The Mysterious Case of the Missing Crime Writer (a nice, short title for social media) by Ragnar Jonasson is the second outing for detective Helgi Reykdal.

This time, Icelandic crime writer, Elín S. Jónsdóttir has gone missing, leaving no clues behind, and it is up to our detective to investigate before the media finds out.

Ragnar’s love of Agatha Christie and knowledge of classic crime writers shines through in this page turner. You don’t have to know about Christie’s disappearance to enjoy it, but it gives it more depth - a quick google will help.

I guessed some of the things going on but not all - Ragnar’s so good at leading you down a different path than the one you expected, cleverly using Christie’s methods as well as his own.

This is a fast, fun read, out I think, in the UK on 21st Aug.

I thoroughly enjoyed The Mysterious Case of the Missing Crime Writer, and it's no wonder why. Ragnar Jónasson has been hailed as a "world-class crime writer," with The Times even asking, "Is this the best crime writer in the world today?"

Jónasson’s credentials are impressive. A huge fan of Agatha Christie, he has translated 14 of her novels into Icelandic. He credits her with greatly influencing his writing style and teaching him many technical skills. So, we’re off to a great start.

Jónasson clearly enjoys developing and fully understanding his characters, often featuring the same lead detective in multiple books, such as his Hulda series. The Mysterious Case of the Missing Crime Writer is the second book featuring the new detective Helgi, who first appeared in Death at the Sanatorium as a young criminologist writing his thesis on a cold case. In this second outing, Helgi is now a new detective called to investigate the disappearance of a crime writer. Hulda also makes an appearance in both of Helgi’s books, no doubt to the delight of her fans.

The Mysterious Case of the Missing Crime Writer revolves around the sudden disappearance of Elín S. Jónsdóttir, a famous crime writer. One winter night, Elín just vanishes without a trace, leaving no clues at all. Helgi is under pressure to solve the mystery of Elin’s disappearance before the media find out. As he talks to those closest to Elín, he discovers that her life was just as mysterious and filled with secrets as her books.

I loved this book and read it quickly, hooked from the very first page. The plot - or rather, plots - are intricately woven, drawing readers into the secretive world of Elín S. Jónsdóttir. Alongside the main mystery, there is also a personal storyline relating directly to Helgi.

Jónasson skilfully explores Helgi's personal struggles and professional challenges, adding layers to his character that make him more believable. His journey to uncover the truth is compelling. The feelings and, sometimes puzzling, actions of Elin’s close friends are carefully examined and before long they too feel real to the reader.

The loving descriptions of the stark beauty of Iceland add to the story. Overall, the Mysterious Case of the Missing Crime Writer is a thrilling and enjoyable read, combining richly detailed plot with well-developed characters. The ending came as a shock and has guaranteed that I will read the next book in the Helgi series—once I’ve read his first outing, of course.

I really appreciated the creativity and effort behind this book.
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for the opportunity to read this ARC.

Mixed views on this, the second book featuring Helgi and fifth (i think) featuring Hulda (in flashbacks).
Jonassan’s love of Golden Age mysteries shines through in this, with parallels drawn between the central mystery of the missing author and various classic novels. We effectively have three or four storylines running in parallel - the missing author, Helgi’s personal life (picking up six months on from the previous cliffhanger assault), an interview with the author seven years ago, and a robbery that ended in a death back in the 60s that Hulda was involved with in the 70s.
This is all fine and Jonassan can manage multiple timelines as well as normal. But… the central mystery is undercooked and curiously handled (possibly a cultural issue) and I just didn’t buy that this how they would be investigating the case, and this undermined the book for me

The other elements were stronger and it’s good to see Helgi get suspicious about Hulda’s disappearance. The ending is another brutal smash to black (if this was a TV series). I like the approach - it’s unusual and leaves a genuine cliffhanger

I’ve read a few of the Dark Iceland and Hidden Iceland series by this author (I love anything Icelandic - see also, Scandi noir and Canadian!) so I really enjoyed the flashbacks to Hulda’s story but this could be confusing to those who aren’t familiar. This was a mystery book wrapped within a mystery with a lot of intrigue. I really enjoyed the main character of Helgi and his relationships within the book. I really think Ragnar is a great thriller writer, this was a an easy read with fast pacing.

