"The Lost House" defrosted my love for a wintery murder mystery in idyllic Iceland. I rabidly consumed this novel as it snowed outside in Cleveland, it could not have been more kizmet unless I flew myself to Iceland...

A shocking murder of a woman and her young baby shook the small community of Bifröst, Iceland 40 years ago, placing the blame squarely on the husband especially after he left the country for America with his surviving son. His granddaughter, Agnes, returns to the town with the help of popular true crime podcaster, Nora Carver, to explore the tragic story and discover the mystery's truth. Shortly after the arrival of Agnes, another young woman goes missing, reopening the wounds of the local Bifröst townspeople. Is it possible this tiny peaceful community is enduring another violent incident? Is it possible the two events are connected?

This novel captivated me from its chilling origin, pulling me into an atypical incident in one of the most beautiful and peaceful places in the world: Iceland. The town is sure Agnes' grandfather is responsible but Agnes herself is not so sure. She could not imagine this man, more of a father than her actual Dad, could do something so violent but doubt starts to creep in. It's about opening up to the truth, no matter how painful it might be.

Melissa Larsen excels in pacing and character development, creating an easily digestible yet complicated story and simplifying the Icelandic names and language involved. Agnes is a character with flaws but you find yourself rooting for her, willing her to discover the truth and find new meaning in her own life, which essentially has ground to a halt in the last year. With Agnes at the helm, this novel is not only a mystery/thriller, it's about trusting yourself, finding the strength you didn't know you had, the value of life, and finding your home. Larsen seamlessly weaves these heavy but important themes throughout, finding hope in a cold, dark place.

And if you choose the audio format, it is narrated by the iconic Saskia Maarleveld, who gives another stellar performance from start to finish. If Saskia is attached, then it MUST be a great story and it absolutely delivered.

You know it's a standout when you are sad upon finishing a book and that's what happened to me when I reached the end.

Thank you to NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, & Minotaur Books for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

"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."

A thriller based in Iceland sounded intriguing. I would love to visit there one day so appreciated and loved the descriptive writing in this book. I felt the chills and envisioned the snow and geography.

In this novel, Agnes finds herself in her family homeland. She has never been to Iceland before but it is where her father was born. It is also where her grandfather was accused of murdering his wife and daughter. Agnes sets off to find the truth after his death along with a podcast host.

Once she arrives, she also learns a young girl has gone missing and finds herself immersed in this mystery as well.

The plot was good. I did enjoy the storyline. The novel presented some great twists and revelations I appreciated. It is a slow burn novel, not so much action but a lot of mystery.

I really enjoyed this book! Perfect for winter here in WI. I thought it was perfectly atmospheric and creepy. I was surprised by the ending, but it also wasn't too farfetched. Solid pacing and fun aspect with the podcast tied in.

Cold case and true crime podcast lovers won't want to miss this dual murder/missing person mystery set in Iceland. There is great wintery thriller vibes, addiction and chronic pain content, family secrets and a twisty, fast-paced edge of your seat ending. It was also great on audio narrated by a fav, Saskia Maarleveld. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early audio copy in exchange for my honest review.

Agnes' mother left her father and so she was raised by her father and beloved grandfather. She knew that her grandmother had died in Iceland and her father and grandfather moved to California. As the book opens, Agnes is recovering from a surfing accident and has just broken up with her girlfriend. When a true crime podcaster contacts her about investigating the murder of her grandfather in Iceland, Agnes flies off to help investigate.

Her grandmother's decades old murder is in the news again, both because it's the anniversary of it and because another young woman in the area has disappeared, and is assumed dead-- on that anniversary. Agnes enjoys meeting new people and learning about Iceland, but everyone in her family's home town believes that her grandfather killed her grandmother and infant aunt forty years ago. Agnes doesn't want to believe that the grandfather who was so kind and thoughtful could have done committed the crime and is having extreme difficulty facing that possibility. And podcaster Nora is ready to move on to the new mystery of missing young woman.

This suspenseful book has enough twists to keep the reader guessing as to who Agnes should believe or trust and whether or not Agnes's grandfather is guilty.

Narrator Saskia Maarleveld, raised in New Zealand in France , and narrator of The Alice Network, skillfully vocalizes distinct accents for each of the characters.
Note: I listened to an audio ARC courtesy of NetGalley.

