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Release date: November 1, 2017

Publisher: Orenda Books

Genre: Crime Fiction, Nordic Noir

Blurb:

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. As the dark history and its secrets of the village are unveiled, and the death toll begins to rise, the Siglufjordur detectives must race against the clock to find the killer, before another tragedy takes place.

Welcome to my stop on the blog tour for Whiteout!

Review:

I’ve become such a huge fan of this series though I haven’t read every book I did enjoy both Snowblind and Rupture. What makes these books different is that there’s a quiet quality to the mystery aspect, they don’t rely on cheap thrills and insane plot twists, rather they’re a classic whodunnit. That doesn’t mean that they’re predictable or boring at all, there is still an intensity to the story, it’s just more subtle and refined which always makes me feel like I’m reading a mature novel. 

It was a true pleasure to spend time with Ari again and there are things happening in his personal life that were very interesting and gave more insight into his character as well as that of his partner Kristin. The case him and Tomas are working is unusual and links back to years earlier and it also focuses on a group of people, some related to each other, some old friends. They live in an stark, isolated town with a very eerie feel that added so much tension. On top of that, it’s only a few days before Christmas and this added extra pressure to get the case solved quickly. There was a fairly small list of suspects but that didn’t stop me from being tricked, the outcome of the mystery definitely surprised me. 

No one does imagery as beautifully as Jonasson and Whiteout was no exception. There is always a strong sense of claustrophobia in his books and the weather always plays a huge role in the story taking on a life of its own. The writing is gorgeous, it’s hauntingly poetic and I always pause a few times while reading to let the words really sink in. This is my favorite in the series (that I’ve read) and I cannot wait to read more! 

Overall rating: 4.5/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.

About the Author:

Ragnar Jónasson is author of the international bestselling Dark Iceland series. His debut Snowblind went to number one in the kindle charts shortly after publication, and Nightblind, Blackout and Rupture soon followed suit, hitting the number one spot in five countries, and the series being sold in 18 countries and for TV. Ragnar was born in Reykjavik, Iceland, where he continues to work as a lawyer. From the age of 17, Ragnar translated 14 Agatha Christie novels into Icelandic. He has appeared on festival panels worldwide, and lives in Reykjavik with his wife and young daughters.