Oh gosh, where do I even start with how much I disliked this book? I should have known I wouldn't enjoy it after not liking her last book but I let the cover and the synopsis pull me in and gave it a shot, I regret so much now. I don't understand how this book is marketed as a thriller when literally nothing happens until the very end. The amount of times I wanted to DNF was insane but I pushed through hoping that it would pay off but plot twist, it didn't. The majority of the book was about the main character trying to find out if her grandfather is a murderer and how bad her leg hurts. I didn't want to read this many pages of a girl complaining about her leg and joints.

Agnes loved her grandfather very much but there was secrets in his past. When Nora, a podcaster, reveals she’s doing an investigation into her grandfather, Agnes discovers that maybe what the family secret is isn’t so secret anymore-he was accused of killing his wife and daughter 40 years ago and then fleeing the country with his son Marcus, who is Agnes’s dad. So when Nora says she’s going to Iceland to dig further into the case Agnes agrees to go too in hopes of clearing up the mystery after all these years.
While they’re there, another girl goes missing and the town launches into a search for her. Agnes joins in despite the pain in her leg from an accident that has left her with an opioid addiction, which has been the demise of her relationship and pretty much everything else good in her life.
While I was curious about this one from the blurb-this sadly kinda missed the mark for me. The writing was chunky and super repetitive and yes it was atmospheric to some degree but you can only talk about the cold so much before you lose me.
If you’re looking for a slow burn, this may be the one for you.
Thanks to Minotaur Books and NetGalley for this eArc in exchange for my review.

If you are a seasonal reader, then, like me, you will relish this novel set during a frigid Icelandic winter.

Agnes is a young woman who has spent the last year in debilitating pain. She had an accident that left her kneecap and lower shin shattered. Now, she is highly dependent on prescription medications and is emotionally, and physically fragile. She longs to overcome her habit of substance abuse, but the pain is relentless.

Nora Carver, a true crime podcaster of some renown, has invited Agnes to Bifröst, Iceland, the home of her grandfather. Nora is investigating the case around Agnes's family. Also, coincidentally, a young woman has recently gone missing in Bifröst. A woman who bears an uncanny physical resemblance to both Agnes and her long dead grandmother.

So, one year after the death of her beloved grandfather, Agnes packs a bag and travels from her native California to the west coast of Iceland - the birthplace of her father and grandfather. Decades previously, her grandfather was thought to have murdered his wife and infant daughter. The theory was that she was depressed and drowned her baby daughter - then her husband killed her in his rage and grief. The case made a huge impact on the entire country of Iceland and was one of the country's most notorious unsolved crimes. It was named the "Frozen Madonna" case. Agnes's grandmother, only in her twenties, was found out in the snow covered lava fields with her throat cut, holding her baby daughter who had been drowned. Now, Agnes seeks to clear her grandfather's name and find out what really happened all those years ago.

"the truth is rare and flexible"

The people and places in this atmospheric novel were rendered in a very vivid way. The reader can almost see the facial expressions, feel the pain, and feel the numbing cold.

This was a novel of grief, redemption, pain, anger, and the search for justice.

"How sad it is, she thinks, to compare personal tragedies and to lose."

I'm uncertain about the choice of title, it didn't seem to fit the book's plot. If it had been called "The Murder House" it would have made more sense...

"No one wants to be the bad guy, and so we distort facts to suit our images of ourselves, and we do this so often that eventually, the lie becomes the truth."

This was a slow-burn thriller that gradually exposed family secrets. The author provides many plot twists and turns along the way. Icelandic noir that I can readily recommend.

