“The Darkness” by Ragnar Jónasson

This is an exciting crime story that’s dark, moody and realistic in both setting and characters. The story unveils itself in Iceland, which is a character in itself: freezing, inhospitable and beautiful, the setting serves as a fantastic backdrop for this well-written mystery/thriller.
Detective Inspector Hulda Hermannsdóttir is the protagonist and is beyond smart. She comes across as brash and uncaring of what others think of her now that she’s close to retirement. Hulda was vulgarly told to leave her job and take early retirement to make way for a fresher, younger replacement. Told to pick a case to investigate for her remaining two weeks in the office, Hulda knows just which one she wants.
Taking it on, the cold case involves a young woman whose body was found in the local sea caves. All the clues and information point to a suicide, but Hulda is not convinced. She becomes even more determined to prove the girl was murdered after assessing the original file and finding lazy, shoddy work due to the lack of police care and attention. It was so badly investigated that Hulda finds more details on the case within the first 24 hours of taking it on. Step by step she gets closer to the truth, walking down the path of a Russian girl and asylum seeker.
This is the first book I have read by Ragnar Jónasson and I was gripped by the descriptions of Iceland in mid-winter and how claustrophobic it made the characters (and readers) feel. Ragnar manages to artfully weave multiple storylines and timelines together to present background that ensures your full understanding when it reaches its unexpected and unforgettable climax.
Reviewed by Lauren Brabrook for Suspense Magazine

This first book in a new series from Ragnar Jonasson features Huldu Hermansdottir, a police inspector nearing mandatory retirement, and resenting that fact. As the story opens, Huldu is presented with a new, unwelcome “gift” from her boss. She no longer has one more year of work. Her replacement is available now and will need her office very soon. She can begin her retirement early, with pay of course. For a woman whose refuge has been work, who dreads time alone, this amounts to a curse. So Huldu works on one last case, a fairly cold case, the death of an asylum-seeker from Russia found on the shore a year ago.

As the novel advances, we learn about Huldu’s life, family, her feelings about her time with the police and her mostly male colleagues. There also are stories told in alternating chapters that fit into both Huldu’s and the crime story. (Those who dislike this device seen frequently in novels of late, be warned.) Huldu is an interesting woman; at 64, she is in a demographic not often used to lead such a novel. Her fears seemed realistic with an overlay specific to her situation.

To say much more is to risk spoiler territory which I want to avoid. The Darkness is the story of a woman at a turning point in her life, trying to right a case left unsolved, trying to decide what she wants and who she is after some major life disappointments.

My feelings are a bit mixed about this book, at times firmly in the 4* territory while others saw it more of a 3*. So probably a 3.5* rounded to 4 here. Not quite up to the standard of Jonasson's Dark Iceland series but I will give the next installment a try.

A copy of this book was provided by the publisher through NetGalley in return for an honest review.

Thanks to Minotar publishing, Netgalley, and Ragnar Jonasson. This is my first book by this author, but I have read 2 other Icelandic authors just this last year, as a visit to Iceland prompted me to pick up some Icelandic authors and their books. This has to be my favorite author of the 3 I’ve read.
I was captivated by the description of Iceland and it’s surroundings, The main character was wonderful. And the ending was not something I never saw coming ! Especially Hulga’s ending. Omg !
And her own sins were a surprise beyond belief. Definitely going to read more by this author. I loved this book .

Hulda Hermannsdottir is savoring her last year as a detective in the Reykjavik Police Department when her retirement is unceremoniously brought forward. She’s given two weeks before someone younger is brought in to replace her, but in the meantime her supervisor has given her the latitude to look into one last case of her choosing. A cold case from a year earlier catches her attention. Ruled a suicide a lazy colleague, Hulda is convinced that there is more to the mystery.

I’ve read other Nordic Noir, but this was my first by Ragnar Jónasson and I really liked it! It’s not as overtly violent as other books in the genre, but does have a very dark and menacing feel. The plot is strong and slowly sucks you in to the story leaving you breathless when you reach the unexpected ending. The characters are also great - so many times in thrillers, the only women is the victim so it was worthwhile to read about a female detective. I look forward to reading the other two books in this series.

