With thanks to the author, publishers XXX, and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

While writing a dissertation about a 30-year old unsolved murder case, a criminology student discovers unknown facts about the case that draw him in to conduct his own investigation into the crime.

I found this to be another enjoyable mystery from this author, having read a couple of his earlier works too. The multi-timeline approach to telling the story worked well, and I enjoyed the creepy atmosphere he was able to create as the plot unfolded.

What begins as a student dissertation becomes a cold case investigation with unexpected consequences. It's a twisty decade-crossing mystery, in a true golden age style, that will keep you guessing all the way through.

Told in multiple timelines from multiple points of view, I thought this one might be difficult to follow but in fact it was the opposite. The way in which the story was set out made it easy to differentiate between the then and now and there was no confusion between timelines. As you approach the end of the book you realise how all the different threads are relevant to the story; the clues are there if you are looking for them.

Helgi is fan of classic, golden age crime fiction and several titles are mentioned, some of them being stand outs in the genre. I thought the titles might be clues for the solution to this mystery and I sent myself down a crime fiction rabbit hole, which led me in the totally wrong direction in working out ‘whodunnit’.

The denouement took me by surprise, which I liked. I would have liked to find out more about some of the characters, in particular Hulda. I felt there were hints that there was much more to her story that we were being told. The ‘cliffhanger’ ending is suggestive that there is more to come and I do hope there is as I am eager to know what happens next!

This is a good solid old fashioned mystery. Helgi's love for traditional whodunnits sets the tone for this mystery. All the clues are there and the ending is satisfying as it was solvable - though lots of red herrings distracted me and I didn't manage to solve it. It is a light almost cosy crime, however there is a second much darker story line which gives this book a modern edge. It is a good translation of a well told mystery that jumps around in time without confusing the reader.

Death at the Sanatorium is a classic murder mystery set over multiple timelines. Six employees remain at the hospital to conduct research despite the wards closing decades ago. When one of them is found brutally murdered and only 5 suspects left the case is never really solved and remains open for 3 decades, until Helgi try's to lay the ghosts of the hospital's past to rest . . . I really do enjoy Ragnar Jónasson’s books and Death At the Sanatorium is no exception

The atmospheric ethos makes this an immersive investigation into an unsolved murder case at a remote Sanatorium. Its tragic history and the echoes of past suffering make the building a character in the story. Vibrant sensory imagery lets the reader visualise the setting and feel the tension as the characters relive the crimes. The cold case is the focus of Helgi, a young criminologist's dissertation. The suspense building increases the intensity as an objective exploration of a historic crime disturbs the sanatorium's dark past with devastating results. I like the atmosphere created, the intense suspense, and the distinct voice that defines the story.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher.

Would like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for letting me read this compelling book

Though I struggle with the foreign names I can’t begin to tell you how much this authors style of writing grabs me and pulls me right into the storyline and this book had it all

Mystery murder and a cold case… though the attitudes of the men annoy me but that was a sign of the times back then I was still hooked right to the end and I cait wait to read the next book by this author

was looking forward to this one. I’ve not read much of Ragnar Jónasson’s work, and he’s often been touted as an author that should suit my tastes. He is “One of the finest crime writers in the world today” according to the Daily Fail Mail and I’ve seen plenty of comparisons to Christie.

I suppose the Christie comparison here would be to Five Little Pigs, as there are, according to the blurb, just five suspects (which isn’t exactly true but never mind) and it’s about a cold case. But that’s not a fair comparison to either author.

What Jónasson is doing here is telling a tale more about Helgi and his investigation rather than setting a mystery for the reader to solve. To guess, maybe, but this isn’t a clued mystery and doesn’t try to be.

The time jumps (from 1983 to 2012 and back again) are well done and adds to the tale, and the translation is good, giving a sense of another culture while still being completely accessible and understandable. The characters are well drawn and I was gripped all the way through to see what he was going to pull out of the hat.

I suppose there are two stories here, Helgi’s personal life and the murders, and I found the resolution to both a little flat. The first takes a while to reveal the core idea which I think most readers will guess, and the second… well, the solution is just a bit too ordinary for me, and relies on information that the reader gets very late.

All in all, it’s a very good read and definitely worth your time, but if you go in expecting a brain-twisting clue-fest, you might well be disappointed.

I'm not really sure what I thought of this. I read it on holiday and it was an easy and quick read, but I think I wanted more from it. I didn't really warm to any of the characters and it wasn't quite what I expected.

Another Ragnar Jonasson book and another joy to read. This author conveys atmosphere so that you can feel the chill coming from the pages. The multi-timelines may confuse some but I enjoy this aspect, finding that it adds a layer of storytelling that keeps the intrigue going. A wonderful tale, well told. Bring on the next novel from this inventive author.

Ragnar Jónasson certainly knows how to write Nordic Noir. With a creepy atmosphere from the word go, this book is mainly set around two timelines; 1983 when the first murder was committed and 2012 being the present day with Helgi working on the cold case for his dissertation. There are also chapters set in 1950 which add to the intrigue. Helgi is fascinated by the Golden Age of Detective Fiction and that certainty comes across in the telling of this story. It was interesting to find Hulda incorporated within the book and before her retirement. It was slow paced in places and a bit repetitive in others but overall a good whodunnit read. The ending was very abrupt but I’m hoping it means this will be the start of a new series featuring Helgi. Thank you to NetGalley and Michael Joseph, Penguin Random House for letting me read and review this book.

