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WORK TITLE: Snowblind
WORK NOTES: trans by Quentin Bates
PSEUDONYM(S):
BIRTHDATE: 1976
WEBSITE: http://www.ragnarjonasson.com/
CITY:
STATE:
COUNTRY:
NATIONALITY:
http://ragnar-jonasson.squarespace.com/new-page/
RESEARCHER NOTES:
PERSONAL
Born in Reykjavik, Iceland; married; two daughters.
ADDRESS
CAREER
Writer, lawyer, and translator. Teaches copyright law at Reykjavik University and has worked on radio and television, including as a TV-news reporter for the Icelandic National Broadcasting Service. Cofounder of the Reykjavik international crime writing festival Iceland Noir.
MEMBER:UK Crime Writers’ Association.
AWARDS:Mörda Dead Good Reader Award, 2016, for Nightblind.
WRITINGS
Also author of novel Fölsk Nóta, 2009. Short stories published in periodicals, including Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine. Has translated fourteen of Agatha Christie’s novels into Icelandic.
Television rights to “Dark Iceland” series sold to UK production company On the Corner.
SIDELIGHTS
Ragnar Jonasson is the author of crime novels set in his native country, Iceland. He is known particularly for the “Dark Iceland” series, taking place in Siglufjörður, a fishing village that is the northernmost town in the nation, and featuring police detective Ari Thor Arason, a former theology student. Jonasson has often visited Siglufjörður, where his father grew up. “Siglufjörður is a place that I felt would be very fitting for a crime novel,” he told an interviewer at the Crime Fiction Lover Web site. “It is very isolated, surrounded by high mountains on one side and the sea on the other. It is only accessible via a mountain tunnel, and is very dark and often snowbound in wintertime.” He added: “Siglufjordur is a key character in the series, but I do however set some of the books in other parts of northern Iceland to some extent, and all of those places are definitely worth a visit! The claustrophobia is also a key player in some of the books, it is really interesting to try to analyse the effect of an isolated environment, and how people can react differently to it.” He introduced Arason in Fölsk Nóta (“False Note”), which is not set in Siglufjörður, then brought him to the town for Snowblind, the first in the series, originally published in Iceland as Snjóblinda.
Snowblind
This novel finds Ari, new to the police force in Siglufjörður, investigating the death of Hrolfur Kristjansson, an elderly man who years earlier wrote a best-selling novel that made him the village’s most famous resident. He has apparently fallen down a flight of stairs at the local Dramatic Society’s headquarters, and the townspeople’s initial assumption that he stumbled while drunk, but Ari believes he has been murdered. Then a woman is found stabbed in the snow, barely clinging to life. She has ties to the Dramatic Society as well, being the girlfriend of its lead actor. Ari seeks the perpetrators of both crimes while adjusting to life in Siglufjörður, where he has relocated from Reykjavik due to a lack of job opportunities amid 2008’s global recession, leaving behind his girlfriend, Kristen, a medical student. He soon realizes there are many secrets in the village, which is even more isolated than usual due to a snowstorm that has blocked the tunnel leading out of town.
Several critics thought Snowblind an appealing entry in the genre that has come to be known as “Nordic noir.” “On the face of it, Snowblind is a gigantic locked-room mystery, an investigation into murder and other crimes within a closed society with a limited number of suspects,” remarked Andrew Taylor in London’s Independent. This actually, though, “merely serves as a framework for a narrative that skips from viewpoint to viewpoint, revealing the interlocking lives of its characters,” he explained, adding that Jonasson “keeps you turning the pages.” A Kirkus Reviews contributor noted: “Jonasson’s whodunit puts a lively, sophisticated spin on the Agatha Christie model, taking it down intriguing dark alleys.” In Booklist, Michele Leber called the novel “an involving tale of small-town police work that vividly captures the snowy setting that so affects the rookie cop.” Xpress Reviews commentator Portia Kapraun concluded: “Jonasson has taken the locked-room mystery and transformed it into a dark tale of isolation and intrigue that will keep readers guessing until the final page.”
Nightblind
Nightblind was the fourth novel in the series to be published in Iceland, but the second to appear in English. Ari has sought a promotion to inspector and lost out; his new boss, Inspector Herjólfur, ends up having a short tenure in the job, however, as he is shot to death while answering a call to an out-of-the-way home. Ari feels guilty, as he would have been on the scene if he had not been sick with the flu, and he had not always gotten along with Herjólfur. He summons his former supervisor, Tomas, back from Reykjavik to help him investigate. Their work is complicated by the close connections of all the town’s residents and by the interest local politicians are taking in the case. Ari is also trying to manage a long-distance relationship with Kristen, with whom he now has an infant son. The story of the investigation is interwoven with excerpts from a mental patient’s diary, which will turn out to play a role in the case.
The novel brought Jonasson additional critical praise. “Nightblind is a thriller of distinction,” related a blogger at Little Bookness Lane. “It possesses a majestic quality and reigns supreme. With its superb blend of moody environment, undercurrent of unease, and pitch-perfect pace, right now I’m thinking I’ll be hard-pressed to find another book to rival it.” On the Kettle Web site, Rabeea Saleem noted: “This slow-burn detective novel is a welcome addition to the genre.” A Kirkus Reviews commentator offers a mixed assessment, saying: “The plotting is rudimentary, but the final surprise carries a real shock.” An online reviewer at Crime Thriller Hound summed up the book on a positive note, dubbing it “a satisfyingly complex, multi-layered mystery packed with characters that walk the line between friend and foe.”
BIOCRIT
PERIODICALS
Booklist, November 15, 2016, Michele Leber, review of Snowblind, p. 28.
Independent (London, England), June 18 2015, Andrew Taylor, review of Snowblind.
Kirkus Reviews, November 15, 2016, review of Snowblind; September 15, 2017, review of Nightblind.
Publishers Weekly, October 17, 2016, review of Snowblind, p. 51.
Xpress Reviews, November 18, 2016, Portia Kapraun, review of Snowblind.
ONLINE
By the Letter Book Reviews, https://bytheletterbookreviews.com/ (February 12, 2017 ), review of Rupture.
Crime by the Book, http://crimebythebook.com/ (May 30, 2016), “CBTB Discusses Icelandic Crime Fiction with Ragnar Jónasson”; (December 18, 2016), review of Blackout.
Crime Fiction Lover, https://crimefictionlover.com/ (May 26, 2015), interview with Ragnar Jonasson; (July 22, 2016), review of Blackout; (January 3, 2017), review of Rupture.
Crime Review, https://thecrimereview.com/ (July 25, 2016), review of Blackout; (March 13, 2017), review of Rupture.
Crime Thriller Hound, http://www.crimethrillerhound.co.uk/ (September 24, 2017), review of Nightblind.
Kettle, https://www.kettlemag.co.uk/ (September 27, 2016), Rabeea Saleem, review of Nightblind.
Little Bookness Lane, https://littlebooknesslane.wordpress.com/ (December 15, 2016), review of Blackout.
Ragnar Jonasson Home Page, http://www.ragnarjonasson.com (October 20, 2017).*
Series
Dark Iceland
1. Snowblind (2015)
2. Nightblind (2015)
3. Blackout (2016)
4. Rupture (2016)
5. Whiteout (2017)
Inspector Hulda Hermannsdottir
1. The Darkness (2018)
2. The Island (2019)
Ragnar Jónasson
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Ragnar Jonasson is a bestselling Icelandic author of crime fiction. He is the writer of the bestselling Dark Iceland series, featuring Detective Ari Thor.
Novels[edit]
Snowblind
Nightblind
Blackout
Rupture
Whiteout
The Darkness
The Island
Ragnar Jonasson is the award winning author of the international bestselling Dark Iceland series.
His debut Snowblind, first in the Dark Iceland series, went to number one in the Amazon Kindle charts shortly after publication. The book was also a no. 1 Amazon Kindle bestseller in Australia.
The second book in the series, Nightblind, also became a no. 1 Amazon Kindle bestseller in Australia.
Ragnar is the winner of the Mörda Dead Good Reader Award 2016 for Nightblind.
Snowblind was selected by The Independent as one of the best crime novels of 2015 in the UK and it has also been on best seller lists in France.
Rights to the Dark Iceland series have been sold to 14 countries.
TV rights to the series have been sold to production company On the Corner in the UK, producers of Academy Award winning documentary Amy.
Ragnar was born in Reykjavik, Iceland, where he works as a writer and a lawyer. He also teaches copyright law at Reykjavik University and has previously worked on radio and television, including as a TV-news reporter for the Icelandic National Broadcasting Service.
