This story is going to throw you in for a crazy ride. When Agnes goes to Iceland to be interviewed, she never expects her whole life to be turned upside down. I was a bit confused trying to keep track of the introduced characters. The storytelling was great, and I enjoyed learning little bits of the culture and how people did things in the small town. There were some pretty intense moments in the story where you don't know what direction things will go.

Thanks to the publisher, Net Galley, and Macmillan Audio for the ARC and ALC!!

I started reading and for the first couple chapters I kept putting the book down. I was unable to focus; I was unable to care about the book. It was too distant in my mind. I gave it one more chance, picking it up and finding it so great that I could not put it down. What an exciting and dramatic mystery. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the digital ARC. I am beyond excited to have been an early reader. Highly recommended to anyone for its perfect mix of mystery, thriller and drama.

Highly recommend if you like true crime podcasts & gripping murder investigations you won’t be able to put it down! Thank you to NetGalley, Minotaur and Melissa for the eARC!

What to expect:
⭐️ Cold case murder
⭐️ Finding out about your past
⭐️ Healing from trauma
⭐️ family history
⭐️ missing persons
⭐️ Finding out who you are along the journey
⭐️ This book does discuss a battle with addiction to opiates

My thoughts:
Holy cow once I started I couldn’t put it down! There was some slight confusion at the beginning when I was mixing up the main characters or thought I had. once it all unfolded I realized it was different POVs.

This story is full of gripping scenes! You will question what has happened and is currently happening. The main story line and the killers identity will blow you away. I truly didn’t see it coming until the last pages. Once I hit part two though I couldn’t stop. I sped read desperately needing to know the end!!

The main characters and secondary characters are deeply developed and well written. The background characters are a mix of people you fall in love with and some you won’t like at all.

The location of Iceland makes it sound so cold but beautiful! I live in a snow climate and love it for 2 days then hate being cold.

All in all the depth of the storyline, the murder and the evolution of the case is full of haunting details, gripping scenes & nail biting moments!

I was a huge fan!!

Synopsis:

Forty years ago, a young woman and her infant daughter were found buried in the cold Icelandic snow, lying together as peacefully as though sleeping. Except the mother’s throat had been slashed and the infant drowned. The case was never solved. There were no arrests, no conviction. Just a suspicion turned into a certainty: the husband did it. When he took his son and fled halfway across the world to California, it was proof enough of his guilt.

Now, nearly half a century later and a year after his death, his granddaughter, Agnes, is ready to clear her grandfather’s name once and for all. Still recovering from his death and a devastating injury, Agnes wants nothing more than an excuse to escape the shambles of her once-stable life—which is why she so readily accepts true crime expert Nora Carver’s invitation to be interviewed for her popular podcast. Agnes packs a bag and hops on a last-minute flight to the remote town of Bifröst, Iceland, where Nora is staying, where Agnes’s father grew up, and where, supposedly, her grandfather slaughtered his wife and infant daughter.

Is it merely coincidence that a local girl goes missing the very same weekend Agnes arrives? Suddenly, Agnes and Nora’s investigation is turned upside down, and everyone in the small Icelandic town is once again a suspect. Seeking to unearth old and new truths alike, Agnes finds herself drawn into a web of secrets that threaten the redemption she is hell-bent on delivering, and even her life—discovering how far a person will go to protect their family, their safety, and their secrets.

I’ve been on a winter thrillers kick lately, and while the setting in this one was bone chilling, I had a bit of an icy reception to the story as a whole.

While I was initially really interested in the true crime podcast angle and interconnected mysteries, the pacing and our main character made me lose interest fast.

The podcast theme doesn’t take up much of the book on the whole. It’s present early on and then dies out the further into the story we go. Almost as an afterthought, and I would’ve loved more of a focus on it. I think this led to some pacing issues as I kept waiting on the next podcast scene just to realize it wasn’t coming for a while, and this made the middle of the story drag for me.

Our main character, Agnes, also wasn’t someone I was really rooting for. She became very repetitive, and while it’s clear she’s struggling, the pain killer addiction and constant reminder of her injury got to be too much for me.

Things that I did like included the Interludes from different viewpoints and the snowy atmosphere and setting ❄️ Having a few other POVs, or the ones that we did get more frequently, I think would've helped keep my interest throughout the middle of the story more. 2.5 stars overall.

