"The Lost House" was a pretty good thriller. The overarching premise is an interesting one, as a true crime podcaster (Nora Carver) is looking into a notorious unsolved murder mystery in Iceland known as The Frozen Madonna and Child. The bodies of Marie Hvass and Agnes Einarsdottir were found in a blanket of snow, Marie's throat slashed, and Agnes drowned and frozen solid. Einar Palsson is widely believed to have killed his wife (Marie) and daughter (Agnes), and this belief was strengthened by him selling his property and moving to America with his son Magnus soon after the bodies were discovered. Einar has passed away, and his son Magnus has no interest in talking about the murder of his mother and sister. However, Agnes Glin, Magnus daughter and Einar's granddaughter is willing to talk to Nora, including traveling to Iceland to visit the old family home. Yet, her willingness to talk is interesting because she actually knows very little about the murders or the lives of her father and grandparents in Iceland, as those were forbidden topics of conversation growing up. Neither Einar nor Magnus were willing to talk about their past with Agnes. As a result, there does not seem to be much that Agnes can add to the story. The grandfather she knew was vastly different from how Einar is portrayed in the media accounts about the murder, and how Einar is remembered and viewed by the current residents of Bifrost, his former hometown.

However, Agnes will end up contributing in unexpected ways, both with respect to the family murder mystery and with the investigation into the recent disappearance of a college student, Asa, who was last seen at a party at the "murder house" (Einar's former home). The author does a good job of integrating the recent disappearance of Asa with the forty-year-old murder mystery that the story centers around. One of the plotlines revolves around a devastating injury that Agnes incurred a year earlier and the difficult recovery, including development of an opioid addiction. I was not sure how well that storyline was going to fit, but the author makes it works. The story has plenty of twists and turns, with some pretty good surprises.

I was one of the, sadly, few people who enjoyed Shutter, so I was excited to read The Lost House. The plot sounds amazing, and I was excited about the Icelandic setting, but it left me feeling disappointed. The mystery is interesting, though predictable, and I did like the setting, but I loathed Agnes. I prefer a strong main character, and I found her to be very weak. She's an addict (how cliche), she's whiny and self-pitying, she's rude and just generally unlikable. So many times people were talking to her, and she didn't hear what they said because she wasn't listening. It was almost amusing how many times it said, "but Agnes wasn't listening", or some variation thereof. This book is very slow and not a lot happens. It seems like most of the book is in Agnes's head, and often she's just walking through snow, complaining about her leg, and thinking about either Asa or her grandfather. That being said, there are good parts too. The other characters were much more likable. They were well-developed and interesting. The writing was atmospheric and generally good, and I liked seeing the ways the original crime and the new disappearance affected the people in town. I would love to see Nora come back in a future book and find out what happened to her sister. I think a series about her podcasts, with her as the main character, could be fantastic. Overall, The Lost House was too slow and the main character too annoying for me to fully enjoy it. 2.5 stars rounded up.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC!

I received an ARC of this upcoming novel through NetGalley.

This mystery/thriller is set in Iceland. Agnes lives in California, after her grandfather and father left Iceland after her grandmother and her father's baby sister were murdered. No one is ever prosecuted for these murders, but most people in Iceland believe that that grandfather did it and hastily left the country to escape prosecution.

Agnes, as a young adult, decides to visit Iceland at the invitation of a podcaster (Nora), who specializes in investigating cold cases. While there a young woman disappears, a suspected suicide, and Nora and Agnes decide to help find here, creating a second plotline for the book.

The book did a great job of capturing my curiosity but I felt the place was slow and the search and investigation process dragged.

Good, not great.

I received an ARC of this book from St. Martin's Press via NetGalley in exchange for my honest feedback. I am apparently in the minority that I didn't love this one. It moved really, really slowly, with not much happening for most of the book. It also annoyed me that there were a million references to Agnes' injury, spoken of in a mysterious way, but we didn't find out what actually happened till really far in. The setting was great, along with little tidbits of Icelandic culture and names. But I needed more action.

The Lost House by Melissa Larsen
This book was a bit hard for me to get into. I just really had a hard time connecting with the characters. Agnes travels to Iceland to meet up with a podcaster investigating her grandmother and aunts murder 40 years previously. Her grandfather (and always suspected murderer) was a wonderful influence on her as a child and she has a hard time believing any of this. Though her grandfather and father have always been very tight lipped about any of it. Ironically while in Iceland another young woman disappears and Agnes can’t help but think they could be related but how? The ending did surprise me a bit, I really didn’t see how they could be connected.

