This is the second book in the Helgi Reykdal series. Helgi is a bit quirky and seems more engrossed in golden age detective fiction than his duties as a police officer. But the novels Helgi reads add to the fun. He replaces retired Hulda Hermannsdottir (from a previous series) in the Reykjavik police department. Hulda makes a cameo appearance in a few flashback scenes.
A famous local crimewriter, Elin Jonsdottir, has gone missing. Is she dead? Or did she pull an Agatha Christie stunt? Helgi is assigned the case. It falls right in his book-loving wheelhouse. However, Elin’s closest friends seem to be unforthcoming about her last movements. Plus a bank robbery from 1965 keeps popping up during the investigation.
Helgi faces added complications in his personal life when his ex-girlfriend cannot accept their breakup. Readers who like everything resolved by the last page are forewarned that there are loose ends warranting a book three.
Although passing reference is made to book one in the series (Death at the Sanatorium), it is not necessary to have read it. I read in a print-audio combo. The multi-cast audio is excellent! I appreciated hearing the correct pronunciations of Icelandic names. And there are sound effects, such as a tape recorder. On audio, the book merits an extra half star. Ragnar Jonasson is a master of Iceland Noir. Be sure to check out the literary festival of the same name that he co-founded.

I have been loving Nordic/Icelandic mysteries lately and was excited to add Jonasson to my list. However, if like me you've been reading more Nordic Noir or dark Nordic mysteries, this one is not that. The Mysterious Case of the Missing Crime Writer felt more cozy to me, at least compared to other Icelandic writers I've read. I enjoyed the story while I was reading it; the writing was fine. I just didn't really find anything very memorable about it. I read/listened to it a few weeks ago and barely remember anything about it. The ending was not surprising. The build-up was predictable. I did enjoy the narrator of the audiobook version; he did a great job and his accent was delightful. The entire book was fairly short so the characters were not developed overly much. Overall, a mid read for me.

If you are looking for a easy, almost mindless, lighter mystery for an afternoon of not deep thinking or darker themes, this book might be for you.

Thank you to the publisher and author for an ARC copy.

Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy of this book. The Mysterious Case of the Missing Crime Writer was a fantastically mysterious story with gripping characters and a twisted plot! Great read for someone who enjoys mysteries in a kind of meta way that talk about crime writers, authors, and offer a kind of mirror and glance into the world of mystery writing.

This book had a few different point of views each with a bit of mystery. It was a bit confusing and a little slow going, but there were parts that I enjoyed however, I’m not sure about the ending because the story just seemed to stop. I kept looking to see if I had missed something or maybe my advanced reader copy was missing part of the ending? If not, it was a very disappointing ending and while I enjoyed part of the book, it did not really work for me personally. I want to thank NetGalley for this advanced reader copy. The opinions are my own.

This sequel was an okay read overall. I found myself more curious about Helgi’s personal life—especially his complicated relationship with his ex (who is definitely a psychopath)—than about the central mystery itself. The book took a little while to really get going, and at first the back-and-forth made things feel a bit confusing.

That said, it was a fun and very quick read. It felt lighter compared to the author’s usual style, but I actually prefer the darker, more brooding side of Nordic noir. The mystery was good enough, just not as dark or gripping as I hoped. Still, I’m looking forward to the next book to see what’s going on with Helgi.

Thank you @stmartinspress for the #gifted copy in exchange for an honest review.

Another exciting book from this author with the lead character, policeman Helgi. He is given the case of a possibly missing author, Elin Jonsdottir. Is she really missing, or did she just go away for awhile. With little to go on, Helgi talks to her three best friends. They all claim to not know what has happened, but all state they are worried. Helgi discovers so many secrets about Elin when he starts digging. So many secrets he has a hard time comprehending them all. And he is also dealing with his ex girlfriend stalking his new girlfriend, even tho the relationship was long over, at least to him, and also looking in to a former police woman who's office Helgi now has, and it seems she too has disappeared. With the ending of this one, I cannot wait for the next one...