This author's writing captivates me. It is an atmospheric, Nordic thriller, set in Iceland. The characters and plot are engaging.

64-year-old Reykjavík Detective Inspector Hulda Hermannsdóttir knows retirement looms, but she’s shocked when her boss accelerates the timing. She’s got two weeks to wrap things up, after all, he’s already given her office and caseload to a younger, male colleague. To appease her, he tells her she can look into a cold case of her choosing during her final days at the force.

Hulda immediately knows which case to revisit—the death of a Russian immigrant found in a remote Icelandic cove. The case was ruled a suicide, subsequently closed and forgotten.

She quickly realizes her colleague botched the investigation… his sloppy surface work did nothing to get to the truth of what really happened to Elena.

The more Hulda digs, the more she’s certain Elena was murdered. Everyone seems to dismiss the case, however, and as the clock races, she’s pressured to let it all go. But Hulda knows she’s close, and her tenacity leads her to the very truth she sought, a secret far more dangerous than she expected.

With the dark, desolate backdrop of the cold Icelandic wild, Ragnar Jónasson narrative unravels beautifully. It’s a slow-burning story punctuated by a strong, female heroine with secrets of her own. Her anger at being consistently excluded, overlooked and subsequently pushed out as a woman resonates. But I love her sheer doggedness at solving the case, and fighting those who seek to freeze her out.

As with his Ari Thor series, the story really comes to life vividly with his description of Iceland’s more insolated, unforgiving landscapes. It’s easy to imagine the wickedness that could hide in its snow-covered slopes. The bleak atmospheric tone it breeds adds so much to an already well-crafted mystery, making Jónasson’s novels truly stand out from the bunch.

The Darkness ends with a phenomenal, unexpected twist that will leave you breathless, and I can’t wait to see how this series continues.

Detective Inspector Hulda Hermannsdóttir of the Reykjavík police is sixty-four and planning to retire at the end of the year. She has no family, few friends, and dreads the "soul-destroying prospect of giving up work." She has little to look forward to, except for an "aching void of enforced inactivity." Much to her dismay, her boss informs her that he has hired a young man who is "a real high achiever." This new employee will replace her in two weeks. Hurt at being "swept out of the way like a piece of old rubbish," Hulda plans to tackle one last case in the time she has left. She revisits the death of twenty-seven year old Elena, a Russian asylum seeker who drowned in a cove, supposedly by accident or suicide, more than a year ago. Hulda interviews, among others, the manager of the hostel where Elena stayed, the solicitor who assisted Elena with her application, and another asylum seeker who might have additional information about the victim. Eventually, Hulda comes to suspect that Elena was murdered, and she sets out to identify the perpetrator.

Hulda is a deeply unhappy woman who puts people off with her brusque demeanor, is prone to terrifying nightmares, and has experienced unspeakable heartache. Her only source of comfort is her budding relationship with a retired doctor named Pétur, a fellow hiker who is intelligent, good-hearted, and amiable. "The Darkness," by Ragnar Jónasson, ably translated by Victoria Cribb, is Icelandic noir at its most riveting and unnerving. Aside from Hulda's aforementioned investigation, Jónasson, in separate chapters, depicts the heartrending plight of a desperate single mother who sees her baby only through a pane of glass. Initially, we have no idea who this frantic individual is, or why she is separated from her infant daughter.

The themes in this novel include: sexism; ageism; the consequences of keeping shameful secrets from becoming public knowledge; the curse of loneliness; and the ways in which agonizing experiences continue to haunt us, even decades later. Jónasson incorporates Iceland's bleak and forbidding landscape into his fascinating plot. Although parts of this country are breathtakingly beautiful, this remote island nation can be icy, gloomy, and forbidding. The book's melancholy tone foreshadows terrible revelations to come. The author's prose and dialogue are first rate—no words are wasted—and although we identify with the heroine, we are horrified by her poor judgment and self-destructive behavior. The wrenching and bitterly ironic conclusion (with twists that few will see coming) is a fitting coda to this compelling and thought-provoking tale of rage, betrayal, vengeance, and justice denied. "The Darkness" is one of the most original and cleverly constructed thrillers of the year.