This book was exactly what I was looking for as a chilly winter listen. I listened to the audiobook and it had excellent narration. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

The book is set in Iceland, and follows Agnes, a young woman who has agreed to work with a true crime podcaster Nora in regards to an unsolved 40 year old murder case that involved her grandfather. I enjoyed the setting of this book, I felt cold the entire time I was reading based on the harsh winter weather highlighted throughout the entire book. I imagine trying to solve crime and escaping murderers during the harsh winter snow would make things extra difficult for those involved. The present day missing persons case that ran parallel to the unsolved murder involving Agnes's grandmother kept me engaged and listening carefully. I liked the character arc for Agnes, and felt she was a character that people could understand and bond with during her search. This is a book I would definitely recommend to others.

Thank you to NetGalley for the audioarc to preview.

I was provided an ALC of The Lost House from NetGalley and Macmillan Audio.

I was intrigued at the premise of this story. A 40 year old unsolved murder in a small Iceland town. Many believed they knew who the killer was but it was never proved. The granddaughter of the murdered woman came to visit the town and house her family owned. She was also meeting with a podcaster to discuss the unsolved murder. Just before she arrived, a university student went missing.

The story was slow going for me and had a hard time keeping my interest. I was hoping for more. Maybe if I had the book instead of audio it would have been

I loved the setting for this book and enjoyed the story. However, it was a bit slow-paced for my liking in the end. I did enjoy the audiobook narration.

My thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Thank you to the author and publisher for this arc!
This is a wonderful pick for all of the snowy, wintery vibes and I absolutely loved the Icelandic setting contained in this thriller.
Although I felt the narrator was successful with this story as an audiobook, I had some trouble connecting with the story itself. The middle of the book felt like a too long sequence of conversations that didn’t keep my attention at times.
Otherwise, I did enjoy the writer’s storytelling and really appreciated the unique Nordic experience this book offers.
3.5 stars round down!

I loved the setting (I am a sucker for anything with snow) and I thought it was well done. I enjoyed the mystery as well.

I struggled with one chapter with a POV that felt a little like cheating for me.

Also, I had a hard time connecting with the MC. She felt a bit cold and I didn't feel much depth in her character. (Also, why do so many of the women main characters in mystery/thrillers have drug addictions?)

*Note: I received an audio ARC through NetGalley, and I’m incredibly grateful to both the author and the publisher for the opportunity. This is an honest review.

Wow. Just wow. This book exceeded all of my expectations.

I picked this title because I enjoy mystery books in general. I didn’t know much about the author or the plot beforehand, but the synopsis seemed intriguing, especially with its Icelandic setting, which felt perfect for a winter read. To my surprise, this book checked so many boxes of things I love in fiction that I could hardly believe it!

The story follows a relatable young female protagonist who is grappling with loss, a recent separation, depression and the aftermath of an accident that left her with a shattered leg a year prior to the events of the book. She feels empty and adrift, until she is contacted by the creator of a popular true crime podcast who is interested in doing a special episode in Iceland, tied to her family and the unsolved murder of her grandmother nearly forty years ago. While most people in the town believe her grandfather was the killer —and that’s why he fled the country— our protagonist is convinced that’s not the case. So she sets out to uncover the truth about what happened long before she was even born and to clear her grandfather´s name!

When she arrives in Iceland, we’re introduced to a fascinating cast of characters, and we learn that a young woman has recently gone missing. The protagonist finds herself inadvertently involved in two parallel investigations that seem to be linked in unexpected ways.

I won’t delve deeper into the plot. You can read the synopsis and discover the details for yourself (and I highly recommend you do), but I want to highlight one of the book’s most refreshing aspects: the natural, non-romantic portrayal of queer and sapphic characters. Their sexualities are just one part of who they are, not the focal point of the story, and are presented as casually as other personal traits, like hair color or coffee preferences. This inclusive, matter-of-fact representation is something we need more of in fiction, particularly outside the confines of romance. The characters’ relationships, whether they involve a partner or not, don’t define them or their role in the story. It was a thoughtful and meaningful touch that added so much depth to the book. I did not expect to find myself represented in this story… until I did, with one of the side characters.

As for the mystery itself, while it’s not entirely unique, it’s still compelling and filled with intriguing twists. The characters are well-developed, the pacing is excellent, and the resolution is satisfying. If I had one minor critique, it would be the inclusion of a few scenes from the past. These flashbacks, though few, felt somewhat out of place and unnecessary. But aside from that, this is a top-notch mystery/thriller.

And I would love to see Nora (the podcast host) become the anchor for creating more mysteries in a longer series of books in the future. I feel that, as a character, she had a lot of missed potential in this book. She also has her own story to tell at another time. Can this become book #1 in the Nora Mysteries Saga? Please?

I would highly recommend this book to any fan of the genre. It’s an engaging, well-crafted story that will keep you hooked from start to finish.