The Mysterious Case of the Missing Crime Writer is a rather unusual book from Ragnar Jonasson, the second to feature Helgi Reykdal after Death at the Sanitorium. Now on the force in Reykjavik, Helgi is assigned to investigate when a very well known Icelandic author, Elin S. Jonsdottir, goes missing. He immediately flies back from a vacation to the city to begin looking into this case. It seems like a fairly straightforward story. But…no. In a book divided into narratives provided by four individuals in four time periods between 1965 and the novel’s present day of 2012, we learn much about Helgi’s past and present relationships, the missing author’s life, a long ago robbery, and another missing person’s case…the woman whose desk Helgi now sits at, Hulda Hermannsdottir.

Now that’s a lot to unpack but I enjoyed doing it. What may have helped me was that I have read the first of these two books as well as one of the Hidden Iceland series featuring Hulda. The familiarity helped and I am comfortable with the style of rotating narratives. This series is far different from Jonasson’s Dark Iceland series, which are my favorite of his books. This has a “labor of love” feeling about it especially as the author is known to be a fan of Golden Age mysteries as Helgi is.

With the caveat that knowing more of the author’s work might help a bit and that this book does come off a bit helter skelter at times, I do recommend it to mystery readers.

Thanks to Minotaur Books and NetGalley for an early copy of this book.

Part police procedural, part psychological thriller. I enjoyed this story as Helgi Reykdal solves a couple of cases and we get to know him and what’s happening in his personal life as well. I loved the setting in Iceland and the fact that Helgi owns a bookstore and loves reading golden age mystery novels. The only thing is I found the conclusion unsatisfactory. I felt like it was abrupt and unfinished. 4 stars

Wow!!! Is all I can say about this absolutely outstanding book. I loved every paragraph, every sentence and every word of this masterpiece! I read it in 12 hours, which is a lot for me to do! It had everything and more laid out in the novel! I sure hope there is more to come from this author! I am totally hooked! This was an outstanding novel from the cover to the last page!

Thank you Minotaur Books @minotaur_books. Netgalley @netgalley and Ragnar Jónasson @ragnarjo for this free book!
“The Mysterious Case of the Missing Crime Writer” by Ragnar Jónasson⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️Genre: Nordic Noir Mystery. Location: Reykjavik, Iceland. Time: November 1-6, 2012.

Several months after the events in “Death at the Sanatorium”, young detective Helgi Reykdal has taken disappeared detective Hulda Hermannsdóttir’s job, left abusive Bergthóra, and started dating Anita from the Health Department (see book 1). When bestselling crime author Elín Jónsdóttir goes missing, book-obsessed Helgi is tasked with solving the case. His interviews make him realizes her life was stranger than the fiction she wrote. Helgi looks for patterns, deals with a stalker, and worries his boss set him up by this assignment.

Author Jónasson’s book is a character-driven, modern Golden Age mystery. Helgi’s story includes flashbacks to 2005 with Elín, and the 1970s with Hulda. Jónasson’s words evoke wintery Iceland (“… breathing in the icy air and watching the twilight dissolve into night.”), and powerfully describe the shame and guilt domestic violence victims feel. Helgi has the deep feelings of a true booklover (“…it felt like a privilege to pass through the wall that separated the author from her readers.”)-and Jónasson includes Helgi’s crime novel reading list. It’s a booklover’s book, tightly plotted, full of book/author references. Then suddenly it’s a cliffhanger, which makes me feel a little cheated-who knows when the next book will arrive? As a result, it’s 4 stars instead of 5 from me 📚👩🏼‍🦳#netgalley

I enjoy Icelandic noir and golden-age-style mysteries, and police procedurals are among my favorites. The Mysterious Case of the Missing Crime Writer seemed promising to cover all those bases, with the additional unique angle of the crime writer possibly the victim of the crime.

Helgi is nearly 250 miles away caring for his ailing mother when he’s called back to Reykjavik to investigate the disappearance of legendary crime author Elín S. Jónsdóttir. He has mixed feeling about this assignment, not sure if he’s been tasked because his superiors think he’s best suited to solve it or if they are putting him in place as a potential scapegoat if this turns out to be a publicity stunt or if Elín has just gone away of her own volition. He’s ambitious and hopes to use this case to advance in the ranks.

