A serviceable mystery novel, this audiobook kept my attention and was enjoyable to listen to while cleaning the house and running errands - though I never had that moment of wanting to stop what I was doing and just listen. The mystery unfolds in two/three timelines, and while the ending was not a complete shocker, I didn't fully predict it, so it was still satisfying! The way some of the loose ends were tied together at the end (particularly how the third timeline was incorporated into the final reveal) worked well.

Given the references to Golden Age Mysteries, and the previous book by this author I have read, I was a little disappointed by the lack of atmosphere in this novel. While the sanatorium is a creepy setting, it wasn't used to great effect, and for the majority of the novel I felt like I was primarily just listening to a series of conversations. Similarly, some of the most interesting character backstories (for instance the main detective's upsetting relationship situation) seemed only superficially explored, in way that made them feel less meaningful than they otherwise could have been.

I liked the references to Icelandic food/culture/traditions.

Overall I would recommend this novel to anyone who enjoys a mystery!

The book had an interesting premise and some engaging moments, but I found it difficult to stay focused. The narrator's style, combined with the slow pacing, made it a bit challenging to fully immerse myself in the story. That said, I believe this would be a great read for someone who enjoys slow-building narratives and doesn't mind a more deliberate storytelling approach. It's worth a try if you appreciate a gradual build-up, but it just didn't hold my attention the way I had hoped.

This is my first time enjoying anything by Ragnar Jonasson, and I loved it so much, I will definitely be reading more!
This story is a captivating read that blends two timelines set against the eerie landscapes of northern Iceland. The story delivers a dark, locked-room mystery filled with tension.

In 1983, a nurse, soon retiring, is found murdered at a former sanatorium in northern Iceland. Detective Hulda Hermannsdottir and her boss, Sverrir, are assigned to the case, but when the chief physician dies in an apparent suicide, the investigation is abruptly closed. Nearly thirty years later, criminology student Helgi Reykdal returns to Iceland and reopens the case, facing resistance as he searches for answers.

This book completely drew me in. As my introduction to Ragnar Jónasson, it left me eager for more. Helgi’s pursuit of the truth behind the sanatorium deaths was gripping, with the story keeping me guessing. The references to Golden Age crime fiction were a nice touch, and Helgi’s growth added depth. The tension builds perfectly, ending with the ultimate cliff hanger! Leading me to wonder (hoping) there is another part to this story.

I listened to the audiobook, narrated by Sam Woolf, and it was an immersive experience. Woolf’s narration brought the story to life, making it hard to stop listening.

If you enjoy dark, atmospheric mysteries with intricate plots, Jonasson’s latest thriller is a must-read. It’s a story that lingers long after the last page.

Thank you sincerely NetGalley and Macmillan Audio

I think I just need to accept that his writing style in my reading style do not match. I struggled with his last book also, and thought I might have better luck with an audiobook this time around, but really didn't. I just don't seem to connect to his characters or his style of storytelling. I couldn't finish this one despite an extremely compelling concept...

This dual-timeline story focuses on deaths occurring in 1983 at a former sanatorium in the north of Iceland. A senior nurse is found murdered, then the chief physician plummets to his death at the hospital ward that exists at the site. Detective Hulda Hermannsdottir and her boss, Sverrir investigate the deaths and possible suspects (two junior nurses, a young doctor and the caretaker). The case is eventually closed but nearly 30 years later Helgi Reykdal, a young police office studying criminology, reviews the case and meets with the original suspects. He ultimately realizes that there may be more to the murders, but will this prompt deadly consequences? The premise was what initially drew me in and I enjoyed how the investigation unfolded. Helgi is an imperfect, but largely likable character especially with his love of Golden Age mysteries that he discusses throughout the book. The author’s love of Agatha Christie is evident with this story and that really worked for me. There are a number of quite flawed characters which made the mystery more interesting with their suspicious behavior. The plot and pacing were satisfying to read and that ending! It is probably the most memorable one I have read this year (and I read a lot of mysteries). This book solidifies my opinion that Ragnar Jonasson is the best mystery author in Iceland. Narration by Sam Woolf was strong and worked well with the characters.