“He killed her. We all knew.” The Lost House by Melissa Larsen
The premise of this story was so interesting. A cold case murder in Iceland is being highlighted by a podcaster named Nora. She has contacted the granddaughter of the suspected murderer, Agnes to see if she would participate in being on the podcast and part of Nora’s personal investigation. Agnes agrees to be on the podcast and travel to Iceland. When she arrives, she finds out a young woman has gone missing, and the town is having flashbacks of the gruesome murder. I thought this was going to be such an interesting thriller, and I was excited to read it. However, I had a very hard time getting into the story. The pace was very, very slow, and I had a hard time staying focused on what was going on. I was about 30% of the way through and seriously contemplated DNFing. However, I felt guilty and decided to push through after seeing other say that the pace picked up towards the middle of the book. I think, for me, it picked up about 70% of the way through and that’s when I started really getting into how it was going to end. I honestly had no idea if we were going to find out who killed Agnes’s grandmother and aunt, but I was surprised with how everything turned out. Overall, I would say slow pace is what made this a hard read for me but I think others could enjoy it.

Thank you to NetGalley, Melissa Larsen and Poisoned Pen Press for the free ebook in exchange for an honest review.

It took me a hot minute to get into this, but once I did - I was addicted. I love Icelandic novels and I do want to go there someday. I loved the characters and I had no idea who the actually murderer was. I was addicted and I loved that ending. So action packed!

This was a very good read. I loved the anticipation and suspense throughout the book. I was hooked and loved all the twists and turns.

The Lost House by Melissa Larsen is a haunting and atmospheric mystery that keeps readers on the edge of their seats from start to finish. Forty years ago, a woman and her infant daughter were found dead under mysterious circumstances in the snowy Icelandic landscape, with the father, now deceased, the prime suspect. Despite no evidence and no arrests, the case remains unsolved and the suspicion of his guilt persists—until his granddaughter, Agnes, decides to uncover the truth.

Agnes, still reeling from the death of her grandfather and a recent personal injury, seeks closure by accepting an invitation to be interviewed by true crime podcaster Nora Carver. Together, they travel to the remote town of Bifröst, where the tragedy occurred, hoping to clear her grandfather’s name. But things take a dark turn when a local girl goes missing the same weekend Agnes arrives, throwing the investigation into chaos. The town becomes a place of both danger and secrets, as Agnes and Nora dig into the past and present, uncovering shocking twists along the way.

Larsen masterfully builds tension and intrigue against the stark, unforgiving Icelandic winter, immersing readers in a world full of mystery and suspense. The exploration of family, guilt, and the lengths people will go to protect their secrets adds emotional depth to the thrilling plot. The Lost House is a dark, captivating read with unexpected twists and a chilling atmosphere that will keep mystery lovers hooked until the very last page.

Some crimes refuse to be buried, no matter how deep the snow falls. In this atmospheric and intricately plotted novel, the sins of the past loom large over the present, demanding reckoning and retribution. Set against the stark, unforgiving backdrop of Iceland, the author crafts a decades-old unsolved murder with a contemporary mystery, drawing the reader into a labyrinth of secrets, suspicion, and shifting truths.

At the heart of this gripping narrative is Agnes, a woman burdened by family history and personal loss, who is desperate to clear her grandfather’s name. Her journey is both a physical and emotional odyssey—leaving behind the wreckage of her own life in California to return to the isolated town of Bifröst, where her family's dark past still lingers like a ghost. The psychological weight of the novel is carried in part by Agnes’s internal struggles: her fractured self-worth, the trauma of injury and grief, and the consuming need for answers that might either exonerate or condemn the man she wants to believe was innocent.

The novel’s structure—a blend of past and present, personal memories and investigative journalism—adds to its immersive, suspenseful quality. The introduction of Nora Carver, a true crime podcaster, injects a modern angle into the narrative, tapping into the global fascination with cold cases and the fine line between truth-seeking and sensationalism. Nora and Agnes make for an uneasy pairing, their dynamic layered with mutual intrigue, occasional friction, and an undercurrent of unease. The podcast format allows for an exploration of how media shapes our understanding of guilt and innocence, how public perception often eclipses hard evidence, and how justice can sometimes be a matter of perspective rather than fact.

