I enjoy these kinds of books where cold weather is such an important part of the story that I start feeling cold even when it's warm where I am. This story was also interesting because it takes place in Iceland, and there were some things I learned about the country. The story itself is about a "cold case" relating to a granddaughter who wants to clear her grandfather's name. The resolution felt natural as Agnes talked to people and learned the truth about what happened many years ago. Suspense, isolation, family secrets -- great ingredients. The narrator did a great job too.
Thanks to NetGalley for letting me read this.

The first two sections of Melissa Larsen’s The Lost House were a slow burn, but the third section was a rapid fire of shocking revelations. An enjoyable atmospheric thriller perfect for a winter read. Saskia Maarleveld’s narration is rich and enthralling.

The strange beauty of the icy landscape of the remote village of Bifröst, Iceland amidst the lava fields creates an eerie setting that is its own character.

The women in the novel possess depth and richness of character while the men lack depth almost to the point of stereotypical characters.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for an audio version of this title for an honest review.

Pick this book up if you love all things wintry and murder mysteries. I always enjoy when there’s a true crime podcast angle to a story and this was a very unique take on that theme. There were plenty of twists and turns to keep me interested! I alternated between the book and the audiobook and enjoyed the narration.

This was atmospheric in the best way. Especially for listening during Minnesota winter (while not as brutal as the weather in the story). I enjoyed the characters, the twist and the queer element.

Such a good book! There’s a lot to unpack and we’re not going into details ;) in a nutshell two crimes, 20 years apart, similarities mixed in with family dynamics, small town secrets. Taking place in Iceland. I liked the pace and the mystery. Best part for me though was listening to Saskia as I knew it would be :) @saskiaaudio Big thanks to @macmillan.audio for my advanced copy!

The Lost House - Melissa Larsen
Pub Date - 1/14/25
Media - Audio
Rating - 3/5
Summary - Agnes, a Californian, goes back to Iceland after her grandfather dies. Her grandmother and her aunt were found dead in the snow 40 years ago and although the murder was never solved, all suspicion fell on her grandfather who took Agnes' dad to California, away from the town. Agnes gets a request from a true crime podcaster named Nora who meets her in Iceland to investigate the decades old cold case. While Agnes is in town, a girl goes missing, and while proving her grandfather's innocence, Agnes gets engrossed in helping find her.

Thoughts - Thank you to Netgalley and Macmillian Audio for this advanced reader audiobook in exchange for my honest opinion. This book is SO SLOW. It was super frustrating because I felt like nothing really happens for over 50% of it. Also, the reader spends a ton of time internalizing emotions for a good chunk of the book, also leading to feeling extremely slow in terms of events. The last 25% when all is revealed, I was surprised since I wasn't expecting it. This will be popular for the slow burn readers, but might not go so well for those who like a more fast paced book.

n Iceland 40 years ago there was a gruesome murder of a young mother and her infant daughter, everyone believed her husband had killed them both. However, there was never any proof of what happened so the father and son left Iceland to never return and start their life somewhere new. The case remains unsolved to this day. This leads to Agnes ready to clear her grandfather's name returning to Iceland with a podcaster to participate in the podcast about the unsolved case, without her father's approval or blessing. When she arrives in Iceland people are not as welcoming as she thought they would be, the shadow of what they believed her grandfather's crimes follows her everywhere.
"He killed her we all knew"
As Agnes and the podcaster, Nora, start investigating and asking questions they run into brick walls time and time again. Then, a local girl is missing and there are search parties everywhere looking for her before the time runs out and instead of looking for the missing girl, they start looking for a body. All the twists and turns are insane, there were times I felt for Agnes because her mission was simple she wanted to clear her beloved grandfather of the speculation he committed the heinous crimes because the man she knew and grew up with could never have done that.
I listened to the audiobook and loved it! The narrator did an incredible job drawing me in, making me eager to find out what happened next and who the killer was! By the end, I couldn't stop reading; I was on the edge of my seat! Thank you Macmillan Audio and Netgalley for the opportunity to listen and review this one!

I really enjoyed listening to this story. It was entertaining. I never got bored. I’d definitely read more by this author. I especially like the audio narrator. I recognize her voice from other books I’ve listened to and she’s excellent. Her raspy voice was perfect for this mystery/thriller. Thank you NetGalley for the audio copy to review.

An interesting premise for this dark thriller set in Iceland.

