Death on the Island by Eliza Reid is a high stakes mystery involving the murder of multiple people with those left alive each with their own possible reasons for why they could be the guilty party.

This book was particularly interesting as it not only has a murder take place shortly after it begins, but the death doesn’t stop there and includes a countdown. I really liked this as it doesn’t reveal who is murdered with each countdown, but it amps up the readers tension as you see the hours disappearing and are left wondering who will be the victim. As the characters left alive seek answers to who the murderer could be, and what their motive is, you as the reader can’t help but looking for cues as to who the next victim might be referred to at the start of each chapter with the countdown, which generates worry for the characters who manage to be likeable. And of course there is the mystery of who the actual killer is and what they might be trying to hide by picking off the party members one at a time.

The atmosphere of this novel was fantastic. It takes place on an Icelandic island that is cut off from most other places barring the ferry that takes people back and forth. As a result, the people who are a part of the party when the murder occurs end up isolated on the island because everything is shut down due to the weather. It adds an air of fright and paranoia, particularly not knowing who the culprit is and is very well done.

It manages to be twisty and turny, and just when you think you have all the answers, it throws a curveball and turns things around all over again. I was initially uncertain how I was going to end up feeling about Death on the Island because I was not immediately sucked into the story, but once it got going, it really got going and I found myself not wanting to stop. Definitely give this book a few chapters to pick the pace up because it ends up turning into a really intriguing thriller and I really enjoyed it in the end.

A locked-room Agatha Christie-esque mystery, set on a tiny Icelandic island. While there are many players in this book, I never felt overwhelmed and I could always remember who was who. Multiple POVs have you wondering "Who is the unreliable narrator?". It started strong, but the pacing and momentum stepped down a bit and then held steady to the end. There's no unnecessary drama but there's also no jaw-dropping plot twists. It has you guessing and trying to solve the mystery throughout, but nothing has you gasping. While I'm not entirely sure you'd be able to predict the ending, I did have fun running through the possible scenarios.

A few times, I felt like character choices didn't make sense. Why would the mayor have two people that he met less than 48 hours ago go through his deceased partner's precious belongings? I understand that during the grieving process, going through those yourself is too painful to imagine. But I also think that you'd also value them highly enough not just to let two relative strangers go through them. I got stuck on this, and since those belongings were revisited multiple times, my disbelief was very hard to suspend.

Thank you to Simon & Schuster Canada and Netgalley for a digital advanced reader copy. All opinions are my own and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

This one fell flat for me. I liked that the setting was in Iceland but otherwise the story itself was just boring. The lead up to the end was very slow and I didn't like any of the characters which made it difficult to continue reading. I figured it out early on but decided to read on, in case there was a plot twist. There wasn't and after I finished reading, I was incredibly disappointed and felt my time was wasted

I had expectations for this book that unfortunately were not realized. I was excited to read the first novel by Eliza Reid as she has a fascinating career and obviously a keen eye for interesting people and spaces. Honestly, I'm surprised I stuck with the book until the end. I suspected the murderer early on and I guess just wanted to confirm that I was correct. The plot kinda meandered along, I didn't love any of the characters and ultimately finished the book feeling a little disatisfied and "meh"... I hope Eliza Reid writes a 2nd book as I think there's potential - her eye for detail and ability to paint a setting is strong. Thank you Simon and Schuster Canada and NetGalley for my arc.

🍀 ST PATRICK’S DAY mini review 🍀 featuring “Death on the Island” by Eliza Reid!

MY RATING: 🖤🖤🖤/5

In a small fishing village off the coast of Iceland, 9 people get together for a diplomatic dinner party. As a sinister storm blows in trapping them on the island, all they have is one another.

When one person ends up dead, everyone at the table becomes a suspect! Could this be a business deal gone wrong or something much more menacing?? After all … everyone attending had their own hidden agenda for the dinner. Is anyone truly safe?? And who is next??

Thank you kindly to @elizajeanreid @simonschusterca @netgalley for my #gifted advanced copy in exchange for my honest review. This book releases on April 29, 2025!

First, thank you for sharing this ARC.

Unfortunately, it wasn't for me. While the pacing was quick and I found it a quick read, I found there were too many circumstances in which I was asked to suspend my disbelief for unbelievable circumstances. I found these plot points really took away from the integrity of the book. For example, when Jonas is left alone to investigate the murder even after more senior members of the police force return, when Ben & Jane (who I believed to be new acquaintances of Kristjan) are granted access to search (unsupervised) Ari's study, or when Jonas calls everyone back for a reenactment. If felt like this book was a cozy-mystery trying to disguise itself as a serious take on a mystery classic.

A good whodunit from beginning to end. What an ending. Thank you Simon and Schuster Canada and NetGalley for my arc.

With thanks to NetGalley for the preview of this spring 2025 novel.

I anticipated it would be accomplished because [book:Secrets of the Sprakkar: Iceland’s Extraordinary Women and How They Are Changing the World|228781013], the author's book on gender equality and Iceland, is terrific.

And the testimonials from a host of well-regarded crime writers prefacing the novel's opening promise that an important new crime writing voice is joining their number.

The novel's opening was promising: Reid uses the engaging setting of a volcanic Icelandic island for a potentially intriguing locked-room mystery. Several of the characters, including Hannah, the scientist-turned-artist whose debut exhibit has brought Canadian diplomats and local bigwigs together, are portrayed effectively. When a storm strands the whole group overnight, the ghost of Agatha Christie appears to be hovering over the plot nicely.

The most effective set piece is the impressive dinner in the celebrated local restaurant where the chef, Piotr, excels at both foraging and cooking. His justly famous signature cocktail appears to be the cause of death of one of the visiting diplomats, an ambitious and well-meaning second-in-command to the ambassador who seems far more competent than her adulterous boss.

But long passages of lengthy dialogue and a substantial amount of repetition drag down the novel's pacing. Information is conveyed and then repeated.

The book would benefit from a more interesting protagonist than Jane, the ambassador's wife, whose chief characteristic is that she's unhappy in her marriage. This is particularly the case during the novel's second half, where a young police investigator appears to have no reinforcements due to the storm, and Jane takes matters into her own hands. The number of improbable events piles up alarmingly.

In the last quarter of the book, this is especially pronounced, and the novel's apparent climactic revelations ultimately peter out without a satisfying sense of justice.

I really enjoyed Death on the Island. I thought it was well written and I felt like I was on the island with them. Debut mystery author…looking forward to more Iceland!