Iceland is a small country with one of the world’s lowest murder rates. Yet this nation of 365,000 people has produced two world-class crime writers, Arnaldur Indridason and Yrsa Sigurdardottir. Now Ragnar Jonasson’s magnificent new novel, The Mist, confirms that they have been joined by a third ... [Hulda] is a moving character, a smart woman whose intelligence isn’t appreciated by her colleagues, and her bitter experience at work gives her a rare empathy with the victims of crime ... It doesn’t matter if you haven’t read the other books...because The Mist works as a spine-chilling mystery in its own right ... one of the most astonishing plots in modern crime fiction ... The Mist is a triumphant conclusion to the trilogy and makes Iceland’s pre-eminence in the crime genre even more marked ... With its short winter days and extreme weather, the country has always placed a high value on storytelling, both in the form of novels and in its age-old sagas. Icelanders grow up on these stories, which, like crime fiction, are full of betrayals and family conflicts, and may offer a clue as to why a nation that has so few murders is able to produce such superb crime writers. And Jonasson is up there with the best.
Jónasson turns the tension up to a nearly unendurable degree as the novel unfolds. His complete—and complex—narrative design isn’t revealed until late in the book, when the story’s multiple threads coalesce in a surprising conclusion. With this no-frills thriller, he continues to map Iceland’s outlying regions and to develop Hulda’s character, adding a new chapter to her story that followers of the series will savor. Masterfully plotted and paced, The Mist is atmospheric, haunting and not for the faint of heart.
Ragnar Jónasson is a true master of suspense, there is just simply no other word to describe him. Every single page winds you up a little until you finally realise your entire body has tensed up in anticipation of the next page! ... Jónasson weaves together a multi-layered story at the perfect pace. He constantly leaves you wanting more, and then he gives it to you. From the first page to the last, he has structured the story with such a delicate balance that it keeps the reader constantly engaged ... The Mist is a great length to read in a weekend and it will absolutely grab you and fully engross you in Hulda’s world that Jónasson has created. It is no exaggeration to say that as soon as I finished this book, I immediately started ordering more form this author. The Mist has definitely been added to my ‘frequently recommended’ list!
Jonasson’s use of reverse chronology throughout the Hidden Iceland series won’t be to everyone’s taste. He gave us all the necessary information regarding Hulda’s life in The Darkness. So, we go into The Mist knowing what lies ahead and how Hulda’s life will pan out. Does this spoil the series? Strangely enough it doesn’t. This knowledge amplifies the tension. Add to this the mysteries of the murders and Unnur’s disappearance and there are sufficient uncertainties to keep your interest piqued ... This author is becoming the king of atmosphere. In The Mist he creates the perfect combination of dread and claustrophobia ... Even though The Mist is loaded with mood and setting its plot doesn’t disappoint. As with any good crime novel, there has to be a twist you didn’t see coming or a convergence of plot lines you didn’t expect. All the boxes are ticked here.
Iceland is a small country, which lends credibility to the clever links between the cases, into which Jónasson weaves a haunting thread of parental loss and revenge. Sharp-witted, socially awkward Hulda’s story is told in reverse in this series, and readers well acquainted with Hulda will find the backstory of her daughter’s death intensely moving.
... a tale for all seasons and in many ways is an example of what the best of the mystery genre can be ... an unforgettable tale that is startling on several levels. Jonasson should be much better known among American readers than he currently is because of his magnificent ability to toy with story structure within individual novels and over the arc of a trilogy. Perhaps this book will reach the audience that he has earned and thus deserves. It also would make for a powerful film. If someone out there is willing to spend the money for acquisition rights, Jonasson (with Victoria Cribb’s pitch-perfect translation) does all the work for you.
Isolation and despair undo the characters in Jónasson’s exceptional third and final novel featuring Reykjavík Det. Insp. Hulda Hermannsdóttir ... Jónasson ratchets up the nail-biting tension gradually, alternating the developments at the farm along with the events in Hulda’s life that led to her traumatic stupor. Fans of dark crime fiction that doesn’t pull punches will be amply rewarded.
As Hulda, who’s not 'kidding herself that there would be any happy ending,' soldiers on in search of the missing Unnur, Jónasson counterpoints her inquiries with excruciatingly paced stages of a flashback to the days before Christmas ... Jónasson weaves his suspenseful tales together with remorseless logic up to a climax more nightmarish than the buildup.