Ragnar is a member of the UK Crime Writers' Association (CWA).
He is also the co-founder of the Reykjavik international crime writing festival Iceland Noir.
From the age of 17, Ragnar translated 14 Agatha Christie novels into Icelandic.
Ragnar has also had short stories published internationally, including in the distinguished Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine in the US, the first stories by an Icelandic author in that magazine.
He has appeared on festival panels worldwide, and lives in Reykjavik.
NOVELS
Fölsk nóta, 2009
Snjóblinda, 2010
Myrknætti, 2011
Rof, 2012
Andköf, 2013
Náttblinda, 2014
Dimma, 2015
Drungi, 2016
SHORT STORIES IN ENGLISH:
Death of a Sunflower, 2014, Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine, January 2014.
Party of Two, 2014, Guilty Parties - CWA 2014 Anthology edited by Martin Edwards (Seven House)
A Moment by the Sea, 2014, Orendabooks.co.uk
A Letter to Santa, 2015, Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine, January 2015
Quoted in Sidelights: “Siglufjörður is a place that I felt would be very fitting for a crime novel,” he told an interviewer at the Crime Fiction Lover Web site. “It is very isolated, surrounded by high mountains on one side and the sea on the other. It is only accessible via a mountain tunnel, and is very dark and often snowbound in wintertime.” “Siglufjordur is a key character in the series, but I do however set some of the books in other parts of northern Iceland to some extent, and all of those places are definitely worth a visit! The claustrophobia is also a key player in some of the books, it is really interesting to try to analyse the effect of an isolated environment, and how people can react differently to it."
Interview: Ragnar Jonasson
May 26, 2015
Written by MarinaSofia
Published in Features
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Permalink
There has been quite a buzz building up about the young Icelandic author Ragnar Jonasson. The first of his novels to be translated into English, Snowblind, landed in the top 10 ebooks on Amazon, and went to the top of the Scandinavian crime fiction chart. It brings with it a unique blend of Golden Age stylings and a Nordic noir backdrop, and you’ll be able to read our review here soon on Crime Fiction Lover. We first met him as one of the new talents we featured when we went to Iceland Noir 2014, and now that his book’s out he joins us for a full interview…
Snowblind is set in one of the most remote and quiet places in Iceland. What made you choose that as your location?
I have a strong connection with Siglufjörður, the northern-most town in Iceland. My father grew up there and my grandparents lived there. I visited them every summer, and still spend time in Siglufjörður each year. My grandfather even wrote a series of books about the history of the town. Siglufjörður is a place that I felt would be very fitting for a crime novel. It is very isolated, surrounded by high mountains on one side and the sea on the other. It is only accessible via a mountain tunnel, and is very dark and often snowbound in wintertime.
How would you describe your detective Ari Thor?
Ari Thor is a few years younger than I am, and he probably shares some of my qualities – hopefully the good ones! But what mostly defines him is the fictional fact that he lost his parents at a young age and has had to make his way in the world completely on his own. He has therefore found it hard to build up strong relationships with other people, but he has a keen sense of justice and is hopefully clever enough to solve a crime or two.
He is fairly inexperienced to begin with, but grows with the series in his capacity as a policeman, making some mistakes along the way, of course. I admire his determination, and his ability to stay strong in difficult circumstances. In Snowblind he is very much an outsider, treated coldly, often with disdain, and very much affected by the treacherous, claustrophobic weather. But he grits his teeth and gets on with the job. He’s not a tough guy – he loves to swim and he is taking piano lessons, which may be another mistake!
What was your journey into crime fiction and which authors have influenced you most?
I’ve always read crime fiction: Agatha Christie, to begin with, and then other Golden Age writers. I also enjoy contemporary crime, such as PD James. Christie and James were probably the greatest influences but in one way or another I’ve probably been inspired by most writers I’ve read. One other writer I’d particularly like to mention is the brilliant Peter Temple from Australia; his book Truth is like nothing else you’ve ever read.
Which of the two have proved most useful in your writing career: your legal or your journalistic background?
My journalistic background probably. I’ve tried to stay away from writing about law, lawyers or legal complications, in order to keep some distance between my day job and my writing. But in the Dark Iceland series I did create a journalist, a girl called Ísrún who is not featured in Snowblind, but is coming soon. She has benefited quite a lot from my experiences as a TV reporter.
Why do you think crime fiction is so popular in Iceland when there is so little crime there?
It is probably popular precisely because there is little crime in Iceland, but for that same reason it is also often challenging for writers. I want to keep my stories as believable as possible, so it’s all about thinking up scenarios which could happen in Iceland. The dramatic climate and landscape does help to make this easier.
Having translated Agatha Christie novels, set up a branch of the CWA in Iceland, and co-founded the Iceland Noir international festival, you have strong links with Britain. How do you think Icelandic and British readers compare?
I don’t think there is much difference really but if I had to name one thing, I would perhaps imagine that British readers might in general be more familiar with some of the Golden Age writers who have influenced me, simply because not all of them were as widely translated as Agatha Christie, at least not into Icelandic. I am thrilled by the British interest in Nordic crime and, more recently, Icelandic writers. There is a lot more to come.
For more Scandinavian crime fiction, click here. Read our interview with the Scandibrit author Quentin Bates, who translated Snowblind into English here.
Nordic Noir Author Interviews
CBTB discusses Nordic Noir with the genre's defining authors and rising stars.
Ragnar Jonasson, Author of the Dark Iceland Series
May 30, 2016
CBTB Discusses Icelandic Crime Fiction with Ragnar Jónasson
There is a special place in my heart for Ragnar Jónasson's Dark Iceland series. Jónasson's Dark Iceland debut, SNOWBLIND, was actually one of the first books I spotted on Instagram, back before I had even considered starting Crime by the Book. I can no longer remember where exactly I saw it, but I remember being instantly drawn to the spooky, atmospheric cover. Now, years later, I am finally reading (and loving!) the Dark Iceland series, and I am so thrilled to have had the chance to chat with Ragnar himself about his books. Read on for our discussion of crime writing, Ragnar's suggested Icelandic crime fiction reading list, and more information on the upcoming Dark Iceland TV series!
A huge thank you to both Ragnar and his publisher, Orenda Books, for making this Q&A possible.
Crime by the Book: To get things started, where did you first conceive of the idea for the Dark Iceland series? What inspired you?
Ragnar Jónasson: The inspiration was Siglufjordur, my father’s home town, a hidden gem in Iceland. The northermost town in Iceland, surrounded by mountains and the sea, and only accessible through a mountain tunnel. I have been reading crime fiction for years, especially Golden Age crime from the UK and US, and this setting struck me as a very fitting setting for the kind of crime novel I wanted to write. And when I had written Snowblind, I wanted to stay with the characters and the place, and that’s how the series began.
CBTB: How do you plan out your books?
RJ: The books are planned quite a lot in advance, but mostly in my head (or sometimes in my notebooks). I know what story I want to tell, the main characters, the issues I want to address, and most importantly the plot in as much detail as possible – and the twist at the end!
CBTB: When you wrote your first book in the Dark Iceland series, did you have a plan that it would become Book #1 in a series, or did that idea develop after you finished writing Book #1? Similarly, do you have a plan for how many books you wish to write in the series?
RJ: Snowblind was essentially the first book in the series, although I had written another book about Ari Thor a year earlier, before he joined the police (when he was just a student looking for his father, and solving that mystery, of course). So Dark Iceland started with Snowblind, and I think I knew pretty quickly that I would want to write another one. There are now five Dark Iceland books, plus this early Ari Thor novel. I am working on a new book now, although in a different series, but I hope to return to Ari Thor.
CBTB: I'm always curious to know how crime writers find a balance between accurate portrayals of police work and applying their own imagination to a story. What kind of research into police methodology went into your books? How much of that research did you end up applying to the story?
RJ: My focus is always on the story and the characters, rather than the procedures of the police. When I read crime fiction, my interest lies in the development of the characters and the way they interact and the essence of the plot, so that’s the kind of books I want to write. The level of police work is therefore minimal, but I have a good friend at the DA's office in Reykjavik who reads all my books before they are published and makes sure that those details are correct.
CBTB: In my experience reading your books so far, one of my favorite aspects is how atmospheric they are. Your descriptions of landscape and setting are so vivid, I can feel the emotions they inspire in your characters - particularly, the sense of claustrophobia! The land itself almost seems to be its own character. Can you tell me a bit about your personal experience living in Iceland, and how this influenced your characterization of the land in your books?
