Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free, electronic ARC of this novel received in exchange for an honest review.
Expected publication date: Jan. 14, 2025
“Shutter” author Melissa Larsen transports readers to a snowy town in Iceland for her newest novel, “The Last House”.
In a small Icelandic town, forty years ago, a young child came across a woman and an infant, dead in the snow in what was later discovered to be a grisly murder. The entire community blamed the woman’s husband, causing him to flee to the United States, never once claiming innocence. Now, Agnes receives a message from Nora, a podcaster, who wants to highlight the long-ago murders on her podcast and Agnes accepts because, after all, she is the presumed murderer’s granddaughter. As much as Agnes wants to clear her grandfather’s name, she also is desperate to escape California, recovering from a tragic accident and heartbreak, but she doesn’t expect to be immediately immersed in the case of another missing young girl- the details of which are very similar to the forty-year-old cold case.
Agnes is a protagonist with complicated family secrets, one of which of course is that her grandfather is believed to be a killer. That was all the premise I needed before grabbing at the chance to read Larsen’s “House”. Narrated by Agnes as she navigates the cold case forty years later, there are occasional snippets where readers hear from other characters (one of whom is unnamed, for obvious reasons). Larsen’s novel delves into the “podcast genre” that is becoming so popular these days, but adds a bit of exotic flavour with her cold yet breathtaking Icelandic setting.
There are quite a few suspects right off the hop that jump out at you, but the guessing-game in this novel is by far the best part. Twist after twist, the gripping plot captivates, until the unexpected ending delivers the final blow. Once I started “House”, there was no turning back.
Agnes is the kind of character that is relatable to anyone, mostly for her humanity and utter brokenness. Physically and emotionally, Agnes is looking to escape the world she knows and winds up immersed in a strange world, trying to solve a missing person’s case. She is the ideal character to cheer for, and I bonded with her from the start.
Although I had planned to check out Larsen’s debut, “Shutter”, I have yet to do so and it is always hit-or-miss for me to be introduced to an author with their sophomore novel. However, Larsen’s writing is enchanting, her characters endearing and her plot is suspenseful and thrilling. I look forward to reading more from Larsen (and hopefully, finally, getting a chance to read “Shutter”).

The Icelandic setting of The Lost House steals the show in this book. The freezing snow and unpredictable weather changed the landscape of the book especially in times of great tension. Agnes is struggling and takes hold of a lifeline offered by a podcaster to uncover what really happened forty years ago involving her family. Her grandfather and father have never talked about their time in Iceland so all she knows is what’s been shared in the media and pop culture lore. However, when Agnes arrives in Iceland a local girl goes missing after attending a party and the eerie similarities begin to arise leaving an already struggling Agnes to contend with what she believes to be true completely false.

If you like atmospheric reads then definitely at this book to your tbr. The setting makes this story and its changes ebb like the story itself giving the reader hints of what’s to come.



Thank you publishers and netgalley for this eARC in exchange for my honest feedback

I definitely liked this from an entertainment perspective. However, I am used to Scandinavian Noir and this does not fit into that category, in my opinion. It's dark, but not that dark. I also clocked the killer pretty early into the narrative, and that is likely not what the author intended, otherwise the book would likely been shorter and with less red herrings. I found the red herrings to be distracting, as in, why are we wasting time on this character when the killer is over there?

As far as straight murder mysteries go, this is good and I would recommend it to mystery readers for sure. But if you're looking for something dark and twisty, this might not be for you.

This was a decent mystery. The setting captivated me immediately. The Icelandic backdrop creates a chilling atmosphere, and the unforgiving winter serves as an excellent location for a mystery story, enhancing the suspense. The story is divided into three sections, alternating between past and present viewpoints. I enjoyed the interview segments where Nora and Agnes spoke with locals about the town's history and the events leading up to the murders. The story also introduced another missing persons case, prompting readers to consider whether the cases are connected. However, I found the mystery surrounding the family murders to be somewhat predictable and the plot unfolds at a very slow pace.

Thank you to NetGallery and to Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for giving me a copy.

Agnes Glin leaves her job as a software coder in California to visit Nora Carver in Bifröst, Iceland, and engage in Nora’s true-crime podcast, The End. The new season’s podcast is entitled “the Frozen Madonna” and deals with the death of Agnes’s grandmother and aunt. I want to know more about Agnes, her family, and the deaths.

I find the beginning of this book difficult to read. After the confusion settles, I get to know Agnes’s family. The cold case is warmed up and details are revealed. Thank you, St. Martin's Press and NetGalley, for the chance to read and review an advance reader copy.