The novel begins with part of a transcript from an interview, the remainder of which is included periodically as the story progresses. It is between a radio journalist and a famous, bestselling Icelandic author and was made back in 2005. A clever variation on the flashback structure, it is vaguely interesting, but its importance is not appreciated by the reader until much later.

It’s still 2012 and we find Helgi Reykdal back at the bookshop he inherited from his father in Akureyri in the North of Iceland. He has chance to visit his sick mother, but most of all he is relieved to be away from Bergthóra his long-term girlfriend who he is now separated from. Their relationship became toxic with Helgi being on the receiving end of domestic abuse when Bergthóra drank too much, which culminated in him being knocked senseless with a wine bottle at the close of Death at the Sanatorium. Of course, at the bookshop Helgi is finding refuge in his cherished Golden-Age crime novels and once again he reads an appropriate selection throughout, which loosely tie into the plot.

Magnús wants him back at the station and what better way to entice him to return than a case of a missing bestselling crime writer Elín S. Jónsdóttir. She has simply vanished without a trace and is the writer in the interview transcript. Helgi fears Magnús is using him but how can he resist, it echoes the disappearance of Agatha Christie, one of his idols. She vanished at the beginning of her fame in 1926, before being found ten days later in a hotel in Harrogate.

Naturally I would like to thank Netgalley the publisher and author for granting me early access in exchange for a fair review.

Helgi starts by questioning her friends and colleagues, discovering that she was a remarkably private person, one eschewing modernity to the extent of not even having a mobile phone. The fact that she decided to write ten hugely successful novels only then to stop, merely adding to her mystique. He clearly has his work cut out determining why she has disappeared and whether it was her choice.

This is not the only missing persons case for Helgi to solve. He is acutely aware of the disappearance of Hulda the officer whose place he has effectively taken, something nobody seems overly concerned about. For a man obsessed by the mystery format of fiction, it is more than a nagging loose end, he starts to take an interest in the cases she previously worked on. His colleagues may lack interest, but this is something he will pursue to the end.

The plot is cleverly constructed, with three strands, the interview, Hulda’s investigation into a bank robbery and Helgi’s search for the missing writer all moving inexorably together. It is a tale of secrets leading back to reckless youth, of close friendship that last a lifetime and ultimately betrayal. The storyline twists around itself, with clues dotted around for the reader to pick up on, along with some misdirection. The solution is clever and a little bit ‘left field’ (I certainly never saw it coming) but one that makes sense and has you wondering how he came up with it. This is very much in keeping with the style he is aiming for, the of the ‘Golden Age’ mystery which he captures to a tee. He also imparts a touch of quirky individualism which is captured in Victoria Cribb’s excellent translation work.

Once again, the reader discovers a little more about Helgi’s personality. He has a new love in his life, but Bergthóra refuses to accept the situation to such an extent that she is delusional, possibly even mentally ill as she becomes a stalker. Helgi is indecisive though, a man happiest lost in books, he avoids confrontation fearing it will only make matters worse, but will he leave it too late? He is also hamstrung by shame, fearing ridicule from colleagues if he admits to being the victim of abuse. This brings an interesting, alternative slant to domestic abuse. He’s a classic nice guy who needs to stick up for himself, but as a book lover we remain very much still on his side.

This is one for the 'Golden Age' fan.

This was a different type of crime genre for me, and was so fun to explore Iceland, and reminded me of Agatha Christie.
A crime writer goes missing, an it’s up to the detective to solve it. There are several storylines going on at the same time, as well as flash backs to an interview. I loved the format of the book, and was kept in suspense until the very end! The cliffhanger leaves you wanting more. I can’t wait for the next book.
Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for this arc.