3.5 Stars
Agnes has traveled from California to Iceland to meet with a true crime podcaster covering the unsolved murder of her grandmother and aunt, forty years earlier. Her stoic grandfather was convicted by public opinion, but he fled with Agnes’ father to the US before anything could come of it.

Agnes loved her grandfather, closer to him than her father, and is still grieving his loss. She can’t imagine he’d kill his wife and baby daughter, so she hopes to clear his name with the investigation. However, as the details of her grandfather and grandmother’s life emerge Agnes starts to realize how little she knew of them.

Then there’s a new case of a missing girl that is somehow tangled up in all of it.

Agnes was a complicated character dealing with issues besides the mystery of her grandmother’s murder. Still healing from an accident she barely survived and reliant on painkillers. I felt that she took a lot of unnecessary risks trapsing about in the cold countryside when she still had so much trouble walking. Also, not letting anyone know where she was going half the time or having a properly working phone, but I guess that fit with where she was in her life mentally.

Iceland was described vividly, cold, stark and beautiful, almost a character on its own!

The Lost House was an atmospheric and compelling mystery. Engrossing but slow going at first. I feel like things didn’t really take off in pace until after the 50% mark.

I alternately read and listened to The Lost House narrated by the talented Saskia Maarleveld. I’ve enjoyed her performances immensely and she did a wonderful job with both male and female voices and giving a subtle Icelandic accent where appropriate. I recommend either version!

A gripping contemporary thriller that explores themes of survival, secrecy, and the quest for truth.
Thank you to the publisher for the opportunity to read this advanced copy. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

In an effort to possibly clear the name of her grandfather for a grisly crime and to escape the unstable remnants of her life, Agnes travels to her family’s remote former home in Bifröst, Iceland to be interviewed by podcaster Nora Carver for her true crime podcast.

The Lost House intertwines a mystery of the past with an unexpected disappearance in the present and provides a compelling and flawed character in its protagonist Agnes. Agnes struggles with her conflicted feelings related to her beloved-and somewhat infamous grandfather-as well as the effects of addiction and impulsive decisions.

The frigid and snowy town of Bifröst is an isolating and at times, dangerous location and helps to increase the tension as secrets are revealed and the possibility of escape becomes increasingly minuscule. Nora’s presence within The Lost House also illustrates how the influence of a true crime element can sometimes play both a helpful and hindering role in relation to a case.

The narration by Saskia Maarleveld is wonderful, I especially appreciated the pronunciations of names and places. I was hanging on every word, especially as events began to escalate.

The Lost House is a slow-burning and gripping story. Of the two mysteries, the resolution of only one of them surprised me, but I enjoyed learning I was correct in my assumptions.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio and Netgalley for providing access to this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

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.

Agnes has just lost her beloved grandfather and she is determined to clear his name. She is a character with some huge flaws and she is a bit wishy washy. This is what I liked about her…I know, I know, not my usual character choice. She pulled at my heart strings a bit. I loved her mind set even if she doesn’t know where to turn in most of her choices.

I did fluctuate between 3 and 4 stars. This is more of a 3.5 star rounded up. It just was a bit slow and draggy in spots. Yes! I did figure it out pretty quickly. However, the setting and the characters kept me reading.

This is narrated by Saskia Maarleveld. She is pretty dad blame good!

Need a mystery with a great setting…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today.

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

From the stunning front cover to page one and throughout, author Melissa Larsen creates an atmospheric, chilling Nordic Noir set in a small Icelandic town, THE LOST HOUSE —A story of a young woman haunted by her past returns to Iceland to investigate a gruesome murder in her family and to clear her grandfather's name (a cold case) covering over four decades.

The author deftly explores generational trauma with true-crime culture twists (podcast) while cleverly uncovering buried family dark secrets that threaten the present and the lengths they will go to keep those secrets.

Audiobook...

I had the honor of reading an e-book and listening to the audiobook narrated by the talented Saskia Maarleveld (a favorite), elevating the story while building suspense and mystery, with darkness and menace lurking, making the characters come in this eerie, atmospheric, spine-chilling setting—a spellbinding performance!

About...

Forty years ago, a young woman and her infant daughter were found buried in the cold Icelandic snow, lying together—a gruesome, brutal murder of mother and infant.

The case went cold, and there were no arrests. However, the suspicions turned to the husband, who fled to California with his son.

Now, the granddaughter, Agnes, wants to clear her grandfather's name after his death. She also has experienced an injury and decides to fly to the remote town of Bifröst, Iceland, where her father lived, to meet up with Nora Carver (podcaster) to be interviewed for her popular podcast —return to the scene of the crime of 40 years ago and the gruesome murder. This stirs up many unsettled feelings in the town from the past.

