The Island by Ragnar Jónasson

My New Year’s Resolution is to catch up with all the ARCs I need to read and review so how was my first ARC of the year?

The Island by Ragnar Jónasson
Published in: 2019
Reviewed by: Book Worm
Rating: [★★★]

This ARC was provided by Penguin UK (via NetGalley) in exchange for an honest review.

Synopsis from Goodreads: Elliðaey is an isolated island off the coast of Iceland. It is has a beautiful, unforgiving terrain and is an easy place to vanish.

The Island is the second thrilling book in Ragnar Jonasson’s Hidden Iceland trilogy. This time Hulda is at the peak of her career and is sent to investigate what happened on Elliðaey after a group of friends visited but one failed to return.

Could this have links to the disappearance of a couple ten years previously out on the Westfjords? Is there a killer stalking these barren outposts?

Written with Ragnar’s haunting and suspenseful prose The Island follows Hulda’s journey to uncover the island’s secrets and find the truth hidden in its darkest shadows.

My Thoughts: I didn’t realise this was book 2 in a trilogy when I started reading normally I hate reading a series out of order but as I have my resolution to keep to here’s how it turned out.

In terms of the actual murder mystery you don’t need to have read the first book as the action is all contained in this book, however if you want to follow the story of the central character (and who wouldn’t?) then you really do need to read in order.

As this is a murder mystery it is difficult to review without spoilers. What I can tell you is I love the location, the scenery and the descriptions of the landscape and wildlife. I appreciate having an “average” woman as the hero of the story someone who has her own private life and tragedy and someone who hasn’t had it all her own way. At some point I will have to go back and find book 1 to learn her history.

It was interesting to see the police at work and the different attitudes towards justice.

I really can’t say much more than that.

Who would like this? I would recommend this to anyone wanting to read around the round and anyone who likes their murders off screen without too much blood and guts thrown around and finally anyone who likes a good landscape in their reading.

We want to hear from you! Have you read this book? What did you think?