The Mysterious Case of the Missing Crime Writer is an Icelandic mystery into the sudden disappearance of bestselling Icelandic crime author, Elín S. Jónsdóttir.

Given her status and the fact that nobody has heard from her in a few days, Helgi Reykdal is called in to figure out what happened to her.

While attempting to piece together her last few days, which is trickier than expected given that she was a bit of a loner with no partner or children, there are few people who know anything about her movements.

At the same time we are treated to three other timelines – one from the 1960s, one ten years later in the 70s, and one from 2005 when Elin gave a very in depth interview to a journalist.

For the reader this is crucial as it allows us to piece together a much bigger puzzle than just Elin’s disappearance.

At just 320 pages, the book is relatively short for a modern crime novel, but Jónasson makes every page count.

The pacing is solid, with enough twists and revelations to keep things moving, but there are moments when the darkness threatens to overwhelm the narrative.

Now, let’s talk about the one big caveat: this book is deeply entwined with Jónasson’s previous works and it doesn’t offer much in the way of recap or context, which means that first-time readers may feel a bit confused.

If you haven't read The Darkness (2013), you could easily find yourself frustrated by unresolved subplots, especially about Hulda.

That aside, the book’s structure, with its shifting timelines and layered secrets, makes for a reading experience that’s both challenging and rewarding, it just makes more sense if you've read The Darkness first.

Yet again Ragnar Jonasson delivers another thriller in his latest book The Mysterious Case of the Missing Crime Writer. The pun if one can call it that is not lost on me. Elín S. Jónsdóttir is an extraordinarily successful crime writer who has suddenly gone missing. Or has she? Helgi has been tasked with solving this mystery and he has to accomplish this quickly. Despite her fame and fortune she led a very down-to-earth lifestyle. At least that is how it appears on the surface. In his attempt to locate her he must delve deep into her life. An in-depth scrutiny of her life, however, reveals a very different picture.

This is another episode of the popular DI Helgi Reykdal series. Strewn in the plotline are other characters from previous series and at least one subplot. Having read Jonasson’s books, I have always admired his plot building skills and the build up to a climax. Here again is his signature style that both thrills and rivets the reader keeping one glued to the novel until the last page. I not only learned a lot more of Helgi’s character but also that of the other characters who are part of this series. I loved how he subtly explores various issues like abuse, social norms of the past and present and their effect on people, their actions and behaviour. Some are still prevalent to this day. This was skilfully woven into the tapestry of the mystery, yet it was there for all to read without sounding preachy. I love this role that Jonasson adopts of a loving parent correcting society through his writing. The main protagonist Helgi is analytical yet sensitive with his own inadequacies. There is a certain quiet strength in the man. This has always endeared me to him. It seemed more realistic rather than the usual spiel of tough detective. Jonasson travels back and forth in time providing the reader with small insights into the mystery that add up to a big thrill. As with all his books there is a twist in this tale.

Despite being a series, the DI H Reykdal mysteries can be read on their own. In each book of the series the mystery is completely solved. That’s true of this thriller too. Unfortunately, this book ends. on a cliff hanger. There is a persistent sub plot or two that do not finish with this book. I’m guessing they get solved in the sequel which I also hope will be out soon or Jonasson is going to get stalker e mails from me. Lol

Nevertheless, an exciting thriller particularly for fans of the Golden Age Mysteries. Kudos Jonasson for your latest thriller and awaiting the sequel with anticipation.

Thank you NetGalley and Michael Joseph for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

What does a bank robbery in the 1970s, an interview in 2005, and a criminal investigation in 2012 have in common? This book!

An aging crime writer disappears without a trace. A police officer who loves reading crime novels starts investigating her disappearance - and what unfolds is a slowly developing mystery told through interweaving timelines that gradually blur the line between past and present.

