Dark Iceland
6 primary works
Book 1
"Siglufjörður: an idyllically quiet fishing village in Northern Iceland, where no one locks their doors--accessible only via a small mountain tunnel. Ari Thór Arason: a rookie policeman on his first posting, far from his girlfriend in Reykjavik--with a past that he's unable to leave behind. When a young woman is found lying half-naked in the snow, bleeding and unconscious, and a highly esteemed, elderly writer falls to his death in the local theater, Ari is dragged straight into the heart of a community where he can trust no one, and secrets and lies are a way of life. Past plays tag with the present and the claustrophobic tension mounts, while Ari is thrust ever deeper into his own darkness--blinded by snow, and with a killer on the loose. Taut and terrifying, Snowblind is a startling debut from an extraordinary new talent"--
Book 2
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 Thor Arason and his colleagues on the tiny police force in Siglufjoerdur struggle with an increasingly perplexing case, while their own serious personal problems push them to the limit. 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.
'Jonasson's books have breathed new life into Nordic Noir' Jake Kerridge, Sunday Express
'A distinctive blend of Nordic Noir and Golden Age detective fiction ... economical and evocative prose, as well as some masterful prestidigitation' Laura Wilson, Guardian
'Jonasson's writing is a masterful reinvention of the Golden Age classic style, both contemporary and timeless ... enclosed by the poetic beauty of the location' Crime Review
'A classic crime story seen through a uniquely Icelandic lens ... first rate and highly recommended' Lee Child
'A modern take on an Agatha Christie-style mystery, as twisty as any slalom...' Ian Rankin
Ari Thor Arason and his colleagues on the tiny police force in Siglufjoerdur struggle with an increasingly perplexing case, while their own serious personal problems push them to the limit. 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.
'Jonasson's books have breathed new life into Nordic Noir' Jake Kerridge, Sunday Express
'A distinctive blend of Nordic Noir and Golden Age detective fiction ... economical and evocative prose, as well as some masterful prestidigitation' Laura Wilson, Guardian
'Jonasson's writing is a masterful reinvention of the Golden Age classic style, both contemporary and timeless ... enclosed by the poetic beauty of the location' Crime Review
'A classic crime story seen through a uniquely Icelandic lens ... first rate and highly recommended' Lee Child
'A modern take on an Agatha Christie-style mystery, as twisty as any slalom...' Ian Rankin
Book 4
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. 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
'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, Times
‘A distinctive blend of Nordic Noir and Golden Age detective fiction … economical and evocative prose, as well as some masterful prestidigitation’ Laura Wilson, Guardian
‘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
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. 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
'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, Times
‘A distinctive blend of Nordic Noir and Golden Age detective fiction … economical and evocative prose, as well as some masterful prestidigitation’ Laura Wilson, Guardian
‘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
Book 4
Two days before Christmas, a young woman is found dead beneath the cliffs of the deserted village of Kálfshamarvík. Did she jump, or did something more sinister take place beneath the lighthouse and the abandoned old house on the remote rocky outcrop?
With winter closing in and the snow falling relentlessly, Ari Thór Arason discovers that the victim’s mother and young sister also lost their lives in this same spot, twenty-five years earlier.
Dark, chilling and complex, Whiteout is a haunting, atmospheric and stunningly plotted thriller from one of Iceland’s bestselling 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’ Andrew Taylor, Independent
‘Jonasson’s books have breathed new life into Nordic noir’ Sunday Express
‘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, Times
‘A chiller of a thriller’ Carol Memmott, Washington Post
‘A classic crime story seen through a uniquely Icelandic lens … first rate and highly recommended’ Lee Child
‘Ragnar Jónasson writes with a chilling, poetic beauty - a must-read’ Peter James
With winter closing in and the snow falling relentlessly, Ari Thór Arason discovers that the victim’s mother and young sister also lost their lives in this same spot, twenty-five years earlier.
Dark, chilling and complex, Whiteout is a haunting, atmospheric and stunningly plotted thriller from one of Iceland’s bestselling 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’ Andrew Taylor, Independent
‘Jonasson’s books have breathed new life into Nordic noir’ Sunday Express
‘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, Times
‘A chiller of a thriller’ Carol Memmott, Washington Post
‘A classic crime story seen through a uniquely Icelandic lens … first rate and highly recommended’ Lee Child
‘Ragnar Jónasson writes with a chilling, poetic beauty - a must-read’ Peter James
Book 5
"Ari Thór Arason is a local policeman, who has an uneasy relationships with the villagers in an idyllically quiet fishing village in northern Iceland--where no one locks their doors. The peace of this close-knit community is shattered by a murder. The peace of this close-knit community is shattered by a murder. One of Ari's colleagues is gunned down at point-blank range in the dead of night in a deserted house. With a killer on the loose and the dark Arctic waters closing in, it falls to Ari Thor to piece together a puzzle that involves a new mayor and a psychiatric ward in Reykjavik. It becomes all too clear that tragic events from the past are weaving a sinister spell that may threaten them all."--
Book 6
THE STUNNING FINAL INSTALMENT OF THE MULTI-MILLION-COPY BESTSELLING DARK ICELAND SERIES
**Sunday Times BOOK OF THE MONTH**
‘Jónasson is an automatic must-read for me … possibly the best Scandi writer working today’ Lee Child
‘Is this the best crime writer in the world today? … Truly a master of his genre’ The Times
'The engaging Ari Thór returns in this darkly claustrophobic tale. Perfect mid-winter reading' Ann Cleeves
‘A stunningly atmospheric story. Ari Thór Arason returns in this pitch-perfect, beautifully paced crime novel … Ragnar Jónasson is at the top of his game, and a master of the genre’ Will Dean
______________
A blizzard is approaching Siglufjörður, and that can only mean one thing…
When the body of a nineteen-year-old girl is found on the main street of Siglufjörður, Police Inspector Ari Thór battles a violent Icelandic storm in an increasingly dangerous hunt for her killer … The chilling, claustrophobic finale to the international bestselling Dark Iceland series.