RJ: I think Iceland has influenced me greatly in writing the books. They are always set in real places, usually places that I find fascinating. The more time I spend in Iceland the more I come to appreciate its beauty, isolation and nature, even the weather. The winters are dark, but they bring us the northern lights and the snow, and the summers are so bright that it is utterly amazing. Siglufjordur is a key character in the series, but I do however set some of the books in other parts of northern Iceland to some extent, and all of those places are definitely worth a visit! The claustrophobia is also a key player in some of the books, it is really interesting to try to analyse the effect of an isolated environment, and how people can react differently to it.
CBTB: Icelandic crime fiction is a very new subgenre for me, and I'm sure it is for many of my fellow American crime readers as well. I'm so excited to begin exploring it! Are there any particular Icelandic crime writers who have inspired you, or whose books you are currently reading and enjoying?
RJ: The two Icelandic crime writers who have inspired me and a whole generation of Icelandic crime writers are Arnaldur Indridason and Yrsa Sigurdardottir – the king and queen of Icelandic crime fiction. When Indridason published his first novel in 1997, Icelandic crime fiction was almost unheard of, but he paved the way for others, and he is now an international bestseller with his brilliant Detective Erlendur series. The same can be said of Yrsa. She has enjoyed great success internationally with her amazing crime novels and thrillers, and really opened doors for many other Icelandic authors. She has been very supportive of my work as well. I would also like to mention another pioneer of Icelandic crime fiction, Viktor Arnar Ingolfsson, who is also available in the US. I would recommend Arnaldur’s Hypothermia, Yrsa’s The Silence of the Sea and Viktor’s House of Evidence.
CBTB: I am so excited to hear of the fantastic news that the Dark Iceland series has been optioned for TV. Congratulations! I know it's still very early on, but what can you tell us about the TV show?
RJ: The option was acquired by On The Corner, producers of Academy Award winning documentary Amy, about Amy Winehouse, so the series is in very good hands. I have met the producers and they are very dedicated to the project. They have said that they would like to film it in Iceland, but in the English language. Here you can see an interview in English with the producer, with some more details on their ideas: www.ruv.is/sarpurinn/klippa/ragnar-jonasson-og-siglufjardarsyrpan
CBTB: What book are you currently reading? (Or, what was the last book that you read?)
RJ: I am always reading so many books at once! Currently these include Butterflies in November by Audur Ava Olafsdottir, one of my all-time favourite Icelandic authors. If you haven’t read any of her books I highly recommend The Greenhouse as well. I’m also always re-reading Agatha Christie, this time around The Man in the Brown Suit. I’ve also been reading Renée Knight’s Disclaimer and Kati Hiekkapelto’s The Hummingbird. I’d also like to recommend another one I’ve been reading recently, Colm Toibin’s Nora Webster, a true masterpiece,
Quoted in Sidelights: “The plotting is rudimentary, but the final surprise carries a real shock.”
Jonasson, Ragnar: NIGHTBLIND
(Sept. 15, 2017):
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2017 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
Jonasson, Ragnar NIGHTBLIND Minotaur (Adult Fiction) $25.99 12, 5 ISBN: 978-1-250-09609-8
A second case looms for Ari Thor Arason, half the police force of the north Icelandic town of Siglufjordur, when the other half gets shot in an abandoned house.Nothing much has happened in the house near the entrance to the Strakar tunnel since 1961, when one of the twins living there took a fatal header from its balcony. And Inspector Herjolfur, a recent arrival to the community, wouldn't even be investigating the report of someone seen inside if Ari Thor weren't down with the flu. As it is, his patrol ends abruptly with a shotgun blast that sends him to the hospital, hovering between life and death. Will it also send Ari Thor, who campaigned unsuccessfully for the position of inspector, into Herjolfur's place? Not a chance. Instead, the powers that be summon Tomas, the boss who preceded Herjolfur, back from Reykjavik to take charge of the case. So Tomas is also on hand when an even more recent arrival is stabbed to death. To Ari Thor's chagrin, his old chief insinuates himself into this case as well. It looks as if the eternal second fiddle (Snowblind, 2017) will have enough time on his hands to take care of his son, Stefnir, who's almost a year old, when his physician wife, Kristin, accedes to the local hospital's pleas that she return to her job. Maybe Ari Thor will even have the leisure to notice that corruption threatens the local political establishment and that Kristin is thinking seriously of leaving him. The plotting is rudimentary, but the final surprise carries a real shock; the excerpts from a 1982 diary pack a punch of their own; and of course the advent of the Icelandic winter is likely to chill hearts even below the Arctic Circle.
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
"Jonasson, Ragnar: NIGHTBLIND." Kirkus Reviews, 15 Sept. 2017. General OneFile, go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?p=ITOF&sw=w&u=schlager&v=2.1&id=GALE%7CA504217623&it=r&asid=4ecf90f448364fb8128f957ae8cc1412. Accessed 23 Sept. 2017.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A504217623
Quoted in Sidelights: “an involving tale of small-town police work that vividly captures the snowy setting that so affects the rookie cop.” x
Snowblind
Michele Leber
113.6 (Nov. 15, 2016): p28.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2016 American Library Association
http://www.ala.org/ala/aboutala/offices/publishing/booklist_publications/booklist/booklist.cfm
Snowblind. By Ragnar Jonasson. Tr. by Quentin Bates. Jan. 2017. 320p. Minotaur, $25.99 (9781250096074); e-book, $12.99 (9781250096081).
With the 2008 recession limiting job possibilities in Reykjavik, police-college student Ari Thor Arason accepts a post in isolated northern Siglufjordur, even though it means leaving his live-in girlfriend, Kristen. The village, cut off from the rest of Iceland when snow blocks nearby mountain tunnels, is a former center of herring fishing where "nothing ever happens," according to the police chief. But then things happen. First, Siglufjordur's most illustrious citizen, Hrolfur Kristjansson, whose one novel was an international best-seller decades earlier, dies in a fall at the local Dramatic Society; then the common-law wife of the lead actor is found stabbed and near death in the snow. Ari Thor pursues the Hrolfur case as a possible murder against orders, all the while feeling claustrophobic in the unrelenting snow and struggling with his relationship with Kristen and attraction to a local woman. In the first of his Dead Iceland series, Jonasson spins an involving tale of small-town police work that vividly captures the snowy setting that so affects the rookie cop. Icelandic noir at its moodiest.--Michele Leber
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
Leber, Michele. "Snowblind." Booklist, 15 Nov. 2016, p. 28. General OneFile, go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?p=ITOF&sw=w&u=schlager&v=2.1&id=GALE%7CA473788227&it=r&asid=312172aad9145ad47a192a046606c6d7. Accessed 23 Sept. 2017.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A473788227
Quoted in Sidelights: “Jonasson’s whodunit puts a lively, sophisticated spin on the Agatha Christie model, taking it down intriguing dark alleys.”
Jonasson, Ragnar: SNOWBLIND
(Nov. 15, 2016):
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2016 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
Jonasson, Ragnar SNOWBLIND Minotaur (Adult Fiction) $25.99 1, 31 ISBN: 978-1-250-09607-4
In the isolated Icelandic fishing village of Siglufjor[eth]ur, a rookie cop newly transplanted from Reykjavik has his mettle tested by the claustrophobic conditions--and a murder.The cop, 24-year-old Ari Thor Arason, impulsively left behind his medical school girlfriend and theological studies to join the police force in the small rural community. When aged author Hrolfur Kristjansson is found dead at the bottom of a flight of stairs, reeking of alcohol, everyone assumes it was "just an accident." But Hrolfur, chairman of the Dramatic Society, had clashed with the director of its latest production the day before its scheduled opening. And the celebrated author's death isn't the only shocking news in a town where Ari is told nothing happens. A partially unclad young woman is found unconscious in her snowy garden, the victim of a brutal attack. As the 24-hour darkness presses down on relentlessly snowed-on Siglufjor[eth]ur, and then an avalanche closes off the town even more, the dual investigations take on a surreal quality. The first of Jonasson's Dark Iceland novels to be translated into English gets off to a clunky start. But the author settles into a page-turning groove, emulating his hero, Agatha Christie (14 of whose novels he's translated into Icelandic), by skillfully switching points of view and casting about for murder motives. While there's nothing fresh about the plot, the increasingly gloomy setting--a reflection of the tragic losses nearly all the characters, including Ari, have experienced--provides its own distinctive edge. A bestseller in England making its U.S. debut, Jonasson's whodunit puts a lively, sophisticated spin on the Agatha Christie model, taking it down intriguing dark alleys.
