Thank you for allowing me to listen to this audio book prior to release, as an ARC.
I have always loved the Icelandic setting and stories by another Icelandic author, so I was excited to have an opportunity to listen to this one as it appeared to be in the same setting.
The story line did not disappoint. I am not going to repeat what happens in the story (as so many other reviewers always do?) as that is part of the synopsis of the book! I thoroughly enjoyed the setting in the cold mysterious Icelandic atmosphere. It makes the story setting even more perfect and appears even more suspenseful. I have not read anything by this author prior and she did not disappoint!! The characters were for the most part likeable and relatable and definitely developed throughout the story. I liked the protagonist who set out to clear her grandpa's name.
The setting of the story was well described, making it possible to picture yourself in the story and environment. That is always a big pet peave of mine...I have to be able to see myself in the story...and this author does it perfectly. The narrative was well built out and not far fetched. Some parts were a little slow and I was hoping for a quicker solution but it made the story still great.
The narrator did an amazing job! A narrator can make or break a story and this narrator definitely made it a great interesting story that the reader will not want to quit!

I received a complimentary copy of this book "The Lost House" and all opinions expressed are my own. I listened to the audio book. A slow burn mystery that was slightly too long. The story was set in Iceland I have to admit it was a bit confusing with the names. So I will say overall ok, it was an audio book so it was a little easier.

The Lost House is an enjoyable atmospheric mystery thriller set mainly in Iceland. The narration by Saskia Maarleveld is outstanding!

Agnes’s beloved grandfather has recently passed away. Forty years ago he was the prime suspect in the murder of his wife and infant daughter in Bifrost Iceland. The troubled protagonist, Agnes, heads to Iceland to meet up with Nora who had a true crime podcast to discuss the case. Agnes is determined to find out the truth about her grandfather.

I read the book and later listened to the audiobook and enjoyed the audiobook immensely.

I look forward to reading and listening to more by this author.

When I heard Abby from @crimebytthebook talking about this book I raced to NetGalley to find it. So happy to get approved for both the print and audiobook, I dived right in.

The Lost House is a slow burning murder mystery set in Iceland. Almost 40 years ago, Agnes’s grandfather was suspected of killing his wife and baby daughter. He was never convicted but he took his young son and moved to California. Now with the anniversary looming, Agnes has agreed to talk to podcaster, Nora Carver about what she knows and the grandfather that she loved so dearly. She has never been to Iceland and hopes that she can clear her beloved grandfather’s name.

This was such a great story, with an incredible setting of the ice and snow. Combined with the early darkness, this made for a creepy and intense story. Agnes is pretty messed up in more ways than one, so it was hard to know if what she was telling the reader was fact of fiction. It was emotional and heartbreaking at times.

The audiobook was brilliant, with the always fantastic Saaskia Maaleveld narrating. She always brings the story and characters to life, making this a winner for me.

Thanks so much to S Martin’s Press and Macmillan audio for the advanced copies. A new author to add to the list. Out on January 14th.

Engrossing and ominous, this story had me rapt, pulled into the cold Icelandic setting, empathetic for both Agnes and Nora being such fish out of water in this foreign land where they were immersed in a cold case and a seemingly connected new missing person case. With Agnes trying to prove her grandfather's innocence, Nora the one investigating to get to the truth, and locals accepting without being welcoming or helpful very often, it creates a density throughout. Everyone is suspicious, everyone is hiding something, and Agnes' desperation is palpable. Despite how dark this book was, I found the fairly constant action and emotional zig-zagging enough to keep me from feeling bleak and hopeless for the characters.

I've been so excited to read Melissa Larsen's upcoming novel, THE LOST HOUSE, ever since I've been hearing so much buzz about her since her debut novel, Shutter! It's been a while since I've read a nordic noir mystery/thriller, but it's always best to read when winter approaches to get right into the mood. Immediate thoughts once I jumped into the story were that it was immersive, dark, and utterly original. I alternated between the audiobook and physical and both were very fun!

Melissa Larsen’s The Lost House is a gripping story about Agnes, a young woman haunted by her family’s dark past, who returns to her ancestral home in Iceland to uncover the truth about a gruesome murder. Forty years ago, a mother and her baby were found buried in the snow—tragically peaceful, except for the mother’s slashed throat and the baby’s drowning. The case was never solved, but blame fell on the husband, who fled to California with his son. Now, after his death, Agnes is determined to clear her grandfather’s name and escape her own messy life. When true crime podcaster Nora Carver invites her to talk, Agnes jumps at the chance, packing her bags for the remote Icelandic town of Bifröst, where the tragedy began.

