Death on the Island is Eliza Reid’s debut novel. Set to be released on May 13, 2025, it takes readers to any island off the coast of Iceland, where everyone has secrets. An international group was heading to the island for a diplomatic event. Before the trip is over, one of them will be dead. Why? And how?
I want to thank Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of Death on the Island. However, all opinions expressed here are solely mine.
Synopsis from Goodreads
A group of international players has gathered in a tiny village off the coast of Iceland for a diplomatic dinner. There’s Kristján, the mayor, reeling from a personal tragedy. Graeme, the ambassador with an agenda to push. Jane, his wife, along for the ride on another one of her husband’s many business trips. And several others, from Iceland and from abroad, each with their own reason for being there, their own loyalties and grievances. By the end of the night, one of them will be dead. And it will be up to the ambassador’s wife, Jane, to figure out how—and why.
What Jane soon comes to realize is that small communities can be the most dangerous of them all… and no one in their group is safe. With secrets around every corner and violent weather trapping the finite list of suspects together on the island, this locked-room mystery by internationally bestselling author Eliza Reid brings Agatha Christie and Nordic noir together in a brand-new twist.
Positives
- It’s a quick read.
- Under 350 pages.
- An immersive read full of great details.
Negatives
- In the beginning, the cast of characters is a bit difficult to keep separated.
- The ending left as many questions as answers.
My Opinions
Reid’s previous book was a nonfiction read about the strong women of Iceland, Secrets of the Sprakkar. You can find my review here. She loves the time she has spent in Iceland, and that love is apparent when you read either of her books. The descriptions of the Westman Islands in the book are enough to make me want to book a one-way ticket!
You may find it hard to separate the characters in the first few chapters. However, the more you read, the more you can separate them as their personalities begin to sort themselves out.
As this is a mystery, I can’t give too many details about the plot or the story’s conclusion. I will say that the ending left as many questions as it did answers. But that is okay as far as I’m concerned.
Death on the Island is a fantastic read. It reminds me of And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie. Be warned: you won’t want to stop once you start reading it. Because it is under 350 pages, you could easily read Death on the Island in one day—or at least in a weekend. When you book your trip to Iceland, let me know, I want to tag along!
Are you looking for some more books to read? Check out my bookish lists, book reviews, and monthly reading wrap-ups.
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Added to my TBR list!