The Lost House is a very good atmospheric mystery set in snowy, freezing Iceland. A young woman and her baby were found buried in the snow forty years ago. The case was never solved, however all the locals blamed her husband. He left Iceland for California with his surviving son. In the present, a year following the man’s death, a podcaster (Nora Carver) is investigating the case and reaches out to the surviving granddaughter, Agnes. Agnes is trying to recover from a horrific accident, she deeply loved her grandfather and she flies to Iceland in an effort to prove his innocence. The weekend she arrives another girl goes missing, with clues possibly relating to the original murder. The cast of characters are complex and interesting, combining well with the cold and unforgiving landscape. The reader will be swept into the story and be faced with many twists and turns. The writing is wonderful and richly layered. I highly recommend this book! With thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for this ARC. My opinions are my own.

Thank you for the opportunity to read this! I really enjoyed it. The characters were interesting and well developed. I loved the imagery of Iceland and the house. It kept me guessing with who did what and who didn’t do it. I never saw the outcome coming which is kind of rare for me. Thanks again!

Agnes travels to Iceland from California to investigate her Grandmother’s murder. When she gets there a girl has gone missing. Agnes feels the need to solve both cases. This book was entertaining and kept me guessing.

A young woman, traveling to Iceland to clear her grandfather’s name after his death. Traveling to Iceland is very brave of Agnes considering she is in California and has a significant injury.


Her father refuses to speak about the horrible thing that made them leave Iceland. His mother and baby sister were murdered horribly and left in the snow. Of course the first suspect is the husband, but Agnes is positive her grandfather did not do this.


Meeting up with Nora, a true crime expert, they are both biting off more than they can chew and are soon in danger themselves.


Absolutely loved this story!


NetGalley/ St. Martin’s Press January 14,2025

Agnes travels to her family’s homeland of Iceland to clear her grandfather’s name of murder. He has always been suspected of murdering his young wife and infant daughter after they were found frozen in the snow 40 years ago. Her father and grandfather fled to the US under the cloud of suspicion and refused to talk about it ever since. But now there’s a podcast in development and the host, Nora, invited Agnes to speak. She has never broken her silence until now. At times welcomed but more often shunned, she’s determined to work with Nora to find the truth. But will she survive to tell the world?

The descriptions of Iceland bring to mind endless frozen landscapes and desolation. It fits well with how isolated Agnes feels, alone with her belief in her grandfather’s innocence. Even those close to him, neighbors and family alike, thought him guilty – there was just no one else who could have wanted to hurt the mother and child. But of course, Agnes uncovers a slew of secrets, not easy when everyone closes ranks to protect their own. I happened to see the end coming but I think many readers will be pleasantly surprised.

It was a nice touch for the author to include a few corrections to Agnes’s pronunciations, as I also would have been saying certain names and places incorrectly in my head, and that’s important to me for some reason! I’m still a bit uncertain about how the title of the book fits, but that could just be me. I quite enjoyed the story; it was a nice change of pace from the books set in the US and the UK that I typically read. So glad I checked it out!

3.5 stars, rounded up to 4 stars.

I was drawn to the story by the premise and the Icelandic setting. I wish the setting, with more historic background, played a bigger role than it did, but oh well. This was a sloooooooow developing plot. It picked up a bit by the end, but I think it would generous to call this a thriller. It was interesting, had several red herrings, but was not overly complicated for a simpleton like myself :).

Please, give me more Iceland.

I received a complimentary copy of the novel from the publisher and NetGalley, and my review is being given freely.

"I'm drowning, I'm drowning," sing the Icelandic band Of Monsters and Men on their song called Hunger. This song could be the perfect soundtrack to The Lost House because the main character is often drowning under the weight of a family tragedy from long ago and events of the present day. Melissa Larsen's Icelandic thriller is enthralling from the very start. It's a brilliant thriller with twists and turns that make it a special addition to the genre. Can an investigation of a never forgotten crime from decades earlier lead also to the solution of a modern day crime? You'll have to find out for yourselves by reading this great book. Thank you to St. Martin's Press, Minotaur Books, and NetGalley for the advance reading copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

I discovered I’m drawn to the Nordic atmosphere. Living in the US south where it’s Oct. and we’re breaking records at over 96° it was a treat to read about ice and the cold. This story has Agnes with roots in CA. and a heritage in Iceland. There are two themes in the story, Agnes’s painful injury, her resulting coping mechanism and the death of her beloved grandfather which leads her to search for answers. It was very much a family drama with secrets that created pain throughout generations. The grandfather she adored loved her unconditionally, yet he fled his Icelandic homeland as a presumed murderer. That community all believed he killed his own wife and tiny daughter. Agnes has agreed to meet a podcaster in that tainted town and participate on the fortieth anniversary of her grandmother’s demise. She doesn’t believe the man she knew capable of such a unfathomable act. There are many of the same neighbors and townspeople still living here and Agnes quickly discovered she’s the only one who believes in his innocence. A young woman disappears from a party and her situation resonates with Agnes so she joins in the search. Agnes strived to clear her grandfather’s name and the mystery resolution took me by surprise.
There were multiple subjects that touched me, how destructive lies are, how you simply cannot judge someone else’s pain if you’ve never experienced their situation, how you never truly know everything about another person. There are heavy topics referenced as Agnes struggles with sexual identity, addiction, debilitating pain, and life’s curveballs. Without life experiences younger readers may not grasp the depth of Agnes’s issues. I found Agnes relatable and enjoyed many of the supporting family members and townspeople. The author gave a vivid picture of the area and the characters had lots of emotional depth.
Thanks to St. Martin’s Press, Minotaur Books (via NetGalley) for providing an Advance Reader Copy of “The Lost House” by Melissa Larsen, publication expected 01/14/2025. These are my honest, personal thoughts and opinions given voluntarily without compensation.