Thank you NetGalley and St.Martin's Press for sending me an ARC in exchange for an honest review

The Darkness by Ragnar Jonasson is a whodunnit thriller with twists and turns at every corner.

The first book of a new series we learn about the protagonist Hulda. Hulda is coming close to her retirement and her retirement comes sooner than expected. In the beginning of the story i felt as though Hulda’s feelings about her retirement were a bit exaggerated but as the story continues we learn about Hulda’s personal life. Hulda is a widowed woman living alone with no companionship and has dedicated her entire life to being a cop. So naturally, you become attached to your job and wish to spend your time no other way.

Hulda had a rough upbringing that she kept personal and didn’t share with anyone. Throughout the story we learn what Hulda experienced as a child which helped me better grasp Hulda’s personality. Also, we learn about Hulda’s home life, she lost her daughter and her husband and the two losses were connected, tragic, and disconcerting.

New characters get brought into the story throughout a period, adding to the case. When you assume you know who committed the crime, you are mistaken and another can of worms was opened. But with this, I could’ve used way more action. I feel like the action was a bit lacked and towards the ending of the book is when the action was heightened.

The ending was marvelous and a great cliffhanger, definitely leaves you wanting more which only means, I HAVE TO READ THE SECOND BOOK! This was my first read from Ragnar Jonasson and definitely not my last! (I already went out and brought some of his older books lol)

Thanks to NetGalley for providing a free digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I have purchased Ragnar's books for my library, based on their good reviews and my patronage's interest in Scandinavian mystery, but this was my first time reading one.

I enjoyed the curmudgeonly police officer being a woman (makes a nice change from all the unshaven drunkards that seem to populate mysteries from the far North), and a bit of a spitfire, at that. Hulda is an old-school cop, one who solves crimes through putting her nose to the grindstone and wearing out show leather, and in this, her last professional case, she (sort of, ultimately) gets the job done. She is forced into retirement by her young whelp of a boss, who has never valued her contribution to the team. She's female, older - what can she possibly offer group of young bucks? Shocked at this sudden change in her career, Hulda asks for, and is allowed, one more case: a cold case, supposedly "solved" by one of her lazier colleagues, involving a Russian immigrant woman who was found drowned under possibly nefarious circumstances. It was ruled a suicide, but the young woman had just received word that she would be allowed to stay in Iceland ...

Meanwhile, Hulda is enjoying a suddenly burgeoning romance with a handsome, widowed doctor. His was a character that could've been more developed. One couldn't be blamed for thinking he was SO too-good-to-be-true that he seemed like he could end up being the killer. Ragnar makes up for the two dimensionality of the doctor beau by going deep into Hulda's past and treating us to her sad past: memories of her unhappy childhood, when she was put into care from birth to age 2 at the insistence of her grandparents (her mother was young and unmarried and there was a scandal). We also get insights into Hulda's marriage to her husband, who died young (perhaps also under mysterious circumstances?). Hulda is prickly, but I ended up feeling quite fond of her and rooting for her, both personally and professionally.

Hulda circles around the case, getting breadcrumbs of information and no help at all (and sometimes hindrance) from her boss, who is just over the whole thing. She puts her feet wrong a few times, and her mistakes are not inconsiderable. It's an unusual thing to see in a mystery heroine: she well and truly screws up on a couple of occasions, and it's not the usual situation where she's just secretly brilliant and no one understands her methods. It's very humanizing.

Which is what makes it all the more distressing when <spoiler>Hulda solves the whole mess, once she has arrived to a remote location with a witness ... who turns out to be the perpetrator of the crime. I was super bummed to turn the page and arrive at a scene of Hulda's memorial service as a missing person. Seeing a first chapter of the "next" book in the series, set 25 years previous, did little to make me feel better. Heavy sigh.</spoiler>

I will definitely be reading the other Ragnar books after having enjoyed this one so much (ending notwithstanding, of course).

