Death at the Sanatorium is an utterly brilliantly written mystery that brings together the best parts of Nordic Noir, closed door mysteries and fantastically complex characters that will have you guessing to the very end.

I love Ragnar's work and the man just doesn't miss when it comes to creating atmospheric tension, and complicated and unreliable narrators - you never know who or what you can trust, but you can feel the suspense grow with each chapter as you find more breadcrumbs leading to the truth.

This plot served up all the right twists and turns, and works as such a beautiful homage to Agatha Christie's style of detective mystery. The cold case element, the dead bodies that littered the path, the investigation that reveals scandalous secret after scandalous secret - its all done so well, and I devoured this entire book in one day, just because I really really wanted to see who did it.

No spoilers, but this is the perfect book with a cozy feel to lock yourself away with as the weather starts to turn cold. It makes for the perfect reading companion.

Many thanks to the publisher for my copy.

Oh Nordic noir how I’ve missed you! Death at the Sanatorium gave me the same feeling you get after taking that first sip of cool fresh water to quench an almost insatiable thirst! Reading this (more like devouring it in less than a day) gave me such strong Agatha Christie vibes and once I read the author’s acknowledgments at the end, I understood why. There is a reason she is still one of my absolute favorites.

Three timelines. Multiple points of view. One student of criminology on a mission to write a dissertation about a cold case that happened at a sanatorium. Helgi also happens to be a big fan of old detective novels - his love of books was so easily relatable. This was a dark, atmospheric read that was character driven and put as much focus on why as on who!

This is so beautifully written I cannot wait to dive into the rest of Ragnar Jonasson’s books I own! Whether you’re already a fan of Nordic noir or looking to dip your toe in it, this is such a bingeable read.

A huge thank you to Minotaur Books, St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for my eARC in exchange for an honest review!

This was my first time to read a book by this author, and perhaps this was not the book to start with. If you like very slow building police/mystery books based in 3 different timelines and with multiple character viewpoints then this may be the book for you.
Absolutely none of the characters were very interesting for me and the ending felt rushed as well as a bit of a cliffhanger.
I received a ARC of this title from NetGalley, all opinions are my own.

Thank you Minotaur Books, #partner, for the advanced copy of Death at the Sanatorium in exchange for my honest review.

I have long been a fan of Ragnar Jonasson’s crime fiction novels, having read every one of his books to date. As soon as I heard about this one, I immediately requested it and I was most definitely not disappointed.

This is a slow-burn mystery that is incredibly atmospheric. I loved the alternating timelines and all the different points of view, including a familiar face – one you will know if you’ve read Jonasson’s Hidden Iceland series, though not to worry if you haven’t as this book is in no way connected to that series. I’m always a fan of the cold case trope and loved how that was woven into this story. Plus, the sanatorium parts just add to the overall intrigue. This one really kept me guessing right up to the very end!

As I was reading, I couldn’t help but get a lot of Agatha Christie-like vibes from this story, which if you know this author, makes sense. And then I read the last part of the book and it all became clear. This book is a true testament to Jonasson’s love of Christie and I couldn’t have loved it more. While it has Jonasson’s own trademarks that I have come to love – an isolated setting, a very character-driven story and being incredibly, chillingly atmospheric, it also has the hallmarks of what makes Christie’s books so good – an intricate plot, just the right amount of details and clever twists. Nothing is superfluous and the suspense rises as you flip those pages.

I cannot recommend this book enough, or this author, enough! As I already mentioned, I’ve read all his books and will now be eager to see what he writes next!

3.5/5 rounded up.

Overall this was a quick and engaging book to listen to. As a person not familiar with Icelandic names, the story was hard to follow at times with all of the characters (I think I would have liked it better had I read a physical copy). The narrator did a great job of bringing the store to life. I liked the multiple timelines, it was exciting trying to figure out how the story would play out in present day. The ending was pretty shocking and sudden!

Here's the feedback I submitted for audio version. Duplicated requests.

Death at the Sanitorium features Helgi, in 2012 and Sverrir and Hulga in 1983 and centers on two deaths at a former tuberculosis sanatorium in a small city in Iceland. Helgi has gained respect when he temped with the local police force. He is grieving his father, a former bookstore owner whose death left Helgi with all his favorite translated American mysteries. These are his safe place. Right now, Helgi is finishing his Masters' thesis in criminology and his focus is on two deaths in 1983 that occurred at the sanatorium and were closed with resolution that seems off. He is applying modern criminology to the case and interviewing interested parties. This is a stand alone novel and as I do like dual timelines and what turns out to be a police procedural of sorts it's a winner for me. Interesting characters. Good plot. Fast paced but everything is there. As usual, one cannot go far with a review of a mystery but I highly recommend this one.

