Source: Publisher
Description: One winter evening bestselling crime author, Elín S. Jónsdóttir goes missing.
There are no clues to her disappearance and it is up to young detective, Helgi, to crack the case before it's leaked to the press.
As he interviews the people closest to her – a publisher, an accountant, a retired judge – he realises that Elín’s life wasn’t what it seemed. In fact, her past is even stranger than her stories.
As the case of the missing crime writer becomes more mysterious by the hour, Helgi must uncover the secrets of a very unexpected life . . .
Genre: Mystery
Why I Picked This Book: I've heard good things about this author and the premise caught my eye.
My Impression: I haven't read many books set Iceland and I was pleasantly surprised to find this to be a more straightforward mystery than a dark noir-y story. Helgi is a detective who adores reading - especially Golden Age detective stories and I loved the bookish references. There are three major plot points running through the story - the missing writer, the story of a police detective who went missing a number of years prior, and Helgi's personal life involving his girlfriend and his incredibly toxic ex. All three have fairly equal page time though only one is truly resolved at the end.
Why I Picked This Book: I've heard good things about this author and the premise caught my eye.
My Impression: I haven't read many books set Iceland and I was pleasantly surprised to find this to be a more straightforward mystery than a dark noir-y story. Helgi is a detective who adores reading - especially Golden Age detective stories and I loved the bookish references. There are three major plot points running through the story - the missing writer, the story of a police detective who went missing a number of years prior, and Helgi's personal life involving his girlfriend and his incredibly toxic ex. All three have fairly equal page time though only one is truly resolved at the end.
This was a fairly quick read with an even pace. Unfortunately, it didn't quite work for me. I don't know if it was the translation or the writing style but I found it fairly clunky and while there was progress made in each story I found I just didn't fully care about any of it. As well, there's an interview sprinkled throughout the story that didn't quite fit and while it did make sense by the end it wasn't enough of an ah-ha moment for me to really care.
This is a series with more multi-book plots than the usual mystery series and the storyline involving Helgi's personal life ends with a bit of cliffhanger. Unfortunately, because of my lack of connection to the story or the characters I have very little interest in continuing with the series.
Would I Read More of this Series/Author? Probably not. I did enjoy the feel of the story but the lack of connection doesn't have me wanting to spend more time with Helgi.
Would I Recommend this Book? Not really though it is fairly popular so I may be the odd one out. If you are curious about the series I would recommend starting with a different book.
Would I Recommend this Book? Not really though it is fairly popular so I may be the odd one out. If you are curious about the series I would recommend starting with a different book.
* I received this book in exchange for an honest review. As always my opinions and impressions are completely my own. *
I'm sorry this one didn't work for you. I haven't heard about it before.
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry. I enjoyed this but I was lucky enough to have read the foundation of these stories in Death at the Sanatorium or I might not have liked it so much. The publisher hasn't really done much to indicate it is part of a series.
ReplyDeleteAnne - Books of My Heart
I am sorry this one didn't work for you, Katherine. This is one I was thinking about but may have to reconsider.
ReplyDeleteI haven't read this Jonasson mystery yet, but I do like that Icelandic setting. Sorry you didn't end up liking this one more.
ReplyDeleteWell you gave it very good time and thought and it wasn't quite for you.
ReplyDelete