Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and the author, for an ARC of this book, in exchange for an honest review.
The premise of the book drew me in but once I started reading it, I just couldn’t get into it at all.
I wish the author, publisher and all those promoting the book much success and connections with the right readers.

It was really slow to start and eventually picked up. I would consider it a thriller, the only suspenseful part was at the end. It was okay.

The Lost House was, unfortunately, a let down for me. Larsen's vivid descriptions of the bleak and frigid Icelandic landscape set the tone well, and the plot itself is intriguing; a decades-long unsolved mystery and a new podcast featuring the granddaughter of the alleged murderer is a great setup. However, all of the characters are pretty unlikeable, the pacing is slow for the first two parts of the book, and there's a lot of repetition regarding the knee and ankle injury of Agnes, the main character, which was tiresome. The ending nicely wrapped up the mystery and provided a fair bit of action, but it took too long to get to that point and I probably would've given up on this one if I hadn't received an ARC. 2.5 stars rounded up because the ending is good if readers can make it there.

This is so amazing! I really felt for our girl. Her relationship with her grandpa defined her life, but now she is visiting his home to investigate the murder of her grandmother. As she unpacks things she experiences so much pain and also encounters so much danger. The ending was perfect!

This is a read only in the winter book because the setting of Bifrost, Iceland. and all of the snow made me feel so cold! I thought the podcast was a good plot device to get her to go this area. The book is a little slow going at times but I felt like the mystery was solid.

4 stars

I really enjoyed this chilling (sorry!) tale and the mysteries and answers included in it!

Agnes has a complicated past and present. 40 years ago, her Icelandic grandfather was accused of killing his wife and their young child (her grandmother and aunt). His departure to the US does not offer much in the way of solid PR for his case. Now that he has passed, Agnes has come to Iceland to unravel the mystery and to discover if this man she adored could possibly have been responsible for the crime so many are certain he committed.

This premise is fascinating, but it is only made better by Agnes's more recent personal demons. Also, the setting and the ancillary characters add so much to Agnes's quest for answers. She's just a riveting character in my opinion (especially for the genre), and all of the details make for a solidly engaging listen. I liked getting snippets of her grandfather through her memories, too.

I'll be back for more from this author and recommend this read for a cold winter's day.

My favorite part of THE LOST HOUSE by Melissa Larsen, was the descriptions of Iceland. The extreme conditions of that area added to the uniqueness of the novel.

This mystery begins forty years ago when a mother and baby are found buried in the snow in Iceland. The mother’s throat had been cut, but the baby had been drowned. All suspicions fall on the husband, who had fled to California with their surviving son.

Years after the double murder, Agnes. the granddaughter, is trying to clear her grandfather’s name. And she, herself, is recovering from an injury. Agnes returns Iceland for an interview with old friend and podcaster, for Nora Carver. That same week, another local girl goes missing.

The Lost House was my first book by Melissa Larsen and was a good read for the winter season. The icy, cold setting of Iceland set the tone of the story of an unsolved murder mystery.

Agnes is a woman that has known a little bit about her family's history, but wanted to return to the place that held all the secrets and to hopefully clear her grandfather's name while working with a true crime podcaster (Nora). 40 years ago, Agnes' grandmother and infant were found murdered in the snow. Shortly after, her grandfather and his son (Agnes' father) fled Iceland for America. All clues pointed to her grandfather killing his wife and child, but he wasn't convicted. Nora decides to investigate the cold case on her podcast and Agnes wants to clear her grandfather's name. As they work together to uncover the past and investigate, history and truths are uncovered. And then a current missing woman case begins to intertwine with the past.

First of all, I love a good setting that sets the tone. The small Icelandic town and its inhabitants did that. I also love the true crime podcast aspect because that is current and relatable. Combining those two things along with an old murder mystery along with the current missing woman case added to the heightened suspense. For that, I understood the slow build at the beginning, but that gave way to being repetitive because it was so slow.

