In the snowy cold of rural Iceland, Agnes’ grandmother and aunt were found murdered and frozen with the moniker of the Icelandic Madonna and Child. Now, thirty years later Agnes has returned when a true crime podcaster has picked up the case to prove once and for all who murdered them. Was it Agnes’ grandfather like everyone thinks, or was it someone else? To complicate things, when Agnes arrives she hears that another young woman had gone missing. This thriller will give you all the chills, just like that cold snow.

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This story follows Agnes as she travels to Iceland to see her ancestral homeland and explore the circumstances under which her late grandfather fled the country after the murder of his wife and infant daughter with his young son, Magnus, her father, in tow. Magnus has always refused to speak of the events and disapproves of her choice to travel to his previous home in Bifröst, Iceland where she will be interviewed by a true crime podcaster for the fortieth anniversary of their deaths. Shortly before Agness arrives, a young woman goes missing from a party adding more tension to the local community.

I found this to be a slow-moving mystery with a few suspenseful moments and a very atmospheric setting. I think readers who enjoy Scandinavian or Nordic Noir will really enjoy this one. It was filled with a community of suspicious and gossipy characters that made a lot of assumptions, some with secrets of their own and motives to keep those secrets to the detriment of both investigations. I thought I knew who did it from the beginning, but I was second guessing myself throughout. One of the twists had me gasping aloud and excitedly exclaiming “yes!”. The only issue I had with the story was keeping all the names straight. There were several characters with the same name or similar names that I kept getting confused.

I listened to the audiobook narrated by Saskia Maarleveld and referenced the names using a digital review copy. This is probably my favorite narrator, and I thought she did a fantastic job with the characters, names, drama and suspense. I definitely recommend this format if you’re an audiobook listener.

Thank you to Netgalley, Minotaur Books and Macmillan Audio for a copy provided for an honest review.

Thank you so much to @melissalarsenauthor & @minotaur_books for my advanced reading copy as well as @macmillan.audio for my advanced listening copy.

I first met @melissalarsenauthor at Thrillerfest last year then I got to hang out with her at Iceland Noir and I swear, all the authors that write super dark and messed up books are the absolute nicest people. So when Melissa sent me her newest book I was ECSTATIC. Then when I left Iceland she told me that her book was perfect to pick up whenever I missed Iceland and she was not wrong. Melissa does Iceland so much justice with her newest book, I honestly felt transported back with Agnes and Nora trying to figure out this cold case.

The story follows Agnes, granddaughter of Einar Pálsson (who is thought to have murdered his wife and daughter), now visiting the town of Bifröst in Iceland. She has agreed to be interviewed by Nora Carver, host of a popular true crime podcast. 40 years ago, Einar is the prime suspect when his wife and daughter are found frozen and buried in the Icelandic snow. His wife’s throat slashed and the infant drowned.

Now, a local girl has gone missing the same weekend Agnes arrives and everything changes.

Melissa absolutely killed it with the tension, suspense and atmosphere. I’ve been listening to the audiobook when I can’t have the physical book out and Saskia Maarleveld does such a wonderful job of narrating. She had the perfect voice for an Icelandic thriller (if that makes sense). This is the perfect book to curl up in front of a fireplace and be whisked away to the cold depths of Iceland.

Thanks, Minotaur Books and Macmillan Audio, for the review copies. I liked the narrator for the audiobook, but switched to the e-book in order to skim faster The story was too slow and repetitive to hold my interest. The setting was fascinating, though!

*The Lost House* by Melissa Larsen is an atmospheric, slow-burning mystery that delivers on its chilling premise. The setting in Iceland’s stark, snowy landscape was beautifully described and added to the haunting, isolated tone of the story. Agnes’s journey to uncover her family’s dark secrets, while grappling with her own losses and traumas, made for an emotionally gripping narrative.

The twists and turns kept me engaged, even if some were a bit predictable. The true crime podcast angle added a modern touch, and I enjoyed the dynamic between Agnes and Nora as their investigation unraveled more than they bargained for. The local girl’s disappearance cleverly tied the past and present mysteries together, heightening the suspense.

