Ragnar Jonasson | THE ISLAND

Plot (via Goodreads):

The Island is the second thrilling book in Ragnar Jonasson's Hidden Iceland trilogy. This time Hulda is at the peak of her career and is sent to investigate what happened on Elliðaey after a group of friends visited but one failed to return.

Could this have links to the disappearance of a couple ten years previously out on the Westfjords? Is there a killer stalking these barren outposts?

Written with Ragnar's haunting and suspenseful prose The Island follows Hulda's journey to uncover the island's secrets and find the truth hidden in its darkest shadows.

Review:

So, The Darkness was the kind of novel that had a plot that was so intricate and enjoyable to read that it could have had a lackluster ending and it still would've been a five star read for me. But, that was not the case. The ending was so chilling and jaw-dropping that I immediately was begging for more. A prime example of Jonasson's talent is how no one else is writing their series backwards. With the first novel taking place in present time, it's follow-up The Island takes place from 1987 - 1997 and I can't get over how phenomenal this story was.

Featuring a rather creepy opening, I was initially confused and even more intrigued after the first chapter than I was just reading the synopsis. The opening to this one is chilling and inviting, leaving you intrigued and begging for more. Jumping from the chilling finale, Jonasson wastes no time getting into the meat of the plot by quickly bringing the reader to 1987 and not only building a wonderful setting, but introducing you to two characters on what seems to be an innocent couples getaway...one that ends in a brutal murder before traveling ten years to 1997. At this point, there was so much going on with so many creepy moments and the novel reads so cinematically that I was eager to read more. This novel turned my glutinous; each page making me crave another chapter. Promises of putting this one down to do a load of laundry or cook myself dinner left me ordering takeout and saving my laundry for another day. I loved the setting, the characters were so dazzling on page, and the novel progressed dangerously fast. A quick, taut thriller with a jaw-dropping finale and one of my favorite new heroines to read about - this is easily one of my favorite novels so far of 2019...and it's one that will stick with me for some time to come.

Special thanks to Minotaur Books for this copy in exchange for my honest review.

Rating: 5/5