Death at the Sanatorium has a decidedly Icelandic feel to it, and bounces between time periods within the story as well as characters. If you enjoyed Stuart Turton's Murder At The End Of The World, you may also enjoy this story. A great mystery to unravel!

Death at the Sanatorium involves Hulda Hermansdottir but it doesn’t come across as part of the Hidden Iceland series. Instead, there are multiple main characters and Hulda barely makes an appearance. The initial plot takes place in 1983 and concerns the murder of a nurse at a former TB sanatorium, one that is now being run as a research hospital ward. Hulda, along with her boss, investigate the case which is never truly solved, although it was closed after the apparent suicide of the ward doctor.
Three decades later, Helgi, a young doctoral candidate, decides to write his thesis on that case and starts to interview those involved. We are also given glimpses into Helgi’s personal life.
The story goes back and forth between the two timelines and varies among different POVs. It was a slow moving story with no real action other than lots of interviewing suspects/witnesses. Yet, at the same time, the characters often felt flat and lacking in depth. In particular, I wanted to learn more about Tinna. But I will give Jonasson credit in that I was unable to figure out who was behind the murder and the why of it all was heartbreakingly fabulous.
Jonasson does a good job of providing a dark atmosphere. It’s meant to be homage to the golden age of detective stories and the Author’s Note at the end speaks of Agatha Christie and her impact on Jonasson.
This can easily be read or listened to as a standalone.
I listened to this and Sam Woolf was a decent narrator. He’s got a very soothing voice but I prefer a little more emotion.
My thanks to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for an advance copy of this audiobook.

My thanks to Net Galley and MacMillan audio for allowing me to review this advanced audio copy.

I liked this audio a lot. Narration very engaging. Story goes back and forth between 2 timeliness. 1983, a staff nurse and a doctor are murdered in a sanitarium that houses TB patients. 2012, a police officer working on a dissertation regarding the 1983 murder finds himself connecting a 2012 murder to the 1983 murders.

A bit confusing focusing on the 2 timelines but highly recommend.

Inspired by the novels of Agatha Christie and her fellow "Golden Age of Mysteries" contemporary authors, Jonasson gives us a straight-up murder mystery reminiscent of that era. The investigation of a murder at a former TB sanatarium in 1983 was closed quickly, after the accused caretaker's probable guilt was negated by the death of one of the institution's physicians. Jump to 2012 and we find Helgi, who is writing a masters thesis about the murders and intrigued with proving or disproving the deceased physician's guilt by visiting all of the people who were working at the sanitarium back in 1983.. When he joins the police force as a criminalist, At the same time, he is struggling with unpredictable volatility of his partner, whose emotional abuse while a student left her in an unstable state but unwilling to seek or accept any help. There are many twists and turns but never a red herring in this skillfully written book. Jonasson is an excellent student of his model writers, and coupled with the excellent narration by Sam Woolf, offers an audiobook that is worthy of the time it takes to listen.

*** four and a half stars

An enthralling read by the Icelandic author Ragnar Jonasson, the first of his that this reader has experienced, but certainly not to be the last.

This sequel to “The Darkness” can be read and enjoyed successfully as a standalone novel, (as I did,) with the loss of some backstory in the main characters. However, after reading (and loving) this story, I for one, do intend to go back and read more of this author, including this first prequel.

Helgi Reykdal is a thirty-something former Icelandic cop, now studying for an MA in criminology, who appears to have a somewhat sinister secret personal life. Helgi is writing his academic dissertation on a thirty-year-old unsolved series of murders that took place in a rural Akureyri (Northern Iceland) sanatorium. Once (back in the 60’s and 70’s), this sanatorium was a depressing death-cloaked institution, doing its best to cope with slews of bed-ridden patients, (many of them tragically doomed), suffering from the largely-incurable Tuberculosis (chillingly known as the White Death).

Now an administrative institution housing two doctors, two nurses, and a creepy caretaker, as Helgi delves deeper into the mystery housed at the sanatorium — tracking down the former house staff, interviewing them and attempting to recreate the factors driving the crimes thirty years ago — we, the reader travel along with him, absorbing a winding and weaving story that spans current day (2012 in this book, and the timeline of Helgi’s experiences ) and 1983 (the year of the original crimes and the people involved).

