Book Review | The Island by Ragnar Jonasson

The Island

by Ragnar Jonasson

Translated by Victoria Cribb

Minotaur Books

Publication Date : May 21, 2019

Pages : 352

Synopsis From Publisher :

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

Ragnar Jonasson never ceases to amaze me. I have read every book by Jonasson that has been translated into English. Each one is immersive, compelling and better than the last. Jonasson out does himself with each new English translation. The Island is no exception to this rule. 

On the remote island of Ellidaey in the West Fjords of Iceland, four friends reunite to reminisce over their time together as young adults. The day they are scheduled to return home, one of them is killed. Ten years ago a young couple also visited the West Fjords. Only one survived.  While investigating the most recent case involving the four friends, Detective Inspector Hulda Hermannsdottir discovers the case of the young couple ten years prior. Though the murders are ten years apart; could there be a connection? To solve these murders, Hulda must sort through complicated friendships and a decades worth of long buried secrets. 

The Island is book two of the Hidden Iceland series. In book one we meet Hulda at the end of her career. In The Island Hulda is approaching fifty, widowed, and grieving the loss of her only child and her mother. Hulda has suffered many losses in a small window of time. While you would expect her to become angry and bitter, Hulda is quite the opposite. She is kind and understanding. Her grief makes her more sensitive and insightful when dealing with witnesses and suspects alike. Make no mistake she is no push over, Hulda knows when a suspect or witness is being dishonest ; she is able to push back when needed. However overall, Hulda is understanding and patient. For me this was a pleasant surprise as I am used to a more jaded and disgruntled detective. 

There are a number of story lines in The Island. Of course we have Hulda’s point of view, but we also read perspectives of the four friends, as well the detective investigating the first murder ten years ago. This may sound like a lot, however Jonasson manages to link all of these stories together seamlessly. Trying to figure out how all the stories connect is just as compelling as the murders. 

Jonasson is a true master of crime fiction. His ability to integrate classic crime fiction into the modern world is nothing short of amazing. The unique sequencing of the Hidden Iceland series surrounds the protagonist in mystery, making Hulda as intriguing as the crimes she is trying to solve. I am beyond excited to read the next installment of the Hidden Iceland series.

Murder and Moore Rating: 

5 out of 5 Stars