Yet, just as Agnes begins to untangle the threads of her family's haunted past, the novel takes an electrifying turn: a young woman in Bifröst disappears the same weekend Agnes arrives. What initially seems like an unfortunate coincidence soon reveals itself to be anything but. The author expertly interlaces the two mysteries, making it impossible to tell where the past ends and the present begins. Is history repeating itself, or was the original case misunderstood all along? As the tension mounts, Agnes is forced to confront the disturbing possibility that her grandfather wasn’t the only one hiding secrets.

The novel’s setting plays a crucial role in amplifying its ominous, haunting tone. Iceland’s rugged landscape, where isolation breeds its own kind of menace, becomes more than just a backdrop—it is an active force in the story. The remoteness of Bifröst, with its tight-knit community and unspoken truths, creates an atmosphere of both claustrophobia and vulnerability. The cold, the darkness, the omnipresent hush of snow—all serve to heighten the psychological intensity, making every shadow feel like a threat and every silence an accusation.

Thematically, the novel explores the lengths people will go to protect their loved ones, the burden of inherited guilt, and the question of whether truth is ever truly knowable. Agnes’s relentless pursuit of redemption is deeply compelling, but it is also fraught with danger—because in seeking justice for the past, she may be putting her own future in jeopardy. The story raises unsettling questions about the price of uncovering secrets: Is the truth always worth knowing? And what if proving innocence means exposing something far worse?

As the novel hurtles toward its final revelations, the tension becomes nearly unbearable. Twists unfold organically, each one more shocking than the last, yet always feeling inevitable in hindsight. The resolution is deeply satisfying, striking the perfect balance between closure and the lingering chill of ambiguity—ensuring that, even after the final page is turned, the story lingers in the reader’s mind like breath on cold glass.

With richly drawn characters, a vividly evoked setting, and a masterfully woven dual mystery, this novel is a standout in the psychological thriller and crime fiction genre. Readers who appreciate the slow-burn tension of Tana French, the atmospheric unease of Ragnar Jónasson, and the investigative depth of Megan Miranda will find themselves thoroughly enthralled.

A haunting, intelligent, and emotionally resonant thriller that burrows deep into the complexities of guilt, truth, and the past’s relentless grip on the present. Prepare to be chilled—in more ways than one.

The Lost House was an unexpected thriller where a granddaughter goes to Iceland to discover her grandfather's past. Bifrost is a knit together college town where everyone seems to know each other and secrets are as thick as the snow and ice outside. Agnes is invited by Nora, a podcast reporter, to talk about the haunting past of her grandfather Einar.

Forty years ago Einar was expected to have killed his young bride by slitting her throat and then drowning their young daughter, Agnes' namesake. Agnes adores her grandfather so it is hard for her to ever believe this accusation to be true. However, as Agnes continues her time in Iceland and revisits Einar's homeland she begins to question all that she knows.

It doesn't help that Agnes is recovering from a break up and a severe leg injury. Agnes' anxiety and emotions lead her to constantly seek out her pain pills in a dependent manner. Her nature is one of a woman that just needs to be loved and taken in as one to be understood.

To make the story more interesting a young college girl, Asa, also ends up missing. While these stories wouldn't seem to have a reason to intertwine they end up doing so in a way that the reader can appreciate. No loose ends here from Larsen as the characters are all intertwined in a delightful and sometimes cruel way.

The Lost House kept my attention and for a cold January it was just the perfect suspense story. The characters are intriguing and draw the reader in and you cannot help but react to Agnes and her behavior whether that be in a great or not so great way. If you want an interesting winter read that has multiple layers of suspense and murder then this will be a great pick for you. Special thanks to Netgalley, and St. Martin's Press /Minotaur Books for this ARC. Until next time, Happy Reading!

The Lost House by Melissa Larsen is a captivating, richly atmospheric, beautifully written book. I was completely swept up in this story from the first chapter until the very last chapter. A huge thank you to Minotaur Books, and the author for the advanced digital copy of the book via Netgalley.

