The Island by Ragnar Jónasson is set in Iceland. Four friends go to an island, and one of them dies. DI Hulda comes to investigate, and starts to find links to a previous death 10 years before.

This is a dark, descriptive book, with landscape that sounds so different, but beautiful. It's a good nordic noir, with liars and deception twisting the path to the truth.

I enjoyed the story, and learning more about DI Hulda. There are hints about her life with her husband and daughter, and the grief of their deaths, along with that of her mother more recently.

Interestingly, this is the second book in a trilogy about DI Hulda, with the first book, The Darkness, being set 10 years after this book. Reading around, I've found that the trilogy is written in reverse time order. I haven't read The Darkness, but this is such an unusual idea!

The Island was published on 4th April 2019, and is available to buy on Amazon and on Waterstones. I've found a link to where you can search for local bookshops, including independent!

You can follow Ragnar Jónasson through his website.

If you're interested in nordic noir crime books, then here's some others I've reviewed:

The Wolf and the Watchman by Niklas Natt och Dag

The Chestnut Man by Søren Sveistrup

I was given this book for free in return for an unbiased review, so my thanks to NetGalley and to Penguin UK - Michael Joseph (the publishers) for this book.

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Just found out this is the 2nd book series but it didn't seem to matter to me that I hadn't read the first one!! There were lots of twists and turns that kept me guessing until the very end. Thought in had worked it out, but I was wrong. An easy and fast read, that i read in one sitting!

Ragnar Jónasson’s THE ISLAND is the second in the reverse trilogy about Icelandic police detective Hulda Hermannsdóttir. (If the term “reverse trilogy” confuses you then I can only advise you to read the first instalment, THE DARKNESS, otherwise we’re looking at spoiler territory!)

The story focuses on a trip to a remote island off the Icelandic coast, where four old friends are meeting after many years to commemorate the anniversary of the death of an old friend and sister of theirs. The island is wild and uninhabited, and one night a member of their troop goes out of the hut in which they are staying - and doesn’t come back. It’s Hulda’s responsibility to discover the truth, no matter where the signs are pointing.

I really enjoyed THE DARKNESS, the first book in this trilogy, and THE ISLAND was just as good. My only negative point is that the first third or so of the book focused on the setting-up of a bit of back story, and while this wasn’t a bad thing in itself, the chapters seemed to be lacking in time/date stamps, and there were points where I did get a bit confused about the direction of the timeline.

Other than that, the story was intriguing, and the sense of place in Iceland - as with the previous Jónasson book - was really striking and memorable. Hulda is an interesting character to follow and not the type of lead you’d expect, and that’s very refreshing to read. I very much look forward to the next book.

My first book by this author, but I suspect it will not be the last! Hulda is a great character, quirky, frustrating but likeable and an excellent detective with old fashioned nous and tenacity. I really enjoyed this tale, classic Icelandic detective noir.

A gripping read that kept me hooked and had me sitting on the edge of my seat until the very end. Highly recommend and will be looking out for more books by the same author.

Hulda, a policewoman in Iceland has been passed over for promotion. Her husband and daughter have died and after clearing debts she lives in a tiny flat with a large mortgage. What appears to be an accidental death opens up a case from ten years ago.....I enjoyed this book and would recommend as good easy holiday reading.

A moody, brooding read, perfect for Scandi-noir fans. I enjoyed this and would recommend to those who like Larsson and Nesbo - you're in for a treat!

I haven't read the previous book in the series and it took me awhile to get involved. There was a slow moving development but with the twists and turns it was an absorbing read.

The Island is the second book in Ragnar Jonasson's Hidden Iceland series. It continues to follow Reykjavic detective Hulda Hermannsdottir. This book, however, is set some time before the first book, The Darkness. Where the first book was set at the end of Hulda's career, this one is set when she is still a young detective with high hopes that she will be able to climb the ranks of the department, despite being treated with little respect by her male counterparts.

Hulda becomes involved in a case where a girl has died whilst on an island with her three friends, completely isolated from civilization. Hulda discovers that another girl of the same group of friends had died some years before. Hulda is determined to find a connection between the two deaths, despite her boss being adamant that she should not dig into the old case, which he himself had lead and which had given him a promotion and notoriety. Still, Hulda believes solving this case is her big chance and she is determined to find the truth.

I enjoyed the first book in the series, and there are distinct similarities in this book. The main protagonist Hulda is younger, but she is the same determined and stoic woman, more intelligent and dedicated than her male colleagues and set on proving that she is just as good as they are, if not better. The writing is the same stark yet beautiful mix I now see as the author's signature style. He sets the scene, then gets straight to the point. I especially liked the way he writes conversations in this book, and the interaction between Hulda and other people. She is aloof and slightly uncomfortable, yet also confident and I actually found myself starting to like her more and more.