4.5 Stars

I’ve had a love affair with Nordic Noir for quite a while, but Ragnar Jónasson’s atmospheric description of the gorgeous yet frigidly cold and desolate mountains and dark, icy shores in The Darkness, the first book in his new “Hidden Iceland” series makes me want to hop on the nearest plane to visit Iceland, a place that has long been on my bucket list. More than that though, the writing is excellent with a plot as chilling as the landscape and Detective Inspector Hulda Hermansdottir is a brilliantly drawn character and one of the best fictional detectives I’ve had the pleasure of encountering. This is really such a spectacular book!

Hulda is 64 years old and months away from retiring from her job as Detective Inspector at the Reykjavik Police or so she thinks until she comes into work and is told by her boss, Magnús, she’s being replaced by a younger, up-and-coming male detective who has already been assigned her office and her caseload. Oh, and Magnús wants her to clean out her desk within the next two weeks. Hulda is obviously upset at being forced into early retirement, but she has no say in the matter since this is a male-dominated field and she’s made no friends in the workplace in all the time she’s worked there. All she can do is put up enough resistance that Magnús gives her permission to spend her last two weeks working on any cold case she’d like. If Hulda’s going to be forced to leave her job, then she plans on solving one last big case and ending her career on a high.

The case Hulda looks into is of the death of a Russian immigrant named Elena, who’d applied for political asylum. Her death was ruled a suicide by Hulda’s colleague Alexander, but Hulda is convinced her colleague did shoddy detective work, especially after she finds out Elena’s petition for asylum was granted the day before she was found dead so there was no motive for suicide. The more Hulda discovers about Elena and begins to follow the evidence not only is she more convinced the girl was murdered but she becomes entangled in secrets more sinister and menacing than even she’d envisioned possible when starting her investigation.

Hulda is a complex and intriguing character. I love how she’s written as a bit gruff and aloof yet when you get to know her and her backstory, everything begins to make sense about why she is the way she is. Since this is the first in the series, I especially find it intriguing and absolutely ingenious that the next two books in the series work their way backward in telling Hulda’s story, so we next get to meet Hulda as a young woman decades in the past and understand what caused her to become the way she is when she is older. I’m more than excited to read the next books and wish I could read Icelandic, but alas, I will anxiously wait for them to be translated in English and grab The Island, book #2, as soon as it’s available in 2019!

Oh, and this ending! I almost fell off my couch! It was completely unexpected and one of the best endings that I’ve read in a very long time. It was shocking but also extremely emotional too. I cried. I admit it. What a journey this book is but I loved every unexpected suspenseful twist and turn. This might be my first book by Ragnar Jónasson, but it won’t be my last! I highly recommend The Darkness, which comes out October 16, 2018. It’s one cold case that might prove too hot to handle for DI Hulda Hermannsdóttir, and you don’t want to miss it!

**Thank you NetGalley and Minotaur Books for the ARC to read in exchange for my fair and honest review.**

I actually enjoyed most of The Darkness by Ragnar Jónasson. It introduces a new series, and apparently is a trilogy told in reverse order. In this first book, we meet Hulda Hermannsdóttir, a 64-year-old detective in Reykjavik who is suddenly told she's retiring. Time to use up her vacation and put her feet up. That's not at all what she wants to do. She lives in a barren apartment and has no friends or family - nor does she have good relationships with her fellow detectives. The good news is she's a fine detective who won't go out without a fight. She picks up a cold case - a Russian woman who disappeared from an asylum shelter - and has only a few days to solve it, even though nobody else has the slightest interest in the case.