The premise of this well-crafted, slow-building mystery is a tale intertwined with emotion, dark family secrets, hidden truths and ruinous consequences of unhealed wounds set against the frigid Icelandic landscape. Agnes returns to her ancestral home to conduct inquiry into a grisly murder in her family. She agrees to be interviewed by Nora the host of a popular podcast. But when a young girl goes missing Agnes must try to ascertain old and new truths, along with navigate a web of secrets in a town where everyone is suspect.

The Lost House is an additive, chilling, penetrating mystery filled with astonishing twist that will have you on the edge of your seat.

Agnes is down and out after a broken relationship, losing her job and a devastating accident. Hooked on pain killers, Agnes braves the cold and travels to Bifrost, Iceland in hopes of finding out more about her beloved grandfather. Accused, but never convicted, of killing his wife and infant daughter, her grandfather fled Iceland years ago with his son in tote. With a podcast in the works, Agnes is ready to face the outcome, even if it means her grandfather is guilty. Atmospheric and engaging, this story kept me hooked. Thank you to Minotaur Books and NetGalley for an ARC of this book.

A really quick read. Thank you NetGalley and penguin for the advance copy.

The story follows an American girl, with a taste for pills, on her adventure to Iceland. She’s a lost cause with nothing to left to lose. Her grandfather, her favorite person is gone, and she’s going to his home country to discuss her Grandmother and Aunts mysterious murders… on a podcast. While she’s there, a girl goes missing and somehow the cases are linked. Leading the reader down a wild goose chase to figure out the person responsible.

The title almost doesn’t match the book, The Lost House. Nothing is lost. So that was definitely odd in my opinion. While the story itself had so much potential, it lacked the suspense and mystery of a solid thriller and suspense novel. The pieces were there, but the execution wasn’t.

I did like it, but it fell a bit flat for me.

I really enjoyed this! The suspense is well done and I liked the writing style. The chapters are short which I enjoyed. The ending was good and I was intrigued throughout. If you enjoy thrillers, I would highly recommend this! I was approved for both the audiobook and the ebook and followed along in the ebook as I was listening to the audiobook and would recommend either format, whichever you prefer. The audiobook narration is fantastic! Special Thank You to Melissa Larsen, St Martin's Press, Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for allowing me to read a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.

DNF @ p191

Finished Reading

Pre-Read notes

I can't remember requesting this one, but I imagine I was probably drawn to the cold setting, which I love. Especially in horror books, but I was wrong about the genre here. It's actually a mystery, which doesn't tend to be my cup of tea.

Final Review

Review summary and recommendations

I hope I haunt you. p6

Oh this book did haunt me, with its terrible grammar and syntax, right up to the moment I stopped reading it and put it on my DNF shelf.

Reading Notes

Three (or less) things I didn't love:

This section isn't only for criticisms. It's merely for items that I felt something for other than "love" or some interpretation thereof.

1. The house before her is large and impossibly modern. p31 What does this mean, exactly? That modifier, "impossibly," is just impossible. I mean, this construction is illogical. Nothing can be impossibly anything. Unless you mean to make an illogical statement, like, "I am impossibly a tomato." I suppose technically a thing could be improbably something, though. Like, "Readers will improbably finish this book." Also, this construction appears three different times, making it a tic. An unpleasant one.

2. This book contains more than 250 instances of the word "there's" and more than 600 instances of "its" or "it's". Two of these constructions are passive, too many of which seriously weakens even the strongest prose.

3. DNF @ p191 The grammar and syntax in this book begs for attention. Where was the editor on all those passive constructions? It's impossible to ignore them, there are too many, so I think someone fell down on the job here.

Rating: DNF @ p191
Recommend? no
Finished: Jan 27 '25

Thank you to the author Melissa Larson, publishers St. Martin's Press, and NetGalley for an advance digital copy of THE LOST HOUSE. All views are mine.
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Emotional, eerie, and thought-provoking are just a few words I would use to describe this book. Melissa Larson's use of language and story telling paints an intriguing picture through every page.

