Ebook/Mystery: When I saw all the names of "the cast" at the beginning of the book, red flags went up, especially because the publisher/editor decided not to Americanize the names. Right after I started the ARC, I almost put it down for good, but I went back and read the summary. Murder at the Icelandic lava pits in a futuristic hotel and a uber rich famous family with issues. I had to put my Kindle on text-to-speech to finish it. The pronunciation were difficult and ruined the flow of the novel. Male names sounded feminine and female names sounded masculine.
Ever since I read Dragon Tattoo, I have been interested in murder plots in Scandinavia, but this book dropped the popular multi narrator, which I hate.

What we know very early on in this Icelandic Noir is that someone has dove off a small cliff, and a lowly copper with no head for heights at all is investigating. What else we very quickly discern is that two days beforehand a large and very rich family gathering started taking place nearby – they'd booked the entire pretentious hotel out, installed themselves, and tried to celebrate their forefathers and not let current tiffs, past spats and everything else get in the way. What followed between then and the potential murder less than forty-eight hours later is what we have to read through to discover.

The issue here is also one you really can pick up on very early on – not a single person here is at all likeable. One of the main focus points is a woman in the family, and in amongst all the rest we have to suffer her thoughts on the hotel based on her interior design job. Unknown to her, her teenaged daughter has a dodgy follower on social media, but we can't really worry too much about the Insta-obsessed girl. Other characters might have some interest based on what we're drip-fed about the machinations within the family industry, but they're encountered through a bizarrely puritanical viewpoint where their drinking is concerned. And as for the weirdly simpering hotel staff member…

That said, this is not an ungainly look at hateable types – although the joy, if any, is surely seeing their soapy lives come out, with this revelation, that hidden memory, that sozzled confession… The counter to that, however, is that when we see this issue, that problem, that dilemma, that slice of someone's past, we see all of them so thinly and shallowly it's as if they're on a mood board, and not given to real characters. We don't get to look at one specific theme with any depth or richness, like the post-natal depression of Girls Who Lie, the other book in this loose series I've encountered.

If there is an over-reaching purpose of this it is to be an anti-social media novel, pointing out – to an Icelandic population that literally has an open register of everyone so you know you're free to roll around a bed without causing incest – that fake names, dodgy registration and an obsession in saying where you are on a small island is not exactly healthy. But would that not have been better if we'd wished these people stay alive? The whole thing is padded out to great length – if we knew who had gone over the cliff it would save a mountain of detail – and I still think we ought to regret people being murdered, stalked, near-raped and so on. Not here, in this readable but flawed slog.

You Can't See Me by Eva Bjorg Egisdottir is the fourth book in Forbidden Iceland Series which I didn't realise at the time of requesting this book. However, I had no problem getting into the story. I will definitely go back and read the series from the beginning.

This is a character driven, slow burn thriller. The story is well told, clues are clearly shown for readers to follow. Even though it is steady to slow paced there is not a dull moment. It could have been just a bit shorter in my opinon.
There are many characters yet it is not difficult at all to keep track of them.
The setting is very atmospheric, there is constant feeling of doom, cold and islation which works very well with the story.
There is also an ever present feeling that something really bad is about to happen.

I think this would be a great choice for someone just starting with this genre as for those who enjoy slower paced and heavy on the character building thrillers.

You Can't See Me is nordic noir at it's finest. Set in Iceland, a family reunion takes place with an interesting cast of characters. Each has their on vice and when someone disappears it seems that everyone is a suspect.

The Snæfellsnes Peninsula in western Iceland is the setting of Eva Bjorg Aegisdottir’s latest Icelandic thriller, You Can’t See Me. Formed by a millennium of erosion and volcanic eruptions, the rough terrain is peppered with black and white sand beaches, and basalt columns. The peninsula is a place of contradictions: hard stone and delicate fauna; jagged rock and cascading waterfalls; bright midnight sun summers and dark winter solstices where the Aurora Borealis puts on its spectacular show. This is the place the Snæberg clan has chosen for th eirfamily reunion.

The Snaeberg family is as formidable and contradictory as the peninsula. Each member has a secret hidden that can (and in some cases has) affected others (mostly in bad ways). Tensions—fueled by alcohol and proximity—erupt to the surface, and ripple through the already disingenuous and spiteful members that may—or may not—culminate in murder.

The only really likable character is Ari: the mostly absent brother of Lea. She is hooked to social media where she is conducting an online relationship with a boy, while trying to stave off a virtual stalker. Petra—their mother—knows nothing about what is happening to her family. She is caught up in ruminating about her past and her unhappy marriage. Along with her cousins, aunts, uncles, and grandparents, lies and secrets that have been buried for years slowly come out. This is one very dysfunctional and creepy family.

