Well charactered and twisty enough to keep me both engaged and guessing. There was enough exposition and doubt built into each character that I was unsure how any of the books mysteries were going to end, either the old case or the new. Agnes’ story wraps up and interacts meaningfully but not overbearingly with the narrative and countries family left behind.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Overall, an enjoyable thriller! We follow the story of this young woman leaving the US to head to Iceland to try to learn the truth regarding her family’s dark history involving a murder. I appreciated the descriptive writing regarding landscape and Icelandic phrases that kept true to the storytelling. There were several twists and turns in the story that kept me intrigued and invested as well as threw me off until the end. Toward the 70% mark things started to feel a bit drawn out, but picked back up again rather quickly. I’d recommend this one!

I just finished the Lost House by Melissa Larsen which comes out January 14th 2025! This takes place in Iceland which I loved since I just visited there this past summer. I could actually picture the places and imagery they were talking about.

Agnes is asked to come out to Iceland to be on a podcast. Why you may ask? Because her grandmother and aunt were murdered 40 years ago and the suspect… her beloved grandfather. The case was never solved, Agnes family has never talked about it, and Agnes also has never visited her family home in Iceland where it took place. But when Agnes goes to Iceland, another woman goes missing. Is this somehow related to the cold case?

This is a great book to read in the winter snuggled up by the fire! I loved the concept of it and kept wanting to read more. Unfortunately I couldn’t connect with some of the characters and the ending came up a little short for me. 4✨

This is a good mystery.

I will warn that the pace might be slow for some, but it’s an atmospheric build up and it has a very satisfying conclusion.

I liked our Main Character very much and found myself invested in what had happened so many years ago – and in what’s happening now.

While I wasn’t entirely surprised by the *who* or *why* of things, I still found myself interested.

It does slow down a little toward the middle, but it picks up pace and I really enjoyed it.

• ARC via Publisher

The book had a good start-the scenery and moodiness of Finland was well drawn, the frame of a true crime podcast reasonated, and Agnes was an interesting character. Unfortunately, it got progressively as muddled as the myriad snowstorms and blizzards. I got irritated with the heroine's busted leg described over and over and over-yeah we get it...it's fragile, can we move on? It got so annoying that I was reaching for the pill bottle. The solid character of Nora was minimized and finally completely pushed to the side. I had no idea at the end why her grandfather left Finland for California, but I'm sure that he had a logical reason for doing it., The subplot of the missing girl was intriguing in the beginning, but was also brushed aside when the mystery was revealed. The book read like an outline for a novel-would be quite interested to read the completed edition.

In the Lost House, Agnes returns to her ancestral home in Iceland to clear her grandfather's name, decades after her grandmother and infant aunt were murdered brutally. As the investigation with a true crime pod caster begins, a local girl goes missing, turning the small town into a hive of suspicion. The story is set against the Icelandic winter making the setting even more harsh. This is a chilling mystery which uncovers family secrets and provides unexpected twists.

Agnes's memories of her grandfather are nothing like what the folks in this small town think of him. As the story slowly peels back the layers, it's clear there were a bunch of secrets that kept the case unsolved for years. The cold and dreary weather really amps up the tension. The story moves at a snail's pace, and it feels like the truth will never come out. But the ending is worth it and answers all my questions.

Thank you NetGalley and Minotaur Books for the advanced reader copy. This is my honest review.

Thai was such a good book! I loved how descriptive she was without being wordy and the characters. They were done vividly and fully fleshed out. I felt like I was in Iceland with Agnes, experiencing everything beside her. I suspected basically everyone at some point, but didn’t see the twist coming. That’s just the way I like it! Great story!

The Lost House was a bit slow throughout most of the book, but when the story kicked in it was great. My turnoff was that I thought Agnes, the main character, was too weak and oftentimes pathetic. I liked some of the supporting characters more than I did Agnes. The ending was great and was very much like I hoped it would be.
Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review The Lost House.

I love the setting of this book! Iceland is one of my favorite places to visit!

The first half of this book was very slow and I struggled to get into it, then the last part of the book everything moved so quickly. I really wish that intensity would have been through out the book versus rushed through at the end.