I read the audio version of this with Sam Woolf, a well-known actor as the narrator. Woolf does a fabulous job with the reading.

Death at the Sanatorium is a spin-off of Ragnar Jónasson’s Hidden Iceland Series featuring Detective Inspector Hulda Hermannsdóttir. Hulda was one of the detectives, along with Sverrir, sent to the Sanitorium to solve the murder, murders (?) that occurred in 1983. An evaluation of this investigation considering current concepts in criminology is the topic of Helgi Reykdal’s MA dissertation. He will also be taking on Hulda’s position in Reykjavik’s CID as she is about to retire.

This story is told during 3 time periods - during the TB epidemic, when the hospital was used as a sanatorium; when the crimes occurred; and present day, as Helgi Reykdal is writing his dissertation, interviewing those involved – sanitorium staff and detectives – at that time. We also hear from those characters - multiple POV’s. This makes for both a quick read – difficult to put down, with the anticipation of what will happen next…; and provides us insight into each character – secrets, subterfuge, motivations, etc. Jónasson, as with his previous novels, does a fabulous job at giving the reader a sense of the setting. With Death at the Sanitorium, in addition to painting a picture of Iceland, he places us in a lonely, eerie, long uninhabited for patient use, sanitorium.

I have read and enjoyed all of Jónasson’s previous works, looked forward to this one as well and it was also a winner. If you are a fan of Nordic, Icelandic Noir, he is a great addition to your list of authors to read.

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press and Ragnar Jónasson for the advanced copy.

Reviewed in Amazon on 9/15: when published, I will include the link below.

Oh no this book just did NOT end like this...What?!?!?!

A multi-timeline mystery, Death at the Sanatorium, begins with the murder of a long-time worker in the facility. Alternating between, 1983, 2012 and earlier in the 50's, the sanatorium is plagued with death of residents from TB to the murders of its workers. The unraveling of the recent murders, and their connection to the past, bring forth long kept secrets on happenings within its walls.

A LA Times must read book for the fall, and I totally agree!

Thank you, St. Martin's Press | Minotaur Books

I'm an adventurous reader. I have my favorite authors and genre, but I'm always looking for a good/great read outside the favorites. I enjoy noir and have discovered that Nordic noir can easily fill that "different" category when I'm in a reading rut or waiting for the next book in a series to be released. In Nordic noir, Ragnar Jonasson stands out as a skilled author who spins some very good stories. He has a rotating core of characters that move through his books, using them to keep his readers happy. Making his first appearance is Helgi Reykdal, a young criminologist who has studied in England but returned to Reykjavik to complete his master's thesis. The subject.....a murder investigation in a closed sanitorium in 1983. The sanitorium staff was completeing the transfer of the records and equipment when a nurse was murdered. With such a small staff, the investigators felt the guility party would soon be found. The apparent suicide of one of the doctors provided them instant closure as they assumed he murdered the nurse. Not everyone accepted that judgement.

The story is told in three eras, 1950's, 1980's and 2012. Each era provides clues that will bear weight on the solution, but the clues are subtle and the twists misleading, as you'll find in most noir. The characters keep the story moving from motive to motive while still professing innocence. I enjoyed Helgi's efforts to keep turning over the rocks looking for clues. His efforts pay off in the end, but the journey was a good read over a long weekend.

Thank you. Net Galley and the publisher for the advance copy in return for an honest review. I was delighted to receive the latest thriller by Ragnar Jonasson, who has become my favourite writer of Nordic Noir. He is noted for the Dark Iceland and Hidden Iceland series, and I have already enjoyed twelve of his crime novels.
I'm sorry for being late with my review. I moved and was without a connection to WiFi and my Kindle, and I had to wait. Death at the Sanatorium can easily work as a standalone and appears to be the beginning of a new series. These thrillers are set in Iceland and flawlessly translated from Icelandic to English. The stories flow briskly without unnecessary fillers; this is a smooth, easy read.

There are two primary timelines: 2012, 1983, and a bit from the early 1950s, with elements converging at the end. The story was compelling and kept the suspense and tension at an even pace, with touches of foreboding, claustrophobia, and paranoia.

The setting is atmospheric, with a crime investigation centred on a desolate, creepy old TB hospital from a deadly epidemic in the 1950s. Many illnesses and deaths led to suffering and grief throughout the nation. By 1983, the dilapidated hospital near a small town in northern Iceland had become a place for medical research. Its staff consisted of a head doctor, a second doctor, an older Head nurse, Ursa, two young nurses, Tina and Elisabet, and Broddi, the caretaker. Tinna discovered Yrsa's dead body. She had been tortured and murdered. Gossip blamed Broddi, and detectives Hulda and her boss Sverrir investigated. Broddi was arrested, with Hulda objecting. Within a week, a doctor was dead from a fall from a balcony. Suicide? The case was closed, and the doctor was blamed as the guilty party. Broddi was only in jail for a few days, but he emerged a broken man suffering from depression.