While the pacing was a bit uneven at times, the richly developed characters and the intricate web of secrets made it a worthwhile read. Fans of cold-case thrillers and Nordic noir will find much to love here.

The author has crafted a story so detailed that you feel fully immersed and can visualize the surroundings. Agnes desperately wants to clear her late grandfather's name of a horrific double murder that she knows in her heart he is absolutely innocent. When contacted by a podcaster and looking for a reason to escape her own life she packs a bag and heads to Iceland. It is a dark thriller. Things are not as they seem. Beautifully written with a lot of twists and turns, but at times a little too slow and the ending wasn’t terribly surprising to me. Horrific and creepy, but for me, a bit obvious. Still a good compelling dark dark read. People are never who you think they are.

I enjoyed this book. It was fast-paced and kept me guessing. I hoped for a little more details about the investigation after the twist was revealed, but overall a good book.

The Lost House
Melissa Larsen
Agnes Glin lost her precious grandfather, Elnar Palsson a year and a half ago. She loved him dearly and was still mourning him. She had a surfing accident that shattered her kneecap leaving her in great pain. Agnes is addicted to her pain medications; she attempts to avoid abusing them, but the pain is unbearable. Her life was falling apart.
Her grandfather and father were from Bifrost, Iceland. Forty years ago, Elnar’s wife, Marie and infant daughter were found murdered and buried in the snow. Marie’s throat was cut, and the infant had drowned. The Frozen Madonna case had never been officially closed. Suspicion fell on Elnar but there was no evidence. In small towns rumor and gossip can convict without proof. He was never arrested or charged. He took his son and left Iceland for California. The case was referred to as the Frozen Madonna. When Nora Carver contacted Agnes and invited her to Iceland for an interview on her true crime podcast, Agnes packed her bag and headed for the airport. She saw the opportunity to clear her grandfather’s name.
A girl is missing in Bifrost, could this be connected to her grandmother and aunt’s murder.
The Lost House is a great book to curl up with next to a cozy fire. The fire is a must because this book’s atmosphere is icy cold. In my mind I could see Agnes struggling through the knee-deep snow and the ice-covered roads. Author Melissa Larsen does a superb job of describing Iceland’s weather conditions. While I enjoyed The Lost House, I felt the pace was a bit too slow. The story is told from Agnes’ point of view.
Thank you NetGalley for the review copy.

I may be biased because I *adore* a moody, atmospheric thriller set in a remote, wintry location, but I absolutely loved The Lost House. It was an absolute knockout of a book, a perfectly woven tale of suspense and mystery. From the moment Agnes lands in the remote Icelandic town of Bifröst, the atmosphere is thick with tension and a sense of foreboding that doesn't let up until the final page. Larsen’s vivid descriptions of the Icelandic landscape—cold, harsh, and unforgiving—serve as the perfect backdrop for a story about buried secrets and the dark shadows of family history.

Agnes, a woman still grappling with the recent loss of her grandfather and her own personal trauma, is a deeply complex and relatable protagonist. Her journey to clear her grandfather’s name quickly spirals into something much more sinister when a local girl goes missing during her stay. The narrative expertly weaves between the original family mystery with the new case, keeping you on the edge of your seat.

The book has a tight, layered plot, but it’s the characters that truly make it so compelling. Agnes is flawed, determined, and deeply human—her quest for truth, while trying to piece together her fractured life, is both compelling and heartbreaking. Nora, the true crime podcaster who pulls Agnes into this investigation, is another likeable character, although I wish we'd gotten to delve deeper into her story. The twists in this story are jaw-dropping, and just when you think you’ve figured it out, the rug is pulled from beneath you. The tension builds with every turn, especially as Agnes uncovers the terrifying lengths to which people will go to protect their darkest secrets. By the end, I was in awe of how cleverly everything tied together.

I also loved the setting. The town of Bifröst and its chilling winter setting heightens the tension, adding to the story’s eerie mood. The layers of secrets and betrayal unfold beautifully, creating a completely immersive listening experience.

