The story centers around a decades-old mystery in Iceland, where a mother and her baby are discovered buried in the snow. The mother’s throat has been slashed, and the baby drowned. The initial assumption is that the husband was responsible, especially since it’s often the most obvious suspect, and when he fled to California with their surviving son, it seemed like a done deal.

Now, a year after the man’s death, his granddaughter Agnes is on a mission to clear his name. Still recovering from a serious injury, she heads to Bifrost, Iceland, to participate in an interview for Nora Carver’s podcast. But shortly after Agnes arrives, a local girl goes missing, throwing the town into further turmoil.

This is one of those rare cases where I figured out the culprit right away. While the book had an interesting premise, it ended up feeling slow and at times tedious. Much of the action revolves around Agnes’s inner thoughts, which made the plot feel stagnant. The setting was fantastic, and the book wasn’t bad, but it didn’t quite capture my attention the way I hoped.

DNF, too slow, flat characters and I found myself not wanting to read it. That’s not a good sign. I’ve decided this year that if I’m not hooked by the second chapter I’m done.

💥 Pub Date: 1/14/2025

⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/5

• Nordic noir mystery
• chilling atmosphere
• unique characters

I found this to be more of a slow burn. It was a little too repetitive in parts, but the ending definitely paid off. The audio narrator really brought the story to life, and it was nice to know how to pronounce some of those Icelandic words!

🗣 Thank you to netgalley, St. Martin's Press, and macmillan.audio for the opportunity to read and review this book via both gifted eARC and audio! All opinions are honest and my own.

The Frozen Madonna and Child: a true crime podcast hosted by Nora Carver of The End. Forty years ago in Bifröst, Iceland, a young mother was found dead in the snow holding her infant daughter. Her throat had been cut and the baby drowned. The husband was the obvious suspect but he had an alibi. With the suspicion of the small town hanging over him, he eventually fled to California with his nine-year-old son, Magnus.

Now Agnes Glin, the granddaughter of Einar Pálsson, the suspected murderer, has come to Iceland to take part in Nora's podcast, hopefully to prove Einar's innocence. Agnes has had a bad year herself: her beloved grandfather has died, she's broken up with her girlfriend, she's recovering from a serious accident which wrecked both her knee and ankle and in the process of recovery, she's become addicted to opioids. Her father, Magnus, is furious with her for taking part in the program, thinking that the truth when uncovered will only bring shame to their family.

Upon arriving in Bifröst, Agnes learns that a young woman named Ása has gone missing after a party in the old farmhouse where Einar and his wife had lived and Nora's interest has shifted to include that crime as well. The townspeople are searching for her but...

As always with novels set in Iceland, the novel is dark and atmospheric with the weather and landscape being a big part of the story. I enjoyed spending some time there with these interesting if flawed characters. The story has a slow buildup to an absolutely riveting ending.

Many thanks to the author and publisher for providing me with an arc of this new mystery. My review is voluntary; the opinions expressed are my own.

Secrets and lies-and Iceland. Agnes is in Iceland at the invitation of Nora, a true crime podcaster who is delving into the old mystery of the murder of Agnes' grandmother and baby aunt, possibly at the hands of her beloved grandfather. And Asa, a young woman has gone missing. Larsen weaves these two together in a way that doesn't really work until the end (no spoilers). She spools out information slowly (a little too slowly), especially with regard to Agnes and her leg. The leg becomes almost another character as not a page or two passes without a reference the pain Agnes is suffering. The answers she seeks about her family are hard won but....no spoilers. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. I wanted to like this more than I did and I put that down to Agnes, who I found hard to root for. And I would have liked more about Nora.

The Lost House is a gripping psychological thriller that kept me hooked from the very first page. The author, Melissa Larsen, has written a story with intriguing characters using the Icelandic setting to enhance the sense of mystery. Agnes Glin's journey is both haunting and exciting as she uncovers family secrets and faces the truth about her grandfather, accused in an unsolved case involving the murder of his wife and child. The suspense is intense! Just when you think you know what's going on, Larsen throws in a surprise twist.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this advanced reader copy. I would give it more than 5 stars if I could! I really enjoyed the novel and would highly recommend it to readers who are looking for an edge-of-your seat thriller.

Agnes, broken-hearted from the death of her grandfather and the breakup with her ex, travels to Iceland, which may have cost her the one person left in her corner: her father. Agnes will find herself freezing and surrounded by breath-taking views and a lot of snow, to be apart of Nora's podcast focused on Agnes' family history.

It's cold and dark, twisty and perfectly addictive. Agnes is in a foreign country where her phone doesn't work, she doesn't speak the language, and due to an injury, unable to get around. In other words, she's at the mercy of Nora and those she meets around Bifröst--complete strangers, really. And when another woman goes missing mere days prior to Agnes' arrival, Agnes can't help but find herself wrapped up in the mystery in more ways than one.

