Author:Ragnar Jónasson
THE NAIL-BITING SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER FROM THE MILLION COPY BESTSELLING AUTHOR
'Is this the best crime writer in the world today?' The Times
'A world-class crime writer . . . One of the most astonishing plots of modern crime fiction' Sunday Times
'It is nothing less than a landmark in modern crime fiction' The Times
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'TEACHER WANTED AT THE EDGE OF THE WORLD . . .'
After the loss of her father, Una sees a chance to escape Reykjavík to tutor two girls in the tiny village of Skálar - population just ten - on Iceland's storm-battered north coast.
But city life hasn't prepared her for the unforgiving weather nor inhospitable village life. Worse, the creaky old house where she lives is playing on her already fragile mind when she's convinced she hears the ghostly sound of singing.
Then, at midwinter, a young girl is found dead.
And one of the villagers must have blood on their hands . . .
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'An intensely gripping mystery' The Times
'Invigorating Iceland-set slice of Nordic Noir' Daily Mail
Praise for Ragnar Jónasson
'This is Icelandic noir of the highest order, with Jónasson's atmospheric sense of place, and his heroine's unerring humanity shining from every page' Daily Mail
'Triumphant conclusion. Chilling, creepy, perceptive, almost unbearably tense' Ian Rankin
'This is such a tense, gripping read' Anthony Horowitz
'Brilliantly effective. Each book enraptures us' The Times Literary Supplement
'Superb . . . chilling . . . one of the great tragic heroines of contemporary detective fiction' Sunday Times Crime Book of the Month
'A classic crime story seen through a uniquely Icelandic lens. First rate and highly recommended' Lee Child
'Chilling - a must-read' Peter James
Intriguing . . . This spooky novel draws on Icelandic sagas to create an atmosphere of growing menace.
—— The Times, CRIME BOOK OF THE YEARAn intensely gripping mystery, Ragnar Jonasson is a poet of the "dark, wet and cold", of the "gloom, cold and rain". The climactic revelations are credible and moving
—— The Times, BOOK OF THE MONTHA creepy tale
—— The TimesA master of the Icelandic thriller
—— New York PostWith the bleakest of landscapes and some supernatural undertones, this is one creepy thriller that'll have you leaving ALL the lights on
—— Vogue ScandinaviaSpooky, sophisticated. Jonasson is strong on atmosphere
—— Sunday TimesInvigorating Iceland-set slice of Nordic Noir
—— Daily MailWith his trademark elegant prose and atmospheric sense of place, Jonasson weaves a slow-burning, haunting tale with a chilling ending
—— Daily RecordA chilling psychological thriller with an unexpected ending that will haunt the reader
—— The Canberra TimesHaunting psychological novel tinged with the supernatural
—— Daily RecordWith his trademark elegant prose and atmospheric sense of place, Jónasson weaves a slow-burning, haunting tale with a chilling ending
—— Sunday ExpressLean, compulsive. Great stories that combine traditional puzzle-solving of the golden age crime fiction with a moody expansive psychology
—— The TimesFiendishy clever trilogy
—— Financial TimesA mist-shrouded blend of horror and psychological thriller . . . works in every way. The isolated village and the pre-smartphone 1980s setting create a sense of claustrophobia that combines with the villagers' secrecy and the hint of supernatural elements to infuse strong foreboding throughout what is ultimately revealed to be a story about trust
—— BooklistThe Icelandic king of crime
—— GöteborgspostenA deeply atmospheric mystery
—— Choice MagazineFew among the country's authors match Jonasson in conveying insular abandonment . . . excellent
—— Toronto StarRagnar Jonasson's impeccable plotting is really a wonder of the crime genre . . . a masterfully conceived horror novel
—— Dayton Daily NewsPerfect for anyone who loves Nordic crime noir, the colder the better. The writing really brings alive a bleak, cold environment in which Una is struggling to survive and maintain her sanity
—— CADs MagazineA demonic piece of horror
—— Dayton Daily NewsPraise for Ragnar Jónasson
—— -Triumphant . . . Chilling, creepy, perceptive, almost unbearably tense
Triumphant conclusion to the trilogy. Only Ragnar Jónasson has rendered hindsight so heartbreaking.
—— Sunday Times (on the Hidden Iceland trilogy)Is this the best crime writer in the world today? . . . He's truly a master of his genre
Jónasson is an automatic must-read for me . . . possibly the best Scandi writer working today
—— Lee ChildIt is nothing less than a landmark in modern crime fiction
A world-class crime writer. One of the most astonishing plots of modern crime fiction. A triumphant conclusion to the trilogy [that] makes Iceland's pre-eminence in the crime genre even more marked
The red hot crime writer from the frozen north . . . One of the most important voices on the international crime scene
—— The TimesA master of the Icelandic thriller.
—— New York PostInvigorating Iceland-set slice of Nordic Noir.
—— Daily MailCompelling and challenging, A Slow Fire Burning explores the damage caused by betrayal and loss, and how this can manifest in disturbing acts of revenge and retribution. The author's first novel for four years is worth the wait and certain to cement her status as a publishing phenomenon.
—— Sunday ExpressShocking, moving, full of heart ... deeply layered and intricately plotted ... A Slow Fire Burning shows a writer at the height of her powers
—— The ObserverThis tense and irresistible read is best binged in one sitting
—— HeatIntricately interwoven plots and subplots, propulsive twists and a neat finale, a deliciously easy psycho drama to hungrily tear through.
—— Evening StandardA brilliant read
—— Bella magazineA psychological thriller that begins with a death on a canal boat and involves a cadre of shifty, damaged characters.
A multi-layered mystery simmering with secrets, resentments and griefs.
—— WOMAN