I’ve always been fascinated by Iceland. And the thought of visiting is always in the back of my mind. After reading this, I’m not sure I would survive the cold.
Following our FMC (Agnes) back to where her grandfather and father lived in Iceland before the murder of her grandmother and aunt, we get sucked into another case of a missing girl, Asa.
There are all the lingering suspects….old and new. The question is if Agnes will make it back home in one piece? And did her grandfather (her second father) commit the murders of her grandmother and aunt?
It was a good read. I finished it in the early morning hours and was semi-surprised at the outcome.
I received an ARC of this title, all opinions are my own.

Thank you to NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book in advance of publication.

I do love all things Iceland and Icelandic so if a book is set in Iceland, I'm going to want to read it.

This story starts with Agnes Glin who is living with her father in California and recovering from a horrific accident. She has recently accepted the invitation of a True Crime podcaster, Nora Carver, to come to Iceland and revisit the murders of Agnes's grandmother and infant aunt, which is known locally at the Madonna Murders. While no one has ever been arrested or convicted for the murders, the only suspect was Agnes's beloved grandfather, Einer who fled to the United States with Agnes's, then young father, Magnus, immediately following the murders. Agnes doesn't know what she is hoping to find but she knows it is time for this family secret to be shown the sunlight. She also battles a few of her own secrets while unraveling the family murder in a small Icelandic town where everyone knows everyone.

I found this mystery to be chilling, and suspenseful with the Icelandic weather and landscape playing a significant roll. That said, it was a very low paced, and at times repetitive story. I wondered if audio would have been a better choice as you can increase the speed. For me, that sometimes helps with pacing. I think this novel can work for anyone who is patient with slower storylines. In all it was a 3.5⭐️ for me. I hope this review is helpful.

While the Icelandic setting was unique and interesting, I did not find the tension to be high and far too slow for me. I wasn’t sure which mystery to pay attention to more, the one from forty years ago or the one from today’s world + the lead character was a bit of a cipher for me.

This was my first novel by Larsen. There is something simplistic about Larsen's writing style- one that might appeal to the masses. While it is a simpler read, it had an ability to evoke emotion in some of the well thought out lines and metaphors. For example, at one point, main character, Agnes, compares herself to a Rorschach test, noting that everyone projects things they want to see onto her. It was clever lines like this that kept me interested in the story. While Agnes is in Iceland in an attempt to uncover the truth about her grandmother and aunt's cold case murders, another young woman disappears. These cases converge together, both for Agnes, and the investigation as a whole. Agnes is somewhat of an unlikeable protagonist; however she is relatable in her flaws. Someone who understands what it is like to be on the brink of the end, confused by loving someone who could be both good and bad, and drawn to the desire to be loved by someone else. While the plot was good; it was a bit drawn out. Several side storylines were unnecessary to the story as a whole and could have been avoided. I would definitely read more by Larsen, specifically for the beautiful metaphors woven throughout.

It took me a little bit to actually get into this book. It was definitely a slow start for me. About 1/3 of the way in, it began to pick up and by halfway through, it was all but unputdownable. This is the story of a man, from Iceland, who is believed to have killed his wife and daughter. Although never charged with the crime, he took his son and fled the country, to the United States. Now, years later, a few months after his death, his granddaughter has returned to Iceland to assist with a true crime podcast about her family. Right before her arrival, a young woman has gone mysteriously gone missing. It's as if she has vanished into thin air. Agnes (the granddaughter) gets caught up in helping to find this missing girl, and learn the truth of what happened the night her grandmother and aunt were killed. This story quickly takes on a life of its own. I loved the authors note at the end, and was amazed how closely this book simulated things in her own life.

I was so hopeful on this one, but the book falls apart before it even gets going and the ending had me going okay then. I liked the idea of the Agnes going to Iceland to see if she can figure out what happened to her grandfather's wife and daughter, but it was so hamfisted and it just didn't work. I am realizing that maybe it would have been better to have the story told through the eyes of Nora Carver (the podcaster).

"The Lost House" follows Agnes traveling to Iceland to be interviewed by a true crime podcaster, Nora Carver. Agnes has dealt with her father and grandfather not talking about what happened to drive them from Iceland about 40 years earlier. All Agnes knows is that her grandmother and aunt were both found murdered and left in the snow. Many thought Agnes's grandfather did it, but she does not believe that and wants to clear his name. She agrees to stay with Nora so she can be interviewed and also see where her family is from.

Agnes was a lot. I think that Larsen had way too much happening with her to the point that I found her distracting to the central plot/story. I didn't care about her love life, the insta-love that happened in the story was just so bizarre I didn't even really get what that was about, and she was just a poor amateur investigator. I just found myself taking out of the story so much with her and I wish that Larsen had switched to Nora's POV for some of this.