Now, the story shifts to 2012. Helgi had been a police officer before going to the UK to study for a Master's in Criminology. He has now returned home to Iceland to write his thesis on the deaths at the sanatorium in 1983. His dissertation will involve his interviews with people from 1983. He is a likeable character and determined to find out what really happened. His home life is toxic, and he enjoys escaping with his collection of books from the Golden Age of Detective Fiction, which calms and inspires him. The interview subjects are evasive, uncooperative, or lying, but he gradually solves the crimes.
The ending is devastating but not unexpected. I hope Jonasson is writing a follow-up book, which I am anxious to read. Death at the Sanatorium was published on September 10. 4.5 Stars

The minute I see a new Ragnar Jónasson @ragnarjo book is being released, it’s immediately on my TBR. I love a good Icelandic noir, and Ragnar always delivers. Death at the Sanatorium is no exception. The multiple timelines really worked to reveal parts of the story a little bit at a time, and it was good to see Hulda again after LOVING The Darkness series. I also enjoyed the references to classic detective stories through Helgi's character, and I have added a few of them that were included in "Helgi's Golden Age Reading List" ate the end of the book to my TBR, Once again, I thought I had it all figured out, but of course I didn’t.

Death at the sanatorium by Ragnar Jonasson, when the book starts doctoral student Helgie, is reading one of his beloved mystery books when thanks to his nosy neighbor the Reykjavik police knock on his door. Thankfully one of the attending policeman remember Helgie’s working at the police station a few summers ago. It seems his neighbor heard an incident that sounded violent. Helgie’s response and everything after leads the reader to believe Helgie has something to hide but thankfully due to his recognition and his impending employment with the same police station, he takes Helgie at his word. We learn his doctoral thesis is on a historical Icelandic crime that happened up north at a sanatorium and he wants to investigate it from a criminologist point of view but it seems the four people alive that can discuss the case most of them don’t want to. When 1 of them winds of dead in current day he believes it has something to do with him snooping around the case. The more he investigates the case the more he learns sometimes revenge can last forever. This book was so good I really am not the biggest fan of crime mysteries or police procedural‘s but if this author is writing it I am definitely reading it. He writes stories and puts little breadcrumbs down and it seems no matter how minor the question he always seems to answer it before the end of his book this is not the first book I have read from this author and it definitely will not be the last. He is a true genius when it comes to mysteries and is absolutely becoming one of my favorites. Anytime in author can have a twist in store for the main plot and the sub plot you know they definitely know what they’re doing that is absolutely this author. I loved it! #NetGalley, #SaintMartinsPress, #RagnarJonasson, #DeathAtTheSanatorium,

My first Ragnar Jonasson book and of course I have to back and read everything else now! To be honest, I wasn’t even quite sure what Nordic noir was and after a little research and reading this book – it is official. I love it. I think I would love this in audio too.
Three time periods, multiple perspectives, multiple characters and a story line that never slows down. It all starts in 1983 when a nurse comes to work and finds her boss tortured at his death. This unsolved case is known at the Death at the Sanatorium. 20 years later we have a student writing his dissertation on this murder. Being true crime and of course (like we all do) considers himself a detective of sorts, the more he digs, the more he finds.
If you like a traditional mystery with a plot that will keep the pages turning, this is for you.

I adore Jonasson’s writing. There is such a sense of story and atmosphere within the pages of his novels. This one lives up to the many that I have read before it. Told in a dual timeline and with characters that we already know, this is a page turner from the beginning pages. I love the character of Detective Hulda. She is so enjoyable to read. I have completed the Hulda Trilogy of The Darkness, The Island, and The Mist and these books are all fantastic.
Highly recommend.
#DeathattheSanatorium #NetGalley #StMartinsPress

Death At the Sanatorium a stand alone thriller by Ragnar Jonasson. I’ve been a fan of the author since his first thriller his latest drew me in kept me turning the pages.#netgalley #st.martins,

Last year, I read my first book by this author. He co-wrote it with the prime minister of Iceland. It was a very good read.

Now, here is a story that takes place in three time periods, has multiple perspectives, an historical illness (TB) that impacts the plot, murders, detection, interesting characters, relationships, and surprises. On top of all this, the academic/investigator has a love for classic mysteries that is shared with the reader.

