Scan barcode
A review by clair_82
Rupture by Ragnar Jónasson
5.0
Firstly I need to share some love for that cover – it is fabulous and so representative of both the story line and the setting. That red roof on the house on the edge of that tranquil but remote fjord is just brilliant.
Rupture is Jónasson’s 4th novel to be seemlessly translated (by Quentin Bates) into English following Snowblind, Nightblind and Blackout – although the books have not been translated in chronological order. Rupture is my favourite one of the series yet as I loved both the intriguing investigations and the relationship between the characters.
Siglufjörður is under quarantine following the mysterious death of a visitor to the town and no one is leaving their houses for fear of catching the mystery illness and being its next victim. As such, there isn’t much for Ari Thór and Tomas to do policing wise other than cover the shifts at the station so Ari Thór starts looking into the death of a woman in Hedinsfjörður back in the 1950’s. At the time it was documented as an accidental poisoning but there are suspicions as to whether it was suicide, or something more sinister.
It is great to see that Ísrún is back, I really like her character and her relationship with Ari Thór. This time she is helping Ari Thór get information regarding a photo which shows a mystery visitor in Hedinsfjörður by using her journalism to get it out to a wider audience. As is now synonymous with Jónasson’s writing, there is also a second story line running in parallel set during the present day, Ísrún gets deeply involved when a child goes missing in broad daylight and is desperate for the scoop. Once again, these 2 story lines are seemlessly woven together in an extremely tight plot, using the wonderful backdrop of Iceland. Iceland is as much of a character as the people themselves, I love the descriptions of the landscape and after each book I want to visit Iceland more and more!
Another wonderful example of Icelandic noir from Jónasson which is brilliantly atmospheric and claustrophobic – a series that I love and recommend to anyone who will listen!
Rupture is Jónasson’s 4th novel to be seemlessly translated (by Quentin Bates) into English following Snowblind, Nightblind and Blackout – although the books have not been translated in chronological order. Rupture is my favourite one of the series yet as I loved both the intriguing investigations and the relationship between the characters.
Siglufjörður is under quarantine following the mysterious death of a visitor to the town and no one is leaving their houses for fear of catching the mystery illness and being its next victim. As such, there isn’t much for Ari Thór and Tomas to do policing wise other than cover the shifts at the station so Ari Thór starts looking into the death of a woman in Hedinsfjörður back in the 1950’s. At the time it was documented as an accidental poisoning but there are suspicions as to whether it was suicide, or something more sinister.
It is great to see that Ísrún is back, I really like her character and her relationship with Ari Thór. This time she is helping Ari Thór get information regarding a photo which shows a mystery visitor in Hedinsfjörður by using her journalism to get it out to a wider audience. As is now synonymous with Jónasson’s writing, there is also a second story line running in parallel set during the present day, Ísrún gets deeply involved when a child goes missing in broad daylight and is desperate for the scoop. Once again, these 2 story lines are seemlessly woven together in an extremely tight plot, using the wonderful backdrop of Iceland. Iceland is as much of a character as the people themselves, I love the descriptions of the landscape and after each book I want to visit Iceland more and more!
Another wonderful example of Icelandic noir from Jónasson which is brilliantly atmospheric and claustrophobic – a series that I love and recommend to anyone who will listen!