The Mysterious Case of the Missing Crime Writer - by Ragnar Jónasson

About the Book

"One winter evening, bestselling crime author Elãain S. Jãaonsdãaottir goes missing. There are no clues to her disappearance and it is up to young detective Helgi to crack the case before it's leaked to the press. As Helgi interviews the people closest to her--a publisher, an accountant, a retired judge--he realizes that Elãain's life wasn't what it seemed. In fact, her past is even stranger than the fiction she wrote. As the case of the missing crime writer becomes more mysterious by the hour, Helgi must uncover the secrets of the writer's very unexpected life"--

Book Synopsis

An Instant National Bestseller

The next thrilling golden-age-style mystery from #1 Icelandic bestseller Ragnar Jónasson, author of Death at the Sanatorium and Reykjavík.

One winter evening, bestselling crime author Elín S. Jónsdóttir goes missing.

There are no clues to her disappearance and it is up to young detective Helgi to crack the case before its leaked to the press.

As Helgi interviews the people closest to her--a publisher, an accountant, a retired judge--he realizes that Elín's life wasn't what it seemed. In fact, her past is even stranger than the fiction she wrote.

As the case of the missing crime writer becomes more mysterious by the hour, Helgi must uncover the secrets of the writer's very unexpected life.

Review Quotes

One of Washington Post's "New Mystery Novels to Curl Up With This Fall"
One of Book Riot's "New Mystery, Thrillers, & True Crime for September 2025"

"Cleverly plotted, slyly humorous, and bursting with love for the golden age of detective fiction, this outperforms even its outstanding predecessor."--Publishers Weekly (Starred Review)

"A lightning-fast read for fans willing to keep turning the pages till the crucial clues drop."--Kirkus Reviews

"Flashbacks are effectively used as a creative way to tell the backstory of the missing novelist. This Golden Age-style mystery is a definite departure from Jónasson's 'Dark Iceland' series, which was set in an atmospheric small town in Iceland."--Library Journal

"This follow-up to Death at the Sanitarium (2024) is utterly compelling, blending meta classic mystery tropes with darker psychological thriller elements as Helgi is stalked by his violent ex-partner. Fans of Jónasson's Dark Iceland and Hidden Iceland series will appreciate the storytelling centered around Helgi, who links the three series together."--Booklist

"Jónasson, whose novels have sold 3 million books worldwide, writes in his native Icelandic, and as usual, Victoria Cribb has done a fine job of translating his crisp, vivid style."--Associated Press

"Exhilarating and gripping; fans of Agatha Christie and Nordic Noir will find much to enjoy here."--firstCLUE

"A sophisticated new mystery from the land of fire, ice and noir luminaries . . . Ragnar Jónasson is a young Icelandic writer of crime fiction who has proved an agile talent with unimpeachable tenacity to join the great luminaries in the history of Icelandic writers."--Durango Telegraph

"Original, exceptional, clever, compelling, and a fun read for mystery buffs from cover to cover . . . an extraordinary and deftly crafted detective novel that is an unreservedly recommended pick for community library Contemporary Mystery/Suspense collections."--Midwest Book Review

"This book is gorgeously written with all the elements one expects from a superior puzzler. If you like this one, you'll want to read all of Jonasson's earlier books."--The Globe and Mail

"Outstanding . . . Jónasson's adroit follow-up to Death at the Sanatorium cleverly mixes a solid police procedural with a valentine to 1930s and '40s mysteries."--Shelf Awareness

About the Author

RAGNAR JÓNASSON is the award-winning Icelandic author of the international bestselling Hulda series, the Dark Iceland series, and standalone crime fiction, with five million copies sold across 36 territories. Ragnar was also an executive producer of the CBS Studios TV series The Darkness, based on the first novel in his Hulda series, starring Lena Olin and directed by Lasse Hallström. His novel Outside is being developed for the screen by Ridley Scott.