** four and a half shiny stars

A mesmerizing Nordic mystery, uniquely premised, cleverly plotted, and impossible to put down.

Agnes Glin, our third-person-POV narrator, is twenty-seven years old and has lived her entire life in California, although her heritage on her father’s side is Icelandic. Agnes, with her white-blond hair, is still reeling from a recent traumatic break-up, and an agonizing recovery from a terrible knee injury that has left her with both a limp and a secret addiction to pain killers. Agnes also possesses an even more hideous secret — her past has been clouded by the forty-year-old unsolved Icelandic murder of her grandmother Marie and her infant daughter — where the chief suspect (never charged) is Agnes’s own beloved grandfather Einar.

Alienated from her father, Magnus, (a reclusive engineer with no love lost for his assumed-to-be-murderous father) and dealing with the recent death of her grandfather, Einar, himself, Agnes will make the long voyage to Iceland — where a true-crime blogger, Nora, will host Agnes’s visit in return for her insights, as they laboriously re-examine the unsolved murder with an aim to ultimate closure (and for Agnes, redemption, she hopes, for her much-maligned grandfather).

Evocative and chilling, this story is drenched with black rock, lava fields, ice, and of course, menace - a combination that proves dangerous and deadly as Agnes (in the footsteps of Nora) uncovers a bevy of suspects, more crimes, and even more secrets, in the frigid winter of her homeland.

A terrific read, this is a gripping story with interesting, mysterious, local characters aided by an exotic Nordic setting, and led by a deeply flawed and vulnerable heroine with a fascinating psychological background-story.

A great big thank you to #Netgalley, the author and the publisher for an ARC of this book. All thoughts presented are my own.

Agnes leaves her California home after a year long recovery from a tragic accident to go to Iceland and talk with a podcaster, Nora about her grandfather. Her grandfather was claimed to have killed his wife and their baby on a cold night 40 years ago, but he was never convicted and he fled to California to start a new life. Now Agnes wants to see if Nora can tell her if her grandfather was really innocent,,,,,or was he the murderer that everyone claims him to be.

This book was not my favorite to be honest. It had a good plot and the characters were well written, but the story line just seemed to drag for me. It definitely had some eerie aspects with the ice/snow storms and the far distance Agnes was from the next town and kind of isolated. The last quarter of the book was by far the best and I did enjoy the ending and how the author was able to wrap everything up. Even if I predicted the ending pretty early on in the book, the why was a surprise.

Thank you NetGalley and Minotaur Books for an ARC in return for an honest review.

This was a very unique story. It was a slow burn but it did all come together. You just have to be patient! The whole book was atmospheric and it wasn’t scary but it definitely gave me chills.

Agnes grew up in California with her Icelandic father and grandfather. Her mother is not in the picture, and her Grandmother Marie died 40 years ago. Marie and her infant child were murdered in Iceland. Everyone thought Agnes grandfather was to blame, especially since he sold his home and land to live in America after the murders. After Agnes' grandfather passed away, she was contacted by Nora, a true crime podcaster, who invited her to Iceland to interview her about the murder of her grandmother, as the 40th anniversary date was coming up. Against her father's wishes, Agnes agrees. She meets her father and grandfather's old neighbors and friends, who still believe he was at fault. She makes new friends in the process...and enemies. She puts herself in harms way in assisting Nora with uncovering the murder from so long ago. I enjoyed reading this book, the author paints a vivid picture of Iceland. I felt that I was there freezing in the snow.

The Lost House is an atmospheric read that slowly draws you in and then doesn't let go.

The setting Iceland: you can feel the winds and the snow pelting against your face like you are right there with Agnes.

Agnes is trying to prove to the world that her grandfather did not kill his wife and child over 40 years ago.

Secrets and lies prevail in this small town and Agnes along with Nora a true crime podcaster have their work cut out for them.

Melissa Larsen does a remarkable job paving the path with twists and turns that have you guessing to the end.

Grab a blanket along with your copy of The Lost House and settle in for a chillingly good story.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press/Minotaur Books for the privilege of reading and reviewing The Lost House.