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
"Jonasson, Ragnar: SNOWBLIND." Kirkus Reviews, 15 Nov. 2016. General OneFile, go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?p=ITOF&sw=w&u=schlager&v=2.1&id=GALE%7CA469865869&it=r&asid=7fd0d279fcbc9bd81ef5867c7763a139. Accessed 23 Sept. 2017.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A469865869
Snowblind
263.42 (Oct. 17, 2016): p51.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2016 PWxyz, LLC
http://www.publishersweekly.com/
* Snowblind
Ragnar Jonasson, trans. from the Icelandic by Quentin Bates. Minotaur, $25.99 (320p) ISBN 978-1-250-09607-4
[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]
The 2008 financial crash provides the backdrop for Jonasson's sterling debut, a tale of past and present revenge, which combines the power of extreme climate and geography with penetrating psychological analysis. Ari Thor Arason, a 24-year-old rookie policeman and former theology student, leaves his medical-student lover, Kristin, in Reykjavik for his first assignment in Siglufjordur, an isolated village on the north coast of Iceland. As the long, dark winter settles in, Ari Thor becomes embroiled in old hurts that roil beneath the surface of Siglufjordur, where secrets spread swiftly. The fatal fall of a drunken actor down a flight of stairs in the local theater appears to be an accident--or is it? As in the medieval Icelandic sagas, small physical details produce striking characterizations ("He peered at her and his lip twisted oddly, as if he was trying to smile, but at the same time hold it back"). Jonasson skillfully alternates points of view and shifts of time that set in relief Ari Thor's efforts to find a purpose to his lonely life. The action builds to a shattering climax. Agent: David Headley, DFIFI Literary Agency (U.K.). (Jan.)
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
"Snowblind." Publishers Weekly, 17 Oct. 2016, p. 51. General OneFile, go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?p=ITOF&sw=w&u=schlager&v=2.1&id=GALE%7CA468700025&it=r&asid=1506ddb84d59e3b6240edf99fa850731. Accessed 23 Sept. 2017.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A468700025
Quoted in Sidelights: : “Jonasson has taken the locked-room mystery and transformed it into a dark tale of isolation and intrigue that will keep readers guessing until the final page.”
Jonasson, Ragnar. Snowblind
Portia Kapraun
(Nov. 18, 2016):
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2016 Library Journals, LLC
http://www.libraryjournal.com/lj/reviews/xpress/884170-289/xpress_reviews-first_look_at_new.html.csp
Jonasson, Ragnar. Snowblind. Minotaur: St. Martin's. Jan. 2017. 320p. tr. from Icelandic by Quentin Bates. ISBN 9781250096074. $25.99; ebk. ISBN 9781250096081. MYS
[DEBUT]Ari Thor Arason, fresh out of the police academy, leaves behind his life and girlfriend in Reykjavik to take a posting in SiglufjorQur, a quiet, economically depressed fishing village in northern Iceland. Already uncomfortable as an outsider in this close-knit community, Ari Thor begins to feel claustrophobic when the only tunnel into and out of town is blocked after a snowstorm. Just as the newly minted cop starts to question his decision to move to this remote place, a notable author and community luminary dies under suspicious circumstances at the local theater. The death is quickly ruled an accident, but Ari Thor can't seem to let it go. When a woman with ties to the theater is found fatally stabbed in her backyard, the police are forced to consider that their small town may have a murderer on the loose. As Ari Thor digs deeper into the town's past, it becomes apparent that Siglufjorour has more than its fair share of secrets and few of its residents are as they appear.
Verdict In this debut novel, Jonasson has taken the locked-room mystery and transformed it into a dark tale of isolation and intrigue that will keep readers guessing until the final page. [See Prepub Alert, 7/16/16.]--Portia Kapraun, Delphi P.L., IN
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
Kapraun, Portia. "Jonasson, Ragnar. Snowblind." Xpress Reviews, 18 Nov. 2016. General OneFile, go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?p=ITOF&sw=w&u=schlager&v=2.1&id=GALE%7CA473692710&it=r&asid=4f94c3e52a0bdc575ad525501086c1e7. Accessed 23 Sept. 2017.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A473692710
Quoted in Sidelights: “On the face of it, Snowblind is a gigantic locked-room mystery, an investigation into murder and other crimes within a closed society with a limited number of suspects,” , “merely serves as a framework for a narrative that skips from viewpoint to viewpoint, revealing the interlocking lives of its characters,” “keeps you turning the pages.”
Snowblind by Ragnar Jonasson, translated by Quentin Bates, book review
Jónasson brings his distinctive blend of crime fiction to English-speaking readers
Andrew Taylor
Thursday 18 June 2015 13:00 BST
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Iceland has a population of little more than 300,000, but it's the most literary nation on earth. According to the BBC, one in ten Icelanders will publish a book. Crime fiction is particularly popular – its sales are double those of any of its Nordic neighbours, and Icelandic authors like Arnaldur Indridason and Yrsa Siguroardóttir have become international bestsellers.
Now Ragnar Jónasson brings his own distinctive blend of crime fiction to English-speaking readers. His first novel transplants the old-fashioned Mayhem Parva murder mystery to the edge of the Arctic Circle and then encourages it to sprout in unexpectedly existential directions.
The central character of Snowblind is a troubled rookie cop, Ari Thór, whao has been posted to Siglufjörour, a depressed fishing community in the north of the country where everyone knows everyone else. Ari Thór leaves unfinished business behind him in Reykjavík in the shape of his medical student girlfriend and his own interrupted training for the priesthood.
Siglufjörour is in the grip of winter. The town is placid enough on the surface, but its calm is soon ruffled by the apparently accidental death of a leading citizen, a cantankerous grand old man of Icelandic literature. This may or may not be connected with feuding at the local amateur dramatic society, where passions of more than one sort run high and everyone seems to have a secret.
Ari Thór becomes increasingly friendly with one of the actors, an attractive young woman fleeing a tragedy in her past. Meanwhile, the reader learns that one woman is facing a violent intruder in her own home, and another woman has been brutally attacked, stripped half-naked and left for dead in her snow-covered garden.
The weather worsens. An avalanche blocks the only tunnel leading through the mountains to the rest of the country, trapping the inhabitants in their town. As one character says: "It's like the walls are closing in on you when the weather's like this …"
On the face of it, Snowblind is a gigantic locked-room mystery, an investigation into murder and other crimes within a closed society with a limited number of suspects. (Ragnar Jónasson understands this as well as anyone – he has translated 14 of Agatha Christie's novels into Icelandic.) However, this merely serves as a framework for a narrative that skips from viewpoint to viewpoint, revealing the interlocking lives of its characters. It's a technique that can seem artificial and a little confusing. But Jónasson plays fair with the reader – his clues are traditional and beautifully finessed – and he keeps you turning the pages. Snowblind is morally more equivocal than most traditional whodunnits, and it offers alluring glimpses of darker, and infinitely more threatening horizons.
Book Review: BLACKOUT by Ragnar Jonasson
December 18, 2016
BLACKOUT by Ragnar Jonasson
Orenda Books
CBTB Rating: 5/5
The Verdict: masterful, gripping Icelandic crime
Ragnar Jonasson’s BLACKOUT is arguably the perfect crime novel. I have loved the previous books in Jonasson’s Dark Iceland series, but BLACKOUT took my obsession to a new level. This story perfectly balances murder mystery with character development and present-day plotlines with flashbacks, and delivers a read that’s emotional, intriguing, and impossible to put down.
BLACKOUT takes place following the events of SNOWBLIND, book one in the Dark Iceland series. BLACKOUT begins with the discovery of a body: a man has been brutally beaten to death on a bright summer’s night. A young reporter in Reykjavik leaves the city, heading north to investigate the crime. The victim has ties to Siglufjordur, and Ari Thor and his colleagues find themselves in the middle of a case that becomes murkier with each passing moment. What secrets did the dead man hold? Why is this young reporter so invested in this case? And what larger implications will this case have for Ari Thor’s town? BLACKOUT is an atmospheric, chilling story of past horrors and their present-day implications.
There are so very many things to love about BLACKOUT, but my most favorite element of this book is the rich character development found within it. Jonasson has meticulously crafted characters that seem to jump off the page—each flawed, unique, and totally human. In SNOWBLIND, readers witnessed Ari Thor sabotage his personal life; in BLACKOUT, we feel for Ari Thor as he realizes the terrible mistake he’s made, and mourns the loss of his ex-girlfriend Kristin in his life. Beyond Ari Thor’s personal development, Jonasson has crafted a whole town of characters who are vivid and three-dimensional. To name just a few examples, there are insights provided into the lives of Ari Thor’s colleagues at the police department, the young journalist who plays a central role in this story, the murder victim, and even many of the townspeople who play a crucial role in the story’s central mystery. Jonasson manages to write sparingly and yet in vivid detail, a skill that makes his books both richly developed and fast-paced.
