One of the most original plots in crime fiction . . . Brilliant

The new "it" boy of Nordic Noir

Gripping story-telling

This pitch-black novel will have readers hungry for more

A stellar conclusion... races to a heart-pounding and unexpected resolution.

Matthews beguilingly blends the fun and sexiness of Ian Fleming with the more procedural, information-rich approach of John le Carre and Frederick Forsyth

Dominika Egorova, of the Russian Intelligence Service, is one of the most complex and compelling heroines to grace the espionage genre ... Matthews's scene-setting is superb, and he has a fine eye for telling details ... Palace of Treason shimmers with authenticity

Taut, fast-paced and authentic. A great American spy novel

Sublime and sophisticated ... a fast-paced thriller ... as noteworthy for its superior style as for its gripping depiction of a secretive world

A primer in 21st-century spying... terrifically good

The best espionage novel you've ever read

There is much to relish, from its revival of the sexy spy (this time female) to its mischievous portrayal of Putin

As authentic a spy novel as you are ever apt to read, rendered in exciting prose by a master who helped craft the rules by which spying is conducted. A ten-cloak, ten-dagger read

Matthews is the insider's insider. He knows the secrets. And he is also a master storyteller

The world of a spy is unique and claustrophobic, but this bold tale captures its every nuance with expert precision. A tantalizing premise, and a heroine who's an alpha female, forge a solid piece of entertainment that does not disappoint

A sequel that's every bit as good as his début . . . Authentic tradecraft, a complex plot that steadily builds tension, and credible heroes and villains on both sides make this a standout

The tough and talented Egorova is a brilliant creation - her adventures make for a dazzling thrill-filled journey across the globe. Matthews spent 30 years as a CIA agent so this is the real deal. Thrilling, absorbing and brilliantly descriptive ... you won't fail to be won over

Egorova could well turn out to be the greatest ever female character in spy fiction

Matthews beguilingly blends the fun and sexiness of Ian Fleming with the more procedural, information-rich approach of John Le Carré and Frederick Forsyth.

A dark and poignant debut

Fans of lush, psychological dramas like Top of the Lake or Broadchurch have their winter reading cut out for them. A provocative first novel filled to the brim with dazzling language, mystery, and a profound belief in the human capacity to love and seek forgiveness

Shocking and heartbreaking, Ruskovich has crafted a remarkable love story and a narrative that will stay with readers

With lovely language and piercing pathos, Idaho focuses on the power of love and the possibilities of forgiveness and memory. This debut novel deals blows as large as life

In Emily Ruskovich's wizardly vision, Idaho is both a place and an emotional dimension. Haunted, haunting, her novel winds through time, braiding events and their consequences in the most unexpected and moving ways

A novel written like music… a chorus of rich and beautiful voices woven deep in the Idaho woods, each trying to come to their own understanding of a terrible tragedy

Emily Ruskovich has written a poem in prose, a beautiful and intricate homage to place, and a celebration of the defeats and triumphs of love. Beautifully crafted, emotionally evocative, and psychologically astute, Idaho is one of the best books I have read in a long time

Exquisitely crafted

Idaho begins with a rusted truck and ends up places you couldn’t imagine. Its language is an enchantment, its vision brutal and sublime

Beautiful, brutal and incandescent

A strange, uncanny novel, bewitching and heady

Richly rendered characters, with a well-delineated supporting cast and a strong sense of place. A debut of astonishing maturity.

This beautifully written and poetic novel is fascinating and disturbing… This is a novel which stays in the mind.

A powerful debut novel.

I kept flipping back, over and over, rereading pages and saying ‘Oh my God’ to myself.

Ragnar Jónasson writes with a chilling, poetic beauty - a must-read addition to the growing canon of Iceland Noir

His clues are traditional and beautifully finessed - and he keeps you turning the pages

Distinctive blend of Nordic noir and golden age detective fiction...atmospheric...economical and evocative prose

Seductive ... an old-fashioned murder mystery with a strong central character and the fascinating background of a small Icelandic town cut off by snow. Ragnar does claustrophobia beautifully

The ending hits the reader like a kick in the stomach

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

The 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

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

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

A very good book, gripping and interesting, with all the threads carefully managed. Hopefully the author will publish as many books as possible with lead character Hulda

Praise for Ragnar Jónasson

No country associated with the label Nordic noir is as bleak, cold, snowy and empty as Iceland. And no crime writer portrays those elements as evocatively and scarily as Ragnar Jonasson

A classic crime story seen through a uniquely Icelandic lens... first rate and highly recommended

A modern take on Agatha Christie-­-style mystery, as twisty as any slalom . . .

Ragnar Jónasson writes with a chilling, poetic beauty - a must-read addition to the growing canon of Iceland Noir

Distinctive blend of Nordic noir and golden age detective fiction...atmospheric...economical and evocative prose

Seductive ... an old-fashioned murder mystery with a strong central character and the fascinating background of a small Icelandic town cut off by snow. Ragnar does claustrophobia beautifully

The ending hits the reader like a kick in the stomach

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

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

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

The 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

A very good book, gripping and interesting, with all the threads carefully managed. Hopefully the author will publish as many books as possible with lead character Hulda