Although somewhat distracted at times from the case because he’s trying to avoid further confrontation with his physically and emotionally abusive ex-girlfriend, and imagining a possible future with a new woman in his life, Helgi researches, investigates, questions while trying to determine if a crime did in fact occur and if so, who did it. The book jumps from the present to the past, to previous police officers, other crimes, and to Elín’s past and the pasts of those closest to her.

Unfortunately, the promise of this novel is never quite realized. While Helgi keeps busy, most of the clues seem to drop in his lap, and he provides too much information to potential suspects, trusting they will keep it confidential as he asks. It’s hard to see how all the side threads are connected; the big reveal is kind of a letdown. And unless the abrupt ending is meant to be a cliffhanger for a future book, which isn’t alluded to, the ending is as if someone removed the final pages of the book. I actually refreshed my Kindle several times because I thought it had frozen up and there was more to the story than was on the last page.

Thanks to St. Martin's Press Minotaur Books for providing an advance copy of The Mysterious Case of the Missing Crime Writer via NetGalley. I voluntarily leave this review; all opinions are my own.

Many thanks to NetGalley, St Martin's Press | Minotaur Books, and Macmillan Audio for gifting me both a digital and audio ARC of this crime novel by Ragnar Jónasson, with the audiobook narrated by the cast of Cicely Whitehead; Jane Slavin; Rufus Wright. All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 4 stars!

Detective Helgi is on the case of a missing popular crime writer. There are no clues and he needs to crack the case before it's leaked to the press. He interviews the people close to her and realizes that Elin's life was different than it seemed. Helgi must uncover the secrets to find the writer.

After reading and enjoying Death at the Sanatorium, also featuring Detective Helgi, I was anxious to read this book. I quickly switched over to the audio production because it was fantastic, complete with sound effects and a cast. I really felt involved in the story. There is also a mystery of a missing colleague, and we get more of a peek into Helgi's private life. I liked the way the story played out with interviews, but that ending - I need more quickly!

I love a Golden Age mystery, plus a cool Nordic setting, so I was excited to settle down with The Mysterious Case of the Missing Crime Writer. The author, Iceland's Ragnar Jónasson, has translated 14 of Agatha Christie's novels, so he has a similar respect for the Queen. His detective, Helgi, is assigned to investigate the disappearance of writer Elín S. Jónsdóttir, and as an avid crime reader himself, Helgi is eager for an inside look at the writing and publishing industry. Very meta-mystery so far.
This novel has a lot of threads, not all of which are necessary to solving the main crime. Helgi is dealing with the aftermath of leaving his violent girlfriend, moving in with a new love, investigating the disappearance of another detective, solving his current assignment, all while he is surrounded by liars. The plot moves along within an atmospheric, "L.A. Confidential"-noir setting that helps create some ominous tension.
The one letdown, and it's rather a big one, is the ending. It's not that the crime is easy to solve; there are no supernatural tricks or surprises; it's just so very abrupt. To the point that I redownloaded the novel on my Kindle, thinking I'd missed a chapter. Nope, that was actually meant to be the ending. One of the threads is tied up nicely, but the others are frayed to bits and then ignored. I hated the unresolved questions so much I considered a three-star rating, but the rest of the book's quality merits four stars. Read this book if you love Golden Age mysteries, literary detectives or Icelandic atmosphere.

With a title like "The Mysterious Case of the Missing Crime Writer", you might expect a tongue-in-cheek detective romp in the vein of a Golden Age mystery. Instead, Ragnar Jónasson delivers a stark, atmospheric Nordic noir - bleak, atmospheric, and quietly unsettling.