I found this quite confusing novel with multi time lines and side issues that really slowed it down. I also struggled to connect to the characters and felt there was something missing making them feel very one dimensional I'm not sure if this was down to the book being translated and perhaps things didn't come across quite as intended. The pacing of the story did not help to hold my interest and found it repetitive in parts. The ending itself wasn't very satisfactory either but did seem to suggest another book. Not a favourite for me. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

This is a really good read. It is a multi-layered story that builds up over three narratives and timelines until its conclusion. I also enjoyed the side story as we get small glimpses of Helgi’s personal life. This is good scandi noir with its dark, unemotional story.

This is a multi-layered multi-timeline book that follows the case of the death of a nurse at a TB sanatorium back in the 80s. It is being investigated in the present day by Helgi Reykdal, who is using the case for his criminology dissertation prior to joining the Reykjavik Police. The case was closed when one of the doctors killed himself and the police at that time believed it was done through guilt.
But his investigation starts to open up old wounds when he begins to interview the original suspects, witnesses, and investigators...
This book drew me in from the off. It is akin to the golden age detective fiction, of which the main character is himself an aficionado, and when you couple it with the rather claustrophobic setting, it really does mark the framework for a cracking read.
It's a little convoluted and interconnected so you do have to have your wits about you from the get-go. But if you hunker down and concentrate, you'll be just fine.
One of the things that I did find distracting was Helgi's relationship with Bergthora, I though that it added little to his character development, and I wasn't too enamoured with how it ended up... I guess we are setting up to a sequel... But, I'll leave you to make your own mind up on that.
All in all, an interesting case, spanning the decades, and I am interested in what happens next for Helgi. My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

Death at The Sanatorium Ragnar Jonasson

5 stars

Another atmospheric story

I have read three of this author's previous books and enjoyed them all. Obviously the original book is written in Icelandic but the translator always does a brilliant job.

Helgi Reykdal is writing his dissertation prior to taking u a job with the local police force and has chosen to focus on two murders at a sanatorium that occurred in 1983. These crimes have never been satisfactorily solved although the caretaker, Broddi, although never charged was always believed to be the murderer.

As Helgi investigates the characters involved, Tinna the nurse at the sanatorium back in 1983, who discovered both the bodies, is murdered. She has been with her husband, Sverrir, the policeman who investigated the murders for 40 years and it seems that someone does not want any further investigation into the original murders.

The book jumps between the description of the events that happened at the sanatorium and how Helgi is trying to discover the truth many years later. Running alongside the story is the deterioration of Helgi and his partner Bergthora's relationship, I enjoyed the combining of the past and the present in this book.

I always find the author's description of the atmosphere in the books fascinating and he conveys the forbidding sanatorium to perfection as well as creating a brilliant plot.

As we finally discover the truth about what really happened there is an ending that I just did not expect at all and which hopefully means there will be another book soon. I will definitely want to read it!

Karen Deborah
Netgalley

So immensely readable and atmospheric I don’t even know where to begin. Nordic Noir always holds such a soft spot for me, the mood you get whilst reading this genre is unmatched by any, and the perfect book to read as we slowly edge out of summer into the darker days of autumn, and one I am very much welcoming,
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Told in 3 timelines this engaging read has you gripped in its slowly emerging storyline leaving you with a shocking end that just hits your square in the face
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Thank you so much to the publisher and netgalley for the ARC!

I don’t know whether the disconnect I felt with the characters came from the translation or the original writing but I didn’t engage with any of the characters, they were 2 dimensional and uninteresting. The idea of a young graduate who’d done some temping with the Icelandic police can just step into a senior role, seemingly writing his own timescales and job description defies belief whatever country you’re from. The story gets bogged down in too much side issues, such as the domestic situation the main character finds himself in, old crime novels and there wasn’t enough tension, drama or suspects to choose from. Obviously the author hadn’t taken enough inspiration from the constantly mentioned old crime stories - and I won’t even comment on the poor ending.

Helgi, a police officer and criminology student is writing a dissertation about a cold case from thirty years earlier involving the murder of a nurse and physician in a former sanatorium. As he digs deeper into this case he finds suspicious circumstances, will he solve this mystery?

This is a slow burn Nordic noir which layers past and present to create a solid police procedural and mystery. The setting of the sanatorium was done very well and created a spooky, uneasy atmosphere. There was a focus towards the TB epidemic and the team caring for them, which was interesting to read and added to the bleak atmosphere. Although this was a well written book, I struggled to fully connect to the characters and felt there was something lacking with them. The pacing of the story did not help to hold my interest and found it repetitive in parts. The ending seems to have set itself up for a following book, which I would be interested to see what it would be about. Although not 100% for me this time, this is a good book for those looking for a slow burn, golden age style thriller. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this copy in return for an honest review.

This is a very atmospheric and creepy book, with such a good setting.
I thoroughly enjoyed it and loved how it was written. The translation was great and didn't detract from the story at all.
Such a good detective novel, first from this author and won't be the last.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book gave me the creeps right from the first few pages. The little initial twist is like oh what's this about. And the little details of each character really drew me in.

I found the writing dark and atmospheric and loved the two time frames that it flipped between. I really enjoyed getting to know suspects and trying to figure out who did it. Everything unravels slowly but deliciously.