This book is a twisty ride up to the last pages. By utilizing alternating time frames of “Now” and “Two/One/The Evening Before/The Early Hours of and Now”, we are drawn into the backstories and psyches of many of the characters (all of which are quite unreliable). Much of what you believe at the beginning of the story will most likely to be proven wrong by the time you reach its dazzling conclusion. I highly recommend this book.

I would like to thank NetGalley and Orenda Books for the opportunity to read and review this book.

A very well known and wealthy Icelandic family, are having a reunion. They have rented out an entire hotel. This hotel is very beautiful and very isolated. When things start going wrong. Everyone seems to have something to hide. This book is the fourth in a amazing series. I have read them all. This book was very different from the other three. But I absolutely loved it. This book is focused on the family. Less to do with the detectives. I wasn't sure if that would bother me. But it didn't. This author pulled me into this family drama and I couldn't look away. This was the perfect locked room mystery.

I was very excited to be approved for a review copy of this book, as I read one of this author's previous books, The Creak on the Stairs, for my book club a few years ago, and I really enjoyed it. I remember saying at the time, that I would be interested in reading something else by this author, and so I had high expectations.

It was a pleasure to read this Icelandic thriller. Just like with the previous book, I felt the atmosphere from the very first page. Dark, gritty, absorbing. I think the author has a wonderful way of bringing the characters to life, giving them an entire existence, without telling the reader much about them at all. Reading this, I almost felt as though I was there, and somehow involved in what was going on. The suspense was addictive, and I had to read this in one sitting because it was impossible to put it down.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for a free copy to review.

A wealthy family gathering in a remote hotel, secrets spilling out, and someone goes missing? 🤔 Sign me up! It sounds like the perfect blend of suspense and family drama. I mean, who doesn't love a good "rich and famous" family with skeletons in their closet? 💔

And that Icelandic setting? ❄️ Gives me the shivers just thinking about it! The isolated landscape, the dark lava fields, and the eerie hotel... it's like the perfect recipe for a chilling mystery. 🍲

As a huge fan of Scandinavian literature, I'm always on the lookout for new authors and stories that capture that unique, atmospheric, and often eerie vibe. And “You can’t see me” seems to fit the bill! 💫
The author's got some serious skills when it comes to building tension and making you question everyone's motives. 🤔 It's like a puzzle you can't stop trying to solve!

Unfortunately this book just wasn’t for me. I wasn’t drawn to the characterisation of a single character. I also wasn’t particularly intrigued by the family dynamics or the mystery. I’m not sure how much the fact that it’s a translation played a part, although I don’t usually have this problem with translations.

10 stars!!! Masterful, intelligent, and complex mystery that will keep you hooked until the end, no exaggeration. An isolated hotel in Iceland - A rich family with many secrets, past and present, and many misdeeds circling like vultures, alone for the weekend in a blizzard with limited staff. No spoilers, but the multitude of sins, angst, guilt, and regret build to a satisfying finale, of sorts. Highly recommend all the Forbidden Iceland books.

The story takes place the weekend of a family reunion, focusing primarily on three members of the family: Petra, her teenage daughter Lea, and Tryggvi, a boyfriend to Petra’s aunt who seems to have a tragic past. Also prominent is Irma, a hotel employee with an overly enthusiastic interest in this prominent and well known family.

Somebody at the hotel that weekend dies. Sævar and Hörður are the detectives assigned to the case and every couple of chapters we are transported forwards in time to the present day. Little clues are trickled in throughout the story about who that person may be. The family had rented out the entire hotel for the reunion, so it seems likely that it is someone in the family. In addition to some clues around the identity of the victim, we also begin to learn about the family dynamics, secret past issues that the members of the family are struggling with, and their vices.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I look forward to reading more from this author! The little glimpses into the detective team made me realize there is likely more to uncover about them in previous and future books in the Forbidden Iceland Series.

Thanks to Orenda Books and NetGalley for the ARC of You Can’t See Me by Eva Björg Ægisdóttir

I don't normally do books with detectives but I opened this one and was instantly hooked. The setting is divine! There are a lot of characters but they're all interesting.
I don't know. I just loved it all. The ending especially!

The Snæberg family reunion brings together a large group to a luxury eco-hotel in Snaefellsnes, Iceland. The Snæbergs are wealthy and well-known in Iceland, but one of the party ends up dead. Who died? Who did it? And why? You Can’t See Me, I prequel to the Forbidden Iceland series, answers these questions.