The Lost House is a five-star book through and through. I loved it. If you're a fan of dark, twisty mysteries with complex characters, this is an absolute must-read.

Taking place in the cold, snowy place of Iceland. This chilling mystery kept me engaged and anxious to keep listening.

Agnes Glin travels to Iceland on an invitation from a podcaster who wants to reopen the 40 year old case of the murder of her grandmother and aunt that
her grandfather was suspected of.


Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this audio ARC copy for an honest review.

The story is set in Iceland, where a woman and her infant daughter were found buried in the snow forty years ago. The case was never solved, and the husband was suspected but never arrested. The granddaughter, Agnes, is determined to clear her grandfather's name and agrees to an interview on a true crime podcast. As she investigates in Iceland, a local girl goes missing, leading to the uncovering of old and new secrets that put Agnes's life at risk.

I am new to this author, and I found this book to be a suspenseful mystery. While the pacing was a bit slow for my liking, I was still engaged in the story. I had the opportunity to review both the eBook and the audiobook versions. I often say that if a book doesn't connect with you, trying the audiobook can be beneficial, as the narrator brings the story to life and enhances the overall experience.

The characters were well-developed over time, making them easy to follow throughout the story. The writing was strong, and I couldn't help but hope that the grandfather was innocent. I especially enjoyed the audiobook, as it helped me pronounce names and places.

If you appreciate a true crime element in your stories, enjoy mysteries that offer a chance to guess the outcome, and like the chilling atmosphere of the harsh landscape of Iceland, this book is for you. Give it a go and see if you can crack the case before the characters do!

Thank you, St. Martin's Press | Minotaur Books and Macmillan Audio for the digital ARC copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I'm totally into the Iceland backdrop in this story. The visuals really transport you, and everything just fits perfectly with the vibe. The narrator had me hooked, and I was eager to find out what happened with the unsolved murder and the missing girl. However, the middle dragged a bit for me. There was a lot of history and some repetition that made me want to rush to the big reveal. Overall, I ended up liking it, but it didn't quite blow me away.

This book promised so much, yet was so very slow.

I was so excited when I saw this book. It sounded like a great way to read about a different culture, and get a murder mystery on top of it. Instead, the characters fell flat, and the story seemed to be too drawn out. Near the last 10 percent of the book, it did pick up, but by then, I was burned out.

While this book holds promise, it was too slow for me. I hope other readers love it! I had this book on audio as well as the epub version, so I was able to get a sample of both. The narrator did her best with the materials, but there were times that I felt she wasn't really into the story, so that detracted from my enjoyment.
2.5 stars for me

Rating: 4/5
I received an eARC for my honest opinion.

Agnes is on a mission to clear her grandfather’s name for once and for all. 40 years ago, her grandfather was accused of murdering his wife and infant daughter, after no arrests or conviction he left Iceland for America. When Nora, a true crime podcaster, asks her to speak up on her grandfather's unsolved case in Iceland, she jumps on the plan to see what she can do to help clear his name but when she gets there, she finds out that another girl has gone missing, and they have no leads. With the help of Nora, Agnes gets to solving this twisting and turning mystery.

I really liked this suspenseful murder mystery. I loved how the author wrote this chilling, winter book. You will feel the cold of the snow, feel the ice-covered roads. I loved that the author wrote about the different places that Agnes’s father played and where her grandfather used to live. I liked how this thriller/mystery checked all my boxes; the plot was thrilling and suspenseful, I loved that it was twisting and turning and that it felt you on the edge of your seat. I liked that the author made sure that the side characters didn’t feel like side characters to me. I found the depth of the darkness in this book to have been done right. The characters were well written, and the author writes them, they will feel like they’re people who you know and are real. I found Agnes the easiest to connect with and I loved that she was determined to the truth no matter what.

I received the audio for this book as well and I thought the narrative Saskia Maarleveld did a perfect job. She has the best voice to bring this thriller to life for the readers and will keep you on your toes/edge of the seat.

