THE MIST by Ragnar Jonasson
Minotaur Books; 6/23/20
CBTB Rating: 5/5
The Verdict: A stunning conclusion to the Hidden Iceland Trilogy
Very few recent crime fiction series have hooked me the way Ragnar Jonasson’s Hidden Iceland Trilogy has. This impeccably-crafted Icelandic crime series is an astonishing accomplishment: a trilogy plotted as beautifully as it is written, brimming with the humanity of its characters and immersing readers in the stunning landscape of Iceland.. In the Hidden Iceland books, author Ragnar Jonasson wraps readers up in the chilling atmosphere of his trilogy’s setting, and draws readers into the inner life of its endearing and compelling protagonist. The Hidden Iceland trilogy has captivated me with its stylish prose, clever plotting, and unputdownable suspense, and with THE MIST, Jonasson delivers a conclusion worthy of its exceptional predecessors. In THE MIST, readers follow series protagonist Hulda Hermansdottir as she returns to work following a personal leave necessitated by an undefined tragedy. Hulda will soon face a disturbing - and puzzling - case: a mysterious death at a remote farmhouse in the Icelandic countryside, where two bodies have been found. Weaving together Hulda’s personal life with an extended flashback at the farm in the lead-up to our victims’ deaths, THE MIST is a complex and heartbreaking mystery, a feather in the cap of an already-exceptional crime fiction series. If you’re in the market for elegant suspense that relies more on atmosphere and character development than blood and gore, Ragnar Jonasson’s superb Hidden Iceland trilogy might just be your perfect match. I will sincerely miss this series and its standout protagonist, but I am already looking forward to seeing what Ragnar will write next.
Plot Details:
1987. An isolated farm house in the east of Iceland.
The snowstorm should have shut everybody out. But it didn't.
The couple should never have let him in. But they did.
An unexpected guest, a liar, a killer. Not all will survive the night. And Detective Hulda will be haunted forever.
There is one crucial thing you need to know before you dive into THE MIST—and before you dive into this trilogy, for that matter. One of the qualities that make this series so exceptional, and so ambitious, is its plot structure. The Hidden Iceland series is told backwards chronologically. In Book One, THE DARKNESS, readers meet police officer Hulda Hermansdottir at the end of her career with the Icelandic police. In Book Two, THE ISLAND, readers rewind in time, and meet Hulda in the middle of her career. Finally, in Book Three, THE MIST, readers meet Hulda early on in her career, when she is just finding her footing and establishing herself in the police force. This sounds confusing or potentially overwhelming, but never fear—in Ragnar Jonasson’s masterful hands, this inventive series structure flows effortlessly, and only serves to further the intrigue of its series installments.
THE MIST transports readers to Iceland in the 1980’s, to a frigid and dark winter’s night. In an expanse of snow-covered land sits a cozy farmhouse, and in the farmhouse lives a married couple, Erla and Einar. For Erla, life in the country leaves much to be desired; when she is not working around the house and farm with her husband, Erla spends her time reading books that allow her to armchair-travel from the comfort of home. Her husband, Einar, has always loved life on the farm, and she loves her husband, so she makes the best of her challenging surroundings, living for her beloved daughter who lives in a farmhouse not too far away, and for her beloved husband, too. One evening, with a storm gusting outside, Erla and Einar are shocked to hear a knock on the door. Who could be outside on a night like this? Reluctantly, they answer—and outside, they find a strange man seeking shelter. He has gotten lost, and is in need of a safe place to stay. Could he stay the night, he wonders? What could go wrong? Erla’s suspicions are raised; she can hardly imagine that a stranger would stumble upon their farm by accident. Despite her protests, Einar invites the man to stay… and so begins a terrifying ordeal for our story’s central couple. As the darkness sets in and the storm gains strength, paranoia grips Erla—and her fear might be well-founded. Fast forward a couple of months, and the bodies of two individuals are found on the farm. Who are they, and what happened in that quiet farmhouse months prior? Ragnar Jonasson unspools an atmospheric story of slow-building dread and spine-tingling claustrophobia in THE MIST.
If Nordic Noir thrillers are typically characterized by violence and grit, Ragnar Jonasson’s unique brand of Nordic crime writing is a breath of fresh air—and nowhere is it better characterized than in THE MIST. Jonasson’s writing is as chilling as the Icelandic winter, yet as elegant as the Golden Age detective novels that he loves as a reader. THE MIST is, at face value, an undeniably terrifying story: a tale of claustrophobia, and a story of a stranger invading the place that should be safest—your home. Yet in Jonasson’s masterful hands, nothing about this suspense novel is overdone. This is not an all-out horror story, and it is not a story defined by bloodshed. THE MIST is a story that slowly but surely ratchets up the tension, building an inescapable sense of dread that keeps readers in its clutches from the first page to the very last. There is something truly unputdownable about the way Jonasson crafts his mysteries, and THE MIST is all the more sinister for the subtle ways it hints at the dark secrets at its core. There are plot twists, shocking reveals, and heartbreaking tragedies in store for readers in this book, and Jonasson doles them out bit by bit, giving readers just enough to keep them hooked while saving the most shocking revelations for the book’s finale. The tantalizing pacing of THE MIST coupled with Jonasson’s elegant and immersive writing will keep readers glued to the pages of this excellent mystery.
It’s impossible to discuss the Hidden Iceland series without also mentioning this series’ standout protagonist, Hulda Hermansdottir. Hulda is a protagonist whose humanity leaps off the page, endearing her to readers and giving them ample reason to be deeply invested in her fate. Hulda Hermansdottir is a police officer with the Reykjavik police force. For as long as readers have known her in this series, she has always been a woman haunted by something in her past, and in THE MIST, Jonasson finally pulls back the curtain on the tragedy she has endured. With the unique storytelling structure of this trilogy, Jonasson makes Hulda’s origins as much of a mystery as the cases she has to solve, and in THE MIST, readers finally see this mystery come to its conclusion. In THE MIST, Jonasson reveals essential pieces of information about Hulda’s home life and family that will complete the picture of who she is, and what motivates her—and the revelations shared about her personal life will endear her to readers all the more. Hulda is a character who springs off the page not with dramatics and larger-than-life personality, but with the quiet heroics of a woman who has survived the unthinkable, and who continues to strive to make her world a better place. I will sincerely miss my time spent with Hulda Hermansdottir, and hope to see her return in future books from Jonasson.
It’s hard to think of another newly-released crime fiction series that has presented as perfect an encapsulation of what I love about the crime genre as Ragnar Jonasson’s Hidden Iceland Series. From its masterful plotting to its stunning setting and authentic, relatable characters, the Hidden Iceland Trilogy is a must-read, and one of my personal favorite Nordic Noir series. I will be recommending these books for years to come, and look forward to seeing what Ragnar Jonasson writes next.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. All opinions my own.
Book Details:
Series: The Hulda Series (3)
Hardcover: 320 pages
Publisher: Minotaur Books (June 23, 2020)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 125076811X
ISBN-13: 978-1250768117
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Series Order:
Due to its unique structure, the Hidden Iceland series is best read in order.
THE DARKNESS | THE ISLAND | THE MIST
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