1955. Two young couples move to the uninhabited, isolated fjord of Hedinsfjörður. Their stay ends abruptly when one of the women meets her death in mysterious circumstances. The case is never solved. Fifty years later an old photograph comes to light, and it becomes clear that the couples may not have been alone on the fjord after all…
In nearby Siglufjörður, young policeman Ari Thór tries to piece together what really happened that fateful night, in a town where no one wants to know, where secrets are a way of life. He's assisted by Ísrún, a news reporter in Reykjavik who is investigating an increasingly chilling case of her own. Things take a sinsister turn when a child goes missing in broad daylight. With a stalker on the loose, and the town of Siglufjörður in quarantine, the past might just come back to haunt them.
Haunting, frightening and complex, Rupture is a dark and atmospheric thriller from one of Iceland's foremost crime writers.
Rupture by Ragnar Jonasson was published in paperback by Orenda Books on 15 January 2017 and is number four in the Dark Iceland series by this author. The first three books in the series are Snowblind (June 2015), Nightblind (January 2016) and Blackout (July 2016). The series is translated by Quentin Bates.
I absolutely love this series! Ragnar Jonasson's writing is wonderfully descriptive and once again he's produced a story that engages from the very first word.
Policeman Ari Thor and TV journalist Isrun take the lead in the Rupture story, it's been fascinating to watch both of these characters grow and develop throughout the series. Both of them are full of life, both have their flaws and their own particular idiosyncrasies, but they are both very realistic and believable.
The town of Siglufjorour is in quarantine, people are frightened that they may catch the illness that has already proved deadly. Ari Thor doesn't have a great deal to do, except dwell on his own turbulent personal life. When he is visited by a man who is looking to solve the mystery of an unknown face in an old photograph, Ari welcomes the distraction. Little does he know that he's about to uncover some long-hidden secrets.
Meanwhile Isrun is also dealing with her own personal demons. Her parents have separated and she's got a huge secret of her own that could have implications for her future. She too welcomes the distraction of a particularly sensitive story, involving high ranking politicians, drugs, murder and the abduction of a small boy.
Ragnar Jonasson expertly weaves these threads together to create a story that flows beautifully. His Icelandic location is blissful and so expertly described. The reader really is transported to the coldest and most desolate spots in this stunning country.
I think that Rupture is the author's best book yet. Whilst only short at just over 200 pages, it packs a huge punch. Elegantly and cleverly paced, with a plot that grips and a totally unexpected ending, this is crime writing of the highest quality.
Exceptional, I loved it. Roll on the next instalment!
My thanks to the publisher who sent my copy for review and invited me to take part in the blog tour.
Ragnar Jonasson (www.ragnarjonasson.com) is the Icelandic writer of the Dark Iceland crime series set in Northern Iceland. Snowblind (2015) is the first book in the Dark Iceland series. Ragnar was born in Reykjavik, Iceland, and works as a lawyer in Reykjavik. He is also a teacher at Reykjavik University Law School and has previously worked on radio and television, including as a TV news reporter for the Icelandic National Broadcasting Service. Before embarking on a writing career, Ragnar translated fourteen of Agatha Christie novels into Icelandic. Ragnar is the co-founder of the Reykjavik international crime writing festival Iceland Noir, and has appeard on panels at Crimefest in Bristol, Left Coast Crime in the USA, Bloody Scotland in Stirling and Iceland Noir in Iceland. Ragnar’s short story Death of a Sunflower was published in Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine January 2014 issue, the first story in the magazine by an Icelandic author. His second Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine story, A Letter to Santa, was published in the January 2015 issue. Ragnar’s short story Party of Two was published in the Crime Writers’ Association 2014 anthology Guilty Parties, edited by Martin Edwards. Ragnar lives in Reykjavik with his wife and daughters.Find out more at www.ragnarjonasson.com
Follow him on Twitter @ragnarjo
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