I would like to thank NetGalley, St. Martin Press and Mcmillian for the opportunity to review this book.

This book provided some good nailbiting moments. I am disappointed that it didn't show up as an LGBTQ subcategory as I would not have requested it. I do not have issues with the community, but prefer not to read details about their sexual life. The story could have been well developed without those descriptors. The fact that the lead character recovered from a suicide attempt is also a string that I feel the author could have pulled on more.

Thank you so much @macmillan_audio for this audio book as a part of your influencer program!⁠ 🖤⁠ Pub Date: OUT NOW ❄️⁠
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This book follows Agnes, a young woman who is was contacted by Nora, a podcast host, to go back to her ancestral home in Iceland where the gruesome murder of grandmother & her baby, her father's sibling, took place. Her grandfather was always suspected for the murders but was never convicted of the crime & always maintained his innocence.⁠
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The same weekend that Agnes arrives, a young woman goes missing. Are these two crimes connected? Did her grandfather who she loved fiercely commit these horrific murders? That's what you're here to find out.⁠
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I liked the storyline of the book, the setting being that it was remote is always a plus for me, but the story really didn't do anything for me. For some reason, I really wasn't the biggest fan of Agnes. I don't think I really liked anyone that much in the story which made it hard for me to actually care about what happened & why. There were a bunch of characters & listening the audio, I got confused a lot. In my opinion-- it was hard to follow.⁠
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The ending confused me a bit too because since there were so many characters & things going on (the missing woman & all her friends + everyone talking about the past murder) I was a bit underwhelmed when the truth was revealed.⁠
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I do feel like I might have had a different opinion if I read this in print so if this sounds appealing to you-- I might skip the audio & read it!

The story unwinds at a leisurely pace and has a good sense of place. It took me a few chapters before I could completely get into the story and characters. Ultimately as the story unrolled and as the pieces fell into place it became thrilling and I got excited for the ending.
The narrator had a gentle, easygoing tone with good characterization. The writing style was simplistic, however, and switched between dialogue and action scenes with little exposition, making the audiobook a little challenging at times to follow. I imagine that this would be a better book to read than to listen to.

❄️THE LOST HOUSE❄️ by @melissalarsenauthor was a thrilling puzzle box set in a wintery landscape that gave me chills! Thank you to the author, @netgalley and the publishers, @stmartinspress and @macmillan.audio for the audio and e-ARCs.

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Agnes touches down in Keflavik for the first time after decades of hearing the harrowing story of her family's tragic past. Her grandfather fled Iceland 40 years earlier with Agnes's young father in tow after his wife and newborn daughter were found frozen, the matriarch with a slit across her throat.

Agnes is in Iceland to meet with Nora, a host of the podcast The End who is doing a story on her family and the village they lived in for the 40th anniversary. The two enjoy a tepid reception from a town that has made up their minds that Agnes's grandfather was the killer all those years ago. Can Agnes find evidence that the grandfather she has always known and loved is not a killer?

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This was my kind of thriller! Small town gossip, citizen sleuths, and a locked-in style cold weather landscape made this one shine. The podcast angle is certainly becoming a normal thriller theme and I enjoyed the way the two characters with dueling agendas played against and in collaboration with each other. Loved the ending twist!

My main complaint was that I am over the protagonist as druggie/mental health sufferer that can't ever trust themselves. Makes for good thrillers I guess, but just not my fave. I also probably could have gone without the romance aspect but points for it being sapphic!

I would highly recommend this to anyone who loves cold weather thrillers, dusting off cold cases, redemption ARCs, and Icelandic culture.

This is an atmospheric haunting mystery that gave me chills. Throughout this gripping story is a strong sense of foreboding. This is a story that will stay with you long after you are finished reading. Chilling, compelling, and suspenseful describe this original absorbing story. The narration brought the story to life while adding an element of intensity and emotion. Thank you, NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for my audiobook.

Very thoroughly written with amazing twists. This book has just enough suspense to keep you guessing.