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.

I am a huge fan of books by Ragnar Jonasson and I was thrilled to get a copy of this book to read and review. This book is full of mysteries and full of characters. An enjoyable read that I would recommend.

This is a multi-timeline and multi-POV story that follows the employees at a sanatorium in Iceland (mostly in 1983) when two members of the staff are murdered and subsequently investigated, and a man investigating the unsolved case in 2012. Helgi, the investigator, starts out by writing a dissertation on the case and interviewing all of the surviving employees. But the more he talks to them, the more he starts to wonder if he might be able to solve the case, almost 30 years later.

If you enjoy slower-paced mystery novels mixed with light historical elements, this might be for you. It was very well-written, and I did not see the killer coming, which is always fun. However, the pacing was quite slow, so it took me a while to be engaged with the story and its characters. There was a subplot I didn't like, but I did enjoy the multiple timelines, and once I was dialed in I was eager to see how things played out. Thanks to St. Martins Press and the author for the advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

This really was a unique mystery. Multiple timelines, dual POVs, mysterious deaths. I really was interested to see what happened.

Following the different characters, I was able to slowly piece together the crime and who may have committed it.

Though it was interesting, I did struggle following along. There were a few storylines (two primary ones being connected to Helgi), which didn’t seem to necessarily connect for me. Helgi was working on his dissertation in criminology and was also a police officer, and he also had difficulty at home with his girlfriend. Though he played a major role in solving the case, his home life felt like a separate story and I had trouble seeing the two connect. To me, they both could’ve been separate stories that we could’ve dove into. The ending was also just very quick, and I wish I could’ve continued on in that storyline to see what happened.

All in all, I really enjoyed the mystery. Though I had trouble following at times, I did appreciate seeing the pieces come together. This was my first novel from this author, and I do hope to read more by him. I’ve not read many books taking place in Island, and I’d love to read more.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book, received from the publisher and author through NetGalley. However, all thoughts and views reflected are strictly my own opinions.

If you've never read Nordic Noir, Death at the Sanatorium would be a good introduction. I've never been to Iceland, but Ragnar's writing (I've read other of his books) paints a distinct picture. His writing is very spare and to the point. There is a triple timeline, though the oldest one is hardly explored, but it's easy to keep them separated because each chapter is clearly labeled with the character and the date. He lets his characters tell the story, and there is zero fluff language or flowery descriptions. What was that old detective show, where the policeman said, "Nothing but the facts, Mam"? That's what Jonasson gives you.

An old tuberculosis sanatorium is a creepy place to set a murder. The murders took place in 1983, but Helgi Reykdal is studying police work, and he is writing his final dissertation on the murders in the past. But his meddling and prodding upsets someone, and there is fallout.

I enjoyed seeing Jonasson's popular character Hulda Hermansdottir make an appearance, although as usual, her lot within the Reykjavic police department is a sad one. In fact, one aspect of Jonasson's books is the bleakness in the lives of the characters. He is not afraid to make his characters, even the main ones, damaged and unhappy. In all it is part of the style that I think of as Nordic Noir.

I enjoyed this book and it was a quick read for me. As others stated, the ending was abrupt and a little unexpected.

Thank you to Ragnar Jonasson, NetGalley, and St Martin's Press for allowing me to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Read if you like:
💀 TRIPLE timeline
💀 triple POV
💀 3rd person POV
💀 unsolved mysteries

I really love Ragnar Jonasson and was so excited to get my hands on his newest release 😁
With a lot of books that are multi-POV or multi-timelines it can sometimes get confusing trying to figure out what timeline or point-of-view you are currently reading, but with this one every chapter was clearly labelled with the date and the point-of-view, and I really really appreciate that!
The triple timeline and triple point-of-view did get a little chaotic switching back and forth 🤪 but I feel like it made for a very exciting story because we are never able to focus on one piece for too long without abruptly switching it up.
This was a little slower paced than I am used to from Jonasson, but I did not see the end coming! and that is one thing I really appreciate in a thriller book. And then that ending ending???? What was that????
Another very enjoyable read from Ragnar Jonasson. I can’t wait to read his next smash hit!

Picture a very old Icelandic TB sanatorium, creepy, empty, eerie and gloomy, except for a small research staff of five. In 1983, the body of an elderly nurse, Yrsa, is discovered by Tinna, a young nurse. The guilty finger points toward the oddball caretaker , who was arrested but released for lack of concrete evidence. Shortly afterwards the body of the head physician was found after a fall from a balcony. The doctor’s death was ruled a suicide presumed to be a result of his nagging conscience over murdering Yrsa. And that was that until…

In 2012, a young criminology student, Helgi Reykall, enters the picture. He is writing his dissertation on the sanitarium murders of almost 30 years past. After speaking with the very suspicious characters employed on sanitorium grounds, Helgi gets the feeling that the original investigation missed something. Nothing adds up. Everyone involved could be the killer-or not. I must admit that I couldn’t figure out the ending and was reading and reading to find out who dunnit ! Very suspenseful plot!,

Ragnar Jonasson is a master of mystery writing. His characters are all weird and potentially guilty of something. The story flows from two timelines and is easy to follow. The characters are well drawn and interesting. I really enjoyed this book and hope it’s the start of a new Helgi series. Four dancing stars for Death At the Sanitorium. Lovers of old school detective stories a la Columbo will want to read this ASAP. Publication date was September 10, 2024. Read it now! My thanks to NetGalley and St Martin’s Press/Minotaur Books for an ARC in exchange fir my honest review.

Death at the Sanatorium is my thirteenth read by Ragnar Jonasson. When he writes a new book, I'm on it. Death at the Sanatorium is a stand-alone and typical of Jonasson's previous work, an excellent addition to his Icelandic mysteries. The plot is dark and suspenseful, and the pacing is perfect. Detective Helgi Reykdal returns to Iceland to delve into an unsolved cold case. His character is so authentic and human that I just slid into his story as well as the mystery he attempts to solve. The Nordic setting deepens the story and immerses the reader into the culture and geography of Iceland. Jonasson 's writing style is engaging, intelligent and just captivating. The worst thing I can say about reading latest his book, is the wait for the next one. I hope Death at the Sanatorium is the first of a new series. I will be waiting. Thank you Netgalley and publisher for the opportunity to read this advanced copy by one of my favorite authors.

Highly enjoyed this latest book by Ragnar Jonasson. Set in a spooky old sanatorium in Iceland with interesting and quirky characters. Kept my attention and had me guessing whodunnit the entire way through. I appreciated the references to the Golden Age of Mysteries and Helgi’s love of reading them. I have to say that now I am a fan of this author and Icelandic Noir! Thank you to NetGalley and St Martin’s Press for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

I really enjoyed this one. I did not see it playing out like it did. A nice surprise. I highly recommend this. Many thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for a complimentary copy of the book. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own