I did feel that the story line didn't quite live up to that of the first book, however. It was a good, strong detective story, but not quite as chilling as in the first book, not quite as dark. Still good, though - it drew me in and I did want to read until the end, though I was expecting more of a twist somewhere along the way.

All in all a very good read, and I will be looking out for the third instalment of Hulda's story.

I really like the writing style of this book! I can’t put it down whilst reading it, but I wish I read book two before book one, as I feel I know all the outcomes as book to is set before book 1. Though I am hoping the end of the trilogy will provide some surprises.

The Island is a dark, compelling crime thriller set in Iceland. Detective Hulda investigates the death of a young woman on a remote island only to realise there is a connection with the death of the woman's friend ten years previously. This is the second novel in a trilogy featuring the detective Hulda who is a sad, believable and lonely character who has somehow missed out on many joys in life whilst fighting to be good at her job. I look forward to reading the final novel in this trilogy.

I liked this author's first book in this series, I like this one even more. Hulda isn't your normal detective, she's a loner, often morose, often skeptical about others who have 'solved' crimes before she takes them on and has another look, yet is immensely interesting (and appealing) as a character. In this book her dogged determination enables her to get to the bottom of a murder that occurred a decade earlier, whilst solving the murder that has just taken place. This isn't a fast paced thriller that drags you into the action, it's a slow paced, thoughtful one that is perhaps more gentle, and is possibly even better for this reason because it gives the reader time to think with Hulda and see the route her mind is taking. I recommend this book.

Just the setting of the book gave me chills and add murder in the mix, well things can only get better! I really enjoyed reading Huda's journey and the connection to past.

I had not realised when I requested this title that it was the second in a trilogy set in reverse. I was quite happy to read The Island in isolation. It was not a fast paced thriller but quite readable nevertheless. Hulda is an interesting character with a depressing past and most of the characters in the book have not had the happiest of lives. Some of the descriptive passages gave me a flavour of the surroundings which was good.
Many thanks to Netgalley/Ragnar Jonasson/Penguin UK - Michael Joseph for a digital copy of this title. All opinions expressed are my own.

I really love Nordic Noir, it's become one of my favourite genres and Ragnar Jonasson is one of the best authors in this. The Island is thrilling and addictive, I couldn't put this down. The only things which let this down for me are the constant changing timeline and perspective. Once I adapted to this I did really enjoy it though.

In 1997 20year old Katla was killed at her family’s summer house. Her father was arrested and charged for her murder and committed suicide while waiting for the court’s verdict. 10 years later Detective Hulda Hermannsdóttir is called to an island off Iceland. A young woman has fallen to her death from a cliff while on a weekend away there with three of her friends. It turns out that three of the young people were friends of Katla’s and the fourth is her younger brother. Hulda is convinced that there is a link between this death and Katla’s although her superior, Lydar, doesn’t want her investigating as Katla’s case was the one that kick started his career.

Great read from start to finish - couldn’t put it down. Looking forward to book three.

Thanks to Netgalley, Penguin UK - Michael Joseph and Ragnar Jónasson for the ARC of this book in return for an honest review.

Ten years after the murder of their friend Katla, four friends get together on a remote island but the one of them dies suspicion falls on them all. Frustrated detective Hulda Hermannsdottir is called in and soon she realises that the man accused ten years ago was innocent and that there was a police cover-up. Meanwhile she is also exploring her own past and trying to find her real father.
There are many rave reviews about this book and I struggle to see where they are coming from. In an ideal world this is a 3 ½ star book as it is enjoyable but is a very quick read and not as gripping as many of its genre. The plot is pretty transparent but I do like the backstory about Hulda's search for her father. The most telling thing is that it was only after finishing that I realised I had read the first novel in the series - it wasn't that memorable for me.

I think this author created a real feel for the place of his narrative and created believable well drawn characters. It was however, short on impact for me. A murder in an isolated cabin is conveniently solved in no time at all. Later 4 friends visit an island of Iceland but only 3 return. There seems to be some connection between the two events but what? I didn't immediately fall into the narrative, at first it seemed to jump all over the place but in the end it was easy to read and follow. It just didn't hold any tension and I couldn't say I felt anything for the characters.

When I picked this book up, I didn't realise that it was the second in a series - and I know now that I'll need to go back and read the first, which I believe chronoologcally actually comes AFTER this one.

The writing was beautiful, it really set the scene for the isolated bleakness of the location.

All of the characters were well written, with very defined personalities, and with little insights and hints that just made you question what and who you believed.

I really enjoyed it and look forward to reading Book 1.

This Icelandic crime novel features Hulda Hermannsdottir, which I learnt in this book can mean "daughter of Herman" or "daughter of a soldier" - Hulda was born to an Icelandic woman and a US soldier. Now a detective near the end of her career, she investigates the death of a young woman on an isolated island, and its links to a historic case ten years before, of another young woman. This book was very bleak indeed, Hulda's life is awful even by literary detective standards. I didn't guess who had done it right up until the big reveal though, so...

(A netgalley book)