But things take a sinister turn when a local girl vanishes the same weekend Agnes arrives. Suddenly, the past and present collide as the investigation digs up long-buried secrets, and Agnes realizes everyone in the small town could be hiding something. Against the icy backdrop of Iceland’s winter, The Lost House delivers a chilling and twist-filled thriller that keeps you guessing. Larsen does an incredible job weaving complex characters and jaw-dropping surprises into a dark, atmospheric tale. It’s the kind of book that hooks you from the start and refuses to let go until you’ve unraveled every secret—and even then, you’ll be left thinking about it.

Thank you to MacMillan Audio for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.. Forty years ago a woman and her baby were found murdered. The woman had her throat cut and the baby drowned. Even though the towns people all thought her husband was responsible this case was never solved. Now 50 yrs after this tragic even Agnes returns to the small town in Iceland to clear her grandfather's name. How can this gentle loving man who Agnes adored do something this horrific. With the pain of losing her grandfather she now tries to figure out what really happened that night. Agnes arrives in the small town and is offered a room to stay in on the exact family property where her grandmother and aunt were murdered. With the help of Nora the pod caster, they not only try and solve the 50 yr old case but also try to help locate a young lady who has recently gone missing. Is there a connection or is it just a coincidence? Enjoy!!!

Thank you Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for this alc.

The Lost House is the second book I read from an Icelandic author. In this story we follow software developer Agnes Glin who lives in California. Her dad and grandfather are both from Iceland. Her grandfather recently passed away and she is having a hard time dealing with his passing when she receives an invitation from a podcaster to go to Iceland.

Nora Carver, the podcaster, is doing an investigation involving Agnes’s grandfather who decades earlier was accused of ki!!ing his wife and baby daughter. Now that he has died, Agnes wants to find the truth about him. This is a slow-burn mystery novel. It is narrated by Saskia Maarleveld who gave the perfect tone and pacing for this story. Very well plotted, this novel comes out January 14th.

Set in Iceland, Agnes travels to her family's home country to get to the bottom of a 40-year-old murder mystery.

I wasn't entirely on board with the narrator. I don't tend to love when narrators use a sort of breathy, raspy voice. I think it is supposed to sound mysterious but sounds more like they are out of breath the entire time. It just doesn't entirely work for me.

The book was well written and very atmospheric. Agnes was there to find out the truth about her grandmother's death long before she was born. She was working with a journalist when a new story breaks. A woman went missing from the same place 40 years later, and it is feared the cases are connected.

i enjoyed the setting and the writing, but the plot of the story was too attenuated to hold my attention and that is a personal opinion. I just couldn't get into a murder mystery about a woman who died more than 30 years before the main character was born. I get that it was her family history, and it was important to her, but it felt too attenuated to me.

Overall, I would recommend people give this a chance if they are into Icelandic noir and creepy atmospheric stories.

I saw this book floating around, and I really like Saskia Maarleveld, so I requested The Lost House.

This may be a good fit if you enjoy:
- old murder cases potentially connected to new cases
- books with a podcast element
- nordic noir

Unfortunately this was not for me. I can't put my finger on why exactly. I enjoy podcast elements, and I was interested in a mystery set in Iceland. I struggled to feel invested in the story.

Agnes returns to her family’s home in Iceland, 40 years after the gruesome murder of her grandmother and her baby girl….
Upon the discovery, it was thought that she just froze to death…until they saw evidence that it was a murder!!

Now, not long after her grandfather’s death, Agnes wants to get to the bottom of this…you see, they never found the killer, but it was always THOUGHT that it was her grandfather….which is why he moved halfway across the world…to get away from the suspicion….

Although it was a good read, for some reason, it just didn’t HOLD my attention.
The FMC has had a difficult past, and it seems like that is continuing…

She does not get along well with her father, and doesn’t really have any good friends. BUT, she adored her grandpa… so, the more she learns about him, the more she fears that he was not a good man….

Triggers: Drug Abuse, Mental Abuse, Slight Physical Abuse is referred to as well….

#TheLostHouse by #MelissaLarsen and narrated nicely by #SaskiaMaareveld.

Thanks to #NetGalley and #MacmillanAudio for an ARC of the audiobook **** which is due to be released on 1/14/24 **** …so a few weeks from now.

3 ⭐️⭐️⭐️ for me!

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Iceland is the perfect setting for a murder mystery, especially in winter when the cold and dark prevail. A 40 year old cold case murder is being investigated by a podcaster, Nora. She meets up with Agnes, the granddaughter of the victim and main suspect. Things get complicated and tense when a woman disappears. Dark and twisty. The narration by Saskia Maarleveld is stellar!

Agnes wants to clear her grandfather's name of a murder she's sure he didn't commit. Forty years ago a women and her baby were found murdered in Iceland. Now Agnes is there to find out the truth.

Gripping and atmospheric, this is a story you won't want to miss.