The title is apt. It's a really dark story - not because the case is especially gruesome or twisted (though we do get some of the story from the perspective of a Russian woman who faces danger in a snowy, remote, bitterly cold place) but because there's nothing much redeeming in Hulda's life. Gradually we come to learn the family tragedy hinted at throughout the story was particularly awful, so no wonder there's so little light in Hulda's life, but if it weren't for her detecting, she'd be pretty dour company. The ending is a shocker - and though I can't say much without a spoiler, I actually hated it, partly because I had just read another book with a similar ending. (I should probably add that the reviews I've seen think the ending is stunning. For me, not in a good way.) Hopefully it was just a chance thing, reading two books back to back that had a similar twist at the end, but if this is a trend I'm going to be really grumpy.

The next books in the trilogy step back by the decade - to a case when Hulda was in her fifties (The Island), then one in her forties (The Mist).

"The body of a young Russian woman washes up on an Icelandic shore. After a cursory investigation, the death was declared a suicide and the case is quietly closed.

Over a year later Detective Inspector Hulda Hermannsdóttir of the Reykjavík police is forced into early retirement at 64. She dreads the loneliness and the memories of her dark past that threatens to come back to haunt her. But before she leaves she is given two weeks to solve a single cold case of her choice.

She knows which one: the Russian woman whose hope for asylum ended on the dark, cold shore of an unfamiliar country. Soon Hulda discovers that another young woman vanished at the same time and that no one is telling her the whole story. Even her colleagues in the police seem determined to put the brakes on her investigation. Meanwhile, the clock is ticking.

Hulda will find the killer, even if it means putting her own life in danger"

I'd heard great things about this author, so I was excited to read The Darkness

This is the first Scand-Noir book that I've read, set in Iceland featuring widow and Detective Inspector Hulda. The first in a new series in which Jonasson writes a crime story with very strong psychological elements and twists. The story links perfectly three different narratives: one is the story about the investigation of Elena's death, another is the story of a young woman who after a one night stand with an American is forced to give up her baby daughter, and the last one is of a woman who describes her feelings of insecure when she goes out with a man, and he takes her on a dangerous outdoor adventure in the snowy mountainous landscape of Iceland.

Hulda was an intriguing character, someone with secrets of her own, what makes you want to know more about her life. I'm looking forward to reading about her younger years in the sequel. My experience reading this Nordic Noir book was extremely enjoyable, I loved the descriptive nature of this book, Jonasson writing style is brilliant, love how he describes the cold and desolate beautiful landscape of Iceland. This is a great and entertaining read, it was what I expected it to be and the ending comes out of the blue and leaves you breathless. A dark tale for those who enjoy reading Scandinavian Crime.

My rating for the Darkness is 4.5

Thank you to St. Martin Press and NetGalley who provided me with an ecopy of this book in exchange for an honest review. The thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own. #TheDarkness #NetGalley

An interesting character study of a lonely police detective forced to retire. The Darkness is another character as is the beautiful isolation of Iceland.

Hulda is 64. She is dreading retiring to her lonely apartment when her superior tells she has been replaced effectively in two weeks. He allows her to investigate one cold case. She selects a drowned Russian girl who was awaiting asylum in a remote hostel. Was her death an accident, suicide or murder?

Telling three alternating stories of an unwed mother forced to give up her daughter in the 1940s, Hulda’s investigation and a mysterious woman’s adventure in the Icelandic winter. The Darkness is a slow-simmering tale rather than a thriller. The mystery was extremely easy to solve. However, Hulda’s story is an interesting one. Plus the exceptional conclusion has to be read to be believed.

The Darkness is recommended for literary fiction fans rather than those readers looking for an exciting thriller or challenging mystery. This is a tale within a tale within a tale. 4 stars!

Thanks to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for an advance copy.

I don't think I've ever read a story set in Iceland before, so the setting alone was a huge bonus for me. But what stands out for me even more is the main character of The Darkness. Yes, she is a detective with a complicated past, which may sound as a cliche... But this is all forgotten as we finally have an older main character to follow; DI Hulda Hermannsdottir is 64 and almost retiring, and getting to see her at this point in her life is truly refreshing. The Darkness is both about Hulda and the secrets of her past and the death of an asylum seeker from Russia. While a bit slow at point, the development of the plot and plot twists is well done and this story definitely has some surprises in store for you. And that ending! I wish I could understand Icelandic so I could find out what happens next... I'm fully intrigued. There are three different POVs to deal with, one of them set in the past, and all add something to the plot even though it takes a while to figure out how everything connects. The writing is solid and reads easily, and despite a slower pace at times The Darkness is still a very good detective thriller.