It was dark, it was chilling, but oh-so-perfect! Every time I put the book down, all I could think about was picking it back up.

Agnes has just lost her grandfather, has a difficult relationship with her father, recently broke up with her girlfriend and still recovering from a horrific accident she has become addicted to pain killers.

When she is contacted by a podcast that is investigating the murder of her grandmother and aunt in Iceland before her family fled to America. Her grandfather has always been the main suspect and everyone in the small town in Iceland believes he was the culprit. She decides to go to Iceland and try to figure out what really happened.

When she gets there she sees a missing poster for a girl who looks remarkably like her. This missing case seems to take priority over the cold case of her grandmother.

This is well done mystery set in a remote location in a small town. All evidence points one way but Agnes has a feeling the new case and the old case may be connected. I found the book very readable and switched over to the audio for the second half and found the narrator to be engaging. This is more the slower, darker pace of a nordic thriller than the typical mystery. But I'm a huge Scandi Noir fan so it was perfect. Great way to start the year.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for an e-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book was so tragic to me! Forty years ago, a young mother and her child were found murdered in the Icelandic snow in a small town. The husband was of course the main suspect and he fled with his other child, a young son. The case was never solved.

Fast forward to today, and the granddaughter of the man who fled, Agnes, heads to the scene of the crime to see if she can figure out what happened, along with a true crimes podcast host, Nora.

The weekend that Agnes arrives, a young girl goes missing. Is this coincidence or is it tied to the tragedy from so long ago.

Told in different periods throughout the book, filled with twists and turns, love and tragedy, this was a lovely book and I'm looking forward to more from this author!

A riveting, well-paced murder mystery thriller. I connected with the main character, Agnes, with her flaws, chronic pain, and her family's dark backstory. Despite her pain from a bad injury to her knee and leg, and convinced of her grandfather's innocence, Agnes makes the trip from California to Bifröst, Iceland to meet with a podcaster digging into her grandmother and great aunt's cold case. She meets distant relatives and new friends, many of them holding pieces of the puzzle to solving the mystery. Her journey to the truth is difficult and riddled with obstacles, and I loved how the mystery unfolded. I highly recommend this book for fans of Nordic thrillers and murder mysteries.

The Lost House is a dramatic yet heartfelt story that still maintains a dark and mysterious vibe. I applaud the complexity that the author attempted…and pulled off brilliantly! The book mixes: a woman lost without the answers she craves about her family, a 30-year-old cold case, and a current day missing person. If not executed correctly, this could be one gigantic mess of a book, but it was really well done.

All the plot lines blended together seamlessly and the emotions of the main character added depth and a human connection that is refreshing for this genre of book! A very engaging and hard to put down crime fiction novel! I recommend to fans of the genre!

I received a free digital copy of The Lost House from the publisher, all opinions are my own .

The use of Iceland and its harsh winter landscape adds an eerie element, a la True Detective: Night County, and heightens the suspense. I was definitely intrigued enough to want to see the conclusion of the mystery. The novel's pace is often slow and repetitive. This impacted the overall reading experience for me. There were certain chapters that I began to feel impatient and wanted to skip to the conclusion. It is a decent read for those who enjoy suspense.

Thanks to to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for providing me with an advanced electronic copy of this novel.

I am pleasantly surprised by The Lost House by Melissa Larsen. I went into it expecting a basic thriller - something entertaining, but maybe a bit far fetched or lacking in depth. What I got was a slow-moving, atmospheric character study of a young woman trying to make sense of her life.

Forty years ago, Agnes’ grandfather allegedly murdered his wife and their infant daughter, leaving them in the snow to be discovered by neighbors. Although he was never convicted of the crime, he was damned by public opinion and left his small town to start a new life in America. Now, in the wake of her grandfather’s recent death, Agnes comes to Iceland for the first time in her life to help contribute to a true crime podcast about her family’s darkest moment. Days before Agnes arrives, a young woman goes missing, pitching this small Icelandic town into memories of the last horrible crime that happened on their watch.

The Lost House moves slowly and really puts you into the mind of Agnes. Agnes has spent the last year recovering from a devastating leg injury that left her both vulnerable and addicted to opioids - an addiction she’s trying to break. So much of this story relies on Agnes’ internal conflicts - wrestling with her addiction while also striving to clear her grandfather’s name.

In many ways, the storytelling of this book felt reminiscent of Notes on An Execution; the crime is a big piece of the plot, but Larsen pushes readers to think more about the humanity of those impacted rather than the crime itself.

The beginning was a bit repetitive; it took me getting about 30% in before I was hooked. But once I was hooked, I couldn’t put this down. I thought the ending was superb. I could see some people not liking Agnes, but I think that’s sort of the point - she’s a complicated character dealing with different levels of trauma. I thought Larsen was masterful in the way she portrayed Agnes’ pain, both physical and mental.

Overall, I recommend this to people who like slow, character-driven mysteries.

