Reykjavík by Ragnar Jónasson & Katrín Jakobsdóttir: Book Review

Reykjavík: A Crime Story by Ragnar Jónasson and Katrín Jakobsdóttir is the latest release in the Icelandic Noir genre. Released on September 5, 2023, by Minotaur Books, readers are transported to Iceland in 1986. Lára vanished in August 1956; what happened to her? Where has she been all this time?

I want to thank St. Martin’s Press, Minotaur Books, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of Reykjavík: A Crime Story. All opinions presented here are solely mine.

Synopsis from Goodreads

What happened to Lára?

Iceland, 1956. Fourteen-year-old Lára decides to spend the summer working for a couple on the small island of Videy, just off the coast of Reykjavík. In early August, the girl disappears without a trace. Time passes, and the mystery becomes Iceland‘s most infamous unsolved case. What happened to the young girl? Is she still alive? Did she leave the island, or did something happen to her there?

Thirty years later, as the city of Reykjavík celebrates its 200th anniversary, journalist Valur Robertsson begins his own investigation into Lára’s case. But as he draws closer to discovering the secret, and with the eyes of Reykjavík upon him, it soon becomes clear that Lára’s disappearance is a mystery that someone will stop at nothing to keep unsolved . . .

My Opinions

This isn’t the first book I’ve read set in Iceland and translated from Icelandic, but it is by far the best I’ve read. Reykjavík has also introduced me to a new genre, Icelandic Noir. I want more, especially if they are all written like this!

Reykjavík is a fast-paced, intriguing mystery. When I say this is fast-paced, I don’t mean you never have that chance to breathe. There are moments, much like a roller coaster ride, when things slow down, and you can process what you’re reading.

There is a large cast of characters, but it is easy to keep them sorted, as they all have their own personalities. While you see the culprit multiple times throughout the story, I doubt you will be able to figure out who it is. I know it caught me by surprise.

Also, I want to give some serious love to the translator, Victoria Cribb. There are some times that the story is literally lost in translation. That did not happen with Reykjavík. The only issue I had with the book was all of the names in Icelandic. But guess what, that’s my problem! Why? Because I am unfamiliar with how to pronounce the words correctly, and I’m sure that other languages have similar issues when reading works translated from English.

If you can’t tell, I’m trying to show love for the book without spoiling anything! If you love reading mysteries, I think you understand what I mean.

Do you love reading mysteries? Especially when the secret is three decades old? What about books set in Iceland? Or historical fiction? Are you looking for a new genre to read? If you say yes to even one of these questions, you must read Reykjavík!

Are you looking for some more books to read? Check out my bookish lists, book reviews, and monthly reading wrap-ups.