The Darkness both has an interesting setting and a strong main character to build a story around. I really appreciated to finally have an older main character, and Hulda is without doubt a very interesting one to follow. The mystery around her past and the cold case she is investigating will keep you on your toes, making the slower parts less noticeable. And what a shocking ending! I definitely didn't see some of the reveals coming. Talk about ending things with a blast... I will be looking forward to book two.

An Interesting First Book of a New Series

The novel opens with the 64 year old heroine, Detective Inspector Hulda Hermannsdóttir of the Reykjavík Police, interviewing a woman concerning a hit-and-run of a pedophile. During this interview, Hulda made what might be the worst mistake of her police career. While Hulda understood that she will be retiring soon, she hasn’t come to terms with it yet. The next day she received an e-mail from her boss who wanted to talk to her that morning. During that meeting, her boss announced he is replacing her and she is to retire in two weeks as she has adequate leave on the books. He has reassigned all her cases. Hulda argued against this but the boss won. In the last two weeks Hulda as her boss if she could investigate a cold case. Without really thinking, her boss agrees. Hulda selects the case of a death of a young Russian woman who was seeking asylum. Her body had washed up on a remote shore a year earlier. It was ruled a suicide, but Hulda had followed the case second hand and was suspicious of the determination. The novel takes off from here. Hulda fines that the investigation was sloppy, missing details, inconsistent information easily discovered, and obvious witnesses never interviewed. Soon, Hulda fines herself with an angry college, an angry boss, and a mystery that keeps becoming more complex. It had captured my interest. I finished this novel in half of my usual time.

There is a second storyline about a young woman who finds herself pregnant by a soldier stationed briefly in Iceland after World War II and now is back in the United States. Her parents want her to give the baby up for adoption, but the young woman will have it. This story unfolds every few chapters. Near the end, the author folds this into the main storyline.

The B-storyline deals almost exclusively with Hulda in the main storyline. She is a widow, lost a daughter to suicide, and does not make friends well both inside and outside of work. The pending retirement and money weigh heavily upon her. One bright spot is a friendship she has made with Pétur from a walking club. Throughout the novel, each of these aspects of Hulda are explored. This made Hulda a real and complex character.

There is only a very few uses of vulgar language and all context appropriate. There are not any graphic or otherwise sex scenes. Readers should not be offended while reading this novel. The translator was British, so some British slang is used. I find it strange that Icelanders would use British slang. I did have to use the dictionary on the Kindle and the Internet to understand some of the British slang used.

When I started reading this novel, I had a question as to why a new mystery/thriller series would start right before the retirement of the heroine from the police force. When I finished reading this novel, I had the answer to this question. There is one aspect of this novel that I did not like; it was the ending. I do not require or desire “happily ever after” ending. The capturing and holding of my attention is my primary criteria for a high rating, but this ending lessened my overall enjoyment. Therefore, I rate this novel with four stars. I am waiting and want to read the next book in this series.

I have received a free kindle version of this novel through NetGalley from St. Martin's Press with a request for an honest, unbiased review. I wish to thank St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read this novel early.

Ragnar Jonasson’s Dark Iceland series is one of my favorite series of all time. With each new installment I am transported to Iceland to reconnect with characters who have become old friends. Everything I love about The Dark Iceland series can also be found in The Darkness - vivid descriptions of beautiful yet treacherous landscapes, a simmering mystery, and an endearing protagonist.

