Nordic noir has been popular for the more than a decade, but in the past few years, Icelandic authors have gained some much-deserved visibility, with scores of titles being translated into English. This winter, I’ve found myself really getting into Ragnar Jonasson, whose dark, atmospheric thrillers are perfect for lockdowns and cold weather.
In Jonasson’s books, the harsh and unforgiving Icelandic winter might as well be its own character. The driving snow, the short days of limited sunlight, the remote locations cut off from the rest of civilization — all combine to create a perfect storm of danger and intrigue.
“I find claustrophobia and isolation incredibly interesting themes to work with, especially the impact isolation can have on people,” says Jonasson. “I’ve experienced the feeling of being almost snowed in, in one of the small villages I write about, and it is a strange feeling indeed.
“The isolation also serves another purpose in my books: I’m a huge fan of the golden age of detective fiction, having read authors such as Agatha Christie, Ellery Queen and S.S. Van Dine through the years,” he continued, “and I truly enjoy trying to recreate some of the atmosphere from that era, including from the locked-room mysteries. A snowstorm or a faraway village can, to some extent, have that same impact, limiting the number of suspects and creating a puzzle and a challenge to the reader.”
Jonasson has two collections: The Dark Iceland series (six titles starring a young policeman named Ari Thor) and The Hulda series, which includes three books centering on Reykjavik policewoman Hulda Hermannsdóttir. (The first book in that series, “The Darkness,” is being developed into a TV series with CBS Studios; a release date has not yet been announced.)
In Jonasson’s new stand-alone title, “The Girl Who Died,” (available May 4 from Minotaur Books), a young woman decides to leave Reykjavik for a teaching position in the small, extremely remote fishing village of Skalar. She only has two pupils and is living in a house that seems to be haunted by the ghost of a young girl. Still, the living residents of the town — secretive and insular — seem more dangerous than the ghosts.
