The Darkness

I've ONLY recently discovered the extraordinary Icelandic writer who adds several shades of darkness to Nordic noir . . . it builds to a deeply shocking climax

Anthony Horowitz, Daily Mail, Ten Thrillers to Die For

If you have ever doubted the appropriateness of the phrase 'Nordic noir', The Darkness will dispel any hesitation . . . in what way this happens (and how badly) is the strength of the book. There are ever-darker surprises, culminating in a finish that leaves one with a highly disturbing image.

BOOK OF THE WEEK, The Press

The wait was worthwhile and The Darkness first in the new trilogy, is a very efficient piece of work. Jonasson has the full measure of the Nordic noir genre, and pushes all the requisite buttons

Barry Forshaw, Financial Times

A superb thriller

Summer Reads, The Sunday Times

To read Ragnar Jonasson is to plunge into snowy Iceland . . . much of its atmosphere and subtle pacing to the traditional 'golden age' detective fiction as the mystery unfolds and builds to a startling climax, elegantly handled.

The Witness

A complex, fascinating mix of Icelandic community and alienation, atmospheric tension, and timely issues (immigrant exploitation and vigilante justice), Jonasson's latest series is another must-read for crime fans who follow the work of Arnaldur Indridason and Yrsa Sigurdardottir

Booklist

Icelandic detective Hulda Hermannsdottir is the best tragic heroine our reviewer has read for years

The Times, Must Read List

Superb . . . Chilling . . . and establishes her as a great tragic heroine of modern detective fiction

Joan Smith, Crime Book of the Month, Sunday Times

Outstanding series debut . . . builds to its stunning conclusion, one of the more remarkable in recent crime fiction

Publishers Weekly

The Darkness melds an insightful character study with a solid plot for an outstanding novel

Washington Post

The perfect territory for mystery [writers]

New York Times

An intelligent, provocative whodunit with a killer twist

Ian Rankin

It's shockingly sinister and has an ending that will leave you, literally, gasping for breath

Crimesquad

The ending really took my breath away and that's hard for writers to do to me these days . . . It was a complete surprise and I should have seen it coming and I didn't. [Hulda] is a fantastic, complex 3D character and I want to see more of her, so hurray, this is the first of a three book series

Ian Rankin on the Simon Mayo Podcast

The Darkness will have you burning the midnight oil till 2:00am. It's a gloriously compelling yarn, whose spell continues to hold even when you've turned its final page thanks to its unexpected ending. I can't wait for his next

Reader review

Expertly plotted, with an ending that's a true shocker, The Darkness is the first book in a trilogy featuring this engaging investigator, which is good news

Book of the Month, Guardian

Chilling - a must-read

Peter James

Page-turning stuff with an unexpected ending!

James Swallow, bestselling author of Nomad

Was gripped from the start of this brilliantly told story. And left wide-eyed with shock at the ending

Fiona Barton, bestselling author of The Widow

A true masterpiece . . . a plot full of twists and turns and an ending that leaves you gasping for air

Yrsa Sigurðardóttir

As chilling as the nip in the Icelandic air

Choice Magazine

Crime fiction has never seen a character quite like Hulda Hermannsdóittir; nor a series launch so entirely willing to take risks and obliterate long-standing tropes . . . There is no doubt that The Darkness will rank as one of the most popular and powerful reading experiences of the year

Bolo Books Review

Breathtaking. Read it in two sittings. Yet another instant Ragnar Jonasson classic

Thomas Enger, bestselling author of the Henning Juul series

The Darkness is a bullet train of a novel, at once blazingly contemporary and Agatha-Christie old-fashioned. With prose as pure and crisp as Reykjavik snowcrust, Ragnar Jónasson navigates the treacherous narrative with a veteran's hand. I reached the end with adrenalized anticipation, the final twist hitting me in the face. I dare you not to be shocked.

Gregg Hurwitz

The Darkness is Ragnar Jonasson at the top of his game - deft plotting, a great central character and a story as chilling as the Icelandic winter. I couldn't put it down

William Ryan, author of The Holy Thief

It had an intense, visceral sense of place and the connection between the emotional lives of the character and the landscape was evoked beautifully

Helen Callaghan, bestselling author of Dear Amy

It will get your pulse racing, and keep you hooked to the last page

Simon Kernick of The Bone Field series

Magnificently dark and twisted and that ending - blimey!