At age 64 Detective Inspector Hulda Hermannsdóttir is quickly approaching retirement from the Reykjavik police. When Hulda’s boss moves up her retirement effective immediately, she is hurt, angry, and frightened. She will now be forced to face deep seeded secrets and fears sooner than she expected. As a parting gift, her boss allows her two additional weeks to work on a case of her choice. A year ago, a young Russian woman seeking asylum in Iceland was found dead on the coast of the Reykjanes peninsula; about 18 miles from Reykjavik. Every person Hulda questions has something to hide and no one seems to care about the death of the young woman. What Hulda uncovers could result in not only the end of her career but her life as well.

Retirement is normally one of life’s milestones and something most people look forward to. For Hulda, who is without a family and minimal financial resources, retirement is something to fear and dread. More than anything she fears the loneliness of a life without work. Throughout her career she has always been a loner with few friends but she was surrounded by the bustle of a police station and the nature of the job forced her to interact with people. Without work, there will be no distraction - Hulda worries being alone will force all of her demons to surface. This is the most heartbreaking aspect of Hulda’s story. To overcome everything Hulda has had to endure only to be left alone is truly tragic. Readers will cheer Hulda on as she struggles to solve her last case.

As I stated in the opening, everything I loved about The Dark Iceland series can be found in The Darkness. However there are many elements which make The Darkness very different from The Dark Iceland series. At 64, Hulda is the oldest detective I have read. While Ari Thor, the lead character of The Dark Iceland series is in his late 20’s. When reading books by the same author, I have sometimes noticed that the author changes they're writing style so much that I could not tell I was reading the same author. I could not find the component which made me want to read more of the author’s work. Jonasson has managed to carry over his atmospheric and enthralling style over to The Darkness yet the story is completely original; displaying his ability to be diverse while maintaining the staples which made me want to read everything he writes.

In addition to being atmospheric and reminiscent of Agatha Christie, Jonasson also uses time to make his books more intriguing. In The Darkness readers meet Hulda at the end of her career. The next book of the trilogy, The Island will take place 25 years before the events of The Darkness. Some readers may find this odd, I did as well. But knowing how Hulda’s story is going to end will not dissuade me from reading the next book of the trilogy. I am extremely excited to read The Island, to learn why Hulda is a loner, why she has a distant relationship with her co-workers. At 64 Hulda is a tenacious and dedicated police officer. 25 years earlier at the height of her career, I imagine she was a force to reckon with.

Hulda’s retirement looms over the story creating a ticking clock effect. If Hulda does not solve this case, it will not be solved. This ticking clock made The Darkness addictive and riveting. I was excited to see how the story ended but I did not want it to end. Similar to The Dark Island series, The Darkness features Iceland as a co-main character with it’s harsh weather and unforgiving forces of nature. Readers who loved The Dark Iceland series must add The Darkness to their list of must reads.


Murder and Moore Rating :

4 out of 5 Stars

Ragnar Jónasson has rapidly turned into my favorite Nordic crime fiction writer. Iceland comes to life under his pen. Give this man snow and the endless dark days of winter, and he's fully capable of giving readers a severe case of claustrophobia to go along with his well-paced and -plotted mysteries. This newest trilogy opens with a bang. The Darkness is a superb character study of Detective Inspector Hulda Hermannsdóttir.

The Darkness takes place at the end of May, when Iceland is getting warmer and brighter in advance of July when the sun never sets. These lengthening days are bringing things to light that have been buried in darkness for a long time. Yes, the book title is very symbolic and becomes even moreso the farther one reads.

One of the ways the darkness is dispelled in this novel is by alternating chapters told in different voices. One of the voices is easily identified as that of a young Russian woman, but it takes a few chapters before the reader realizes that Hulda's backstory is slowly unfolding. Be forewarned: this is not a happy book. Hulda has had many harsh things happen to her throughout her life, and as a result she's not Little Miss Mary Sunshine. Having had some of the same things happen to me, I identified with this woman very closely-- even while I was mentally trying to tell her not to do some of the things she did during her investigation.