I thought this book was interesting. I liked the Icelandic setting, and I hadn’t read any other books in the series, but that didn’t matter. I did think there are too many characters, which could get confusing at times. Part of the ending was predictable and the other part I didn’t guess.

Thank you to Net Galley and Orenda Books for an advanced copy of this novel.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher, Orenda Books, for letting me read and review an advanced copy of this book, You Can’t See Me, by Eva Björg Aegisdóttir.

Whatever could go wrong when a wealthy Icelandic family plans to gather the whole group at an isolated new Hotel near the lava fields to celebrate the birthday of the patriarch? They book the whole place, so they can just be themselves with no onlookers. The problem, they all have their own personal baggage that they bring with them. Wealth does not guarantee a life well lived. They have a host of group activities planned, and plenty of drinking opportunities.

This story is told in two timelines; the aftermath of a suspicious death, and all of what happened before it. There are many secrets to uncover, some of which reveal surprise family relationships and some that lead to tragedy. All this takes place in scenic Iceland locations, making it an interesting read.

You Can’t See Me by Eva Björg Ægisdóttir

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this eARC.

I really love this author's writing style, but I love Scandinavian mysteries.

You Can't See Me is the fourth installment in the Forbidden Iceland series, but it can be read as a standalone prequel to the previous books. The author takes us back to the origins of the Snæberg family, a wealthy and influential clan that hides dark secrets and twisted relationships behind a facade of respectability. The story begins with a family reunion at a futuristic hotel in the remote Snæfellsnes peninsula, where the Snæbergs have gathered to celebrate the 80th birthday of their patriarch, Sigurður. However, the festivities are soon interrupted by a mysterious disappearance, followed by a gruesome discovery on the nearby lava fields. As the police investigate, they uncover a web of lies, betrayals, and crimes that span generations and implicate almost everyone in the family. The author skillfully weaves together multiple perspectives and timelines, revealing the complex and troubled history of the Snæbergs and their connection to the hotel employee Irma, who has her own agenda and secrets. The characters are well-developed and realistic, each with their own flaws and motivations. The reader is kept guessing until the very end, as the author delivers a shocking twist that changes everything. You Can't See Me is a gripping and atmospheric thriller that explores the themes of family, loyalty, revenge, and justice. Fans of Nordic noir and psychological suspense will enjoy this dark and compelling read.

If you enjoy authors such as Jo Nesbo it Dana Stabenow, them you should give this wonderful author a read, you might find the series as enjoyable as I do!

WARNING: it's another unpopular opinion review!!

Right... I'm still not sure what happened to be honest. I loved the first two Forbidden Iceland books, so I fully expected to love my time with this prequel as well. Technically I still have to read book three, but since I didn't have a copy yet and You Can't See Me is set before the first two books, I thought reading it first wouldn't be a problem. Sadly, book four didn't hit the mark for me AT ALL, and this had nothing to do with reading the series out of order and everything with the fact that You Can't See Me is nothing like the first two books of the series.

If you are excited to meet up with main character Elma again and/or wonder how she was like before the first two books: no can do, because this prequel is set before her time. It makes you wonder if it's really a prequel if the most prominent character doesn't show up... My main issue lies with the fact that instead of the detective thriller I was expecting after the first two books, You Can't See Me read more like an exposure of a truly messed up, rich and famous Icelandic family. Not necessarily a bad thing, but not what I was expecting nor what I was in the mood for.

One of the things I struggled with most was the fact that there are a kazillion different characters and POVs, basically making my brain hurt as I tried to keep them all apart and remember how they were connected... I'm sure the 38-40°C heatwave wasn't helping either. Add the fact that they are all extremely flawed, unlikeable and seemingly filled to the brim with secrets and unpleasant habits, and I honestly couldn't care less about what happened to any of them. And what's with all the excessive alcohol and drinking? Seriously, it seemed like the guests were basically downing one drink after the other during the whole weekend... I can get one or maybe two being an alcoholic, but this just seemed way too over the top to be credible.

I wasn't a fan of the plot structure either. The story switches between the police POV in the present and a short time in the past with a multiple POV structure. The police chapters are way too short though, and as a result the whole police procedural part of the plot seemed to be buried under a pile of family drama, secrets and horrible characters. The multiple POV structure was considerably confusing, with too many POV switches within the same chapter that made it both hard to keep track and get a proper feel for each character.

