DNF @20%

This is so uninteresting. The inner monalogue is rambly and boring and the dialogue is boring. I don't care about anything they're doing or saying.

What a crazy story! I really enjoyed the Iceland setting, but sometimes I struggled to follow what was going on. I ended up listening to the audio for this so maybe that’s why. I had the most trouble keeping track of who some of the characters were-seemed to be so many, but also maybe a me problem! I liked the premise of Agnes trying to clear her grandfathers name while also wrapped up in the mystery of a missing woman. Overall, interesting read.

Unfortunately, I found myself bored with this one. While the setting was quite atmospheric, and there was certainly a somewhat interesting set up for a mystery, I found the characters to be rather flat. I wasn’t invested, so I wasn’t engaged with the mystery of the story this definitely wasn’t for me, but I will applaud the descriptive atmospheric nature of the setting and the work that was done there.

Creepy and atmospheric, The Lost House weaves an unsettling tale of memory, isolation, and descent into madness. The writing is hypnotic, almost dreamlike, and the house feels like a living, breathing entity. It left me with a delicious sense of unease. My only wish was for a bit more resolution at the end—it left things hazier than satisfying. Still, a haunting

Melissa Larsen was a new author for me and I really enjoyed her book. It was a mystery that kept you guessing until the end. The characters are interesting and the description of the area is very good.

This was a good story, I really enjoyed the atmosphere of a cold, remote town in Iceland, it just added extra tension to the developing story. It was a little slow paced for me but I find that it the case with atmospheric reads, it didn't detract from the book, just a note.

I definitely will look for more by this author in the future.

This is the perfect wintery read that is perfect for fans of true crime. I know the podcasts solving past crimes trope is everywhere in the mystery world right now, but this book still manages to have a fresh take with twisty turns and a cold sense of isolation. The chilly small-town setting ups the stakes because there is no time to linger when the cold can take your life just as quickly as a killer… Agnes has always lived under the shadow of her family’s darkest day, forty years ago her grandmother was found dead in the snow with her infant daughter. While the case continues to remain unsolved, the residents of the small Icelandic village all felt that her grandfather was responsible and drove him out of town. Agnes has always loved her grandfather and could never see him as the villain of the story, but the rest of the world thinks differently. When a popular podcaster invites Agnes to Iceland to cover her family’s story, she ventures into the unknown to uncover the truth. Agnes is a perfectly flawed individual that makes the unlikely detective trope work so well for this book. She comes armed with her memories and her present experiences as the only tools in her arsenal. There are no computers or fancy technology used to solve this crime, so it really gives the reader a chance to put themselves into her shoes and solve the mystery with her. Since this is a thriller, I left some big plot points out of my synopsis and review, but this book has way more to offer than what I have written here. As with all dark subject matter books please check for trigger warnings before diving in.

I’m a fan on Scandinavian thrillers but this one didn’t hold my interest as I had hoped it would. I remember the tale seemed disjointed and characters didn’t have me invested in knowing more about them.
Perhaps I will try another work by author in the future.

Thank you so much to netgalley and the publisher for the arc of this one in exchange for an honest review!

Unfortunately, this book was not for me. I’m not a big fan of slow burn and this one was just too slow for me. I wanted more to happen. I also found the killer to be obvious.

I did find the setting to be great though!

I hope others love this one.

It's April and it's snowed on the day I read this book. Perfect timing for this suspenseful story set in Iceland!

This is a well written mystery that kept me engaged through the book until the very last page. The descriptions of the landscape (very cold) and the investigation of the "cold case" were well done!

I felt the pace was a little slow and you were never able to trust the recollections that were told because they were all involved in some way. It allowed the author to give us multiple suspects and motives so increased the tension in the novel.

I thought the characters and the plot were both well developed and while you had a slow pace throughout the book - the end was rushed! I actually gave this a 3 when I finished but now having thought about how much I did like about the story - the two murders and how they were woven together so well - I changed to a four!

Would definitely read this author again!

Many thanks to Net Galley, Minotaur Books/St. Martin’s Press, and the author for an ARC of this book.

Melissa Larsen’s “The Lost House” is a mesmerizing descent into a world where reality blurs and secrets lurk in every shadow. This isn’t just a story; it’s an experience, one that will pull you into its enigmatic depths and refuse to let go until the final, startling revelation. From the first page, a haunting atmosphere is established, a sense of something hidden, something just out of reach, that sets the tone for the entire novel.

The narrative unfolds like a slow, deliberate unraveling of a tightly woven mystery, each chapter revealing another layer of intrigue and deepening the sense of unease. The characters are complex and shrouded in their own secrets, making it difficult to discern their true intentions. The setting itself becomes a character, an old, isolated house that holds the key to a past that refuses to stay buried. Larsen’s writing is evocative and atmospheric, painting vivid pictures that linger in your mind, creating a world that feels both real and otherworldly.