Beyond the stunning cast of characters, BLACKOUT is just plain excellent crime writing. Jonasson has crafted a mystery that spans decades, drawing in individuals both from Iceland and from around the world. The scope of this mystery is massive, but Jonasson picks and chooses his plot points very deliberately. There’s no extraneous information here—just the relevant facts, delivered in simply gorgeous language. I was glued to the pages, dying to know how each thread of this mystery would come together - and when it finally did, I was heartbroken and shocked by its outcome.
If you’re new to the Dark Iceland series, it’s worth noting that Jonasson’s books are far from typical Scandinavian crime fiction, and I love them all the more for it. Where Scandinavian crime fiction tends towards violence, Jonasson’s books are more subtle: they have violent crimes at their core, but rather than describing the violent scenes in detail, they focus on the aftermath of those crimes. Their pacing is also a bit different, reminding me more of an Agatha Christie novel than a Stieg Larsson or Jo Nesbo. Jonasson’s novels bring a fresh perspective to the Scandinavian crime genre, and their nuanced plots and dark atmospheres make them must-reads.
One final thought: Quentin Bates’ translations are really stellar. Translators don’t often get the praise they deserve, so I just had to take a moment to acknowledge how masterfully Bates captures the beauty of both Jonasson’s writing and Iceland’s atmosphere in his work.
BLACKOUT is now available in paperback from Orenda Books. American readers, grab your copy on BookDepository!
Quoted in Sidelights: “a satisfyingly complex, multi-layered mystery packed with characters that walk the line between friend and foe.”
Night Blind
by Ragnar Jonasson, (trans. Quentin Bates)
I am currently enjoying the excellent TV crime drama Trapped, set in a remote Icelandic town populated with interesting and mysterious characters. The Christie-esque isolated setting remained me of Ragnar Jonasson’s Ari Thór Arason series also set in the beautiful yet cold, dark and harsh Icelandic terrain, this time Siglufjörður in the north. I enjoyed the first in Jonasson’s series Snow Blind and found the follow up, Night Blind, to be even better.
Police Inspector Herjólfur is investigating at an old crime scene, a derelict house on the edge of town, when he’s shot at close range. Iceland may have more guns per capita than anywhere else but, even for a society of hunters, this is a shocking crime.
With the killer unknown and the dark arctic winter approaching attention falls on the other local cop, Ari Thór Arason. He should have been on duty that night and suspects were it not for his feeling ill, he could have been the victim. Instead he could be set for the promotion he’d missed out on.
Now in charge Ari Thór calls in his old work colleague Tomás for assistance in managing the investigation. The small town and tight community makes it difficult to work the case and old family ties only add to the complication in a place where everyone is connected and nobody can be completely trusted, not least the local politicians.
Ari Thór is having a testing time with his girlfriend Kristín, baby Stefnir, and burgeoning relationships. He’s a flawed character with more to give in future books. The gripping story is interwoven with a mystery diarist/narrator as we hear from a psychiatric ward in Reykjavik, where a patient is being held.
It’s a satisfyingly complex, multi-layered mystery packed with characters that walk the line between friend and foe.
About Ragnar Jonasson:
Ragnar Jonasson is author of the international bestselling Dark Iceland series. His debut Snowblind, first in the Dark Iceland series, went to number one in the kindle charts shortly after publication. Ragnar was born in Reykjavik, Iceland, in 1976, where he works as a lawyer. He also teaches copyright law at Reykjavik University and has previously worked on radio and television, including as a TV-news reporter for the Icelandic National Broadcasting Service. Ragnar is a member of the UK Crime Writers' Association (CWA) and recently set up the first overseas chapter of the CWA, in Reykjavik. He is also the co-founder of the Reykjavik international crime writing festival Iceland Noir. From the age of 17, Ragnar translated 14 Agatha Christie novels into Icelandic. He has appeared on festival panels worldwide, and lives in Reykjavik with his wife and young daughters.
Siglufjörður: an idyllically quiet fishing village on the northernmost tip of Iceland, accessible only via a small mountain tunnel.
Ari Thór Arason: a local policeman, whose tumultuous past and uneasy relationships with the villagers continue to haunt him.
The peace of this close-knit community is shattered by the murder of a policeman
Quoted in Sidelights: “Nightblind is a thriller of distinction,” related a blogger at Little Bookness Lane. “It possesses a majestic quality and reigns supreme. With its superb blend of moody environment, undercurrent of unease, and pitch-perfect pace, right now I’m thinking I’ll be hard-pressed to find another book to rival it.”
Book Review: Nightblind (Dark Iceland #2) by Ragnar Jonasson ~ #Nightblind Blog Tour, Day 3
Posted in 2016, Reviews by Little Bookness Lane
Publisher: Orenda Books
Publication date: Kindle – 1st December 2015 / Paperback – 22nd January 2016
A shooting on a dark and treacherous night, the intermittent ramblings of a psychiatric patient, and me, perched on the edge of my seat – in these early days of 2016 I truly believe I’ve discovered a new favourite crime series: YES. I’M IN AWE OF ARI THOR.
As a subtle menace worms its way into a close knit Icelandic community, Ari Thor must rouse himself from his sick bed and shake the grip of Influenza to investigate the good people of Siglufjordur. They are a close community indeed, where someone is a cold-blooded killer.
The poor bloke is not in the most ideal position to root out a bad egg threatening their peaceful existence. Circumstances are not ideal for our Ari. After being passed over for promotion as police inspector and treating his superior with less respect than he should have, in light of recent events Ari is riddled with guilt. His personal life doesn’t fair much better either, as he’s left considering the distance that Kristen, his girlfriend and mother of his ten month old son, is putting between them. The isolation of this landscape could cause major issues for an intriguing loner like Ari, but occasionally his character shows a surprising contemplative side.
Endeavour he must. A shooting in this part of the world is a rare occurrence and quickly makes the headlines. It must be dealt with swiftly to prevent ripples of fear creeping into the minds of the residents and farther afield. Ari’s enquiries see him partnered with his old boss, Tomas, who has been recalled from a move to Reykjavik to head up the investigation. Although Ari is initially irked by the decision to bring someone else in to supervise the case, Tomas is also an old friend and Ari knows that petty grievances could get in the way of the truth.
The two of them must tread carefully to not rock the boat that’s being steered toward political waters. A turn in the wrong direction could easily see your career nosedive and that would be regrettable.
A silent threat tiptoes throughout the book to quietly reveal the secrets of good people, nice people. Some of them hoping the snow will muffle the trouble that goes on behind closed doors.
Nightblind is a thriller of distinction. It possesses a majestic quality and reigns supreme. With its superb blend of moody environment, undercurrent of unease, and pitch-perfect pace, right now I’m thinking I’ll be hard-pressed to find another book to rival it.
Oh, in case you were wondering, although this is the second book in the Dark Iceland series it can be read as a stand alone with absolutely no worries.
MY RATING: 5/5, AND THEN SOME.
(THANK YOU so much to Karen at Orenda Books for providing a hard copy of Nightblind for review, and to the wonderful Liz Barnsley for saving a seat for me on the tour bus.)
Siglufjörður: an idyllically quiet fishing village on the northernmost tip of Iceland, accessible only via a small mountain tunnel. Ari Thór Arason: a local policeman, whose tumultuous past and uneasy relationships with the villagers continue to haunt him. The peace of this close-knit community is shattered by the murder of a policeman – shot at point-blank range in the dead of night in a deserted house.
With a killer on the loose and the dark arctic winter closing in, it falls to Ari Thór to piece together a puzzle that involves tangled local politics, a compromised new mayor, and a psychiatric ward in Reykjavik, where someone is being held against their will. Then a mysterious young woman moves to the area, on the run from something she dare not reveal, and it becomes all too clear that tragic events from the past are weaving a sinister spell that may threaten them all. Dark, chilling and complex, Nightblind is an extraordinary thriller from an undeniable new talent.
BUY THE BOOK
Ragnar Jonasson is author of the international bestselling Dark Iceland series. His debut Snowblind, first in the Dark Iceland series, went to number one in the kindle charts shortly after publication. Ragnar was born in Reykjavik, Iceland, in 1976, where he works as a lawyer. He also teaches copyright law at Reykjavik University and has previously worked on radio and television, including as a TV-news reporter for the Icelandic National Broadcasting Service.
