar with this author's work, but immediately liked the sidelined and soon to retire Hulda Hermannsdottir, and wished she could have played a larger part in this story. Nevertheless, Helgi proves himself to be an able investigator, treading the same path the earlier investigators did, but asking questions the lead never bothered to ask and who chose to simply accept the wilful lies and class snobberies of the suspects.

Though not familiar with this author's other works, of which this is related, I enjoyed this, and am now motivated to read the Hulda mystery series.

Thank you to Netgalley and to St. Martin's Press for this ARC in exchange for my review.

Helgi Reykdal, a graduate student in criminology at an English university, has returned to Iceland. Last summer he interned with Reykjavík’s criminal investigation department. He has been offered a job with the Reykjavik’s police department which is waiting for him there if he wants it. Bergthora, a lve-in girlfriend wants him to stay in Iceland. Though he wants to return to the U.K., he is interested in writing his dissertation on the deaths a generation ago of a nurse and a doctor in Akureyri. Tinna Einarsdóttir, the nurse discovered both bodies. However the doctor’s death was ruled a suicide. Was it?. Sverir Eggersdotsson was the police investigator who solved the case in 1983. When Helgi asked him about the case, he refused to talk. The police investigator admitted that he arrested the suspect. Helgi investigates the possible killers Tinna and her colleague Elisabeth, Dr. Thorri Thorsteinsson and Broddi the caretaker. In Helgi’s investigation, one of them kills one of the other suspects.

The story, which toggles back and forth between 1983 and 2012, generates considerable suspense from a limited cast of characters living and dead. It is clever and engrossing. It is well written. It is my first book by this author that I have read. I was surprised at the ending.

In 1983, in a small town in Northern Iceland, there is a murder-suicide at an old santorium. The case is relatively open and shut, but there are lingering questions. In 2012, Helgi has returned to Reykajvik to complete his dissertation, focusing on the crimes at the santatorium. He too believes the case was simple and is studying it solely from a criminology viewpoint. However, the more he digs into it, the more questions arise. Was it as straightforward as it seemed, or was there more to it? Overall, intriguing but a bit clunky in writing and plot. Definitely preferred his previous novel, Reykajvik to this one.

A slower paced thriller with Icelandic names that took some getting used to, but overall enjoyable and kept my interest. Thanks to netgalley for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you Netgalley for the advance reader copy of Death at the Sanatorium by Ragnar Jónasson in exchange for an honest review. This was a good Icelandic mystery that ended up being read in one session. I love these quick mysteries that keep you guessing till the end.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and Minotaur Books for an e-ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

This murder-mystery spans 5 decades as Detective Helgi Reykdal investigates some linked murders taking place around a sanatorium as he researches for his thesis. The novel jumps between the 50s, 1983 and 2012. The mystery seems to be solved, but Helgi begins to discover some missing links, and he gets more immersed in the mystery than I think he was expecting!

I have been reading a lot of thrillers lately, and it was nice to slow down with this mystery. There is a huge amount of detail in the characters, and environment that really made me feel like I was immersed in this crime. I was particularly drawn to Helgi’s character, and the added mystery of what was going on in his home life. His intrigue and unquenchable thirst for answers had me wanting to know what happened even more.

I liked the jump between decades and found it to be very clear and added even more dimension to the story. The resolution of the mystery was satisfying, and the very ending was jaw dropping and left me wanting to read whatever Ragnor Jonasson writes next!

I am a fan of this author. He does such a good job of describing the aura surrounding the mystery. As is often the case Icelandic novels connect a murder from the past to one in the present day, usually unsolved . The murders in the past include the death of an old nurse Yrsa. Shortly after her death the medical director jumps from a balcony to his death. The police rule it a suicide. However, the present police officer investigates the death and decides it was murder not suicide. The shock near the end of the book is that the murderer has been front and center and is responsible for all the deaths.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the e-galley.