The first half is gripping. The Icelandic setting is cold, quiet, and adds a sense of unease to the mystery. The alternating timelines add intrigue, peeling back secrets layer by layer as the past and the present converge at the book's end. I really liked the story's clever reference to Agatha Christie's brief disappearance in the 1960s.

By the end of the book I found myself wishing for some more depth, both in the characters and in the final reveal. The character's back stories, emotions, and motivations could have been fleshed out a bit more. Some threads in the book felt like they simply fizzled out instead of typing up neatly at the end. The protagonist police officer was struggling to come to terms with emotional trauma but this wasn't fully explored in the book either. For a brief moment I thought that my book was missing a few pages or chapters because the ending felt a bit abrupt. It does make me curious though if another one may pick up where we left this one.

Still, I quite liked the hook of a crime writer becoming the mystery herself! This book is quite a readable page-turner, especially if you are into literary mysteries with a Nordic vibe. Go in expecting a slow unravel rather than a fast-paced thriller!

For me, there’s nothing better than reading a crime novel which has an element of crime fiction or crime writing in the storyline. It’s like taking something you love and multiplying it by ten. I was such a huge fan of The Sanatorium, where we met Helgi for the first time. His love of detective fiction was a real highlight and I even made a note of the books he was reading or had in his library to read myself later on. With this book, Ragnar Jonasson has taken things a step further and made the entire premise of the book about a crime writer, rather than it being an addition to the main storyline. I couldn’t ask for more as a fan of this authors work or as a fan of the genre.

This story sees Helgi investigating the disappearance of successful Icelandic crime author, Elín S. Jónsdóttir. Her books are loved by crime fans all over the world but Elín is notoriously secretive about her personal life. This makes things slightly trickier for Helgi as he has to persuade her close circle of friends to reveal any information which might help to find her.

I just loved the format of this book. The majority of the story follows Helgi and his investigation, but, the author's story told through a transcript of an interview she previously invited a journalist to record but not publish. As a clever crime writer, there are obviously clues and reasons for her behaviour but it all has to be painstakingly pieced together - with events from Elín's past also linking with the present investigation.

I thought it was brilliant that Ragnar Jonasson did an 'Alfred Hitchcock' and put himself in the book - "as well as some modern translations and a recent crime novel that Helgi had heard of, by the translator of some of the Christies." As a huge Christie fan, I also loved the parallels to Agatha Christie's own mysterious disappearance for 11 days back in 1926. These little references to crime fiction really make this series stand out as the perfect crime stories for crime fiction fans!

I loved everything about The Mysterious Case of the Missing Crime Writer and am very much hoping for a third book in the series!

I have read a couple of books by Ragnar Jonasson and I struggle to see how he can be described as “one of the greatest crime writers out there” as some reviews claim. His books are not bad but they seem to lack the depth of other authors in this genre so to describe him as one of the greatest is a stretch. But once you temper your expectations his books are good and very readable page-turners but more nordic-noir-lite This one features a very puzzling mystery indeed which draws parallels with another mysterious disappearance that is a big subplot in the book that is left completely unresolved, This may be addressed in another book in the series if this is a series. The ending however is so abrupt I was left wondering if a final chapter was missing.. It’s not even a cliff-hanger, it just stops and parts of the story are left unresolved so it was a very frustrating ending considering the time invested in reading and investing in the story, I’ll be keeping an eye out when this is released to see if there is a final chapter and the ARC was incomplete.

Welcome back to the young detective Helgi, introduced in the author's last wonderful book. He has to solve the mystery of a missing author and the book features an intoxicating combination of sleuthing, Helgi's own life issuers and previous mysteries laid out by the author.

As always the writing is excellent as is the plotting and it was an engrossing read.

Another great read from a new author to me. As with the last book in this series there are lots of twists and turns. My emotions were up and down and my heart in my mouth on the last page...where the reader is left wondering if a bad deed has definitely taken place.
I really enjoyed this book and know that anyone who likes a murder mystery should put this book on their list to read - they will not be disappointed.
I am looking forward to read the next book in this series.