While there were some positive aspects, the pacing and an unnecessary relationship that didn't help push the story forward are what drew me out of really enjoying the overall story. I liked the main characters and the fact that Agnes was so flawed and real, but wish more happened in the first 2/3 of the story to amp up my excitement that I felt in the last little bit. Even if I predicted who was connected to everything early on, the eerie, frigid setting was the true highlight in the end.

If you like a mystery suspense that is heavy on the setting, The Lost House is worth checking out.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Minotaur Books, and Macmillan Audio for gifting me both a digital and audio ARC of this novel by Melissa Larsen, beautifully narrated by Saskia Maarleveld. All opinions expressed in this review are my own – 4 stars!
Forty years ago in Iceland, a young mother and her infant daughter were brutally murdered. No one was ever charged, but the community was convinced it was the woman’s husband. When he fled for the US, it proved his guilt to them. In the present, Nora is working on a podcast of the story and the man’s granddaughter, Agnes, has agreed to fly from California to Iceland to participate. Agnes is healing both physically and mentally from an injury and broken relationship, relying on too many pills to get her through the day. She’s also grieving the loss of her beloved grandfather and is eager to prove his innocence. When she arrives, Nora is swept up in a new story of another young woman who has gone missing and enlists Agnes’ help. Are the two cases related?

The stark Icelandic setting and weather were the perfect backdrop for this haunting tale. The small town’s inhabitants have been convinced of the husband’s guilt and have no use for his granddaughter stirring things up. But now there is not one case to investigate, but two, and there are plenty of suspects. I loved having the audiobook to listen to while I read, especially with the different dialect and language. The narration was beautiful and added depth to the story. Perfect winter mystery!

Agnes has grown up knowing that her grandfather was suspected of murder. Forty years earlier, her grandfather fled Iceland after his wife and infant daughter were murdered, and most of the residents of his small town believed he was guilty. The crime has never been solved. Now Nora Carter, a true crime podcaster, reaches out to Agnes, as she is recording a podcast about her grandfather’s case. Agnes travels to Iceland to participate in the podcast, but shortly before she arrives, a young woman disappears, and it may be connected to the long ago murders.

I had very high hopes for this one, as I’m a lover of the podcast trope, but unfortunately, this one just didn’t really work for me. One of my main issues was the pacing. This book is VERY slow burn, but it feels like nothing happens at all for the middle third of the book, because it’s so slow. Perhaps due to the lack of action, it got very repetitive; it felt like all we were doing was watching Agnes pop pain pills, do something too physically taxing for her body, and then fall asleep. We heard so much about Agnes’ leg injury, but then she would constantly push her body too far, and be shocked by the consequences, which got annoying to read about over and over again. I’m also growing very tired of the pill popping, narrator who doesn’t take care of themselves at all and just kind of stumbles through things, making bad choices, and that was Agnes. I think our female main characters deserve a little better at this point. The relationship in this book, was, in my opinion, completely unnecessary. It was very insta-love, and didn’t really add anything to the story. Finally, the big reveal of what happened was so lacklustre and so bland that I was annoyed that I stuck around for it. Overall, I think this book had a great concept, but needed some editing to tighten things up. I gave it two stars. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

Agnes travels to Iceland to be interviewed for a true crime podcast about a cold case, hoping to clear her grandfather’s name. When she arrives, a local student has just gone missing, and the two cases begin to intertwine. As Agnes learns more about her family’s past, she must face the possibility that her beloved grandfather is actually a murderer.

The story had me hooked, especially in the second half. I had an early theory of how the plot would work out, and while I turned out to be right, the author managed to keep me doubting myself down to the last minute.

The setting was one thing that was done really well - I easily felt the fear and isolation of being lost in the freezing, snow-covered woods. At times, the story was a little slow, and there were a few red flags that went suspiciously unaddressed (like Nora and the cellphone). It was a great winter weekend binge read.

My thanks to Net Galley and St Martin s/Minotaur for allowing me to review this arc.