Fascinating and slow-burning, this tale unfolds as a sort of Icelandic “film noir” - deeply atmospheric, insular, and with undercurrents creaking as they run deep. This mystery is also reminiscent, and inspired by (as explained by the author) crime novels of yore featuring detectives in hats, little old ladies, and Belgians with magnificent waxed mustaches. Glorious literary fodder for this reader in youth, as clearly was also the case for this author.

I enjoyed this book tremendously, including its two-part ending (satisfying in part one, and a total cliff-hanger in part two) and am looking forward to reading more of this series and this talented author.

Note: I reviewed the audio version of this story, made magnificent by the velvet tones and immersive performance of the narrator Sam Woolf. Truly a treat to listen to and experience what was already a wonderful story, made even more entertaining in this medium.

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

3-1/2 stars. Jonasson describes himself as a fan of Agatha Christie, and has in fact translated many of her books into the Icelandic language. He shares with her a similar style of plotting out his mysteries, with lots of red herrings that seem to prefigure something that turns out not to be the case. Death at the Sanatorium is centered on Helgi Reykdal, a former police officer (and a fan of old crime novels, including Christie's) who is working on his dissertation for a graduate degree in criminology; the dissertation focuses on a series of mysterious deaths that occurred at a Sanatorium in the far north of Iceland some thirty years earlier. His attempts to get some background by interviewing staff who worked there at the time lead mostly to silence and dead ends, until another death occurs and he begins to wonder if his inquiries could have caused the killer to strike again after so many years. More police procedural than thriller, Death at the Sanatorium is a compelling read that draws the reader in and sustains the suspense until the stunning conclusion.

Ragnar Jonasson writes traditional murder mysteries set in Iceland. In this outing, Helgi Reykdal is working to finish his graduate degree in criminology. He's writing his thesis on a cold case that happened some 30 years earlier in a sanatorium that once housed patients with Tuberculosis. When Helgi starts asking questions about the deaths that occurred back in the 1980s, the surviving staff members and original police officers on the case start to crack under his scrutiny.
The novel unfolds in two timelines, one current and the other from 1983 when one of the nursing aids discovers the body of a co-worker.
The character Helgi inherited his father's love of mysteries and there are references to Ellery Queen and Agatha Christie novels throughout. He's no Hercule Poirot, but his love for the genre gives him a leg up as a police officer. Now if only he were as insightful in dealing with his girlfriend....
I look forward to reading more books by this author.
My thanks to him, his publisher, the producers, and #NetGalley for early access to the audiobook for review purposes. The book will be available Sept. 10, 2024.

When Ragnar Jónassen wrote his Hidden Iceland/Hulda series (3 books) about 64 year old Reykjavik detective Hulda Hermannsdottir, he wrote the series in reverse — starting with her final case and then going backwards in time while the audience already knows her. In “Death at the Sanatorium,” Hulda appears only briefly; she’s already been forced into retirement.

Her office will be occupied now by up and coming Helgi Reykdal, a young officer who has been studying in the UK and is also finishing his criminology dissertation. Helgi is writing about a murder-suicide (or maybe a double murder) that occurred 30+ years ago at an isolated sanatorium in northern Iceland and is trying to apply modern investigation techniques to the incident by interviewing surviving witnesses. Coincidentally, Hulda was the junior investigator on the case and she was dissatisfied with the official conclusion.

Helgi is unassuming, non-assertive, but delightful in his own way. Like the author, he’s a major fan of Nordic Noir and has a large collection of golden age mysteries translated into Icelandic, as well as local ones. He’s tried his hand at translating an Agatha Christie tale (author Jónasson actually translated 14 Christie mysteries before getting into writing). He retreats into his Golden Age mysteries to cool off after his toxic girlfriend, Bergthóra, goes into alcoholic rages. He can’t wait to bring his paperbacks to Hulda’s office once she has vacated her things.

Helgi’s investigation does stir up things and the book is a patient procedural with a jaw-dropping ending. That’s Jónasson’s intention since he studied the genius and structure of Agatha Christie’s stories. He even keeps the mystery to a fairly shorter length as the Queen of Crime did.