This is a book that will be enjoyed by fans of traditional mysteries. Jonasson learned from a master. He is known for translating Agatha Christie’s books into Icelandic. He puts his skills to good use here.

Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this title. All opinions are my own.

It’s 1983 in a small town in Northern Iceland. A nurse arrives early to her job and finds her boss dead and seemingly tortured on a desk. The police arrest the sanatorium’s caretaker but don’t have enough evidence to hold him. The case is never solved but the subsequent suicide of the hospital’s director points the finger at him as the killer. Twenty years later, a criminology student is writing his Master’s dissertation about the Death at the Sanatorium. He begins focusing the subject matter of his dissertation from a simple discussion of police methods to solving the crime himself. In the meantime, the student’s relationship with his live-in girlfriend is deteriorating slowly.

I usually love Nordic police procedurals. However, Death at the Sanatorium just didn’t hold my interest very well. I could definitely see the resemblance between this book’s plot and Agatha Christie’s early novels. However, the characters didn’t feel genuine so I didn’t connect with any of them. The Icelandic setting wasn’t used very effectively to set a mood either. However, I loved the mystery. The final twist is to die for! For the plot twists alone, this book deserves 4 stars.

Thanks to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for providing me with an advanced review copy.

I really enjoyed this book. With a great plot divided into basically two timelines, populated by a diverse group, it made for a rapidly developing story.

The location, a sanatorium in northern Iceland, was as much a character as any of of the doctors, nurses, staff and police involved. It provided a dark, foreboding atmosphere that was a perfect murder(s) setting. Add to it the fact that the sanatorium was once a TB hospital where many died gives it even more of that same flavor.

What a bunch of strange characters Ragnar has written, starting with Heigel, the MA student trying to finish his post grad thesis. What an odd duck! He couldn’t help but stir the pot creating a 30 year old soup of an investigation. Maybe even causing another murder. Then there’s his girlfriend and their living situation. What is going on there.? No doubt he asks a lot of right questions and keeps the fire burning until the pot boils over and the truth spills out.

This is the second book I’ve read by RJ. And I’ve enjoyed them both. They remind me of an old style mystery with a lot of drama and sleight of hand. Just when I think I have my hands on the culprit, they get whipped away only to be replaced by another.

Thank you Net Galley and Minotaur Books for this film noir like book.

Helgi Reykdal is living in Reykjavik with his partner Bergthora while working on his thesis in criminology. He'd previously worked with the police and has a job offer to return to them after finishing his degree. His thesis is exploring the way two notorious deaths were investigated thirty years ago. At that time, the two victims were found dead a few days apart at a sanitorium in the north of the country. The building used to treat tuberculosis patients but by the time of the deaths had no patients and only a small staff still working there. The first victim was found with terrible wounds and several days later the second body was discovered. The same nurse discovered both bodies and was disturbed (but at the same time slightly thrilled) by the gruesome scenes. She soon became interested in the young policeman sent to investigate the deaths. The case was quickly closed, and everyone moved on. Now that Helgi is looking into the case, he's not happy with the official explanation and decides to interview the surviving staff members to see if he can find out more. At the same time, Helgi is dealing with a lot of personal turmoil. He's not at all sure he wants to spend his career working in Iceland, his relationship is on the rocks, and his girlfriend is pressuring him to buy a house. Once he starts digging into the past, some of the people he speaks to are soon put into danger once again.

I really liked the story. The chapters move back and forth in time and point of view. Each short chapter begins with the date (Helgi's story is from 2012) and the name of the character who is giving their story. There is a bit of a surprise about Helgi and the ending is a bit of a shocker! I have read several of the author's previous books and enjoyed them, and this one is another winner!

Ragnar Jónasson masterfully weaves a chilling mystery in Death at the Sanatorium, set against the haunting backdrop of an old sanatorium-turned-hospital in northern Iceland. The 1983 murder of nurse Yrsa and the subsequent death of the chief physician form the heart of the story, as detective Hulda Hermannsdottir and her boss Sverrir scramble to piece together clues. Sverrir’s hasty conclusion of suicide adds to the eerie atmosphere, leaving more questions than answers. Jónasson’s writing, rich in suspense, pulls you deep into the cold, isolated setting where silence seems to echo louder than words.

Fast forward to 2012, Helgi Reykdal, a young officer and criminology enthusiast, takes on the decades-old mystery. Jónasson carefully layers Helgi’s investigation with a fresh perspective, filled with tension and intrigue. As Helgi reconnects with the original suspects, he faces a wall of silence and suspicion, making this slow-burn mystery one that keeps you guessing until the very end. With its atmospheric setting and tightly-knit plot, this is a must-read for fans of Nordic noir.