This was not what I expected from the summary. The premise was great. Agnes, a young woman returns to her former Icelanic home per an invitation from Podcaster Nora to help solve a 40 year old murder in which Agnes grandfather was accused. She also.finds herself involved in a current murder. But the story seemed to stall and drag with the different generation characters and too much background info...Did pick up a bit toward the very end. Just on the fence with this

This chilling thriller is not only in the weather but in the cold case as well.
This book was very atmospheric giving a good feeling of Iceland and the people in Bifrost, Iceland. I read the ebook and audiobook in tandem and I found with both I could easily picture the snow falling, the ice-covered roads, the knee-deep walkways filled with snow, the thrilling moments in the outdoors the sub-zero temperatures and snow storms. I did suspect the correct killer so that lack of surprise was disappointing but it was nice to know I was right!

This story is about Agnes Glin, who goes on a trip to Iceland alone to take part in a cold case podcast by Nora Carver, who is looking into an old cold case in Iceland from 40 years early that involved the murders of Agnes`s grandmother and baby aunt. Agnes’s grandfather, Einar Palsson, was suspected but never charged with the murders and Agnes would like to prove his innocence and clear her family’s name. There is also a subplot line where another local woman has gone missing just before Agnes arrives and Nora suspects it might be linked to past murders as the woman looked a lot like Agnes' grandmother.


Many thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press | Minotaur Books, and for this ARC. This is my honest review.

12/13/2024
Melissa Larsen’s "The Lost House" is an atmospheric and haunting thriller about a troubled young woman, Agnes, invited to her ancestral Icelandic home by a top-rated true crime podcaster (Nora). It's the fortieth anniversary of the gruesome murders of Agnes' grandmother and her infant aunt.

The community has always blamed Agnes' grandfather, but this is a man she loved and adored. There is no way he could have committed such brutal and heinous murders. But her grandfather and father would never speak of that day, and now he's dead. Her relationship with her father has always been a little distant, so nothing stops her from leaving California and doing a little investigation on her own and with this podcaster.

Larsen weaves together an icy web of secrets, tragedy, and relentless determination for redemption from multiple angles and multiple characters - it's really fascinating. From the very first page, I was captivated by the haunting setting of Bifröst, Iceland—its snow-covered landscapes and small-town tensions becoming characters in their own right. Larsen masterfully balances the claustrophobic intimacy of a remote village, that small-town feel where everyone is in your business and knows everything about you, with the vast, freezing cold expanses of the Icelandic winter, creating a palpable sense of unease that lingers throughout.

Agnes is a compelling protagonist; her vulnerability and grit make her journey to uncover the truth deeply personal and engrossing. Her partnership with Nora, who's sharp and ambitious, adds layers of tension and intrigue as old wounds are reopened for Agnes and new mysteries emerge. The dual timelines of the decades-old murder and the present-day disappearance of a college girl are seamlessly interwoven, each revelation more shocking than the last. I often found myself putting the book down and saying - what the....!

Larsen’s writing is both evocative and razor-sharp, pulling readers into a world where every character hides a secret, and nothing is as it seems. The twists are genuinely jaw-dropping, and the final chapters left me breathless. "The Lost House" is an unforgettable exploration of loyalty, betrayal, and the lengths we’ll go to protect those we love. 5+ stars!!

Thank you, #NetGalley, #MelissaLarsen, #StMartinsPress, and #MinotaurBooks, for the ARC in exchange for my honest review of #TheLostHouse.

I enjoyed this! I am a huge fan of literary mysteries and THE LOST HOUSE definitely hit the spot! However, I will say that while I loved the mystery and the characters, the story did drag at times for me. I loved that the pacing and plot captured the barren beauty of the setting as well, I just wished the pacing moved a bit faster toward the end. Overall, a great, atmospheric mystery!

This wonderful atmospheric story takes place in Iceland in February. Agnes, who lives in California, ventures to Iceland. Her paternal grandfather was suspected of murdering his wife and infant daughter there forty years ago, and she hopes to clear his name. The book also features Nora, an American podcaster, who is investigating the cold case. The book is set in two timelines, 1979 and 2019. This is a slow book, beautifully written. I look forward to reading more from this author. Recommended!

