Book Review: The Girl Who Died by Ragnar Jónasson

By Kaylie Seed

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Ragnar Jónasson’s newest mystery novel The Girl Who Died takes place in Iceland during the 1980s. The story follows Una, a teacher looking for a change of scenery who ends up in Skalar, one of the most remote places in Iceland, where things are far from idyllic. Skalar is home to only ten people, and Una has the chance to know each of them more intimately than she might like. Chilling, dark, and atmospheric, The Girl Who Died is bound to keep readers up past their bedtimes. While Jónasson has written The Girl Who Died as predominantly a mystery read, there are aspects of the supernatural woven throughout the book which add to the eeriness of the entire story.

All of the characters that you meet throughout The Girl Who Died are complex and filled with interesting back stories. Jónasson peels back the layers on each of these characters slowly as the story evolves, which adds to the mystery of the novel. Since Una is the main character, the reader has the opportunity to learn the most about her. Through Una the reader will have the chance to learn about the other characters; however, this may seem biased since everything is from her perspective.

Jónasson is a master at writing atmospheric reads and it certainly helps that he uses Iceland as his backdrop. Iceland is a stunning country (I have been and cannot wait to go back) that holds an air of mystery all on its own. The setting in The Girl Who Died acts as a character all on its own, which is an impressive thing for an author to accomplish. Readers who enjoy mysteries with a sprinkle of the supernatural will fall head over heels for The Girl Who Died.

Thank you to Raincoast Books for the complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review!