I struggled to attach myself to the characters. So many pieces seemed forced and didn’t seem to add any substance to the story. The MC Agnes is addicted to pills and this is brought up several times through out the book, but it is honestly not necessary. It felt very forced and repetitive since it has nothing to do with the murder mystery.

Thanks NetGalley and publisher for the digital copy in exchange for my honest review!

Publishing January 14th.

Agnes is traveling from California to Iceland, to the home her father and grandfather fled 40 years ago, after her grandmother and aunt were found murdered in the snow.

Having grown up knowing her grandfather, Einar, as a kind and gentle man, Agnes is meeting with Nora, a true crime podcaster, in Bifröst, determined to clear Einar's name after his recent death.

When she reaches Reykjavik, Agnes spots a missing person flyer in a shop. Ása, a young woman who attended an anniversary "party" at Einar's former home, has been missing since that night.

I found this to be very atmospheric, and in spite of the challenges Agnes faces negotiating the terrain after a recent injury, I found the scenery to be vividly described (and SO COLD). The characters were well developed and I didn't have any inkling who was responsible for the murders until the end.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press | Minotaur Books and NetGalley for an ARC of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

This was an enjoyable read, but I did find it very slow and vague for a good part of the book. In the end, I was entertained but not blown away.

My thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

A good twisty mystery even if given the limited number of characters you figure things out sooner. The backdrop against the biting cold and snow and unfamiliar landscape adds a nice element. I wish we spent more time with Nora bc she had an interesting POV. Agnes at times was a less captivating MC but I then kept remembering she was only 26.

Though I don't consider myself a regular reader of the thriller genre, I found the description of Melissa Larsen's "The Lost House" to be so intriguing that I knew this was definitely one I wanted to delve into immediately!
A young woman from California travels to Iceland where her family is from, and where her grandmother and aunt were brutally murdered 40 years previously. She's arranged to meet up with a true crime pod caster who wishes to interview her in the very location these murders took place. She arrives at the same time another young woman goes missing, presumed murdered.
This novel gets off to a somewhat still and quiet start. Yet the beauty of this Icelandic thriller is how the author paces the story in such a way that all aspects of it intensify at just the right cadence–the cold, the uncertainty, the distrust, and eventually, the terror, will fully have you in their grip. Very atmospheric and descriptive in regards to the country and it's terrain.
Unlike a few other reviewers who could see the end coming, I found myself still guessing about the mystery and it's resolution, up until the very end. An ending I found twisty, astounding and breath taking. Melissa Larsen has undeniably increased my interest in psychological thrillers!
Many thanks to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for the advance reading copy!

An Icelandic woman living in California returns to Iceland to join a podcaster investigating the murder of a woman and child forty years ago believed killed by her grandfather. Agnes grew up loving her grandfather intensely, closer to him than her own distant father. After his death, and her near death and badly damaging her leg, Agnes is so lost she takes up the podcaster Nora's offer to return to Iceland and maybe clear her grandfather's name. This is a character study as much as a mystery, with strong, complex elements of both making for an emotionally intense read. All the characters are richly developed and involving. Actions evolve organically and believably. Watching Agnes process all the new information while still dealing with her grief, and physical pain from her injuries is compelling. And Iceland itself is a wonder to her and the reader, and a character in itself. Intense rather than dark, gripping and fascinating. It will keep you guessing.

The Lost House by Melissa Larsen Agnes is still grieving the death of her grandfather, who was had fled his home 40 years earlier with his 9 year old son after his wife and infant daughter was found murdered. Agnes has never believed the story that her grandfather had commented the murders. On his death bed Agnes grandfather said he was the one who killed them. Agnes and her father are approached by a true crime podcaster Nora, who is reinterviewing everyone who lived in the small town in Iceland to solve the crime. Agnes goes against her father's wishes and flies to Iceland to help Nora with her podcast. Now a local girl has gone missing after a party at the "Murder House" Nora has switched her focus from Angnes' family to finding out what happened to Ana the missing girl. Who can Agnes trust when she thinks everyone is hiding the truth from her. With twist and turns this The Lost House will keep you on the seat of your pants until the very end. Who can Agnes trust when she thinks everyone is hiding the truth from her. I would like to thank both NetGalley and Minotaur Books for allowing me an advance copy of this book.