Ragnar is a member of the UK Crime Writers’ Association (CWA) and recently set up the first overseas chapter of the CWA, in Reykjavik. He is also the co-founder of the Reykjavik international crime writing festival Iceland Noir. From the age of 17, Ragnar translated 14 Agatha Christie novels into Icelandic. He has appeared on festival panels worldwide, and lives in Reykjavik with his wife and young daughters. Blackout will be published by Orenda Books in 2016.
Connect with the author:
TWITTER | WEBSITE
*** Be sure to visit the other stops on the #Nightblind BLOG TOUR ! ***
Quoted in Sidelghts: “This slow-burn detective novel is a welcome addition to the genre.”
Review: Nightblind by Ragnar Jonasson
By Rabeea Saleem - September 27, 2016
Image: Orenda Books / Ragnar Jonasson
Nightblind is the second instalment in Ragnar Jonasson's Dark Iceland series. It picks up five years after the events of the first book, Snowblind. Ari Thor is a local policeman in the close-knit fishing village on the edge of Iceland, Siglufjörður. He has been passed over for promotion, with Herjólfur being made his new superior, something that is a bone of contention between the two.
Herjólfur is fatally wounded when a shooting takes place in a secluded house while Siglufjörður is engulfed in an icy darkness. In a small town, a cold-blooded murder like this is a rare occurrence and the news of the shooting spreads like wildfire. Ari Thor is called in to investigate the murder, alongside his old boss, Tomas who had previously been transferred to Reykjavik. Ari's turbulent personal life adds to his troubles. Not only is he still adjusting to newfound parenthood but lately his girlfriend is being perplexingly distant and as Ari soon discovers, she is at a crossroads of sorts, still harbouring resentment towards Ari for his past betrayal.
The murder inquiry takes them both down to the rabbit hole of convoluted local politics and long buried community secrets. The story is interspersed with journal notes of a man who is seemingly being held against his will in a psychiatric ward in Reykjavik. The interweaving journal entries are eventually interwoven with the main mystery, culminating in a satisfying climax.
Nordic Noir
Nightblind adheres to its Scandinavian noir roots as it features an Agatha Christie-style whodunit, with the plotline being sustained by atmospheric setting in frosty Iceland. The biting chill is vividly portrayed in the narrative, which evokes a bleak sense of foreboding. Even though in small-town mystery, the stakes are never high, I still felt that at some points the buildup to the climax was a bit lacklustre. Also, Jonasson at times leaves nothing to the imagination, spelling out all the clues peppered throughout the story. A bit of subtlety here would have made the mystery more compelling.
While this is the second book in the series, it can be read as a standalone without feeling like you are missing pieces of the story because of Jonasson's limpid prose. I look forward to reading Blackout, the third addition to the series, which was published back in July. This slow-burn detective novel is a welcome addition to the genre of crime fiction and a treat for aficionados of detective fiction and for fans of Jo Nesbo and Åsa Larsson.
Blackout
July 22, 2016
Written by MarinaSofia
Published in iBook, Kindle, Print, Reviews
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Written by Ragnar Jonasson, translated by Quentin Bates — Icelandic writer Ragnar Jonasson and his young detective Ari Thor had established a considerable fan base, even before Iceland’s football team amazed us with their storming performance. This is the third book published by Orenda in the Dark Iceland series – although, since the books have been translated out of order, it’s actually the second story in the series.
Set about two years later than Snowblind and two or three years before the events in Nightblind, this novel takes place during the short Icelandic summer. The fine, long days are disrupted by volcanic eruptions. Ash is covering most of the country’s skies, although Siglufjörđur seems to have escaped relatively unscathed… so far. Ari Thor Arason has settled into his life as a policeman in the remote little town, but is struggling to convince his ex-girlfriend Kristin to come back to him after the incidents in the first book. Kristin herself is working at a hospital in the nearby town of Akureyri, but refuses to see him or answer his phone calls.
An American tourist gets lost and finds a man brutally beaten to death. The victim turns out to be Elias, a contractor working on a new tunnel that will end Siglufjörđur’s main problem – there’s only one road in and out. He also had a side-job building a house for a disgraced doctor, struck off the register for operating while drunk. Could Elias have been killed by mistake by a relative of one of the doctor’s dead patients? There are many other avenues to explore as well. Elias was not well liked and may have been involved in some shady dealings, laundering money via a charity that he was suddenly keen on helping out.
Ari Thor isn’t at the forefront of the novel, and even the rest of his team are somewhat subdued throughout the investigation. The boss, Tomas, is still there to guide his young protégé, but he is thinking of moving on and rejoining his wife in Reykjavik. The other colleauge, Hlynur, is falling apart, tormented by anonymous messages which have awakened painful memories from his schooldays. They are all so preoccuppied with their own personal problems that they are sometimes in danger of missing vital clues or being subjective in their interpretation of events. So it’s up to an ambitious young TV news reporter called Isrun to uncover the truth, and she is prepared to use any subterfuge to get her story.
This is a solid police procedural with the added fun of an accidental detective getting involved. You are invited to follow step-by-step as both the police and the reporter question associates and examine the evidence, each focusing on different angles and not quite able to match their findings.
The style is even more assured and polished than in the debut Snowblind. The author manages to steer us through quite a large cast of characters (and possible suspects) with a steady hand and minimal confusion. There are a few weaknesses though. While the rivalry and backstabbing at the TV station contribute to building Isrun’s character and motivation, the allusions to her mysterious past trauma felt predictable and an unnecessary inclusion. Meanwhile, if you were expecting to see more of Ari Thor in police action, instead of just vacillating over how best to approach his girlfriend, you may be disappointed.
Nevertheless, this remains a very readable crime series, full of atmosphere, and a lingering sense of sadness. The mystery is solved, but lives have been irrevocably changed, in some cases damaged. The addition of a feisty female reporter – who, despite all her own problems, is more of a go-getter than the gentler, more thoughtful Ari Thor – makes for an interesting contrast and I hope we will get to see more of her in the forthcoming books.
For more Icelandic crime fiction check out the work of Arnaldur Indridason.
Orenda Books
Print/Kindle/iBook
£4.29
Rupture
January 3, 2017
Written by MarinaSofia
Published in iBook, Kindle, Print, Reviews
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Written by Ragnar Jonasson, translated by Quentin Bates — Iceland’s modern answer to Agatha Christie is back in fine fettle, with a tale of two mysteries set in the northernmost regions of this remote island nation. This instalment of the crime series featuring young policeman Ari Thor Arason slots in between Blackout and Nightblind, both of which have already been reviewed on Crime Fiction Lover, so some later developments in the detective’s personal life will already be known to you if you’ve read the series. However, there is much enjoyment to be had from reading the books out of order.
Ragnar Jonasson once again uses the combined investigative powers of Ari Thor and Isrun, a TV reporter from Reykjavik who also appeared in Blackout. Fortunately, the personal demons which haunt both of the investigators are not at the forefront of this book, so we can instead focus on fresh characters and two distinct cases to solve.
The first case is almost ancient history. Two related families attempted to create a new farming settlement in an isolated fjord near Siglufjordur, the town where Ari Thor is based, back in 1955. Their adventure came to an abrupt and tragic end when one of the women died in mysterious circumstances. Classified as an accident at the time, Ari Thor is persuaded to reopen the case as new photographic evidence emerges. He isn’t too hopeful that anyone will remember anything relevant after so many decades, but Siglufjordur is once again cut off from the rest of the country, so he hasn’t got much else to do. This time it’s because of a suspected outbreak of haemorrhagic fever.
Isrun helps Ari Thor with the cold case by doing some of the legwork, but she is far more eager to progress her career with current news scoops. An abducted child and a hit-and-run accident seem to be her ticket to the big time. She gets more than she bargained for, however, when it becomes obvious that there might be some political implications to her stories.
The charm of the story resides in the deductive process rather than in action scenes, although there are a few suspenseful moments. For example, at one point a young man suspects that a malevolent person is stalking his family and has broken into his house. The author plays scrupulously fair with the readers, allowing us to puzzle things out for ourselves, giving us plenty of clues, yet still keeping it entertaining. The contemporary mystery relating to the kidnapping is solved a little too quickly and relies too much on coincidence, but it has more moments of tension than the historical case, so it provides Rupture with some pace.
As in the previous books in the series, the author steeps us in the claustrophobic small-town atmosphere, frozen landscapes and harsh lifestyle of his home country. The noirish feel is present in the storyline as well, reminiscent of the much darker Agatha Christie adaptation recently shown on the BBC, Witness for the Prosecution (see trailer below). Although both cases are ultimately solved, there is little satisfaction to be had from revealing the perpetrators. With the lightest of descriptive touches and a melancholy colour scheme, Ragnar Jonasson leaves us with some open questions about the nature of justice and the power of redemption.