This Nordic thriller is steeped in intrigue. Recovering from a life changing injury, Agnes Glin flies to Iceland to meet up with true crime podcaster Nora Carver in Bifrost to clear her family name while she isn’t working. Forty years prior the small town believed her grandfather brutally murdered not only her grandmother, but her infant aunt as well. Agnes simply cannot make that compute. The man, who was like a second father to her when her own was emotionally remote, couldn’t possibly have committed such a violent crime, could he?

Upon arrival Agnes discovers yet another young woman, Asa, gone missing and presumed dead. This new investigation derails Agnes and Nora’s plans to solve her family’s cold case and causes the whole town to be on edge. The relentless winter does nothing to ease the tension building as the whole town bands together to search for Asa.

Agnes is a compelling protagonist who is dealing with a lot both physically and emotionally throughout the story, often making the reader question her reliability as a narrator. The unforgiving Icelandic winter provides the perfect backdrop to this chilling story (the fact that I finished the book on a snowy day made it even more atmospheric). Like most thrillers/mysteries, The Lost House is a bit of a slow burn with a fast-paced twisty ending. If noir thrillers are your thing, this book will not disappoint.

Thank you to NetGalley, St Martin’s Press, and of course the author Melissa Larsen for the advanced copy of the book. The Lost House is out on January 14th. All opinions are my own.

Agnes Glin travels to a small town in Iceland to take part in a podcast that focuses on the murder of her grandmother and her aunt as a baby) that took place 40 years earlier. The chief suspect of these murders, Agnes’ grandfather, was never convicted and has recently died, and one of the reasons Agnes participates in the podcast is to try to help clear her grandfather’s name. What follows is a really slow burn of a mystery, too much of a slow burn for my taste. But what great atmosphere the story has! The setting in a small town in cold, snowy Iceland — with very short days and long nights — adds to the suspense and creepiness. All in all, this was an interesting and good read.

"The Lost House" by Melissa Larsen was the perfect book to read during a snowstorm! Set in Iceland, Agnes agrees to be interviewed for a true crime podcast regarding a cold case where her grandfather is the chief suspect. This book is atmospheric and chilling, with several twists I didn't see coming. The plot is multilayered and kept my interest from the first page until the last. The slow pace added to the suspense and, when the simmering tensions finally boiled over at the climax of the storyline, I could finally relax and unclench my jaw in relief.

The only things that keep this from being a four star read for me are the "instalove" trope (I guess I am too jaded to believe two people can instantly fall for each other) and the repeated descriptions of Agnes's leg injury-we get it, her leg hurts.

Many thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this enjoyable book.

I was very excited to get an ARC of this title after seeing it raved about by Crime By The Book. I love books set in Nordic countries as the setting provides an atmosphere of dreary isolation. This novel is set in a remote town in Iceland, with a decades old murder, and hidden family history. It ticks all the boxes for me with the nordic noir genre, however it still felt a bit off. I would have liked to have had more of a dual timeline. Overall it was a thrilling page turner for me, even though I identified the character a little over halfway through. Larsen developed the characters and storyline deep enough for you to become attached, but not so much that you get bogged down in the details. I can't wait to grab her backlist title Shutter!

This story is a bonus that offers two mysteries in one book. I really enjoyed the setting in a small Icelandic village. While the plot and mysteries were the focus of the book, I wished for more description of the setting and better development of the characters since this is a place that I have never visited. That being said, the plot and the solving of both the decades-old murders and the current disappearance of a young woman was very well written. The story was fast-paced and entertaining and kept me searching for connections. The protagonist, Agnes was to be admired in her convictions and determination but she was one of those characters that made me want to admonish her to stop putting herself in stupid dangerous situations. I found the character of the podcaster, Nora to be very unlikable and I really think that the inclusion of a podcaster as a means to “set the stage” and get the protagonist involved has been overdone. I’m looking for something more creative now to get everyone in place. And I found Nora’s motives to be confusing and some of the things that she did were never explained (no spoilers). But as for the big picture, these criticisms are minor compared to the overall enjoyment of story and I would definitely recommend this book to lovers of the mystery genre and especially for the unique setting.

Interesting book Not only was it
A mystery but it taught me much about the cold landscape of Iceland. Agnes leave’s California to be interviewed for a podcast about a long ago unsolved murder of her grandmother. The people she meets along the way will become characters not to be forgotten. Agnes is damaged in more ways than just her physical problems caused by an accident in the water. Her fragile psyche is tested each day in Iceland. I found this book a little long and wordy but definitely a book that entertained me and kept me interested. A Good read for sure.

I couldn’t read The Lost House fast enough! We meet Agnes, the granddaughter of a man accused of killing his wife and daughter 40 years ago. She goes to Iceland to talk to a podcaster to clear her grandfather’s name and finds herself confronted with ghosts of the past she didn’t want to encounter. There are so many unexpected twists in the book – including a current missing woman. Thanks, NetGalley and St Martin’s Press for the eARC.