By the time you come to the end of The Darkness, you will realize that this series does not start out in a conventional manner. Not only that, but the story itself does not advance in a linear fashion. However, I did not find it at all confusing. No, I found it brilliant. The Darkness is marvelous reading for those who find it easier to empathize with characters. Hulda Hermannsdóttir has gotten under my skin, and I can't wait to read the next book in this trilogy.

The Darkness is the first book in a series. The story follows Hulda Hermansdottir. Hulda works for Icelandic police and at 64 she is preparing herself for retirement. Hulda loves her job, and is not adjusting well to the idea of being out of work. Without any notice, Hulda is called into her bosses office one day, and told that she is to retire ahead of schedule in two weeks in order to make room for her replacement to take her office. Left in complete shock, Hulda pleads with her boss to allow her to take on one last case, a cold case, just something to keep her occupied through her last few weeks.

Hulda takes over the case of Elena, a Russian asylum seeker, who’s body showed up in an isolated cove. The original investigation quickly ruled her death a suicide and her file was pushed away into the stacks. Hulda isn’t convinced that the original investigation was handled properly, and she decides to take a second look at the case herself. Elena has few friends in Iceland and few people had memory of her, so digging up fresh information wasn’t easy. Hulda keeps on digging and eventually is led to a Syrian refugee who knew Elena, and it is this refugee that spills the beans on another Russian asylum seeker named Katja who had mysteriously disappeared a few months before Elena. It turns out the two women were friends. Elena’s disappearance was written off as another asylum seeker skipping out to avoid a deportation. Hulda is not so sure and she doggedly pursues all leads. Her determination leads her to cross a line, and Hulda finds herself in hot water, and her boss tell her she only has 24 to close her case, and that she will be forced to retire after that. The closer Hulda comes to the truth; however, the more dangerous her investigation becomes. There is still someone around who doesn’t want Hulda to find out what happened to Elena.

The Darkness is a thriller full of people with secrets. Hulda is an atypical heroine, who is damaged and who herself has secrets. You can’t help but root for her. The novel ends on a bittersweet note. The storyline is fast paced, and entertaining. A strong start. Looking forward to rest of the series.

This was a very good mystery and police procedural. I read it quickly and so enjoyed the Icelandic setting, where the location itself became such an integral part of the story. The main character, Hulda, a Reykjavik police detective, was tragic and very likable. She is on the cusp of retirement, and being forced out early by younger staff. I have read a few books by this author and enjoyed them, and look forward to reading more. Recommended for those who enjoy this genre, as well as those who are just discovering!

Detective Inspector Hulda Hermannsdóttir is blindsided when her boss tells her that her position has been filled months ahead of her upcoming retirement. Hilda is given two weeks to work on a cold case of her choosing and picks the case of a young woman from Russia who was seeking asylum in Iceland but died under suspicious circumstances. Hulda, who is dreading retirement, welcomes the opportunity to hold onto her job for a little longer and possibly get long overdue justice for Elena.

“The Darkness” is the first in a new series by Ragnar Jónasson. The book is well-written, but is not the typical police procedural. I liked the premise of this series that Hulda refuses to give on her job even when it’s clear her experience is no longer valued. The narrative alternates between chapters told from Hulda’s point of view, scenes told from the point of view of an unknown young woman, and chapters told from the point of view of a young mother. I was correctly able to tie the young mother’s chapters to the main plot, but was surprised by how the other chapters fit in with the whole story.

The more the reader gets to know Hulda, the more tragic of a character she is. The atmosphere of most of the book is dark and oppressive, in spite of the bright Iceland summer sun. In spite of that, I was hoping she, as well as Elena, would be vindicated. However, even in Hulda’s happier moments in the book, there is a strong foreboding of tragedy. The book includes several shocking twists, both in the investigation and in what the reader learns about Hulda’s personal life. Even though clues were there, I was still stunned by the bleak ending. This was a game-changer for me and although there is another book planned for this series, I don’t think I could enjoy it knowing what I do from this book. Even though there are aspects of the book I enjoyed, this isn’t the series for me.

I received this book from NetGalley, through the courtesy of Minotaur books. The book was provided to me in exchange for an honest review.