Wanting personal justice and putting to rest a decades old rumor that her loving grandfather killed his wife and baby daughter, Agnes travels to Iceland to be interviewed by a Podcaster, Nora, who is digging into the deaths. After arriving Agnes discovers that a woman has gone missing reminiscent of her grandmother.
With the killer hiding in plain sight, will history repeats itself or will Agnes finally clear the cloud of suspicion hanging over her family? I liked the character of Agnes who seemed to become more self assured as the book progressed. I did not care for Nora. I felt she was too pushy and dismissive of some of the characters she interviewed. Although the story lagged at times, it was a good suspense story and held my interest. Thank you Netgalley and St Martin’s Books/Minotaur for the ARC. This review is my personal opinion.

This is a chilling (pun intended) thriller that's perfect for those who love a slow, creepy sense of dread. The sense of isolation and the small cast made if a lot of fun to try anticipating the twists and reveals, and I wasn't disappointed. Definitely read this one on a dark winter night!

This book starts with a cold case in Iceland of a double murder of Agnes’ grandmother and baby daughter. This happened 40 years ago and the main suspect Agnes’ grandfather left the country and raised Agnes in the United States. Agnes has returned to Iceland to clear her grandfather’s name. While she is there another murder happens which seems to have ties to Agnes' family.

This book has a great book for winer with the Icelandic atmosphere. I live in a snowy state this book really hit home. The setting and difficulty of traveling in winter added to the secluded, claustrophic feeling throughout the book.

I had a hard time connecting to Agnes or any of the other characters. She felt superficial and not realistic. This book was also more slowly paced and at times I felt it was quite boring and repetitive. I wish publishers would stress whether a book is more of a mystery/suspense versus a mystery/thriller. I would call this book suspense because there was little thrill to it. I think if I knew this wasn’t a thriller going into it then I would’ve adjusted my expectations and that had an impact on my reading experience.

Thank you, NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press / Minotaur Books for allowing me to read an ARC of this book. The opinion in this review is my own.

Thank you to Melissa Larsen, St. Martin’s Press, and NetGalley for this arc of The Lost House, out January 14, 2025!

📜Quick Summary: Agnes is going back home to Iceland to help podcaster Nora solve the cold case murder of her grandmother and aunt. Agnes never believed her grandfather, who was suspected for the crime, could have murdered them. Her father always told her to leave it alone, but she just can’t shake away the feeling of not knowing the whole truth. Can she prove his innocence? Nora takes on the cold cases to help her find resolve in something that happened to her in the past. Will she be able to take on this case? As soon as Agnes arrives in town, another young girl goes missing. Is this a coincidence? Or just bad luck for a small town who is still recovering from the murders forty years ago.

❣️Initial Feels: The Icelandic setting is beautiful (even though I hate cold and snow) and this seems like the book will be filled with many chills and thrills!

👀Trigger Warnings: opioid addiction, mention of abortion

🙋🏼‍♀️Moving Character: It was really hard for me to connect to any characters in this novel. Nora’s personality just felt fake to me, and her persona just felt off. Agnes showed strength at times, when she put herself in full detective mode when the other girl went missing.

📖Read if you want: atmospheric setting, podcaster who solves cold cases, slower paced mystery

💡Final Sentiments: The book’s setting grabbed my interest right away. For some reason, the beginning felt muddled in its writing and setting the scene for what was to come. I did end up enjoying the book, but it took a hot minute for it to really take off. I felt like some of it was rushed and too trusting…like how did Agnes just go stay with a stranger she didn’t know to investigate her family’s murder!? Maybe it is the worrier in me, but it felt like she just jumped right in, stayed out in a secluded place and was like, this is normal! Nora just was odd to me… her tone of voice and frequent reminders of how she fully embraces her cases just threw me off for some reason. The setting was my favorite part; the author did a really good job describing the setting!

🌟Overall Rating: 3.5 stars

This novel was provided by the publisher, via NetGalley, in exchange for my honest review.