Rupture is out now for Kindle and from 15 January as a paperback.
Orenda Books
Print/Kindle/iBook
£4.91
REVIEW: Blackout by Ragnar Jonasson (Dark Iceland #3)
July 25, 2016 thecrimereviewadmin Leave a comment
Series: Dark Iceland (Ari Thor)
Book Number: 3
Read this book for: realistic police procedure, contemporary mystery, minimalist writing, traditional whodunnit, Scandanavian/Nordic Noir, journalist investigator
Quick Review: Slightly different from the rest of the series, given that Ari Thor doesn’t do all the investigating, but still a beautifully written and compelling addition to a must-read series. If you’ve read the rest of the Dark Iceland series, pick this one up!
***
A man is found near a remote and unoccupied home, brutally and gruesomely killed during the 24-hour light of the Arctic summer. Ari Thor Arason is assigned to help the lead investigators. He throws himself into it, despite being only peripherally connected to the case, partly to distract himself from his problems with his girlfriend. Meanwhile, a journalist who is dealing with her own demons escapes the volcanic ash cloud that hangs over Reykjavik to drive north and begin her own investigation. As they unwind the less-than-legal threads of the victim’s life, neither of them realizes another innocent life hangs in the balance…
BLACKOUT is the third book to be published in the Dark Iceland series by Ragnar Jonasson, which follows young police officer Ari Thor Arason as he moves and gets used to life in small-town northern Iceland. Although it is the third novel released in English, chronologically, it takes place after the first novel, SNOWBLIND, but prior to the second novel, NIGHTBLIND. While not completely necessary, it would be helpful to at least read SNOWBLIND prior to BLACKOUT, as many of the character relationships and backstories are explained there, and it adds an additional layer to the story.
However, this novel does depart slightly from the narrative in the prior two releases, which largely follows Ari Thor’s investigation, interspersed with flashbacks. BLACKOUT broadens the narrative to follow the simultaneous investigation of journalist Isrun, plus opens the point of view to several other characters who have unique insight in the situation. Plus, this time, the flashbacks – a device that Jonasson has used to great effect in the other novels – come from a couple of different individuals.
Although this broadening of the number of involved characters results in this novel losing a bit of the tight, focused intensity of the previous books, it does allow Jonasson to further explore the characters. As I have said in past reviews about this series, the characters are absolutely one of the strongest parts of these stories. Not only are they interesting and flawed, but they are capable of a degree of self-awareness and self-reflection that you don’t often see. For example, Ari Thor is very conscious of how he comes across or is attempting to portray himself during interviews. Isrun’s journey of discovery – and the anxiety revealed in her last flashback – is incredibly real and poignant.
Jonasson does such an incredible job with these characters and their personal stories that it almost does not do BLACKOUT justice to call it “just” a thriller. But despite the literary elements, the construction of the story – not particularly complicated, but with difficult-to-discern pieces – gives you a real sense of need-to-know, whodunnit suspense.
If you have not yet started on the Dark Iceland series, pick up SNOWBLIND, and be sure to also pick up this newest edition to the series! BLACKOUT will grip you.
REVIEW: Rupture by Ragnar Jonasson (Dark Iceland #4)
March 13, 2017 thecrimereviewadmin Leave a comment
Series: Dark Iceland (Ari Thor)
Book Number: 4
Read this book for: realistic police procedure, contemporary mystery, minimalist writing, traditional whodunnit, Scandanavian/Nordic Noir, journalist investigator, multiple storylines
Quick Review: Yet another brilliant addition to a fantastic series, offering both the isolation and claustrophobia of SNOWBLIND with the elements of a semi-political thriller. Put this series on your reading list!
***
1955. Two young couples move to the uninhabited, isolated fjord of Hedinsfjördur. Their stay ends abruptly when one of the women meets her death in mysterious circumstances. The case is never solved. Fifty years later, an old photograph comes to light, and it becomes clear that the couples may not have been alone on the fjord after all. In nearby Siglufjördur, young policeman Ari Thór tries to piece together what really happened that fateful night, in a town where no one wants to know, where secrets are a way of life. He’s assisted by Ísrún, a news reporter in Reykjavik, who is investigating an increasingly chilling case of her own. Things take a sinister turn when a child goes missing in broad daylight. With a stalker on the loose, and the town of Siglufjördur in quarantine, the past might just come back to haunt them.
RUPTURE is the fourth book to be published in English in the Dark Iceland series by Ragnar Jonasson, which follows young police officer Ari Thor Arason as he moves and gets used to life in small-town northern Iceland. The events take place after those of BLACKOUT, so I would recommend definitely reading that one before you pick up RUPTURE for developments in Ari Thor’s life and a proper introduction to the journalist, Isrun.
This novel in many ways marks a return to the form of SNOWBLIND, but also captures the benefits of the blended storylines Jonasson employs as part of BLACKOUT. There are so many different elements to this novel – stalking, kidnapping, random suspicious deaths, political intrigue and scandal, cold cases, and even a medical quarantine of an entire town – that every page brings you something different and unexpected, yet not a single event feels out of place thanks to Jonasson’s stark, beautifully minimalist style that refuses to sensationalize anything out of proportion.
One of the other remarkable achievements of this novel is the balance Jonasson strikes between the two storylines. Ari Thor’s investigation involves the isolation and claustrophobia of a small town that made SNOWBLIND so compelling, and the cold-case that he is following is a classic worthy of Agatha Christie – a fatal “accident” with a limited number of parties involved and many deeply buried family secrets. Isrun’s investigation, on the other hand, is absolutely packed with action, intrigue and wide-ranging consequences… and yet both stories have equal gravity, quality and weight. There really is something for all types of crime fiction fans contained in RUPTURE.
Once again, I also have to point out the quality of the characterizations in this series; it’s evident again in this installment. All characters, even secondary characters, have finely crafted and very human motivations – Jonasson does a masterful job of capturing those little nuances that drive people, from the lies that spiral out of control, to real reactions to shock, to people acting when they are in danger.
I have to once again wholeheartedly recommend reading the Dark Iceland series, and RUPTURE is a worthy addition to a series that is rapidly becoming one of my absolute favourites.
Book Review: Blackout (Dark Iceland #3) by Ragnar Jónasson
Posted in 2016, Reviews by Little Bookness Lane
Publisher: Orenda Books
Publication date: 15th July 2016 [Paperback]
Source: My own purchased copy
The rich storytelling technique of the Dark Iceland Series has a pure brilliance that’s as fresh as a snow flurry. Once again, the ruthless beauty of the Icelandic environment is depicted in such humble, yet striking detail.
The optimism that summer brings is a welcome relief for Ari Thór Arason. Previously weighed down by his label as the out-of-towner, with his theological studies earning him the irritating nickname of ‘The Reverend’, not to mention the never ending melancholy he experienced during an Icelandic winter in Snowblind, our rooky police officer has grown in confidence and is now consulted for his opinion, rather than rebuked for it.
It’s now 2010 and despite a rocky start to his career Ari Thór remains at the Police Station in Siglufjörður. What’s clear in Blackout is that he has earned his role there becoming a more assertive officer, although I noticed he appeared curter when wanting people to get to the point. Has his frosty relationship with his long term girlfriend (ex) Kristin affected his mood, or is he growing tired of the kid glove approach to investigations that the inspector relies on?
See, that’s where Ari Thór and Tómas differ. Being an outsider and socially detached can have its advantages as there is no previous history to cloud his judgment. In contrast, Tómas knows everyone in town either by schooling, working or being related to the residents somehow and bases his instinct on his personal perception of them, which isn’t always correct. For a town that feels so safe it doesn’t lock its doors, it’s often more difficult to accept what’s happening behind them.
This time around, a murder hits the headlines as a construction worker overseeing the new tunnel is found murdered at an isolated property with a blooded plank of wood at his side. Ari Thór, Tómas, and an overly-eager journalist armed with nothing but a suitcase filled with skeletons from her closet all focus their attention on solving the mystery of his death and are surprised to discover the dark motive as they drag some disturbing facts into the open.
As the smothering volcanic ash in Reykjavik enriches the gloom of the economic crisis, the revelations of the Siglufjörður locals and the increasing distance between Ari Thór and Kristin are nurtured to perfection. The clever sub plots are captivating and as their complexities progress, so does the anxiety of officer Hlynur’s personal storyline; already disgruntled by Ari’s success, the threat of his childhood deeds catching up with him creates another darkening avenue of misery to follow.
