Blackout

In Jónasson's second Dark Iceland novel (chronologically following Snowblind, 2017), Ari Thor Arason, a rookie police officer in the remote Icelandic town of Siglufjordur, finds himself in a sink-or-swim situation when he's assigned to lead the investigation into the murder of building contractor Elias Freysson. Ari Thor is certain that the weapon, a plank from the work-site crime scene, indicates a crime of passion. But when he finds a bag of cash in Freysson's apartment, he must first investigate Freysson's actions as a local charity's treasurer and his connection to the work site's universally reviled owner: a doctor whose drunken malpractice killed patients. As Ari Thor struggles with these leads, Isrún, a Reykjavik television reporter fueled by her own secret connection to the case, moves closer to discovering Freysson's secrets, hopefully in time to save a captive girl's life. This series' nonsequential order of release in the U.S. confuses the time line, but Jónasson's exotic tundra setting, fascinating characters, and gifted storytelling make up for it. Recommended for fans of Chris Ould's Faroes series and Camilla Läckberg's Fjallbacka thrillers.--Christine Tran Copyright 2018 Booklist

Jónasson's captivating third Ari Thór Arason whodunit to be translated into English (after 2017's Nightblind) finds Ari Thór, a policeman in the small Icelandic town of Siglufjördur, troubled by his recent breakup with the woman he once considered the only one for him. He's distracted from his personal woes by a murder case; someone has killed contractor Elías Freysson by smashing him in the face with a length of timber studded with a nail. The victim was known for his charitable work, but the discovery in Freysson's rooms of a duffel bag stuffed with cash suggests that the man was involved in something underhanded. The police inquiry parallels that of a psychologist-turned-journalist, Isrún, who hopes her digging will strengthen her professional standing. Meanwhile, Hlynur Isaksson, a colleague of Ari Thór's, has been receiving threatening emails that revive memories of a past shame. The relatively mundane murder solution doesn't detract from Jónasson's impressive ability to make human despair palpable. Agent: David Headley, DHH Literary Agency (U.K.). (Aug.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.