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Sign up todayThe Island
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Learn morePenguin presents the audiobook edition of The Island by Ragnar Jónasson, read by Amanda Redman.
Four friends visit the island.
But only three return . . .
Detective Inspector Hulda Hermannsdóttir is sent to the isolated island of Elliðaey to investigate and soon finds haunting similarities with a previous case - a young woman found murdered ten years ago in the equally desolate Westfjords.
Is there a patient killer stalking these barren outposts?
As Hulda navigates a sinister game constructed of smoke and mirrors she is convinced that no one is telling the truth, including those closest to her.
But who will crack first? And what secrets is the island hiding?
Haunting, suspenseful and as chilling as an Icelandic winter The Island follows one woman's journey to find the truth hidden in the darkest shadows, and shine a light on her own dark past.
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'One of the greatest tragic heroines of contemporary detective fiction' Sunday Times
'Magnificently dark and twisted' C. J. Tudor, bestselling author of The Chalk Man
'Ragnar Jónasson writes with a chilling, poetic beauty - a must-read addition to the growing canon of Iceland Noir' Peter James, bestselling author of Love You Dead
'Dark, chilling and utterly gripping, The Island is Nordic noir at its best, and is destined to become a classic of the genre. I couldn't put it down' Shari Lapena, bestselling author of The Couple Next Door
'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' Kilian
Praise for Ragnar Jonasson
'A distinctive blend of Nordic noir and golden age detective fiction . . . atmospheric and evocative prose' Guardian on Nightblind
'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
'His clues are traditional and beautifully finessed - and he keeps you turning the pages' Independent on Snowblind
Ragnar Jónasson (Author)
Ragnar Jónasson is an international number one bestselling author who has sold five million books in thirty-six countries worldwide. He was born in Reykjavík, Iceland, where he also teaches copyright law at university, and is the co-chair of the Iceland Noir literature festival. He has previously worked on radio and television and, from the age of seventeen, has translated fourteen of Agatha Christie’s novels. He has won multiple awards for his crime fiction internationally, as well as a special jury recognition in Iceland for his poetry. His critically acclaimed international bestseller The Darkness is coming to TV screens, starring Lena Olin, Jack Bannon and Douglas Henshall, and Ridley Scott will be producing Outside as a feature film.
Victoria Cribb (Translator)
Victoria Cribb studied and worked in Iceland for many years. She has translated more than 25 novels from the Icelandic and, in 2017, she received the Orðstír honourary translation award for services to Icelandic literature.
Reviews
Dark, chilling and utterly gripping, The Island is Nordic noir at its best, and is destined to become a classic of the genre. I couldn't put it down. I can't wait to read the rest of the Hulda series! Few writers at work today conjure atmosphere with such power, or plot their mysteries with such craft. The Island is his best book yet, an unflinching thriller that braids past and present, good and evil, love and loss. I can't wait for Hulda Hermannsdóttir's next case No one does isolation better than Ragnar Jonasson, who is superb at portraying Iceland's stark landscape and savage beauty . . . [Hulda Hermannsdottir is] an excellent addition to the growing band of top-class women detectives Prepare to be swept away to the beautiful yet unforgiving island of Elliðaey in Jónasson's latest Icelandic noir. Atmospheric and creepy, Jónasson successfully keeps you guessing till the bittersweet end A chilling novel about people with dark secrets, protecting themselves without a thought for the consequences. Riveting We heart the melancholy Hulda A strikingly evoked picture of Iceland's forbidding beauty...Hulda Hermansdottir is a striking character - both gloomy and tenacious - and she is a key reason for the success of this atmospheric novel Extraordinary, the three books in that series are all amazing . . . very moving all the way through This kept me guessing right up until the final pages. I loved the vivid landscapes, brilliant characterisation and intricate plotting. Bravo! Consider this one of the author's best plots, layered with that dour Scandinavian atmosphere we love Ragnar Jonasson is the Stephen King of Icelandic thrillers Ragnar's best written book, filled with psychological horror and underlying rage. 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 Ragnar's best book yetThe 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
It will get your pulse racing and keep you hooked to the last page
Magnificently dark and twisted! That ending - blimey! 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 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 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 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. Expand reviews