The novel begins in 2012, when bestselling Icelandic crime author Elín S. Jónsdóttir suddenly goes missing. Young detective Helgi is tasked with investigating before news of her disappearance leaks to the press. But the mystery doesn't unravel in a straight line; instead, three timelines are layered together: a 1975 bank robbery investigated by a young female officer; a 2005 interview with Elín at the height of her career; and Helgi’s 2012 investigation into Elín's vanishing, which coincides with the mysterious disappearance of the female officer from decades earlier. What begins as a missing persons case grows into something much more complex, and unsettling.

Though short - the book is closer to a novella in length -, the shifting timelines are intricately woven, and the result is a complex, layered mystery that unfolds piece by piece. True to the genre, the mystery is compelling, the atmosphere chilling, and while the ending feels abrupt, it lingers in exactly the way a good noir should.

I was graciously provided with copies of both the book and the audio book version, which made for a wonderfully immersive experience. The audiobook production is outstanding. Narrators Cicely Whitehead, Jane Slavin, and Rufus Wright each bring their respective sections to life with nuance. Their performances enhance the unease and tension, making the listening experience immersive and compelling, and the sound effects of the interview portion further add to the perfect atmosphere.

Overall, "The Mysterious Case of the Missing Crime Writer" is a well-crafted, atmospheric mystery that delivers exactly what you’d hope for in Nordic noir: a chilling setting, layered timelines, and an undercurrent of unease that stays with you after the final page.

Many thanks to Macmillan Audio and St. Martin's Press | Minotaur Books and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

"The Mysterious Case of the Missing Crime Writer" is slated to be released on September 9, 2025.

Honestly, I was quite disturbed at the end of Jónasson’s last book, “Murder at the Sanatorium,” because it seemed like [Spoiler Alert for the previous book]….
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…. the author killed off detective Helgi Reykdal (by his crazy ex, Bergthóra) in the very last sentence after I spent a whole thriller learning to love the main character. What I didn’t know was that it was a cliffhanger, and Helgi survived. Thank goodness. Unfortunately, toxic Bergthóra is not one of the disappearances that happen in this book. Ugh. She’s back.

In any case, “The Mysterious Case of the Missing Crime Writer” can be read as a standalone. Helgi Reykdal is a young police officer who has been studying in the UK and is still finishing his criminology dissertation. He is unassuming, non-assertive, but delightful in his own way, and he’s replacing the retired Hulda Hermannsdottir (currently missing, and the main character of another Jónasson series). Like the author, Helgi’s a major fan of Nordic Noir and has a large collection of golden age mysteries translated into Icelandic, as well as local ones. Helgi had retreated into his Golden Age mysteries in the last thriller to cool off after his toxic girlfriend, Bergthóra, went into alcoholic rages, and literally beat him. But now he has also reclaimed the local family bookshop and he’s in a healthy relationship with Aníta. When his boss calls, Helgi jumps at the chance to investigate the disappearance of the Icelandic doyenne of crime fiction, seventy year old Elín Jónsdóttir, a retired author of ten bestsellers. Helgi has steady and persistent investigation skills and, for the most part, we are reading a police procedural. Elín’s friends have no idea why she has gone missing.

There’s more timelines going back to the 60s, when a bank robbery occurred and the 70s, when Hulda, then a young mother determined to keep her job with the police, was still investigating the famous fatal robbery. How it relates to the current story of the missing writer stays vague for a long time. Plus a lengthy 2005 interview with Elín also gives us insight into her personality.

We get multiple revelations while contemplating how a real life disappearance matches up with fictional mysteries. It’s engrossing until the very last sentence again….. Oh, goodness, another cliffhanger. I’ll be looking for a third installment a year from now. 5 stars!

There are three narrators in the audiobook — Rufus Wright is the main narrator and Cicely Whitehead and Jane Slavin perform the interview between Elín and Kristín (the interviewer). They all bring this thriller to life in a most satisfying way!

Literary Pet Peeve Checklist:
Green Eyes (only 2% of the real world, yet it seems like 90% of all fictional females): NO No eye colors mentioned.
Horticultural Faux Pas (plants out of season or growing zones, like daffodils in autumn or bougainvillea in Alaska): NO Although what’s an Icelandic book without lupines everywhere?

