Death on the island A novel

Former first lady of Iceland, Reid (Secrets of the Sprakkar) makes her fiction debut with a mystery about an eclectic group of people who gather at Skel restaurant on the island of Heimaey, off Iceland's southern coast. Among the group are Canadian ambassador Graeme and his wife, Jane; Jane's friend Ben; Heimaey mayor Kristján; Graeme's deputy ambassador, Kavita; and several others with their own shadowed backstories. The complex mystery revolves around Kavita, who collapses and dies without warning. Jane and Ben investigate her death, uncovering long-held secrets within the community and among the dinner guests. The story is billed as a compelling locked-room mystery, but its momentum is hampered by an overly complex storyline. Extensive subplots, including Jane's marital betrayal, the island's volcanic history, and investigations into local companies, add depth but tend to overshadow the main murder investigation. Even so, narrator Fairman deftly communicates the rich details and complex characters. Fairman skillfully differentiates the numerous individuals--anxious Jane, stoic Ben, and grieving mayor Kristján--ensuring that listeners connect with each character's unique perspective and emotional state. VERDICT Superb narration captures Reid's storm-wracked setting and multidimensional characters. Recommended where atmospheric, character-driven mysteries are in demand.--Richard Winters

Multiple murders blacken a diplomatic dinner in an icebound restaurant. Reid's atmospheric fiction debut creates suspense through a trio of murders, each of them alternating with flashbacks providing significant details doled out in teaspoons. In a murky prologue, Kristján Gunnarsson, later identified as the mayor of Vestmannaeyjar, encounters a corpse whom we later learn was his husband, Ari. Despite his fragile emotional state, Kristján is obliged to host a diplomatic dinner at the noted Skel restaurant on Heimaey, an island off the southern coast of Iceland. The attendees include Canadian ambassador Graeme Shearer and his wife, Jane, from whose perspective this section is presented. A double blow comes when a storm prevents the nine people present from leaving and Graeme's deputy ambassador, Kavita, suddenly collapses and dies. Subsequent chapters, beginning with "Thirteen Hours Before She Died," march forward to the tragic event. Noteworthy revelations include Kristján's belief that Ari was murdered and Jane's realization that Graeme is having an affair she's the last to learn about. Before the solution to this second murder comes another section, kicked off with "Thirty-Seven Hours Before He Dies." Again, the story moves forward in small chunks of time before the identities of both the killer and the third victim are revealed. Reid's status as a Canadian native and former first lady of Iceland--her husband was president from 2016 to 2024--authentically informs both the Canadian perspective and the Icelandic setting. Her cast of suspects is vivid, even if their uniqueness is sometimes lost in the swirl of the complex puzzle. The evocative, isolated setting becomes the locked room in this Christie-esque whodunit. Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.