"It was his belief that all books provided an insight into their author's psyche. After all, it stood to reason that authors must reveal something of themselves in their pages, either deliberately or unconsciously, though no doubt you often had to read between the lines to discover it."

Ragnar Jonasson's novel is about bestselling crime author, Elín S. Jónsdóttir, one night she goes missing. There are no clues as to her disappearance and it is up to young detective, Helgi, to crack the case before it's leaked to the press.
As he interviews those closest to her he soon begins to realise her life wasn't quite as it seemed. If anything, her past is even stranger than her stories.

I devoured this book in one go. It was just too good to put down. I knew I was going to like this one as I have enjoyed previous series written by this author.

As soon as this story begins there is no room to pause or speculate the truth behind this crime writer's disappearance. Page after page there are clues that connect to stories of the past and present. I had my theories and although one of them came true there were many more I had not seen coming.

Much as the previous book "Death at the Sanatorium" this novel keeps you hooked right through till the end. I am hoping there is more to come from this story.

Helgi, a young police officer, is tasked with the case of missing crime writer, Elin.
As he interviews Elin's small circle of close friends, her secrets are gradually revealed.
This book is quite slow paced and there's plenty of time to work out the mystery before the actual reveal. Then it skids abruptly to an end leaving one aspect unresolved. At first I thought I was missing some pages!
Not your typical dark book from this genre, a much easier read.

I was looking forward to this book with it being from an Icelandic author, as I was expecting a different sense of humour, or difference in the way things are described, but sadly I just didn’t find this book could hold my interest. There was nothing against it really, but it was just a bit beige. Also when I got to the ending I wondered if some pages had accidental been missed off, as it ends abruptly and without warning; I can’t even call it a cliff hanger as it feels like it ends mid sentence, not with a tbc ending. There is lots of back and forth with timings and characters so it can be hard to keep track of things if you’re not used to that, especially with the names not being ones we’re used to hearing. Overall it’s not a bad book, it’s an ok read, it’s just one I’d struggle to recommend

This is the second in the Icelandic crime series featuring young detective Helgi. He is charged with finding out what has happened to a famous author who was last heard of setting off for the hills surrounding the town where she and Helgi live. Jonasson really offers three plots in this novel: the missing author, Helgi’s private life and references to the unsolved mystery of the disappearance of his predecessor Hulda whose life and career have been addressed in three of Jonasson’s previous novels.
Helgi is in a new, happy relationship after finally breaking up with his abusive partner Bergthora but the latter has other ideas and is stalking Helgi’s new girlfriend. Jonasson switches the narrative easily between Hulda’s life many years ago and the current year of the missing author. It is good to have references to the Hulda series of novels and to be reintroduced to her character again.
There are some frightening moments in this novel and psychological tensions build. The ending is unexpected and left me eager for the third in this great series.
Highly recommended. Thank you very much to the publishers for the ARC.

I thoroughly enjoyed Jonasson’s 2018 novel The Darkness. Unfortunately this is the 2nd book of his I’ve read since that was very disappointing.
The story jumps about suddenly adding in details from previous cases, which don’t appear to add to the plot. The domestic violence issues are introduced but not followed up – so why add it in?

Once the mystery is unravelled it only seems to take a couple of phone calls – no police processes to be followed.
The sudden ending left me wondering if I was missing a final chapter or two from my copy.

Helgi, a Reykjavik Detective, investigates the case of missing novelist Elin, whilst also dealing with upheaval in his own romantic life.

I enjoyed the characters and the setting of this novel, but it doesn't really work as a complete work of fiction in it's own right. It is a sequel to a previous novel featuring Helgi, and also links to a previous detective series about the missing detective Hulda. If you haven't read any of these (and I haven't), then this novel is somewhat of a slight and unsatisfying read.