Forty years ago, Agnes's grandmother and infant aunt were found murdered in the ice fields of Iceland. Blamed for the murder, her grandfather and father flee Iceland to start over in America. Agnes is returning to the crime scene to prove her beloved grandfather innocent. With the help of podcaster Nora, Agnes hopes she can change public opinion about her grandfather and help the world see the loving man she knew, not the monster they believe him to be.
Things aren't quite what they seem, though; a new woman has gone missing from the very house that her grandparents lived in. Is it a strange coincidence or something else? New friendships will be tested, truths from the past will be unearthed, and Agnes will finally have to face what happened to herself a year ago and choose the future she wants. Plus, she will have to deal with the consequences of what she discovers, whether it's what she wants to believe in or not.
Reminiscent of an Agatha Christi novel, you don't know who to trust in this novel! With flashes of the past intermingled with the presence, it is a mystery you can't help but want to solve. Who killed Marie and baby Agnes? Where is Asa? Who can you trust? Why are people so sure Einar killed his wife? Did he do it? I was haunted by questions until the very end of the novel, when all the answers were finally revealed.

If you love a good Icelandic thriller you will enjoy The Lost House!Agnes goes to the former home of her father and grandfather to try to prove her grandfathers innocence in a murder that took place forty years before.Her grandfather was accused of murdering his wife and infant daughter and then fleeing Iceland with his son-her father.Agnes goes to Iceland to help a podcaster.She is recovering from a devastating surfing accident and fighting to break an addiction to opioids..While she is there a young woman disappears.The twists and turns in this thriller especially at the end will keep you reading!Thank you St Martins Press/Minotaur Books and NetGalley for allowing me to read this ARC!

Wow what a thrill ride this was! The Lost House is the story of Agnes who goes to Iceland, where here father and grandfather lived before immigrating to the US after the brutal unsolved murder of her grandmother and aunt 40 years earlier, hoping for answers to all the questions she's never had answered. Upon arriving, another young woman goes missing.
This was such an intriguing story line, filled with emotional trauma, unsolved mysteries, family drama, and an unbelievably beautiful and rugged setting. Great characters that kept me glued to the pages. I loved it!

I found the premise of this book so intriguing!! A young woman, Agnus, returns to her ancestral home in Iceland to investigate a gruesome murder in her family. Her grandfather was accused of murdering his wife and baby although never charged.

Him and his young son flee to America for a new start. Agnus is desperate to know the truth of what happened. As she participates in a podcast to uncover the truth, another young woman goes missing!

This book was a slow burn and I truly didn’t see the ending coming. It was a bit slow for me in the middle but ended in such an unexpected way. Overall a good story with an atmospheric vibe.

This book is definitely for those (like me) that live a good cold case. This book fast forward 40 years to the grand daughter trying to clear her grandpas name. This book has so many twists and turns. It definitely kept me on my toes. And was a very quick read for me.

Interesting premise, but predictable. There was a TON of repeated phrases and thoughts and reiterating of plot which was distracting.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.

It has been forty years since the horrific death of a mother and her newborn baby, known as the frozen madonna murders. Agnes is going to Iceland to find out the truth about her grandmother's tragic death. She needs answers about her grandfather, father and herself. A good book to read in the winter months, enough of a mystery to finish.
Thanks to Netgalley and publishers for the advanced book, in return for my honest opinion.

Forty years after the tragic murders of her grandmother and aunt, Agnes travels to her family's homeland in Iceland. She joins forces with Nora, a podcaster determined to solve the cold case. Agnes is driven by a desire to clear her grandfather's name and to take a break from her life in California. However, her plans are disrupted when a local girl goes missing the same weekend she arrives. Is this merely a coincidence, or is there a deeper connection? How far will Agnes go to protect her family and uncover the truth?

This book is a chilling and well-crafted murder mystery that true crime enthusiasts will love. It kept me hooked, and I genuinely had no idea who actually committed the murder, until the reveal. Although the pacing was a bit slow, it built up to a satisfying conclusion. The dual storylines were engaging and wrapped up nicely by the end.

Agnes' character development was outstanding. Her emotions felt incredibly real, making it easy to connect with her and enhancing the overall enjoyment of the story.

Thank you NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and Melissa Larsen for a chance to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

3.5

This book started out really promising, I was hooked immediately and excited to read. As it went on, the story started to feel repetitive and wasn’t fully keeping my interest.

Agnes has a tragic family past, her grandmother was killed when she was only in her twenties, along with her baby daughter. Agnes agrees to return to her families home country and work with a podcaster investigating the cold case. The town has said for years it is Agnes grandfather who is responsible, but Agnes can’t accept that her loving grandfather is behind the heinous crime.

Overall, not a bad read. But it didn’t keep me as captivated as I was hoping for.

Thank you to the publisher for the gifted ARC

A big thanks to St. Martin's Press | Minotaur Books and NetGalley for providing me with an early copy to read and review.

It’s been awhile since a thriller captured my attention so quickly and it was difficult to put down! The generational mystery, the location and tying it all in with a modern true crime podcast was a fantastic idea.

Definitely atmospheric. A release in January will be great!