Easter weekend is approaching, and snow is gently falling in Siglufjörður, the northernmost town in Iceland, as crowds of tourists arrive to visit the majestic ski slopes.
Ari Thór Arason is now a police inspector, but he’s separated from his girlfriend, who lives in Sweden with their three-year-old son. A family reunion is planned for the holiday, but a violent blizzard is threatening and there is an unsettling chill in the air.
Three days before Easter, a nineteen-year-old local girl falls to her death from the balcony of a house on the main street. A perplexing entry in her diary suggests that this may not be an accident, and when an old man in a local nursing home writes ‘She was murdered’ again and again on the wall of his room, there is every suggestion that something more sinister lies at the heart of her death…
As the extreme weather closes in, cutting the power and access to Siglufjörður, Ari Thór must piece together the puzzle to reveal a horrible truth … one that will leave no one unscathed.
Chilling, claustrophobic and disturbing, Winterkill is a startling addition to the multi-million-copy bestselling Dark Iceland series and cements Ragnar Jónasson as one of the most exciting and acclaimed authors in crime fiction.
_______________
Praise for Ragnar Jónasson
‘A sinister twisted tragedy’ The Times
‘If Iceland missed out on the Golden Age of crime writing, the country – and Jónasson – is certainly making up for it now’ Sunday Times
‘Outstanding … Series fans will be sorry to see the last of Ari Thór’ Publishers Weekly
‘Jónasson’s Dark Iceland novels are instant classics’ William Ryan
‘Jónasson’s punchy, straightforward prose is engrossing … A diverting mystery’ Foreword Reviews
'Consummate crime writing … poignant and disturbing’ New Books Magazine
‘Chilling, creepy, perceptive, almost unbearably tense' Ian Rankin
'A tense, gripping read' Anthony Horowitz
'Icelandic noir of the highest order, with Jónasson's atmospheric sense of place, and his heroine's unerring humanity shining from every page' Daily Mail
’Ragnar Jónasson writes with a chilling, poetic beauty’ Peter James
’Traditional and beautifully finessed’ Independent
‘Jónasson’s true gift is for describing the daunting beauty of the fierce setting’ New York Times
‘A chiller of a thriller’ Washington Post
‘Jónasson’s books have breathed new life into Nordic noir’ Express
**Sunday Times BOOK OF THE MONTH**
‘Jónasson is an automatic must-read for me … possibly the best Scandi writer working today’ Lee Child
‘Is this the best crime writer in the world today? … Truly a master of his genre’ The Times
'The engaging Ari Thór returns in this darkly claustrophobic tale. Perfect mid-winter reading' Ann Cleeves
‘A stunningly atmospheric story. Ari Thór Arason returns in this pitch-perfect, beautifully paced crime novel … Ragnar Jónasson is at the top of his game, and a master of the genre’ Will Dean
______________
A blizzard is approaching Siglufjörður, and that can only mean one thing…
When the body of a nineteen-year-old girl is found on the main street of Siglufjörður, Police Inspector Ari Thór battles a violent Icelandic storm in an increasingly dangerous hunt for her killer … The chilling, claustrophobic finale to the international bestselling Dark Iceland series.
Easter weekend is approaching, and snow is gently falling in Siglufjörður, the northernmost town in Iceland, as crowds of tourists arrive to visit the majestic ski slopes.
Ari Thór Arason is now a police inspector, but he’s separated from his girlfriend, who lives in Sweden with their three-year-old son. A family reunion is planned for the holiday, but a violent blizzard is threatening and there is an unsettling chill in the air.
Three days before Easter, a nineteen-year-old local girl falls to her death from the balcony of a house on the main street. A perplexing entry in her diary suggests that this may not be an accident, and when an old man in a local nursing home writes ‘She was murdered’ again and again on the wall of his room, there is every suggestion that something more sinister lies at the heart of her death…
As the extreme weather closes in, cutting the power and access to Siglufjörður, Ari Thór must piece together the puzzle to reveal a horrible truth … one that will leave no one unscathed.
Chilling, claustrophobic and disturbing, Winterkill is a startling addition to the multi-million-copy bestselling Dark Iceland series and cements Ragnar Jónasson as one of the most exciting and acclaimed authors in crime fiction.
_______________
Praise for Ragnar Jónasson
‘A sinister twisted tragedy’ The Times
‘If Iceland missed out on the Golden Age of crime writing, the country – and Jónasson – is certainly making up for it now’ Sunday Times
‘Outstanding … Series fans will be sorry to see the last of Ari Thór’ Publishers Weekly
‘Jónasson’s Dark Iceland novels are instant classics’ William Ryan
‘Jónasson’s punchy, straightforward prose is engrossing … A diverting mystery’ Foreword Reviews
'Consummate crime writing … poignant and disturbing’ New Books Magazine
‘Chilling, creepy, perceptive, almost unbearably tense' Ian Rankin
'A tense, gripping read' Anthony Horowitz
'Icelandic noir of the highest order, with Jónasson's atmospheric sense of place, and his heroine's unerring humanity shining from every page' Daily Mail
’Ragnar Jónasson writes with a chilling, poetic beauty’ Peter James
’Traditional and beautifully finessed’ Independent
‘Jónasson’s true gift is for describing the daunting beauty of the fierce setting’ New York Times
‘A chiller of a thriller’ Washington Post
‘Jónasson’s books have breathed new life into Nordic noir’ Express