Agnes, born in California and recovering from a bad leg injury, journeys back to her family's home in Iceland after her grandfather dies. Her grandmother and aunt had been found dead in the snow 40 years before - a case that had never been solved - but the suspicion had fallen on her grandfather. When he took his surviving son and fled to California, that increased the suspicion that he was the killer.

Agnes agrees to be interviewed by Nora, who runs a podcast and is investigating the decades old murder. Agnes hopes to be able to prove that her grandfather is innocent. Shortly after she arrives in Iceland, another woman, Asa, goes missing from the house in a similar fashion, and the race is on to find her.

This is a slow burner of a novel, and it was a little too slow for me during the middle of the book. I did love the setting, the dark and brooding landscape, the cold and snow - all of which provided such an atmospheric backdrop. Agnes and Nora interview the locals to try and discover what happened, but Agnes is a little cold herself - she seems to be stirring up bad memories of the past and doesn't seem too concerned about the effects that has on others. She is dealing with her own demons as she struggles to discover the truth.

I listened to the audiobook, and the narrator Saaskia Maaleveld did an excellent job. She held my interest despite the story line, truth to be told, through the middle of the book.

I loved this book. It was atmospheric and a perfect winter read. It easily transported me to the dark and cold winters of Iceland and quickly had me invested in finding out the truth about what happened the Agnus’ grandmother and aunt. I liked the tie in of the podcast as a means to get her back to Iceland. Overall the ending was satisfying.

Thank you for allowing me to listen to this audio book prior to release, as an ARC.
I have always loved the Icelandic setting and stories by another Icelandic author, so I was excited to have an opportunity to listen to this one as it appeared to be in the same setting.
The story line did not disappoint. I am not going to repeat what happens in the story (as so many other reviewers always do?) as that is part of the synopsis of the book! I thoroughly enjoyed the setting in the cold mysterious Icelandic atmosphere. It makes the story setting even more perfect and appears even more suspenseful. I have not read anything by this author prior and she did not disappoint!! The characters were for the most part likeable and relatable and definitely developed throughout the story. I liked the protagonist who set out to clear her grandpa's name.
The setting of the story was well described, making it possible to picture yourself in the story and environment. That is always a big pet peave of mine...I have to be able to see myself in the story...and this author does it perfectly. The narrative was well built out and not far fetched. Some parts were a little slow and I was hoping for a quicker solution but it made the story still great.
The narrator did an amazing job! A narrator can make or break a story and this narrator definitely made it a great interesting story that the reader will not want to quit!

I received a complimentary copy of this book "The Lost House" and all opinions expressed are my own. I listened to the audio book. A slow burn mystery that was slightly too long. The story was set in Iceland I have to admit it was a bit confusing with the names. So I will say overall ok, it was an audio book so it was a little easier.

The Lost House is an enjoyable atmospheric mystery thriller set mainly in Iceland. The narration by Saskia Maarleveld is outstanding!

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.

I read the book and later listened to the audiobook and enjoyed the audiobook immensely.

I look forward to reading and listening to more by this author.

When I heard Abby from @crimebytthebook talking about this book I raced to NetGalley to find it. So happy to get approved for both the print and audiobook, I dived right in.

The Lost House is a slow burning murder mystery set in Iceland. Almost 40 years ago, Agnes’s grandfather was suspected of killing his wife and baby daughter. He was never convicted but he took his young son and moved to California. Now with the anniversary looming, Agnes has agreed to talk to podcaster, Nora Carver about what she knows and the grandfather that she loved so dearly. She has never been to Iceland and hopes that she can clear her beloved grandfather’s name.

This was such a great story, with an incredible setting of the ice and snow. Combined with the early darkness, this made for a creepy and intense story. Agnes is pretty messed up in more ways than one, so it was hard to know if what she was telling the reader was fact of fiction. It was emotional and heartbreaking at times.

The audiobook was brilliant, with the always fantastic Saaskia Maaleveld narrating. She always brings the story and characters to life, making this a winner for me.

Thanks so much to S Martin’s Press and Macmillan audio for the advanced copies. A new author to add to the list. Out on January 14th.

Engrossing and ominous, this story had me rapt, pulled into the cold Icelandic setting, empathetic for both Agnes and Nora being such fish out of water in this foreign land where they were immersed in a cold case and a seemingly connected new missing person case. With Agnes trying to prove her grandfather's innocence, Nora the one investigating to get to the truth, and locals accepting without being welcoming or helpful very often, it creates a density throughout. Everyone is suspicious, everyone is hiding something, and Agnes' desperation is palpable. Despite how dark this book was, I found the fairly constant action and emotional zig-zagging enough to keep me from feeling bleak and hopeless for the characters.