The other characters are paper thin outside of Nora I thought. I found her more interesting along with her backstory and why she got involved with true crime. She also seemed to read people way better than Agnes did. I thought the podcast angle was a good one, but it just seems to be picked up and dropped off randomly in the story because of Agnes and what she was doing.

The plot was pretty basic to me because it can only be one of two things, the grandfather did it, or someone else did it. And there's not a lot there to only think one thing IMHO.

The setting of Iceland I wish had been leaned into more. It felt like most of this book took place in the rental that Agnes and Nora were at or other rooms. The beginning of the book with the descriptions showed promise though.

The ending just felt broken apart. I really want to know what happened with certain characters and was disappointed on how Larsen ended things.

Once I got reading The Lost House, I couldn't stop. So much suspense and confusion! Quite a vivid and atmospheric setting (I almost put my coat on when reading hehe). I kept hoping the main character would get herself together, both physically and mentally. And then, who was telling the truth about events in the past and in the present. Although I had to make notes about names and personalities, that did little to deter my absorption in the story. Would recommend to mystery lovers, especially those of Scandinavian thrillers.

This book was a definitely unusual and interesting mystery! Set in Iceland, the cold and darkness added to the eeriness.

Plot: Agnes has grown up in the shadow of the murder of her grandfather's first wife, along with their infant daughter - both discovered 40 years prior in Iceland, buried in the snow. To the police and people of the little town, Agnes' grandfather was the natural suspect, but there was never any evidence. And so he took his only surviving child with him and fled to the US, building a new life there. The mystery of the murdered woman took on a life of its own and years later, Agnes agrees to meet with a podcaster who is researching the story in Iceland. The day Agnes arrives, she finds out about another missing woman - coincidence? Both mysteries begin to fold into one another as the past and present connect, uncovering long-buried secrets that will finally explain the truth.

The story started a bit slow for me but I really felt the creepy Icelandic bleakness that permeates every page of the book. The second part of the story picked up quite a bit and by the last few chapters, I was turning the pages feverishly.

Great read for a wintery weekend at the cabin.

3.5⭐️ Icelandic mystery with an intriguing and promising premise. Agnes travels to Iceland to assist Norah, a true crime podcaster who is trying to uncover the truth behind her grandmother’s murder decades earlier. Immediately prior to Agnes’ arrival in Iceland, another woman mysteriously disappears, drawing Agnes and Norah Into the investigation.

The book started strong with the prologue but then was very slow to get to the action. The Icelandic setting in the middle of winter added to the sense of isolation and foreboding but also was quite repetitive ( lots of trudging through snow and ice). The action picked up in Part 3 and the ending was satisfying.

Overall, I liked the setting and the two mysteries, the one from the past and the one in the present. I would have preferred a faster pace and a little more action.

Thank you to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for an advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review. Publication date: 1/14/25

This is a first-rate mystery and the pacing and plot kept me guessing. I’ve been to Iceland in the dead of winter and I immediately recognized the setting-the details were so accurate that I felt like I was right there in Reykjavik. And Agnes-what a broken and exquisite main character! Her struggles with pain and addiction are depicted so vividly… matter of factly, but not unsympathetic. The curious detachment from the author as everyone-Agnes included-waited to see what she would do next made the story even more propulsive. I was rooting for Agnes by midway through-the first half of the book I wasn’t sure how I felt about her, but she was enthralling nonetheless. I have already told several people that this one needs to be on their list. I can’t wait to read more from this author.

Melissa Larsen is a new author for me, but the story description and the fact that it is set in Iceland made me want to read it. You don't see many books with Iceland as the setting.

Description:
Forty years ago, a young woman and her infant daughter were found buried in the cold Icelandic snow, lying together as peacefully as though sleeping. Except the mother’s throat had been slashed and the infant drowned. The case was never solved. There were no arrests, no conviction. Just a suspicion turned into a the husband did it. When he took his son and fled halfway across the world to California, it was proof enough of his guilt.

Now, nearly half a century later and a year after his death, his granddaughter, Agnes, is ready to clear her grandfather’s name once and for all. Still recovering from his death and a devastating injury, Agnes wants nothing more than an excuse to escape the shambles of her once-stable life—which is why she so readily accepts true crime expert Nora Carver’s invitation to be interviewed for her popular podcast. Agnes packs a bag and hops on a last-minute flight to the remote town of Bifröst, Iceland, where Nora is staying, where Agnes’s father grew up, and where, supposedly, her grandfather slaughtered his wife and infant daughter.