From the glorious Icelandic place names to the extreme and fascinating geology, everything about this series invites you to sit back and appreciate the winding journey until you reach the final destination – and with Dark Iceland you always travel first class. Can’t wait for the next instalment – Rupture.
Rating: 4/5
(Courtesy of Amazon UK)
On the shores of a tranquil fjord in Northern Iceland, a man is brutally beaten to death on a bright summer’s night. As the 24-hour light of the arctic summer is transformed into darkness by an ash cloud from a recent volcanic eruption, a young reporter leaves Reykajvik to investigate on her own, unaware that an innocent person’s life hangs in the balance. Ari Thór Arason and his colleagues on the tiny police force in Siglufjörður struggle with an increasingly perplexing case, while their own serious personal problems push them to the limit.
What secrets does the dead man harbour, and what is the young reporter hiding? As silent, unspoken horrors from the past threaten them all, and the darkness deepens, it s a race against time to find the killer before someone else dies… Dark, terrifying and complex, Blackout is an exceptional, atmospheric thriller from one of Iceland’s finest crime writers.
BUY THE BOOK
(Courtesy of Amazon UK. Author photograph courtesy of Publisher)
Ragnar Jónasson is author of the international bestselling Dark Iceland series. His debut Snowblind went to number one in the kindle charts shortly after publication, and Nightblind has sold over 3000 copies in advance of publication.
Ragnar was born in Reykjavik, Iceland, where he works as a lawyer. He also teaches copyright law at Reykjavik University and has previously worked on radio and television, including as a TV-news reporter for the Icelandic National Broadcasting Service.
Ragnar is a member of the UK Crime Writers’ Association (CWA) and set up its first overseas chapter in Reykjavik. He is also the co-founder of the international crime-writing festival Iceland Noir. From the age of 17, Ragnar translated 14 Agatha Christie novels into Icelandic. He has appeared on festival panels worldwide, and lives in Reykjavik with his wife and young daughters.
Nordic Noir Book Review: RUPTURE by Ragnar Jonasson
February 11, 2017
RUPTURE by Ragnar Jonasson
Dark Iceland #4; Orenda Books
CBTB Rating: 4/5
The Verdict: an atmospheric, immersive classic mystery
Ragnar Jonasson’s Dark Iceland series is perfect reading material for fans of classic mysteries, and the newest series installment, RUPTURE, is no exception. RUPTURE is a layered, immersive story weaving together three mysteries: a cold case, a missing child, and a hit-and-run accident. The threads of this mystery come together slowly but surely, drawing the reader deeper into its chilling core.
RUPTURE finds series protagonist Ari Thor investigating a cold case. In 1955, two young couples moved to an isolated fjord not far from Siglufjordur. Under mysterious circumstances, one of the women died - supposedly from an accidental ingestion of rat poison. In the present day, a photo of the couples is found, and it becomes clear that they might not have been alone at all… Meanwhile, reporter Isrun (previously seen in BLACKOUT) is investigating a case of her own—a case with far-reaching implications. When a child goes missing, and a man is killed, it becomes clear that the past might be coming back to haunt Ari Thor and Isrun.
My favorite aspect of RUPTURE is the same quality that I have loved about all of Ragnar's books—his vivid, immersive writing. The mysteries in Ragnar’s books are tied inextricably to the land upon which they’re set, and Ragnar’s writing transports readers to the small towns and fjords that provide the backdrops for these cases. Ragnar doesn’t tell you what it’s like to be there, in that town or on that mountain—he makes you feel it for yourself, using language that conjures up all the claustrophobia or fear or awe that his characters themselves feel. In the following quote from RUPTURE, Ari Thor finds himself visiting the isolated fjord at the center of his cold case:
“The cold hand of solitude rested on his shoulder, the gloom sent shivers down his back and the darkness made him want to shut his eyes rather than look around him. The certainty of the familiar blackness as his eyelids closed was more comfortable than whatever might be there in the unknown night.”
While reading those lines, I knew exactly what Ari Thor was feeling in that moment. That’s the magic of Ragnar’s writing, and that’s what keeps me coming back for more with his series. Yes, these books discuss intriguing and chilling mysteries, but it's Ragnar's unique voice as an author that has truly drawn me in.
I will admit, when I first dipped into RUPTURE, I was slightly uncertain how the story’s multiple mysteries would tie together. Readers are introduced to a whole variety of characters and cases from the very beginning of the book, and I had a hard time imagining how they would intersect. But the more I read, the more at ease I felt—Ragnar's plotting is very intentional, and as the book progressed, I became fully swept up in its mysteries. Slowly but surely, Ragnar ties together the plot threads of this book to create a portrait of two past crimes, and explores the snowball effect that they have had over the years. As always, Ragnar writes with a style similar to Agatha Christie, drawing the reader into a mystery that only the book’s main character can solve. The ending of this book conjured up all kinds of Christie references for me, as Ari Thor lays out his findings to both the story's characters and its readers. I certainly never saw the story's ending coming, and I loved discovering how Ari Thor had tied together all those loose ends to reveal the truth.
It's also worth mentioning how much I've loved getting to know the character of Isrun in this series. Isrun is a reporter working in Reykjavik, and in RUPTURE she assists Ari Thor with interviews relating to the cold case he is pursuing. Isrun is a bit of a tragic figure—she has a personal secret that keeps her from fully connecting with those around her. I found her to be such a great addition to RUPTURE. Her approach to investigations is quite different from Ari Thor, and they balanced each other out beautifully. I absolutely hope to see more of her in the next Dark Iceland book.
The Dark Iceland series is an excellent choice for fans of slow-burning, classic mysteries. It’s definitely not your typical Nordic Noir—it’s neither violent nor particularly gritty. Instead, these books are written with an elegance and delicate intelligence that will delight readers of Agatha Christie. If you’re looking for a mystery to immerse yourself in this winter, the Dark Iceland books are a great choice.
Rupture (Dark Iceland) by Ragnar Jonasson
by Sarah HardyFebruary 12, 2017
Book Description:
1955. Two young couples move to the uninhabited, isolated fjord of Hedinsfjörður. Their stay ends abruptly when one of the women meets her death in mysterious circumstances. The case is never solved. Fifty years later an old photograph comes to light, and it becomes clear that the couples may not have been alone on the fjord after all…
In nearby Siglufjörður, young policeman Ari Thór tries to piece together what really happened that fateful night, in a town where no one wants to know, where secrets are a way of life. He’s assisted by Ísrún, a news reporter in Reykjavik, who is investigating an increasingly chilling case of her own. Things take a sinister turn when a child goes missing in broad daylight. With a stalker on the loose, and the town of Siglufjörður in quarantine, the past might just come back to haunt them.
Haunting, frightening and complex, Rupture is a dark and atmospheric thriller from one of Iceland’s foremost crime writers. ‘Traditional and beautifully finessed… morally more equivocal than most traditional whodunnits, and it offers alluring glimpses of darker, and infinitely more threatening horizons’ Independent • ‘Jonasson’s books have breathed new life into Nordic noir’ Sunday Express • ‘Bitingly contemporary in setting and tone’ Express • ‘A modern take on an Agatha Christie-style mystery, as twisty as any slalom…’ Ian Rankin • ‘A classic crime story seen through a uniquely Icelandic lens … first rate and highly recommended’ Lee Child • ‘Chilling, poetic beauty… a must read!’ Peter James • ‘British aficionados of Nordic Noir are familiar with two excellent Icelandic writers, Arnaldur Indridason and Yrsa Sigurdardottir. Here’s a third: Ragnar Jónasson … the darkness and cold are palpable’ Marcel Berlins, The Times For fans of Trapped, Yrsa Sigurdardottir, Agatha Christie and Ann Cleeves.
My Thoughts:
Rupture is the fourth book in the Dark Iceland series and probably best to have read the others prior to this one for full enjoyment.
It was great to catch back up with Ari Thor again and to be transported to the wonderful picturesque setting. For a small place, Ari sure is kept busy with murders and crimes. Not so good for him but it’s great for us readers.
I really enjoyed the different story lines that ran throughout the novel. I always enjoy having the mixture of the investigations as well as the main characters personal life and the author does this really well. Poor Ari though, things never seem to run to smoothly for him!
The Dark Iceland series is one that I think many crime lovers would devour quickly and enjoy. They are not your gritty fast paced crime thrillers but a wonderful atmospheric, who dunnit type of read. Having read all four books in the series I really can’t recommend them highly enough.
My thanks to Karen at Orenda Books for a copy of this book. All opinions are my own and not biased in anyway.
Goodreads rating 4/5 stars.