Agnes is visiting Iceland for the first time in her life, but she’s already infamous there: 40 years ago, her grandmother and aunt were murdered and their bodies were found frozen in the snow, perfectly preserved. The picture of her grandmother became known as the “Frozen Madonna,” and the case was never solved, though everyone accused Agnes’ grandfather, which caused him to move across the world, to California and start over. Now, Agnes is returning to her ancestral homeland to participate in a podcast and hopefully clear her recently passed grandfather’s name. But right as she arrives, near the anniversary of the murders, another girl goes missing.

The story is told mostly from Agnes’ POV, but there are some chapters from her grandmother’s, POV.

I love a good return-to-cold-case thriller, and this was a really good story. A young, beautiful woman, forever frozen in time, and her granddaughter returning to her family’s abandoned house (literally) yo try and set the record straight. Add in the cold, unforgiving terrain of an Icelandic winter and a recent murder, and you’ve got yourself a thriller!

And I have to say, this one did live up to expectations in most respects. Although, I have to say, I did guess who the killer was relatively early on. But as I’ve said before, if the book is good, as still throws some twists in there, I can still enjoy it, even if I guess part of the ending. And this one had some good twists waiting in there, so I wasn’t disappointed!

Also, there’s some good emotional content in regards to Agnes and the podcaster, Nora. I’m still not sure how I feel about their characters. Both have various flaws and are what I would call semi-unlikable. But I did feel an affinity for both of them over time. I guess it’s up yo each individual reader to determine what they think about them.

Overall, if you like a good thriller, this is a book you will enjoy. It’s yet another in the popular and growing Scandinavian dark mystery genre, which just gets better and better!

The Lost House follows the story of Agnes, who is returning to Iceland to help solve the murder of her grandmother and aunt. Connecting with a famous podcaster known for cracking cases, she's plunged into not only that 40-year-old murder but also the disappearance of a local college student, a student who looks stunningly like her grandmother.

The story is told in multiple POVs, including the missing student, grandmother, and murderer, and traverses more than 40 years. Iceland is a pretty ideal setting for a thriller, plunged into almost perpetual darkness and heavy snow, it is a character in itself.

Unfortunately, it became pretty obvious to me who Agnes shouldn't trust, which did detract from my enjoyment of the latter half of the book. Overall, kudos to an interesting setting and to the difficulty of the dueling POVs and timelines. Demerits to the somewhat predictable ending.

* Thank you to St. Martin's Press/Minotaur Books and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for my honest review! *

I liked this story but it wasn't a favorite. I try desperately to avoid mystery/thrillers that include a protagonist with substance issues. It's just a personal preference because for me I find when this is involved obviously we have a semi unreliable narrator which can be really annoying. I should have thought more about her having an injury and how that would probably lead to the need for medication. Anyway, all that to say, I would have loved this book a while lot more if that was not an aspect. I did really love the mystery and Agnes' exploration of the past, visiting her ancestral home and working with Nora to solve the new mystery.

I would still recommend this to mystery lovers, but avoid if you like to avoid the more cliché trop of mystery heroine abuses some sort of substance.

Quite slow! It was tough to stay interested in this story as it unfolded. The writing was good, but it just took so long to get through that it wasn't my favorite mystery.

In this book we are following Agnes as she goes to where her family originally immigrated from. Her family left because her grandmother and aunt were brutally murdered and everyone suspected it was her grandfather. Agnes is visiting this small town in hopes of finding out the truth about her grandfather and what actually happened to her grandmother and aunt. Agnes is working with a true crime podcaster named Nora.

Throughout this novel we meet many of the residents of the small town and try to unravel what happened all those years ago. I liked following Agnes on her search for the truth, even though she was an unreliable narrator at times due to her pill usage and seemingly blind faith in her grandfather. I think this book suffered a bit from too much going on and just too many little side plots and distractions.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. I liked the twists and turns and the creepy atmosphere. I liked the resolution and they final reveals!