Now, a local girl goes missing, and Agnes finds herself drawn into a web of secrets stirred up when she discovers how far a person will go to protect their family and secrets.

My thoughts...

THE LOST HOUSE is an emotionally compelling and captivating Icelandic noir with a literary lyrical twist that explores grief, pain, trauma, loneliness, loss, self-discovery, and survival while delivering an intriguing murder mystery set in an atmospheric, chilling setting. The author brilliantly captures the time and place with both timelines in this haunting whodunit.

Hauntingly beautiful, dark, and gritty, Larsen creates complex, well-developed, vividly drawn characters with stunning, evocative prose that keeps you glued to the pages and earbuds. This is my first book by the author, and I look forward to seeing what comes next.

Recs...

THE LOST HOUSE is for fans of Ragnar Jónasson, Alice Hoffman, Sara Blaedel, Hannah Morrisey, Ruth Ware, Carol Goodman, and Jennifer McMahon, and those who enjoy well-written psychological suspense, mysteries, noirs, and literary fiction.

Thanks to St. Martin's Press, Minotaur Books, and Macmillan Audio for an ARC and ALC via NetGalley for an honest review. #CoverCrush

blog review posted @
JudithDCollins.com
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
My Rating: 4.5 Stars
Pub Date: Jan 14, 2025
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Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this eARC in audiobook format.

"The Lost House" by Melissa Larsen is a haunting and atmospheric novel that comes to life through the mesmerizing narration of Saskia Maarleveld. This audiobook offers an immersive experience, blending a gripping story with a captivating vocal performance that keeps listeners enthralled from start to finish.

The story revolves around Agnes, a young woman who travels to Iceland to work with a true crime podcaster to try to prove her Grandfather was not a murderer. Agnes unravels a web of intrigue, betrayal, and long-buried truths.

Melissa Larsen's writing is richly descriptive and evocative, painting vivid images of the eerie and desolate house. Her ability to build suspense and create a sense of foreboding is masterful, making each twist and turn in the plot feel surprising yet inevitable. The characters are well-drawn and complex, with Agne's journey of discovery and self-realization at the heart of the narrative.

Saskia Maarleveld's narration is nothing short of exceptional. Her versatile voice brings each character to life with distinct and nuanced portrayals, enhancing the emotional depth of the story. Maarleveld's pacing and delivery perfectly capture the tension and atmosphere of the novel, making the listening experience thrilling and immersive.

"The Lost House" explores themes such as identity, legacy, and the impact of the past on the present.

Larsen deftly weaves these themes into the narrative, creating a story that is suspenseful and thought-provoking.

"The Lost House" is a compelling and beautifully crafted audiobook that showcases Melissa Larsen's talent for storytelling and Saskia Maarleveld's prowess as a narrator. It is a must-listen for fans of atmospheric thrillers and anyone who enjoys a well-told tale of mystery and suspense. This audiobook will leave you spellbound and eager for more from the author and the narrator.

The Lost House’s atmospheric setting in Iceland during the winter captured my attention. It certainly was an eerie setting. The story features the granddaughter of man accused of infamous murders 40 years ago who goes to Iceland to work with a true crime podcaster,Nora, in hopes of clearing her grandfather's name and lands in the midst of a manhunt for a missing young woman.

The story toggles between Agnes and the podcaster looking for clues regarding the old murder and the search for the young woman. Agnes’ various issues make her a questionable narrator. Her secrets are slowly revealed at critical moments of her venture in Iceland.

The secretiveness and hostility of the locals makes them all suspect. I questioned Nora’s stated motives along with each of the grandfather’s neighbors. Between the dark setting, the creepy cast of characters, and the complicated past, I was kept intrigued throughout the story despite the slow-burn pace.

While there were some highly improbable scenarios, I enjoyed Agnes and her story. The end was satisfying enough, but I was hoping for something more that I won’t divulge as that would be a spoiler.

3.5 stars

Thank you Netgalley for this audiobook. I really liked this one and I would highly recommend listening to the audio version versus reading the book. I gave this audio a 5 stars.

I 100% thought i knew who did it first thing, i was wrong. I love a good mystery who done it type story!

Publisher's summary
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.

Thank to NetGalley & Macmillan Audio for the ALC of this book!

The Lost House
By: Melissa Larsen
Narrated by: Saskia Maarleveld
Length: 9 hrs and 59 mins
Release date: 01-14-25
Publisher: Macmillan Audio