C. J. Tudor, bestselling author of The Chalk Man

Superb

100 Best Crime Novels since 1945, The Times

Jónasson is an automatic must-read for me . . . possibly the best Scandi writer working today

Lee Child

Praise for Ragnar Jónasson

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Extraordinary, the three books in that series are all amazing . . . very moving all the way through

Ian Rankin

The Darkness is a bullet train of a novel, at once blazingly contemporary and Agatha-Christie old-fashioned. With prose as pure and crisp as Reykjavik snowcrust, Ragnar Jónasson navigates the treacherous narrative with a veteran's hand. I reached the end with adrenalized anticipation, the final twist hitting me in the face. I dare you not to be shocked

Gregg Hurwitz, Sunday Times bestselling author of Orphan X

The Darkness is a true masterpiece of a crime novel, introducing an original protagonist, a plot full of twists and turns and an ending that leaves you gasping for air

Yrsa Sigurðardóttir, author of the bestselling Thora Gudmundsdottir crime series

Superb. . . chilling . . . This is the first volume in Jonasson's Hidden Iceland trilogy, which tells Hulda's story in reverse chronological order and establishes her as one of the great tragic heroines of contemporary detective fiction

Sunday Times Crime Book of the Month

As chilling as the nip in the Icelandic air

Choice Magazine

Crime fiction has never seen a character quite like Hulda Hermannsdóittir; nor a series launch so entirely willing to take risks and obliterate long-standing tropes . . . There is no doubt that The Darkness will rank as one of the most popular and powerful reading experiences of the year.

BOLO Books Review

Expertly plotted, with an ending that's a true shocker, The Darkness is the first book in a trilogy featuring this engaging investigator, which is good news

The Guardian

A sympathetic yet entirely unsentimental portrait of a flawed but decent detective seeking justice for a murdered Russian asylum seeker

Sunday Times Crime Club

Page-turning stuff with an unexpected ending!

James Swallow

Magnificently dark and twisted! That ending - blimey!

C. J. Tudor, bestselling author of The Chalk Man

It will get your pulse racing and keep you hooked to the last page

Simon Kernick of The Bone Field series

Unbearably sinister

Helen Callaghan, bestselling author of Dear Amy

Out of all of Ragnar's books, this is the one I like the most . . . The book of his which reminds me most of Agatha Christie

Kiljan, on The Island

No country associated with the label Nordic noir is as bleak, cold, snowy and empty as Iceland. And no crime writer portrays those elements as evocatively and scarily as Ragnar Jonasson

The Times

Jonasson's books have breathed new life into Nordic noir ...all the skilful plotting of an old-fashioned whodunit although it feels bitingly contemporary in setting and tone

Sunday Express

Hulda Hermannsdottir is a welcome addition to the selection of Icelandic crime fiction protagonists . . . It is almost impossible to put the book down until the last word has been read

Fréttablaðið ****

Distinctive blend of Nordic noir and golden age detective fiction...atmospheric...economical and evocative prose

The Guardian on Nightblind

A modern take on Agatha Christie-­-style mystery, as twisty as any slalom . . .

Ian Rankin, on, Snowblind

Was gripped from the start of this brilliantly told story. And left wide-eyed with shock at the ending

Fiona Barton, bestselling author of The Widow

The Darkness is Ragnar Jónasson at the top of his game - deft plotting, a great central character and a story as chilling as the Icelandic winter. I couldn't put it down

William Ryan, author of The Holy Thief

The threads lie in various places, the plot is well woven and the pieces in the puzzle come together well in the end. The structure is good, the main characters are believable, the story flows well, everyone is a suspect á la Agatha Christie and the solution unveils the mystery and leads the readers to the truth. But not all the truth, as some things are better left hidden

Morgunbladid (Icelandic newspaper)

The ending hits the reader like a kick in the stomach

FRÉTTATIMINN ****

Praise for Ragnar Jónasson

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Seductive ... an old-fashioned murder mystery with a strong central character and the fascinating background of a small Icelandic town cut off by snow. Ragnar does claustrophobia beautifully

Ann Cleeves

Ragnar Jónasson writes with a chilling, poetic beauty - a must-read addition to the growing canon of Iceland Noir

Peter James

Another masterpiece from the King of Icelandic Noir

Thomas Enger, bestselling author of the Henning Juul series

A very good book, gripping and interesting, with all the threads carefully managed. Hopefully the author will publish as many books as possible with lead character Hulda

Vikan Magazine, on The Island

A classic crime story seen through a uniquely Icelandic lens... first rate and highly recommended

Lee Child, on, Snowblind