The narrator, actor Sam Woolf (of “The Crown” and “The Witcher”) brings a sympathetic Helgi to life, and we wish Helgi will return as Hulda’s successor.
5 stars!

Thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for an advanced audio copy!

I've recently become interested in exploring Nordic Noir, so I was excited to receive the audiobook of Death at the Sanatorium by Ragnar Jónasson (thank you to NetGalley and to MacMillan Audio).

This book bounces back and forth between 1983, where a young nurse finds the mutilated body of her coworker at the former TB asylum in northern Iceland, and 2012, where a young police officer, Helgi Reykdal, is finishing his thesis in criminology by writing about the potentially unsolved 1983 asylum murder. As Helgi reconnects with the remaining employees of the asylum to ask about their memories of the event, he unintentionally reopens the case, and the remaining secrets the staff from 1983 have been hiding.

Sam Woolf does a fine job with the narration, and I found the book to be a very smooth listening experience.

Jónasson does a great job of creating characters you kind of just want to hate, but then, you also might know these exact types of people -- it's an odd distinction, because you want to believe people will act honestly when a murder has occurred, but instead bits of selfishness color the case in an entirely different light, and in ways that distract from the actual crime. This is true of the people from 1983, and in 2012. There are scenes of the way Hulda will be pushed out of her job for Helgi, and ways that his superiors act, and ways that Helgi acts, that make you kind of want to throw the book against the wall and demand none of them be those employed to seek justice. It's like Jónasson is able to pinpoint the worst parts of humanity, but also the simple ways we fall for falsehoods, white lies, or we fill in the blanks when assuming information. It feels like parts of the book are an exploration of this crime, and the other is an exploration of your own feelings toward law enforcement and humanity.

The only other Nordic Noir I have read would be the Millennium Trilogy, if that counts, and between these two authors it does seem like Nordic Noir takes a much darker turn than is seen with American crime novels. It feels almost like reading to be like "Can this get worse? Does justice exist? Is everyone bad at heart?" as opposed to reading something like Michael Connelly and thinking "Well, we're going to just barely toe across the moral line, but justice will be served". It's not bad - it's just different - and I think it requires a different mindset to get through comfortably (or, at the very least, some comfort in knowing the book will be uncomfortable).

Ragnar Jonasson has written another winner! An old fashioned murder mystery reminiscent of Agatha Christie, with Jonasson’s signature Icelandic Noir touch. I will be recommending this audiobook to everyone! Clocking in at just over 6.5 hours it packs quite a punch in a very short time.

The narrator, Sam Woolf, performed this book wonderfully! I might be interested in hearing him read pretty much anything.

I’m hoping this is the beginning of a new series and look forward to reading more about the lives of some these interesting characters.

Thanks to Netgalley, MacMillan Audio and author Ragnar Jonasson for this excellent ARC in exchange for my honest feedback.

A wonderfully paced detective novel , this book had a slow burn reveal. Although the ending could be seen as “predictable”, it was still quite suspenseful and shocking. Overall, the book was very engaging and I will be putting more of Ragnar Jónasson’s books on my TBR. Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC copy!

This Nordic noir audiobook is a must-listen for crime fiction fans. The narrator’s voice perfectly captures the dark, brooding atmosphere of the Scandinavian setting, pulling you into a world filled with suspense and intrigue. The story centers around a veteran detective working to solve a murder that slowly reveals layers of buried secrets from the past.

This was truly the heart of an Agatha Christie novel. It was fun. It was rich. It was a brilliant mystery to solve. This was my first from the author, and it won’t be the last. It’s a super easy book to inhale in one or two sittings.

The best part about this cold case mystery is that Helgi, the young police officer looking into the case, has no real expectations of cracking the case. Told in alternating timelines, we get to see the original investigation in parallel to Helgi's search for the truth.
Helgi is a sympathetic and believable character. He's young and curious and motivated by his love of old mysteries.
I found myself surprisingly sad watching what happens to the characters and learning about why events unfolded as they did. I really cared about them.
The narrator has a British accent, and does a great job portraying the emotions. Thanks to NetGalley for letting me listen to this audiobook