Is it merely coincidence that a local girl goes missing the very same weekend Agnes arrives? Suddenly, Agnes and Nora’s investigation is turned upside down, and everyone in the small Icelandic town is once again a suspect. Seeking to unearth old and new truths alike, Agnes finds herself drawn into a web of secrets that threaten the redemption she is hell-bent on delivering, and even her life—discovering how far a person will go to protect their family, their safety, and their secrets.

Set against an unforgiving Icelandic winter landscape, The Lost House is a chilling and razor-sharp thriller packed with jaw-dropping twists that will leave you breathless.

My Thoughts:
This was an interesting mystery and I liked it but didn't love it. It moved a little slow for me. I wanted to root for Agnes to find that her grandfather was innocent but I didn't hold out much hope that she would be successful. Nora the podcaster was an interesting character, but I was never sure of her motives. I did find the setting interesting and the terrain of Iceland seems so bleak. I don't think I could live well in that climate. Overall this is an interesting cold case mystery that I think mystery lovers will enjoy.

Thanks to St. Martin's Press - Minotaur Books through Netgalley for an advance copy.

Good mystery/suspense, loved the wintry vibe🌨

3.5-4.0🌟 stars
The present day disappearance and the historical murders at the heart of the plot were what hooked me and kept me reading, even after I had guessed the twist that led to the villain. This was suspenseful, the murders really tragic, and the way author Melissa Larsen wove the past and present together really worked well.

What brought my enjoyment of the story as a whole down was the intrusion of too many of main character Agnes's illnesses and problems into the mix. I did not find her a particularly sympathetic character, though I did appreciate the strong connection she had with her suspected murderer grandfather. And Agnes, her thoughts, emotions, actions and reactions to others, so central to every scene that I did not get much of a feeling for the other characters.

The writing was good and I particularly liked the atmosphere, with the dark, bitingly frigid Icelandic winter providing a starkly beautiful but at the same time menacing backdrop to the drama. It was the characters that let me down a bit.

Thanks to Minotaur Books and NetGalley for sharing a complimentary advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest opinion.

Review shared 1/5/25 with Barnes & Noble, Bookbub and Goodreads. To be shared on kobo and Google Play upon publication.

(3.5⭐️) I was intrigued by this book from the synopsis, but once I started reading, it took a different route than I was expecting.

This was definitely a slower burn mystery, which can be fine, but there were some parts that felt a little too slow for my liking. Agnes, the MC, really had me torn. There were times where I liked her a lot, but then others where her attitude rubbed me the wrong way. However, considering all that she was going through, it does explain some of it.

The setting for the story was one of the things I liked most. The snowy, secluded, woodsy, freezing landscape almost became its own character in a way, and created its own kind of danger. Though the rest of the book was a slower pace, the last 1/4 really kicked it up some notches, and I was turning the pages quickly. I also liked the dual mysteries, and how their stories wove together. This was just twisty enough to keep me guessing until the end. I would’ve liked some more ends tied up, but I think it leaves off in a good place.

Wow! Agnes carries both physical and emotional scars when she arrives in Iceland to find out if her beloved grandfather murdered her grandmother years ago. In a strange land very different from her home in sunny California, Agnes must peel away the mists of time and her own blind spots to uncover the truth. Tremendously engaging, I couldn't put this down!

I really enjoyed this book! The flip flop timeline really made this story intriguing and addictive. The setting was unique and I loved the Nordic vibes! Both storylines were creative and twisty.

Give me a true crime, traveling to a whole different country to meet a podcaster, and the mystery involves your family ANY DAY!!!!!!! Agnes has her own issues and it’s sad to read, I felt for this woman and clearly the love she has for her grandfather is beautiful. But her grandfather was a murder suspect in the death of his wife and baby daughter, and in Iceland it’s a cold case. But when a podcaster reaches out to Agnes to come to Iceland to talk about the case and for research she agreed, even though her own dad doesn’t agree. This book was CAPTIVATING, I couldn’t put it down. Then when Agnes gets there is ANOTHER mystery going on I town, a young woman is missing???? Is it somehow connected?? It can’t be right??!!!! 😱😱😱😱😱😱😱😱😱….. this is the first time when reading a mystery/suspense that I sort of knew who did it, and the ending did not disappoint.

Thank you NetGalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book.