I enjoyed this book! I wish it had more description of Iceland besides the weather (it was so crazy), but the plot was twisty and good, and I enjoyed finding out what happened. It's sincerely hard to read at parts if you've had a history of extreme pain - as the main character has sustained a huge injury to her leg and, surprise, it gets re-injured - and there is a CW for pill addiction. But I enjoyed this and sped through it to find out what happens! I recommend.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Agnes Glin has spent her entire life in snow-free California, but while still recovering from a very painful accident, she’s been invited to Bifröst, Iceland, where true crime podcaster, Nora Carver, is investigating the four decades-old notorious unsolved murder of “The Frozen Madonna and Child.” Agnes’ connection is her beloved and recently deceased grandfather, who was accused but never convicted of the homicide of his wife and baby and who fled with his 9 year old son (Agnes’ father) to America.

The town where the murder took place, Bifröst, hasn’t moved on. Every year on the anniversary of the mysterious deaths (now the fortieth one in 2019), local residents throw a macabre “party” in the barn on Agnes’ grandfather’s property. The latest gathering occurred a few days before Agnes’ arrival, and another white-blond (like grandmother Marie and Agnes) partygoer has gone missing. There are two mysteries to solve.

Author Larsen creates an introspective, soul-searching Agnes, a young woman who’s lonely and grieving but trying to get out of her self-imposed shell and move forward with her life. Solving the mystery of her grandfather’s story and the missing girl is giving her the impetus to change things. The Icelandic cold and darkness, coupled with Agnes’ limiting disability and constant concerns about both physical and mental pain, magnify the character’s struggles. She’s literally and figuratively stumbling (buy some gloves, Agnes!) Yet we find ourselves rooting for her to find a resolution that she can live with. 5 stars!

Literary Pet Peeve Checklist:
Green Eyes (only 2% of the real world, yet it seems like 90% of all fictional females): NO but close. Nora has hazel eyes.
Horticultural Faux Pas (plants out of season or growing zones, like daffodils in autumn or bougainvillea in Alaska): NO February in Iceland means all the beautiful lupines have months before blooming.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy!

Listen, the premise is so cool and I loved the atmosphere. Huge fan of Iceland right here. The plot and dynamic between the main characters and others felt off. I just couldn’t suspend belief enough to believe certain plot points so this didn’t work for me.

I throughly enjoyed this book. The description of the countryside was wonderfully done. The characters were all different but meshed together. The storyline kept you guessing right till end. I would highly recommend this book.

A young woman goes to Iceland to address a 40 year old murder and suddenly gets caught up in a missing person case. Strong writing and good cast of characters. I enjoyed reading this!

The Lost House is an enjoyable atmospheric mystery thriller set mainly in Iceland.

Agnes’s beloved grandfather has recently passed away. Forty years ago he was the prime suspect in the murder of his wife and infant daughter in Bifrost Iceland. The troubled protagonist, Agnes, heads to Iceland to meet up with Nora who had a true crime podcast to discuss the case. Agnes is determined to find out the truth about her grandfather.

After a slow start I had trouble putting this book down. It kept my interest and I needed to read one (or two or three) more chapters before I could finally close the book.

I look forward to reading more by this author.

4 stars for an absorbing book about a 40 year old murder mystery. The blurb:
"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 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."
Agnes goes to Iceland to be interviewed by Nora, a crime solving pod caster. At the same time she arrives, Asa, an Icelandic woman, goes missing and people are out searching for her. Agnes is instrumental in solving both mysteries. There is a satisfactory ending. There is some brief violence, but not graphic. There is also some brief sex, again not graphic. No bad language, making it suitable for cozy fans.
Agnes is hampered by an injury to leg and knee which required major reconstructive surgery. One quote: "Her left leg feels like it's composed of broken glass, grinding with every step, and the rest of her body is cramping. She hasn't walked so much in a year."
Thank You St. Martin's Press for sending me this eARC through NetGalley.

Pub Date Jan 14 2025