“The Lost House” is a journey into the unknown, a thrilling exploration of memory, identity, and the secrets we keep, even from ourselves. It’s a book that will keep you guessing, questioning, and turning the pages late into the night. If you’re looking for a mystery that will truly captivate and haunt you, look no further. Melissa Larsen has crafted a story that will linger in your thoughts long after you’ve reached the final page.

Check out this teaser :

Forty years ago, a young woman and her infant daughter were found buried in the cold Icelandic snow, lying together as peacefully as though sleeping. Except the mother’s throat had been slashed and the infant drowned. The case was never solved. There were no arrests, no conviction. Just a suspicion turned into a certainty: the husband did it. When he took his son and fled halfway across the world to California, it was proof enough of his guilt.

Now, nearly half a century later and a year after his death, his granddaughter, Agnes, is ready to clear her grandfather’s name once and for all. Still recovering from his death and a devastating injury, Agnes wants nothing more than an excuse to escape the shambles of her once-stable life―which is why she so readily accepts true crime expert Nora Carver’s invitation to be interviewed for her popular podcast. Agnes packs a bag and hops on a last-minute flight to the remote town of Bifröst, Iceland, where Nora is staying, where Agnes’s father grew up, and where, supposedly, her grandfather slaughtered his wife and infant daughter.

Is it merely coincidence that a local girl goes missing the very same weekend Agnes arrives? Suddenly, Agnes and Nora’s investigation is turned upside down, and everyone in the small Icelandic town is once again a suspect. Seeking to unearth old and new truths alike, Agnes finds herself drawn into a web of secrets that threaten the redemption she is hell-bent on delivering, and even her life―discovering how far a person will go to protect their family, their safety, and their secrets.

I was just drawn into this story and I just couldn’t get enough of it. I was so disappointed to turn the last page and I immediately wanted more. I can’t wait to see what's next from this author.

:The Lost House: by Melissa Larsen is a layered and atmospheric mystery that blends true crime intrigue with psychological suspense, anchored by the harsh beauty of the Icelandic landscape and a cast of characters who each have something to hide. While the pacing leans slow at times, the payoff comes in its chilling twists.

I FINALLY got to this one!
Okay so I am very picky with thrillers, so this one wasn't entirely a hit for me, but I did enjoy it!
I love Nordic noir and the dark atmosphere, the setting of this was absolutely immaculate. I do wish I had picked this up over the winter, because this is the perfect cozy up on a cold night and scare yourself book. Overall, I really loved the dominant character and the overall vibes of this book, but felt the story could have used some more oomph. Thank you for my advance copy!

The Lost House by Melissa Lauren is a slow burn story that seemed to be more about the reader experiencing the investigation than about solving it (it seemed clear early on).

First, let me say I resist saying "I knew who did it" when the story doesn't intentionally make it absolutely clear. Most of those who say it were pretty sure, but they likely didn't "know" it. This is one that seemed to be a dead giveaway early on, but I have read some that seem that way only to have a different perspective on the same facts indicate it was someone else, so I was prepared to be tripped up. I enjoy books where I can bask in the atmosphere and enjoy the suspense of what brings about the conclusion even if I think I know what that will be. For some, if the mystery seems too easy to solve no amount of atmosphere can save the story. This might be one of those books for those readers.

I would need to go back and I just don't feel like doing that, but a lot of what struck many as simple repetition was, to me, adding elements to both understanding Agnes and understanding the mystery. Admittedly that could also be reading some of those passages having gained more information so I read them differently. Either way, I wasn't as bothered by them as some were.

I would recommend this more to readers who enjoy suspense than those who love mysteries. There is plenty here to please both readers, but the suspense and atmosphere plays a larger part in the enjoyment of the book than solving a mystery.

Reviewed from a copy made available by the publisher via NetGalley.

Great suspense book! Thanks so much NetGalley for letting me read before its release! Rating this one 4 stars!

Overall, this book was entertaining. The pacing was a little slow for me which made it harder to stay engaged. However, the atmosphere of Iceland and Agnes’s story kept me wanting to read more. The ending was a bit of a surprise for me, making me enjoy this book a bit more.

I really enjoyed this slow-burn atmospheric thriller.  The story takes place in Iceland, it's filled with lots of family secrets, twists and turns. This is my first book by Melissa Larsen and it won't be my last, I absolutely loved her writing.  The descriptions made me feel like I was walking in the knee deep snow and took me right into the creepy houses.  Well developed characters and a strong female protagonist made for a great story.

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press and Melissa Larsen for the advance copy of The Lost House.

In this multi generational mystery, Agnes Glin, recovering a traumatic accident, returns to her father's ancestral home in Iceland. The home she's returning to is the very one in which Agnes's grandfather was suspected of murdering his wife and infant daughter, I enjoyed The Lost House. It was twisty and atmospheric and I would definitely read another book written by Larsen.