I wasn't expecting to enjoy The Lost House by Melissa Larsen as much as I did. I chose to read it because it took place in Iceland, in itself a mysterious locale, and was an unusual mystery.
A youngish woman, Agnes, goes to Iceland to learn more about her family and help in a podcast highlighting an unsolved murder of Agnes' grandmother and 9 month old aunt found frozen in the snow nearly 50 years earlier. Agnes has not healed from a serious accident that broke bones and is painful. She arrives addicted to painkillers.
She is the guest of the podcaster, Nora, at a beautiful home near the grounds where the two victims were found.

I found the narration very authentic. Agnes's reticent character, her dependence on drugs, her stubbornness, her dance of loneliness. The flashbacks of her father and grandfather are well placed and believable. For a mystery that has been unsolved for almost 50 years, it moved quickly but is explained by the fact that everyone in the village had determined the husband to be guilty so no further investigation happened until Nora and Agnes arrive on the scene. With two determined women wanting to know the truth plus another disappearance of a young woman just as Agnes arrives that seems to be related, it might move quickly.

Ms. Larsen is a good writer, she kept the suspense taunt and the reader guessing. The ending was satisfying.
I recommend this book as good Icelandic noir!!

3.5 starts, rounded up to 4
Publication date January 14, 2025


Thank you NetGalley and St Martins Press for sending this eARC for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

Agnes travels to Iceland to interview with a podcaster about her family's past. Forty years ago her grandmother and baby aunt were found frozen together, her grandmother with her throat slashed and her baby drowned. Although most thought the blame lied with Agnes' grandfather, he was never arrested, and fled to California with his son. Agnes loved her grandfather and believed in his innocence, but the more she learns from people who knew her grandparents, the more her belief in him wanes.

This book had an interesting cast of characters and beautiful scenery. Not the most gripping thriller, but enough to have you guessing throughout.

The Lost House was a slow paced mystery/thriller. The characters throughout the story, I felt, were not well developed. I liked the mission of the MC, but I felt like there was just something critical lacking that I can't quite put my finger on. I just couldn't get interested and the ending was too predictable.

If you are on the lookout for a chilling winter themed thriller in a scenic location this is definitely a good choice for you!

Set in Iceland, “The Lost House” follows Agnes, a 20 something year old from California who has agreed to work with a true crime podcaster Nora in regards to an unsolved 40 year old murder case.

Nora wants to interview Agnes as she is the granddaughter of the main suspect, the whole town is in agreement that her grandfather killed his wife and child and then fled to the states surely after.

After his recent passing Agnes is hoping to reconnect with her grandfather by visiting the home of her ancestors and clearing his name once and for all.

I enjoyed the setting of this book, I felt cold the entire time I was reading based on the harsh winter weather highlighted throughout the entire book. I imagine trying to solve crime and escaping murderers during the harsh winter snow would make things extra difficult for those involved.

I enjoyed the interview scenes where Agnes and Nora would ask locals questions about the history of the town and the events leading up to the murders. I also enjoyed the present day missing persons case that ran adjacent to the unsolved murder as we try to untangle whether there is a connection between the two cases or pure coincidence.

There was definitely some character growth for Agnes, she seemed a little lost when she first arrived in Iceland and it was nice to see her find some footing by the end. I am not sure how I feel about Nora. Although I think she has good intentions and tries to be respectful and ethical while conducting her investigations, it also seems like she doesn’t really care about the people she interviews and isn’t too concerned about the distress and upset her actions and questions will cause them, particularly the older folk. There was something a little off about her character that I can’t put my finger on.

Thank you to St martins press and Minotaur books; and Melissa Larsen for the EARC!

Publish date: January 14th 2025

This is easily one of the best thrillers I've read in the last few years. The author does a magnificent job telling Agnes' story as she learns the history of her family and what really happened to her grandmother and aunt all those years ago. The setting gave me chills (both spooky and physical) as we unpacked the story. The best part, I did not see this twist coming!