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press, Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for advanced copies!

This is how you set up a mystery! It's full of complicated characters with interesting backstories, including our Helgi, the detective. The only downsides were the incredibly abrupt ending and the important clues revealed towards the end of the novel, robbing the reader of the chance to solve it themselves.

Ragnar Jónasson is credited with being the force behind Agatha Christie’s books being translated into Icelandic. As such, he finds his way into this book as a brief mention. It was an Easter egg of sorts that made me smile when I read it.

There are three mysteries discussed in this 320-page book. What happened to the mystery writer? How is it connected to events in the past? What happened to Helgi’s predecessor? At the end of the book, two of those questions are answered. The way the information is presented at first is a tad confusing; I found myself wondering what one event had to do with the other. But I decided to trust the process. And it worked out in my favor to do so.

There is a subplot that continues from the first book in the series, revolving around domestic violence. It’s interesting to see how Jónasson approaches the subject. Without trying to give too much away, I will tell you that Helgi is the victim.

This is the third book I’ve read by Ragnar Jónasson, and it won’t be the last. Who do I think would enjoy reading The Mysterious Case of the Missing Crime Writer? As his works are often compared to those of Agatha Christie, I believe anyone who has enjoyed reading her books will also enjoy this one. However, I would recommend starting with Death at the Sanatorium, as it is the first in this series. And there may be some spoilers if you read this one first.

In The Mysterious Case of the Missing Crime Writer, bestselling author Elín S. Jónsdóttir has vanished without a trace, and detective Helgi Reykdal is tasked with unraveling the mystery. As he interviews those who knew her, the story unfolds in a non-linear fashion, weaving in flashbacks, a separate bank robbery case, and snippets of Elín’s own words. The result is a layered, slow-burning mystery that asks readers to pay close attention.

This is the second book featuring Detective Reykdal, but it works well as a standalone. I appreciated some unique aspects—especially the sensitive portrayal of domestic abuse with a male victim, something rarely explored. However, parts of the story left me underwhelmed, and the pacing felt uneven. The audiobook narration was strong and helped me stay engaged, but the shifting timelines made it a bit hard to follow at times.

The abrupt and somewhat perplexing ending may not satisfy readers who want all their questions answered. It’s a thoughtful read, but one that may leave you wondering, “Wait, what just happened?” I’m still not sure if this is the end—or just the beginning of something more.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press - Minotaur Books for this advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Nothing tells you, but this is the second book in an informal series. Sure you can read this as a standalone but it mentions events from the previous book so often, you will feel like you have missed something. I did! So much so that I stopped reading this one and went back to read [book:Death at the Sanatorium|203578851] before coming back to this one. That made for a much better reading experience of this book! There are story lines that started in the first book and continue through this book. Obviously character development continues as well. Some of the story lines are resolved in this book, but there are some that are not, which make me think we will be getting a third book. I'd like that! I feel really connected to Helgi and his desire to live a comfortable life with ample time to read. I hope he solves the lingering issues from this book and gets more reading time in the next! I look forward to it!

I loved the concept of this book. Elín S. Jónsdóttir, a famous Icelandic crime writer has gone missing without a trace. Detective Helgi, an avid mystery reader, is assigned to the case. The story bounces back and forth between a few timelines and a mysterious interview given by Elin years before her disappearance.

What I enjoyed about this book:
* The setting - The unpredictable, beautiful terrain Is the perfect atmosphere for this crime novel.
* Detective Helgi- He gives me Columbo vibes. The kind of guy that is underestimated but has what it takes to deliver. His compulsion to read golden age crime novels and respond to situations methodically is endearing.
* The pacing of the story- The story moves quickly and there are multiple layers that are revealed alongside the primary mystery.

It was a great read and I would recommend it, but be warned the ending is abrupt to the point that I thought my copy was missing a section. Perhaps is was meant to be a mic drop, but it just felt unfinished. All will be forgiven if another novel comes out that completes the story soon.

Thanks NetGalley and St. Martin's Press | Minotaur Books who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.