"The Lost House" was an exhilarating and intense read that kept me on the edge of my seat. I was taken by surprise at the level of gruesome details, which, while sometimes unsettling, added to the story's powerful atmosphere.

The plot is filled with unexpected twists, and the characters are incredibly well-developed, each bringing their own unique traits and depth to the narrative. This complexity makes the novel stand out in a crowded genre.

I'm thankful to NetGalley for the advanced copy, and a special shout-out to Melissa Harsen for creating such a captivating story that stays with you long after reading.

This book had so many twists and turns that I didn’t see coming. The overall vibe was spooky and suspenseful and the ending was crazy! I def recommend this audiobook also the narrator was great.

The Lost House takes the reader to the frozen tundra of Iceland where after her grandfather’s death, Agnes travels to meet Nora, the host of a true crime podcast. Forty years ago, Agnes’ grandmother and aunt were murdered and according to everyone in town, it was at the hands of Agnes’ grandfather. Just after Agnes arrives, another young woman disappears.

Together, Agnes and Nora investigate the 40 year old murder, trying to unearth any new clues as Agnes desperately hopes to clear her grandfather’s name. To her dismay, all signs point to her beloved grandfather committing the most unthinkable act.

The book takes the reader the on any icy cold ride with beautifully painted pictures of the landscape and a lot of twists and turns.

It is important to note that this was an audio version of the book, narrated by Saskia Maarleveld. I thought the story was very well acted and very easy to listen to.

I would like to thank the author, Melissa Larsen, Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to and review the advance copy of this audio book.

The Lost House by Melissa Larsen
🌟🌟🌟🌟(3.5, rounded up to 4)
This is an entertaining cold thriller story that takes place in Iceland.
The story has lots of mystery and suspense. It wasn’t as exciting as I was hoping for, but it was still enjoyable.
It is a very unique and original story! Agnes travels from California to Iceland to meet with Nora, a podcaster, about past murders and try to clear her grandfather’s name from a murder 40 years prior.
Lots of different secrets are unraveled while Agnes is in Iceland.

Thank you to NetGalley for an arc audio version of this book. The Narrator did a great job!
*This book comes out January 14th*

Many thanks to NetGalley, Minotaur Books, and Macmillan Audio for gifting me both a digital and audio ARC of this novel by Melissa Larsen, beautifully narrated by Saskia Maarleveld. All opinions expressed in this review are my own – 4 stars!

Forty years ago in Iceland, a young mother and her infant daughter were brutally murdered. No one was ever charged, but the community was convinced it was the woman’s husband. When he fled for the US, it proved his guilt to them. In the present, Nora is working on a podcast of the story and the man’s granddaughter, Agnes, has agreed to fly from California to Iceland to participate. Agnes is healing both physically and mentally from an injury and broken relationship, relying on too many pills to get her through the day. She’s also grieving the loss of her beloved grandfather and is eager to prove his innocence. When she arrives, Nora is swept up in a new story of another young woman who has gone missing and enlists Agnes’ help. Are the two cases related?

The stark Icelandic setting and weather were the perfect backdrop for this haunting tale. The small town’s inhabitants have been convinced of the husband’s guilt and have no use for his granddaughter stirring things up. But now there is not one case to investigate, but two, and there are plenty of suspects. I loved having the audiobook to listen to while I read, especially with the different dialect and language. The narration was beautiful and added depth to the story. Perfect winter mystery!

This chilling thriller is not only in the weather but in the cold case as well.
This book was very atmospheric giving a good feeling of Iceland and the people in Bifrost, Iceland. I read the ebook and audiobook in tandem and I found with both I could easily picture the snow falling, the ice-covered roads, the knee-deep walkways filled with snow, the thrilling moments in the outdoors the sub-zero temperatures and snow storms. I did suspect the correct killer so that lack of surprise was disappointing but it was nice to know I was right!

This story is about Agnes Glin, who goes on a trip to Iceland alone to take part in a cold case podcast by Nora Carver, who is looking into an old cold case in Iceland from 40 years early that involved the murders of Agnes`s grandmother and baby aunt. Agnes’s grandfather, Einar Palsson, was suspected but never charged with the murders and Agnes would like to prove his innocence and clear her family’s name. There is also a subplot line where another local woman has gone missing just before Agnes arrives and Nora suspects it might be linked to past murders as the woman looked a lot like Agnes' grandmother.

The audiobook really helped to move along this slow-burn thriller — the narrator did well with the Icelandic English accent and distinguishing the male and female voices. The intonation of the narrator also brought forward the suspenseful and thrilling aspects of the book too!

Many thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press | Minotaur Books, and Macmillan Audio for this ARC/ ALC. This is my honest review.

Interesting mystery. Unique location and characters. Wasn't sure how the current missing girl would evolve in the story, but enjoyed the way it all came together and was revealed in the end.