I do have to say that I loved the remote hotel setting, and it made for the perfect backdrop for this story. The descriptions are atmospheric and the bleak and unforgiving surroundings give the story that ominous vibe. This was probably the only thing that worked for me this time around though; with the police investigation hardly present and all the focus on the cast of characters, I struggled to find the motivation to keep reading. In fact, I confess that I started skimreading long before the halfway mark... The fact that we know that there is a body, but you don't even find out who it is until the very end only adds to the disappointment. Combine this with despicable behavior after despicable behavior, and I stopped caring about who died LONG before it was finally revealed.

I'm never a fan of more slowburn and character-driven family drama stories, and that is basically what you get with You Can't See Me. It's nothing like the first two books, and in this case not in a good way. I seem to be in the minority though, so this story will probably work better for you if you think the issues I mentioned won't bother you. Just make sure not to expect a proper police procedural!

You Can't See Me is a mystery thriller by Icelandic author Eva Björg Ægisdóttir that has been translated into English. This book could easily also be categorized in the "Complicated Families" genre. The leading business family in Iceland has rented out a hotel for their family reunion. On the third day, they are there, they wake up to find one of their number missing and dead. This book is told from multiple points of view before the murder happens and also from the point of view of the investigator after the murder has occurred. We don't even know who died until the end of the book, but you will find yourself wondering all along since multiple people could have been the perpetrator and the victim.

I read this book in one day, staying up until I finished it. When I started reading it, I already knew that I was going to enjoy it and told myself I should pace my reading so that I could read it over a week's time. Well, that went out the window as I told myself, "Just one more chapter" at every single chapter.

In this book, there are plenty of characters to like, plenty to dislike and many that you will find yourself both loving and hating at different parts of the book. Families are complicated and this one absolutely delivers on complexity.

One note: this book does deal with violence toward women, but nothing so graphic that bothered me. I have a very sensitive trigger and I was okay with this book.

I highly recommend this book. I will be watching for more from this author.

I liked the Nordic twisty mystery of this book set on Iceland. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for letting me review this book.

Rounded up from 3.5 stars.

I loved "Succession." I love Iceland. So of course I couldn't resist a book pitched as "'Succession' in Iceland." While "You Can't See Me" doesn't have the backstabbing, double-crossing, and black humor of "Succession," it does dissect a wealthy, powerful family and divulge its torturous secrets. It also does a great job of depicting Iceland's unique geography and ambience.

The story is told via four first-person narrators and a third-person omniscient narrator. Unfortunately all the narrators sounded alike. Given that two were immensely rich and two were working class, that was a big miss for me. I was also annoyed that much of the denouement hinged on a coincidence, though given Iceland's relatively small population I was willing to let that slide.

Despite those caveats, I enjoyed "You Can't See Me," its milieu, and its brisk pace. If you like Nordic mysteries or are searching for a quick read, this will fill the bill.

The Snæberg family should really start up their own chapter of Alcoholics Anonymous. I mean, I get it, I'm not much of a drinker and I'd probably feel the need to drink copiously if I had to spend that much time trapped in a hotel with my family, too. But there are only a few characters who don't spend the entire book stumbling around drunk, and the majority of them are hotel employees. Sheesh.

But, with that said, I mostly enjoyed this book. It's a slow burn of a thriller and the important details are revealed at a very, very leisurely pace, but it was kind of like watching a slow-motion train wreck – I just couldn't look away. The Snæbergs are one hot mess of a family.

And speaking of the Snæbergs, there are a whole lot of them. I gave up on trying to remember who was who pretty early on and just consulted the family tree whenever I got too confused. They're also not very nice people for the most part, so don't expect to find very many sympathetic characters here. Almost every family member has a secret or two that they're withholding from the others, and some of them are pretty awful – it's really a wonder that only one of them winds up dead at the bottom of a cliff.

The mystery itself is well-written – you know at the beginning of the story that someone has died, but you don't know who until the very end. There are lots of red herrings related to the deceased's identity, and I personally didn't guess who it might have been until right before the reveal. The ending is a little abrupt and there are a few subplots that don't really get much (or in some cases, any) closure, but overall it was a fairly satisfying conclusion.

You Can't See Me is technically the fourth book in a series, but since it's a prequel it really doesn't matter much. There's a small bit at the end that is obviously introducing the main character of the series, Elma, which seems a little out of place if you haven't read the other novels. Otherwise, though, it works perfectly well as a stand-alone and I didn't feel that I was missing out on anything by not having read the previous books.

My overall rating: 3.75, rounded up. If you like Icelandic noir and books about rich people behaving badly, you should consider giving this one a read.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Orenda Books for providing me with a copy of this book to review.