I've been so excited to read Melissa Larsen's upcoming novel, THE LOST HOUSE, ever since I've been hearing so much buzz about her since her debut novel, Shutter! It's been a while since I've read a nordic noir mystery/thriller, but it's always best to read when winter approaches to get right into the mood. Immediate thoughts once I jumped into the story were that it was immersive, dark, and utterly original. I alternated between the audiobook and physical and both were very fun!

Melissa Larsen’s The Lost House is a gripping story about Agnes, a young woman haunted by her family’s dark past, who returns to her ancestral home in Iceland to uncover the truth about a gruesome murder. Forty years ago, a mother and her baby were found buried in the snow—tragically peaceful, except for the mother’s slashed throat and the baby’s drowning. The case was never solved, but blame fell on the husband, who fled to California with his son. Now, after his death, Agnes is determined to clear her grandfather’s name and escape her own messy life. When true crime podcaster Nora Carver invites her to talk, Agnes jumps at the chance, packing her bags for the remote Icelandic town of Bifröst, where the tragedy began.

But things take a sinister turn when a local girl vanishes the same weekend Agnes arrives. Suddenly, the past and present collide as the investigation digs up long-buried secrets, and Agnes realizes everyone in the small town could be hiding something. Against the icy backdrop of Iceland’s winter, The Lost House delivers a chilling and twist-filled thriller that keeps you guessing. Larsen does an incredible job weaving complex characters and jaw-dropping surprises into a dark, atmospheric tale. It’s the kind of book that hooks you from the start and refuses to let go until you’ve unraveled every secret—and even then, you’ll be left thinking about it.

Thank you to MacMillan Audio for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.. Forty years ago a woman and her baby were found murdered. The woman had her throat cut and the baby drowned. Even though the towns people all thought her husband was responsible this case was never solved. Now 50 yrs after this tragic even Agnes returns to the small town in Iceland to clear her grandfather's name. How can this gentle loving man who Agnes adored do something this horrific. With the pain of losing her grandfather she now tries to figure out what really happened that night. Agnes arrives in the small town and is offered a room to stay in on the exact family property where her grandmother and aunt were murdered. With the help of Nora the pod caster, they not only try and solve the 50 yr old case but also try to help locate a young lady who has recently gone missing. Is there a connection or is it just a coincidence? Enjoy!!!

Thank you Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for this alc.

The Lost House is the second book I read from an Icelandic author. In this story we follow software developer Agnes Glin who lives in California. Her dad and grandfather are both from Iceland. Her grandfather recently passed away and she is having a hard time dealing with his passing when she receives an invitation from a podcaster to go to Iceland.

Nora Carver, the podcaster, is doing an investigation involving Agnes’s grandfather who decades earlier was accused of ki!!ing his wife and baby daughter. Now that he has died, Agnes wants to find the truth about him. This is a slow-burn mystery novel. It is narrated by Saskia Maarleveld who gave the perfect tone and pacing for this story. Very well plotted, this novel comes out January 14th.

Set in Iceland, Agnes travels to her family's home country to get to the bottom of a 40-year-old murder mystery.

I wasn't entirely on board with the narrator. I don't tend to love when narrators use a sort of breathy, raspy voice. I think it is supposed to sound mysterious but sounds more like they are out of breath the entire time. It just doesn't entirely work for me.

The book was well written and very atmospheric. Agnes was there to find out the truth about her grandmother's death long before she was born. She was working with a journalist when a new story breaks. A woman went missing from the same place 40 years later, and it is feared the cases are connected.

i enjoyed the setting and the writing, but the plot of the story was too attenuated to hold my attention and that is a personal opinion. I just couldn't get into a murder mystery about a woman who died more than 30 years before the main character was born. I get that it was her family history, and it was important to her, but it felt too attenuated to me.

Overall, I would recommend people give this a chance if they are into Icelandic noir and creepy atmospheric stories.

I saw this book floating around, and I really like Saskia Maarleveld, so I requested The Lost House.

This may be a good fit if you enjoy:
- old murder cases potentially connected to new cases
- books with a podcast element
- nordic noir

Unfortunately this was not for me. I can't put my finger on why exactly. I enjoy podcast elements, and I was interested in a mystery set in Iceland. I struggled to feel invested in the story.